R32 or GTI Pirelli?

[Maverick]

Id go for the R over a gti any day. You get a better looking car, sronger and longer lasting engine with real power (compared to GTis fake turbo power)

Stronger and longer lasting engine?

The R32 engine is old technology which is why VW are dropping it. The 2.0l GTI engine has one international engine of the year 4 times in a row!

you get AWD which helps a lot especially in wet.

That's the one the good aspect but as it rarely rains in Brisbane doesn't really matter plus AWD saps the power and takes a lot of the fun away.

I drove a GTi a year ago and even with traction control on it spun the front wheels in 2nd.

It doesn't have to spin the wheels in second gear, it depends on how you drive it and what the surface is like.

R handles much better and it sounds awesome.

Every comparo I've seen shows the GTI to handle better because it's lighter and not really nose heavy like the R32.

I don't think that im biased, i did my homework before i got my R. Get an MK4 if you want a really good and unique car

The R32 is a fine car if you don't want any more power. A $2K flash and the GTI is a faster car with many more upgrade opportunities.

Different cars for different people.

[balkanac]

Yeah it's a different feeling for sure, and it certainly creates different driving attitudes as well.

But I'm old and fat enough to be able to happily enjoy driving it either sedately like an old diesel (in which case it's not exactly spritely), or on the other end of the spectrum where it's just absolutely mad.

I wouldn't trade the 240+kw and 420+nm for a different driving attitude! When that power kicks in, there's nothing like it.

But yeah, it does force you to drive like a grandma or a loon, unlike a larger NA engine which tends to calm you down - coz you know that monster surge isn't there to tempt you.

I've come from a _very_ long line of V8's so I understand completely.. But I still wouldn't trade the madness.

I absolutely agree with you. I had a Liberty B4 which i traded for the R. I fell in love with the responsiveness of the engine.
I guess the best thing would be to take both for a test drive and see which one fits better to your driving style and needs. They are both good cars and i dont think anyone would regret buying either of them

[Sharkie]

the answer to this question is .... MK6 R20T .... AWD and 2.0T ...

but back to this, I'd go the Pirelli. Its a special edition and will be more desirable in years to come. R32's do not hold their value well. Trade on a 3 yr old is now about $32K .....

Also for $2K extra the Pirelli makes 230kw ..... will absolutely demolish a R32 .....

[Nardi330]

Aint cheaper to buy after you mod it....

My Pirelli will owe me the better part of $75k by the time I'm all done.

well u can also spend as much on the R.

and you dun need to spend that much to be better than an R.

[kryten2001]

well u can also spend as much on the R.

and you dun need to spend that much to be better than an R.

I just love the madness of it. It brings me back to my bike days.

[Nardi330]

well if u can afford it, why not (i'm jealous haha)

[Russ59]

That figure of $35 for insurance (for him to drive a GTI at least, maybe not an R32) would have to be B.S. for an under 25 yo even when he reaches 25 it's still going to take several years of his own insurance (ie in his name) and no claims to be made before he could reduce the premium to anything even close to what you yourself (at your age ? 40 +) are paying now. If you live in NSW you would also have to apply for a permit I think to allow him to drive it if it has a turbo.

My son is 19 going on 20 and his car ( 2.0 TDI Golf) and insurance are in the wife's name for the time being, probably until he turns 25 anyway (saves him a few $'s in the meantime) and then it will be up to him to search around for himself and get the best deal. To give you an idea on insurance premiums - just to have him included on the policy as a regular driver would have put the premium up to nearly $2000 p.a + excess if a claim was made and this is on a Turbo Diesel not petrol. As it is now, it's about $500 - $600 p.a. but it will still cost him around $1,600 in excess if he has an accident, that also gives him some incentive to drive responsibly. You also need to make sure that if he is going to be driving it that he is included on the Greenslip because otherwise whoever you get that through could also wipe you in the event of an accident if he's driving.

I believe in most cases they would just ask that you pay the difference in the Greenslip premium, but if there are unforeseen circumstances involved (eg drink driving, drugs etc... not that I'm implying that your son is into that sort of stuff, because I'm not) then it could well become your worst nightmare This is what I have been told through insurance enquiries anyway, so it's food for thought.

Back on topic - The choice of the 2 would have to be the R32 for the long term and cheaper insurance, GTI for better economy

Russ

[ENERG1]

WELL SHARKIE I HOPE THEY BRING THE R20 HERE

BUT IT WONT BE FOR A WHILE YET

SO IN THE MEAN TIME GO THE GTI AND APR THE SH*t out of it!!

ALOT MORE THRILLING ,RADICAL, LIGHTER AND SO MUCH FUN TO DRIVE!

CHEERS

LUKE

[ChrisR32]

If you want to hoon around and run a quarter mile get the pirelli, if you want a very solid grand tourer get the .:R . They are so many miles apart in character it's not funny. AWD was the selling point for me.

[Alfy]

I dunno, I'll probably get flamed for this, but the .:R doesn't feel as nimble as the GTI... I chose the GTI not only price, but the fact it has a much more flexible motor that wants to be driven hard.. I am coming from a long list of Hondas (vtec) so you can understand where I'm coming from.

[ChrisR32]

I dunno, I'll probably get flamed for this, but the .:R doesn't feel as nimble as the GTI... I chose the GTI not only price, but the fact it has a much more flexible motor that wants to be driven hard.. I am coming from a long list of Hondas (vtec) so you can understand where I'm coming from.

Agree with your comment that it's definately not as nimble. I disagree with the driven hard part - listen to that exhaust!

[golf2nv]

Hi all long time no post. I went in to the dealer with money to buy a r32 but thought before I buy one should test drive a GTI long story short I own a GTI with a giac flash and intake and all I can say is bye bye r32 my GTI is quicker point to point and after driving my friends r32 I think gti is a better handler so your answer GTI pirelli but it's such ashame we only get that awful gearbox haha

[Greg Roles]

To me it's the same as choosing between a FPV GT or a Typhoon. One is the uber cruiser with the horny soundtrack, and the other is a techno monster of a car that can be tuned to stupid levels.

A factor for me would be the fuel economy, it seems in the real world the R's are using a fair bit more petrol, and seem to return about the 12 mark.

Petrol isn't going to get cheaper in the mid to long term. It's good now, but I wonder where we'll be back to in 3 years time.

Smaller engine with a turbo is always going to be more efficient, and leave more cash in your pocket at the servo.

[decksla]

i got the relli.

some cheap (for a euro car) mods gives it HEAPS more grunt. its more chuckable. more exclusive (in my opinion) and more fun (in a round the twisties sense).

youd be happy with either car, but i chose the relli as i wanted to mod it and chuck it around a fair bit

[Chuck]

one word - TURBO

be warned though...once bitten by the power/modding bug its game over!

i have an unatural love for the turbo rush of my GTi - 20,000kms and i still HAVE to poke it all the time