Buying advice for Golf R32

[golfage]

Hi guys

Thought I would give the good ole forums a whirl and see if any experts can help me out.

I'm looking for a DSG variant but wanted to know if there are any common or known issues to be aware of when buying a mk5 Golf R32?

I'd also be interested to know if anyone can recommend a R32 specialist in Sydney for a mechanical inspection prior to purchasing.

Thanks in advance.

[DV52]

golfage: Hi.
This question has been asked a few times in the past on this forum (not so much about a R32- but rather about buying a used VW in general). My suggestion is that you forget about a "R32 specialist" and instead take a local forum member with you that owns a diagnostic device to create a diagnostic SCAN for the car. The SCAN will give you a vehicle health report from the perspective of the modules in the car. This should be an invaluable piece of information as a potential buyer!

You should expect a few errors in the SCAN for a car of this age. My personal view is that having errors is good if they are not severe - because they can be used to negotiate down the asking price!!

This forum has a kind-of pimping facility that will introduce members seeking the service with members that own a diagnostic device - see HERE. (don't forget to agree the fee, if any with the other forum member)

Don

[golfage]

golfage: Hi.
This question has been asked a few times in the past on this forum (not so much about a R32- but rather about buying a used VW in general). My suggestion is that you forget about a "R32 specialist" and instead take a local forum member with you that owns a diagnostic device to create a diagnostic SCAN for the car. The SCAN will give you a vehicle health report from the perspective of the modules in the car. This should be an invaluable piece of information as a potential buyer!

You should expect a few errors in the SCAN for a car of this age. My personal view is that having errors is good if they are not severe - because they can be used to negotiate down the asking price!!

This forum has a kind-of pimping facility that will introduce members seeking the service with members that own a diagnostic device - see HERE. (don't forget to agree the fee, if any with the other forum member)

Don

Hi Don

Really appreciate your informative reply.

I'll definitely look into the scanner option as part of the vehicle inspection.

Is it worth investing in one of these scanner tools? If yes, do you have any recommendations?

[DV52]

golfage: Hmm......... OK - purchasing your own diagnostic device is certainly another way of proceeding!! I guess that whether you use this solution really depends on your future intentions - do you expect to diagnose future problems with this car as DIY? Or asked a different way - are you prepared to put-in the time and effort to understand how the tool works? If so, the purchase seems to be worth-while !!

So, if you are intending to purchase a new diagnostic device- I suggest that you opt for one of the better units. Brand names like VCDS (from Ross-Tech), OBDeleven, or Carista come to mind - but there are probably a few more. I won't recommend one over the others because they each have their good and bad points. Plus, decisions about purchasing these type of tools are invariably value based - so it really depends on how you personally value stuff like purchase cost, ongoing price, features, extras etc.!

VCDS has been around for many years - it ain't cheap, and the enthusiast market units (HEXNET) limit the number of different VINs that can be used to either 3, or 10. I'm not sure if this will be a problem in your case. Also, VCDS doesn't currently require a yearly subscription fee for SCANs or module coding - albeit Ross-Tech has just announced that a yearly fee will be levied for coding access to the latest cars built after 2020. VCDS is purely a VAG device - meaning Audi, VW, SEAT and the rest of the related fleet brands

OBDeleven is the new kid on the block and it's more cost effective (IMO, of course). I use OBD11 almost exclusively these days (I also use VCDS too occasionally). The basic OBD11 product will permit SCANs without a yearly fee - but a yearly subscription is required for manually coding modules using the PRO version product. The absolute MUST have requirement for OBD11 is good quality ISP reception at the place of use because OBD11 relies heavily on internet data exchange. OBD11 does not limit VINs and it has One Click Apps that can automatically code modules for those that do not want to learn how to manually code. OBD11 is compatible with both VAG and a wide range of non-VAG car manufacturers

I don't know much about Carista because I've not used it- but a few colleagues on this forum have praised this diagnostic tool.

The trick to buying the correct diagnostic device that suits your purpose is to do the homework. I suggest that you research the websites of the manufacturers above for their offerings. You can always ask questions here if stuff gets confusing!

Don

[beale187]

A few common issues to look for that don't require a scanner.

faulty door lock modules. So either door doesn't lock/unlock consistently, or puddle lights don't come on when the doors are open.
Whistling noise coming valve cover - caused by a failed PCV diaphragm, might see the idle hunting a bit.
Excessive chain rattle - sounds like a can of marbles. If it has this, my advice would be to walk away, it's a big expensive job.
DSG, physically not much you can check here, service history maybe and that it shifts smoothly in both directions.