R32 or Audi S3....???

[ru555]

Hi

Can anyone PLEASE help! This decision is driving me mad! I have driven them both (the mk5 R32 and the new S3)...read every review...and I still cant decide!

The S3s quicker yeah, but the sound of the R32 is gorgeous! Can i buy a car just for the sound...

Does anyone have either of these cars, who can give me a much better idea of the car...?

[TeaVR]

R32 for the sound? Yes, I bought one for that very reason. Some good deals to be had on R32s these days.

[ru555]

Im test driving the S3 all morning this Sunday and hopfully the R32 next weekend! Hope this helps me

[dh5927]

hi guys... intersting post... i test drove both the r32 and s3 ... both nice cars in their own right, but lacked a certain something special... the s3 is a 4 pot turbo from what i can remember...just felt very snatchy to drive, turbo lag more noticable than what they tell you. as for the r32... yes nice sounding engine... but very ordinary to drive, just didnt feel very special...boring almost!
just my humble opinion...

[ru555]

TOTALLY agree! The R32 felt very boring! Yea it sounded great! Just didnt have the acceleration. Yet the S3 had a certain excitment about it, and a snapy acceleration!

[dh5927]

go get yourself a z4mc!!

[ru555]

What on earths that? (and how much)

[dh5927]

bmw z4 m coupe... fabulous fabulous vehicle... get one for 25k+

[mk1fan]

Surely the reason the OP is looking at the S3 and the R32 is to give some practicallity as well? The Z4 coupe isn't going to give the same amount of practicality.

As for answering the OP. Well I can't tell you what to drive. If you can't think of a reason to choose one over the other then flip a coin.

[TeaVR]

ru555 said:

TOTALLY agree! The R32 felt very boring! Yea it sounded great! Just didnt have the acceleration. Yet the S3 had a certain excitment about it, and a snapy acceleration!

Don't forget the power delivery is very linear in the R32 (however I am not saying the R32 is as fast as the S4).

[nr123]

someone i know had a MK5 r32, but then he sold it and he now has an s3. I think he sold it because of the MPG figures on the R32. Hope that helps

[frank hovis]

I think the Mk 5 R32 is a victim of it's own success , the power is so linear and progressive that any car with turbo lag and the sudden shunt that gives you feels faster

I love my R32 but it's getting sold this month for a trade up to a RS4
The mpg isn't great in a R32 around the 20mpg mark in town but up to near 30 on a run

R32 are good value just now in my opinoin

[ru555]

I've sorted a drive in both on my own for half a day each over the weekend! Hope this helps!

Ive been told by alot of people not to touch the R32 due to the updated car tax in Sept...as the good old government are screwing big engines and high co2 output (even more)...?

[ru555]

frank hovis said:

I love my R32 but it's getting sold this month for a trade up to a RS4

RS4!!!! Lucky sod!

[johnnyboy101]

Would personally get the s3 because it'll feel a lot quicker and interior is on another level not to mention it's the best looking hatchback around. Failing that you can get a z4 alpina roadster s for less than 20k.

[anonymous-user]

I've had my S3 since Dec 06 and i absolutely love it! Zero problems, fairly understated (which may not appeal to some) but a definate pocket rocket.

But as you say the engine note doesn't comapere to a V6 - so you need to decide what your priorities are, oh and the cabin in the S3 is far better then the R32 IMHO.

[cuprabob]

i have a MKV R32 at the moment and absolutely love it especially the V6 burble, silky smooth engine and the DSG.

If I was in your position I would go for the S3. Does everything the R32 can do, probably get a few mpg more and easier to tune, if that's your thing.

Edited by cuprabob on Friday 1st August 13:50

[ru555]

Yeah the S3 interior is better than the R32! Plus the new S3 will have the smart day running LEDs on the headlamps! How sad am i!?! (dont answer that)

[mel]

I had the same dilema when I replaced my old shape S3, the R32 had the sound but seemed dull, the S3 had the build quality the niceness of interior and is by far the better looking car. It was a tough call but in the end I bought a year old V8 S4 which had the best points of both Sorry, that doesn't help much does it

[Oli.H]

Having owned them both, the S3 is leaps and bounds ahead, better on fuel, more tuneable (mine is around 330BHP), lower tax bracket - remember the R32 is £400 a year, build quality is better on the S3, however the noise of the R32 is just sublime, but like you said not a good enough reason to buy one. I also found the .:R runs out of puff higher in the rave range.

Have a good test drive of them both and see what you think