R32 ownership costs
Discussion
I have a Mk IV R32 that I bought in Feb 2005.
The most expensive thing is fuel! Expect 28mpg on long motorway jounrneys, but...
It's a 241hp 3.2 litre beast! Your right foot just keeps getting heavier, so expect 22 - 23 mpg or less if you are really having fun
16 mpg on a track day!
Insurance - it is group 18, so don't expect it to be cheap. I pay Elephant £520 guaranteed NCB with a few mods (Milltek exhaust, Haldex PP controller & uprated brakes).
Tyres are about £150 each for Michelin PS2s.
Last major service cost £295 for a 40k service - Haldex oil & filter, engine oil & filter, plugs & air filter.
Does it come with any warranty? If so, check that the cooling fans don't pulse when the climate control is on at idle. The resistors tend to burn out & new fan units are circa £500 each. Leave them for long, the fans will sh1t themselves & you will cook the engine.
Also check for worn strut mounts & 6463 ECU software update, plus the usual VAG MAF sensor faults.
Tyresmoke have a big R32 forum, so have a look there for more details.
BUY IT! You won't be disappointed but you might want to buy shares in Shell, BP etc too.
The most expensive thing is fuel! Expect 28mpg on long motorway jounrneys, but...
It's a 241hp 3.2 litre beast! Your right foot just keeps getting heavier, so expect 22 - 23 mpg or less if you are really having fun
16 mpg on a track day! Insurance - it is group 18, so don't expect it to be cheap. I pay Elephant £520 guaranteed NCB with a few mods (Milltek exhaust, Haldex PP controller & uprated brakes).
Tyres are about £150 each for Michelin PS2s.
Last major service cost £295 for a 40k service - Haldex oil & filter, engine oil & filter, plugs & air filter.
Does it come with any warranty? If so, check that the cooling fans don't pulse when the climate control is on at idle. The resistors tend to burn out & new fan units are circa £500 each. Leave them for long, the fans will sh1t themselves & you will cook the engine.
Also check for worn strut mounts & 6463 ECU software update, plus the usual VAG MAF sensor faults.
Tyresmoke have a big R32 forum, so have a look there for more details.
BUY IT! You won't be disappointed but you might want to buy shares in Shell, BP etc too.
Edited by brisel on Friday 12th January 16:34
I picked up my new MK5 R32 last Saturday, haven’t driven a great deal yet as relocating from Switzerland back to UK over coming weeks but I've always faced a Golf. I wanted something a little cheaper due to buying a new house but having had previously a new Tuscan S and M3 over last 5 years, it would be very easy to try and compare. From what I have seen so far, I love it, it has everything you would want in my view (mine came with every extra there is, including DSG).
Without wanting to create a 'buy racer' look, is there any other extras I should look to do, ie exhaust? Don't think anything can compare to the carbon cans on the Tuscan
and the R32 already has a nice noise.
Alan.
Without wanting to create a 'buy racer' look, is there any other extras I should look to do, ie exhaust? Don't think anything can compare to the carbon cans on the Tuscan
and the R32 already has a nice noise. Alan.
Edited by Alf Essex on Saturday 13th January 09:48
Hi Tonsko,
I agree with Brisel - BUY IT! You won't be disappointed. I bought my '04 Mark IV R32 in March and have thoroughly enjoyed it. I've owned lots of cars in the past - including my dream car (996 C4), but to be honest this is the best all round car I've ever owned.
Ownership costs are well detailed by Brisel in his detailed mail. I'm getting around 25 m.p.g. on my daily commute, last service (annual inspection + oil change) came in at a reasonable £158 from main dealer. Insurance was ~£320 from Elephant for fully comp protected NCB!
One thing - make sure you upgrade to the Milltek Sports exhaust - it will totally cure the 50-60 mp.h. drone that the standard exhaust system makes... I lasted about a month before I changed... the sound is much more refined (quieter!!!) at motorway speeds, but you get a great noise when pushing on with the loud pedal!
Enjoy!
I agree with Brisel - BUY IT! You won't be disappointed. I bought my '04 Mark IV R32 in March and have thoroughly enjoyed it. I've owned lots of cars in the past - including my dream car (996 C4), but to be honest this is the best all round car I've ever owned.
Ownership costs are well detailed by Brisel in his detailed mail. I'm getting around 25 m.p.g. on my daily commute, last service (annual inspection + oil change) came in at a reasonable £158 from main dealer. Insurance was ~£320 from Elephant for fully comp protected NCB!
One thing - make sure you upgrade to the Milltek Sports exhaust - it will totally cure the 50-60 mp.h. drone that the standard exhaust system makes... I lasted about a month before I changed... the sound is much more refined (quieter!!!) at motorway speeds, but you get a great noise when pushing on with the loud pedal!
Enjoy!
Heyhey! Thanks for the replies everyone!
I signed for one this morning. Woot!
33K miles, got 'em down to 16,400. He really wasn't going to go any lower - it was on the market for 16,950.
Alf Essex - everyone says teh Miltek system is the one to go for, but i understand there are two types - and the one that is closest to 'straight through' I think is the one to go for.
I signed for one this morning. Woot!
33K miles, got 'em down to 16,400. He really wasn't going to go any lower - it was on the market for 16,950.
Alf Essex - everyone says teh Miltek system is the one to go for, but i understand there are two types - and the one that is closest to 'straight through' I think is the one to go for.
Edited by Tonsko on Saturday 13th January 12:27
If you havn't heard an R32 with a Milltek fitted you might want to see they have a demonstrator around before you have one fitted. They uncork a huuuge and fabulous noise but even I would have to say it might be a bit too much to live with every day.
Think : "TVR Cerbera" and you won't be far off the noise or loudness.
Think : "TVR Cerbera" and you won't be far off the noise or loudness.
Congratulations on your new purchase Tonsko - I'm sure you'll love it!
My Milltek system has the cat back pipe (at least I think that's what it is called) fitte. This is fine for normal daily use, like I say it's much improved over the standard R32 system. I do have the Milltek 'straight-through' pipe sitting in my garage but haven't fitted that to see what a difference in the sound it makes... I suspect my 4-year old daughter may find that a little too loud on the run in to nursery each morning. Maybe once she goes to school I'll get round to sticking it on and checking out the 'TVR-esque' sounds
All the best.
My Milltek system has the cat back pipe (at least I think that's what it is called) fitte. This is fine for normal daily use, like I say it's much improved over the standard R32 system. I do have the Milltek 'straight-through' pipe sitting in my garage but haven't fitted that to see what a difference in the sound it makes... I suspect my 4-year old daughter may find that a little too loud on the run in to nursery each morning. Maybe once she goes to school I'll get round to sticking it on and checking out the 'TVR-esque' sounds
All the best.
I recently traded my MK5 R32 in for an RS4. I found the cost of ownership reasonable for a car of this type. It averaged between 20-22mpg with an even mix of motorway, A roads and town driving. On a long run on the motorway the mpg does get better as you would expect. Tyres are fairly reasonable if you shop about online etc for the lowest prices. I had the Milltek fitted and a remap carried out by APS and I would reccomend both of these and definitely the Milltek. Insurance was very reasonable until I had the remap done, then most companies either wouldnt insure me or wanted silly money. Both the MK4 and MK5 R32's are excellent cars to own, they are lots of fun and also very practical when needed. The haldex is good in the bad weather that we are used to in the UK. Hope you enjoy your ownership experience as much as I did.
Glad you made the right choice, Tonsko! Have you driven it through a tunnel with the windows down yet? 
Now that you have got it, it's time to start modding...
The first thing to do is disconnect the exhaust flapper valve - PM me or type "flapper" into the search engine in the R32 forum over on Tyresmoke for more details. It will give you a bit more of a rumble at idling speed. The valve opens at about 3000 rpm normally anyway. It was just to meet certain noise regs.
Back to Milltek exhausts... I have a silenced Milltek but kind of wished that I had chosen the straight through version. The stock exhaust will resonate (boom) at about 1900 rpm, which is at a road legal cruising speed
which really used to get on my titz!
Either Milltek will eliminate the boominess but the silenced one (about £500 + fitting + VAT) will add a bit of bark when you're on the gas without annoying the neighbours too much - unless you like bouncing it off the rev limiter at every opportunity
The straight through version just adds more volume outside & a bit more inside.
There are alternatives to Milltek, like Blue Flame, but some users have had a few niggles with them.
HTH
Now that you have got it, it's time to start modding...
The first thing to do is disconnect the exhaust flapper valve - PM me or type "flapper" into the search engine in the R32 forum over on Tyresmoke for more details. It will give you a bit more of a rumble at idling speed. The valve opens at about 3000 rpm normally anyway. It was just to meet certain noise regs.
Back to Milltek exhausts... I have a silenced Milltek but kind of wished that I had chosen the straight through version. The stock exhaust will resonate (boom) at about 1900 rpm, which is at a road legal cruising speed
which really used to get on my titz! Either Milltek will eliminate the boominess but the silenced one (about £500 + fitting + VAT) will add a bit of bark when you're on the gas without annoying the neighbours too much - unless you like bouncing it off the rev limiter at every opportunity
The straight through version just adds more volume outside & a bit more inside.
There are alternatives to Milltek, like Blue Flame, but some users have had a few niggles with them.
HTH
Edited by brisel on Monday 15th January 21:28
Yes, the steering does feel pretty light. If I remeber correctly, the steering is electrically assisted & will become progressively harder as your speed increases.
Let us know what you eventually go for - that is quite a mixture of test drives
2 in-your-face cars like the RS6 & R32, then 2 less obvious ones like the A4 & S3
Keep us posted
Let us know what you eventually go for - that is quite a mixture of test drives
2 in-your-face cars like the RS6 & R32, then 2 less obvious ones like the A4 & S3
Keep us posted
My girlfriend has a mk4 R32 with Revo st2 remap,Schrick 264 cams, Milltek 'unsilenced' cat back system + Milltek sports cats...
excuse the dodgy links
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excuse the dodgy links
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[/url] Edited by gvk on Monday 22 January 00:20
Edited by gvk on Monday 22 January 00:20
Ive only just joined pistonheads but ive been reading reviews for some time from owners of cars im keen to drive or own, your good wright ups of the r32 has made me order one to replace my xj. I cant wait to get it as ive not had a test drive, thought it might be more fun that way.
one of the main reasons for this choice is i bought a 911s (997) in december and now find it hard to get any pleasure out of the xj. Some of the reviews i read made me think that the r32 with a very practical stable mate.
So thanks for the help and hpoe to be wrighting some good things about the r32 soon.
PS sorry about the nickname but Kris had gone.
one of the main reasons for this choice is i bought a 911s (997) in december and now find it hard to get any pleasure out of the xj. Some of the reviews i read made me think that the r32 with a very practical stable mate.
So thanks for the help and hpoe to be wrighting some good things about the r32 soon.
PS sorry about the nickname but Kris had gone.
Just traded my Boxster (987) and a Seat Altea and got a lovely 2006 R32 and cashback
After buying my motorbike and buying a new house with one garage space had to get shot of the Box and no chance I was keeping the Altea!
Great car, get's 15mpg on average in town, 24 out of town. I've got a Sparco intake so maybe that lowers it but it is an excellent car and not too expensive to run. Parts are cheap and two tyres just cost me £240 - Dunlops that were original fit to my car....
After buying my motorbike and buying a new house with one garage space had to get shot of the Box and no chance I was keeping the Altea!
Great car, get's 15mpg on average in town, 24 out of town. I've got a Sparco intake so maybe that lowers it but it is an excellent car and not too expensive to run. Parts are cheap and two tyres just cost me £240 - Dunlops that were original fit to my car....
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