jhibbin Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 Picked up the rebuilt GTi from the bodyshop on Fri It is amazing ...you would never know it had been reshelled. It looked the absolute muts nuts outside in their car park, great job I must say. Condition of the car was far better than it was at new from Motorprovider. So far I have found only 2 minor faults. Some minor glass damage from the original accident on the door trim (which they are going to replace) and a slight whistle noise at motorway speeds from the rear off side. Need more driving time to really decide if anything else is amiss. I have to say that AB Crush did an amazing job (bit slow at times) but still so far they do seemed to have handbuilt a Mk5 Golf GTi to same standard as VW. On the way back from the bodyshop I found a safe bit of road and did a real hard emergency stop from 60. Now 60 -0 distance was ok in my opinon but the feel and travel on the brake peddle was not great ...may need to look at that some more as I really need to have confidence in those brakes to enjoy the GTi to its full potential. And so to the open question ....can I really push and enjoy the GTi after a crash like that? Not sure yet...upgrading brakes maybe part of the solution? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petsy Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 congrats on you getting your car back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonl Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 yes well done mate I had a bad high speed crash once, and a very lucky esacpe. Although you do forget quite quickly, park of the experience always stays with you, but TBH in a strange way it is a good thing as it makes you very aware and concious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhibbin Posted August 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 Thanks LeMan. It's strange because when driving my old VRS about 3 weeks after the crash I started to feel more confident again....but you are right you are more aware and I find myself backing off in situations that I know are within both the car and my limits but not safe enough road to push. Going back to Golf is odd as I don't trust it yet ...which I know is not logical but you need to know what your car will do in an emergency. Will see if in a months time I feel different ..otherwise more radical soltuions maybe needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonl Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 Sometimes changing car is therapy as a crash can soil a car and always bring back those bad memories. But TBH it's all part of your driving experience... I shudder when i think how i used to drive and in all honesty deserved to go through a fence, copse and back garden at 90mph. It was the only way i realised just how fast 90mph really is!!! and that as a driver i wasn't invinsable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 [ QUOTE ] I find myself backing off in situations that I know are within both the car and my limits but not safe enough road to push. Going back to Golf is odd as I don't trust it yet ...which I know is not logical but you need to know what your car will do in an emergency. [/ QUOTE ] ....I would seriously consider doing a CarLimits day (4 cars only) with Andy Walsh at North Weald airfield. You will take your car to its absolute limits and beyond and all very safely with only tyre wear! £180 for the day. Andy is very calm and makes you feel good. Based on your posted comments I strongly encourage you to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhs Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 I agree with Robin - for me CarLimits was the first time I'd pushed my brakes. It's really worthwhile learning (or relearning) how the brakes are on Corners and on Straights. Until carlimits I had thought that ABS would sort emergency stopping out, I now know that this isn't quite the case - ABS will stop you completely locking up, but won't provide the shortest stopping distance - which is driver led! Brilliant to hear that your car is back on the road and looking good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt R Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 I'm glad you are happy with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clown Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 ...........Good you have it back,thats been nearly 3 months without.Take it steady for a while and just enjoy.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhibbin Posted August 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 Thanks Matt and appreciate your help in getting in back on the road Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhibbin Posted August 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 Agree on the car limits course and I'm sure this could help. Still think the brakes are not what they should be for £20K. What's the simplist and cheapest way to upgrade GTi brakes? Is there an option before £2K on AP racing upgrade? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt R Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 http://www.amdtechnik.com/product.details.cfm?ProductID=987&VariantID=76&ReferenceID=6010 Don't know if its any good though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 [ QUOTE ] What's the simplist and cheapest way to upgrade GTi brakes? Is there an option before £2K on AP racing upgrade? [/ QUOTE ] ....I haven't done it (yet) but I would consider Ferodo DS2500 pads, stainless steel braided hoses plus appropriate racing fluid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petsy Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 [ QUOTE ] I haven't done it (yet) but I would consider Ferodo DS2500 pads, stainless steel braided hoses plus appropriate racing fluid. [/ QUOTE ] good advice Red but unfortunately you will find that there is no parts listed for the Mk5 GTI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhibbin Posted August 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 Took her out again (fitted the Indago) That is one amazing car DSG is the dogs bol&^£s Might need to compile a snaging list small number of minor faults, also there is a rumble from rear axle at anything above 30mph which grows louder with speed. Sounds like you have twice the road noise from the rear as the front. Not sure yet if this is something serious or not... more investigation needed. Overall though is so much better than I remembered No wonder Leman was struggling to find anything that came close Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac_Terrorist Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 Glad you've got her back and you're regaining confidence. I find the brakes very effective for fast road driving - certainly never cause for concern. Maybe you need to get them checked out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] I haven't done it (yet) but I would consider Ferodo DS2500 pads, stainless steel braided hoses plus appropriate racing fluid. [/ QUOTE ] good advice Red but unfortunately you will find that there is no parts listed for the Mk5 GTI. [/ QUOTE ] ....If you are referring to the DS2500s, Revo have them fitted on their car and are the ones who recommended them to me (along with many others). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petsy Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 Were they using upgraded calipers as I've enquired and was told that there is no fitment for the GTi at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 ....Possibly - I don't know for sure. I expect Ferodo will bring out the GTI pad soon enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMC950 Posted August 8, 2006 Report Share Posted August 8, 2006 Good to hear your car is back on the road, but seriously mate, take it easy until you've had it checked out, until then you could be an accident looking for somewhere to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhibbin Posted August 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2006 Thanks CMC950 I looked into an independent check and basically aside from paint thickness it was going to be good money after bad. None of the companies I found were prepared to do any form of mechanical checks aside from confirming the very basics. One company even said on a new car reshell it was largely a waist of money as they were not able to take anything apart and cosmetically it will look amazing. I plan to contact the bodyshop tommorrow with a list of issues (not to say I'm not happy with their work ...still think they did a good job) but I have noticed a few minor things amiss. The only serious possible mechanical one is a noise from rear wheels or axle...sounds like a bearing or some form of not normal friction ...get excess noise above 40 mph ...not terrible but not right ...needs looking into. Worse on some roads than others which made me think it was tyre noise but sounds more than just that. Anyway will push for a solution if no joy may look again at a independant check. I have to say aside from the above she feels very sound ... in some ways feels slightly better screwed together than original. Also I have the only GTi which was made in the UK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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