DigitalScott - 2007 VW GTI

Post by **digitalscott** » Dec Fri 28, 2007 10:48 am

I've been riding the fence between different options to darken or black out the "non-black" parts of the GTI. So far the tail lights, head lights, fogs and front side markers have been done with smoke tinted paint protective film by Aeron of Warrior Auto Works. The front VW and GTI badges were painted by yours truly. I really like how it came out, but I would like to have more light visibility if I can pull it off without compromising the overall appearance. I'm thinking about cutting out the 4 circles on the tail lights (or just the outside two for brakes) and possibly going to yellow fog tint or removing the tint on the fogs. The HIDs really show up well at night so they will probably stay the way they are. The rear GTI badge will either be removed or paint matched. The rear VW badge will be paint matched. The wheels will be powdercoated black when I have the winter tires removed and before the summer ones go on.

(((Edit: side mirror markers are smoked via the same film as everything else. I forgot about them since they blend in so well now.)))

So, I'm opening this up to the critics for suggestions and comments. Below are the prodigal before and afters.

Rear "before" view:

Rear "after" view (car is still a little dirty):

Front quarter "before" view:

Front quarter "after" view:

Front "before" view (VW badge already painted though):

Front "after" view:

Post by **Roadhog** » Dec Fri 28, 2007 10:55 am

now.. take the grill from the jetta, and put it on the gti.

Also, SLAM IT.

Post by **digitalscott** » Dec Fri 28, 2007 11:01 am

Roadhog wrote:now.. take the grill from the jetta, and put it on the gti.

Also, SLAM IT.

I'm not a fan of the "waterfall" grill on a GTI since it will look like a rabbit. I'm not a big fan of the honeycomb either, but I have to get some things finished before starting others. The grills will probably be a goal for next winter since this spring/summer it's all about performance with a Revo chip and suspension stuff. I plan on about a 1 to 1.5 inch drop, hardly slamming but it will even the wheel well gaps and stiffen it up a little.

Post by **FutureStage1** » Dec Fri 28, 2007 12:02 pm

Second that... slam the little bastage!

Post by **ValveFloat** » Dec Fri 28, 2007 1:33 pm

Wow! The front looks great! You gotta get rid of that plate though.

With the rear badges black its going to look totally stealth.

Post by **digitalscott** » Dec Fri 28, 2007 2:27 pm

ValveFloat wrote:Wow! The front looks great! You gotta get rid of that plate though.

With the rear badges black its going to look totally stealth.

Thanks, but I owe it to Aeron for the fine work! The dealership drilled the plate to the trapezoid shaped grill section that the red "smile" is attached to. I would love to move it to another location, but there isn't a relocation point that won't interfere with the FMIC, fogs, or headlight washers. I'm researching what the legal minimum front plate laws are. The idea is that I might be able to cut an old license plate to expose the necessary state designation and plate number, but cover everything else. It would then be body matched so it wouldn't stand out like it does. I'm also thinking about a Euro plate holder in it's place and let the NA one hang off the bottom. I also could find a way to get it to stick a little to the inside of one of the fogs on a bracket that distances it from the body by a half an inch or so. Kinda like the Mitsu Evo 9's front plate.

I think I'm going to order the paint for the rear badges to get it rollin'.

YouTube · Post by **Mikewire** » Dec Fri 28, 2007 4:28 pm

On the rear, I say debadge, and color match the VW.

On the front please, for the love do not tint anything yellow.

Fogs look good tinted - the HID's do too, but personally I don't like anything blocking light at night.

Don't slam it, but maybe get come coilovers so you can adjust for the seasons.

For the front plate pick up a smoked cover - you gotta run a plate or you will get picked up. I almost took mine off, but heard from locals that the cops are starting to enforce the law. I'd rather not take heat for stupid things like no front plate, so that's what I am going to do.

OR

get a catchy custom plate like Aeron!

Post by **ValveFloat** » Dec Fri 28, 2007 4:41 pm

digitalscott wrote:I'm researching what the legal minimum front plate laws are. The idea is that I might be able to cut an old license plate to expose the necessary state designation and plate number, but cover everything else.

Let me know what you find out, I want to do something like that too.
A friend of mine had a decal made of his license plate number to stick on the front of his GT3, but he never put it on. I was hoping he would run with it for a while so see how it went over.

mikewire wrote:you gotta run a plate or you will get picked up. I almost took mine off, but heard from locals that the cops are starting to enforce the law.

I have been running without a front plate since I bought my car, and my previous car didn't have one either, and knock on wood, I have not been pulled over for it once. I think its BS that we don't get a registration sticker for the front plate, but we have to have it on the car?

Post by **digitalscott** » Dec Fri 28, 2007 5:11 pm

ValveFloat wrote:Let me know what you find out, I want to do something like that too. A friend of mine had a decal made of his license plate number to stick on the front of his GT3, but he never put it on. I was hoping he would run with it for a while so see how it went over.

mikewire wrote:you gotta run a plate or you will get picked up. I almost took mine off, but heard from locals that the cops are starting to enforce the law.
I have been running without a front plate since I bought my car, and my previous car didn't have one either, and knock on wood, I have not been pulled over for it once. I think its BS that we don't get a registration sticker for the front plate, but we have to have it on the car?

Front plates are required for the plate number, not the registration sticker. My dad is a retired Missoula County cop so I run the "what ifs" by him or see if he says anything when I tell him I changed something. He said a front plate free vehicle is just asking for a bored cop. I just want to be that guy that has documentation prepared for one that is too bored.

In addition to the cost of moving the plate, I'll be paying for a new middle section of the grill that has 4 holes in it from the plate mount screws.

Post by **digitalscott** » Dec Fri 28, 2007 5:31 pm

MikeWire wrote:On the rear, I say debadge, and color match the VW.

On the front please, for the love do not tint anything yellow.

Fogs look good tinted - the HID's do too, but personally I don't like anything blocking light at night.

Don't slam it, but maybe get come coilovers so you can adjust for the seasons.

For the front plate pick up a smoked cover - you gotta run a plate or you will get picked up. I almost took mine off, but heard from locals that the cops are starting to enforce the law. I'd rather not take heat for stupid things like no front plate, so that's what I am going to do.

OR

get a catchy custom plate like Aeron!

I don't like the front blockage in daylight, but at night they are very visible thanks to the HIDs. I've been working on the custom plate since I had my last GTI. I'm pretty much settled on "EVIL GTI", as that is what my wife called it for a while. That may be the simplest fix out of all of them - turning it from an eye sore into a label.