How can I improve the sound of a 6C GTI?

[Jerry Buzzard]

Hi all, I posted the other day about buying a GTI and asked about the performance pack (sport button).

I test drove 2 today, one with and one without. The one without sport mode certainly sounded dull, very dull. No engine or exhaust noise in the cabin whatsoever. Very disappointing. Though the car otherwise drove great and spec wise is perfect.

I've seen that some of you turn of the sound actuator as you dont like it. Do cars without performance pack have the actuator? If so, are you able to turn them up? If I get the car (which I really want to), it just needs more sound as there wasnt enough drama when pushing on for me.

Also, I'd be looking to upgrade the exhaust. I was initially thinking a res delete to get the dsg "farts" louder, but I couldn't even hear any on my test drive. I know some of the newer golf gtis have the dsg fart turned down/off - is this the case with the polo? Or is it just because it didnt have the performance pack.

Would a res delete or full cat back bring the dsg farts out? I'm coming out of a loud m135i and I absolutely love the polo, I just need it to be louder as it felt just a bit too boring being so quite for a fairly quick car.Do intakes help?

[Tex]

Hi again,

As far as I know only the sport pack has the actuator.


If you want, start at a res delete and see how it goes, but the biggest impact on the DSG farts will be playing with the backbox/muffler, that will give you a better sound because changing the res won't do to much as the muffler will still "muffle" most of the sound, so you could do a cat back non res with a modified rear muffler to get the DSG farts, after that I don't think you will care about the sound actuator.

The intake will provide you with a more deep sound, when the turbo kicks in that's when the intake will sound deep, that's with regards to cone intakes, if you want to do it properly look at Raceline intakes for the GTIs, I have heard one in a Polo and they sound great, just pricy, cheaper alternative is Revo or piperccross.

[Dink]

out of all the intakes the racing line intake is quite quiet (i used to have one) as it is a fully enclosed but it is a proper cold air intake.

I've read about lots of people fitting a res delete then realising it's not enough then getting a back box delete then it sounds like crap and end up getting a full name brand system and realising that's what they should of done in the first place. I wouldn't know about farts but guess they mainly get muffled by the cat anyway.

remus iirc do a valved system so can choose between open or closed but not sure how much difference it makes

[Tex]

That's true, a opened cone system will be Abit louder, but the Raceline cone system should still be loud enough, it will be better because it's a cold air intake so should also help with some airflow.

True, better to just get a proper name brand catback system from the begining. However I have a muffler delete, and to help make it sound better I actually added a second res in place of the back box and it's sounds really good, it sounds proper and not "ricey", DSG farts are noticable even with the windows up you still hear it. You don't need a Decat to get DSG farts , but it will improve it, I took the second Cat out and to be honest not a big improvement, maybe 5%, however with a valve it is very loud, I decided to "unvalve" it as it's to loud and people are complaining because the DSG farts sound more like a bang than a day fart and also the second cat did give me a O2 error but no CEL.

But a Remus valvetronic system will be the best thing for you, you will really enjoy the sound with the valve open especially if you want a loud car, and best thing is it can be silenced with a button.

[Dink]

That's true, a opened cone system will be Abit louder, but the Raceline cone system should still be loud enough, it will be better because it's a cold air intake so should also help with some airflow.

True, better to just get a proper name brand catback system from the begining. However I have a muffler delete, and to help make it sound better I actually added a second res in place of the back box and it's sounds really good, it sounds proper and not "ricey", DSG farts are noticable even with the windows up you still hear it. You don't need a Decat to get DSG farts , but it will improve it, I took the second Cat out and to be honest not a big improvement, maybe 5%, however with a valve it is very loud, I decided to "unvalve" it as it's to loud and people are complaining because the DSG farts sound more like a bang than a day fart and also the second cat did give me a O2 error but no CEL.

But a Remus valvetronic system will be the best thing for you, you will really enjoy the sound with the valve open especially if you want a loud car, and best thing is it can be silenced with a button.

i'm now running an open filter (my modified racingline couldn't support more than about 340 hp) and it is alot louder and also clearly hear the recirc valve operating now.

the 1.8 only has 1 cat right up next to the turbo. so it just has the center res and the back box removing these sounds terrible on the 1.8. proper complete system from the likes of milltek, scorpion, remus etc sound a hell of a lot better and will probably achieve what is required.

[Tex]

What filter do you have?

i didnt know it only had 1 cat, well a full system will be better anyway.

[Dink]

It's a racingline filter off a golf. Something the tuner had on the shelf to get it tuned properly.

[Jerry Buzzard]

Cheers guys. I had a back box and res delete on an ep3 type r and the drone was unbearable. Would a back box delete instead of a res delete bring the upshift noise out more without drone?

I dont want something loud, just enough to hear the dsg farts from the cabin. There aren't enough videos on youtube of dsg with a "sensible exhaust", they all seem obnoxiously loud or have the cats removed which I'd rather not do.

The thing I dont understand is I've been out in my mates polo which sounds great, no drone but a really nice noise under acceleration and farts on the upshift. He doesnt think its had a res delete as he bought it from a dealer second hand and hasnt done anything himself. The only difference is his has a sport pack which doesnt impact the actually exhaust note, only fake engine noise from what I understand?? But the one I drove yesterday was just so so quite.

The remus system sounds a bit rice imo and with the valves I reckon it would be v.expensive. I dont mind noise at all, it's just motorway drone and making it awkward to have a conversation with a passenger i really want to avoid.

I also dont fancy spunking money on a proper system just to find it still isnt too loud and the dsg farts are non existent as yesterday it didnt seem a case of them being quite, they just were not there full stop. Almost like a decat and straight through would be needed to hear them, but the obnoxious chav sound that would come with removing the res and back box isnt what I'm after.

Are the 17 plates onwards fitted with another silencer/ppf or something? Could this car just be a bit of a dog?

The leon cupra dsg fart sound is what I like. Not an overly loud exhaust but the upshifts sound great imo.

Am I just optimistic about getting that sound out of a 1.8?

If a res delete wont do the trick I could try a customer back box - does the require chopping the old one off if it's a fully connected system from the cat or can you replace the back box alone?

Appreciate the comments on this. I know it's a very childish thing to be after

[Dink]

it would be a very simple check under the car to see if the middle silencer has been removed (probably has as the there is a pipe on ECP for about £16 to replace it)

i believe removing the back box is worse for drone over the mid res.

problem is people tend to spunk the money on removing/messing with the stock system to end up buying a proper off the shelf system then end up with a butchered stock system no one want's.

the GPF only came in on the new model so only the stock cat

there is very little difference between the 1.8 and 2.0 so i highly doubt it's that (although the dsg polo is "detuned" to save the box)

the exhaust is one piece from the cat/downpipe so any mods need to be cut in.

[Jerry Buzzard]

it would be a very simple check under the car to see if the middle silencer has been removed (probably has as the there is a pipe on ECP for about £16 to replace it)

i believe removing the back box is worse for drone over the mid res.

problem is people tend to spunk the money on removing/messing with the stock system to end up buying a proper off the shelf system then end up with a butchered stock system no one want's.

the GPF only came in on the new model so only the stock cat

there is very little difference between the 1.8 and 2.0 so i highly doubt it's that (although the dsg polo is "detuned" to save the box)

the exhaust is one piece from the cat/downpipe so any mods need to be cut in.

I asked him to look yesterday and he doest know what he's looking for so I'll check when I next see his car.

I know you've said you have the non res miltek. Was that with a decat/downpipe or did you have it as just a cat back at any point? If so, any drone? Would wow recommend it for the £500 or so as I could get a slightly cheaper custom one done at a local specialist. I dont want it to sound too heavily modified, just a good quality noise with no boom and not like a raspy fart can. I've never had a miltek system.

Also, how did you go about fitting the miltek? Is it a DIY jobby as I know most places are reluctant to fit customer bought parts

[Dink]

I've got the milltek sports cat downpipe with the non res.

No had it all fitted in one go. Milltek do recommend the resonated system with the sports cat but it's not that loud tbh it's not boomy/droney on the motorway. Didn't want a decat as i don't want the hassle mot time.

For the price i think it's worth it as you can get a custom one for cheaper but I've seen some custom ones that are probably worse than the stock item.

I've got a local garage that does work on vw's that fitted it all so wouldn't know how hard it would be to fit. (I imagine a cat back would be fairly easy)

[Jerry Buzzard]

I've got the milltek sports cat downpipe with the non res.

No had it all fitted in one go. Milltek do recommend the resonated system with the sports cat but it's not that loud tbh it's not boomy/droney on the motorway. Didn't want a decat as i don't want the hassle mot time.

For the price i think it's worth it as you can get a custom one for cheaper but I've seen some custom ones that are probably worse than the stock item.

I've got a local garage that does work on vw's that fitted it all so wouldn't know how hard it would be to fit. (I imagine a cat back would be fairly easy)

Cheers Dink

I might go for a sports cat. It should make the farts more noticeable and having a decent system with a resonator in should hopefully keep it from being too obnoxious and rice on idle. If I start with the downpipe I can always take it further or leave the standard cat back system in place if I'm happy with it.

Appreciate the help!

[Tex]

the biggest restictor of air will be that cat, get a proper sports cat, if you jut remove it it will be to loud and you will get a CEL.

I have had the backbox replaced with another res, no drone at all and DSG farts are present.

I would stay resonated, but do look at a sport cat.

Goodluck with the build.

[MJGTI]

Would recommend the scorpion full system sport cat non resonated, at 70 with the cruise control on its pretty quiet no droning noise or anything but soon as you go to 71 BRAAAAP
also hg motorsport full intake sounds great aswel pretty pricy tho payed about 600 odd for the full intake

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