tgrundke

Well all, after months of lurking on the forums here, planning to purchase a Nighthawk Black TSX...I have gone astray.

As it turns out, I received a deal that could not be passed up on a new Volkswagen R32 and so, my brief flirtation with the TSX has come to an end. As much as I adore the TSX and recommend it to all, the R32 is such a freakin' blast of a car I could not say no. Please don't hate me!

Cheers to all - enjoy your cars!

dabuda

R32 is nice, how much were u able to get it for?

robert_tsxgeek

TSX, R32 --- apple & oranges

dabuda

Micah476

No way I'd ever buy a VW with their recent maintenance records...hope your's works out better than most.

bbbradley

I saw one the other day when I was driving home from work, looks damn fine to me! If you got a good enough deal don't look back, enjoy the car!

/bill

jlukja

http://www.caranddriver.com/article....rticle_id=8006

SPUDMTN

Oh let go of the whole comparing thing, guys. He didn't even mention comparing the two and so what if he was cross shopping. Congratulate him on the new vehicle...a very cool one, BTW.

Tgrundke--congrats on the hot hatch. Post pictures, please! What color did you get? Any options on it. VW makes some nice cars

TSXforme

The current generations of VW's are probably the most reliable models that you can purchase. The problems that plagued the current generation have pretty well been resolved.

UPSCWRU

I drive a VW for now and haven't heard of the R32. Enlightenment, please? The reason I'm looking at the TSX is because I've hit about the end of my rope with the VW service. I've been driving a VW for four years now (loaded Passat for two, loaded Jetta for two), and although I've never had any problems that left me on the side of the road, every time I bring it in for scheduled service, I have something under warranty for them to look at. And they are just not customer friendly in getting one back to work or informing you how it's going or so many other things. So although my Jetta is paid off and it has another almost two years under warranty, I'm starting to look elsewhere. And have landed for now on the TSX!

TSXforme

The R32 can be considered to be the grand daddy of all golfs. The car comes with a VR 3.2 L, 240hp engine...and it comes with 4motion. Sadly, this vehicle is only available in the US and in Europe.

Zapata

just test drove the r32 on friday night. It was only about 10mins but sales lady wanted me to come out for extended drive.

positives: engine, exhaust note, seats, shifter/clutch, heated seats, heated mirrors

negatives: price, low ride height, must purchase winter tires, buttons have odd placement i thought it was odd placement cosidering it's german vehicle.

Moosecat

Ha ha ha! Stop it! You're killing me!

I'm not sure at what point you think the current generation of VWs went from having serious problems to being "probably the most reliable models that you can purchase," but there are thousands of owners of recently produced VWs who would say VW is nowhere near that point. VW gets high marks on things like initial quality, because everything fits together well and is made of high-quality materials. But they have cut so many mechanical corners (especially in their choice of suppliers and mechanical parts) that problems inevitably arise.

My 2002 Jetta was a mess.

Anyway, even if VW has improved in the extremely recent past (and I haven't seen any evidence of that), it has a LONG ROAD before anyone will accuse it of producing "probably the most reliable models that you can purchase."

SPUDMTN

Pretty sure he meant of the VW generations...in other words, the current VWs are the most reliable VWs built.

TSXforme

Buddy, I was referring to the models within VW. You buy a later generation vehicle of any make and you would see that these cars do not have the same problems that plagued the cars in the early production run.

TSXforme

Moosecat

I see. Never mind then. I have a quick trigger finger when I think someone is saying VWs are reliable -- a trigger finger trained by horrible experiences.

SPUDMTN

Understandable...reliability was why my parents didn't get an A6 Avant. We'd just jumped ship from Volvo and were seriously contemplating an Audi, but went down the Acura road, instead. Now my family proudly drives all japanese vehicles

Perth_Euro

and in Australia

$67000 Ozz plus on roads (about 6.5%)

jcg878

Everybody's happy again :ultraghey:


jcg, who can't type that smiley without laughing

TSXforme

I know...rarely does one read VW and reliable in the same sentence.

Jason

[QUOTE=tgrundke]As it turns out, I received a deal that could not be passed up on a new Volkswagen R32 and so, my brief flirtation with the TSX has come to an end.QUOTE]
I hope you spent less than $25K.

Seriously though, good luck with the car. It's pretty sweet as long as I ain't paying or living with it.

tgrundke

Well, yes, the two vehicles are pretty much Apples and Oranges, but I was in the market for a replacement for my 2000 Jetta VR6 and the TSX was at the top of my list, mainly because I did not think I could afford the R32 at $30,000 + tax. Moreover, I didn't think it was worth $30,000.

However, when I took my Jetta in for scheduled maintenance I saw an R32 in blue on the front line of my VeeDub dealership with a used sticker on the window..."used" being operative with only 1500 miles on the odometer.

So half-jokingly I said to the sales manager, who is a friend, "Why would someone be selling a brand new R32?" He replied, "It's the service manager - he bought it, his wife had a baby and said, 'get rid of it'.". So jokingly I said, "shit, unload it for $25,000 and I'll be a player."

His reply, "No, you're a player at $25,500". I was joking in my offer, but then realized, "crap! this is a great deal!"

And so, I ended up with the R32. After driving it and then going back to test drive the TSX one last time, the TSX was just too tame in comparison. No doubt the TSX is a GREAT vehicle, but the R32 is just balls-to-the-wall freakin' fun, especially with its heavenly exhaust note over 3800 RPM.

So that's how I ended up with it. I was just offered $27,000 for it yesterday when I stopped at the gas station by a fellow who has been completely unable to locate a blue with black leather R32 anywhere and is desperate to get one before they run out. (The R32 is only being produced for MY2004 and 5,000 units total).

I, too am one of those VW owners who has had his fair share of problems with the brand. However, it appears that as of MY2003 Volkswagen *finally* got their act together. Apparently the 2003 and 2004 cars have been pretty much bullet proof. It's just sad that it has taken them almost 6 years to get to that point...ouch! More to the point, the majority of those with issues have been Jetta owners (myself included!), it appears that Golf, GTI, Passat, Touareg and Phaetons have been far better, quality wise.

Wolfman22

Here you go, check this out.
http://www.hpamotorsports.com/r32.htm

R32 Video

TSXfan23

Aren't the Jetta's known as "chick" cars? Even if it was a Gti version, still wouldn't buy a VW. Now, Audi is a different story, love Audi's!

iron_chef

Money aside, I wonder what the % is of TSX people who would have a hard time deciding between TSX & R32 and who actually had considered it before TSX.

IMO, TSX & R32 cater to quite different tastes & lifestyle, one's the traditional German little 2-door beast, the other tuned-up smooth Japanese cruiser. Reliability --- first difference.

gmfreed

I have a friend that is a tech at EIP Tuning. They just finished building up an R32......hit 611 hp to the wheels on the dyno. The car is F-ing sick.

jcg878

8=D ?

rb1

Yup, but the R32 will do 0-60 in 5.8 seconds, despite having only 40 more ponies than the TSX and being 200 lbs heavier:

http://www.roadandtrack.com/assets/d..._panel.pdf.pdf

236 lb-ft @ 2800-3200 RPM


Sweet...

bob shiftright

For the 210hp Subaru Forester XT C/D reported: 60 mph: 5.3, Street start, 5-60 mph: 6.3, Standing 1/4-mile: 13.8 sec @ 97 mph......not just hp and weight and adhesion, gearing has a lot to do with it!

I was attracted to the R32, but, like the VW guy, my wife would probably kill me even before the car did!

PS....you're gonna NEED a radar detector to go with the R32!

http://www.valentine1.com

toddstuh

The R32 is an excellent machine ! While visiting Audi last year this time I got to ride in one..I wouldn't even compare and contrast it with the TSX though. It's more in the WRX Sti domain.
like someone here said...Apples and Oranges...

Good Luck with it though and definately get a V1 Radar Detector !!!!