I've been struggling with what to buy and the car that I keep coming back to is the r32. I know it's not the fastest out there etc, but it's got that german feel im looking for, AWD, the price is right, it can haul stuff, and it seems like it'd be a pretty fun car.

 

Ugly! You are better off getting an EVO for the less or the same
amount of cash. I personally don't like anything about it. It does not
have good 1/4 mile times for the pricing. EVO, STI, S2000, or
2004 TL is what I would rather get with that same amount of cash.

 

i'm not a fan of the evo or sti...i like the s2k but i need AWD. I'm not sure how the TL fits into this picture...i'm really looking for a sporty tossable car...not a front wheel drive luxo car. If i could convert my z to AWD i'd be happier than a pig in shit.

 

Have you seen the numbers for the R32! They are fucking insane plus awd. If I had an extra 10k I'd get one but I've decided to go w/ the 1.8T for easy modding. There's a couple threads on it here and Niteqwill has a few good things to say bout that car. Oh and I hear the aftermarket for the R32 is expensive as shit cuz of limited production.

 

go for it. i like it alot. nicer interior than the evo or sti, more practical kinda than the s2000 and more tossable than the tl. nice car.

 

I guess! If you don't like the EVO or STI. Go for it! I also don't like the
STI, however I would love to own an EVO. R32 = zeroday
GET THAT !

 

Been there done that with the Evo, nice car......quality isn't great and I wouldn't touch a Mitsu at this point (given their current financial situation). Not to mention their service departments are not that great. That car has amazing steering, but you're paying for it in the ride department.

The STi is a great car and they hold their value extremely well, Rally inspired cars are not about being gorgeous vehicles....they are functional machines. Most people at this point seem to favor the STi, especially on BMW boards. There have been several guys that have traded their M3s for them.

Go drive one and you might change your mind, the car got some nice updates for 05 which polished it up a bit.

I like the R32 and have driven it, but its a little pricey for what you get and its a dated body style. They don't look that much different than a standard GTI.

If the resale values turn out to be anything like the 20th anniv. GTIs, I would run not walk.

 

i really like the stylings of the r32, but it is a bit of a pig for the price and weight... coupled with the fact that according to edmunds tmv people are paying slightly over sticker

not a fan of the g35x sedan either... why must you go awd? is fwd out of the question for spirited driving?? a lot of cars seem to be headed in that direction but as far as a large selection they just aren't there yet... beltfed hit the nail on the head about mitsu though... wouldn't go there...

i know a tl/cl future version awd would have me upgrading lightning quick though, if they go through with it... even an accord awd for that matter

 

Like others have said, it's a nice car (saw a blue one close up the other day), but it's about the same weight as the CL with a little less hp. Looks like it's got less interior room then a CL, but since you're moving from a Z, it might not feel to bad...

 

thats the weird thing about the golf/gti/r32 design... i think it has more usable room than the cl...the trunk of the cl is probably bigger, but the hatch ultimately gives you room to hold bigger stuff...

my complaint with the old generation gti was no up front storage and poor cupholders... little things, but matters more in a car that will be a serious daily driver... but they sure did handle on rails for fwd


used to drive my gf's 98 gti vr6 all the time, loved that car

 

A bit small for my taste in the cockpit area but other then that I like the looks of the VW hatchbacks.

 

I heard VW has tons of problems, especially the ones that are built in Mexico.

I heard R32 is going more than $30k since only 5000 are available to the North America. why not get A4 and mod the heck out of it. I have seem A4 1.8T mod murdered e46 M3.

R32 style is dated. IMO, it is not worth the money.

 

thanks guys. i'm gonna knock the r32 off my list. as soon as someone said 'the ones built in mexico' i just had a flashback to my mexico built chevy tahoe nightmare...no thanks...

I may take the STI for a test drive...I dunno...maybe i'll come around...

 

hum.. according to http://www.edmunds.com/new/2004/volk....3.Volkswagen*

R32 is built in Germany.

 

You definitely should (doesn't cost anything)......don't let anyone say its a ghetto cheap rice rocket.

The 05 in the showroom (was at the dealer the other day) had an MSRP of $33,480 (boost gauge, shortshift kit, armrest extention, auto dimming rearview mirror were options on the factory window sticker).

Not too many punk kids are running around with STis.

 

IMO, the r32 looks like a crackrock on wheels, as do all the VW hatchbacks. yea, it'll perform, but looks are more imp. to me. i guess it depends on what you are looking to get from your car

 

are there any good lease deals on them?

 

Not really unfortunately, you really have to buy it......get a 60 or 72 month loan.

Same goes with the R32, you simply have to buy the car.

This is why I mentioned resale values, don't want to get stuck with a fast sinking ship.

Stay away from Balloon notes.

 

my friend traded his STi trunk/wing for a WRX trunk/wing.


looks very clean and it's still obviously an STi.

 

Yeah some people seem to do that, I wouldn't personally but even my buddy who is considering getting one wants to lose the big wing.

 

WRX is pretty good too and especially you can get one for $24k.

WRX does 0-60 in 5.5 seconds, 1/4 miles 14.37 seconds.

Isn't it faster than R32?

http://www.car-videos.com/performanc...sp?id1=3&id2=0

 

I never buy the smaller engine option of any car I buy. It'd have to be the STI if I did it. My Z does 60 in 5.5 and honestly doesn't 'feel' fast..so more oomph is welcome.

 

Not to mention the WRX doesn't hold its value like the STi........so yes the STi costs more but it pays off in the end.

 

Here my opinion for what it's worth:

(I'll mention a lot of experience of my friends cars, but I do have a lot of car nut friends so I have a lot of experience driving and being driven in various cars)

Stay away from the R32. It's an outdated body style, way too much $$ for what you get, and it's slow as shit. There are 2 of them in my area and I raced one the other day. I absolutely killed him from a roll. My good friend has a 1.8T GTi and I have to say the 1.8T performed about the same. After coming from the Z, I wouldn't recommend the R32.

Evo: A good friend of mine from work has an Evo. I drive it quite often and we go AutoX'ing together all the time. I love the Evo but I am not sure I could live with it. It's pretty crappy inside (has the same interior as a Lancer), it's noisy and the ride is rough. But the car has amazing handling and owns in AutoX. I love the car and would pick it as a weekend car. The only other downside is the company. Mitsu is in the crapper right now.

STi: Another good friend of mine has an STi. I also drive it quite often and he also Autocrosses with James and I (Evo owner). The STi's interior is light years ahead of the Evo and better than the Z's. The power is excellent and closer to the Z's - very linear. I compare the Evo's more to the CLS with headers (a lot of turbo lag but a big blast of power as you rev the engine). I was a little disappointed by the handling (it dips a bit too much in turns), but overall it's a great car. Much more livable than the Evo.

Personally, I'd go with a 6-speed TL out of all these choices. 2 of my friends just got them in the 6-speed trim with Navi. It's a suprisingly fun car to drive, extemely comfortable and looks very nice on the outside. Overall I was very impressed.

 

The STi is one hell of a car. If i had the money right now, that is the very car I'd be on the lot buying. It has tons of available power, a nice interior (specially the 05), and hot looking exterior.

But I will disagree with Beltfed about the resale holding so well over all. At least not on the Nasioc forums where guys seem to keep dropping their prices cause no one is bitiing on used STi's.

But, I'm going to say a lot it appears geographical as well. In cali, you cant get one for less then sticker, period, maybe 500 off thats it. Where almost everywhere else it seems you can get them for invoice. So resale in cali is probably holding well.

I don't know, just small observations based on web forums and nothing else

 

The car is hot, but would suck at autoX and its fwd

 

that is exactly what I wanted to say...

 

I agree, but I doubt Zeroday is looking to AutoX his car... I was just thinking that for the $$, it would be one of the cars I'd get.

Anyway, it doesn't matter how good your car's capability is in AutoX. You compete against people in your class anyway if you're stock. I had fun driving anything.

 

It does matter how good it is even in stock classes. But what IS important is that you have fun while doing it.

A car like the TL will get beat by most other cars in stock class cause of the nature of the driving and handling needed.

But with that said, I love the TL a lot, wanted one so bad when they came, kinda still do, but then I got in AutoX and now my mind is always thinking whats better for that

 

You can't go by car forums specific to the car you're trying to sell........same goes with VWVortex for example. Everyone knows you can't sell a car worth a shit on that forum.

People are too cheap and lazy to put their cars on ebay where the real buyers are.

Now, if you go and pay MSRP for an STi....don't complain later the car didn't hold its value. This holds true for most cars, discounts simply eat away some of the initial depreciation hit.

I paid invoice for my car and am in a good position to sell it.


A TL 6pd? Nice ride if you're looking for something with luxury.....but that car has annoying torque steer with the 6spd. I wouldn't get one personally.

 

Agreed, and point made.

and torque steer. a big reason im tired of FWD right now.