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Volkswagen R32 Prices Paid and Buying Experience - READ ONLY

42 messages,  Last post on Dec 03, 2008 at 12:36 PM

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What is this discussion about? Volkswagen R32, Car Buying, Car Leasing, Coupe, Hatchback

Messages Page 1 of 5

#1 of 42 Volkswagen Golf R32: Prices Paid and Buying Experiences by lee_w

Jul 09, 2004 (5:48 am)

Please share your buying experiences here.

#2 of 42 Decisions... by shiphro

Oct 18, 2004 (6:30 am)

I test drove an R32 over the weekend and I loved it. I then investigated a bit and saw the new 2005 Subaru Legacy Wagon (GT Ltd) as a direct competitor in terms of price, 'on-paper' performance (haven't driven it) and features.
 
My next step is to get my butt in a Legacy and see if I like it as much as the R32. After that I'm going to weigh the following options.
 
R32 Pros:
Unusual car
NA engines run cooler and don't suffer from lag.
Longer warranty (4/50000)
 
R32 Cons:
Unusual car (how hard will it be to find parts and a knowledgeable mechanic?)
Having to store and swap out snow tires
 
Legacy Pros:
Dual-zone CC, my wife stays warm w/o me breaking a sweat
More space
More common configuration makes repairs easier
all-season tires
 
Legacy Cons:
Turbo-lag
Shorter warranty (3/36000)
 
This could all be moot if I don't like the Legacy... but I wanted to bounce these thoughts off the knowledgeable people here in TH.

#3 of 42 The monologue continues... by shiphro

Oct 20, 2004 (12:49 pm)

After driving the R32 and '05 Legacy GT Ltd within a few days of each other, these are my observations:
 
Subaru
 - Very light backend. I haven't looked up the weight distribution, but it felt very nose-heavy. The rear broke loose making a right turn on red on dry pavement under mid-throttle conditions. I want more tenacity than that from my AWD.
 - Turbo lag. It wasn't bad... but it was there. I'm going to gladly trade the 10 extra horses in the Legacy for the low-end torque of the VW.
 - The legacy rode much 'lighter' than the VW. The VW cruised more smoothly over broken pavement, stayed planted during quick maneuvers and felt much more solid overall.
 - The VW had a nicer interior overall. Legacy had dual-zone CC which is nice, but everything else was nicer in the VW. EX: Aluminum (VW) trim versus plastic (Subaru). This is subjective of course, but since I'm paying; I'm subjecting.
 
I've got a deposit down on the VW and I'll post later this week or early next week as to how the official transfer of $$$ proceeded.
 
Purchase Information ($US)
MSRP - 30,625
Invoice - 27,900
What I paid - 29,625
Owner Loyalty Rebate - 1,000
APR - 1.9%
Term - 48 months

#4 of 42 Re: The monologue continues... [shiphro] by fish8

Oct 21, 2004 (6:06 am)

Replying to: shiphro (Oct 20, 2004 12:49 pm)
Sounds like you made a great decision!!! Good luck and enjoy your new R32.

#5 of 42 R32 vs Legacy GT LTD by nschulman3

Oct 24, 2004 (10:31 pm)

I, too, am deciding between these two cars. My STI was stolen last week for the second time in three months and I don't anticipate getting it back. I have driven the Legacy GT, albeit an automatic, which I would not get and liked it. However, there is no getting around the solidity of the R32 or the smoothness of the V6. If I got the legacy, I would get the wagon for the practicality. I am a bit worried about the long term reliability of the VW since I have had some bad experiences with recently leased cars from VW and Audi. Therefore, if I decide to purchase, I will probably go with the Subaru. If I decide to lease, I will certainly get the R32.

#6 of 42 R32 by shiphro

Oct 25, 2004 (6:02 am)

Replying to: nschulman3 (Oct 24, 2004 10:31 pm)
Purchase went smoothly and I'm very happy with my new R32. The luxurious interior and low-end torque have managed to keep the break-in period fun.

#7 of 42 Re: R32 vs Legacy GT LTD [nschulman3] by 4x4golf

Nov 21, 2004 (11:05 pm)

Replying to: nschulman3 (Oct 24, 2004 10:31 pm)
My wife and I were looking at a more economical vehicle than our 1/2T GMC truck for her to drive to work. I was looking at the 1.8 turbo GTI which is being offered at great discounts in our area (2-3K off MSRP.) I made the big mistake of test driving a R32 (I had to after reading Autoweek and Car&Driver reviews.) My mission changed, I HAD! to own a R32. Dealers were not making any deals on the cars, even 400-600 miles out of my area. I finally had a local dealer offer one to me at $1K back of MSRP but have made a tentative deal to buy one on the other side of the US from a private party for about $4K less than the new one (new with 320 miles of test drives on the odometer.) We looked at the WRX but, I immediately noticed several cars "missing" parts on the dealers lot, I jokingly asked him if his body shop was running short of supplies and he told me of the constant thefts and 4 complete vehicle thefts so far this year. Our car will on occasion be parked in the driveway, the R32 should fare better than the WRX in this respect. I also priced insurance on both cars the VW was FAR cheaper to insure due to a far better loss rating than the WRX. I think it is a reflection of the type of people who own these cars, we have had several incidences of "Tuner Shops" in our area (S.F. bay area in Calif) being "busted" by police for massive insurance fraud scams. I think it is a shame that the manufacturer has to suffer because of the popularity of their car with the "shady" crowd. I quickly wrote the WRX off my list of potential vehicles to purchase (don't even get me started about my observations of the Mitsu EVO, it is a worse crowd than the WRX!)

#8 of 42 Re: R32 vs Legacy GT LTD [4x4golf] by bmenk

Dec 02, 2004 (5:22 am)

Replying to: 4x4golf (Nov 21, 2004 11:05 pm)
I purchased a Blue R32 on Nov. 15 in Burlington, NC. It had been sitting on the lot for a few months and was able to get it at Invoice. The larger cities (Durham, Greensboro) didn't even have any available to drive.
 
I couldn't turn down the deal....and I love the way this car handles and sounds. It reminds me a great deal of my 83 Rabbit GTI....lots of grins on a country road.

#9 of 42 New R32 owner by rmorin2

Dec 15, 2007 (7:18 pm)

Bought a blue one yesterday in Gaithersburg, MD for $31.8 K (no nav).

#10 of 42 R32 Delivered by rmorin2

Dec 28, 2007 (2:39 pm)

My salesperson, Francisco, from King VW in Gaithersburg, MD delivered my DBP R32 this morning. Took a nice drive with my 3 grandsons and daughter. The car is everything I expected; good power, decent room, great handling, and a nice ride. I am very happy with my choice.

Messages Page 1 of 5

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