I’m a pragmatist who’s been driving modestly equipped cars all of his life. I was not interested in the fancy options that come with the upper trim levels, particularly the sunroof or leather seats. “Why not just get a Golf?” is a VERY common question. The answer is simple: I wanted the more powerful 2.0T. It’s A LOT more fun, especially after a tune! Plus, the GTI is a better car that’s still available with a manual transmission while the manual Golf was only available in “S” form. I bought a “Sport” trim, which is essentially a GTI “S” with Performance and Lighting Packages, as well as unique wheels. I’ve shared details about my decision here.
I usually don’t like anything eye-catching on my car. It’s a discretely modified car, except for when I mount the big antennas shown below. Being my “everything car,” it serves as a daily driver, traveler, workhorse, and routine joy-rider. But you’d never know it by passing it on the street. No one would suspect this car of hiding nearly 400 hp! Every modification is either completely hidden or easily removable. I don’t even have personalized license plates, an apparent rite of passage here in Virginia. It’s the answer to “Why StealthGTI!” 😉
After about five years of ownership and the continual expansion of my ham radio projects, I find myself with a radio platform that definitely blows my “Stealth” or hidden look. There’s no hiding these antennas now! The good news is that I designed these platforms to be modular and easy to remove when I want to run “clean” or do not have a communications mission. Check the menus at the top of the page to learn more. Or start reading more on my Mechanical page. I’ve shared a photo album below, too.
My Wheels Are Turning…
Scott
Am i the only one reading this article? Thanks for sharing your ride with other people out there.After driving Honda civics for decades, I went to test drive an mk7.5 (2018 GTI,how they call it on the streets) MANNN,I felt in love instantly,there was no way for me to leave that dealership with my 2015 civic SI. I decided to pick up a 2018 white GTI SE and drive it home that very same day. Don’t get me wrong,I’m still very skeptical about RELIABILITY,never had any kind of issues with HONDAS plus the bad rumors on VW are something to worried about,the warranty extension to 6 years/72k did convince me to step up and give it a good shot.Hope to get a stage one APR after 5,000k and gain some extra HP numbers,so far so good,so far so much fun.Enjoy your ride and thanks again for sharing your experience with such a great vehicle.
Have a great day !!!
+YEAH,GRAY COLOR IS THE BEST TO KEEP IT AS A SLEEPER !
Marcus – Thanks for commenting! I have a few comments scattered among different pages on this site. It’s good to see the interaction; it lets me know that people are indeed having a look. 😉 The Mark 7 GTI is a great car. I drove TDIs for over 20 years and really enjoyed the high fuel economy. But one push of the GTI’s accelerator had me wondering why I waited so long to give it a try. I don’t know if I’ll ever drive anything else… except maybe a Mk8 or Mk9 GTI or Golf R. HAHA! Thanks for visiting! -Scott
Also, I forgot to address your reliability concern: My GTI has nearly 60,000 miles on it, APR Stage 1 since 15,000 miles, and has not had any problems other than the clutch slipping, which is to be expected with 380 lb-ft pushing against it… especially with a trailer in tow. HAHA! My rules for keeping the car healthy is to do the scheduled maintenance on time and NEVER drive it briskly until the oil is warmed to at least 180 degrees. Game on at that point!
I just found your site, so I will take a look around. I have had a MK7.5 GTI Performance Pack for two weeks! My first GTI, my 3rd Golf, 5th VW, 7th VAG car!
I am really enjoying my GTI, discovering new features and just loving the flexible 245 PS engine with the 7 speed DSG box. It’s a lease, so the limits of my mods will by ODBeleven (switched off the Soundaktor, enabled Scandinavian DRLs so far).
My last car was a 1.4 TFSI Audi A4, so the performance jump is huge for me. What has really impressed me about the GTI so far is the comfort. For a performance hatch, it does an incredible job of riding smoothly over the cratered UK rural roads I drive to and from work (believe me, if you have not driven in the UK recently, it’s just incredibly bad compared to almost anywhere in the US).
Thanks for building this site!
John – Thanks for stopping by. My site is a labor of love. StealthTDI.com stood for ~20 years. I’ll keep StealthGTI going for as long as I’m able to get in and out of a Golf-bodied car. HAHA!
your GTI is awesome. Im in the process of makeing my MK7 GTI a sleeper. I to love the idea of looking stock. Just got mine 3 months ago. Keep up the blog I am inspired .
Thanks for the comments! I’m on the verge of sharing photos of my refinished Nogaro wheels as well as my recent trailer adventures. Stay tuned! -Scott
Hi Scott. I was on my way to look at a used GTI-Sport, when I stopped at my local dealer to check out a new 2018 S…ended up coming home with the new car (warranty and all) for almost what the Sport was listed for. I’m back in a GTI (after three mid-size sedans) and its fantastic. This is my third GTI and I have to say, there just isn’t anything like them. I’ve owned and driven lots of fast cars from other manufacturers. While raw numbers can be impressive, there is just “something” to the feel of a German car (even ones made in Mexico or Westmoreland, PA – yeah, I’m that old!) Anyway, I found your site from the link in your Vortex signature. Looking forward to reading some good stuff. Happy New Year! – John
Glad to hear you’re enjoying the car, John! I was an ardent TDI enthusiast for 20 years, smugly enjoying my 45-55 mpg tanks while thinking I had the “king of torque.” Sure, my fuel costs effectively doubled when I switched to the GTI. But the GTI easily tunes to 400 lb-ft. It’s so satisfying to drive that I still ask myself “Why did I wait so long???” I think I’ll drive GTIs for as long as I’m able to get in and out of them (hip issues here). Thanks for visiting! -Scott
I’ve wanted a GTI since the late 80’s and finally bit the bullet this July 4th after finding a 2016 S two door with only 27,000 on the odometer. Like you, I want to keep the stock look but make some mods to make it more “mine”. Reflex Silver was a must for me. I used to buy silver exclusively because 1) I just like the way it looks and 2) in a rush, a quick trip to the the carwash with the pressure wand and fresh tire black and it looks freshly washed. The wife prefers white so that has been our last few cars, but this one was my choice. Glad I found your site!
Glad you found the site! And congrats on your purchase! I see your other questions and will get to them soon. Thanks for visiting.
Enjoying reading your reviews + builds and walkthroughs of your own! Found you through YouTube while poking around at roof racks. Might have a Rhino Rack on the Mk6 before long, thanks to you!
Very nice! Thanks for visiting, Jared!
Hi Scott!
Just yesterday I picked up my “first car” (the first car I’ve ever bought all by myself – just outta university this year): the blue 2017 GTI VW Sport. I’ve been lurking around on your site and your YouTube channel pre-purchase, and your enthusiasm and tips have been a large part of my motivation to buy this vehicle, so thank you!! I really relate to your school of thought, hobbies, and DIY attitude, so I’m excited to dig into more of your content with the car in my possession so that I can “follow along” 😉 In my short, 6 years of driving, I’ve spent a few months or more driving a silver 2002 Mercedes C320, black 2016 Honda Civic SI, red 2006 Honda Civic SI, silver 2004 Toyota Corolla, 2015 Honda CBR500R (motorcycling was a quick phase for me, haha), blue 2002 Mazda Miata, and now this…and I’ve gotta say, after just ~3hours of driving this GTI…it’s the best of them all 😀
Anyway, I’ll try to comment on more posts – I’d love to join in on the discussions and get advice on “best practices”. Thanks again!
-Maggie
Thanks for writing, Maggie! I think my GTI is the best car I’ve ever owned, too! I also tend to believe that my next car could be “the best,” too, since cars are continually improving. Then again, my GTI may be the last “fast” car in my line-up. I may explore something more dirt-worthy in the future. But I hope to keep my GTI for fun for a very long time. Keep an eye on my YT channel. When I first bought my GTI, I was focused on my web site and my YT channel followed it. Now it’s the opposite: My YouTube videos lead and my website eventually catches up. Take Care!
Been a subscriber for a long time! Love the channel love the car! Keep up on the amazing content!
Thanks, Cody! I appreciate that!