Discussion
This thread is all about my Mk5 Golf R32. I'll update it as and when. 
Why did I get an R32?
Odd as it may sound, it all started with a New Year's resolution to check out a health issue I've had for 7 years. After being given the all-clear, I had a new lease of life and decided to live a little.
I've had peformance cars for 15 years, but changed to a company car in 2012. My wife found the company car (Volvo V60 D5 with massive spec) too big, so we bought her an '08 Clio. But, after 18 months, it was clear that having two cars didn't make sense. The Clio did 1,700 miles in that time, had already cost £900 in repairs and its clutch was now dying. So, I decided to:
- Switch the majority of my business miles to rail or hire car;
- End the Volvo lease and sell the Clio;
- Buy one nice mid-size hatchback.
The Golf Mk5 R32 has been on my shortlist when changing cars for the last 5 years. This time, it was an itch that it definitely made sense to scratch. (Although I did also, madly, start looking at 1.4 TSI models with DSG!).
I was also considering a new S3 (I had an 8P S3 Sportback before) or Mk7 Golf GTI, but decided I'd rather not foot that level of depreciation - and set a budget of £15k.
Budget set - what did I buy?
I have a busy job and two small kids, so I didn't have time to find the perfect R32. It made more sense for me to find a solid car, then get some help to get it up to spec!
I found my R32 at a specialist dealer, after looking for a few weeks. It's a September 2008 5-door manual in Steel Grey, with optional leather, armrest and winter packs. It's currently on 45k miles and has 2 previous owners (Volkswagen leasing being the first). It looked good at first glance:
Digging deeper, I was concerned at first to see that the second owner had serviced the car at Kwik Fit, fitted some really rubbish tyres and I wasn't sure the Haldex oil had been done. On the test drive, it also made a drone from the transmission.
What I paid
Working on the principle that dealers prefer to do work to a car than knock money off, I struck a deal to have the following done prior to collection:
- Oil service, MoT, Haldex oil and sort drivetrain drone;
- Full refurb of the wheels at a proper specialist (without diamond lip, because my wife will trash them);
- 4 new Dunlop SportMaxx tyres;
- Paint to the lower NSF bumper;
- 6 months of the RAC's top warranty;
- 1 year's car tax (at £490!!).
That lot cost me £13,027 - plus a bottle of nice wine I gave the salesman for his trouble. I could have got the car for under £12k, but I would then have needed to have done the above anyway.
That still left me a happy £2k under budget...it's the cheapest car I've bought for 9 years. It was also a nice suprise to find that it only cost £80 more than the Clio to insure; £220 for fully comp insurance with 9k miles p/a, including business use!!
I've also bought:
- New OEM aerial, to replace a silly silver aftermarket jobbie;
- VW OEM "R" mats;
- Thule roof rack (new style aero bars);
- Replacement VW bottle opener / drink partition (because I use the drinks holders a lot).
Day 1: first impressions
With all the above done, it was time to collect the R32.
Unbelievably, the Clio's clutch started to die on the journey over, with all sorts of flashing lights coming-up on the dash. I was relieved beyond words when I finally made it to the dealer in one piece (who was simply going to send it to auction anyway).
Jumping into the R32 and driving it the long way home felt good. But before I get to the good bits, there are some downsides apparent:
- It doesn't feel that quick; I've been spoilt by big-turbo cars;
- 285 litres of boot space is going to be a squeeze with 2 kids on holidays; :crazy:
- It still needs some attention to get it up to my usual standards (a detail / correction to the bodywork; and some bits like brake discs are marginal).
Then, there are the good bits... and there are lots of them:
- It has discretion where other hot hatches have swagger. It's grey; and it looks, parks and behaves like a high spec Golf for most of the time;
- Nice spec and great cabin quality;
- It makes a beautiful...and I mean *beautiful*...noise. I've had the windows dropped for most slow speed driving.
There's a certain further quality to the R32 that I'm finding it hard to put into words at this early stage of ownership. Some of my silly word associations that come to mind include: "old money"; "blue cheese"; and "vintage".
This feels like a connoisseur's car - and represents probably my last chance to own a discreet, non-turbo, large-engined hatchback.
Day 2-5: more work
On day 2, I took it to System Clenz in Weston with the instruction to "do what you can to improve it". I've used other detailers before, but I now use Matt despite being 20 miles away because he has an indoor unit (most local detailers are mobile and I don't have off-street parking) and his results have been very good on my other cars.
Looking good to start with:
The car looked clean at this stage, but as I said to Matt, grey is a very forgiving colour and I know he's been working hard to correct some defects.
Some 50/50 shots of his work:
I'm picking up the car later today, so I'll try to get some pics of the finished product.
What's next?
I'm saving thousands per year over running some of the new cars I've had, which should mean that I have some spare cash to keep on top of my R32's needs.
Top of my list:
- Put my private plate on;
- Possible new brake discs and pads all round;
- Investigate whether some essentials need to be done: check spark plugs, air filter etc.
Next order of priority / possible upgrades:
- OEM upgrades: parking sensors, cruise control;
- H&R springs or similar: I'll wait and see on these;
- Possibly a nice head unit / speakers / navigation (I've had these in other cars recently, but they're not a priority);
- Exhaust / air filter: not sure if I need these because the standard noise is already so good.
I'll keep the thread updated as things unfold...
Why did I get an R32?
Odd as it may sound, it all started with a New Year's resolution to check out a health issue I've had for 7 years. After being given the all-clear, I had a new lease of life and decided to live a little.
I've had peformance cars for 15 years, but changed to a company car in 2012. My wife found the company car (Volvo V60 D5 with massive spec) too big, so we bought her an '08 Clio. But, after 18 months, it was clear that having two cars didn't make sense. The Clio did 1,700 miles in that time, had already cost £900 in repairs and its clutch was now dying. So, I decided to:
- Switch the majority of my business miles to rail or hire car;
- End the Volvo lease and sell the Clio;
- Buy one nice mid-size hatchback.
The Golf Mk5 R32 has been on my shortlist when changing cars for the last 5 years. This time, it was an itch that it definitely made sense to scratch. (Although I did also, madly, start looking at 1.4 TSI models with DSG!).
I was also considering a new S3 (I had an 8P S3 Sportback before) or Mk7 Golf GTI, but decided I'd rather not foot that level of depreciation - and set a budget of £15k.
Budget set - what did I buy?
I have a busy job and two small kids, so I didn't have time to find the perfect R32. It made more sense for me to find a solid car, then get some help to get it up to spec!
I found my R32 at a specialist dealer, after looking for a few weeks. It's a September 2008 5-door manual in Steel Grey, with optional leather, armrest and winter packs. It's currently on 45k miles and has 2 previous owners (Volkswagen leasing being the first). It looked good at first glance:
Digging deeper, I was concerned at first to see that the second owner had serviced the car at Kwik Fit, fitted some really rubbish tyres and I wasn't sure the Haldex oil had been done. On the test drive, it also made a drone from the transmission.
What I paid
Working on the principle that dealers prefer to do work to a car than knock money off, I struck a deal to have the following done prior to collection:
- Oil service, MoT, Haldex oil and sort drivetrain drone;
- Full refurb of the wheels at a proper specialist (without diamond lip, because my wife will trash them);
- 4 new Dunlop SportMaxx tyres;
- Paint to the lower NSF bumper;
- 6 months of the RAC's top warranty;
- 1 year's car tax (at £490!!).
That lot cost me £13,027 - plus a bottle of nice wine I gave the salesman for his trouble. I could have got the car for under £12k, but I would then have needed to have done the above anyway.
That still left me a happy £2k under budget...it's the cheapest car I've bought for 9 years. It was also a nice suprise to find that it only cost £80 more than the Clio to insure; £220 for fully comp insurance with 9k miles p/a, including business use!!
I've also bought:
- New OEM aerial, to replace a silly silver aftermarket jobbie;
- VW OEM "R" mats;
- Thule roof rack (new style aero bars);
- Replacement VW bottle opener / drink partition (because I use the drinks holders a lot).
Day 1: first impressions
With all the above done, it was time to collect the R32.
Unbelievably, the Clio's clutch started to die on the journey over, with all sorts of flashing lights coming-up on the dash. I was relieved beyond words when I finally made it to the dealer in one piece (who was simply going to send it to auction anyway).
Jumping into the R32 and driving it the long way home felt good. But before I get to the good bits, there are some downsides apparent:
- It doesn't feel that quick; I've been spoilt by big-turbo cars;
- 285 litres of boot space is going to be a squeeze with 2 kids on holidays; :crazy:
- It still needs some attention to get it up to my usual standards (a detail / correction to the bodywork; and some bits like brake discs are marginal).
Then, there are the good bits... and there are lots of them:
- It has discretion where other hot hatches have swagger. It's grey; and it looks, parks and behaves like a high spec Golf for most of the time;
- Nice spec and great cabin quality;
- It makes a beautiful...and I mean *beautiful*...noise. I've had the windows dropped for most slow speed driving.
There's a certain further quality to the R32 that I'm finding it hard to put into words at this early stage of ownership. Some of my silly word associations that come to mind include: "old money"; "blue cheese"; and "vintage".
This feels like a connoisseur's car - and represents probably my last chance to own a discreet, non-turbo, large-engined hatchback.
Day 2-5: more work
On day 2, I took it to System Clenz in Weston with the instruction to "do what you can to improve it". I've used other detailers before, but I now use Matt despite being 20 miles away because he has an indoor unit (most local detailers are mobile and I don't have off-street parking) and his results have been very good on my other cars.
Looking good to start with:
The car looked clean at this stage, but as I said to Matt, grey is a very forgiving colour and I know he's been working hard to correct some defects.
Some 50/50 shots of his work:
I'm picking up the car later today, so I'll try to get some pics of the finished product.
What's next?
I'm saving thousands per year over running some of the new cars I've had, which should mean that I have some spare cash to keep on top of my R32's needs.
Top of my list:
- Put my private plate on;
- Possible new brake discs and pads all round;
- Investigate whether some essentials need to be done: check spark plugs, air filter etc.
Next order of priority / possible upgrades:
- OEM upgrades: parking sensors, cruise control;
- H&R springs or similar: I'll wait and see on these;
- Possibly a nice head unit / speakers / navigation (I've had these in other cars recently, but they're not a priority);
- Exhaust / air filter: not sure if I need these because the standard noise is already so good.
I'll keep the thread updated as things unfold...
Edited by Basil Hume on Friday 28th February 11:32
Understated is just what I want - perfect in my book. 
The gearbox drone has been "sorted" by way of some mystery work to the gearbox. Quite what it was remains unclear to me and I'll be chasing this and other details up to ensure I've got a full picture. Thankfully, I do have a 6-month warranty that should cover any early surprises...
The gearbox drone has been "sorted" by way of some mystery work to the gearbox. Quite what it was remains unclear to me and I'll be chasing this and other details up to ensure I've got a full picture. Thankfully, I do have a 6-month warranty that should cover any early surprises...
First weekend
The kids love the car and especially the noise... Not sure my wife does, but at least it's subtle and easy to drive! I told her "it's not a GTI", which of course is absolutely true.
I've added a few more things to the "to do" list, following a proper read-through of the history and driving it around:
- Definitely needs brake discs and pads;
- Can't see whether brake fluid or spark plugs have ever been done;
- Handbrake is stiff.
I've also ordered:
- Steel Grey touch-up, for odd marks;
- Jazz Blue touch-up, for where brake caliper paint is worn.
I also fitted the Thule "Wing" roof bars. They're wider than on my Volvo V60, which is good because I might be able to get a second bike on them in addition to the roof box.
The kids love the car and especially the noise... Not sure my wife does, but at least it's subtle and easy to drive! I told her "it's not a GTI", which of course is absolutely true.
I've added a few more things to the "to do" list, following a proper read-through of the history and driving it around:
- Definitely needs brake discs and pads;
- Can't see whether brake fluid or spark plugs have ever been done;
- Handbrake is stiff.
I've also ordered:
- Steel Grey touch-up, for odd marks;
- Jazz Blue touch-up, for where brake caliper paint is worn.
I also fitted the Thule "Wing" roof bars. They're wider than on my Volvo V60, which is good because I might be able to get a second bike on them in addition to the roof box.
Week Two
I've really enjoyed my first fortnight with the car. My wife is using it more than me at the moment - which I take as an endorsement of sorts!
The R32 has only done 150 miles or so during that time, but it's coincided nicely with the decent weather we've had. The car gets a lot of compliments: a positive blend of people who know what it is and those who don't.
I've not yet had the occasion to put it through its paces, but I really like the way it drives at 0-40% effort: the throttle response and sound are wonderful.
It's booked at a local family-run garage to have the discs, pads and brake fluid replaced - and to sort the somewhat stiff handbrake. They're not a VAG specialist, but are only 300 metres from my house and I'd like to strike up a relationship with them.
I have a few long work trips coming up. It makes financial sense for me to do the first few thousand business miles (mileage rate threshold) in the R32 and then transfer to a hire car. I'll see how I get on, but suspect the cruise control I was thinking of might be relegated to the "nice to have" category if I'm not doing too many miles.
I've really enjoyed my first fortnight with the car. My wife is using it more than me at the moment - which I take as an endorsement of sorts!
The R32 has only done 150 miles or so during that time, but it's coincided nicely with the decent weather we've had. The car gets a lot of compliments: a positive blend of people who know what it is and those who don't.
I've not yet had the occasion to put it through its paces, but I really like the way it drives at 0-40% effort: the throttle response and sound are wonderful.
It's booked at a local family-run garage to have the discs, pads and brake fluid replaced - and to sort the somewhat stiff handbrake. They're not a VAG specialist, but are only 300 metres from my house and I'd like to strike up a relationship with them.
I have a few long work trips coming up. It makes financial sense for me to do the first few thousand business miles (mileage rate threshold) in the R32 and then transfer to a hire car. I'll see how I get on, but suspect the cruise control I was thinking of might be relegated to the "nice to have" category if I'm not doing too many miles.
Week Three
Discs, pads and brake fluid replaced at a cost of £460.
I've intermittently had the ESP and tyre pressure loss lights come on together - I had that investigated at the same time. The codes were inconclusive (i.e. more than one!), so I've agreed to go back in a few weeks.
I did my final trip in the V60 yesterday, having cleaned it before collection by the lease company. Damn, I am going to miss the Volvo. Compared to the R32, its seats feel like they are made from cotton wool; the general interior ambience, quality and ability to soothe are way out of the Golf's league.
The R32 makes up for it with entertainment and a totally sharp driving manner. It's a very easy car to place on the road after driving the V60, much easier to park and generally more controlled.
Discs, pads and brake fluid replaced at a cost of £460.
I've intermittently had the ESP and tyre pressure loss lights come on together - I had that investigated at the same time. The codes were inconclusive (i.e. more than one!), so I've agreed to go back in a few weeks.
I did my final trip in the V60 yesterday, having cleaned it before collection by the lease company. Damn, I am going to miss the Volvo. Compared to the R32, its seats feel like they are made from cotton wool; the general interior ambience, quality and ability to soothe are way out of the Golf's league.
The R32 makes up for it with entertainment and a totally sharp driving manner. It's a very easy car to place on the road after driving the V60, much easier to park and generally more controlled.
Edited by Basil Hume on Friday 21st March 21:27
Week Five
I've now done some more extensive miles in the R32, clocking-up 700 miles since the weekend and 1,100 since I collected the car. All the original attractions of the car are still valid, to which I'd now add:
- Strong acceleration at all engine speeds, with no lag (like a turbo diesel initially, but with immense top end);
- Very grunty at motorway speeds (think that's to do with engine displacement and overcoming inertia);
- Better than expected fuel economy.
With work, I'm usually cruising on the motorway between 60-70mph and getting journey averages of c.33mpg - a nice surprise. Overall fuel economy, while abysmal around town, is the same as my old 8P S3 overall.
I was surprised to find on Monday morning that the coolant level was low - not what you want when you have 2 days and 500 miles of business miles ahead of you!
I'm not planning to do more than c.3,500 work miles this year, but that will consist of a small number of long journeys where reliability is key.
Handily, I had a bottle of water with me (not de-ionised of course) and topped-up the level. Looking back through the car's history holder, it looks like a small leak from the radiator had been noticed at a service last October (just prior to the car's trade-in). Another job added to the list then!
I've continued to have the ESP and TPM lights from time to time. It happens especially in the wet, when it feels like the ESP stops working (suspect it's related to the ABS unit).
I'll book the car back into my local garage again and report back...
I've now done some more extensive miles in the R32, clocking-up 700 miles since the weekend and 1,100 since I collected the car. All the original attractions of the car are still valid, to which I'd now add:
- Strong acceleration at all engine speeds, with no lag (like a turbo diesel initially, but with immense top end);
- Very grunty at motorway speeds (think that's to do with engine displacement and overcoming inertia);
- Better than expected fuel economy.
With work, I'm usually cruising on the motorway between 60-70mph and getting journey averages of c.33mpg - a nice surprise. Overall fuel economy, while abysmal around town, is the same as my old 8P S3 overall.
I was surprised to find on Monday morning that the coolant level was low - not what you want when you have 2 days and 500 miles of business miles ahead of you!
I'm not planning to do more than c.3,500 work miles this year, but that will consist of a small number of long journeys where reliability is key. Handily, I had a bottle of water with me (not de-ionised of course) and topped-up the level. Looking back through the car's history holder, it looks like a small leak from the radiator had been noticed at a service last October (just prior to the car's trade-in). Another job added to the list then!
I've continued to have the ESP and TPM lights from time to time. It happens especially in the wet, when it feels like the ESP stops working (suspect it's related to the ABS unit).
I'll book the car back into my local garage again and report back...
Edited by Basil Hume on Wednesday 2nd April 10:37
Month Two
The car went back to my local garage again this Wednesday. I work from home on Wednesdays and it's just down the road, so it's no hassle to drop it in. They always seem to be full of VWs and talk knowingly about common Golf Mk5 issues, which makes me feel better about using them.
I haven't had the ESP / TPM lights come on since my last update, but I asked them to look at any codes as promised when I had the brakes done. There were no codes stored, so I'm waiting to see what happens next!
They also looked at the coolant issue and diagnosed a weak radiator (£250ish for a replacement). Apparently it would be fine for a while as long as I kept an eye on the coolant, but I've booked the car back in to get it done anyway.
I only did one 250-miler on work miles this week. I found an A8 3.0 TDI taking a liking to my R32's rear pipes on the way home, but I'm pleased to report that the Autobahn barge was not as much of a rocket ship as pub talk has us believe these days. :P
The car went back to my local garage again this Wednesday. I work from home on Wednesdays and it's just down the road, so it's no hassle to drop it in. They always seem to be full of VWs and talk knowingly about common Golf Mk5 issues, which makes me feel better about using them.
I haven't had the ESP / TPM lights come on since my last update, but I asked them to look at any codes as promised when I had the brakes done. There were no codes stored, so I'm waiting to see what happens next!
They also looked at the coolant issue and diagnosed a weak radiator (£250ish for a replacement). Apparently it would be fine for a while as long as I kept an eye on the coolant, but I've booked the car back in to get it done anyway.
I only did one 250-miler on work miles this week. I found an A8 3.0 TDI taking a liking to my R32's rear pipes on the way home, but I'm pleased to report that the Autobahn barge was not as much of a rocket ship as pub talk has us believe these days. :P
Edited by Basil Hume on Wednesday 16th April 12:15
Pricing of R32s can be strong. It's an iconic car to some people, perhaps representing their last chance to own a big-engined car in a package they want.
As you'll see from this thread, I took the option of buying a mid-price car and then catching-up with the mechanicals and cosmetics.
What does the flapper mod do? On some VW Group high performance cars, a mechanical flap opens a second exhaust tailpipe once a certain number of revs are passed. This makes the exhaust quieter around town and lower speeds, so some people disable the flap to keep the exhausts open at all times. I've been happy to keep this on my old A3 2.0T quattro, S3 and now R32.
What are the must-have options? For resale, I think you need leather interior. Most other options can be retro-fitted.
What RON fuel is recommended? The petrol flap sticker says 95 RON, which is what I run.
Is there any cabin drone from the exhaust? No - it's very quiet, unless you drop the windows.
Is there a dealer that specialises in these nationally? I don't think so.
How hard is the ride? Softer than an equivalent age S3.
What mods, other than flapper, are widely acknowledged as worth making? I don't think there are any essential mods, although I think the standard head unit is pretty pants. Beyond this, some people would say an exhaust, map and Haldex control. This is the only car I've had that I think is 100% right from the factory.
Because it's a big-engine NA car with its own unique model identity, there's not much you need or can do without major cost. As you'll know, some people have done forced induction etc - but that's going to cost £10k++.
As you'll see from this thread, I took the option of buying a mid-price car and then catching-up with the mechanicals and cosmetics.
What does the flapper mod do? On some VW Group high performance cars, a mechanical flap opens a second exhaust tailpipe once a certain number of revs are passed. This makes the exhaust quieter around town and lower speeds, so some people disable the flap to keep the exhausts open at all times. I've been happy to keep this on my old A3 2.0T quattro, S3 and now R32.
What are the must-have options? For resale, I think you need leather interior. Most other options can be retro-fitted.
What RON fuel is recommended? The petrol flap sticker says 95 RON, which is what I run.
Is there any cabin drone from the exhaust? No - it's very quiet, unless you drop the windows.
Is there a dealer that specialises in these nationally? I don't think so.
How hard is the ride? Softer than an equivalent age S3.
What mods, other than flapper, are widely acknowledged as worth making? I don't think there are any essential mods, although I think the standard head unit is pretty pants. Beyond this, some people would say an exhaust, map and Haldex control. This is the only car I've had that I think is 100% right from the factory.
Because it's a big-engine NA car with its own unique model identity, there's not much you need or can do without major cost. As you'll know, some people have done forced induction etc - but that's going to cost £10k++.
Edited by Basil Hume on Wednesday 16th April 13:44
Edited by Basil Hume on Wednesday 16th April 13:45
I don't think I've mentioned in this thread that I bought this car accidentally on a whim, having actually being on a journey to look at Mk6 1.4 TSI Golfs!
I had a change of heart as I was driving over to view a couple of cars and decided to view this R32 instead!
See here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I had a change of heart as I was driving over to view a couple of cars and decided to view this R32 instead!
See here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Month Two (...and a bit)
The coolant loss is about half a pint every few days now, so it's just as well that I've booked the R32 for a new radiator. You can see a patch under the bumper (on the nearside) in the photo below:
This is a pic outside my parents' house; where I grew up. You'll see it's wearing a roof rack for my bike and, during holiday season, a roof box too. Annoyingly, I managed to put two pinhead-sized dents into the roof while installing it - just something small to annoy me.
The Golf is a little smaller than my old A3 / S3 Sportbacks, but now that my son is 2 and girl 4.5 we don't have to carry so much around.
The coolant loss is about half a pint every few days now, so it's just as well that I've booked the R32 for a new radiator. You can see a patch under the bumper (on the nearside) in the photo below:
This is a pic outside my parents' house; where I grew up. You'll see it's wearing a roof rack for my bike and, during holiday season, a roof box too. Annoyingly, I managed to put two pinhead-sized dents into the roof while installing it - just something small to annoy me.
The Golf is a little smaller than my old A3 / S3 Sportbacks, but now that my son is 2 and girl 4.5 we don't have to carry so much around.
Week Ten
I spent last weekend driving a Type 2 VW Campervan! If you ever think your car feels slow or lacks a bit of joie de vivre, just try driving one of these bad boys. Even this 2011-vintage Mexican import made the R32 feel like a proper rocket!
Back to the R32... I drove it from home in Bristol to Wrexham and back in a day (340 work miles) the day after dropping the Campervan off. This is the longest single journey so far and it was just fine, although I definitely miss my old Volvo's seats and superior sound system. The journey average was 33mpg, including a few bursts along some A-road sections. The traction and initial acceleration from roundabouts are very good.
In less fortunate news, the radiator replacement cost a bit more than expected at £347.60 - and my wife has now kerbed the nearside wheels on one of the massive stone kerbs outside our house.
I've spent £1,284.44 on the car so far (on top of initial purchase), so I need to keep it a while.
It makes sense for me to have the wheels refurbed at the same time as having a patch of peeling lacquer sorted. I'd also like to get the wheels balanced (no weights to be seen on wheels) and a proper 4-wheel alignment done.
Is there such a thing as a comfortable set of coilovers? I'd consider getting some put on (by the same people who do tracking)...
I spent last weekend driving a Type 2 VW Campervan! If you ever think your car feels slow or lacks a bit of joie de vivre, just try driving one of these bad boys. Even this 2011-vintage Mexican import made the R32 feel like a proper rocket!
Back to the R32... I drove it from home in Bristol to Wrexham and back in a day (340 work miles) the day after dropping the Campervan off. This is the longest single journey so far and it was just fine, although I definitely miss my old Volvo's seats and superior sound system. The journey average was 33mpg, including a few bursts along some A-road sections. The traction and initial acceleration from roundabouts are very good.
In less fortunate news, the radiator replacement cost a bit more than expected at £347.60 - and my wife has now kerbed the nearside wheels on one of the massive stone kerbs outside our house.
I've spent £1,284.44 on the car so far (on top of initial purchase), so I need to keep it a while.
It makes sense for me to have the wheels refurbed at the same time as having a patch of peeling lacquer sorted. I'd also like to get the wheels balanced (no weights to be seen on wheels) and a proper 4-wheel alignment done.
Is there such a thing as a comfortable set of coilovers? I'd consider getting some put on (by the same people who do tracking)...
Month 3
Four wheel alignment and the wheel weights now done, at a cost of £88.16.
I've also now disabled the exhaust "flapper", which closes one of the exhaust pipes at low revs. It doesn't make a massive difference, but the sound is noticeably more fuity below 3,000rpm.
The R32 took me and the two kids to far west Somerset last weekend. The A39 between Bridgwater and Minehead is a real peach of a road and seemed totally suited to the R32; swooping bends, smooth tarmac and great views over the sea.
The best thing about this car is that you don't need to be doing silly speeds to enjoy it, unlike in my old S3 - just drop the windows and wallow in the sound.
Mods?
I've been looking into the options for pepping-up the car a little. There seem to be 3 options:
1) Leave totally standard: When I look at 10-year-old Mk4 R32s, to my eye they look best when totally standard. Maybe I should just leave it alone?
2) OEM mods: A better head unit, parking sensors and cruise control would be top of my list. Probably £5-600, plus potentially some Option 3 goodies...
3) Mechanical upgrades: I'd love at least some new exhaust tips, an induction kit and possibly some lowering springs or coilovers. Probably £1k. You only live once and all that... but I'm respectable 30-something dad now and this is the family car after all!
Not a bad problem to have. Any opinions?
Four wheel alignment and the wheel weights now done, at a cost of £88.16.
I've also now disabled the exhaust "flapper", which closes one of the exhaust pipes at low revs. It doesn't make a massive difference, but the sound is noticeably more fuity below 3,000rpm.
The R32 took me and the two kids to far west Somerset last weekend. The A39 between Bridgwater and Minehead is a real peach of a road and seemed totally suited to the R32; swooping bends, smooth tarmac and great views over the sea.
The best thing about this car is that you don't need to be doing silly speeds to enjoy it, unlike in my old S3 - just drop the windows and wallow in the sound.
Mods?
I've been looking into the options for pepping-up the car a little. There seem to be 3 options:
1) Leave totally standard: When I look at 10-year-old Mk4 R32s, to my eye they look best when totally standard. Maybe I should just leave it alone?
2) OEM mods: A better head unit, parking sensors and cruise control would be top of my list. Probably £5-600, plus potentially some Option 3 goodies...
3) Mechanical upgrades: I'd love at least some new exhaust tips, an induction kit and possibly some lowering springs or coilovers. Probably £1k. You only live once and all that... but I'm respectable 30-something dad now and this is the family car after all!
Not a bad problem to have. Any opinions?
Edited by Basil Hume on Friday 16th May 14:08
Month 4
The car has settled into a routine of being used around town and on longer family trips. I've done fewer miles in the R32 this last month, although I do have some long journeys coming up (business and personal).
I've decided against modifications / OEM upgrades to the car for now - although I do want to do something about the paintwork.
Grey is a forgiving colour, but to my *very* critical eye:
- Offside & rear: almost perfect;
- Nearside: peel lacquer around front door bump strip, sub-standard finish to previous paint on rear door, ding on skirt near rear wheel;
- Front: minor stone chips to bumper and bonnet (fine for 6 years of use), but 2 x 5cm patch of peeling lacquer along lower bumper and slightly mis-matched nearside front smart repair (done as part of sale);
- Wheels: as recently refurbished, but both offside wheels now sporting scrapes courtesy of wife.
As you can see below, the offside looks absolutely fine at a glance...
...but closer up:
I'm gradually coming to view my R32 as an alternative to owning a newer car in financial terms (e.g. Golf Mk7 R, 8V S3), so I'm going to get some quotes to get the above sorted and return the car to 100%.
To drive: I'm absolutely loving it. I don't know how I'm going to ever replace the sonorous V6 experience when the time comes - it's such an integral part of the car's character and not something I'd like to be without now.
I did a little trip up the Wye Valley at the weekend, complete with some lovely stretches of swooping, bendy road. It's at times like this that it all comes together: pin-sharp throttle reponse, tight steering and a little help from all four driven wheels.
The car has settled into a routine of being used around town and on longer family trips. I've done fewer miles in the R32 this last month, although I do have some long journeys coming up (business and personal).
I've decided against modifications / OEM upgrades to the car for now - although I do want to do something about the paintwork.
Grey is a forgiving colour, but to my *very* critical eye:
- Offside & rear: almost perfect;
- Nearside: peel lacquer around front door bump strip, sub-standard finish to previous paint on rear door, ding on skirt near rear wheel;
- Front: minor stone chips to bumper and bonnet (fine for 6 years of use), but 2 x 5cm patch of peeling lacquer along lower bumper and slightly mis-matched nearside front smart repair (done as part of sale);
- Wheels: as recently refurbished, but both offside wheels now sporting scrapes courtesy of wife.
As you can see below, the offside looks absolutely fine at a glance...
...but closer up:
I'm gradually coming to view my R32 as an alternative to owning a newer car in financial terms (e.g. Golf Mk7 R, 8V S3), so I'm going to get some quotes to get the above sorted and return the car to 100%.
To drive: I'm absolutely loving it. I don't know how I'm going to ever replace the sonorous V6 experience when the time comes - it's such an integral part of the car's character and not something I'd like to be without now.
I did a little trip up the Wye Valley at the weekend, complete with some lovely stretches of swooping, bendy road. It's at times like this that it all comes together: pin-sharp throttle reponse, tight steering and a little help from all four driven wheels.
Month 5
Almost forgot my monthly update!
I've done big miles this month in the trusty* R32 - mainly with work, but we're also just at the tip of some more major holiday / social miles this coming month too.
The fact that I did 1,000 work miles in just 3 trips this month gives you a flavour. These journeys are what prompted me to get into my old work scheme Volvo V60 D5, although I'm trying to make them less frequent by taking the train where possible. At a specified number of work miles for the year, I'll switch to a hire car because my expenses rate drops to 22p per mile - i.e. probably not covering fuel.
One memorable journey included some excellent twisty roads in north Wales (and a stop for a cheeky mountain bike ride), but it's mainly been boring M4/5/6 legwork. If there's traffic, I default to the inside lane; which generally gets me through heavy traffic quicker and with less stress. Otherwise, I stick at 70.
Quick impressions on how the R32 performs on long journeys:
- Comfortable, but well out of the league of my luxo-spec V60;
- Gives me shoulder ache after about 5 hours of driving in a single day;
- Needs a better sound system;
- Character never wears off... I just love the noise - drop windows if traffic is slow;
- Handling is super-duper in all situations;
- 33mpg average fuel consumption on a run - seems ok really;
- I feel so pleased to be driving something I like on boring journeys - just can't imagine being in a rep-mobile.
I don't drive it in a spirited way very often... but when I do, I've learnt that it needs to be treated just like my old hot Clios - i.e. revs are king. The 3.2 lump gives as much torque as an average 2.0 diesel at 2,500rpm; but you won't show clean heels to other drivers in an R32 unless a) it's a standing start (see Youtube videos of standard R32s -v- tuned Focus RS!) or b) thrash it.
Finally, I've had two wheels re-furbished today (£156). I have a quote of £500 to sort the dodgy paintwork too (see above) - I'm very tempted to go for it to make the car spot-on.
Wish me luck for a mammoth trip from Bristol-Oundle-Bristol-Cornwall this weekend...
(*touches wood)
Almost forgot my monthly update!
I've done big miles this month in the trusty* R32 - mainly with work, but we're also just at the tip of some more major holiday / social miles this coming month too.
The fact that I did 1,000 work miles in just 3 trips this month gives you a flavour. These journeys are what prompted me to get into my old work scheme Volvo V60 D5, although I'm trying to make them less frequent by taking the train where possible. At a specified number of work miles for the year, I'll switch to a hire car because my expenses rate drops to 22p per mile - i.e. probably not covering fuel.
One memorable journey included some excellent twisty roads in north Wales (and a stop for a cheeky mountain bike ride), but it's mainly been boring M4/5/6 legwork. If there's traffic, I default to the inside lane; which generally gets me through heavy traffic quicker and with less stress. Otherwise, I stick at 70.
Quick impressions on how the R32 performs on long journeys:
- Comfortable, but well out of the league of my luxo-spec V60;
- Gives me shoulder ache after about 5 hours of driving in a single day;
- Needs a better sound system;
- Character never wears off... I just love the noise - drop windows if traffic is slow;
- Handling is super-duper in all situations;
- 33mpg average fuel consumption on a run - seems ok really;
- I feel so pleased to be driving something I like on boring journeys - just can't imagine being in a rep-mobile.
I don't drive it in a spirited way very often... but when I do, I've learnt that it needs to be treated just like my old hot Clios - i.e. revs are king. The 3.2 lump gives as much torque as an average 2.0 diesel at 2,500rpm; but you won't show clean heels to other drivers in an R32 unless a) it's a standing start (see Youtube videos of standard R32s -v- tuned Focus RS!) or b) thrash it.
Finally, I've had two wheels re-furbished today (£156). I have a quote of £500 to sort the dodgy paintwork too (see above) - I'm very tempted to go for it to make the car spot-on.
Wish me luck for a mammoth trip from Bristol-Oundle-Bristol-Cornwall this weekend...
(*touches wood)
My father-in-law has had a 2006 Mk5 2.0 GT TDI since new - it's a great all-rounder.
Firing up the R32, the first thing you'd notice is the sense of occasion and weight to all the contact points. Everything just feels sharper, heavier to the touch and more meaty. Stepping back into the FWD car, you'd also notice the lack of 4WD at junctions and exiting tight corners.
In a straight line - in short sprints of 20mph or so - you wouldn't feel much quicker, other than the noise of the V6 (torque curve of 140PS TDI and R32 are very similar as far as TDI revs will hold).
Hold on for longer, though - or especially during a balls-out standing start - and the R32 is very noticeably quicker. You're talking about 0-60/0-100 of sub-6s/15s against 9/26s; but 30-50 or 50-70 is much closer though. In reality, that means the diesel would be on the R32's bumper for a short sprint out of a rounabout, before the more powerful car takes off into the distance.
As for head units: you can pick up a Chinese OEM RCD310 for around £80 (with DAB, apparently), or anything else from there up for more money of course.
Firing up the R32, the first thing you'd notice is the sense of occasion and weight to all the contact points. Everything just feels sharper, heavier to the touch and more meaty. Stepping back into the FWD car, you'd also notice the lack of 4WD at junctions and exiting tight corners.
In a straight line - in short sprints of 20mph or so - you wouldn't feel much quicker, other than the noise of the V6 (torque curve of 140PS TDI and R32 are very similar as far as TDI revs will hold).
Hold on for longer, though - or especially during a balls-out standing start - and the R32 is very noticeably quicker. You're talking about 0-60/0-100 of sub-6s/15s against 9/26s; but 30-50 or 50-70 is much closer though. In reality, that means the diesel would be on the R32's bumper for a short sprint out of a rounabout, before the more powerful car takes off into the distance.
As for head units: you can pick up a Chinese OEM RCD310 for around £80 (with DAB, apparently), or anything else from there up for more money of course.
Month 6
I've done about 1,500 miles this month - the greatest monthly mileage so far in the car, but I'm likely to do a lot less in the autumn and winter as I switch to work hire cars.
The mega Bristol > Oundle > Bristol > Cornwall run went fine (picture above is on the Torpoint ferry - look how small a standard Mk5 R32 looks even compared to a Corsa and Fiat 500!), to which another couple of long work trips were added to really top things off.
The car really gobbles up this sort of driving and gets positive comments wherever it goes. With child seats removed, it's served as a very presentable "business" car for shuttling work colleagues when needed; yet with bars and roof box on top, it's also the perfect (compact!) family holiday car. The fact that it'll also drive beautifully in any situation and deliver a rorty V6 symphony on demand is just ace!
Paintwork
By way of update to my Month 4 post: the R32 is currently in the painting booth, having the whole nearside and front end re-sprayed. I booked it initially for just the nearside, but made the mistake of asking how much it would be to have a few other niggles sorted and, hey presto, I ended up agreeing on a good price for the whole lot.
That lot will sort pretty much all the imperfections and gives me an almost new-looking R32 for within my original budget, set back in February.
Other work
On congested motorways (i.e. slow > fast > slow driving) I can really feel what I think is engine movement related to the "dog bone" mount. An annoying squeak has also developed at the rear of the car when it's loaded or going over speed bumps. I suspect bushings for the latter - and I'll get both sorted soon.
The standard RCD300 head unit also fails to read some CDs - usually the ones that my daughter is demanding through shouting and tears! I'm considering an upgrade to a later Mk6 RCD310 or 510 (multichanger) unit, with or without DAB, to make my life a little more pain-free.
Overall costs
I though I'd also add a forward view of 3 year costs for the R32. I started this when comparing costs to a work lease car:
Golf R32 Mk5
Miles 27,000
MPG 25
Pence per litre 1.30
Pence per gallon 5.9098
Costs (over 3 years)
Deposit 0
Fuel 6,383
Tax 1,500
Insurance 675
Servicing 500
Tyres 500
Maintenance 2,000
Depreciation 10,286
Gross Costs 21,843
Income
Business miles 4,920
Equity 1,000
Net Costs 15,923
Cost per annum 5,308
Cost per month 442
You'll see that I've assumed a net of £9k in depreciation for the period, which is very pessimistic - and I offset all costs with nearly £5k of business mileage.
I've not included the c.£2k maintenance that I'll have spent after the paint work, although I consider this more part of the purchase price (and therefore covered by depreciation). I have included another £2k maintenance over the coming 3 years, which I'd think is quite conservative.
The point is that, although the cost profile will be "lumpy", running a Mk5 R32 with a no-expenses-spared approach costs less than almost any other car I've had. For comparison, a new Mk7 R or 8V S3 would cost about £8k per annum.
I've done about 1,500 miles this month - the greatest monthly mileage so far in the car, but I'm likely to do a lot less in the autumn and winter as I switch to work hire cars.
The mega Bristol > Oundle > Bristol > Cornwall run went fine (picture above is on the Torpoint ferry - look how small a standard Mk5 R32 looks even compared to a Corsa and Fiat 500!), to which another couple of long work trips were added to really top things off.
The car really gobbles up this sort of driving and gets positive comments wherever it goes. With child seats removed, it's served as a very presentable "business" car for shuttling work colleagues when needed; yet with bars and roof box on top, it's also the perfect (compact!) family holiday car. The fact that it'll also drive beautifully in any situation and deliver a rorty V6 symphony on demand is just ace!
Paintwork
By way of update to my Month 4 post: the R32 is currently in the painting booth, having the whole nearside and front end re-sprayed.
I booked it initially for just the nearside, but made the mistake of asking how much it would be to have a few other niggles sorted and, hey presto, I ended up agreeing on a good price for the whole lot. That lot will sort pretty much all the imperfections and gives me an almost new-looking R32 for within my original budget, set back in February.
Other work
On congested motorways (i.e. slow > fast > slow driving) I can really feel what I think is engine movement related to the "dog bone" mount. An annoying squeak has also developed at the rear of the car when it's loaded or going over speed bumps. I suspect bushings for the latter - and I'll get both sorted soon.
The standard RCD300 head unit also fails to read some CDs - usually the ones that my daughter is demanding through shouting and tears! I'm considering an upgrade to a later Mk6 RCD310 or 510 (multichanger) unit, with or without DAB, to make my life a little more pain-free.
Overall costs
I though I'd also add a forward view of 3 year costs for the R32. I started this when comparing costs to a work lease car:
Golf R32 Mk5
Miles 27,000
MPG 25
Pence per litre 1.30
Pence per gallon 5.9098
Costs (over 3 years)
Deposit 0
Fuel 6,383
Tax 1,500
Insurance 675
Servicing 500
Tyres 500
Maintenance 2,000
Depreciation 10,286
Gross Costs 21,843
Income
Business miles 4,920
Equity 1,000
Net Costs 15,923
Cost per annum 5,308
Cost per month 442
You'll see that I've assumed a net of £9k in depreciation for the period, which is very pessimistic - and I offset all costs with nearly £5k of business mileage.
I've not included the c.£2k maintenance that I'll have spent after the paint work, although I consider this more part of the purchase price (and therefore covered by depreciation). I have included another £2k maintenance over the coming 3 years, which I'd think is quite conservative.
The point is that, although the cost profile will be "lumpy", running a Mk5 R32 with a no-expenses-spared approach costs less than almost any other car I've had. For comparison, a new Mk7 R or 8V S3 would cost about £8k per annum.
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