Ok so I have a dilemma...to R32 or not R32.

[Rabbit GTI]

I went to the Audi Driving Experience yesterday at summit point. Drove the new A4...really friggen nice btw...but then at the end I chose to drive a VR6 A3. Well, if you know my posting history...I have a very vocal disdain for anything but a true manual transmission...well now I'm starting to have second thoughts. I ALWAYS loved the VR6...I don't think I have a more favorite engine...whether its slow or "doesn't have as much potential"..etc, etc, etc...I just love it.

Well, now after driving a DSG on the track, it is super fun. Considering that the VR6 is probably going by the wayside in the next couple years...should I try to pick up one of the remaining R32's? I always told myself that if it was offered in 6MT off the bat, I would have had one right now, but now I'm even starting to love the DSG...

thoughts? Preferrably from the likes of the people on here that went from a MkV GTI to a MkV R32...

 

[carchrism5]

Where do you live, because if you live somewhere where it snows, R32 could be an excellent choice, I had made a deal on a GTI test driven a few but before signing papers I changed to an R32 and have never looked back since, except when I realize how often i go to the gas station

 

[Rabbit GTI]

well I now live in the DC metro area...so awd isn't really a necessity for the weather per se...i mean i lived in jersey all my life and we always had FWD cars. Ironically...my rents now live in SC and that's when they buy the subaru lol

Anyway, since you bring up the gas topic...i know this is a beaten horse, but what can you get on an easy highway cruise...I know in town its gonna be shit, but is 30 mpg when cruising easy attainable? In my GTI I can get 34-35 if i'm taking it really easy during a road trip...

 

[gatorjake]

i'm over 22K miles on my vr6 and have loved it immensely. test drove a gti,

and an '04 .:R and decided to pre-order the '08 .:R. the boost of the gti was

fun but i like the more linear power delivery and handling of the vr6 awd.

granted it is not that much faster, actually can be slower than a chipped gti

in a straight line i prefer the 6 banger (... oh yeah, it sounds so sweet too). i

live in FL so we get quite a bit of rain and the haldex delivers. launches in

the wet are almost as fast as dry (i love it). it really comes to personal

preference. i like the fact that i have a limited production vehicle about to

become more limited if vw decides to fizzle the vr6 out of production for

boosted 4's. i rarely see other .:R's on the road and i see only a handful of gti's. all

in all, both are awesome cars. hard to go wrong with either one. :thumbsup:

 

[gatorjake]

Anyway, since you bring up the gas topic...i know this is a beaten horse, but what can you get on an easy highway cruise...I know in town its gonna be shit, but is 30 mpg when cruising easy attainable? In my GTI I can get 34-35 if i'm taking it really easy during a road trip...

i average around 20 mpg with mixed driving. i can get around 24-26 if i am gently cruising on flat highway around 75mph according to the mfd.

 

[BlaineWasHere]

I would trade my GTI for a R if I could afford it.

 

[BlaineWasHere]

On the other hand... if the MKIV GTI-R does happen I would regret going to the R now... So I'll take my chances and wait.

 

[Rabbit GTI]

but...if the rumors are true about the top of the line golf being a turbo-4...to me that gives more incentive to get the R32. meh...i dunno what i'll do.

 

[Hamann]

I almost got the R32, but then this crazy deal on the GTI came my way.

I don't regret it...saved a bunch of money....and I don't really need AWD anyway.

For me, paying 30k for a VW just didn't make sense...too many cars out there at that price point to choose from.

 

[ParkerFE]

If you love manual transmissions, I would not get the R32. I too love manuals having owned a 1993 e34 M5, 1996 e36 M3 and 2000 e39 M5 as my daily drivers until 2006. I then test drove a 2006 e60 M5 with SMG at Road Atlanta and thought I loved it...so I sold my 2000 e39 M5 and leased a 2006 e60 M5 to use as my new daily driver. After only a few months I started hating paddle shifting and longed for three pedals. I now have a 2009 GTI with 6mt on order to replace my e60 M5 as my daily driver...I will never own a paddle shifter car again...

 

[Rabbit GTI]

If you love manual transmissions, I would not get the R32. I too love manuals having owned a 1993 e34 M5, 1996 e36 M3 and 2000 e39 M5 as my daily drivers until 2006. I then test drove a 2006 e60 M5 with SMG at Road Atlanta and thought I loved it...so I sold my 2000 e39 M5 and leased a 2006 e60 M5 to use as my new daily driver. After only a few months I started hating paddle shifting and longed for three pedals. I now have a 2009 GTI with 6mt on order to replace my e60 M5 as my daily driver...I will never own a paddle shifter car again...

see, that's the one thing that holds me back...

if i could only get my fiancee into the R32 or A3. she wants something fuel-efficient...pssh, we're americans! we love to waste gas! :wink:


bah, i don't know what to do.

 

[voodoosillyman]

Can you live with it the way it is or is it the one you really do want? The note doesn't go away for a while, so choose wisely.

Reasoning behind my recent purchase of a GTI vs R32:

Regular unleaded vs premium
Stick vs auto
Price
Original intent was to get exactly what I have. I wasn't shopping for
anything else and didn't know the R32 existed.
Fuel economy. Just got out of my second Jeep (last one was a Rubicon
with 11mpg city when careful and 18mpg highway with a tail wind).

I did look hard at the R32 and would love to have one, but it would have defeated the purpose of my original intent. Really got stuck on the premium gas issue and the note.

As is, I love my GTI and I am very satisfied with all aspects of it. The car does what I want it to do in stock form and is a massive upgrade from what I was driving.

No matter what, get the car that fits your agenda and will keep you smiling everytime you get in it or walk past it.

 

[tracondoug]

Reasoning behind my recent purchase of a GTI vs R32:

Regular unleaded vs premium

So..... 91+ octane isn't considered premium in Louisiana??? News to me.

 

[Quantumphysics]

I have the money - but I would not trade my GTI for a 2008 R32 - my buddy and I drive together out on wicked country roads (he has a new R32 that I've driven several times) and I have not once thought "I wish I got the R" It's just too damn heavy and underpowered! The brakes are very nice. Don't get me wrong - it's a "nicer" car than the Gti - just not enough power and too heavy. It might be perfect for you - everybody wants different things out of a car.

 

[Msteadman]

For me it would come to three primary factors - money, patience and how satisfied you are with the .:R32's stock power.

Money is obvious enough. .:R demands a signifcant premium over the GTI, but if you can afford it then that's not an issue.

Patience in that I personally would want to wait for news of whether an MkVI .:R will be produced or not and same for the GTI-R. For that matter I'd even want to see the "standard" MkVI GTI now that AWD is rumored to be an option.

Finally the stock power. There aren't nearly as mods available for the .:R32 as there is for the GTI. Therefore if you're pretty much satisfied with its stock numbers then great. But if not, you don't have many options which will give you significant power gains. Well unless you want to add a turbo kit, but IMO that's in a league of its own.

Best of luck either way. :thumbsup: