Brian Nichols, '84 Rabbit GTI. Mods: custom chargecooled turbo conversion, BBS RS
The older cars seemed to dominate, with the Mk1, 2 and 3 taking the limelight. And it was nice to be away from the pimped-out, sticker-whore, sponsored cars that seem to dominate the West Coast. All we saw at H2Oi were cars built with parts the owners wanted, not whatever they could get free. Hence, almost everybody was running BBS RS and Recaro seats, and there was barely a sticker in sight. It was a breath of fresh air.
Tim Passaro Jr, '96 GTI 2.0. Mods: ATP turbo, FMIC, B&G coilovers, 16x9" Schmidt Modern Lines, pulled fenders, Jetta front end, shaved bumpers, filled handle recesses, Recaro C-Class seats, pinup girl cloth headliner and pillars. Full feature soon
And while there are many genuine enthusiasts on the West Coast who similarly put their heart and soul into their cars, the left coast events don't seem to capture the same pure Euro flavor.
Neil Essmyer, '96 Golf Cabrio. Mods: VR6 swap, Vortech supercharger, reupholstered R32 seats, 16x8/9" Schmidt TH Lines, smoothed body, shaved bay
Greg's Favorite Car:
There were almost too many to choose from, but I guess the car that stopped me in my tracks was Jay Lehrmann's '97 Jetta 2.0. I couldn't believe it was the same car we featured in et 1/06. Jay's done a ton of work since then and produced one of the best Mk3 Jettas in the world. The color-matched Silhouette Impul wheels are the most obvious change, along with the carbed 2.0 and interior retrim. It was another deserved Top Dawg contestant and should've scooped top prize.
Other highlights for me included Mike McCoy's incredible Jetta and Jet's Mk2 GTI. Although I would have been happy to drive away in any of the Top Dawg contestants, the quality was breathtaking.
Sam's Diary
Last year was my first Waterfest and this year is my first H2O International, and what better year to attend than the 10th anniversary with its record-breaking show car registrations and attendance figures?
Eduardo Bodmer, '06 Porsche Cayman S. Mods: APR software, 20x8/11" TechArt wheels, Militek exhaust and headers, paintwork inspired by APR GTI (et 4/07) |  | 
Tania Santos, '02 GTI. Mods: Milltek exhaust, color-matched Auto Power rollcage, S-Edition S3 wheels, ECS Tuning front and rear big brake kits, Euro bumpers with 4Motion valances and OE nav |
Entering Ocean City, MD was reminiscent of Kreuzerfest as we tagged along with the Longball Rally. However, contrary to Waterfest's venue, the location of H2Oi was more endearing.
People were more hyped up for H2Oi than any other event in North America. The temperate Atlantic Coast made it feel like a beach vacation, which buttered me up for the colossal show on Sunday. I wish I could have slowed the hands of time so I could spend longer enjoying the incredible show cars. There were just too many to check out in one weekend!
As H2Oi is one of the final events we'll be attending in '07, it's proved to me that the East Coast has raised the quality of modified VWs in the US. Where you at, West Coast?
The Dice Stylez crew chilling in front of Matt Sucich's '02 GTI 1.8T
I'd have to say my favorite moment was cruising the OC strip in our Mk5 R32. Back in my natural surroundings of Los Angeles, Vegas and Seattle, cruising is a chill weekend and evening activity, but doing it at H2Oi was so much more fun with thousands of Dub fans cruising with us or watching along the street. Next year, I'll have to bring Project Silver stone!
Sam's Favorite Car:
I've already awarded Tucker Harding's '02 GTI as my favorite pick from Waterfest '06, but if I hadn't he'd be one of my top choices from H2Oi, especially with additions like that ultra-smooth engine bay, Euro R32 front bumper and big turbo conversion.
Another car that stood out was Neil Essmyer's Cabrio. I absolutely loved the smoothed engine bay with white intake manifold. The polished supercharger and piping also worked well. The polished 'n white theme followed to the Schmidt TH-Lines, making this car simply majestic.
Craig Vickery, '00 Jetta. Mods: Tornado red paint with blue pearl, built 2.0T motor with GT28RS turbo, 19x8.5/9.5" Kinesis K19 wheels, Oettinger body parts, Sparco suede interior and Alpine/Polk audio | 
John Duda, '07 Jetta. Mods: shaved Rabbit front bumper, Cupra R lip, smoked tail lights, Mercedes SL55 wheels, KW V1 coilovers, Pioneer head unit with hard drive, two 12" JL subs | 
RGTI delivery wagon |