APR ECU Upgrade MK6 Golf - Customer perspective

[Corey_R]

Yeah - I had a look at the Rennehaus page, but they don't list prices, instead ask you to contact them. Personally if I was selling a competing product and was cheaper, I'd be advertising that!
I agree that they are a good product though... but I'm not sure any brand can compete with an APR RSC exhaust (unless you actually WANT a loud and droney exhaust! )

[G-rig]

Milltek isn't overly expensive and fairly good, had one on the R32.

There is a new one out for the GTI Rennenhaus (Ian) sells them.

Anyway there are some good exhausts out there so may come down to various factors including what type of sound you want. IMO the RSC is still the best one out there for MK6 GTI.

[Corey_R]

According to everyone on this website, APR is the right stuff, but through various threads and posts, I have an understanding that APR also sponsors this website?

From what I can tell, several other tuner companies (or suppliers) are also sponsors of this forum as well....

Btw, in relation to the exhausts, have a look around at other pre-built exhausts for the Golf (and other european cars and brands for that matter). They're typically more expensive than those for Japanese cars, and DEFINITELY more expensive than "custom exhausts", but the reasons for that should be obvious!

For example, the Neuspeed Catback GTI MK6 exhaust is more than the equiv APR (source, Neuspeed's site)
The Billy Boat (has anyone heard of them?) Turbo Back is less than US$200 less tha the equiv APR, although interestingly if looking at Cat-back only, the APR is cheaper. (Source, ECS Tuning)
Although difficult to find prices on Milltek, everyone I have spoken to personally who has purchased one has spent more than the APR... (source, forum members)
The Oettinger exhausts are far more expensive (at least in Australia). I'm running out of names here guys, someone help me out... (Harding Performance)

Anyway - you get the picture. Before you start complaining that they're expensive, have a look around at the alternatives

[Maverick]

Hey mate I am in a similar boat to you. I have paid $2500 for 2 different exhausts before.. both very good. But I thought they were very expensive.. I will be looking at getting some bolt ons.

Resale for me is a non issue with things like exhausts. I still have a TMIC from my MY09 WRX that I never got to bolt on.. Brands help with price but they really dont make make enough different to offset there cost anyway imo.

With a prebuilt exhaust you will get the chance to hear the exhaust first and get people's experience with it plus you get the benefits that all the R&D is done. With a custom or slapped together job you will end up with drone and heaps of other undesirable noises and without really deep pockets you won't be able to resolve these. Of course if you think a drone and heaps of noise are acceptable this may be the path to go down.

According to everyone on this website, APR is the right stuff, but through various threads and posts, I have an understanding that APR also sponsors this website?

Either way that In no way takes away from the quality work that APR does, Cause I for one will be doing the STG 1 tune with my R for sure!

I guess it would just be nice to take a defender approach as opposed to the "pro-APR' or "APR is the best at everything" approach.

Gotta be diplomatic with these things to be effective I reckon otherwise it sounds a bit too "commercial" to me.

If APR are _ONE_ of the sponsors on this website so what?

In case you hadn't noticed the website consists of more than sponsors but consists of people who have Volkswagens, who buy different products and who post their opinions of those products and companies.

Nothing stopping you from buying from companies that don't have any feedback on here

[G-rig]

Agree mods aren't the best return but you can usually sell quality bolt ons when you're done for quite good prices, and get most of your money back (ie 60-70%).

[REXman]

The rear muffler delete does sound like a cheaper option. I'll have to have a look on Youtube and see if I can find any decent links to hear what it would sound like.

I've had the APR stage 1 tune done and it does make a big difference. I am thinking about upgrading the exhaust next, but the APR exhaust is pretty damn expensive. I've never paid anywhere near $3000 for a turbo back exhaust for any of my other cars.

I've been thinking of a custom built exhaust, but do they set off things like check engine lights though? In all honesty I'd rather a bolt on exhaust, just might have to wait until the price comes down further as it's hard to justify that much.

Hey mate I am in a similar boat to you. I have paid $2500 for 2 different exhausts before.. both very good. But I thought they were very expensive.. I will be looking at getting some bolt ons.

Resale for me is a non issue with things like exhausts. I still have a TMIC from my MY09 WRX that I never got to bolt on.. Brands help with price but they really dont make make enough different to offset there cost anyway imo.

According to everyone on this website, APR is the right stuff, but through various threads and posts, I have an understanding that APR also sponsors this website?

Either way that In no way takes away from the quality work that APR does, Cause I for one will be doing the STG 1 tune with my R for sure!

I guess it would just be nice to take a defender approach as opposed to the "pro-APR' or "APR is the best at everything" approach.

Gotta be diplomatic with these things to be effective I reckon otherwise it sounds a bit too "commercial" to me.

[Fab_R]

I just completed two runs.

I will take a pic of the G-Tech runs shortly and post them up.

I could not believe the results but they are why they are.

1st run with launch control at 3000rpm:
4.68
2nd run with launch control and 2500rpm:
4.88

1/4 tank of fuel and no passengers.

What a car. Very happy!!!
Pics to follow of G-Tech

[G-rig]

The next stage retune may not be free if you use other brand hardware but I'm not sure how how much it would be either.

[iBoost]

I guess following on from that then, if you were to go for a Milltek system, will APR still update your tune to stage 2 or is that only if you go for an APR exhaust?

[G-rig]

Brand name exhausts would be easier to sell later and you'd get decent money back compared to a custom jobby that no one knows what they are getting.. Often are too loud and drone too.

I'd get a full turbo back for performance and sound, don't care about the sound that much but the APR RSC does sound good.

Perhaps check out the new milltek race system as well.

[iBoost]

The rear muffler delete does sound like a cheaper option. I'll have to have a look on Youtube and see if I can find any decent links to hear what it would sound like.

I've had the APR stage 1 tune done and it does make a big difference. I am thinking about upgrading the exhaust next, but the APR exhaust is pretty damn expensive. I've never paid anywhere near $3000 for a turbo back exhaust for any of my other cars.

I've been thinking of a custom built exhaust, but do they set off things like check engine lights though? In all honesty I'd rather a bolt on exhaust, just might have to wait until the price comes down further as it's hard to justify that much.

[bwen]

Im not really after any more performance, just a bit of a nice note. Have been reading that people are getting good results from simply deleting the rear muffler but keeping the resonator. Nice note, no drone and cheap. Will probably head down this path myself.

Very good option, a lot of people will try to steer you away from it saying that it will 'drone' but if the resonator is untouched you should have no troubles of this at all. removing the rear 'suitcase' muffler might be a bit more expensive on the MKVI than the MKV due to the twin exhaust tips on each side but once it's done it should sound quite nice. I would suggest when getting it done you should replace the tips to 3" tips so they fill the rear and looks tougher.

[ddre78]

A turbo back exhuast would take you to Stage 2.. I'm keen to get the hfull RSC exhaust next, could use a bit more sports/exhaust sound at the moment can hardly hear it as it's mostly engine sound (but the DSG farts sound good too).

Im not really after any more performance, just a bit of a nice note. Have been reading that people are getting good results from simply deleting the rear muffler but keeping the resonator. Nice note, no drone and cheap. Will probably head down this path myself.

[thezoneR32]

Well done on moving your stuff on. Not easy to do in this climate. I havent been in the forum for a while are you driving a mk6 gti? Apr tune? What are your thoughts on the switch from awd to fwd?

[G-rig]

Hey Greg, Did you end up selling your R32 and parts? So you like the dsg now? Im sure you were a manual guy before!

That's correct all gone, but still have most of the stereo gear (good thing with that you can take it from car to car). Manual was good ripping through the gears but don't mind DSG either .