R32 Understeer

[Manaz]

1477kg? Is that the MK5?

Mk IV according to RedBook.

I don't want to know that just after i have bought my R32!

They're vastly different cars, to say one's better than the other is difficult IMHO. Yes, there's some understeer in an R32 (fix this with a blue Haldex controller - ask goodfella what he thought of my Bora with one fitted in relation to how the car feels under power), but you learn how it'll behave, and you adjust to it, and each car is good in its own way.

[Treza360]

I don't want to know that just after i have bought my R32!

Ah don't worry about that. At the end of the day a BMW might be a better balanced handler but it's still got that BMW stigma/stereotypes associated with it.
Plus the R32 has better seats, looks better, sounds better and still goes pretty damn well.
Cheers,
Trent

[thekraut]

Anyway what's a bit of understeer when only you and 199 other people at any one time (in Aust) can own a MKIV R32?? Same can't be said for the 325ci

(maybe even less than 199 others - I'm sure there'd be a small few written off/stolen and gone forever)

[JVLR32]

mycar still goes..........very quick, BMW eeek

[balkanac]

At the end of the day a BMW might be a better balanced handler but it's still got that BMW stigma/stereotypes associated with it.

Very true. i still wouldn't mind owning a car that performs like a 325ci, doesn't have to be a BMW.
In order to get the R to perform like that you need about $5k and that really annoys me.

[Langers]

MkIV R32 is a complete pig, to the point where my Renault-driving friends have taken to calling it the 'understeer bucket'.

This can, however, be solved with:

* rear sway bar (pref. H&R)
* Koni FSD shocks
* Standard springs reset 15mm lower or Euro springs
* Sticky tyres (e.g. Dunlop Direzza ZR1 Star Spec)
* Haldex upgrade
* Rear stress brace (e.g. HPA)

Stock, however, it really does understeer a lot.

[schoona]

yeah mine understeers too much for my liking, even with haldex blue.

Though a mate with an N15 on Semi slicks/Teins/Nismo LSD/straight cut gears/GT2871R said he'd never dream of hitting corners/roundabouts like I do....so maybe it's not so bad....?

The pulsar isn't a 325 either though...

[Big_M]

Yep, i love it but. Much prefer driving this to my 330ci.

[Speed]

1477 Kg - Geez she's more of a porker then I thought!
I read that the GTI is 1256 Kg, making it 221Kg lighter than a R32. Maybe what I read is not accurate...

I've always liked the R32 but after spending 30K+ second hand, I'd expect it to not understeer as bad as some people have complained about. Has changed my opinion of them

[schoona]

Eh. I still fugging love mine to bits.

If you were 100% happy with your GTI, you wouldn't have KW coils and a rear sway bar. Indicated the GTI does as well.

R32 is basically a FWD anyway, so it's expected to be "a FWD" until slip is detected.

[Speed]

Eh. I still fugging love mine to bits.

If you were 100% happy with your GTI, you wouldn't have KW coils and a rear sway bar. Indicated the GTI does as well.

R32 is basically a FWD anyway, so it's expected to be "a FWD" until slip is detected.

I'm not saying the GTI does as well and didn't intend on indicating that. Was just surprised how much heavier the R32 is.
I guess its to be expected with 4WD and a 6.

I bought my GTI with the mods it has and for the price I paid, I am 100% happy with it.

[schoona]

I'm not saying the GTI does as well and didn't intend on indicating that. Was just surprised how much heavier the R32 is.
I guess its to be expected with 4WD and a 6.

I bought my GTI with the mods it has and for the price I paid, I am 100% happy with it.

I dind't take it personally lol.

Haha you got a bloody good buy then, sounds like anawesome car.

Im sure the addition of said mods posted by langers (langers off vortex > Klaus ?? ) will dial out a lot of the inconsitencies. Which, msot of us modify so it's not really a big problem!

[RolfGolf]

Was just surprised how much heavier the R32 is.
I guess its to be expected with 4WD and a 6.

They have nothing to do with it - it's the seats

Seriously, have you weighed those suckers?! Strip them out and you R32 owners will be quicker for sure ...

[2000MN]

They have nothing to do with it - it's the seats

Seriously, have you weighed those suckers?! Strip them out and you R32 owners will be quicker for sure ...

Not to mention the stock catback exhaust!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[drewr]

I've been pretty set on smoothing out the handling on the R32 first, before looking at power mods, so far i've done;
KW V1 coilovers. Going to upgrade to H&Rs soon though, want adjustability.
Unibrace.
H&R 21mm adjustable rear sway bar.
Kumho KU36 tyres.

Just with those, the understeer has been reduced to barely anything, and i'm going to put the blue haldex in soon, too.

Also, re: rear seats, taking them out makes a noticeable difference! But it's probably not recommended if you don't have a brace of some sorts. I sometimes take all the seats out as well as tools, that combined with the Milltek catback saves a significant amount of weight! If you put on some nice light wheels on top of that, you'd get some very noticeable gains.