Mk 4 R32 or mk5 GTi

[Liam79]

Hi thinking about selling my 05 Audi a4 tdi sline this weekend to my mate. Been looking through the classifieds at possible replacements. Always liked the look and sound of the r32 and seem like a decent investment for re sale. Like the golf gti as well but how do these compare in terms if real life performance, economy and build quality etc.
Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

[ol]

Depends how many miles you're doing. The Mk4 R32 feels a bit more special, but then will use more fuel and cost more to insure etc. The mk5 is a more 'grown up' and refined car, so if you are doing more miles would be easier to live with. Put a bit more into the pot and get a mk5 R32, they are absolutly fantastic, no one looks twice (unless you boot it, ahhh that sound ) and most people just think it's a normal Golf. Whichever you chose you'll love it.

The GTI feels almost as fast as it's much lighter than the R32. You can put a Miltek exhaust on the GTi to make it sound better, but there will always be the day you pull up next to an R32 at the lights and wish you'd bought one.

Edited by ol on Friday 2nd April 09:15

[Liam79]

I do around 7k a year at the most. Still need a 5 door in either car as well. Are the r32 easy to mod or is the standard car enough.

[ol]

The standard car will be enough for a while, but whatever you get the mod bug will always creep in... There are plenty of mk4 R32s running a turbo and 500bhp, but that obviously costs a bit to do.

Have a look at R32oc.com for the owners club. Lots of info on the forums and members cars for sale

[Liam79]

Ok will do. Any mods would be filter, exhaust, remap etc. I do like the look of the r32 leather seats especially.

[Steameh]

I had a mk4 r32. As has been said its not the fastest in the world, but in gear acceleration was pretty impressive with all the torque.

The sound though, oh my goodness. It was something else, the best sounding car under 8 cylinders in my opinion.

I would love a mk5 r32, I think it is less chavvy looking than the mk4 and as a whole better equipped. The mk5 seats are amazing.

[Liam79]

How was it to run on a daily basis mpg etc. Obviously its not goona be like my tdi but just wondering if it was in M3 category mpg?

[Steameh]

If feathered id see 300 to a tank roughly, just sitting there with the cruise on.

That being said id usually see 250 to a tank, mainly b roads and a roads some motorways. I wasnt hanging about either.

Ive started looking at them again, and supras because they are the two cars i miss most.

[Liam79]

Anything major to look out for when test driving them or service intervals in history? Was looking at blue or grey in a 5 door if I can find one.

[Rich_W]

Liam79 said:

Ok will do. Any mods would be filter, exhaust, remap etc. I do like the look of the r32 leather seats especially.

So you'd spend upwards of £15K just cause the car has nice looking seats (which may not fit yor arese in any case!)

I'd get the Mk5. Better car, better residuals, better to boyracer up. As that seems important to you.

[northandy]

Liam79 said:

Anything major to look out for when test driving them or service intervals in history? Was looking at blue or grey in a 5 door if I can find one.

To be honest i would get the mk5 gti. I had a mk4 r32 in red. It did sound brilliant, but was very thirsty, ate tyres like they were made of liquorice. Mine was 2 years old when i got it, but had three sets of front strut top mounts, the cooling fans failed, it ate rear lamp bulbs, and the clear coat started to flake off.

I had it 12 months and gave up in the end and got rid of it.

Check its had the haldex oil changed every 2 years, and watch for creaks from the front suspension, and make sure the fans arent running all the time.

[Menguin]

Rich_W said:

Liam79 said:

Ok will do. Any mods would be filter, exhaust, remap etc. I do like the look of the r32 leather seats especially.

So you'd spend upwards of £15K just cause the car has nice looking seats (which may not fit yor arese in any case!)

I'd get the Mk5. Better car, better residuals, better to boyracer up. As that seems important to you.

Oohh get you!

How many seats don't fit your ar(e)se? Unless you are on the triple figure BMI.

OP - get the R32. The sound along will be worth it!

[northandy]

just to add the seats look great, but i wasnt impressed with them, seemed to offer little support up at the shoulder area.

[Rich_W]

Menguin said:

How many seats don't fit your ar(e)se? Unless you are on the triple figure BMI.

OP - get the R32. The sound along will be worth it!

Most tbh. But then I'm slim so find the bolsters invariably don't grip me too tightly

northandy said:

just to add the seats look great, but I wasnt impressed with them, seemed to offer little support up at the shoulder area.

This was my point though. The "winged" seats in Mk4 R32 aren't really that good. Mk5 ones are a bit better. For example they are so wide VW don't spec a centre armrest! Though lots have been retrofitted.

[wcel]

From your two choices, I'd take the GTi everytime. I used to have Mk5 R32 and mate had Mk5 GTi and there certainly wasn't much in it on the country roads! I was impressed albeit a little peeved how good the GTi was!

[dogbucket]

The mk4 R32 is let down by the mk4 platform to some extent, and most suffer from various common problems as mentioned already like fans, top mounts etc. However it does feel special and VW put alot of nice touches into it. Standard exhaust is terrible so budget for a Miltek.

Mk5 is a better platform no doubt about it. I had an Edition 30 GTI which was similar performance to an R32 and very tunable. However I found it fairly bland and lack of 4wd was frustrating. The standard GTI with less power is maybe a better balance I dont know.

A mk5 R32 is definitely the best of both worlds