Phil Simpson is not your average emmkay-five chap. He’s your local 9-5 kind of guy who works at a plumbing supply warehouse. Little would most people know is that he is also a devoted dubber and proud owner of one laid out Mk5. After going the wringer with a Mk4, he was determined to strike back…with a vengeance.
As stated, he had previously owned a fourth gen that was not only rittled with problems but was also a huge financial burden to contend with. The car in question had a reputation for snapping axles, stripping wheel bolts, and having the usual problems that any statically slammed car would have. The love-hate relationship was filled with more animosity than enjoyment, so Phil decided it would be best to cut his losses and pursue another vehicle. As far as choosing a model, he was undecided, but after the Deutsch Connection show in the summer of 2010, one killer supreme Mk5 would make his decision easier.
Because Phil isn’t your stereotypical 17-year-old-paying-for-everything-with-daddy’s-credit card Mk5 owner, he had to wait to find the right car at the right price. (Yes, I used the dreaded ‘W’ word.) Many cars came and went while the right one was waiting for Phil to find it. During this time he was devising what he wanted in the car of his dreams and also what he was going to mod next after he bought it. It was decided that it had to be a well-equipped Golf with low mileage and eventually air ride so that he could have a practical car that would also lay out at the drop of a hat.
After following a specific Mk5 build thread on Edition 38, a forum from across the pond, the then owner posted the car up for sale. Seeing this as his opportunity, Phil scooped up the then static, OZ Futura clad Golf GT.
Since purchasing the car he has stayed true to his original plan and added air ride from the ever-popular company Airlift. This was the most crucial ingredient to give the 17″ Futuras a proper posture.
The US-spec rear bumper really does wonders when trying to clean up the rear of a Mk5. Not too many enthusiasts from Europe ditch their relatively rare body panels in exchange for the often cumbersome US-spec counterparts. In this case it definitely was a good choice.
There aren’t many Mk5′s that can pull off a 17″ Japanese tuner wheel as effortlessly as this one.
He has friends with full show oriented air installs but takes pride in the fact that his car still has functional trunk with a fully hidden air install. “Id be too worried about things being broke,ripped, or damaged because I use the car everyday.” The fitment game is a never ending war that leaves as many crushed fenders as crushed hearts. This daily’d Golf walks a dental floss tightrope between these two evils.
Blue and black are often two colors that typically clash but this car is an exception to the rule.
When asked what was the biggest hurdle with this project, Phil replied,”Lack of money is proving the biggest obstacle in this and is all that’s stopping me from doing what I want to do sooner! I’m not in a rush and would rather do things slowly rather then just doing everything in the space of a few months, only to be bored with it when I’ve done everything! I Spent 3 years on my mk4 just constantly changing bits and updating things and so on and thats what I plan on doing with this.”
Phil really considers his new edition a major upgrade over his base model 1.4L Mk4. It even had crank windows while his Golf5 had all the goodies except for an armrest and cruise control. He solved those two problems quickly. He speaks of the purchase being worth every pence on the sole principle that he wouldn’t have explain every little squeak and pop like was customary with his Mk4. Phil also commented, “Only I get to drive it although my dad enjoys messing around with the air ride!”
From rags to riches and coils to switches.
Specs:
2004 Golf GT 2.0L 16v
GTI front bumper
Jetta smooth front grill
GTI side skirts
US rear bumper
US-Spec warmer climate lower bumper grills
Rear wiper delete
Retrofitted arm rest and cruise control
Airlift XL Slam Kit
Easy Street Digi Management built into the center console
17″ OZ Futura wheels with powdercoated grey faces and carbon rings
BBS RS gold bolts