Article Comments - 2008 VW R32 First Drive and Follow-Up Test

121 messages, Last post on Aug 19, 2009 at 3:27 AM

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What is this discussion about? Volkswagen R32, Hatchback

First Drive: 2008 Volkswagen R32 - You need to really like German hatchbacks to appreciate the R32's combination of performance and upscale comfort. If you don't, you won't. (more)

Follow-Up Test: 2008 Volkswagen R32 - If pinpoint refinement is your overriding priority in hot-hatch selection, the 2008 VW R32 is the obvious choice. But some will find it too thoroughly baked. (more)

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#99 of 121 Re:Out of touch? [ddburns] by byronwalter Dec 23, 2007 (7:49 am)
Replying to: ddburns (Dec 22, 2007 6:30 pm) Thanks, I priced a 135i and ended up around 40k... at that price I'd just go with the 335i. And that also tends to make the R32 seem not too unreasonable (but I like understated hatchbacks). My current Audi is the best car that I've ever owned. It's an '06 purchased in August of '05 and I have yet to have a single issue... not even a rattle. It uses that same two liter engine shared with the GTI. I've had the ECU reflashed for extra go but there's no way that it has the smoothness of the R32 power plant. And, yeah, the Audi has some really great bits to it. The door hinges are incredibly detailed from an engineering perspective. But then there's the engine fan belt that, I believe, calls for a 105k mile change. It's generally understood that ya better change it at 60k miles or else. And woe unto you if your Audi ever has an electrical problem. Anyhow I'm waiting to drive the new A5. Once I've given one a spin I'll cross shop the R32, STI, and maybe a couple of others. A smarter move would probably be to wait until later next year and see what's available with a diesel power plant. Cars like the R32 are very thirsty.
#100 of 121 My Decision by rmorin2 Dec 23, 2007 (9:45 am)
I had an 05 MINI Cooper S Cabrio as a daily driver. Bought a new 335i convertible in April through the European Delivery program as my weekend, good weather car. I wanted a car that was fun to drive, yet practical as a daily driver. Yeah, I know the R32 is a little pricey but with AWD, a nice interior, plenty of cargo room and some exclusivity, you don't see many of them on the road, I went with the R32. My only concern is reliability although in recent years VW reliability has improved, still not a recommended car by Consumer Reports. My R32 will be delivered to my house on 12/28 and I am looking forward to a road trip to Williamsburg, VA on the 29th.
#101 of 121 Re:Out of touch? [byronwalter] by 600kgolfgt Dec 23, 2007 (9:55 am)
Replying to: byronwalter (Dec 22, 2007 9:49 am) Galvanized steel is not the critical factor in design It's the difference between your car being considered a total loss or not. Stop by an auto recycling place (a.k.a. junkyard) that specializes in imports and compare for yourself... Replies to this message: byronwalter (Dec 24, 2007 2:09 pm) 600kgolfgt (Dec 26, 2007 4:23 am) byronwalter (Dec 26, 2007 11:55 am)
#102 of 121 Re:Out of touch? [600kgolfgt] by byronwalter Dec 24, 2007 (2:09 pm)
Replying to: 600kgolfgt (Dec 23, 2007 9:55 am) "It's the difference between your car being considered a total loss or not. Stop by an auto recycling place (a.k.a. junkyard) that specializes in imports and compare for yourself... " Okay, if I follow this correctly, because German manufacturers make their own galvanized steel (like the R32), German car bodies experience less deformation from impacts. Japanese cars, by contrast, use recycled ungalvanized steel and suffer more structural damage. The key points would then be that the steel is not recycled and galvanized, thus this steel resists deformation during collisions. Does anyone here know if it is true that steel has more tensile strength when it isn't a recycled product? Seems to me that would be more a function of the foundry's smelting process than anything else but I could be wrong. For example newer higher end cars seem to be using certain amounts of high-strength steel in specific locations to enhance the structural integrity of the passenger compartment. As for galvanization, I was unaware that this provided more structural rigidity. You sure about that? Your example cites a situation where a Passat suffered little damage in a collision in which the car was third from the rear. I don't believe that this wasn't a particularly good antedotal example as the energy of the impact had been dissipated by virtue of your wife's good fortune of not being the direct recipient of the forces imparted by the teenagers in the Toyota. As for the expertise of the guys that work the junkyards... they might be very good but they only see the aftermath. Personally I'll go with the research of the IIHS lab boffins. I wanna know which car will sacrifice itself to keep me breathing and there are several cars (Japanese) that do better than the Passat. BTW, couldn't find any crash test ratings for the Golf V (R32) at the IIHS web site Replies to this message: 600kgolfgt (Dec 26, 2007 4:23 am) byronwalter (Dec 26, 2007 11:55 am)
#103 of 121 Re:Out of touch? [byronwalter] by 600kgolfgt Dec 26, 2007 (4:23 am)
Replying to: byronwalter (Dec 24, 2007 2:09 pm) Personally I'll go with the research of the IIHS lab boffins. I wanna know which car will sacrifice itself to keep me breathing and there are several cars (Japanese) that do better than the Passat My wife has a 2003 Passat, which is based on the previous generation Audi A6. The newer Passat suffers from bean-counting cost-cutting measures - as reflected in the lower scores. At this point, I wouldn't trust any agency that is underwritten by the insurance industry. Here's a link that provides some background on auto body construction. Take note of the paragraph describing the difference between the materials the Japanese use v.s. U.S. and Germany. http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node=auto%20body The improvment in Japanese car safety comes from the subframe, not the exterior body shell itself. So even though passenger safety is increased, the fact remains that a Japanese car made with recycled steel is more than likely to be declared a total loss in the event of a severe accident than a galvanized steel constructed European or American car will. Replies to this message: byronwalter (Dec 26, 2007 11:55 am)
#104 of 121 Re:Out of touch? [600kgolfgt] by byronwalter Dec 26, 2007 (11:55 am)
Replying to: 600kgolfgt (Dec 26, 2007 4:23 am) Interesting... I believe that I have found a precedent for the excellence in automotive engineering as manifested in the R32, Audi, and your wife's Passat. This, in fact, might be the fountainhead for what has followed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH7_cDD0KBw
#105 of 121 Re:Out of touch? [byronwalter] by 600kgolfgt Dec 27, 2007 (11:45 am)
Replying to: byronwalter (Dec 22, 2007 9:49 am) BTW, I've been driving Audis for about 10 years now. We have more in common than meets the eye... My combined experience with VW/Audi products is over 25 years (Scirocco, GTI, Audi 80, two Jettas, Passat) - as an owner and former mechanic. I keep a VAG-COM diagnostic toolkit on hand for troubleshooting my current 3 VWs (1997 Jetta, 2003 Wolfsburg Jetta 1.8T, and 2003 Passat GLS 1.8T). My VAG-COM kit covers VW OBD-II equipped cars from 1996 through 2005, and Audi OBD-II models through 2007. I wish you many happy miles with your Audis...
#106 of 121 R32 Delivered Today by rmorin2 Dec 28, 2007 (11:27 am)
The R32 that I purchased on 12/19/07 was delivered to my home today. Took a 20 minute drive with my grandkids and I must say it is one fine car. Power is more than adequate, room for 3 small kids in the rear, decent stereo, and excellent handling. I am very pleased with my purchase. I cannot think of another auto that offers everything the R32 has under $35K.
#107 of 121 6,000 miles on my R32 and counting by bananadan Feb 02, 2008 (1:09 pm)
really not sure what the reviewer in this article is talking about re: feedback from the road in the R32 versus something like the mini s. drove both cars before buying the R32, and thought the mini experience was more than just feedback from the road; it was a spine-jouncing direct coupling with the street. Now if this was a country like Germany or France, where roads are maintained, I might agree. but when driving over broken/displaced concrete slabs as on Interstate 80 in California, or diving through potholes all over this state, the (slight) insulation from the road that the R32 provides is welcome, as is a few extra inches of wheelbase. Sure, your various boy racer/rice rockets have more performance, but the comfort and ease with which the R32 does its near-supercar thing are quite impressive. so if you are talking about a car to drive rather than a car to psych up auto writers, the R32 wins hands down. Also not sure whether the FWD bias in the Haldex setup is correct; I was told (perhaps incorrectly) that the R32 had been set up more like next-generation Audi's, following BMW's AWD lead in biasing the power to the rear in standard conditions. Anyone with more insight?
#108 of 121 First 1500 Mile Report by rmorin2 Feb 02, 2008 (2:19 pm)
I've now driven just over 1500 miles in my R32. Mileage is steadily improving from 18.6 mpg on the first tank to 22.7 on the last one. Most of my driving is commuting on the interstate at 75-80 mph over 2 small mountains (1000 ft. each, OK large hills). Car is everything that I wanted, great acceleration, superb brakes, great handling, reasonable comfort, lots of luggage space, and a stealth appearance. The interior is better than my MCS Cabrio and almost on par with my 335i convertible. So far the only issue I have is a slight vibration in one of the front speakers during high bass portions of music. Just activated my Satellite Radio and the fidelity is very good, on par with the HD radio in my BMW. Considering I paid $400 under invoice for my R32 and got a very fair trade in value on my MINI, I am very pleased. I do not know of another car that offers everything in the R32 for $32K. There are some great deals out there now on both financing and leasing, so if you are considering getting one, now is a great time to buy or lease. IMHO you won't regret it.