# R32 Bumper Mod and Votex Side Skirts COMPLETE! PICS!



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

Well....

It took me long enough but my vision for using a Magnaflow MkV R32 cat-back system is now complete. Eurotech Bodywerkes in Kirkland, WA did a fantastic job of 'blending' the lower rear valance of an R32 w/ my S-line bumper. I went w/ a gloss black finish since newer OEM applications are going this way and it's easier to clean.

I added some 3.5" straight-cut, rolled edge, resonated tips to look more OEM. The 4" or 4.5" tips look too big IMO and would virtually touch the valance and potentially cause heat damage. I'm not 100% sold on these tips but until I find something I like better, I'm TOTALLY satisfied. Again, OEM+ is the goal here.

Let me know whatcha' think (no stance haters please - c/o's go on next week!)














































Mark @ Eurotech Bodywerkes does some nice work! Note the custom fabricated support:


















Votex Sides:









Had the lower hanging portion of the side skirts painted flat black so you don't see the akward pinch weld covers w/ notches out of them for the jack points:









A surprising amount of flare on these puppies!









A better, SLR photo shoot will take place soon! KW-HPA C/O's go on next week I hope!


----------



## JRutter (Nov 25, 2009)

Looks good Troy :thumbup:

My body shop guy also recommended black paint on that bottom line of the Votex skirts, so I'll be doing that soon.


----------



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

JRutter said:


> Looks good Troy :thumbup:
> 
> My body shop guy also recommended black paint on that bottom line of the Votex skirts, so I'll be doing that soon. You got the HPA coilovers?


I knew you'd be the first to reply :beer:
Thanks for the comments!!!

I got the HPA/KW Coilovers a few days ago. Thinking of going w/ Achtuning for the install since they're so great. Who did yours?


----------



## tp.wannabe.s3 (May 21, 2010)

dats some real clean kit u go dere sir.


----------



## tiptronic (Apr 18, 1999)

Wow! Very Clean transplant!!! I like the rear a lot! I prefer it over the A3/S3 rear diffuser!:thumbup:


----------



## BrandonF (Mar 16, 2010)

Clean mod :thumbup:


----------



## neu318 (Feb 18, 2003)

Rear bumper looks awesome. I also got the HPA coilovers but I have a road trip next weekend and don't want to risk any rubbing so I'm waiting till the weekend after when I come back


----------



## JRutter (Nov 25, 2009)

TroySico said:


> I knew you'd be the first to reply :beer:
> Thanks for the comments!!!
> 
> I got the HPA/KW Coilovers a few days ago. Thinking of going w/ Achtuning for the install since they're so great. Who did yours?


:beer:

Achtuning would be able to do alignment right there as well (have them - or you - do a test drive first to get things settled a little). I took mine to a guy who has a shop 2 doors down from my office for convenience. Although it turned out OK, I think a shop that does VAG cars all day every day would be best.


----------



## AllThingsGhetto (Jul 30, 2004)

Wow! Very clean Troy! I can dig it! :wave:


----------



## Bezor (Jan 16, 2007)

shazam!


----------



## elgordito941 (Jul 11, 2010)

wow!! amazing! very clean. im in for some far away shots!!


----------



## VMRWheels (Aug 11, 2009)

Interested to see some shots once lowered/farther away. Way to be a little different! :thumbup:


----------



## TechnikSLR (Jul 30, 2008)

im really impressed. this looks fantastic!


----------



## NYCameron (Nov 17, 2010)

looks awesome!

does it sound any different?


----------



## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

So sick! We need a sound clip/video right now!!


----------



## Rob Cote (Dec 6, 2006)

That's ****in' fresh.


----------



## ProjectA3 (Aug 12, 2005)

looks really good, love the rear valance and exhaust, creative :thumbup:

for my votex side skirts i just had my body shop trim/cut off those strips that hang down instead of having two colors of paint down there. now they aren't there and it looks super clean. they don't have any structural purpose to the side skirt.


----------



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

I'll get some nice stills and videos with sound clips once she's totally complete w/ the coil overs this week.


----------



## xnox202 (May 18, 2009)

More like a R32 Valance mod. Nevertheless, always wanted to do something like this.. but I'll wait for mine.


----------



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

NYCameron said:


> looks awesome!
> 
> does it sound any different?


The resonated tips took away some of the metallic sound at high revs and having them terminate 1/2" after the bumper vs. shy of, or flush with the bumper has made a HUGE difference in the slight drone resonance at freeway speeds. The only part of the exhaust I'm disappointed w/ is the way the last bend is causes the right pipe (pass side) to get most of the exhaust flow. Have you ever seen an early 90's Chrysler Le Baron or Turbo Grand Caravan with the 2nd tip literally welded on the main pipe w/ no passage? That's how I feel sometimes. 
I hear the Magnaflow System for the A3 does the same thing.

The 2nd pipe does get flow...but not enough to get dirty at WOT. My solution, clean it more often!
I am entertaining a little 1/2 flap in the pass. side pipe but that seems like it could cause a mess of other sound issues.


----------



## x SMURF x (Sep 12, 2010)

TroySico said:


> The resonated tips took away some of the metallic sound at high revs and having them terminate 1/2" after the bumper vs. shy of, or flush with the bumper has made a HUGE difference in the slight drone resonance at freeway speeds. The only part of the exhaust I'm disappointed w/ is the way the last bend is causes the right pipe (pass side) to get most of the exhaust flow. Have you ever seen an early 90's Chrysler Le Baron or Turbo Grand Caravan with the 2nd tip literally welded on the main pipe w/ no passage? That's how I feel sometimes.
> I hear the Magnaflow System for the A3 does the same thing.
> 
> The 2nd pipe does get flow...but not enough to get dirty at WOT. My solution, clean it more often!
> I am entertaining a little 1/2 flap in the pass. side pipe but that seems like it could cause a mess of other sound issues.


my brother had the same issue on his r32 w/ magnaflow accept it was on different sides of the car (he had the 2003, the 2008 has the exhausts in the center, so the difference is less noticeable, while on his you could clearly hear that one side of the car was louder than the other)


----------



## LWNY (Jul 30, 2008)

TroySico said:


> The resonated tips took away some of the metallic sound at high revs and having them terminate 1/2" after the bumper vs. shy of, or flush with the bumper has made a HUGE difference in the slight drone resonance at freeway speeds. The only part of the exhaust I'm disappointed w/ is the way the last bend is causes the right pipe (pass side) to get most of the exhaust flow. Have you ever seen an early 90's Chrysler Le Baron or Turbo Grand Caravan with the 2nd tip literally welded on the main pipe w/ no passage? That's how I feel sometimes.
> I hear the Magnaflow System for the A3 does the same thing.
> 
> The 2nd pipe does get flow...but not enough to get dirty at WOT. My solution, clean it more often!
> I am entertaining a little 1/2 flap in the pass. side pipe but that seems like it could cause a mess of other sound issues.


the magnaflow for the a3 is one welded onto another, so there is some flow. Magnaflow has a set of generic mufflers where they fit pipes to fit them. unfortunately, they don't have dual output mufflers so they crate these contraptions.


----------



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

LWNY said:


> the magnaflow for the a3 is one welded onto another, so there is some flow. Magnaflow has a set of generic mufflers where they fit pipes to fit them. unfortunately, they don't have dual output mufflers so they crate these contraptions.



They don't weld a pipe onto another to get the twin exits, they use their stock part y-pipe splitter which I believe is this one on the A3 and R32 kits: 
http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/displayapplications.asp?partnumber=10733

Looks like they should have used this one for more even airflow to each exit pipe:
http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/shopexd.asp?zone=main&id=9499


----------



## atrociousa3 (Aug 6, 2007)

Is that a mk6 rear valance?


----------



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

atrociousa3 said:


> Is that a mk6 rear valance?


Nope, it's from a MkV R32. I bought it from genuinevwparts.com. It was cheap at $125 or so but the custom work was spendy. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## LWNY (Jul 30, 2008)

TroySico said:


> They don't weld a pipe onto another to get the twin exits, they use their stock part y-pipe splitter which I believe is this one on the A3 and R32 kits:
> http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/displayapplications.asp?partnumber=10733
> 
> Looks like they should have used this one for more even airflow to each exit pipe:
> http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/shopexd.asp?zone=main&id=9499


i don't there is enough space for the 2nd splitter. maybe what they should have done is to have the pipe come out completly straight before going to the splitter. this way, pressure is equal on all parts of the pipe as it enters the splitter, as opposed to now, where there is greater pressure on the outside of the bend where it meets the splitter, thus most of the flow going to the outside split.


----------



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

LWNY said:


> i don't there is enough space for the 2nd splitter. maybe what they should have done is to have the pipe come out completly straight before going to the splitter. this way, pressure is equal on all parts of the pipe as it enters the splitter, as opposed to now, where there is greater pressure on the outside of the bend where it meets the splitter, thus most of the flow going to the outside split.


Totally agree w/ you! I think they could have made your suggestion work. Overall it's great stuff for a compelling price...but it's details like the ones we're discussing that separate the more spendy options from Magnaflow. I'm just glad I didn't have to pay $1k for a system that sounds this good!


----------



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

Some better photos:


----------



## Toasty44 (Apr 23, 2011)

Looks Sick!!! Were can I get those tail lights?


----------



## jakjak9210 (Apr 2, 2011)

are those the 18" VW 7 spoke wheels? I love the way they look


----------



## LWNY (Jul 30, 2008)

very cool. Did they bend a R32 lower bumper so it fits the A3's or got the black section from an R32 to fit into an A3's. Couldn't they do a hybrid R32's center exit with some splitter variation from an S3? Given that the splitter look is the prevailing trend?


----------



## tomekpl21 (Feb 24, 2011)

ummmm wow very clean. 

a nice sound clip would be great. thanks.


----------



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

Toasty44 said:


> Looks Sick!!! Were can I get those tail lights?


I'll sell you these ones for a deal! They are from an OEM supplier called Eagle Eye. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

jakjak9210 said:


> are those the 18" VW 7 spoke wheels? I love the way they look


Yup, from a Phaeton V8. Hollow spokes and all...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

LWNY said:


> very cool. Did they bend a R32 lower bumper so it fits the A3's or got the black section from an R32 to fit into an A3's. Couldn't they do a hybrid R32's center exit with some splitter variation from an S3? Given that the splitter look is the prevailing trend?


I had them take a new black valance section from an R32 and combine it with the s-line one. Others have done the whole bumper section blend but it does not match the lines of our cars. I think doing this same mod is possible with the newer s-line rear valance, but filling in the hole left by the OEM exhaust exit would be more difficult to pull off. It would likely add a few hours labor but is possible I'm sure.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## LWNY (Jul 30, 2008)

TroySico said:


> I had them take a new black valance section from an R32 and combine it with the s-line one. Others have done the whole bumper section blend but it does not match the lines of our cars. I think doing this same mod is possible with the newer s-line rear valance, but filling in the hole left by the OEM exhaust exit would be more difficult to pull off. It would likely add a few hours labor but is possible I'm sure.


At first I thought it was the whole R32 lower bumper with the mudflap covering up the final part that didn't fit quite right, the lower bumper also had the contoured relief around the blackout section, which a search on the webz showed the A3 didn't have (turns out it was 2009+ std bumper, which had the black section but otherwise is like the old non-sline bumper).


Those tips also seems to be longer than the std magnaflow R32 tip, which barely clears the bumper


----------



## Rogerthat (Oct 23, 2005)

First of all, it looks like a clean job. :thumbup:

Second, imo they look too big, spaced out too much and very eye catching/non flowing to the rear. 

That's just me but it doesn't matter as long as you're happy with it.


----------



## Tcardio (Mar 19, 2009)

looks clean! 

only comment is consider losing the badges. you don't need them and the car will look better without them especially the rear door


----------



## tony a3 (Jul 31, 2010)

:thumbup::thumbup:two thumbs up


----------



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

tcardio said:


> looks clean!
> 
> only comment is consider losing the badges. you don't need them and the car will look better without them especially the rear door


Yup - on the list!!!


----------



## Uber-A3 (Feb 23, 2002)

Clean job but something about those tips looks weird. They don't match the car or something, they look like tips you buy at the auto parts store.


----------



## stereotypical (Jun 28, 2007)

*Well Done!*

I was just considering what it would take to do something like this myself. Glad to see a finished product. Very nice job...


----------



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

Uber-A3 said:


> Clean job but something about those tips looks weird. They don't match the car or something, they look like tips you buy at the auto parts store.


LOL! I was aiming for an OEM R32/Supersprint all s/s resonated type of tip. I might have them and the whole system ceramic coated in black to tone it down a bit. Like I said, I'm not sold on the tips but my choices were limited. What I'd really want are these but they cost more than my entire exhaust system ($800!): :banghead:
http://www.audituningmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/akrapovic-audi-exhaust-tips.jpg


----------



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

TroySico said:


> Yup - on the list!!!


I completed this today and it feels so nice to be fully naked and shaven :laugh: Too bad the floss I used cut into my finger...:banghead:


----------



## Tcardio (Mar 19, 2009)

Good job! now matt black mirror covers and that front lip diffuser...paint it black and that car is done!!!


----------



## Presns3 (Mar 6, 2006)

nice, unique, i think i saw this on an a3 in taiwan too... looked good.

but remove those mud flaps. now.


----------



## cleanA3 (Jun 23, 2007)

That is pimp , did you remove the small res in front of where that cat back bolts up . On the A3 they use a small pre res on the to down pipes after the cats then another one after main section if that was done that thing would sound like a mean beast , which i bet it does allready


----------



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

cleanA3 said:


> That is pimp , did you remove the small res in front of where that cat back bolts up . On the A3 they use a small pre res on the to down pipes after the cats then another one after main section if that was done that thing would sound like a mean beast , which i bet it does allready


Haven't messed w/ that yet. I'll wait on that until I do downpipes.



Presns3 said:


> nice, unique, i think i saw this on an a3 in taiwan too... looked good.
> but remove those mud flaps. now.


Unfortunetly, I live in Seattle and it rains too much to forgo the rear flaps. It would cause the rear-end to get nasty in about 30-secs.



tcardio said:


> Good job! now matt black mirror covers and that front lip diffuser...paint it black and that car is done!!!


I'm debating between getting the mirror caps painted gloss black or getting them wrapped w/ matte-texture or carbon look 3M Di-Noc.


----------



## Col. Sandurz (Aug 23, 2009)

That looks sweet!:thumbup:

Only downside is that now it looks even more like a golf/GTI/R32. I know its a very similiar car, but I'd like to get my car farther from VW than closer.

That being said it still looks great.


----------



## theblue (Aug 16, 2001)

looks great... 

personally I think it would look better if you debadged the rest of the rear and then added back the audi rings but in black.


----------



## LWNY (Jul 30, 2008)

Debadged 3.2? How did the low ender's mod creep up to the higher end model? Next thing, the RS, M and AMG crowd will be removing their badge.


----------



## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

LWNY said:


> Debadged 3.2? How did the low ender's mod creep up to the higher end model? Next thing, the RS, M and AMG crowd will be removing their badge.


Are you serious?  Anyone who debadges because they are insecure about their car being "low end" due to the engine it came with has bigger issues. Just like the some of the 3.2 guys with their inferiority complexes. Most people who debadge do so because it looks a lot cleaner than having emblems all over the back of the car. Besides that, some people don't want everyone to know what they have. To me, having engine emblems on the car is equivalent to the guys with giant rims and the 24" badges on the fenders. :thumbdown:


----------



## VWAddict (Jun 12, 1999)

Well I think it looks spectacular.

Well done!


----------



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

LWNY said:


> Debadged 3.2? How did the low ender's mod creep up to the higher end model? Next thing, the RS, M and AMG crowd will be removing their badge.


This is a trend that started in Europe since they have so many power-train options on say a 5-series or E-class. I have seen AMG cars debadged locally including by boss' CLS63 - he hates the clutter they cause especially since the newer AMG cars are so gaudy. I think it's a sleeper look thing. I plan to add black audi rings soon, but have not been happy w/ the quality of the ones I'be purchased so far.


----------



## theblue (Aug 16, 2001)

lol at the badge arrogance... :screwy:


----------



## Maitre Absolut (Aug 5, 2009)

TBomb said:


> Just like the some of the 3.2 guys with their inferiority complexes.


lol how can they have an inferiority complex with a superior car :screwy:

anyways im down with the debadging, i never particularly enjoyed having the engine displacement displayed on the rear end. They should have model names within the same chassis class a la GTI, GLI, R32 etc.


----------



## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

Maitre Absolut said:


> lol how can they have an inferiority complex with a superior car :screwy:


This, and you, more specifically, are exactly what I was talking about. How is your car superior? Because you paid more for it? Because it has a less efficient engine? Because it has a weak excuse for Quattro? Because it has a limited amount of room for power improvement, and those are ridiculously expensive for their ROI? There is a reason the 3.2 isn't offered anymore. Get over yourself


----------



## Maitre Absolut (Aug 5, 2009)

TBomb said:


> This, and you, more specifically, are exactly what I was talking about. How is your car superior? Because you paid more for it? Because it has a less efficient engine? Because it has a weak excuse for Quattro? Because it has a limited amount of room for power improvement, and those are ridiculously expensive for their ROI? There is a reason the 3.2 isn't offered anymore. Get over yourself


You know what, you are completely right. Audi got it all wrong. The TT 2.0T and A3 2.0T are much better than their 3.2 counterparts. 

All this based on the famous "tunability" of turbo cars. How did Audi not factor that in when pricing their cars? They obviously completely missed the boat. Its clearly the deciding factor for potenial buyers.

BMW M3 owners also share this carefully diagnosed inferiority complex of yours. We all know that 335i's are much better cars!

PS : Now i understand the hate when i post pics of mine.


----------



## Tcardio (Mar 19, 2009)

guys, guys just stop...you can just show everyone what a huge pe&is you have by rockin the S3 badge


----------



## theblue (Aug 16, 2001)

S3 is a big penis until an RS3 walks into the porn shoot... then the S3 shrinks back to a base model


----------



## Tcardio (Mar 19, 2009)

theblue said:


> S3 is a big penis until an RS3 walks into the porn shoot... then the S3 shrinks back to a base model


you are right!!! Damn, my pen*s looks small now but that's ok cuz when when I see a post by TP it looks HUGE! No two peas and a grain of rice like that guy


----------



## LWNY (Jul 30, 2008)

TroySico said:


> This is a trend that started in Europe since they have so many power-train options on say a 5-series or E-class. I have seen AMG cars debadged locally including by boss' CLS63 - he hates the clutter they cause especially since the newer AMG cars are so gaudy. I think it's a sleeper look thing. I plan to add black audi rings soon, but have not been happy w/ the quality of the ones I'be purchased so far.


European debadge, especially on higher end models due to them not wanting to flaunting them being well off.

The 3.2 quattro world being a rarity, one is always on the lookup. The once in a while that a A3 is spotted in the East coast, one is always on the lookout to see if it is a quattro, and when it is debadged, I always assume that it is a 2.0T FWD because that is who always debadges.


----------



## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

Maitre Absolut said:


> You know what, you are completely right. Audi got it all wrong. The TT 2.0T and A3 2.0T are much better than their 3.2 counterparts.
> 
> All this based on the famous "tunability" of turbo cars. How did Audi not factor that in when pricing their cars? They obviously completely missed the boat. Its clearly the deciding factor for potenial buyers.
> 
> ...


I never said one is better than the other, but putting a blanket statement out there saying the 3.2 is superior to the 2.0T is really not true. It depends on what you value. You clearly value the dollar amount assigned to a purchase more than what you get for those dollars. The vast majority of people who buy an Audi don't buy it with the aftermarket performance potential in mind. If you just want the more powerful model with more bells and whistles comparing stock to stock, then I will grant you that the 3.2 wins. However, if you are shopping with aftermarket performance potential in mind, I think you would be remiss to discount the 2.0T's potential, especially considering a simple tune already puts it at the same output as the 3.2.

You also can't deny that Audi is clearly moving towards smaller displacement forced induction engines in their S and RS cars, so maybe they are on to something after all.

The M3 vs. 335i argument is the same concept. If all you are paying for is a name or perceived status that comes along with that name, then you've missed the point entirely.

I don't know that I've ever "hated" on any pics you've posted of your car. I just don't think it's as great as you do :laugh:


----------



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

Can't we all just get along? Bottom line: we all have A3s...we all paid more for our cars than the equivalent GTI.

Each powertrain has it's benefits and idiosyncrasies: 3.2: more linear power and awesome sound. 2.0T: superior efficiency, "tuneability" and low-end torque. If I knew a 2.0TQ was coming out in 2009, I would have waited since getting 19mpg combined is almost as bad as B7 S4 mileage. 

We all love the same cars...stop the hate


----------



## Uber-A3 (Feb 23, 2002)

What if I debadge the 2.0t then rebadge with 3.2? Guarantee it will be one of the fastest "3.2" A3's in the world.


----------



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

Uber-A3 said:


> What if I debadge the 2.0t then rebadge with 3.2? Guarantee it will be one of the fastest "3.2" A3's in the world.


LOL! My dream badge: "3.2T" courtesy of HPA. A man can dream can't he?


----------



## hellapinoy (Apr 25, 2011)

TroySico said:


> LOL! My dream badge: "3.2T" courtesy of HPA. A man can dream can't he?


Tru dat but dat new air to water manifold has problems! You should still go for the FT 425


----------



## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

hellapinoy said:


> Tru dat but dat new air to water manifold has problems! You should still go for the FT 425


What issues are they having? Is it with the new 20th anniversary single turbo intake? Heat soak? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------

