Tigger73's 125TSI Tiguan Build Thread

[tigger73]

I've been doing a bit of modding to my VW Tiguan 125TSI since I bought it in late 2011. It started out with a few small upgrades and kind of grew from there.

Recent shot:










Original spec of my VW Tiguan:

• 2011 125TSI 4Motion
• DSG
• black
• comfort pack
• park assist
• fog lights
• MDI
• 18" RS4 (non-OEM fitted by previous owner)

And then the mods started....

Exterior:

• prorack whispbar
• chrome window trims (removed)
• front grille mesh
• chrome fog trims (removed)
• Hella smoked 3rd brake light
• stainless stubby antenna

Audio/Electronics:

• Flappy Paddle MFSW
• S2T Paddle Shifters
• RCD510
• 9w7 Bluetooth
• RVC
• AutoPolar FIS+ Advanced

Engine/Performance Upgrades:

• VAR 3" DP
• VAR 2.5" catback exhaust (resonated)
• APR stage 2+ tune
• HP DSG tune
• S3 Intercooler
• VAR CAI (removed)
• VAR Carbon Engine Cover
• R8 Coil Packs
• Sprint Booster
• Haldex Performance Controller (non-switch Race mode only)

Interior/lighting:

• Door warning lights
• Interior LED upgrade
• Chrome window buttons
• VW laser projector lamps
• Chrome boot hooks

Suspension Upgrades:

• Whiteline Front sway bar
• Whiteline Rear sway bar
• Whiteline Anti-Lift Kit (ALK)
• Whiteline W0504 Rear Trailing arm - front bushing
• Whiteline KDT914 Engine - torque arm insert bushing
• Eibach Prokit Lowering Springs

Wheels/Tyres:

• Full-size spare
• Painted brake calipers
• 19x8 ET35 Oz Racing Ultraleggera + 245/40R19 Goodyear Assymetric 2

Links

Here's a bunch of useful links for where I've sourced various parts:

• Bold-Sport.com - door warning lights, chrome trimmed switches, door panel clips and cloth tape.
  
• VAG Navisystems - OEM 9W7 bluetooth units
  
• CarSystems PL - RVC camera kit, Multi-function sports steering wheel with DSG paddles + airbag
  
• Whiteline - front sway bar, rear sway bar, ALK
  
• Veizu - Performance tune, VAR Downpipe, VAR Cold Air Intake, VAR Carbon Engine Cover
  
• Harding Performance - DQ500 DSG Tune

And a number of useful DIY/installation threads:

• Auto-Polar FIS+ Advanced - Complete Guide
  
• R8 Coil Packs installed into Tiguan
  
• Install of Switchable Safety/Laser Lights
  
• Door Warning Lights and Chrome Buttons Install
  
• Front Sway Bar + ALK installed in Tiguan
  
• Viezu Tiguan Project Build
  
• Mirror Dipping in Tiguan - Confirmed
  
• Best way to fit a full size spare in the boot
  
• Debadging / Rebadging your Tig

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Tiguan | 2011 | 125TSI | DSG | black | comfort pack | park assist | fog lights | MDI | RCD510 | 9w7 | prorack whispbar | flappy paddle MFSW | S2T Paddle Shifters | VAR 3" TBE | VAR CAI | APR stage 2+ tune | HP DSG tune | R8 coil packs | Sprint Booster | S3 Intercooler | Haldex Race Controller | Whiteline front & rear sway bar + ALK | AutoPolar FIS+ Advanced | door warning lights | interior LED upgrade | chrome window buttons | VW door laser lights | painted brake calipers | 19 x 8 ET35 OZ Racing Ultraleggera | Eibach Prokit Lowering Springs |

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[tigger73]

My first mod (starting small) turned out to be not that successful (epic fail).

We liked the look of the 147 with chrome window trims so decided to get some aftermarket chrome trims to put on instead.

All was going well until we found out that the trims for the rear passenger doors were too long!










After a bit of further investigation I found out that these trims were designed to fit to the Chinese LWB Tiguan which has been stretched 50mm through the rear door to give more legroom in the rear seats.

So first mod ended up with sending the kit back and getting a refund.


I then installed a set of Whispbar Prorack roof racks.




Pulled off my front bumper and ran wire mesh through the upper and lower grille to stop any insects making a mess of the intercooler and a/c condenser.






I also debadged the boot as there was way too much stuff happening there... and then played around with what I might put back on






Plus installed a smoked 3rd brake light.

Before:




After:




Installed a stubby custom stainless antenna:




And finally black plasti-dipped the exterior lower plastics.

Blacked out the reflectors.... took the plasti-dip off the reverse lights before I drove it though




Plasti-dipped straight over the reverse park sensors without an issue.

This photo is when I'd completed half the car and you can see the contrast in this shot between the stock grey (on the front splitter) vs the rest of the trims along the side which have been plasti-dipped.

[tigger73]

Here's the Audio/Electronics upgrades.


First I installed a flat bottom MFSW with flappy paddles. This was a astraight swap for a Mk6 Golf wheel.




I then replaced the stock RCD310 with an RCD510 unit, upgraded the (basic) Novero HT-3 bluetooth with a 9w7 unit and installed a RVC unit.




Here's the camera integrated into the boot handle:




I upgraded to S2T paddle shifters:




...and then there was the boost pressure in MFD thread which started off as an innocent question and has ended up with me being the group buy guy for auto-polar.

I had all sorts of fun trying to find the location of the CANbus gateway module until I located it behind the glove box:
















And then there was the great mirror dipping debate - a number of people had attempted to get his feature working using VCDS but come up short, however it's implemented neatly in the Auto-Polar:




Plus there's an inbuilt chronometer:

[tigger73]

After tossing up which way to go with performance mods and one false start, I convinced Simon at Viezu Australia to use my car as a test vehicle for the new VAR Design Tiguan hardware.

It's taken quite a bit longer than we both would have liked. Here's the test fit gear on the car:






The old downpipe and air intake:






So after round one of the Viezu test fits I had a 2.75" downpipe and stage 1 performance tune. It provided some nice gains over the stock 125TSI.

The next few bits to go on were CAI and 3" DP (replace the test fit 2.75" DP).

VAR CAI:








3" DP:











After one of the stock coil packs failed I replaced them with a set of R8 coil packs:




I had the Viezu CBE installed - it's a non-resonated version. Initial impressions is that it's loud - particularly on 1/2 to 3/4 throttle. WOT it actually sounds better. The 2.5" unresonated cat-back stayed on for around a month until I had a resonator fitted.




I've included an audio/video clip below:



This was a cool morning and the first 60 seconds the auto-choke is active. After that it quietens down... and then a couple of revs with a pop.


Had a resonator fitted to the exhaust to quieten it down - unresonated it just way too noisy for around town. Still get all the DSG fart noises but pops are now no longer deafening.

I think anyone that heard my exhaust before will agree that it was a fraction loud.

Attachment 6069 Attachment 6068


Finally had some new double wall tips fitted...



Finally I've added Harding Performance DSG tune software for the DQ500 gearbox. Gear selection is improved and the car is a lot more driveable in "D". You can pretty much drive it like an auto now - no need to worry about sluggish take-offs in 2nd gear and generally responds better to the input of your right foot.

[tigger73]

I tinkered around with some interior LED lighting, new window buttons, safety lights for the door trims and some cool VW laser lights - though I installed a switch for these so I could use either the safety lights or lasers depending on my mood.

Interior LED Upgrade:








Pulled the door trims off to put the door warning lights in and while I had them off I upgraded the switches:








And then I put in some VW laser lights with switches to change between the laser lights and door warning lights (laser lights only really work at night).










And some r-dash error free license plate LEDs:




Plus upgraded/changed my 3rd rear brake light - colour matches to the car now

Before:




After:

[tigger73]

So with the stage 2 tune on its way I decided that the stock suspension needed a bit of an upgrade and as it happened there was a 20% off sale on Whiteline parts after Christmas.... so I stocked up.

Front and rear sway bars went on, an Anti-Lift Kit (ALK) plus a couple of other bits of special yellow plastic...

Front sway bar:






Front bar required some new links to improve clearance of the Whiteline front sway bar (which is currently being redesigned by Whiteline as a result):




Rear Sway bar:






Rear Trailing Arm bushing:




Anti-Lift Kit:




Front Engine Torque Arm Insert:






Sway bars keep body roll to a minimum and the ALK tightens up the turn-in and minimizes nose lift/dip under acceleration/braking. Definite bang for buck upgrade here, though the front sway bar did cause a few issues and is not something that can easily be installed on the driveway. I took this one to the workshop for fitting as it requires the whole engine subframe to be dropped to fit the bar in - definitely something to do in the workshop on a hoist.

[tigger73]

Wheels and brakes are next on the list and ended up opting for the more cost effective option of painted calipers vs a BBK. Given I'm only running my car on the road and not track I don't see any point in putting on a larger brake kit (except for looks of course), so painted calipers it was:








The car came with 18" aftermarket RS4 replica rims. I'd been looking for new wheels for a while.... and then saw some 19" Oz Racing wheels with the right offset come up in the parts section.

So ended up getting the 19" Oz Racing Ultraleggeras with Bridgestone Potenza S001's fitted. I'd had the rims since the start of the year - recently had tyres fitted and then a had to wait for a fitting kit (hub rings and correct bolts) before I could get these on.




Make sure you remember about hub rings and bolts. I didn't realise that the bolts on my existing wheels weren't going to fit and no centring rings was an issue also. Meant I had to put the old wheels back on and run them for another month while I sourced hub rings and bolts from overseas.




Finished result:

[tigger73]

I'd also been running around for the past year with the stock floor sitting on top of a full-size spare so over Christmas I eventually got around to building a new boot floor.

Stock boot with space saver, then full-size using stock floor:








So I built a new floor to fit the full-size spare and now the carpet sits flush with the boot sill:

[tigger73]

Here's a couple of my favourites pictures and a few last shots:

[tigger73]

Saved for future upgrades