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More Clowning Around: R32

clownish

just clowning around
Location
OH.
Car(s)
VWs
Nothing big. DeAutoKey license plate LEDs kept flickering and causing bulb out errors. After two free replacements I finally just went for OEM. Found out that Porsche dealerships sell the same part # license plate LED... for $15 cheaper each. So ended up getting the pair from a Porsche dealership [emoji849] At employee rates also, so it was a good deal all around.

Hopefully no more bulb out errors. OEM LED in the gti had been trouble free so hopefully it's the same with the r32.



Also scored this baby off of CL - Thule Sonic XL. Been wanting one for years. Gunna color match it.


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clownish

just clowning around
Location
OH.
Car(s)
VWs
Rebuild vr6 motor project - timing chains/guides and random assorted parts exposed - front main seal, valve cover, thermostat, water pump, AC compressor etc.

Been shopping around parts for pricing. So far I have a huge 100+ parts number list and cross shopping. Blowing the budget but this is important to keep running as a reliable daily so...




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AA 954

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Florida
Hi Clownish, this is a really great thread (not sure why I hadn’t stumbled on it before), I also have a TRed MKV R32 that I bought in ‘15 and I’m getting a lot of good ideas from this for my own proyect :)
Any chances you’ll be in this years WITW? Be nice to see upfront some of the items that you have described.


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clownish

just clowning around
Location
OH.
Car(s)
VWs
Hi Clownish, this is a really great thread (not sure why I hadn’t stumbled on it before), I also have a TRed MKV R32 that I bought in ‘15 and I’m getting a lot of good ideas from this for my own proyect :)
Any chances you’ll be in this years WITW? Be nice to see upfront some of the items that you have described.


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Thanks - I just do whatever I need to get it driving right! Almost time to do brakes and maybe wheel hubs on the front. Will probably get some new carriers for the BBK so I can run smaller rotors.

I haven't quite decided but will probably end up going to Wookies even though they booked out for the RBQ. Worth going just as a fun vacation with friends, I think. I have some friends who've gone for the last several years so they've gotten a lot of experience in where to go etc. that makes it painless for me to tag along.


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707Stang

I'm Hella From Nor*Cal
Location
Nor*Cal
Man, I haven’t dropped by in a minute, your car is looking good, what is the pn for the plate bulbs? I have finally crested the point of keep or trade to keep. So.... we all know what means. Hahaha


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707Stang

I'm Hella From Nor*Cal
Location
Nor*Cal
Ps, that price list looks like it’s gonna nickel and dime you to death. Haha


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clownish

just clowning around
Location
OH.
Car(s)
VWs
Man, I haven’t dropped by in a minute, your car is looking good, what is the pn for the plate bulbs? I have finally crested the point of keep or trade to keep. So.... we all know what means. Hahaha


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I'll have to dig out the receipt and find the part # for you. I think it was cheaper for me because of employee discount rates and the homie hook up, but I'll let you explore - haha.

I held off on the rebuild because winter hit and I was under the weather for a few months - hopefully springtime stays clear enough I can daily the GTI and put the R32 through a serious refresh. As of now, it's chugging along but making so much brake noise from unevenly wearing and I know the fronts are a few years old so I'm just going to replace everything up there at some point soon. Pads, rotors, caliper carriers, anything else I find. Has new tie rod ends and sway bar end links so hopefully it doesn't need a wheel bearing or anything... I kind of think the front right needs a wheel bearing.
 

707Stang

I'm Hella From Nor*Cal
Location
Nor*Cal
I'll have to dig out the receipt and find the part # for you. I think it was cheaper for me because of employee discount rates and the homie hook up, but I'll let you explore - haha.



I held off on the rebuild because winter hit and I was under the weather for a few months - hopefully springtime stays clear enough I can daily the GTI and put the R32 through a serious refresh. As of now, it's chugging along but making so much brake noise from unevenly wearing and I know the fronts are a few years old so I'm just going to replace everything up there at some point soon. Pads, rotors, caliper carriers, anything else I find. Has new tie rod ends and sway bar end links so hopefully it doesn't need a wheel bearing or anything... I kind of think the front right needs a wheel bearing.



Werd man, thanks! No rush.

Damn dude under the weather for months?! That sucks. Good you’re doin better now.
The brakes are driving me nuts on mine too squeaking like a maniac, but still have plenty of meat. Fronts are original and the rear are on their second set. Mines been a little crapper all of January. Threw 3 different issues at me. The gas cap, thermostat and a weird one p2096. May have something to do with the leaking flex pipe. Tsat parts on the way with an aluminum crack pipe. But now I gotta save for a full on nuts to butts exhaust. Shitty that with the emissions I have to contend with I pretty much have to stick with OEM on the cats. I’m considering another GTI for a daily just for fuel economy sake. Haha. 70 miles a day, maybe the R isn’t the best? Lol! These cars are fun huh? Haha


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clownish

just clowning around
Location
OH.
Car(s)
VWs
Werd man, thanks! No rush.

Damn dude under the weather for months?! That sucks. Good you’re doin better now.
The brakes are driving me nuts on mine too squeaking like a maniac, but still have plenty of meat. Fronts are original and the rear are on their second set. Mines been a little crapper all of January. Threw 3 different issues at me. The gas cap, thermostat and a weird one p2096. May have something to do with the leaking flex pipe. Tsat parts on the way with an aluminum crack pipe. But now I gotta save for a full on nuts to butts exhaust. Shitty that with the emissions I have to contend with I pretty much have to stick with OEM on the cats. I’m considering another GTI for a daily just for fuel economy sake. Haha. 70 miles a day, maybe the R isn’t the best? Lol! These cars are fun huh? Haha


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Good thing I have a giant folder of receipts - the PO kept everything so I tried to do the same. [emoji849]

Part number was 1K8-943-021-C - list was $46.99 each but I got it at a small % over cost, something like ~$60 total. Still a lot of license plate lights but it was the whole housing and bulb and should pretty much last forever. The ones on the GTI are 5 years old and still solid, plus how often do good leds burn out? Almost never?

Yea I have somehow acquired some sort of mutant migraine that has hit me in my old age (30 [emoji849]) and makes it so I can't keep any water or food down which means after a few days I am dehydrated which means ER visits and iv fluids and the whole mess. Hopefully breaking the cycle soon... we shall see.

70 miles a day is killer - all freeway I'm only getting 24-25 mpg which means filling up almost every other day. I used to do 60 a day but fortunately my commute has halved itself because of my office physically moving locations. A full tank I think I get around 300 mi but if any local driving is involved it could be closer to 200... definitely not fuel efficient.

If I had to replace a cat I think I'd just buy the miltek reps that Underhill makes in the U.K. and replace headers/test pipes and mate to my catback. OEM cat from a dealer is $$$ - my PO replaced one, I'd have to find that receipt also but I remember sticker shock and I didn't even pay for it.


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clownish

just clowning around
Location
OH.
Car(s)
VWs


In 2014 a new mk5 r32 cat was over $1000 at 102k mi. And the owner of this car paid for it. Almost $2000 with parts and labor. Yikes.

This car had such a good service history. Replaced trunk latch, radiator, serptine belt, a mirror assembly, a headlight, the list goes on. The PO dealt with all the common mk5 issues - at the dealer - and paid out of pocket for a lot of it.


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AA 954

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Florida


In 2014 a new mk5 r32 cat was over $1000 at 102k mi. And the owner of this car paid for it. Almost $2000 with parts and labor. Yikes.

This car had such a good service history. Replaced trunk latch, radiator, serptine belt, a mirror assembly, a headlight, the list goes on. The PO dealt with all the common mk5 issues - at the dealer - and paid out of pocket for a lot of it.


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The PO definately wasn’t buying the parts from Vortex :S , I’ve seen different references to issues for the MKV R32 but not a summarized list (at least I haven’t found it) of what the common ones are. What would these be in your view so I / others can be on the look out and proactively approach these? Fortunately my car is still very low mileage and other than changing the AC compressor about a year ago, all has been great :)


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clownish

just clowning around
Location
OH.
Car(s)
VWs
The PO definately wasn’t buying the parts from Vortex :S , I’ve seen different references to issues for the MKV R32 but not a summarized list (at least I haven’t found it) of what the common ones are. What would these be in your view so I / others can be on the look out and proactively approach these? Fortunately my car is still very low mileage and other than changing the AC compressor about a year ago, all has been great :)


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Well, others are probably way more knowledgeable than me - I just deal with things as they come up, besides the major issues any car might get., especially at higher mileage.

Common issues I know of for Mk5 Golf platform, not necessarily VR6/R32 specific, but some are:
  • Water/leaking in the battery box enclosure
  • Timing chains rattling - either from stretching or guides becoming worn and causing problems
  • AC compressor, radiator failing, or thermostat leaking coolant and/or crack pipe breaking
  • Oil pan or other underbody pieces prematurely rusting, along with front bottom door corner rusting and areas under the hatch logo or rocker panel
  • Hatch mechanism, hatch release button going bad, and/or hatch (and hood) struts not supporting
  • Rear hatch motor or wiper sprayer going bad
  • Sunroof seals leaking or failing prematurely
  • DSG issues - Mechatronic unit going bad, causing harsh or chattery shifting or dual mass flywheel issues with wear, also oil pan cover rusting
  • Soft touch interior panels peeling or cracking at high usage points (or from sunlight, people with lotions, other types of common chemicals that repeatedly touch the plastics)
  • Serpintine belt/tensioner failure prematurely
  • Exhaust - Flex pipe breaking, catalytic converter going bad or O2 sensors going bad

I'm sure there's other issues, plus normal German car issues. Things like wheel bearings going bad, motor mounts breaking, struts and springs wearing out, along with control arm bushings, replacing thermostat, water pump etc. at higher mileage, window/accessory motors going bad. Also interior relay going bad.

I'm positive there's a few of these common issue threads floating around here or the vortex because I've read them off before also. Maybe not specifically R32 but Mk5 golf in general.

My car specifically has had a whole bunch of issues that the previous owner dealt with. I'm actually pretty impressed at his maintenance budget. Replaced the radiator twice and AC compressor once and still complained to the dealer about not-cold AC. Replaced starter wiring harness and ignition module. Replaced a headlight because he thought it was not functioning properly. Replaced the flex pipe and catalytic converter with OEM parts. Replaced mechatronic unit once. Replaced the serpentine belt once. Repainted the front and rear bumper covers. Kept up on the oil intervals properly and replaced tires pretty frequently as well.

Once I got the car, I had to replace the suspension - struts, springs, rear wheel bearings, tie rod ends, end links, rear control arms. Also replaced the DSG oil pan due to rust, both headlight bulbs (man those were like $100 each but OEM lasted over 8 years so I figured it was worth it), random interior and exterior light bulbs, and interior relays affecting signaling, interior lighting and rear wiper functions. Also rear control arms had to be replaced due to bushing failure. That's it for the absolutely necessary repairs, there's a bunch of mods I did for my own gratification also.

I always wonder if an Accord or Camery would have as much monetary value vs. the maintenance dollars I have to put in, especially when i think about all the dollars put into the car for pure maintenance vs. modding.
 
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