2008 Polo GTi > 2004 Golf 4 R32

[End User]

So, I've had the Pog (chipped, strut brace, sway bar, short shifter) for about 18 months now, and although I still believe it's the best car in it's segment by a long shot, I'm starting to get itchy feet. After stumbling on some youtube clips, I've taken an interest in the Mk4 R32's.
6-Speed Manual, four wheel drive, V6, 177kw, awesome sounding exhaust, circa $30k.

Have any of you guys driven one of these? Would you consider it a upgrade or a downgrade from the Polo?

Keen to hear some opinions, biased or otherwise

[Buller_Scott]

they're sick.

i've never driven one, but spent plenty of time driving with pauld in the hills.

the thing looks so good standing still - aesthetically, it's way tougher than the mk5 r32 or golf r.

when we go for fangs in the hills with paul, it's funny - people always seem to fight to get in behind him, because the note that comes from that engine is just sublime, the exhaust sounds all metallic and throaty, it's so frigging nice to be driving behind it with the windows down, taking in the sound (and im not even the kind of person that really cares what a car sounds like).

if you can get yourself a well cared for car that's got all the right paperwork, you'll only be buying yourself a truly classic, iconic example of motoring beauty.

maybe shoot pauld a pm, because he used to have a polo gti before he got his r32, too. he might be able to highlight some of the factors he had to consider before purchasing, and any good points / bad points when comparing the two cars.

[vwthunder]

Yeah I like the R32, its a great looking car and sounds absolutley horn.

It is probably slower and a chipped polo due to its weight. I had a golf VR6 before my polo, totally different car, the engine is as smooth as silk and the car was very smooth and quiet to drive, compared to the polo which is noisy and many rattles.

I know there is a lot you can do handling wise on the R32, as trying to get decent power out of it will cost you $$$.

You know with the addiction I have had with my polo, I would love to have a R32, but it would have to be turbo charged, oh and they are quite thirsty too

[kaanage]

I love the MkIV R32 - it looks the business, even when totally stock and it sounds FABULOUS (I'm the one who muscles in behind pauld's on cruises, whenever possible). Their build quality is probably better than any Polo, too.

Pauld's is quite loud inside, though, but it the Milltek exhaust probably has a lot to do with this.

As far as speed goes, his R32 was 6 seconds a lap quicker than my Polo at the Island and 5 seconds quicker at Winton - on a racetrack, that's an eternity.

[kangfu]

I think it depends on how much the price difference means to you. I would love one, but i love the $10k i dont need to spend to buy one more

[leitch]

The Mk4 .:R is an awesome awesome car. Especially if you can get one sub 100,000km. I've had a fair bit of fun driving around in Drewr's R32 with full Milltek non-res catback (which will make you lose your **** everytime you touch the accelerator), KWs and some other handling goodies.

It's a super fun car to drive, in the "make loads of noise and go pretty fast" sense, but in it's current incarnation its really no faster than my Pog - certainly the on-boost torque:weight ratio of the Polo is a big advantage over the Mk4 which carries quite a weight penalty. I'm surprised to hear the tale of 5 and 6 second deficits on the track between an R32 and a worked Polo - I can only assume the Mk4 has had some head/cam work or similar, or just that the driver in the R32 was better than the driver of the Polo.

One thing I will say, though, is... those leather buckets are sooooooooo good in comparison to the Polo seats. Likewise the steering wheel.

[Buller_Scott]

leitch, the worked polo is an oiler, and if i'm right it was running a "fast road / torque" map, as opposed to a track map (although i think kaanage has a track map in his handset as well).

p.s. do you have a clio as well?

[instigator]

cool car, no doubt about that,

but it's 4 years older... so it is automaticly a downgrade to a 2008 polo GTI.
it's a sporty car but they are not fast at all
my stock polo was about as fast as a R32 MKV so i guess it would be the same to a MK4.
let alone stand when you have a tuned one

apart from that, fuell consumtion is higher as a polo also.
insurance etc also higher, and for what? for going slower?
don't get me wrong here, it's a great car and all but when you come from a newer polo GTI, i think you better stay with the GTI...

my 2 cents

[schoona]

Because polo gti's you buy for serious fast ^ :p

Fuel economy, on my work run I usually get low 9s/100

Insurance, I'm 21 and just dropped from 2.2k a year to 1.2k for next years policy.

Noise, I have full milltek, headers and cats aswell, non-res. Loud (no really, loud) when you want it to be and I find it's not bad in the cabin.

Pace wise, until you line them up side by side don't write the mk4 off. I haven't played with a pog but relative to other things I have, be curious to see how they go.

I have a mate with a 2jz Na supra with headwork, raised comp, 280deg cams, standalone management and 180 rwkw. Straight line is pretty even, he nails me on corners but in standard suspension.
Reasonably even with a tuned + exhaust classic Rex aswell.

Mine has been tracked, but I wanted blue and without going to Perth or buying an sc one, this was it. Had dramas which are exxy, but you're in the modified car game, suck it up.

Hth

[schoona]

By the logic of older cars
Being a downgrade, would you say an e30 m3 or an r32 gtr is a downgrade? I think not.

[DeanB]

By the logic of older cars
Being a downgrade, would you say an e30 m3 or an r32 gtr is a downgrade? I think not.

The R32GTR is a downgrade in quality, bank balance and credibilty - if you choose to join the rice brigade.

[GoLfMan]

The R32GTR is a downgrade in quality, bank balance and credibilty - if you choose to join the rice brigade.

negative there ghostrider. I'd have one over a Polo GTI any day of the week. The GTR is a true classic!

Man sell the Polo and get the mk4 R. The mk4 arguably had the best build quality in recent years, that engine and driveline is just so dam nice, who cares if its slower. That exhaust note makes up for any shortcomings!

Ask Paul, he did the same swap you're thinking about and hasn't looked back.

I'll be buying one once I finish uni, no questions!

[Buller_Scott]

The R32GTR is a downgrade in quality, bank balance and credibilty - if you choose to join the rice brigade.

this is what i mean when i say the term "JDM" is bandied about WAY too much in aus. if people you know in the "fastnfuriouswasOKDM" scene propagate the idea in any way that an R32 GTR is a downgrade, then that really goes to show that in spite of their pride in their "volk reps on an s13 that's wound down so low the control arms are now stupidly pointing upwards", they havent got a clue.

The GTR is a true classic!

bingo. and at least whilst i was living there (which included seeing the later iterations of the R34 GTR such as the v spec nur etc, iirc), there may have been faster cars, more capable cars, but in japan where tuning a car for ridiculous gains is so easy, cheap, and a breeze to access all the hardware and software needed, it's not all about who has 5.2 horsepower more than who.

it's about what a car has done to peoples emotions, inspirations... the journey that a car has forged over the course of its production life. the value that the car holds to a nationalistic group of people when they say "this is from us, and it's our pride and joy, the best effort we could possibly make".

sounds cheesy, i know, but for that, as far as i could tell when i lived there, the R32GTR is one of the most respected of them all, IN JAPAN (once again, seemingly completely different to the "asinglemovieleadtomeimportingaGreyDM" scene here, apparently).

back OT. been thinking about it / researching the mk4 r32 even more? what thoughts / apprehensions etc you thinkin?

[philthy]

Mk4 R32 is a great looking and sounding car. Treza360's R32 was beautiful (before it went to VW heaven)

Worth remembering that they were a 60k car new, and getting on a bit so be prepared to lay out a few $$ for maintenance.

[tomtom_r32]

I'm a current MK4 R32 owner that has come from a R32 GTR.

The GTR is an iconic car which was ahead of its time back in the 90s.

The sleek/aggressive look of the GTR, the phat guards, the sound of the bulletproof RB26DETT was a bliss and not to mention running 10inch wheels in the rear without issues.

I wouldn’t classify the R32 GTR being in the rice category. To be honest I see more mature enthusiasts driving them. Such a collectable machine.

After owning the GTR for a few years, I was in the market for a car that is more new and that had a balance of everything, that's when I researched and concluded on a MK4 R32.

I knew that the MK4 r32 wasn’t a super fast car. But it has a lot of go when you need it without making a scene nor attracting the wrong attention from the blue heelers.

I would sum up the MK4 R32 as a well packaged pocket rocket, comfortable seats, exhaust note is the sound of music and the exterior has a phat stance once accompanied with some nice wheels and coilovers.

The 2 things I found beneficial in terms on modifying was a tune and a good set of coilovers.

The thing I dislike is the bolt patterns (5x100) with limited choices of wheelss!!

Sure it's heavy, its a 4wd and packed with options which justifies the premium back in the days.

To be able to drive a rare car which you wouldn't see everyday or maybe once in a blue moon makes it feel that extra special owning one.

I haven't driven a Polo GTi but been told countless times that are quick due to it being lighter and plenty of play for the 1.8t
Only downgrade I see with Polo to the R32 would be the year difference. Obviously both cars are in different classes.

I wouldn't mind owning a R32 GTR again or a Polo GTI. All I can say is im a happy Mk4 R32 owner and will be for years to come.... one hopes!!!

To the OT, take a R32 for a drive and you can make your judgement!! If your around I'll be happy to take you for a spin!!

Sorry for my life long story LOL!!