Category Archives: Product Review
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
Eight Years!
November 11th, Veteran’s Day, marked my GTI’s eighth anniversary. I delayed sharing this post because I had just had the fuel tank suction pump recall performed and wanted a chance to include comments about it here. With over 233,000 miles … 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
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
Six Year Anniversary – Still Adding Stuff
My GTI recently saw its six year anniversary. I bought my car new on Veteran’s Day in 2016 and it’s been really good to me. Yes, I did have an injector problem and a few minor issues over the years, … 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
Deep Discharge – Get Restarted Fast!
Own a car for long enough and you’ll eventually find yourself with a weak starter battery. If the battery is just old, then maybe it will turn-on all of your accessories, but lack the grunt to turn the starter motor. … Continue reading
Five Years in a Mk7 GTI! More Mods or Time to Sell?
I can’t believe it’s been five years in my Mk7 GTI already! Is it too late to add more mods to this geriatric GTI or should I sell it? According to some, I’m way overdue for ditching this car! I … 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
Tiny Cargo Trailer Conversion – The Roof
In “The Problems,” I mentioned my need to reseal the roof after finding leaks inside the walls. In order to reseal the roof, I first had to strip away the existing sealant. I thought that would be easy enough with … Continue reading
Tiny Cargo Trailer Conversion – The Problems
Converting my Homesteader Fury tiny cargo trailer into a sleeper turned out to be a real challenge! It was easy to assume the job would go smoothly since the original owner only had it for a year and was using … 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.
100,000 Miles!
The 100,000-mile mark is a significant milestone for many car owners. I’m almost uncertain why that’s still true today. Even though the cars I grew up driving didn’t even have an odometer that counted past 99,999 miles, the majority of … Continue reading
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
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
Homesteader Fury 4×6 Long-Term Review – Conversion Builders Beware!
I bought my 2016 Homesteader Fury 4×6′ cargo trailer second-hand on a whim during a casual morning drive on a nearby highway. The original owner had it for about a year and gently used it for a clothing business. It … Continue reading
Three Years and 93,000 Miles: A Summary of Problems So Far
This entry is a bit overdue. Previously, I had focused on sharing my reports here in my blog and then followed-up with a supplemental video on my YouTube channel. This time, I shot the YouTube video first and had intended … 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
Pro Series 20×48″ Hitch-Mounted Cargo Carrier
As I make updates to streamline some of my web pages and menus, I found myself with orphaned information about my hitch-mounted cargo carrier. I used it a lot on earlier cars, but not so much with my GTI. I … Continue reading
Stuck in the Mud; Saved by the “More Power Puller”
Have you ever wanted to take to the mud with your summer performance tires and see what your Mk7 can do? Yeah, neither have I. But it still happened. I’ve made a few references to my yard projects in earlier … 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
Getting Stoned With My GTI!
I’ve been working on a drainage project behind my house. My back yard slopes toward my house, which means that rainwater from the two homes uphill from me collects against my back door and eventually culminates into a river through the garage. … 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
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
OBDEleven Scan Tool Holder
I have an OBDEleven scan tool. I learned the hard way that leaving the scan tool plugged in full-time isn’t a great idea. Mine has lived in the glovebox for the past 18 months. There’s nothing terribly wrong with that. … 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