# 2008 VW GTI build



## Cryptic1911 (Dec 10, 2008)

Hey guys, I just started doing some work on my 08 GTI to get it ready for my aftermarket stereo install. I've only gotten around do doing some of the dampening so far, and I have to wait until parts of my dash get back from getting done in carbon fiber to do the rest of the install.

I'll be installing the following:

Kenwood DNX8120 w/ rearview cam, GPS and bluetooth
Alpine PDX 4.150 for the front doors
Alpine PDX 1.600 for the sub
CDT HD-642 3 way comp set ( yeah, I know.. vifa, etc, etc.. I got a good deal on them)
JL 10w6 stealthbox (I know there's alot better than JL, but it fit the best and I didn't want to custom make a glass box myself, but honestly they don't sound bad.. should be perfect for what I'm after)

Here's what I've done so far:

Stripped out the rear part of the car and did some Raamat BXT on most surfaces, including under the rear seat area:




















Removed the outer door skins and did two layers of Raamat BXT and one layer of Ensolite foam over the whole outer door panel, and used leftover scraps on the outside of the "inner" metal door panel. I haven't taken the inside panels out to do any deadening on those yet, but that is coming.. it will get the same treatment as the outside:



































Then I did a layer of Ensolite foam over most of the back of the car, plus did BXT and Ensolite in the hatch itself:


































I'm not finished yet obviously, but how did I do? this is my first time with any sound deadening whatsoever


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## Fiercetimbo17 (May 17, 2007)

I wish my door came apart like that...looks good


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## Nitin (May 28, 2008)

i have a Polo GTI which is a smaller brother of that car - i wonder if my doors come apart like that too


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## Cryptic1911 (Dec 10, 2008)

what year is it? i can probably find out since i have the vw dealer parts program here at my house


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## Sangheili (Apr 23, 2007)

Cryptic1911 said:


> Removed the outer door skins and did two layers of Raamat BXT and one layer of Ensolite foam over the whole outer door panel, and used leftover scraps on the outside of the "inner" metal door panel. I haven't taken the inside panels out to do any deadening on those yet, but that is coming.. it will get the same treatment as the outside:


Wow... I didn't expect to do such a hardcore doubletake at 3AM. Those are some odd doors. Must be nice to work on though


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## Cryptic1911 (Dec 10, 2008)

Sangheili said:


> Wow... I didn't expect to do such a hardcore doubletake at 3AM. Those are some odd doors. Must be nice to work on though


yeah, it takes a whole 10 minutes to take the door skin off the car, its awesome :coolgleamA:


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## JayinMI (Oct 18, 2008)

Took me and my buddy about 1.5 hrs to get them off on the '09 I put the remote starter on. Of course, we had no idea about the "latch" type deal that holds the panel to the door around the door panel...

Jay


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## Cryptic1911 (Dec 10, 2008)

JayinMI said:


> Took me and my buddy about 1.5 hrs to get them off on the '09 I put the remote starter on. Of course, we had no idea about the "latch" type deal that holds the panel to the door around the door panel...
> 
> Jay


what latch deal?


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## JayinMI (Oct 18, 2008)

The piece that the handle slides into. It looks like you would have to put pressure right near the door handle when you slide the panel. It kind of has a hook and then there are corresponding nubs on the handle that fit into them. I know that's probably not a real good explanation, but I bet you know what I'm talking about now.

IF it matters, the one I did was a 4 door.

Jay


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## TXwrxWagon (Sep 26, 2008)

You don't have to make excuses for using the Stealth box. For their intended purpose, they are a great bang for the buck. I know a bunch of people will jump on "you can make that soo much cheaper, with a better woofer ... blah-blah-blah" whatever... proven design, great performance, within the intended application. Its not going to make a rap-thechno-electronica person happy... so what...

Damn that door design rocks... easy repairs & low labor costs to replace... I wonder how stout the door sounds w/o deadening/dampening?

Rob


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## Cryptic1911 (Dec 10, 2008)

JayinMI: ohh, the diecast metal thing that bolts under the doorhandle, and that the lock assembly goes into? yeah you have to take that torx bolt out of the door panel, and then it comes right off.. the metal thing stays on the doorpanel (i took the first one off too).

TXwrxWagon: yeah, you're right about the jl stealthbox, I just wanted to head off any snobs  and yes, the door designs are awesome! german engineering FTW!. The doors do need some deadening since they can rattle even with the stock stereo. only problem is that the mids location is gonna be a ***** to mount mdf rings to since its all sloped in and curved.. but i'll figure it out


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## ds06max (Oct 17, 2008)

They come off like the Smart cars doors cool


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## FREQBOX (Jun 25, 2007)

Cryptic1911 said:


> and yes, the door designs are awesome! german engineering FTW!.


The outer door skin removable FTW. The placement of the speaker in the door FTL.


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## Cryptic1911 (Dec 10, 2008)

FREQBOX said:


> The outer door skin removable FTW. The placement of the speaker in the door FTL.


haha, yeah I forgot about that.. yeah the midbass is down by your thigh, but the midrange is in the top front part of the door.. guess it could be worse


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## FREQBOX (Jun 25, 2007)

Cryptic1911 said:


> haha, yeah I forgot about that.. yeah the midbass is down by your thigh, but the midrange is in the top front part of the door.. guess it could be worse


From the pics I thought it was just a fullrange driver in that spot. you are right it could be ALOT worse.


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## TheNextEpisode (Jul 27, 2008)

Awesome car, regardless of the audio quality. It'll be even better though, with the attention you're giving to the sound system. 

I don't know if VW shares this problem with Audi, but the lower end Audi audio systems are always terrible. If this is also the case with your Vdub, this will definitely be money well spent.


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## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

Nice, your GTI looks like mine did.  How were you able to get two layers of damping and a layer of Ensolite on the outer panel? I did a single layer of a different damping material and I was barely able to get the panel back on. Maybe mine is thicker?? 

If you still have the rear side panels apart put a buttload of closed cell foam in there with the deadening. It'll really help with the road noise. Same thing in the rear sides of the hatch.


TNE - The bottom end of the "high end" VWAG systems (Monsoon, Dynaudio, etc) all suck ass as well. 

Jay - the two and four door doors come apart the same. I think it's funny that this trips people out and Saturn has been building doors like this for almost what, two decades? lol










edit: Link to the VW Vortex thread with full removal instructions.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?&id=2984471


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## Cryptic1911 (Dec 10, 2008)

I was thinking about getting more ensolite.. I'll have enough to do the insides of the front doors, but not a lot left after that. I might order some tonight


Last night I ordered some wire and connectors. I got all the spade connectors that I'll need, 100ft of streetwires 16ga wire (for 3 runs to the front on each side), 10ft streetwires 12ga to run to the sub and to the crossovers in the back for the front speakers (running a bit over 300w per door), 100ft of gepco 61801 single pair wire (need to run two lengths per "rca" for left/right) and a bunch of neutrik rca ends

I'll put up a howto for making the rca cables if anyone wants to see how its done since these are really cheap and easy to make but are great quality cables


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## Cryptic1911 (Dec 10, 2008)

quality_sound said:


> Nice, your GTI looks like mine did.  How were you able to get two layers of damping and a layer of Ensolite on the outer panel? I did a single layer of a different damping material and I was barely able to get the panel back on. Maybe mine is thicker??


did you trim off the 4 foam pads on the door bracing? they are like 1/4" thick, so thats probably what held you up. look in this pic here, you can see the remnants of the glue and bits of foam from where I cut them off:


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## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

No, I left mine on. Mine is also an '08 but the foam pads weren't thick enough to be a problem. I think my issue was how much of the panel I covered. I did everything that wasn't plastic so I'm thinking the upper section was what the problem was. The panel went on fine but when I was screwing in the Torx screw for the door handle lock ring it was hitting one of the retaining nubs on the handle assembly. I loosened the main screws re-compressed the material, re-tightened everything and then it was no problem. 

When I put the 8s in the doors I'm going to take out the window regulator (it's VERY easy) and do some more layers on the skin as well as the door beams and both sides of the regulator.


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## JayinMI (Oct 18, 2008)

quality_sound said:


> Jay - the two and four door doors come apart the same. I think it's funny that this trips people out and Saturn has been building doors like this for almost what, two decades? lol
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You are the man!!! I knew the panels came off, but didn't have instructions so we kind of figured it out. We took out all the bolts that hold the panel on, loosened the bolt that holds the lock cylinder piece in, popped that out and then had a hell of a time trying to slide it off the hooks behind the door panel. I knew I should have checked the Vortex. As with anything, the first one always takes longer than it should.

Thanks,

Jay

Edit: I just looked at the how-to, and we didn't remove the handle or remove that bolt under the front of it...no wonder it was such a PITA.


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## Cryptic1911 (Dec 10, 2008)

JayinMI said:


> just looked at the how-to, and we didn't remove the handle or remove that bolt under the front of it...no wonder it was such a PITA.


oh god, that must have been rediculous to put back on! :dunce:


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## JayinMI (Oct 18, 2008)

Yep. It was. Took me and another guy 1.5 hrs trying to get things hooked back in right. This way is much easier. 

Jay


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## Echo42987 (Dec 25, 2008)

wow to takin' the whole door off. Don't usually see that when your dynamting, etc. lol. Looks great and nice ride


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## Cryptic1911 (Dec 10, 2008)

got my dash pieces and stereo surround back today done in carbon fiber:


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## evli one (Dec 5, 2008)

where did you get that carbon done at?


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## vladi627 (Sep 22, 2008)

looks awesome man. Keep up the good work.


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## Cryptic1911 (Dec 10, 2008)

evli one said:


> where did you get that carbon done at?


Carbon Dynamics


ugh, I hope it gets warmer soon.. ****in 4 degrees this morning.. this **** is killing any work I want to do :mean:


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## MaXaZoR (Apr 1, 2007)

What's the cost with doing it? that looks hott!


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## kota_sounds (Apr 21, 2008)

wow that place doesnt play around they got some really cool carbon stuff and they know it so they sure do charge you for it


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## Cryptic1911 (Dec 10, 2008)

kota_sounds said:


> wow that place doesnt play around they got some really cool carbon stuff and they know it so they sure do charge you for it


yup... gotta pay if ya wanna play i guess.


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