Golf R32 or Edition 30 - Are they any good?

[dasherdiablo1]

Afternoon all,

I'm thinking about getting either an R32 or GTi Edition 30 to hoon about in. I don't want to spend more than £15k. What tings should I be considering:-
Must have options?
Colour combinations?
Leather?
DSG/Manual?

I will be buying from the dealer network as I want a warranty for it.

Are they a fun car to own/drive?

[RC1]

both are pretty well covered here... the camp will always be firmly divided between the 2 with the classic head vs heart arguments

ive a mk 4 r32 and think its great

not quite sure id be bothered about warranty for any of your options as its not like they have well documented issues that cost £££ to sort out

the mk5 r32 is known to rust prematurely in the wheel arch but this is covered under the manu warranty

[the-photographer]

A very popular subject check out http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk and http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk

R32 (some sterotypes here)

• Heavier
• 30mpg hard
• High road rax
• 4WD
• Nice noise (check youtube)
• Mod very expensive

ED30

• Lighter
• 30mpg very possible
• £250 road rax
• 2WD
• OK noise
• Would sir like stage 1,2, or 3?

Must have options?
Very subjective, but if you want xenons get them and dont try and retro-fit.

Colour combinations?
For the R32 Deep Blue Pearl, otherwise it's what you like.

Leather?
For me no.

DSG/Manual?
For me no, but try both.

[mpm1987]

I had a stage2+ Ed30 DSG.

Very capable car, comfy (did Nurburgring there and back in a day)

Wasnt bad on fuel, looked good, and had a few nice options. I had the RNS510 nav unit, with ipod, SD card.

Once running stage 2+, it was also very quick, I saw 165mph on way back from the 'Ring, and it did a 13.2Second quarter mile, with a terminal speed of 110mph.

[cuprabob]

4 pot turbos will be around for ages whereas the R32 is the last of a dying breed so sample the 3.2 V6 while you still can. Apart from the VED running costs are not really that different between the R32 and the ED30.

As said above, if you want to mod the Ed30 is the way to go.

DSG vs manual is a personal thing but be aware that on the DSG the gearbox oil and filter need to be changed every 40k miles.

Found you a good low miler

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

Edited by cuprabob on Thursday 20th September 19:36

[Ved]

I've had my R32 for a year and 20k. Good car, no problems. I avoided the DSG because I don't have 3k to buy a new one out of warranty. Fun to drive and own. Ed30 is a beast with a remap but it's still a 4pot.

[Dave Hedgehog]

ED30 is a competent car but i find all the VAG blown VAG 4 pots a bit souless

R32 not the fastest car but its dripping in soul

[qureshia]

I have owned a couple of GTI's and a R32, both are great cars..

Try and drive both as they feel surprisingly different.

The r32 is heavier, completely different noise and feels much faster above 60 than a GTI  (this gap is probably smaller to a Ed30)

I get 30-31 mpg in my GTI (tesco 99 momentum) when pressing on up and down the motorway, on the same route I used to get 24mpg in my R32.

This difference alone meant the R32 was about £100 a month more to run , also the range is a pitiful <300 miles, add in extra serving costs, quicker wear on items like brakes and it soon adds up.

Options are DSG - done 86k miles in my latest golf and had no probs with the gearbox, with a manual I would expect to have been on my 2nd or 3rd clutch by now 
Xenons - must.
Arm rest (unless you have a r32 with buckets)
The bucket seats in a r32 look and feel great , however they make getting into the rear seats a PITA

Some other nice to haves are
iPod cable
Sat nav
Leather (although I like my tartan)
Full screen computer/ multi function steering
Cruise
Sn roof
Winter pack (heated mirrors, headlight wash)

Try and buy well, I had a 18 month period when lots of costs came in all at once, major service, cambelt, tyres, dsg service, air con condenser, bushes etc and I ended up spending near £4k on maintenance alone, however in the last 18 months this has dropped to less than £500.

[Naddy786]

If decided to get an R32 but VED was off putting, get a 55 plate R32 then obviously you will be on the cheaper road tax amd will easily get one for alot less than your budget.

[cuprabob]

Naddy786 said:

If decided to get an R32 but VED was off putting, get a 55 plate R32 then obviously you will be on the cheaper road tax amd will easily get one for alot less than your budget.

To be honest the extra couple of hundred quid per year on VED is irrelevant when you take into account all teh costs. Although it does hurt annually on that specific day when the £475 (£460 - DSG) needs to paid

[Soovy]

dasherdiablo1 said:

Afternoon all,

I'm thinking about getting either an R32 or GTi Edition 30 to hoon about in. I don't want to spend more than £15k. What tings should I be considering:-
Must have options?
Colour combinations?
Leather?
DSG/Manual?

I will be buying from the dealer network as I want a warranty for it.

Are they a fun car to own/drive?

I have an 08 R32 in silver with DSG.

I love it.


Fabulous noise, plenty fast, safe, and discrete, as well as comfortable and sure footed.

Blog is in "My Garage"

Only downsides are fuel economy and VED. Other than that I don't see what could replace it, other than an RS4 really.

People will tell you the GTi is just as quick, but that's not the point.


BWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!

Edited by Soovy on Friday 21st September 13:26

[RC1]

Dave Hedgehog said:

R32 not the fastest car but its dripping in soul

Sums it up nicely

[Sir_Dave]

Dave Hedgehog said:

ED30 is a competent car but i find all the VAG blown VAG 4 pots a bit souless

R32 not the fastest car but its dripping in soul

Agree completely.

My Ed30 was the dullest car ive owned, it just did everything ok, but sounded like a dishwasher, had poor brakes and understeered everywhere.

The R32 still does everything well, but has improved on the ED30's major gripes, & sounds simply epic.

Its the last of the 'lets just whack a big NA engine in this little car and see what happens' kind of cars. I get similar mpg out of both of the motorway it happens, 28/29 on 80 leptons.

Both ownership blogs are in 'my garage'.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Ain't nothing as satisfying in a Golf as a big V6.

[KennyGT]

I myself had this decision to make, along with an E46 M4 and Z4 Coupe.

Then after I got it down to the Edition 30 and MK5 R32 I picked the R32.

Why? The sound! Its epic and sounds superb. Yes the tax is a joke, but thats part of the fun.....

It took me a couple of months to find a decent example, I wanted Recaros, Lux etc.

The edition 30 is a great car, but as I say the noise sealed it for me. I get 30mpg on motorway and around 22-25 usually. Its a great car, well built, quick, quiet when driving normally and sounds epic when you give it the beans.

Watch this video, I did many times once I knew I wanted an R32

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtC8hMG9gqI

[folos]

KennyGT said:

I myself had this decision to make, along with an E46 M4 and Z4 Coupe.

Then after I got it down to the Edition 30 and MK5 R32 I picked the R32.

Why? The sound! Its epic and sounds superb. Yes the tax is a joke, but thats part of the fun.....

It took me a couple of months to find a decent example, I wanted Recaros, Lux etc.

The edition 30 is a great car, but as I say the noise sealed it for me. I get 30mpg on motorway and around 22-25 usually. Its a great car, well built, quick, quiet when driving normally and sounds epic when you give it the beans.

Watch this video, I did many times once I knew I wanted an R32

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtC8hMG9gqI

The standard exhaust isn't exactly quiet either!

I'm seriously considering getting a resonated milltek on mine after christmas, but i'll be freezing my bks off even more as i'll have the windows down ALL of the time then! You hardly need a radio in this car as the engine/exhaust soundtrack is just so good

Oh and servicing costs aren't that bad, I just had a minor (at 45k) service done today at sinclair VW cardiff for £162 inc vat. The major one was done last year with VW at the previous owner's expense


I got mine - a 56 plate DPB 3 door with the winter pack, heated leather and a few other options, 43k with FVWSH, absolutely immaculate paintwork wheels and interior for 10.5k. Had it fully inspected when I bought it and plugged into VAGCOM (along with the service inspection) and it's absolutely spot on everywhere. Also had four brand new tyres and recently replaced front discs/pads. Goes to show that bargains can be had privately!

Edited by folos on Friday 21st September 23:04

Edited by folos on Friday 21st September 23:05

[dasherdiablo1]

Well I have been hunting the classifieds for an R32 and have phoned up about a dozen and all of them have at least one of the following; missing/dodgy service history or at least 5 owners.

I can't understand this because it isn't exactly expensive to maintain them- everyone goes on about the haldex service being missed so I thought it was because it was expensive- but no- it's £78 at my local Main dealer- that's less than a tank of petrol!

I've even called up about main dealer cars and on checking the services that have been done some are on the long life plan and not annually as recommended. One main dealer told me some R32s are on long life and some on annual but it depends on the car- this seems very strange to me.

I'm beginning to think the r32 is not the right car as there don't appear to be many that have been loved.

This moves me onto the Ed30 which I also can't find a decent one at a decent price for similar reasons

I test drove a normal gti and it was ok but definitely a bit lacking in the power department- I also hated the way that the iPod interface in the armrest is rubbish for two reasons- firstly an iPhone doesn't fit because the armrest is too shallow so it sticks proud and also because the way you select the songs through the head unit it laughable- it treats it like a cd and you can't see any titles- I've had real cheapo rental cars like Kia, Hyundai and Nissan that utilise a much better interface.

One thing Iove about the gti are the optional 18" Monza 2 alloys- and yet again I have seem some terrible refurbs at the. Aim dealers where they have either painted them silver or dark grey all over which absolutely ruins the shadow line look- I'm thinking for the future this means I won't be able to get untouched ones refinished as. We if I were to clip them.

Edited by dasherdiablo1 on Sunday 7th October 09:40

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Surely most R32 are on the long life servicing? I wouldn't let that put you off.

[cuprabob]

There are plenty of loved R32s for sale on R32OC at the moment.

R32s came from the factory set to longlife servicing so most owners just stick to that and it's not really an issue in my opinion as it's not really a high performance engine, despite what what some owners may think.

With regards to the Haldex service, some owners are not aware that it needs done every 40k miles and unless the dealers tells them, they assume when they hand the car to the dealer they are doing everything that is required, as the majority expect the dealer to know better than them, which sadly is not always the case. Also, IIRC there wasn't a box in teh service book to be ticked to confirm it had been done. VW have subsequently modified the service book to include this and the DSG service

[va1o]

The iPod dock is the same on all MK5s, dated but it does work. You'd need to swap the stereo for one of the newer MK6 units (e.g. RCD 310/ 510 etc) and then replace the dock with an MDI connector to get track titles. Some of the late 08ish run-out R32s have the newer head unit.