To Mod, or not to Mod?

[GaryUFM]

I was always of the opinion that instead of modding your car, you would have been better off saving your pennies and buying a better specced/faster car in the first place. I mean, why ruin the purity of the car's (whichever car) original lines, invalidate the warranty, etc.

However, been reading this forum for a while now and I'm getting more and more tempted - wouldn't mind getting the diesel up to 210ps with the corresponding increase in torquage. I'd also be interested in seeing what the car looked like an inch or so lower.

Unfortunately, as a company car, I won't be able to do anything until (and if) I buy the car at the end of the lease agreement, at which point, things like the warranty won't be a consideration any more.

Anyways, two questions for you lot:

1) Are you for modding your Scirocco, or would you prefer to keep your Roc as the good Lord VW intended? A Mod or a Rocca, if you will.

2) If you could only do 2 things to your Roc, what would it be?

[jammyd]

I will probably drop mine, when I have the money, I like the little things in life I do the lights, maybe the odd little to the looks, but I am not for all the body work adding, new wheels etc, I think it looks fine, maybe just a little tall!

[Deacon]

Mine is modded so covers that one I guess!

If it was only two things would be a drop and remap. Both transform the car for the better!

[Jane]

Mine is modded so covers that one I guess!

If it was only two things would be a drop and remap. Both transform the car for the better!

Same here, agree with Deacon

[Actus Reus]

Yep - I've neved modded anything, but I've been toying with the idea of a remap for ages, though the warranty concerns me a bit as my car isn't quite a year old yet... And yes, they look good if you drop 'em a bit.

[Chungster]

Mine is modded so covers that one I guess!

If it was only two things would be a drop and remap. Both transform the car for the better!

Same here, agree with Deacon

Those were the 2 things I said I'd do from the start...but had some offers I couldn't refuse so couple of other things got done too!!!

[fun meter]

Not really a fan of mods too much. Have similar thought as yourself, better to save money for next car. But I think if the car can really benefit out of it, then go for it. i.e. if a car sounds crap as standard, replacing exhaust (thinking 370z here).
Dont tend to look at specific things, as its the whole car that makes it what it is. Remap is good for power, but can you put the power down and can you stop the car at the extra speed.

All I've done to mine is set of better pads and panel filter. I doubt i'll do anything else, probably end up exchanging for an R in 2 years if the price is right.

[Shaun]

The odd tastefull mod is OK IMO, but nothing to mad !

[GaryUFM]

Fun meter - I think that's the thing: does the car benefit (I guess balanced against cost). If you can squeeze a bit more out of the car without too much spends? E.g. if I'm going to spend £5k+ on it, I should have gone for the R.

Looks like a decent (& not excessive) remap and lowering can be done for £500-750? That's what's making me think again.

I also have visions of DIY bodykits on hatches: huge aerofoils on cars with 1.2l engines! This has put me off until now too. Looking at the mods I'm talking about, the only person that need know about it is me, and it's purely for my enjoyment.

[Strat]

Fun meter - I think that's the thing: does the car benefit (I guess balanced against cost). If you can squeeze a bit more out of the car without too much spends? E.g. if I'm going to spend £5k+ on it, I should have gone for the R.

Looks like a decent (& not excessive) remap and lowering can be done for £500-750? That's what's making me think again.

I also have visions of DIY bodykits on hatches: huge aerofoils on cars with 1.2l engines! This has put me off until now too. Looking at the mods I'm talking about, the only person that need know about it is me, and it's purely for my enjoyment.

There's two sorts of modding, that of the 17/18 yr old in the 1.1 Fiesta with his/her very first car and there's the 'professional' modding. The latter on the whole, only adds to the car imo. Don't forget, VW have to appeal to as wide an audience as possible when designing the Rocco, therefore a number of factors can be improved upon (e.g. ride height) whilst not detracting anything from what was originally intended.

I say go for it!

[robmx]

I've modded mine.

Two more things I want to do to it are (money no option)

Golf "R" Recaros
KW HLS (so I can lower it more)

[markwiggy]

I will be leaving mine as standard, don't see the point in throwing money down the drain when you could spend it on beer.Seriously though, you will never get the money back and it may well devalue you car as modded cars are more difficult to sell. You also have the warranty, insurance issues etc. Would you buy a modded car ?? I wouldn't.

Mark

[robmx]

It's all about being clever with the mods, everything I've done I can change back with little effort (so far).

Then you have a standard car to sell and a bunch of parts as well, which is more than what you'd have if you spent the same money on beer

[Strat]

Money on beer is waisted ultimately. There's certaily nothing wrong with the car as standard, and had i not been invovled in forums such as this, id have no knowledge or impulse to mod, however, forums such as this provide a platform to learn about the car which has developed my desire to 'enhance' it.

if of course you don't want to mod it, that's your choice

[Chungster]

Exactly Strat....people spend money on fags and booze... I dont do either so prefer to tinker with the car and get more V Power for road trips.

I've been modifying since I started reading Max Power back in 1999! The days when 7x17s were "going some and needing arch rolling"

Now we talk about 20s soon becoming the norm!

[fun meter]

GaryUFM. If you want remap and lowering, go for it. Really, a lot of basic mods aren't that expensive and offer good 'bang for your buck'. All down to what someone wants out of a car and their personal preferences.
For myself, standard 210ps engine is enough for me at the moment and new pads hopefully perform and last better on track. Also have to bear in mind im 20, so insurance is an issue anyway, but mods would make insurance even more of a problem. I love the car I have, but providing the circumstances are right, I'll probably chop mine in for an R at end of warranty. Then the same after that, and just go up the food chain in overall car performance.

[wigit]

I will be leaving mine as standard, don't see the point in throwing money down the drain when you could spend it on beer.Seriously though, you will never get the money back and it may well devalue you car as modded cars are more difficult to sell. You also have the warranty, insurance issues etc. Would you buy a modded car ?? I wouldn't.

Mark

isn't drinking beer pouring money down the drain, all be it passes through the middle man

yes you won't recoup the money, however, likely to recoving 50-60% on hardware when you turn the car back to stock , my advice is don't sell your oem parts to fund your modding for me its a false economy, for me i dont like doing the bodykit thing

in terms of buying a modded car, oddly i bet you find the majority of modded cars are better looked after mechanically given they are owned by entheusiasts, all be it buyer beware and in reality check who did the mods and receipts i would be checking for how long the car has been mapped and whether its on its oriignal clutch if a manual

if you are going to do two mods springs and remap, i find the stock ride height quite offensive these days, if you dont want to do the remap do the lower subframe mount as massively reduces wheel hop

for me the stock tsi was too slow and a bit too refined for my liking, its down to personal taste, never get why some people on forums modify by forum consensus

[M4CES]

Has anyone done this ?

Is it frowned upon ?

Was only thinking of changing the wheels and some basic bits that can be changed back ?

Aaron

[Mark V]

Good question really - depends if the changes are truly mods (chipping, different wheeels etc) or just 'enhancements' that could have (or should have in some cases) been on the car or specced anyway. I tend to want to do only the latter to preserve the OEM look so have covered cup holder, cruise control, RNS510, door puddle lights on my list....