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Have you owned or driven a Volkswagen Golf R? What did you think of it?

Thanks, RS

It would be my choice if I was in the market for a new VW. The Audi RS3 is also right there.

Wasn't VW caught rigging their catalytic converters so they would pass State inspection Laws?

Fug them and their crooked azzes. I think all emission laws should be voided. (Like Oklahoma)!

They're a friggin bureaucratic poverty tax on the poor.


DMc

There was a diesel engine software scandal that they were caught up in, Audi as well. It was to fool the emissions test equipment and gave much greater mileage.

I have yet to hear a kind word about a VW service department. Maybe that has changed lately???

I guess I am one of the rare VW owners to have had good luck with the car. I don't have an R...I have the GTI, which is one step below the R. The basic differences between the GTI and R are three things...the R has all wheel drive (GTI is front wheel drive), the R has about 70 or so more HP (290 vs 220, or thereabouts) and the R costs about $10 grand more than the GTI.

I love my GTI. It's a base GTI with a manual and it's exactly what I love about cars...simple, quick, handles great and it's just a ton of fun to run through the gears. The R, to me, seems to answer a question that I have never asked. I think that for rally purposes it was needed to make VW competitive against cars like the Subaru WRX STi, but for driving on pavement and not in race mode, the GTI is a much better choice.

That said, if I had the $40k+ to spare on a small, fun car, the R would be my first choice.

My VW service department in OKC has treated me very well. They currently maintain my 2003 Passat W8. I gave my 2005 Touareg V8 to my son, and it was well maintained by OKC VW . . . I have had only AWD VWs, Ford F150, and now an Audi A7 TDI and a Porche Panamera. I would never own a front wheel drive vehicle due to the quirkiness of the steering and the reduced turn radius. But that is just me. To each his own.

CLICK PIC to see Golf R

Not a Golf R, but similar. I drive a six speed sedan version of the GTi - the GLi.

I'm paying for the refined feel of the German car over the Domestic/Japanese alternatives. It's not killing me, but due to the likelihood of valve timing mechanism issues, I've been told to go for 5k mile oil changes vs the factory recommended 10k mile oil changes. No problem, I can do it myself, but its about $60 a pop for the VW spec synthetic oil and OEM filter.

Then there was the crankcase ventilation valve issue at about 55k miles. A known problem, with several redesigns since the introduction of the engine in (IIRC) 2008. Now, I have a little hesitation between 2k-3k RPM at moderate throttle but without throwing codes. This could be either an intake manifold failing (known issue) or an issue that plagues all direct injection engines - carbon buildup on the intake valves. DIY means a day to remove the intake, clean the valves, and replace with the redesigned intake that supposedly resolves the high rate of failure. Figure about $200 for intake and new injector seals. I'll soak the injectors at the same time.

The Golf R and the GLi share the same basic engine type - the EA888. However the version in the R (IIRC) uses the head and valvetrain off of the Audi TTS/S3 and a larger turbocharger to go with it. Soooo, there's a good likelihood that some of my issues would crop up with the R as well.

All the [bleep] aside, if I didn't need a full trunk (kids....), wanted a very sporty hatch, could put up with increased maintenance costs of the German vs alternatives, and didn't mind the hit on fuel costs then I'd seriously look at the Golf R. An extra 90 HP and even better handling?


OrangeOkie - I'm sure my GLi turns well within your A7 and former Tuoareg. AWD and FWD turning radii are essentially identical. But with the longer wheelbases of those cars, I've got you beat. Ditto for your Passat assuming it was 4motion. I'd also bet, compared to your RWD Panamera, you could feel front wheel torque as well. Don't take this as a criticism of those vehicles in any way though.

Scott - All of my VWs are/were 4Motion, the Audi is a Quattro and the Panamera is AWD. My Touareg could turn on a dime. Very impressive.

Fun car when they run. But very expensive to fix and very prone to expensive problems. One of my friends filed a lawsuit against VW, his was such a POS.

Curious as to which years and models you have owned and what problems did you have?

I'm a big fan of the "Lemon Law".


DMc

I mistakenly bought a 1988 Volkswagen new. BAD idea.