Category Archives: Mods & Projects
Cargo Organization with Husky Build-Out
I have been a fiercely independent traveler for a very long time, both in vehicles and on my bicycles. I often carry more tools or parts than necessary. I had been carrying cargo in bags, then boxes, and even some … Continue reading
Fuel Tank Suction Pump Recall
Over 261,000 Golf, GTI, Jetta, GLI, Sportwagen, Alltrack, and A3 owners received a notice in February 2024 about a possible fire hazard. The notice read, “The suction jet pump inside the fuel tank is designed to purge fuel from the … Continue reading
Thule Force XT Sport Cargo Box
I bought my first-ever cargo box years ago in the form of Yakima’s quickly-discontinued Showcase 15. It fills the roof on my GTI; so, I never thought that I’d consider another box. Fast-forward to 2022 when I started to dive … Continue reading
“Reverse Rake” Spacers by EMD Auto
I’ve moved most of my ham radio content to its own website. Still, those of you who’ve been here for a while know that I’m carrying a bit of extra weight in the car, probably an additional 200-300 lbs (300-500 … Continue reading
Rooftop Antenna Tower w/Rotator!
I now have a dedicated ham radio website, KE4WMF.com. See this article and more, starting HERE. If you’ve been watching my site, then you’re aware that I’ve been slowly building a VHF contest Rover. I’m documenting my process on my … Continue reading
Daughter’s Car is Fixed!
My daughter’s car is fixed and on the road! The repair happened before my daughter came home for Thanksgiving, which gave me time to take the car for a few test drives and to shoot a video (link below). In … Continue reading
Dometic CFX3-35 12V Cooler
I’ve mentioned my Dometic CFX3-35 12-volt cooler a few times during the two years that I’ve had it, starting with the kick-off for a coast-to-coast road trip. I’ve even published videos dedicated to it. But I had not shared an … Continue reading
Electronics Overhaul!
I now have a dedicated ham radio website, KE4WMF.com. See this article and more, starting HERE. I receive a lot of compliments regarding the level of detail and workmanship on my electronics panel. However, something interesting happens over the course … Continue reading
Ham Radio Updates
I now have a dedicated ham radio website, KE4WMF.com. See this article and more, starting HERE. I’ve been neglectful, but busy. I’ve enjoyed making YouTube videos and publishing every week. However, spending so much time making videos meant that the … Continue reading
Orion-Tr Smart 12|12-30 360-Watt DC-DC Charger
I now have a dedicated ham radio website, KE4WMF.com. See this article and more, including details about an upgraded charger, starting HERE. A car’s alternator is NOT appropriate for charging LiFePo4 batteries. First, it’s output voltage is not quite correct; … Continue reading
100-Ah Lithium Iron Phosphate Secondary Battery
NOTE: I now have a dedicated ham radio website, KE4WMF.com. See this article and more starting HERE. This year is the first time in many years that I spent a lot of time using my ham radios. As much as … Continue reading
Rear Seat Delete: New and Improved
This entry may seem like déjà vu if you’ve been following my site for a while. Yes, I had created and installed a rear seat delete in 2019. I removed it after a couple months of use because I felt … Continue reading
Fuel Economy with IS38
One look at that title must have you wondering – “What kind of lunatic tracks fuel economy in a modified GTI?” THIS GUY does. HAHA! Coming from a Volkswagen turbodiesel background and having a lifetime of fuel economy testing under … Continue reading
Scorpion SA-680 Black Widow 10-80m Antenna
This entry has been moved to my ham radio website at KE4WMF.com. See this article HERE.
More Changes to Ham Radio
NOTE: I now have a dedicated ham radio website, KE4WMF.com. Click here to see how my crazy setup has grown. If you follow my Facebook page, then you may remember that I relocated my Icom ID-5100A ham radio display to … Continue reading
DIY Awning
It’s been almost a year since I since I shared my desire to do some camping, perhaps leaning toward overlanding, or what I might call “microlanding” in my GTI. See that article here. Even after a year, I haven’t set … Continue reading
ECS Street Shield Skid Plate and Tunnel Brace
It’s been over two years since I upgraded my factory plastic oil pan to a steel unit from USP. I went under the car to shoot footage for its three year anniversary video and discovered that the RTV gasket had … Continue reading
Sonax and Carbon Collective Oracle Ceramic Coatings
I had my GTI’s paint corrected and ceramic coated last April. I had a lot going on last year and didn’t take time to talk about it here, other than a short paragraph in an unrelated post. Nevertheless, I’ve been … Continue reading
Dutton-Lainson Hand Winch for Baby Trailer
I’ve shared several stories and videos about how I put my baby trailer to use. One unsung hero of my setup is my Dutton-Lainson 2000-lb hand winch with 20-ft nylon strap. Calling this a “hand winch” is a bit of … Continue reading
12V Battery Failure and Upgrade to Group 48 AGM
I experienced somewhat of a weak start one morning a few months ago. But it didn’t happen again. Weeks later, I was listening to music over my lunch break and the sound quit. That was strange. The stereo was still … Continue reading
80,000 Miles and Rear Seat Delete!
It’s been a while since I last reported a milestone. I skipped the 70,000-mile report because I had just shared about my car’s second birthday. Time has flown and now I’m past 80,000 miles. I continue to enjoy my commute, … Continue reading
Yakima Showcase 15 Wrap-Up (Pun Intended, Leaks Resolved)
If you’ve read my Long-Term Review of the Showcase 15, then you know that I was extremely disappointed to discover that many of its rivets leak during even light rainfall, causing the bottom of the box to pool with water. … Continue reading
Overheating Equipment in the Trunk?
My last few entries have been about changes to my stereo and ham radio projects. I’ll finish the series by answering a frequently asked question: “Doesn’t your equipment get hot or risk overheating under the trunk floor?” I considered that … Continue reading
Ham Radio Display Relocation
NOTE: I now have a dedicated ham radio website, KE4WMF.com. Click here to see more! When I first bought my car, I chose to mount my Icom ID-5100A display down by the gearshift because I had become accustomed to having … Continue reading
D-Dock Smartphone Dock and Android Auto
I’ve used smartphones in my cars for over 10 years. I don’t text and drive, but I like being aware of when I receive a message and will take a look at short messages. I WON’T read a message that’s … Continue reading
Long Term Review: Helix Sound Upgrade
Believe it or not, I’m no audio systems expert, despite what this photo may compel you to believe. I just know more about stereo upgrades than the average driver; plus, I know how to get what I want in an … Continue reading
Eight Inch MIB2 Display
I’ve been very pleased with the MIB2 infotainment system in my GTI. The display size is adequate, sound quality is good, and the system introduced me to AndroidAuto. If you’ve explored my site, then you know that I’ve upgraded my system … Continue reading
OEM Pop-In Sunshades (Rear)
I tinted my glass a few months ago, but I was still intrigued by Volkswagen’s pop-in shades, P/N: 5G0-064-365. The shades were recently on sale at Deutsche Auto Parts (DAP), so I made an impulse purchase. The kit comes with … Continue reading
More Nogaros, Now in Gunmetal Gray…
I recently found myself wondering if the 18×7.5-inch Nogaro could become rare in the United States. They seem to be common in the U.K. However, they were available only on the 2017 GTI Sport in the U.S. See this post … Continue reading
Hüper Optik Ceramic Window Film
I enjoyed a moderate tint on my Mk3 Jetta TDI for over 16 years. There were times when the tint was old, faded, or even bubbled at a point or two. I had opted for inexpensive dyed film for both … Continue reading
Subwoofer Power Upgrade – Rockford Fosgate T1S1
My subwoofer journey has been a series of incremental improvements. My first setup accidentally included a subwoofer with dual 2-ohm voice coils instead of dual 4-ohm voice coils. The difference meant that my 300-watt amplifier could only output about 200 … Continue reading
USP Motorsports Steel Oil Pan Conversion
Automakers continue to find ways to save weight for better fuel economy and performance. Some choose to eliminate the spare tire. Others, including VW/Audi, choose to use plastic oil pans on some of their engines. The risk of damage seems … Continue reading