Our New Shop Car: 2022 Volkswagen GTI
Meet AVB
AVB is an automotive enthusiast and has a special place in his heart for Volkswagen and Audi vehicles of all shaped and sizes. An avid lover of cars since early childhood, but his VW Life started with his MK3 Jetta. Since then he has owned and raced many VWs from MK1 Rabbits all the way to his current MK7 GTI. With this range in VW comes a lot of knowledge on the do’s and don’t. When AVB is writing articles he is working his GTI or dreaming up the next build he wants to run at the track. AVB is the primary writer for VW Tuning.
We’re excited to announce the latest addition to the VW Tuning shop — a Certified Pre-Owned 2022 Volkswagen GTI, purchased right here in Austin from Onion Creek VW.
A Smooth Buying Experience
Onion Creek VW made the process seamless from start to finish. Like many early Mk8 GTIs, ours had the well-documented Travel Assist issue, but their service team handled it quickly and professionally — replacing the system under warranty without hesitation.
A special thank you goes out to Thomas Walsh at Onion Creek VW, who made the buying experience straightforward and stress-free. His professionalism and attention to detail gave us complete confidence in choosing Onion Creek for our shop car.
👉 If you’re looking for your next Volkswagen, we highly recommend stopping by Onion Creek VW. Be sure to mention VW Tuning / Aaron Van Blarcom when you visit!
Building the Car Without Losing the Warranty
Our GTI is currently 100% stock, but as you know, that won’t last long! Since this is our shop car, it will be the centerpiece of upcoming build articles, comparison reviews, and guides. For now, our first focus will be on warranty-safe modifications that owners can enjoy without worry.
Some of the areas we’ll be exploring include:
- Cosmetic Upgrades: vinyl wraps, wheel powder coating, and interior accents to personalize the car without touching factory components.
- Suspension Tweaks: VW-approved lowering springs or sport shocks that maintain warranty compliance.
- Bolt-On Accessories: upgraded intakes, exhaust tips, and other add-ons that are reversible and non-invasive.
- OEM+ Enhancements: performance parts and accessories directly from Volkswagen’s catalog, designed to complement the Mk8 GTI.
Our goal is to showcase how Mk8 GTI owners can personalize and improve their cars while keeping complete confidence in warranty coverage.
Looking Ahead
This GTI is just the beginning. Over the following months, we’ll be comparing it to previous generations — including the Mk7 and Mk6 — to highlight how the GTI platform has evolved. Expect a mix of history, performance reviews, and hands-on modification guides.
We’re grateful to Onion Creek VW — and especially Thomas Walsh — for helping us bring this GTI home. Stay tuned — the best is yet to come.
