Hello Everyone, welcome to my build thread

 

I started my car life with a Mk2 Seat Toledo Tdi 130 which was fitted with some of LCR bits, looked like this:

 

 

 

 

Then after 2 years of use I've gone and bought, what to me is still the best car I've ever had, a 2001 E39 540i with the super rare 6 speed manual gearbox. I used it for 3+ years as a daily and took it to Europe a fair few times. It looked like this (picture on day of pick up and all of the AC Schintzer stickers and badges were removed immediately):

 

 

 

After 3+ years of solid performance the BMW is being prepared for sale as its getting too unpractical for the family. 

With a limited budget and after a lot of searching I've stumbled upon my Octy which is now named "The Gamble".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the annoying tatty bits:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its a Silver 2009 car with the TDi CR engine and a DSG gearbox. Pretty low on the gadget list and only has the rear parking sensors, Maxi Dot display and bolero head unit.  

 

I called it The Gamble because it was a very cheap, high mileage car (@250k miles when i bought it). It came with very limited service history (service book filled in correctly by Skoda for the first owner and absolutely no records from the second owner). And the engine light was on, thankfully I had a code reader with me and after reading the codes it came back with the P2015 fault. Now I took another gamble here, I knew that Skoda would want £800+ to change the complete intake manifold, but i also knew that you can buy a small aluminium bracket to support the motor arm which over travels and causes the engine light to come up. After knocking the price down, I've closed my eyes and shook the hand of the dealer, signed the documents and drove the car back home without a hitch. This was back in October 2016. 

Bearing all of the above in mind I set aside some money and took the car to my local independent VW/Audi garage and got the following done as soon as I've bought the car:

-Full Service

-DSG gearbox oil and filter

-Cambelt and water pump change

-Full brake fluid flush and change

-Coolant flush and change

-All the Aux belts

-Cabin filter

 

I bought the P2015 fix bracket in December 2016 and took the car to my local Indy to get it fitted. After 2 hours, the bracket was fitted in position and hey Presto! no more P2015 fault code. Ill keep you updated if the light comes back

 

 

Its now February 2017 and the car is very close to 260k miles. and it hasn't missed a beat, but it isn't as economical as I was expecting it to be. 

 

Now due to us wanting to buy a house, all of the spare money is being saved up so no big mods like alloys or suspension, no matter how much I want them. 

So for now its all the simple or cheap modifications.

My vision for this car mod wise is:

-19" Alloys

-Drop the car by 20-30mm

-Sat Nav (either Columbus or aftermarket)

-Front PDC

-Bluetooth kit

-Electric Folding mirrors

-Change the drivers door card due to usual damage

-Window Tints

-Taillight tints (similar to Mk5 Golf ED30)

-New heated front seats (due to me being 6'6 the standard seats aren't comfortable for me on long trips. Looking at C7 A6/A7 seats)

-Tailgate Spoiler

-Tailgate auto open springs

-Mk3 VRS Steering wheel (or even a heated one from the Kodiaq/MK3 FL Octy if it can be retrofitted)

-Change the gear shifter

-LED interior lights and maybe green ambient lighting in the doors

-Green "submarine" lights in the interior light domes (front and back)

-Aerial changed to a stubby one

-Change the badges to new style ones

 

Now I don't know if ill manage to do all of them or how quickly ill be able to modify the car but that list is more of a dream list and only time will tell.

 

I've Already bought a replacement leather gear shifter off a SEAT with red stitching, the new style badges and all the bits and bobs to for the "submarine" lights and hopefully the lights will be installed this weekend and the gear shifter with the badges within the next two weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

Ill keep the thread updated as often as I can

 

Thank you for looking 

 

Edited 24 February, 20179 yr by DrHerbs
Adding more info

what was the cost of the cam belt and water pump.

Interested in the same mods as you are, let me know how you go

 

I'd be interested to know how you get on with two of your intended mods ;

-Tailgate Spoiler

-Tailgate auto open springs

I'm looking at a rear spoiler and front splitter for my estate but didn't know about the auto open springs.  Is there somewhere to buy these from?