R32 Reviews (Another Newbie)

AnthonyB · July 29, 2003

Hi all, I'm right on the verge of placing my order (wahoo)... Just doing that last bits of research on what appears to be a wonderful car... Until I came across this:

http://www.carkeys.co.uk/roadtest/RT000255.htm

Any comments on this - it seems almost completely contrary to everything else I've read? How bad is the "resonance"? I do plenty of miles and don't want this to be a problem.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Cheers,

Anthony..

Luke · July 29, 2003

Welcome Anthony

Sounds like the guy who wrote your report has a VW issue . If Evo mag give the R32 the thumbs up then that is good enough for me. There have been other posts here about the sound at certain revs but by dropping down a gear seems to sort this out. I have not seen any other reports about the engine being too heavy and in the wrong place or the fact that having 6 gears was a problem. There is never a 100% complete car, I've driven a Ferrari 360 and thought the interior was terrible but you have to go for the overal package. He compares the R32 with a RS Focus wait until you have a go in that the worst torque steering car in the universe with a interior designed by M Jackson (only blue not red). Order an R32, there is no better motor for the money, I have

Luke

Bison1379134007 · July 29, 2003

yeah i have to say the guy is talking crap... i wish the engine would lift the rear wheels off the floor... i might be able to get some oversteer!

all you have to do is look at the track times to see the engine weight doesn't cause the car handling problems...

don't get me wrong it is heavy... but not unbalenced with it. it corners better than my lighter engined s3 did. They have done a good job with the suspention setup on it. And at least they acknowledged its heavy and gave it some 4pot stopping power.

L3ETT · July 29, 2003

I have to say I probably agree with most of that review (except the handling bit)

You might sound surprised then that I still say that I LOVE the car!!

Probably better explain:

Firstly the handling. The R32 is one of the best handling cars I've driven - much better than my previous TT. The grip around cornering is amazing and it just feels planted to the road. This is due partly to the rock hard suspension which does make sure you feel most of the bumps in the road! (So I can live with the hard ride, for the benefit of the handling).

Secondly the noise. There is a boom at between 2.5k and 2.8k ish - which as the review pointed out is where you would sit in 6th on the motorway at around 60mph. At 70 however you are out of the boom and I have to say the car is almost silent on the motorway! Which is exactly what I want.(The reviewer must have forgotten to mention that..)

Also the 'boom' makes for a loverly deep burble at low speeds around town when you are setting off in low gears which IMHO sounds great!

What he didn't seem to point out either is the exhaust noise in third as you accelerate hard

Thirdly throttle response. Yep agree here - its a b*tch to get used to over bumpy roads, 3k later and I think I'm getting the hang of it, but DO expect to be kangarooing over bumpy roads at low speeds!

Overall, I do feel the car could do with a bit more power and I'm fairly sure that in a straight line a lot of other 'hot hatches' will easily keep pace. The twisties would be interesting though

I did consider a focus RS and the thing that put me off was the interior. The VW interior is classy and the blue dials look fantastic at night - compare that the to tacky focus interior and I decided it was something I could not live with.

If I had to choose a practical £22k car again - I would still buy the R32.

Hope that helps.

AnthonyB · July 29, 2003

Thanks guys, pleased to hear the resonance is not right in the most annoying spot. I already have a heavy v6 (Mazda 323f ZXi SE) and the Mrs reckons the throttle response on that is tetchy (to be fair, it is a little) - interesting to see how it compares with the R32 on that score!!!

I've been told my current insurance company won't touch the R32 at all, so may loose almost a full years NCD if I have to start a new policy - gits!

Thanks again for the comments.

Anthony..

Bison1379134007 · July 29, 2003

who are your current insurers? i have heard the same thing from some compainies... sometimes though if you are a good enough customer you can ask them to talk to their underwriters and they will... directline did that for my r32.

AnthonyB · July 29, 2003

Currently insured through Adrian Flux, they've already spoken to the underwriters who said it was nothing personal, but it WAS personal against the car!!

Anthony..

Bison1379134007 · July 29, 2003

oh don't get me wrong it wasn't cheap.. but i thought everything had a price to an underwriter... guess not!

Gti_Fly · July 29, 2003

The review was quite harsh, but to be fair alot of it was true.

The exhaust boom is really really annoying - and it DOES happen at 1.8-2.8k revs ALL the time, NOT just at 60mph in 6th! I tell you its so god damn annoying. Ok so you can drive around it, but the problem is that this means that either you're caning over 3k revs all the time - great for fun, but pants for fuel consumption, or it means you're constantly driving in a high gear to avoid going over 2k revs - which means you've got no chance if u want a quick burst of power to close a gap.

As much as I love to drive fast, the noise is really tiring to me - thats my honest opinion after 1800 miles.

Ride - yes its hard, and choppy too. But then you can't expect miracles can you?! Want a comfy ride, then buy something else! its an R32, not a limo.

Throttle response - yeap very very sensitive - even after 1800 miles, you can still feel yourself kangorooing IF you drive over a bumpy bit of road in 1st/2nd gear! cause your foot wobbles ever so slighlty, the car lurches forwards! Again - more to do with the car's sporting nature.

Nose in the air (front heavy) - Hmmm I was really worried before getting the R32 that this would be the case, but to be honest, I have NEVER thought this car to be heavy, or lardy when going round bends - in fact it feels quite nimble to me.

Fast? - R32 is ok, but it isnt seriously fast. I previously had a Mrk4 Gti Anniversary, chipped upto 215bhp and 230lbs torque, and that 'felt' much quicker more of the time. I guess the R32 is faster outright, but not by a huge amount, and you'd really need to work the engine hard to get the most from it.

All in all, as a car the R32 is lovely - you could improve it by getting rid of that bloody exhaust resonance, and maybe make it faster still, but then Doesnt AMD's package solve both those problems in one hit!!

Trip to AMD for me!

blaiseh · July 31, 2003

have a look at this...

http://www.vwvortex.com/features/index_r32evosti_compare03.html

Serpent3 · August 1, 2003

gees, that review (the CarKeys one) is the worst R32 revuew I have ever read ... feel sick now and am thinking about cancelling my order!

I have this comment, however: if the 3.2V6 is too heavy, then why is Audi putting it in the new TT flagship, the TT3.2?

And, apart from the exhaust resonance which every review and poster mentions, why have none of the other negatives been mentioned in any other review? I've read about 5 or 6 reviews that say it's a fabulous car, better than S3.

cerbera · August 1, 2003

[ QUOTE ]

gees, that review (the CarKeys one) is the worst R32 revuew I have ever read ... feel sick now and am thinking about cancelling my order!

I have this comment, however: if the 3.2V6 is too heavy, then why is Audi putting it in the new TT flagship, the TT3.2?

And, apart from the exhaust resonance which every review and poster mentions, why have none of the other negatives been mentioned in any other review? I've read about 5 or 6 reviews that say it's a fabulous car, better than S3.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd look at it this way......

The vast majority of reviews rate the R32 very highly (warts and all!) and there will undoubtedly be the odd person who disagrees and doesn't 'gel' with the car. This bloke just happends to be one of those freaks of nature

I've spoken to several people who've had their R32's for a while now and they absolutely love it!

I think you'd regret it if you cancelled your order!

KEVINP · August 2, 2003

Just look at how many of us placed our deposit \ order without even test driving one. Anyway with the prices in autotrader this is one car that even if you sell it you will make a profit. You are in a win win situation which I have not seen before in cars. Normally they depreciate as soon as they leave the showroom.

Anyway it is a fantastic car. I saw one in deep blue yeaterday in Maidenhead and I am glad that is the colour I have chosen.

Like everyone says that is the only bad review . I guess he has something against VW's or had a bad day.

nicktripper · August 7, 2003

I have to say, having been in both cars, the RS is a great package and a very exciting car. The R32 is very plane especialy from the back and handled like a wollowing fish round the bends. I Reckon the R32 has a slight edge in a straight line but then again any car manufacturer can make a car go forward.

Id go witht he RS, especialy as it is 6k cheaper, bargain.

L3ETT · August 7, 2003

[ QUOTE ]

I have to say, having been in both cars, the RS is a great package and a very exciting car. The R32 is very plane especialy from the back and handled like a wollowing fish round the bends. I Reckon the R32 has a slight edge in a straight line but then again any car manufacturer can make a car go forward.

Id go witht he RS, especialy as it is 6k cheaper, bargain.

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I too have been in both cars and I couldn't disagree more with what you say! You obviously drove the RS on smooth roads and didn't pay attention to the interior when you got in

I took the RS over my favourite country roads (which aren't exactly smooth) and nearly sh*t myself more than once trying to hold onto the damn steering wheel as it tried to throw me off the road! In the R32 over the same roads, it felt much more assured and I guarantee would be much quicker, purely because you would be fighting the RS all the way!

I personally like the look of the RS from the outside, but theat quickly disappears when you open the door and see the interior

I'm not saying I hate the RS by any means, but where exactly do you get a £6k saving??? The RS is £20k the R32 is £22k

R32 for me every time!

nicktripper · August 7, 2003

I have to say that anyone who says the RS throws you around and chucks you of the road really doesnt know what they are talking about. It is a hard ride compared to some old mans 406 but it is a comfy ride on most roads. As for Torquesteer and all that, someone like Clarkson makes something up and suddenly everyone says it.

R32 great car, no doubt, but you really under estimate the RS and it will take you guys on anyday on any set of bends.

cerbera · August 7, 2003

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I have to say that anyone who says the RS throws you around and chucks you of the road really doesnt know what they are talking about. It is a hard ride compared to some old mans 406 but it is a comfy ride on most roads. As for Torquesteer and all that, someone like Clarkson makes something up and suddenly everyone says it.

R32 great car, no doubt, but you really under estimate the RS and it will take you guys on anyday on any set of bends.

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Dude, whilst everyone's entitled to their own opinion....

1) It's a Ford

2) It's a Focus

3) Take your Oakleys off the next time you look inside...

4) It's a Ford

I'm sure that I would love an RS if I had one.....but there's no way I'd choose it over an R32....

nicktripper · August 7, 2003

I have to agree, i think it takes a different kind of person to buy an R32 to an RS. Fair game.

How did you know I wear Oakleys?

You are correct, it is a Ford, but it is also an RS that is selling second hand for more than the R32.

Both great cars, but I think the comments made by some of you guys about it trying to through peope of the road is comic and those people really do not know how to drive a car and have not really been in a RS.

There is also no way in the world someone driving an R32 could overtake someone in a RS going round bends

cerbera · August 7, 2003

[ QUOTE ]

I have to agree, i think it takes a different kind of person to buy an R32 to an RS. Fair game.

How did you know I wear Oakleys?

You are correct, it is a Ford, but it is also an RS that is selling second hand for more than the R32.

Both great cars, but I think the comments made by some of you guys about it trying to through peope of the road is comic and those people really do not know how to drive a car and have not really been in a RS.

There is also no way in the world someone driving an R32 could overtake someone in a RS going round bends

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Oakleys - the only possible explanation for you not noticing the hideous interior.....

If RS' are selling second hand for more than an R32 then where does the £6k difference come in to play ?!

Haven't had the pleasure of driving an RS as yet. As soon as I've remedied this I will post my thoughts. I'm sure that it's car that I could learn to live with everyday (and would love)...albeit looking like a twat driving about with my 'sunnies' on all year round!

I agree that an R32 would probably struggle to overtake an RS on twisties........however I'm equally confident that the reverse is true....

So Roving.....are you getting an RS ? Have one ? Thinking about getting one ?

JT

nicktripper · August 7, 2003

Hi JHT. Sorry, ok, not 6k, 2 or 3, whatever, never been good at maths

Yeah I have an RS with New Exhaust, Decat Pipe and Bluefin. Its superb and goes like stink in every direction.

Friend has an R32, very nice car indeed, nice inside, and not as lairy as the RS, but I find it less interesting and so does he. But it is comfy.

Im not sure what you mean, wearing Oakleys all year round? I think that is a load of

I am currently very happy with the RS for everyday use and for long journeys, so far, 2hrs 30 is the longest with no break and it was fine.

It doe srequire concentration to drive on the twisties I admit, but its fun and certainly not going to through you of the road. Its glued to it I swear.

So you think the reverse is true, An R32 couldnt overtake an RS going backwards round a corner, I agree.

Its all down to opinion, I htink they are very close in most respects, just gets the tail up when gooses describe a car as dangerous etc when for one they have not even driven one and two they cant drive properly and 3 they listen to a comedian like Clarkson who admits he is a crap driver.

cerbera · August 7, 2003