Bison1379134007 Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 R32 Review You know that feeling of joy before you go pick up a new car? Great isn’t it… Arrived at the VW Dealer in Sheffield to find the beast awaiting me outside their customer reception… First thing that stood out like a bison amongst badgers was the colour! Pictures just don’t do that Blue justice…. It looks awesome. Difficult to put my finger on exactly what was so special about it though… You have to see it to appreciate it! The next thing is the styling on it… not to over the top but it does look mean… it sits very low on those 18” rims and the skirts really finish it off… So got all the paper work of doom out of the way, handed over the suitcase full of 50’s and went to play with the toy… The interior was of ya basic VW golf standard. Not bad but not quite up there with the S3 interior… no piano black wood finish bits in this beauty. There is the odd bit of brushed aluminium that looks ok… nothing special mind. The seats are much sportier than those in the s3… And, as I’ll explain later, do their job very well. However, straight away after playing with them to in the right get driver position you can appreciate the electrically controlled Recaros of the S3. The fact that the head rest on the R32 seats doesn’t move is a tad annoying but I guess its as real sport seats are. Also when letting the baby bullhead into the back the seat caught the roof, bit of a design fault. The fact that move mirrors move when you change the right hand mirror is also a bit random but nothing that really fecked me off. So VW sales geeza on board we take the beast out for a spin… and the joy begins… Turning the key and giving the accelerator a little blip gave me a smile that has only been equalled by activities involving naked bunnies… The sound is fecking awesome… and the way you can hear it burble as you take your foot off the gas and the revs drop is priceless. I have driven other V6’s before but none that gave the note that this little beasty did. Off we went, straight away the things I noticed where how responsive the throttle was and the feeling of absolute precision from the steering wheel. I’d say the steering was slightly lighter than the s3 but a lot more positive and gives a real “in control” feeling of car. Not that the s3 didn’t have that… but this car has the edge. After coming to terms with the accelerator response after a few jerky traffic light starts we hit the open road. As the R32 had only done 10 miles I obviously wasn’t going to rip it open… So taking it steady at about 50 in 5th I applied some gas… It’s a nice feeling having a car that pulls low down the rev range as this beast does accompanied by a pretty loud booming engine note before 2.5K RPM… However, coming up through 3K revs there is the lack of kick you get from the s3 as the turbo gets working. The car was gathering pace effortlessly considering I hadn’t really opened up the throttle but the feeling of accelerating wasn’t really there. But what should I have expected? It’s a naturally aspirated car after all and I didn’t wanna push beyond 4K at these earlier stages but I’m sure most of the power was in that higher RPM range. Ok so not quite as quick as the old s3… but as the corners started I could feel where this car really had the edge! The chassis setup is in a different class from the s3. Highish speed corners on uneven surfaces presented no problem for the H&R/Blistein setup and the car didn’t even offer so much as a bit of body role. It FLEW through corners which gave a sense of confidence in its abilities you just didn’t feel in the s3. The ride is noticeably harder than the s3 but it doesn’t really compromise on comfort. Then when it comes to applying the brakes which again I couldn’t do with great force the car didn’t veer from the line you wanted to take while quickly getting rid of the speed. So dropped the sales type geeza back at the garage and started a very steady journey home… The car cruises nicely on the motorway but again after a while my ass started missing the recaros of joy as the r32 seats, while needed for the cornering abilty, do get a bit butt numbing after a while. But I’m young and it’s a sports car I can deal with it! Good job they are trying to up production of oil out of iraq… coz this thing DRANK petrol on the way home… I got about 23 mpg not driving it hard at all. I can see this car costing me quite a bit in fuel bills. Where as the s3 would drink when you whipped it but be pretty conservative for the rest of the time the R32 only knows how to drink like a bison that’s been chased by a pack of hungry hyenas for the last 30 miles and just found a water hole. Managed to clock a few more miles on it and when I got towards the 450 mark I got a chance to really see what it could do – the north Yorkshire moors was its proving grounds. I have to say even in the s3 of joy I have never completed the journey in the time I did in the R32! It loved it. Its edge definitely isn’t straight line speed, I’d say it was just faster than the standard s3 but not up there with the modified s3 at all… but it would out corner it any day of the week. The 4 pot callipers with the suspension of joy also gave a lot controlled stopping power, which is handy when you come over a hill to find sheep lying the road I’ll tell ya! Ok so I’ll try and wrap up this monster post now… In conclusion: The r32 is a great car. The only fault I have with it is the sound system is TERRIBLE (makes you appreciate Audi/Bose setup) and the interior is already starting to rattle in various places. If you’re looking for a hatch that’s a bit raw with a lot of power and a great chassis setup this is the car. If you need the refinement and styling with a comfort level to match and a straight line speed of joy (chipped) the s3 is the way to go. All in all – very happy…. A definite Bison mobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ari Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 Nice one Bis! Nuffink like picking up your brand spanking new motor from the dealer on day one is there!? Enjoy mate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo-S3 Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 Nice report Bison, especially being honest about a your OWN brand new car, its faults and its good points compared with the S3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bison1379134007 Posted April 22, 2003 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 well its not like i'm on the VW pay roll! i loved the s3... and i love the r32... different cars though! ... the r32 is better. ahahahah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZURES3 Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 Top review Bison, I am glad to hear it is so good to drive. Only minor concerns are. Stereo quality Squeaks already, where are they coming from and ideas ? Seat comfort, just how hard are they. AZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bison1379134007 Posted April 22, 2003 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 the rattle... fecking annoying and i haven't pin pointed it yet... wouldn't mind so much if i ccould really cracnk up the stereo the seats aren't bad at all... much better than other cars i've driven... but they just don't compete with the recaros of joy... its not so much the hardness but the lack of extendable leg support and a head rest you can bring closer to your head... not bad though... oh unless you have a really wide ass then i imagin you might have an issue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZURES3 Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 [ QUOTE ] its not so much the hardness but the lack of extendable leg support and a head rest you can bring closer to your head... not bad though... oh unless you have a really wide ass then i imagin you might have an issue [/ QUOTE ] Sounds like a dodgy line from a porno . My misses weighs 8.5 stone and I am a mere 12 stoner so seats should cause no issues Just the dodgy stereo to sort out . AZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyD Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 [ QUOTE ] the rattle... fecking annoying and i haven't pin pointed it yet... [/ QUOTE ] Bison, I bet if you listen closely enough you'll find that your cup holders rattle inside the dash !!!! And if they don't....... they will do soon, trust me! Let us know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo-S3 Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 8 1/2 stone AZ ??? Thats Kylie Minogue weight !! is she tiny ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo-S3 Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 Bison, would you say overall that the s3 is put together better than ur R32 ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZURES3 Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 [ QUOTE ] 8 1/2 stone AZ ??? Thats Kylie Minogue weight !! is she tiny ?? [/ QUOTE ] As I have said before, in another post, her body is very similar to Kylies but with very slightly bigger jugs. She is 22 and mmmmm loveley. Not sure what she is doing with an ugly 31 year old c**t like me though We are getting married in 11 weeks Anyway back to the cars I am getting all excited. AZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo-S3 Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 Jeez !! do u realise that when u were at a ripe old age of 21 she was only 12 years old !!! Give that some thought then !! Cradle snatcher !! ( other words do come to mind ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZURES3 Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 Call me what you like but I am a happy man AZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo-S3 Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 and a happy man !! Jammy barsteward !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bison1379134007 Posted April 22, 2003 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 [ QUOTE ] Bison, would you say overall that the s3 is put together better than ur R32 ?? [/ QUOTE ] depends what you mean by put together? the quality of the interior? yes the audi is better... looks better and has a more expensive feel. But my audi rattled too In terms of put togther as a hot hatch package... no! now i have played with an r32 you can really see the downfall of the s3 susspention and brake setup.. but again, downfall only if your interested in something that handles well at speed! in a way the ultimate would be a turbo v6 engine (2.7t would do), chassis setup of the r32 (or better!) and the component quality of the audi. That would be a joyous motor! lets hope the new rs3 doesn't dissapoint! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo-S3 Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 Well judging by the delay for the RS3 after the standard A3 has been through its teething problems i hope Audi get it right !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bison1379134007 Posted April 22, 2003 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 i wonder how you get that job? ya know the guy who decides what bits go in the car and whether its gonna fit in with what the market wants... it be my fricking dream job... well after being jenifer lopez' nipple hardener Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chins Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 I'd pretty much go along with Bison's review. After coming from two S3's myself, one chipped. The R32 does need some miles to losen up, so comparing a well run in S3 vs an R32 is a bit difficult. In the end the R32 can miss some of the puch in the back of a chipped S3, but it has better low down pull than a std car. This baby will sit at 30 in 6th without a whisper of complaint. The linear acceleration is deceptive. Its a faster car than a std S3, but the chipped S3 will be quicker. However AMD offer the R32 in 270bhp mode now, so my guess is it will be very even. The chasis is a world ahead of the S3. But with some tweaking, I would of thought the S3 could be made to compete. However the noise that accompanies the driving experience will never be matched by the S3. As a package the R32 is a whole lot better than the S3. BUT Ive said before this all bodes well for the new S3 Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ER785 Posted April 23, 2003 Report Share Posted April 23, 2003 Having seen the R32 in flesh My comments compared to my S3 - The dash on R32 is not well constructed compared to Audi - The dials on R32 in blue rules - Aluminium finish is quite good - Konig seats far superior than recaros. Shame no electric adjustments though. The leather on R32 seems to be a tougher hide than S3 - Overall construction good but not as good as Audi - Standard brake calipers in blue looks aweful, like a DIY job. VW should have used the brakes on Cupra R. For that price they ought to be Brembo standard!! Though the current set up is front RS4 should be pretty good - Open the bonnet and S3 owners know what they are missing. Fecking awesome engine architecture!! Turn on the throttle and S3 owners know they are a sewing machine and not a engine. Shame there was no test drive as Hong Kong has only been allocated 5 R32 at 35,000 pounds its not cheap. A E46 used M3 is selling at 40,000. - Gear shirt in r32 seems to be shorter than S3, clutch seems lighter also Well as my S3 is still new, will chip it and have a year to 2 more fun. BUT r32 is a MEAN MACHINE Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdt Posted April 23, 2003 Report Share Posted April 23, 2003 Nice review Bison. I have driven a couple of S3s so it is a very helpful comparison. In particular, I'm pleased that its handling is better than the S3. The S3 is competent, but somehow lacks the fluidity of the Subaru Impreza. If the R32 comes close to the Sooby, I will be a happy man. Take care of that lovely girl you're about to marry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bison1379134007 Posted April 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2003 ahahaha the one im about to marry? which ones that? mate i'd definatly say go for a ride in an r32... you'll be impressed compared to the s3... havn't driven a newish style scooby so i cant comment on that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted April 23, 2003 Report Share Posted April 23, 2003 How do you cope with the performance? Don't you find it frustrating? //running for cover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woppum Posted April 23, 2003 Report Share Posted April 23, 2003 GREAT REVIEW MATE: Bison, if there is anything that could be improved on the car what would it be, what is it missing that could make it a better car and do you think a turbo upgrade on it would be worth the money? On top of that do you think the chassie could cope with any more power? Sorry bout all the questions mate it is just that i have so many. I have now been waiting for my car for about 4.5 months and my build date set for week 22 which is weeks away, now if that all goes to plan add another month for building and delivery and that works out just over 2 more months. Sorry i keep telling you all this it is just that i need to share my pain. I have never even got to test drive it, but i know that it is the car for me. I just hope i can afford to fund its drinking problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bison1379134007 Posted April 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2003 [ QUOTE ] How do you cope with the performance? Don't you find it frustrating? //running for cover [/ QUOTE ] ahahhah not yet... but im sure i will... thing is its not THAT much slower than the s3... it just feels like it is... needs to be driven differently... like in the s3 i could get 80-100 in sixth in about 5-6 seconds... the r32 can do it but it needs to be in 4th... at least it corners and stops well! and yeah wopster... it could cope with more power quite easily... but im not going down the 270bhp road just yet.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serpent3 Posted April 24, 2003 Report Share Posted April 24, 2003 Bison, I have a std 165kW S3 and am toying with the idea of putting deposit on R32 (AU$5K to secure a test drive!) because: * whilst I love the turbo rush of the S3 (at the top end of the rev range), I find that it's really fecking annoying to drive at low revs ... like in 2nd, round a slow corner, put foot down ... NOTHING until the car remembers it has a turbo ... I hate that. * the S3 is just too damn quiet, both engine and exhaust ... I've tried MTM cat-back, now have Remus rear muffler neither sound any different to the pathetic standard thin raspy exhaust note. * I actually don't find the S3 Recaros so good you know ... I find they're way too high even at lowest setting (TT better here) - I like to sit low in the car, not like I'm perched on a stool - and they're too lumpy in funny places. Tell me: can you sit lower in the R32 Konigs than the S3 Recaros? Also, I get a sore back unless have nice hard supportive seats, are they firm with good lumbar support? * is it true to say that the power delivery is sort-of the opposite to the S3? i.e. S3 nothing then everything if you wait; R32 everything from the beginning then plateaus unexcitedly? * I just drove a Nissan 350Z the other day (bit bigger engine 3.5 V6, 206kW) to see if I'd like that sort of engine - felt like a big V8 down low - and very capapble, but the power did seem to plateau after the initial rush ... or is it that I'm just used to the S3 turbo? * bad stereo ... how bad is bad? is it as bad as the BMW "Business" standard stereo in, say, 325Ci ? is it that you just can't be a rolling night-club, or is it crap even at low volume? Look forward to hearing your comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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