I love the sound that those R32’s make. I can understand people preferring a manual gearbox over a dsg for the pure driving experience. However, once you’ve truly learned and mastered a dsg gearbox, in my opinion there’s no going back to a manual. You can have the best of both worlds, let it do it for you, or do it yourself with the paddles. You’ve had a lot of fun over there in Germany by the look of it. I missed you this morning by the way when I collected something from your house. You need to make more room on your driveway if you want an R32. 👍
Yes Germany was fun but the view counts on these videos make me wish I'd just stayed in bed, still it was an experience driving that car and it turned a lot of heads from the race goers so it's still got it. Small world, sorry I missed you. I had to collect a car from Solihull which I wasn't expecting to do then down to Bicester Heritage to film the silver R32, them home to edit and upload for 1730 so I hope that was a good excuse. Not being able to store and older car properly is part of the reason I haven't bought one but one day! I totally agree re the 7 speed DQ381, I don't feel I am missing much with that 'box is my Mk8 Clubsport or TCR
I think in Germany and autobahn dsg and auto are maybe better since you drive long distances and don't shift as often. I love manuals but a nice tuned dsg is also fun
I’ve had two DSG golfs, a mk7.5 R and TCR. I now own two low mileage R32’s, a mk4 and mk5. Both manuals. I much prefer these to the DSG and the same old 4 pot turbos
Absolutely loved this review, I’m a big golf fan and the mk4 mk5 R32s are my favourite. When I was in my early 20s I loved the mk5 gti then when they came out with the mk5 R32 I said to my wife I want that car but could not afford it. Now 43 I own my Mk5 R32 and it my pride and joy. Thank you Andrew as always love Volkswizard Vdub:)
Yes indeed, not crazy fast but with all these speed cameras etc charisma over speed is definitely the way to go (which is part of the problems with EVs...)
So one of the things about the DSG and the 3.2L VR6 is that VW actually had to slow the shifts down. Why? Because the engine isn't direct injection so they couldn't cut spark fast enough. For the US market cars where we got it in the A3 and the Mk5 R32 which was only DSG in the US they were actually burning up catalytic converters in testing all in the name of make the shifts as fast as possible. They never got it exactly right or fast enough which is why for the R32, manual was the way to go.
@@volkswizard Not a problem. Great video on the car!! Keep up the great content!!! FYI.. I'm still an original owner of a 2004 R32 here in the States. Other oddity is that in the US, we got the larger throttle body than the EU cars. The same one that was put on the A3 3.2 which was rated at "250hp." There is a noticeable difference in size between the two with the US cars having the larger one.. thankfully.
Interesting, so does the R36 with its direct injection cut spark during shifts? I don't think modern golf Rs do as you can still hear the ignition retard fart noise when shifting.
@@ossiebalboa5617 So with the R36... so I'm told they were able to improve the shift times over the 3.2 non-FSI motor. With modern 2.T's they do cut fuel/spark which leads to the DSG-fart noise. That precise level of fuel measuring in the DI motors is in part how they can take advantage of the duel clutch insane shift times. Either way.. it's a sad day as the VR6 isn't being built anymore even over here in the States we can't get it in any form and they stopped producing the 2.5L Turbo Vr6 in China as well.
@ossiebalboa5617 my r36 dsg farts like crazy really deep with alot of bass people always turn their head when it parts they just feel it as it goes past and the rumble from that vr6 is so nice. Not gonna lie the dsg farts on the r36 sound way better than modern day golf rs
I will never get tired of these. Would love to own one someday. I have a Polo GTI with the EA888 engine from 2016, and it’s very nice. But like you say. Not a patch on the engine in the R32 for charisma and charm. Having said that I’ve never driven one. It’s just the noise that gets me. And i think the MK4 R32 has aged really well design wise.
Couldn't agree more Dan. The EA888 in the Polo GTI is still a great engine and can sound OK with some mods (induction mainly). I reckon you Polo GTI is probably as quick as that R32 especially in the real world where the EA888 mid-range torque will come into play. A lot better on fuel too :)
I owned a polo gti at the same time as my r32 and driving experience is completely different between the two I think you’d love the feeling of the r32 but you’ll be disappointed if you want a super quick motor 👍gti felt quicker but not as fun to drive noise alone from the r32 kills the gti for attention and fun. Do miss my gti tho wish I had kept it but didn’t drive it often once the r32 came along
@@thehandygamer4114 yeah I get what you mean. I’m enjoying a quicker car. As my previous two cars have been a 1.0L VW up and then a MK4 Golf GTI with a weak 115bhp. It was a lovely car though. I can imagine with the VR6 it would feel quite a bit more special. Lots of cars these days are a bit souless. My Polo GTI is fun but you really feel like you can’t really stretch its legs in this country. You get to the speed limit so quickly.
Love the '04 R32. I don't have the DSG, but bought the manual version in '05 for around $28K. Don't drive it as much anymore, but have not had a single mechanical problem with over 130K miles logged.
Wow! The manual is deffo the one for reliability as it's just big bits of metal, the DSG mechatronics module is full of very sensitive electronics and is located in an exposed area of the car though VW cracked reliability with the later ones but nothing lasts forever :)
It was, very much so. Even the M3 CSL had a shitty auto box back then. It added performance reducing 0-62 time and reduced emissions/fuel consumption, the latter being the main driver for it as it could shuffle up the gears really quickly which would help in the emissions test. All very good until it goes wrong which those early ones did all the time (in TT 3.2)
I have owned my Mk4 R32 from when it was a just over a year old and converted from manual to DSG nearly 10 years ago because supercharger. The DSG has made it easier to drive and exploit the extra grunt from the supercharger. But….. I miss the manual, it was more fun. Mine has the light grey interior with the light grey Alcantara Koeing seats which I think was a rare option (prefer them to the leather) as I have yet to see another R32 with the same interior as mine.
I thought I would never own a fast Golf but I now own a 2018 R estate and really happy with it. If i could afford two cars I would own one of these, the look and sound are amazing.
I love the DSG Gear Box. Ther is now way anyone can convince me otherwise. I am an Volkswagen and car in general enthusiast, so i do not care what so many people are promoting all over the internet that you're only an enthusiast if you drive and love an manual car. I could go on all day but I'll just stop here. Cuz it's fine if other people think otherwise.
I totally agree Christian, there is a lot of crap talked about manual gearboxes, especially the gated manual in the Audi R8 which Clarkson (rightly) described as like operating the points in a Victorian signal box! I've got 3 manuals and 2 autos (1 twin clutch and 8 speed ZF torque convertor) and it's nice to have the variety but as for which I prefer, it all depends on the car and the drive.
same, i got a mk7 R DSG, i wouldnt have entertained the idea of buying a manual transmission one, its a big part of what makes the car so good imo and what separates it from most other hot hatches
The first Gen DSG wasn’t greatly refined as far as I remember, so we probably didn’t miss out too much, my manual version (the same spec as Rob’s) was superb. 👌
DSG box was very popular on Oz so not sure why not a UK option as we are both RHD. Really this model took sales in Oz to new levels with 65 on sale here now second hand fetching up to AUD 50k for pristine example 🏎🎯
My mate had one of these when they came out, his was silver with a light grey interior, not what I would have chose but he liked it. It was rapid, especially compared to what everyone else was driving at the time.
Not to far in the future the Mk4 R32 will be the most collectable golf to be made - a low mileage one is worth just as much if not more as a 997.1 with the same mileage but the R32 is rarer. It will give everything you want with classic vw but with aircon and comfort. Hits the classic collectable spectrum of high demand , low production, not many good ones left.
It’s different to the Corrado, even though it’s not much older its roots go back to the Mk2 Golf and it’s verging on a traditional classic as a result. The R32 is a much more modern car with 24v engine for more torque than old 12v VR6. I think you’d get a better car for your cash with an R32 but it’s not really a cool classic yet like the Corrado. To drive I prefer the Corrado but only if it’s a manual 😅
@@volkswizard thanks I'll keep onto my corrado for a bit longer than . It's just the parts prices with the corrado that's the stickler . I should try an r32 though ..
Good point re price with DSG. I recall they were around £22k and V6 4mo was £20k so it seemed value hence why they upped the numbers imported significantly from original 750 I think and also brought over 5 door and load more colours
What you realise in R32 form is how wide the wheel arches are on all Golf4, less obvious without beefy bumpers and sills. Probably not good for drag and therefore emissions so 5/6 smoother but 7 is quite curvy too
The 8P A3 3.2 DSG was the equivalent of the Mk5 Golf R32 rather than the Mk4. Great car, very low profile compared to R32 but identical mechanically and a nicer interior.
Thanks, just a shame so few people watch it but those who do really enjoy it so that's good. I guess it's a bit niche which is fine as I've never wanted to appeal to the mainstream but I just wish these got a few more views.
It wasn't perfect but it wasn't that bad. However nearly all TT 3.2 DSGs will have needed a costly mechatronics module by now so it's possible that R32's DSG wasn't very well.
V660 HAC? I bought a couple of green Boras, one was a grey import but both came from Listers of Stratford. Might have been another though as dim and distant past now :)
@@volkswizard couldn’t tell you the full reg. Green V plate Bora with full black leather interior. I bought it from the car auction in Redditch and used it for a while then I sold it on to you. I was about 19 at the time and used to come up quite often and look around admiring all the cars you and Les had in. I had a corrado g60 and various mk3 golfs. Eventually getting a blackberry vr6 3 door and I remember you owned at least one yourself. My last Vw was a mk5 R32 3 door and always regret not getting the mk4. Funny all these years later I follow you on RU-vid and we’re both 718 owners. Do enjoy your road trip vlogs, inspiring me do it myself at some point.
was it low mileage 5 door? i knew a guy who owned a mint low miles mk4 R32 in tornado red with a milltek, he owned it for years but since he retired ive seen it for sale twice in last few years
@@butchmeister80 its not the one then, his was 5 door its only done about 24k miles upto this point, saw it for sale a few weeks ago but looks like it sold real quick, thought it might have been yours with them being pretty rare in that colour and with the milltek 😄
Try and find a well specced 4motion and even if you do it has wood trim 🙀 But I can confirm R32 is not much faster than a V6 4mo, the reason I am standing next to one in 2002 is because Neil Birkitt from VW Driver mag came to see me in that press car as he wanted to burn the fuel it came with so he could fill with v power as it wasn’t recording a 0-60 time much faster than a V6 4motion.
@@volkswizard I quite like the wood trim 🤣.. i had a lovely one in anthracite had to sell it as boot wasn’t big enough with new born.. however my dad had one of the first indiago blue grey recaros sunroof xenon’s etc it’s still registered just not on the road, x221bfp
