Edition 30 or R32

[m3cca]

I am sure there have been a lot of threads in regards to this old argument.

But has anyone owned both?

Pros and cons of each and I guess experience in ownership, costs and servicing?

If anything like the TTs or the TT forum:
* R32 straight out of the box, more performance, smoother delivery and V6 noise.
* GTi, or Edition 30, more potential for greater performance, still a great car, but takes time and money to invest in it to make it greater performer. More bang for buck and return on investment.

Just would like to hear other people's thought and opinions, especially of those who have own both and which they preferred and why?

Thanks for sharing 

[adamm]

Test drove the MK5 R32 but decided to go for the Edition in the end. The R32 seemed to lack something. The MK4 R32 is much better IMO.

[JackG]

More time and money too invest too make faster? 
A standard Eddie would do a R32....mine has
Then pay 299 for a map and the R32 would have too charge it too make it faster than a stage 1 Eddie.

400+ road tax too...and normally aspirated

[m3cca]

Test drove the MK5 R32 but decided to go for the Edition in the end. The R32 seemed to lack something. The MK4 R32 is much better IMO.

Interesting a Mk4 R32 is better, I will have to investigate this, thanks 

[m3cca]

More time and money too invest too make faster? 
A standard Eddie would do a R32....mine has
Then pay 299 for a map and the R32 would have too charge it too make it faster than a stage 1 Eddie.

400+ road tax too...and normally aspirated

400+ for Road Tax?!?! I thought they were only £280! I am going to have to check this out and confirm, cause that will already sway me towards an Eddie!

I guess the V6 and the 4Motion are too heavy 

[simonp]

Nearer £500 these days, unless you go for an early one (55 or March 06 plate). I can only give you info on the R32, as I've never owned a GTI of any sort.

It's definitely not a car you can run on a budget. As stated already, the tax is something like £475 now and the insurance group is 18. My car averages around 24 mpg and will need filling twice a week if I do more than 300 miles in that period. It's not super fast, more of a cruiser than a hot hatch, but handles very well given the right tyres and an uprated rear ARB. Obvious plus points over a GTI are the noise and the traction.

If you want 300 bhp and a turbo kick, though, this ain't the car for you...

[sub39h]

i think the earlier cars paid the lower tax. i'm not sure what year the cut off was. i've test driven an A3 and TT 3.2 and an Ed30 but never owned any of them. at the end of the day it's down to personal preference and only you can decide. both are quick out the box and neither of them are cheap to run (tho the Eddy will be slightly better on mpg and tax) but that shouldn't really sway you either way.

if it were me it would boil down to this:

if i planned on doing extensive mods (beyond a couple of suspension upgrades) then the Ed30 will give you far more bang for your buck
if you plan on pretty much leaving the car alone then i'd get the R32. it has more equipment as standard, is a bit more special in my opinion and sounds better

just a word of warning however, very early 3.2s had timing chain and ECU problems. as far as i'm aware these had been fixed by the time the R32 had been released, but i'd double check. additionally cars around MY07 with DSG may have mechatronics failures. this should have been repaired under a recall. this will affect both R32s and Ed30s. Ed30s have their own problems like cam follower wear, DV issues (less common than K03 cars), PCV but these are generally cheaper fixes.

[flashp]

Don't forget that engine aside the Mk5 chassis is far better.
Didn't early Mk5 R32's get classified for the cheaper VED band?? £280 I think.

[JackG]

Nearer £500 these days, unless you go for an early one (55 or March 06 plate). I can only give you info on the R32, as I've never owned a GTI of any sort.

It's definitely not a car you can run on a budget. As stated already, the tax is something like £475 now and the insurance group is 18. My car averages around 24 mpg and will need filling twice a week if I do more than 300 miles in that period. It's not super fast, more of a cruiser than a hot hatch, but handles very well given the right tyres and an uprated rear ARB. Obvious plus points over a GTI are the noise and the traction.

If you want 300 bhp and a turbo kick, though, this ain't the car for you...

couldn't have put it better myself...very good point

[shortdan14]

I own an edition30 and my dad used to own a mk5 r32.
If the r32 is pre April 06 it's the cheaper tax band at £250 or something but post that it is £450 or so.

I had this debate a while ago but decided on the gti after deliberation because I liked the fact it was an edition.
The r32 does sound beyond amazing though.

Oh and on a small point because of the rear diff the r32 boot is smaller. 

[Homer]

The R32 from what I gather from current/previous owners is thirsty and not very fast. Is also difficult to tune apparently. I would stick to an ed30 but it really is down to personal preference I guess

[R32UK]

I have owned both.

I would still have my R32 over my old E30... its a personal thing. Lots would go for the Ed30, and if going fast in a straight line is what you want then that's what you should go for too.

[simonp]

and if going fast in a straight line is what you want then that's what you should go for too.

                                      ^
                                         (in dry weather)

You missed a bit....

[m3cca]

I test drove a Mk1 TT Quattro 3.2, but the wife did not like the poor visibility and the practicality of it was poor. Wasn't a bad car, it was an '04 with around 55k on the clock, for less than £5k. Hell of a lot of car for that money. But alas, the wife's need to see traffic before changing lanes takes priority :) 

Believe me about the practicality, I sat in the back during the test drive whilst she had a go, you need to be flexible!

From that drive and that sound of the v6, that is when I thought about either a R32 or an A3 with the same engine.

Thanks for clearing up the tax thing, as long as its before March 06, way cheaper tax, got it! We currently don't do that many miles, hence the only reason why I figure the v6 and its ability to turn petrol to noise, shouldn't make that much of an impact, although insurance is less than £100 more than a GTi/ED30 last time we checked.

For the time being whatever car, I would keep stock, hence just need to ensure the right spec, although I have seen clips of Millteck exhausts on an R32, very nice 

Mods: Ed30
Stock: R32, if I can live with the higher cost of ownership and running costs.

Thanks for sharing, especially those who had the pleasure of running both!

[Scottymon]

Thanks for clearing up the tax thing, as long as its before March 06, way cheaper tax, got it! We currently don't do that many miles, hence the only reason why I figure the v6 and its ability to turn petrol to noise, shouldn't make that much of an impact, although insurance is less than £100 more than a GTi/ED30 last time we checked.

Like that

The TFSI 4 pot sounds bloody awful, no matter how we wrap them up in CAI's/TBE's...

If your not doing the mileage, can get the lower tax bracket one and don't plan on modding the Ed.30 (as even stage 1 midrange would leave the R32) then why the heck not?  It's not all about the numbers, at least not for me.