Evo driver looking at a Golf R

[Lethal]

Hi, I'm Leigh. I currently drive a 2005 Evo IX and the lease is due in December so I am considering what to get next or whether to just re-lease the Evo.

There are a few cars on the table at the moment and the new Golf R looks very interesting so I have joined the forum to try and understand a bit more about them and determine whether they are the car for me. I love the Evo and through various channels there has been a wealth of knowledge about the technical details of the car and an amazing array of people with awesome knowledge, particularly where tuning and hardcore track weapons are concerned which has been great.

One of the mistakes I made with the Evo is buying it before consulting people in the know, so I am hoping that I will be able to tap into the knowledge here to help me get the best deal with the right options and do the best bang for buck modifications to really enjoy the car if that is the way I end up going.

Anyway, here I am and I will warn you in advance that I may ask some really basic questions (but I will search first of course ) so please bear with me.

Cheers,

Leigh

[gldgti]

The new R is such a new car out in the market at the moment, there isn't a lot of enthusiast level knowledge around. People will likely tell you all kinds of things to get you to buy one though .

Your best bet will of course be to go test one, and read up on the various auto magazine reviews of the car.

Assuming (as you have said) you know little of the Golf R, I just point out to you that its a new direction in the R line vehicles for VW, as the 2 past R golfs had the N/A VR6 engine. The engine in the new golf R is of same heritage as the MK5 golf GTI rather than the all new engine in the current mk6 GTI, so there is a little more after market tuning knowledge around for it (at least in the hardware - software changes all the time, ofcourse).

You wont find anyone with a 400hp golf R though.... yet.

Welcome to the forum.

[Lethal]

Thanks for the response. Yeh, it's a bit different to the hardcore Evo world but that doesn't bother me one bit. I have a lot of respect for the Golfs and related machines so I am looking forward to learning more and being able to make a clear call about what I end up getting.

Regardless of where I end up there is still plenty of respect. On top of that, this looks like a good, balanced forum as well and that seems to be a bit of a rarity when it comes to cars, tuners, etc.

Looking forward to learning more

[Ben J]

You wont find anyone with a 400hp golf R though.... yet.

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/f112/first-golf-r-420-hp-315kw-build-world-australian-exclusive-46356.html

But yea, go drive one if you havent and heave a read around, already quite a bit of info on them in here

[AusScare]

Latest Wheels magazine has a comparo between the new STI, EVO X MR, Golf R. I read it last night, it's a reasonably good read, just says the Golf R is the best daily drive because it's comfy and produces its power lower in the rev range, but it's awd system has nothing next to the sti/evo.

[Lethal]

Yes, and this is the dilemma I face. Options I have at the moment: 1. Keep the current Evo (220 awkw with minimal mods, awesome handling, very raw) 2. Get a new Evo X Bathurst Edition (less power, a bit more refined but still some raw-ness, all the handling goodies, quite a few more $$) 3. Golf R for all the reasons mentioned in that article...

If I am totally honest with myself, I am not a track demon like I thought I would be when I bought the Evo, but I do like the thought that I could be. A nice daily driver that is a bit more refined yet still has plenty of poke would not have been my first choice a year or two ago, but maybe it is now. Is this what is known as 'growing up'?

Anyway, I intend to learn a bit, drive one and then make a call...

[gldgti]

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/f112...ive-46356.html



But yea, go drive one if you havent and heave a read around, already quite a bit of info on them in here

I stand corrected, hehe

Its even funnier for me, because last night when I wrote my first post I typed 500hp first, then thought "nah, noone will have even made 400 yet" and edited

[Lethal]

Ha ha. It's a whole new world for me. In the Evo world I almost felt out of place because mine only made about 360hp

One other thing I have noticed is that it seems in the VAG world that there are only a few tuners in Australia and you buy 'off the shelf' tunes (nothing wrong with that if it works, by the way). Is there much around for people who know what they are doing to dyno tune to get the most safely out a Golf R or related? And is there any freeware stuff available for diagnostics, flashing, etc? Maybe I should search the forum more before asking all these questions...