11:47 Can you provide a source from Volkswagen that indicates timing chains should be replaced at 105K miles on the MKIV Rk32? My understanding is that from Volkswagen's perspective, the timing chain is a lifetime part. We all know this is not true due to the likelihood of the guides and tensioners failing. However, that's not the point. I'd like to know what source from Volkswagen indicates that the chains should be replaced at 105K miles. This is important to me. Thank you. Great video.
@@RedondoBeach2 these is no source it’s word of mouth at what tec say at dealers. This is there recommended since like you said they also know it’s not a life time part.
@@ThreePedalGarage Thank you for clarifying. BTW, my 2004 MKIV GTI, 2.8L VR6 has 143K miles with the original chains still installed. I intend to replace them at 150K along with the original clutch which still works well. I'm the original owner of the car and the only driver. The car has been well cared for and possibly one of the cleanest all original GTI's on the road today. I lack experience with doing big jobs like clutches and timing chains but I'm going to do it on this car. When I do, a lot more will be replaced at the same time: shocks, springs, control arms, sway bar bushings, wheel bearings, engine mount, transmission mount, dog bone mount, all coolant hoses, thermostat housing/sensors, serpentine belt & tensioner, radiator fans, fan control module and maybe more things that I can't think of at the moment. I'll also need to hunt down an oil leak. Critical parts like the chain/tensioners/coolant hoses will be OEM. Some other parts will be OEM+, such as Bilstein B6 heavy duty shocks, Eibach springs and R32 control arm bushings which are supposedly stiffer than what was put into the GTI. Since you have experience with rebuilding the MKIV R32, I would be interested in talking to you about the maintenance I outlined here. Would you be available to talk on the phone?
My Mk5 R32 is now fitted with a RUF supercharger kit and supersprint headers with free flow cats... I didn't want it that much louder. Sounds AMAZING! Sitting at 370hp to all 4 wheels on Bilstein coil overs and aluminum control arms and thicker sway bars front and back, and spark/ignition cut shifting while in sport mode. It is my pride and joy, my forever car. I have plans to buy another R32 and swap everything into my 1990 mk2 Wolfsburg Gti.!
Damn great video man! love all the information and the details about the R32! haven't seen any videos about the R32 in this depth before! keep it up, you should do the GTI next.
Timing chains don’t just snap. What’s gonna happen is the plastic guide rails get worn cause slack and timing can skip a couple teeth and then valves kiss pistons. Any of my fellow r32 guys out there can also use vcds and use a measuring block to give you an idea if it’s still with in tolerances. Nice video by the way 👍. I’m going on 197,000 miles of pure joy in my tornado red. These aren’t the easiest cars to work on but once you learn how to get it in service mode, you can get at things pretty easy and quickly. After all these years I still have a shit eating grin in tunnels and going through under passes. I can’t help but to pin it and let the wookie scream.
Haha yep good point ya the chain would not snap. They would skip like you said. I need to do the VCDS to check my current chain... I have 137,000 miles on my new R32 and just want to make sure it’s all still tight.
I have an R32 too, this car is an absolute beast to drive, im canada mine has been imported from New Jersey, it has been in an accident but well repaired, and now I restored it and its the best car ive ever had, If you guys need some advices about this car I can help, its my second and I had 2 Mk1 Audi TT's ( one TT225 and one 3.2 Dsg ) and they're the same chassis, worked on this a lot 😃
Victoria Vidales thank you for the comment! As you can tell I’m a big R32 fan also. I wish I never sold my old R32 but now I have a new one and I’m building this one to never sell lol
Weve had our for over 10 years. Its been very good. Reliable, practical and held its value really well, which actually makes it quite sensible, in a roundabout way. Unfortunately we have to sell now and we really dont want to but the virus has taken my job. Oh and what a sound it makes from standard. You just dont get bored of that.
Allosaurus Fragilis oh man so sorry to hear that. I wish you the best and hope you find a job soon so you can keep the car. I’m sure you will have no problem selling it
Great overall video and was informative but could definitely use an update on this video with the change in the pricing, market and availability of parts most specifically in the MkIV R32. Also no mention of wookies in the woods etc. be nice to have more info for the ones just jumping into an R32 for the first time. For me I have owned multiple GTI’s but always dreamed of owning the MkIV R32 so finally getting one was one step to it but then finding parts, groups and events was another thing.
Thanks you! Ya video was made two years ago just before prices went crazy. There are a lot of parts available for the MKIV R32 you just need to know where to look. Things that are no longer available are the bumpers the trailing arms and a few other bits. You can get them from a dismantler if need be. I think I mentioned wookies in the woods near the end but I could be wrong lol I’m going to make a update video hopefully in the spring
Great video. You should do one on the 2003 20th Anniversary GTI next. I currently have #2033 of 4000 released in the United States. I love it and one day will have a R32 myself.
I agree it is a fantasist car! I just wish in the US we got the manual option it would have been a such bigger hit here if it did. I’m thinking of getting one as a daily because I love all R32s lol there is nothing like a VR6
Awesome video, appreciate it. THO as someone who knows a lot about R32's here is my input to correct some mistskes made in video and add a little bit more info: 1. Precedessor of r32/r36 is golf 3 with VR6 2.8L engine, fwd, 172ps. The princip of vr6 stayed the same with minor tweaks and 4wd in mk4 and mk5 r32 2. The 4wd system is 95/5 ratio when driven normally (95 power on front, 5 at the back). When front wheels spin as you mentioned, haldex system (mk4 had 1st gen and is the precedessor of 4 motion!) worked its way to put power 50/50 at the wheels. 3. Mk4 R32 was't fully specced in US. Front Xenon lights were not an option in US and it is a big deal in making R32's pop out. 4. The dsg in mk4 r32 is the 1st DSG automatic trans in vw concern. 5. 1st gen mk4 r32s had Sachs chains which were problematic. Later they "updated" them with IWIS later. Chain stretch can be also measured in VCDS. There is probably more useful info but Andrew mentioned most od them. Again, loving every content related to r32s 😍
Thanks bro! Ya I knew I messed up with the mk4 headlights when I was editing the video... I could have gone back but I figure only the true VW guys would know I messed up lol. Thanks for the comment though! More information the better for others
Golf mk3 also had a 2.9 Syncro version with 190 hp, at least in EU it was an option. Wasn't nearly as popular as the FWD 2.8 version with 174 hp, but still every once in a while one or two are being sold.
Glad you mention the exhaust, especially on the 1st generation R. I find it interesting that it never makes anyone's top 10 list of best sounding cars. Hell, they don't even put the Audi 5 cyl on those lists. Must be honda fanboys.
It probably because most of the people that make those list never heard of a R32. Its starting to get more well known now so maybe they will show up more
The rust on the boot is often caused by the failure of the pipe for the rear screen washer in the wiper motor snapping and dumping screen wash into the boot lid
Haaaaaa crazy timing!!! I just found the video where you went to the CHI to get the TR.:R32 30 min ago and left a comment. Then this one pops up. I stand by what I said about bags not belonging on an .:R32 or another drivers car. If your FI like your previous .:R32 but on bags and I'm on coils and N\A I'll run circles wound you canyon carving, at the track and autocross without breaking a sweat. With bags your not putting that FI power down to the ground efficiently. Also your forgot us on the Westcoast. We have Fastivus since 2004 dedicated to the .:R brand. There is the car show and like you said the community is out of this world with support. All kinds of shops are represented down to the shade tree mechanic that will help you. But we also have a track and autocross day.If you look at the King of the Hill and King of the Cross competitions get this. The top cars are the MK4.:R32! On track the MK4 dusts all the other gens even the MK7.:R. When tracked out like my car is the MK4 chassis is the sweet spot for a street legal track car. QBN R32 search him out always wins and he isn't even FI!!! Yup an NA .:R32 beats even FI .:R32s al though he did win the King of the Hill in a Turbo.:R32 one year. I was waiting for the 6 speed manual MK5.:R36. VW messed up royally wanting to go with the DSG cause a VR6 and DSG are not good friends when paired up. As a result sales slowed and the MK4 shot through the roof. I got my baby in 2006 and went to a dealer for a part in 2008. The salesman sees my MK4.:R32 and said "Ill trade you the MK4 for this MK5 right now".... I LOL'd said no chance in hell! Don't forget the Bring a Trailer .:Rs that one went for $44K!!! Oh and only way you get a near 50\50 split on a gen 1 Haldex is with a flash or controller.UM Flash\HPA Haldex suit 53F\47RHPA Competition Haldex (Which I have) 55F\45R full time no disengagement even under breaking. Helps me kill it on track with engine breaking in true Audi Sport Quattro style. Last but not least timing chains do not need to be changed just on mileage. As one said in the comments they only need to be changed if they are stretched and you can scan for that. I had to do mine cause the cam sprocket sheared off a tooth and threw timing off. Its supposed to be a lifetime part but it happened some how.
Oh shit I did forget to mention about track days and time attacks... sorry about that. I know the R32 is a beast of a car and will run circles like you said lol. I’ll check out that guy like you said. What meets do you all have on the west cost? I just mentioned meets that I have been to before so ya never been to the west cost for meets. I was super shocked when I saw that Stock R32 go for $44k but then I thought about it and said well that makes sense it is a rare car and is getting older and hard to find not modified.
On the westcoast we have Fastivus and Big SoCal Euro as the biggest sponsored by VW. Both events are HUGE in the VW world. Fastivus is dedicated to our beloved .:R brand and SoCal Euro is all about the Euro scene but VW always represents.
No worries I made these videos so people can watch them for years to come they shouldn’t really get to outdated. I appreciate the comment and support! I have a few new videos in the pipeline soon
Great content and perfect timing, I just purchased a MKIV R32 with only 25K miles and is in route right now from west to east coast. It's mostly stock than PSS9 coilovers, and a few other minor mods but nothing crazy. I do plan on getting a cat back exhaust at some point and flashing the ECU to get a little more power out if it. I'd like to hear what tuners anyone would recommend out there and why?
oldkid6 damn I’m sure that car wasn’t cheap! Congratulations on the purchase! If you modify it at all keep all the stock parts! The R32 is going up in value and a stock R32 are selling for almost 40k on bring a trailer. But on the other hand yes I do recommend doing an exhaust and for a turn looking a United motorsports. They are the best tuners for R32s out there.
@@ThreePedalGarage No it certainly wasn't cheap and I got on BaT about a month ago. I have been waiting 16 years to get this car and when I saw this one I couldn't pass it up. I know a lot of people think I'm crazy for spending that much money on such and old car when I could have purchased a brand new 2019 Golf R. But I don't want a DSG and I am not looking for just pure HP, I want a driver's car and this one has been on my bucket list since it came out. So, to find one in such pristine condition was just almost unreal. Besides I never plan on selling it, I'm going to enjoy it and also try and keep it in great condition as it won't be my daily driver. This isn't my first VR6, I had a MKIII Jetta VR6 and loved it, I sold back in 2012 and have missed that VR6 growl ever since.
@@ThreePedalGarage the 2008 got it's power train from the audience tt, since the power train was already dot approved which brought the cost down on the R32 for 2018.
$9900 for an R32 in my area, I’ve driven one in the past and I loved it. I can’t justify owning one though since it would be my main vehicle in the northeast..They were underrated horsepower wise if I say so
Also the rust on the fenders is a design flaw. Vw puts a foam piece in between the fender and the rocker. It absorbs moisture and starts to rust from the inside out
Hey sorry I know its been years but do you have any more information on this by any chance? What do people do since the oem part is discontinued? I have this exact issue on mine.
Subbed. I have my modded MK6+ Jetta now but I am shopping for a 17’ golf R. Maybe I’ll get a classic R32 in a few years for my son to learn to work on and we can make it a project.
Interesting video. I'm not into the scene as a I'm 55 year petrol head. I just watched as I fancy a r32. I want something unordinary with some oomph. If I find what I'm after, I may well tweak it it but nothing to like what people show these days. I'm more tarmac rally drive type than slammed.
Incorrect. The European market got the mkIV V6 4Motion in 1999. Very similar in a lot ways to the R32. Same gear box, same (albeit smaller bore and different air intake and ECU) engine, smaller brakes at the front, and a different suspension setup. Plus the all important exhaust and cosmetics inside and out. In fact, all the R32 upgrades are bolt-on compatible with the V6 4Motion, to which some tuners over here complete and rebadge as an R28. Pretty neat, although costly.
24v vr6's didnt have timing chain issues. not saying they wont, but its certainly blown out of proportion because of the older 12v. I have 160k on my r32 on original chain..no rattling at all. runs extremely smooth to this day.
I have been driving VWs since 1972, mostly GTIs bought new. I got one in 1983, 1988, 2004, and 2006. In 1992 I got a Corrado VR6 which I still own. I used to live in a hot place and my Corrado a/c was no longer good enough. The 2004 R32 came out and I said finally a faster VW than my Corrado, I'll go buy one. So I take a test drive and immediately concluded it was too hard core a VW. The engine drone was so loud I couldn't use it for interstate traveling. I always would replace my VW's shocks with higher performance ones, but the R32 was already uncomfortably hard in stock form. So I said order me a 2004 GTI with VR6 and manual transmission. It was a nice car but after 6 months and 6000 miles we were struck by lightning while driving through Mississippi totaling the car. I waited a little while and got a mk5 2006 GTI when they first came out (unpimp your automobile). When the 2007 R32 came out it didn't have a manual so I said forget that. Then the more recent Golf Rs came out but they don't have spare tires and I don't like being stranded so I said forget that. VW just can't figure out how to make an R that I can buy.
drwisdom1 the tire fix is pretty easy. You get the Audi inflatable tire that’s in the s3 and it fits perfectly. Ive personally owned 2 2003 VR6 gtis and 2 R32. I think the R32 and GTi are pretty similar ride, but everyone has different preference.
R32 wasn’t released in NA until April/May of 2004 . Released in Europe in late 2002 as a n ‘03 model and had both DSG and manual . Manual only in the USA . 5000 units for NA . 3500 for USA The remainder went to Canada
only gripe with this video is the looped audio throughout the entire video. 21 mins of the same loop. otherwise good information throughout! thanks for this video
I have a love/hate relationship with this car. It's fun when it works, but the issues mine have just makes me want to sell it ASAP and get a more reliable car. I mean the regular MK4 golf, not the R32 or GTi.
The MK4 R32 had 250 hp. On paper it said 240 hp, But it shared the same exact motor as the MK1 TT 3.2. Volkswagen put on paper 240hp is that they didn’t want to deter Audi buyers. Road and track magazine did 0-60 seconds with the MK4 R32 5.8!! And a fellow member on Vortex did the quarter mile in 13.8 in Naturally Aspirated MK4 R32! Also the US spec MK4 R32 vs the Euro spec R32 had some parts that were not added to the US spec MK4 R32. US spec did not the HID headlights, no 4 door option gray alacantera interior, and the choice of 7 colors. And last but not least DSG. Keep an eye the Haldex Control module and Haldex pump they’re known to go bad.
Yes I know that I took the information from website such as motortrend and road and track They will have different numbers depending where you look but I do agree on the HP figures. And yes I agree there were some differences between the US R32 and the Euro R32. The headlights are a big one I should have mentioned just slipped my mine when I was recording. And the 4door option yes didn’t come to the us but I’m happy it didn’t. I’m not into the 4 door mk4
Acceleration times stated are 0-100km/h, or 0-62mph (!!!!!!!!) which is why it seems slower than other (US mainly, who use imperial measurements) tests. A lot of people neglect this fact. Under six seconds to 60mph is likely, but by 60 you are in 3rd gear with the mkiv VR6 engined (V6 4Motion and R32) gearbox.
Actually it was 2004, not 2002. I bought one new in July of that year. Yeah, fantastic car.. but I now drive the current Mk7.5 Golf R, and it's a better car in every possible way, except for one - the engine sound and exhaust note. Other than that - no comparison. But for 2004, it was an incredible car, for sure.
I’d say go for it! Prices are going up and as long as you have some knowledge the heat is probably the heater core which is a pain to do but for that price and milage there are going to have to be some things to do. Just check timing chains have been done
@@ThreePedalGarageThis car is probably the best driving experience of my life. She’s safe in the garage now. Keep up the great work and content man, I dig it.
Andrew Wenman the concept was the mk3 golf a59 for rally purpose, maybe in the USA the didn't sell it but mk3 had some syncro versions. Sorry for my poor english 😅
KBB's prices are no where near what they are actually selling for. You cannot base anything off of that. My car, I just sold, on KBB was listed as worth $14-$15k and it just sold for $40k. So super low miles and clean R's will sell for a huge premium especially as clean examples are very rare to come by.
jessev12 yes I do agree with you on that. I just bought my new R32 for $5.7k with 130k on it so It really depends on the condition of the car. Low milage R32 are fetching crazy money and the MK4 will have a premium over the MK5. I have two friends trying to sell there R32s with 100k on them and they are asking $11k. It’s been up for a month now and hasn’t sold. I also would consider your car a rare opportunity since there are very few R32s with that low miles so I’m not surprised it sold for that much. If your car is the one from bring a trailer I actually guessed it would sell for $39.5k and everyone thought I was crazy at that price.
@@ThreePedalGarage Yes, I had the recent DBP R that sold on BAT for $39.8k. I also agree that it is rare to come across low mileage R's but they are definitely popping up and it seems like a great time to sell. Like you said, the value will come down to the condition and how clean a car is. I do appreciate the video as it's nice to see there is still a lot of love for the R (especially the Mk4).
I have a question. Is the Audi A3 3.2 Quattro the same as the R32. Is the same power and the same all wheel drive. I'm looking at one. 2007-8 A3 3.2. just wanted to know cause I love the VW R32 but I need a 4-Door car lol...
The absolute best and my dream from been a kid, I’m from the UK I’ve got the MK5 in the black with the DSG box, went for the DSG mainly because I heard the manuals weren’t the most reliable gearbox’s and I absolutely love it. On a side note were I live there is 3 black MK5’s (including mine) 3 DBP mk5’s and a silver MK4 R32T all in the same town I live in 😂😎💰
@@kottyking not my experience one bit. They are firm but my experience with springs and struts is it is always a compromise and it took me a ton of experimentation to get a ride that isn’t bouncy. With Coilovers it was set and forget. Then again I am not using them to slam the car just a 1” or so drop and then used to corner balance.
@@07BSPtC I think part of my issue is I have 18” with a low profile tire. I should have down sized to 17”s and more meat. I’ve tried multiple adjustments and they just ride rough in my car compared to my previous spring strut combo. I have upper and lower adjustable control arms have the car aligned as straight as possible. New upper strut tower bearing and mount. My last try is to get a stiffer mount and see if that helps. It’s awesome on a smooth road though. New adjustable endlinks helped me quite a bit and I think it’s as good as it’s going to get.
Branko-Cube from Serbia First Mk4 4MOTION-red V6-red 2,8L. (204-230ks.) !?! unique sound ,Unique Transmission Manual 6speed !? And after cam Mk4 R32 240ks. Same Unique transmission 6 Speed Manual , And Sound. After Cam Mk5 R32 250ks. same Transmission 6 speed Unique!?! And Sound Unique !?! (Only in Mk4 and Mk5 V6 is Unique Sound And Transmission Manual 6 Speed Unique) !?!
Garren Peters check out HPA motorsports or CTS Turbo. CTS is the cheaper rough and the quality is a little lower. HPA is more expensive but it’s really nice quality.
@@ThreePedalGarage seems the clever thing to do, I'm more of a ain't broke don't fix it type lol , no I'll have to decide if I'm keeping it before spending more soon it, I really do love it and would no doubt regret it so it's probly staying, I'll have to price up this timing chain then lol
LordLorenzo haha ya if the chains aren’t making noice then no need to replace them. If they are... ya just bite the bullet and do it. It will save you a lot more money in the long run.
@@ThreePedalGarage I couldn't tell you what that sounds like tbh, I just searched the sound on youtube and it sounds pretty loud and terrible if you have a bad timing chain so I would assume because my car doesn't sound like that the timing chain is ok ? I hope
Yep I agree with you. I just saw a post on Facebook for a 2004 r32 with 125k on it tornado red with clear coat peel and the guy was asking $25k that is exactly the same condition as my R32 which I bought for $5k. It’s crazy how much they have gone up in price in 4 years.
Bought my '04 GTI VR6 new in '04. Nobody else has driven my car except a mechanic. Like the car and will likely keep it until 2024. Advice to would be buyers of the '04 R32. Do not buy one, no matter how tempting the urge. The '04 R32 was a great car early in its life. Not anymore. Buying one at this point is asking for trouble. There's a high likelihood you will sink as much money into the purchase and restoration of an '04 R32 than what it cost when it was new. The guest speaker in this video is the 9th owner of his particular car. Think about that for a moment. In the 16 years of that particular car's life, it has been sold 9 times. Once ever 1.8 years on average. If the '04 R32 is as desirable as the video states, why would the same car be sold so often? Why would the sellers sell such a supposedly desirable car? Two likely reasons: maintenance issues and maintenance expenses. Unfortunately, the types of people who bought the '04 R32 are part of what I call the "Slow And Furious" crowd. Their cars are slow because they mod the f*#$& out of the cars with poorly engineered mods/installations, and they're furious because the cars are slower and less reliable after the mods. What makes this worse is when sellers cover up issues in order to offload their problems on the next buyer who will have very difficult time trying to figure out some of the complex problems created by the previous owner. Maybe they tinkered with the computer? The transmission? The exhaust? Ripped out the secondary air system? Any one of these is a disastrous nightmare, and it's made worse when you have no clue any of these areas where "modified." Do yourself a favor --- stay far far far away from for sale sign on any R32, especially a 2004. The very best and rarest find will be a car verifiably owned and driven by only one person. Good luck finding that unicorn. Coincidentally, that's precisely the situation with my '04 GTI. BUT my car is a '04 GTI VR6 2.8L 6-speed manual, not an R32. there's a world of difference. I'm content with my car. Would have liked to own the '04 R32 (when it was new) but there's no way I'll buy someone else's R32 problems at this point. Do yourself a big favor. Keep your money. Create a savings account for a new R in the future. Buy a new one directly from VW. Drive it, maintain it in accordance with VW specs, enjoy it, and never, never, never, under any circumstance, ever turn it into a Slow And Furious car. Let your car age into unicorn status.
New Ground the VR6 is the same dementions as a 4 cylinder engine it will fit the engine bay whatever VR6 you can find will work. I would go on Facebook groups and look for VR6 motors for sale or I would look on eBay
Hey man, you need to get your information right. The key of the MK4 R32 was based firstly on the the vr6 engine and yes there was a syncro Mk3 vr6 2.9 version which you can call it the father of the R32 because it was the first VR6 Golf with 4 wheel drive system. It is where the R32 idea came from ! When you want to talk about the R32 heritage you have to talk about the vr6 and the mk3 syncro and you skipped both !
Hey man. If you at watched the whole video I did talk about the VR6 engine with some depth. So please go back and watch the video. Also in the US we never got a MK3 with AWD. Yes I realized after doing some research I missed a mk3 with a VR6 and syncro AWD but The older syncro cars would be just as relevant because they came first and showed the historic progression over time. Without the earlier syncro cars there would never have been the mk3 VR6 syncro. Also these videos are meant to be fun and entertaining. People get information wrong from time to time.
Andrew Wenman I did watch the video from start to end. But the most important part of the r32 is its engine. I think you should have gone more to how the vr6 engine came to be and how it progressed through time to end up in the MK4 R32. Maybe you are new to the vr6 world but the 12v vr6 has alot of heritage and i think it should have taken the bigger portion of the video. Anyway thank you for the video it is fun and nice to watch and thank you for your effort 🤟🏻
961MOTORSPORTS ya I definitely could have done more about the VR6 like you said. I was thinking of doing a more in-depth video on the VR6. Thank you for the comment I appreciate it!
But guys if you fear the clear coat issue theres an easy fix. Rub the whole car down they reapply clear coat ( a few days work) depending if you own a DA. :). Ps you could take all the paint down in a day but who want to rush..? lol why work at 1000% when you can work at 50%
Are you talking about the MK5? The paint code is called united Gray metallic and the MK4 is called reflex silver metallic I only did the color codes for the US market.
Sneeuwwolf took exactly what I’ve seen on Dynos, VWVORTEX and per what Volkswagen spec the car at. So it’s right. Don’t know where your getting your info from.
Bruh motor isn't the right nomenclature its an engine IE combustion engine. IDK why but Americans tend to say motor but you might trigger some Euro's lol.