Volkswagen Mark IV Forum banner

MK5 R32..

6K views 68 replies 34 participants last post by  tylerama 
#1 ·
#2 ·
So how was the test drive Aric?

My friends been offered a Shadow Blue one too, I must show him these pics as we havent seen a shadow Blue one yet..

Whats the manual R32 drive like - I suspect it's quite jerky to drive
compared to a DSG right?? do u prefer DSG or manual for the R32?
 
#6 ·
So how was the test drive Aric?

My friends been offered a Shadow Blue one too, I must show him these pics as we havent seen a shadow Blue one yet..

Whats the manual R32 drive like - I suspect it's quite jerky to drive compared to a DSG right?? do u prefer DSG or manual for the R32?
Well...what can i say.. The front looks great!! I like the nw V style... I am sure sooner or later that will be added to my list of task....
the rear bumper.. looks ok.. but seems abit fat .. abit like the 206 backend... The exhaust is much nicer looking then on the press pic.. and the pipe is big!! big enough to to have my phone fitted at the end.... I think its very the same as the milltek for the TT.. Sound great too!!
The inside... i like the paddles.. the metal gear nob... and the dash counters... looks even better at night!!
the seats i beleive is the same as the one on the GTI... ..But i have to say.. very disappointed with the silver carbon fiber looks trims... it wont' be as bed if it was some form of metal.... but no.. its PLASTIC!!!! specially the ash tray cover... its just over kill....
Having been using DSG for 3 weeks.. going back to manual is very fun.... Yes.. its very jerky.... and delay on gear change.... but it makes me feel the car have lots of power when you put the foot flat down again....(oh.. keep forgetting there is a clutch i need to press or even remember to change gear)
In terms of power... lots... but seems to die off after around 4500rpm.... and going up hill.. i would say the TDI will beat it for sure....
I have to say... the car seems too easy to get to 3 figer mph.. haha and not feeling you are at that speed!!
Very quiet... just like any normal car... until your right foot slip....
I only been on the MK4 R32 twice.. once was with Tab..and from what i can remember, the MK5 R32 seems to have a too soft ride compare to the mk4...
The brake are very good... very smooth... but ABS seems to kick in a number of time....

I like the car very much... but... i don't think i will be able to afford the fuel.... Durring my country side run... and from dealer to work... i have only managed to get around 15mpg.... Did a test run to go from work to home.. and back to work at normal speed.... only to manage 21mpg...
If they can marry the R32 sound with the GTI fuel usuage... then it might be a better option....

I was suprise dealer didn't offer me PX price agaist the R32 when i got back... haha
 
#10 ·
Whats with the harsh white lights for the dash dials?? Might have
a funky blue needle, but I prefer the blue backdrop - much smoother on
the eyes [:(]

Add that to the list that I've realised since seeing one in my dealers
that I think the pipes are too wide apart. Hmmmm.....

C

PS - aric, great photo session, thanks mate [y]
 
#13 ·
Those electric plugs are the 'coil packs' which fire the spark plugs. There were Red on the old R32, they look kinda ugly in black don't they!
Thanks .. learn something each day... I guess i would have have those too if i haven't got TDI.....
And now you just made me remember someone was suppose to give me a quick lesson on "Coil Packs".. ... haha
 
#14 ·
Did you just test drive it Aric or have you actually bought it?

Not sure I'm keen on the colour but I'm sure it looks better in real life. Some good pics there though[Y]

You forgot to blank out the last number plate too[;)]
THanks for that number plate... don't really know why I bother blanking it... ...
I just had it for the day to play with..... If i had won the jackpot on Sat.. i will leave a bag of cash for them to let me take the car away!!
So close.... got 4 numbers... and the other 2 number was 1 dig off!!!
 
#22 ·
Well...what can i say.. The front looks great!! I like the nw V style... I am sure sooner or later that will be added to my list of task....
the rear bumper.. looks ok.. but seems abit fat .. abit like the 206 backend... The exhaust is much nicer looking then on the press pic.. and the pipe is big!! big enough to to have my phone fitted at the end.... I think its very the same as the milltek for the TT.. Sound great too!!
The inside... i like the paddles.. the metal gear nob... and the dash counters... looks even better at night!!
the seats i beleive is the same as the one on the GTI... ..But i have to say.. very disappointed with the silver carbon fiber looks trims... it wont' be as bed if it was some form of metal.... but no.. its PLASTIC!!!! specially the ash tray cover... its just over kill....
Having been using DSG for 3 weeks.. going back to manual is very fun.... Yes.. its very jerky.... and delay on gear change.... but it makes me feel the car have lots of power when you put the foot flat down again....(oh.. keep forgetting there is a clutch i need to press or even remember to change gear)
In terms of power... lots... but seems to die off after around 4500rpm.... and going up hill.. i would say the TDI will beat it for sure....
I have to say... the car seems too easy to get to 3 figer mph.. haha and not feeling you are at that speed!!
Very quiet... just like any normal car... until your right foot slip....
I only been on the MK4 R32 twice.. once was with Tab..and from what i can remember, the MK5 R32 seems to have a too soft ride compare to the mk4...
The brake are very good... very smooth... but ABS seems to kick in a number of time....

I like the car very much... but... i don't think i will be able to afford the fuel.... Durring my country side run... and from dealer to work... i have only managed to get around 15mpg.... Did a test run to go from work to home.. and back to work at normal speed.... only to manage 21mpg...
If they can marry the R32 sound with the GTI fuel usuage... then it might be a better option....

I was suprise dealer didn't offer me PX price agaist the R32 when i got back... haha
I'd love to have read your review, but the punctuation drove me nuts [:O]

Great pictures though. Looks good in Shadow Blue, not sure I would buy that colour though. I still don't like the wheels very much. They look cheap compared to the GTI ones, for example.

I'm not a big fan of fog lights but the car would look better with them.
 
#23 ·
I was fortunate enough to test the black R32 demonstrater that they've
got at Eurocanterbury, and I've got to say that I loved it. The car is
a five-door manual box, and the crispness of the box was absolutely
astounding. The engine creates a very powerful-sounding rumble, and the
power delivery is exceptionally smooth, all the way to 120mph (by that
point the branch manager who was with me panicked and asked me to slow
down!). The steering is very precise and tight - I absolutely adore my
GTI, and the handling on my car is brilliant, but the R32 frankly put
it to shame. The R32's handling felt to me very similar to that of a
late-eighties/early-nineties Ferrari (I'm think of a Mondial T or a 355
here), and was so... crisp is the only word that appears in my mind.

The 18" wheels look very nice, but I'm not too big a fan of them to be
honest (the 18" GTI wheels are nicer and more unique), though the ride
on the Michelins you get as standard was very nice, stiffer than the
GTI (the 18" GTI wheels come with Continental tyres, nice but not
nearly as nice as the Michelins), yet still providing plenty of comfort
for drivers and passengers both.

The throw of the gearstick is very short, but allows for a great degree
of precision, and the clutch is well-balanced, though I've had better.

The white lighting on the dash is very refreshing too, with blue
needles - the lighting is bright enough to read well but not so bright
as to hurt the eyes. My biggest complaint about the interior was the
awful "Engine cut" metal trim - it's too bright and flashy and not at
all like the subtlety and class of the brushed aluminium trim found in
the GTI. The trim in the R32 is far too reflective and doesn't provide
either a focal point or an accent - it looks like it's just there to be
different, and not an entirely pleasing form of different.

Overall, it is an absolutely stunning car. Chatting to the VW guy it
seems that there's only a ?2.5-3k difference between the mid range GTI
and the mid range R32 (lowering to 2k difference for top specs of
both). It'd be a hard decision for anyone - one of my friends is
currently agonising over whether to get a GTI or R32, and he honestly
can't decide which. To be honest though, it does seem that the GTI
gives more bang for its buck, especially at the lower price levels. R32
is still an absolutely stunning car though, and I was sorely tempted!
 
#24 ·
Wow that seems a very good deal - the R32 definitely seems more exclusive than the stock GTi. Personally I think the GTi wheels are absolutely disgusting and much prefer the ones on the R32, I also prefer the dials of the R32.

What I'm not a fan of is the V6. I had a 3.2 Audi A3 and although it had a great top end, once you get used to good turbo charging, everything else feels gutless. However the deciding factor for me would the the 4WD. Unless you have driven a Quattro or similar, you cannot imagine the liberties you can take once you learn how to use the system properly.

What we need is a GTi with 4-motion.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top