2009 Jetta TDI "Loyalty Edition"

[Jaloosk]

OK folks,

So...what do you get when you combine the not-at-fault crash of a great-condition Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, the generous payout of an insurance company, and a motivated executive looking to unload his previous commuter car?

You get this:

That's right, a 2009 VW Jetta TDI with 150,000 miles on it, loaded to the tits and for less than $9,000. :eek:

This thing is perfect! I couldn't be happier with it.

It's number 982, and as one of the first 1200 made, is one of a select few "Loyalty Edition" Jettas.

I tell you this: I will never purchase another gasser. This car is ridiculously fun to drive, gets friggin bad-ass mileage (I'm talking 35mpg+ while flooring it all the time!) and when you want it to, can easily get 45mpg on the highway.

Here's a few shots (and some of the kiddies too )

My daughter LOVES this car:

Naturally, I've got plans...but they're not big, and with a big family, it's going to take some time to finish:

- debadge the 'Jetta' and 'TDI' from the rear

- tint the windows, 35% all the way around

- 18x8 BBS wheels, hoping to find some RS reps if I can...

- Coilovers for a 1.5" drop

- Stereo (of course...)

- fix the front lip where I busted it when loading it on the tow dolly

- tint the tail lights

- replace the right rear tail light because the PO cracked it after he sold it to me, before I picked it up

- replace the battery

- big-3

- sunroof visor

- Malone DSG tune for the transmission

- Malone Stage 2 ECU tune (with DPF...not going to remove that yet) to bump HP from 133hp/225lb-ft to about 163hp/295lb-ft

That's about it...I'm going to be using this car to commute with, so I don't want to go too crazy with it.

Anyway, I'm totally LOVING this car.

I'm copying this build log from another site, so the next few posts happened over the month of August.

[Jaloosk]

After a few weeks of checking out the trunk, and planning different configurations for the stereo install, I've decided on this:

Replace the factory head unit with an AudioSources ANS-810 unit. This is the company that makes the head units for VW/Skoda so it integrates perfectly with the stock VW computer, retains all functionality, but yet gives me line-level outputs and other fun aftermarket tuning options too. Oh...and it has a built-in GPS, complete with upgradable maps, and a huge touch screen.

After that, I'm going to replace the stock door speakers with Audible Physics 3.5" and 6.5" speakers, running active. I have yet to determine what I'm going to power these with, because I don't really like the RE amp I had in my spyder, however I will likely continue using that amp until I find a replacement. Processing will be handled by my JBL MS-8.

For the sub stage, I'm using the SSA Icon 10" and my Sundown 1200D from my spyder. The SSA will get a new slot-port box tuned to 30Hz. Oh...lookie here!

I've already cut all the pieces, I just have to glue them together!

I also purchased 2 50' rolls of 0-AWG oxygen-free cabling from DIY Mobile Audio, when they had their 70% off fire sale. so that's going to get installed too.

[Jaloosk]

Started putting the new sub box together. The box is 37" wide x 13" high x 10" deep. with a 30" slot 1.875" wide making the tune somewhere around 30Hz. I rounded the inside edges of the port (which you can sort of see in the pictures) to cut down on chuffing.

I also decided now was the best time to paint the port. A lot of people forget this step while building, then they end up with a crappy paint job that doesn't go all the way down the port. I may throw some LED's in here to highlight it when the trunk lid is opened.

Also, some pics of the cable that's going to power this whole mess. I will be floating a ground from the battery right to the trunk instead of using the chassis as my ground point to ensure a solid, reliable ground. Blue for +, Black for - :

Look at how thick this is! (that's what she said )

[Jaloosk]

OK put a little more work in this weekend (yesterday) and now I've got a (mostly) finished box!

I totally screwed up the piece with the port baffle on it, so I had to re-cut those three pieces. SMH... Oh well, this time. I decided to use spacers to get the port width EXACTLY right, and also assembled it differently to make things a little easier for lining up. Anyway, here are the progress pics:

Lining up the new port baffle pieces:

Rounded off the sharp corners to ensure no port "chuffing". I had one of the kids paint the port, and he went a little too close, so it ran a bit. Oh well...he had fun with the spray paint.

This is the internal edge of the port baffle...rounded to cut down on chuffing too.

Cut the hole for the speaker (no circle jig, so just used a jigsaw):

After that I used the roundover bit to round the inside edge of the speaker baffle to also promote air movement (forgot to take a pic of that part though).

All ready for the top and front:

TA DA!!

Fits like a glove, and still a ton of room for golf clubs, groceries etc!

Height of the box is perfect. I may use the top of the box to mount the amps instead of the floor, but haven't decided yet.

All that's left to do is round over the external port, test the box and then carpet it. I've got a friend with a system in his CRV that is willing to test my ported box in his car...hoping to do that in the next couple of days.

[Jaloosk]

So I was going to test my new box out last weekend; had my buddy Marc come over and check it out. While he was looking at my raw driver, he noticed something amiss...

Can you see it?

...maybe this will help...

The crack goes all the way around the magnet. I don't know how it happened, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it may have been caused by one of the many little hands in my home. I got in touch with Aaron @ SSA and he's offered to have the speaker rebuilt for me at 1/3 the price of a new one, so I'm going to take him up on it for sure. I LOVE my SSA Icon. After it's broken in, it's an absolutely amazing-sounding sub. SSA's customer service is really good, and as a bonus, they're built in the USA, so it feels good to support a (somewhat) local economy.

On to other things...

I made three RCA cables for my 3G using the DIY on www.diymobileaudio.com. I made one extra because the first one was more of a practice run since it was my first time doing it. I will be re-purposing them in my Jetta:

I can't wait to use them. These will bring the signal from the head unit to the MS-8, and the MS-8 will do the rest.

That's it for now...I'm hoping to get some wiring done this weekend, maybe pulling the 1/0 from the engine bay to the trunk. There's some pretty good channels to run that through on this car.

I'm also leaning toward a Zed Audio Dreadnought III to power the front stage, but I've got to get saving...time for a new job!

[Blue]

Looking nice man. I've done a few builds in my 06, so if need to know how to remove or run anything hit me up with a pm and I'll help ya out. Currently I'm building a sealed off firing forward box for a single 15. Lots of work so far.

[Jaloosk]

Spent a little quality time with the Jedi tonight...nothing major, just cleaned up the ass-end with a little floss and goo-gone...

Ahh...that's MUCH better.

[Jaloosk]

Looking nice man. I've done a few builds in my 06, so if need to know how to remove or run anything hit me up with a pm and I'll help ya out. Currently I'm building a sealed off firing forward box for a single 15. Lots of work so far.

Sweet...thanks for the heads up! I'm hoping to get my 1/0 run to the engine bay this weekend, so I might just take you up on your offer.

[Jaloosk]

OK so I was really busy this weekend, but not tonight!

Doin' work!

So this shot is up under the dash, over the dead pedal. I ran the 0AWG runs through the grommet that the factory left for me since I don't have a clutch.

This is beside the rear driver's side seat; coming from the trunk. I thought I might as well run the driver's side door speaker wire while I'm at it.

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Beside the rear seat (sill)

All buttoned up...who would think there's two runs of 0AWG power wire and two runs of 12AWG speaker wire under there?

Waiting under the hood for some terminations and an in-line fuse.

...and plenty left in the trunk too.

That's it for today's edition of 'Daily Driver TDI'; thanks for tuning in.