I need a car and there's this....

[Yandicoogina]

.... one that I have a lust for. Its a VW R32, 2006 model. Looks like the perfect garage friend for Speedie. Its blacker than Speedie and top-end is higher. It sounds awesome apparently. I say apparently, cos I've only seen it on the net (I am working/staying 150kms from a place that doesn't exist and 310kms from a town that shouldn't exist!).
Anyway, does any reader have experience with these things? Its only a V6, so that probably wipes out 60% of the readers, if you know what I mean!!!! I'm sure you Euros know something? Fritz...are you out there?

[Buster]

I know the car.. friend of mine has one..

sound is good, top end close to s3..i think 250km/hr..
I am not sure what i would do.. the 2L turbo engine of the GTI has 200 HP but can be tuned up quite easily.. I think this will be faster, have more punch, is lighter, better fuel efficiency, worse sound, but probably cheaper in the end..
So if have a V6 fettish go for it.. if you're really going for speed/power go for a tuned turbo

[boghopper04]

Should look into Mazda Speed 3. Thats what they are called in the US. Think they are called something else in Europe and prolly your neck of the woods too.
Cheaper then VW and faster!!

[rustbucket]

It's a unique car - AWD, nice smooth power, but definitely not the fastest car out there.

When it was released, the general consensus was that it was in a class of its own in terms of comfort and luxury in the segment, but a step behind in weight and performance. If you want to go fast for R32 money you'll be sacrificing comfort.

I'm a VW fan - I've had 12 (and counting) of them over the 10 years I've had my license. If I were shopping for a VW newer than 1999, I'd be looking at the MK5 GTi.

If you want to go fast with AWD a WRX or an Evo is faster. If you're happy with FWD, a MK5 (2006+) GTi is a fantastic car, or a Mazdaspeed 3 is screamingly fast. Good luck finding a 3 for Retail though.

A stripped version of the new GTi is one of the best values out there, IMHO. Of course, good luck finding that at a dealer...

[kuhlka]

I'm also looking at the 08 R32/36, Evo-X, and STI as possible upgrades...

My 05 WRX STI is fast and stock, but I have several complaints;

-Shifter takes some getting used to as it is really notchy and sometimes vague as you move from one gear to another. Notchy meaning you KNOW you're in a gear, but it takes extra force to get it into said gear. I went with a Kartboy short shifter (40% reduced throw) which greatly improved shift throw over stock (stock was way mushy and wobbly).

-Clutch engagement varies all the way from foot on the floor to all the way out. I'm used to cars which have a engaged zone of like 25% to all out, and disengaged zone of 25% all the way in. My STI may need a new clutch (bought it with 8,000 miles on it...), but this is irritating and makes shifting jerky unless you work exceptionally hard to be smooth. This is the #1 reason I'm looking at the EvoX and R32 as they have paddle shifters and auto-shifting. If my wife makes me keep the STI as a race car, we'll see if a new race clutch fixes things.

-Suspension is minimally better than a stock WRX IMHO as it transmits the jerky shifting to the entire car, which only makes jerky shifting even worse. Front-to-back and side-to-side sway is pronounced, but could be easily remedied with about a grand in suspension upgrades. IMO, if you're spending 30k on a car it should already have better suspension components, but whatever. My rear struts have had to be replaced under warranty 3 TIMES... Its not like I go drifting every afternoon. I just drive a little 'spirited' from time-to-time and did two SCCA events over a summer. Along with the clutch, the suspension will be pretty much completely replaced.

Other than those three gripes, the motor is rock solid, LOVES to be driven hard and fast, and the exhaust note is just a nice deep evil growl.

[ This message was edited by: kuhlka on 2007-05-29 12:26 ]

[abruzzi]

On 2007-05-29 10:39, rustbucket wrote:

I'm a VW fan - I've had 12 (and counting) of them over the 10 years I've had my license. If I were shopping for a VW newer than 1999, I'd be looking at the MK5 GTi.

I have a last gen (2005) GTI with the 1.8 turbo--I love it. A friend just got a new GTI with the 2.0 turbo, very nice. The GTI's also have a sequential transmission with auto mode and paddle shifters.

The R32 is nice, but the extra money it too much for me. I would like the AWD, but I'm happy with my <$20k gti.

They're are faster cars, but I just don't like the looks of the Mazdas and Subarus. I like the Scion tC--that was the only car that tempted me from VW, and it's not that high performance.

Geof

[w00ht]

I had one. Wish I still had it.

They are a phenominal car, but often get compared to a WRX STi and the Evo. Thats really not fair since the .:R32 isn't a total tuned out boy racer car like the scooby and mitsu. Don't get me wrong the car is fast but for the 32K mine cost new I could have bought a STi and had more power but I'm more of an OEM+ kind of guy than a full on boy racer type. The .:R32 is a road car where the STi and EVO are full tuner cars. If VW went the same route to lighten and tweak the .:R32 then the comparisons would have been much different.

The motor has the flatest tourqe curve out there I have driven (and I drive a lot of different things fast since I was a car guy first). It doesn't feel fast, but if you don't pay attention to the tach you will bounce off of the limiter before you know it. It is a naturally aspirated narrow angle 3.2L VR6 motor with a 6 speed haledex all wheel drive system. I don't remember the stock HP numbers but I know that HPA and EIP tuning out of Baltimore sell turbo kits that will make upwards of 700HP. The car handles extremly well and the traction control allows the driver a bit of freedom before coming on and ruining all of you fun.

The cockpit is easily the nicest in the market. The jap cars are junk in this regard and always feel second rate. My dad actually prefered the .:R32's interior to his own Z4 and 5 series. The Konig seats are really deep buckets with intgrated airbags, think sparco racing seat with DOT and TUV approval. The steering wheel is a proper racing wheel also with a really thick grip and deep conrouts for proper placement.

If you can find a good deal on one then go for it, but if you are buying form a VW enthusiast you'll probably pay more. However there were only a couple thousand imported.

Ohh and yeah that exhaust note is sweet.

You said 06, don't you mean 04?

EDIT: Never mind, I just realized you were in OZ and actually got the newer one

[ This message was edited by: w00ht on 2007-05-29 13:08 ]

[chisel]

Hey kuhlka, if that STi has a hydraulic clutch check to see if there's air in the line. If there's no air in the line, then check that it holds pressure. Don't think that because it's not leaking fluid on the ground that it's holding pressure. It can leak back in to the reservoir through the master cylinder. Either one can cause a much greater clutch engagement zone.

[Yandicoogina]

Thanks for the comments. I remember the warm fuzzy feeling I got when I saw and then test drove a GTi last year. It went like an angry thang. However, the R32 looks firm and yeah, it has a top interior / dash. (do a search and see for yourself)
I read on the net that although it isn't as fast as the two Nippon-Rockets, it has a better ride. More becoming to my maturing nature. For adrenalin rushes, I go out on S3 anyway.
I notice that the R32 is available in 4 door as well, but I sort of prefer the more aggressive coupe look. So..as a couple of you guys wrote, I best weigh it up against the GTi, but I fear my mind is already made, so I hope my first drive doesn't disappoint.

[w00ht]

Just watch the tach in first and second and you won't be disappointed.

I don't know if there is much info on the new .:R32 but there is a whole forum about the US 04 model on vwvortex.com. Lots of good reading over there.