Check out the VW R32 specs.....makes me feel even better I stayed away from "german engineering"...lol

Check out the VW R32 specs.....makes me feel even better I stayed away from "german engineering"...lol

German engineering,lol its all put together in mexico.

Check out the VW R32 specs.....makes me feel even better I stayed away from "german engineering"...lol

Have you driven one?

Probably be a pretty good race for the SS once moving. They flat hook when launched at 5K:D:cool:

They handle extremely well and the interior is super nice. We still got a performance bargain with the SS but the R32 is a bad ass ride.:thumb:

R32's are nice, I was behind one on some twisties a while back and had to let off so I wouldn't get to close.

I would still take an 04 with a SC though, those things are sweet! Plus they sound amazing! You have to love how German cars sound.

R32's are nice, I was behind one on some twisties a while back and had to let off so I wouldn't get to close.

I would still take an 04 with a SC though, those things are sweet! Plus they sound amazing! You have to love how German cars sound.

I'll give credit where credit is due.
And it's due.

Even VW's 1.8t I4 sounds good... unbolted at least :)

they're pretty nice cars, but to even come close to being worth it, they need to MSRP for about $6K less.

they're pretty nice cars, but to even come close to being worth it, they need to MSRP for about $6K less.

Try 10 grand, you are way too kind.

Try 10 grand, you are way too kind.

lol, fair enough. shall we compromise and say 8? most Volkswagen cars are pretty good deals for what you're getting...until you get something performance oriented. GTIs, GLIs, and R32s are way more expensive than they should be. i'm not knocking their performance (for anyone about to go up in arms), just the price you pay for that performance.

i mean, given the specs, i'm ASSUMING here (so no one go crazy about this, please) a GTI wouldn't seem to stand much of a chance against an SS, straight-line or through twisties, given the significant hp difference, and our monster torque at 2k rpms, that never goes away basically. and yet, i believe the GTI is a bit pricier than the SS, and as my friend and ex-coworker always tried holding over my head (as if i cared) was he has a 6-spd and factory HIDs. apparently those two things are enough for him to claim his GTI is a better car than my SS.

now, i know this thread is about the R32, but IIRC, the R32 isn't much faster than the GTI, and it's over $30K! i mean, the GTI is about 200lbs lighter than the SS, with a 60hp deficit. the R32 is about 250lbs heavier than the SS, a 10hp deficit, and starts at $32,999! the ONLY advantage the R32 has over us is AWD, and all taht really means is thanks to drivetrain loss, even less of that 250hp is going to make it to the ground, while most dyno tests so far have shown we make close to 250hp at the wheels already!

and yes, i went and referenced the VW website for these figures. btw, a GTI starts at $22,800 for a 6-spd manual 2-dr, but to be comparable to the SS, lets look at the 4-dr price, of $23,300, around a grand less than i paid for my SS. and lets not forget, i got quite a few options too.

heh...rant over lol

You are talking brand new GTI's. My buddy was able to pick up an 01 with 30k miles for about $12k.

You are talking brand new GTI's. My buddy was able to pick up an 01 with 30k miles for about $12k.

They might make better used cars no doubt. Let the first guy eat the depreciation :).

agreed. as i said, not knocking the performance of the GTI/GLI/R32s, just their prices. get them a couple years old, and they're nearly half price sometimes, then they're a much better deal for what they are.

heh...rant over lol

There are a few gti/r32 in my area downtown. Most actually are owned (not the r32) by girls (girls are younger than me women are older..heheh). I like the look outside and inside, and they ride nice.
As far as the HID's, that's a winter project. And as always the custom approach will be 10 times cooler than the stock.

I only shift 1-3-5, so it's like I'm driving a 3 speed anyway. 6 would be cool if the ratio was even bigger than our fifth (its the hypermile in me).

Who's gonna start the HHR vs mini clubman thread?

There are a few gti/r32 in my area downtown. Most actually are owned (not the r32) by girls (girls are younger than me women are older..heheh). I like the look outside and inside, and they ride nice.
As far as the HID's, that's a winter project. And as always the custom approach will be 10 times cooler than the stock.

I only shift 1-3-5, so it's like I'm driving a 3 speed anyway. 6 would be cool if the ratio was even bigger than our fifth (its the hypermile in me).

Who's gonna start the HHR vs mini clubman thread?

isn't there already one floating around here? lol

but yeah, i don't think those features (HID and 6-spd) are justification enough to say the GTI is a better car. and they're simple enough to do for ourselves, and yes, a custom HID setup would end up way cooler than a stock setup. it ups our level of unique-ness, while EVERY GTI has them. personally, if someone was going to offer me either a second SS to go with mine that i already have, or a GTI to accompany my SS, i'd take the second SS. i made the SS vs GTI decision once, and i'd make the same one again.

They might make better used cars no doubt. Let the first guy eat the depreciation :).


i picked up 05 jetta gli w/29,500 miles for $19,000. it came w/the recaro seats, bbs rims, and monsoon speakers(decent) stereo, auto w/tip, bodykit(factory). to tell ya it picks up faster then my hhr lt. just my .02 :D

I got to play with an R32 last night. Couldn't get in a clean run, but we played around a little. Seemed pretty even, but his sounded damn nice. I was surprised. Nice burble to it.

I only shift 1-3-5, so it's like I'm driving a 3 speed anyway.

What?:eek: how does that work for you? lol

You are talking brand new GTI's. My buddy was able to pick up an 01 with 30k miles for about $12k.

Hey, what's an 01 HHR SS go for:lol:

You guys are comparing apples to oranges...
I came out of a VW that cost me close to $3K to get back on the road after I broke a timing belt... By the way, just replacing a timing belt (unbroken) is about $1K!:eek:

I will say that I thought the VW had superior ride and comfort, but it costs a whole lot more money and is expensive to maintain.

I will stick with my 100K warranty.

What?:eek: how does that work for you? lol

Works great if you like 30-35mpg in the city. Won't win the race to the red lights though :)

So do you bog it down a little or rev up the previous gear?

Hey, what's an 01 HHR SS go for:lol:

You guys are comparing apples to oranges...
I came out of a VW that cost me close to $3K to get back on the road after I broke a timing belt... By the way, just replacing a timing belt (unbroken) is about $1K!:eek:

I will say that I thought the VW had superior ride and comfort, but it costs a whole lot more money and is expensive to maintain.

I will stick with my 100K warranty.

My S4 cost about $1500 to do the 80k service and about $1200 of that was timing belt and about $700 of that was labor alone! Audi/VW will always be harder to work on, more expensive to mod and maintain. I will stick with American as my DD for sure!

On a side note, I paid $1100 for a cat back exhaust for my S4. It was one of the more expensive ones but the "cheaper" ones ran about $800. Catback for my LS1 was like $400 lol.

ChevySS, did you ever replace the plugs?.....:eek: Over $60 just for 4 plugs and then they have to pull the engine to replace (kidding, kind of).:lol:

They are great cars, but you better plan on paying dearly to own one. :cool:

ChevySS, did you ever replace the plugs?.....:eek: Over $60 just for 4 plugs and then they have to pull the engine to replace (kidding, kind of).:lol:

They are great cars, but you better plan on paying dearly to own one. :cool:

They were supposed to replace the plugs in the 80k service while they had everything torn apart for the timing belt, but they didn't. Since I had the B5 S4 it was twin turbo, meaning if the turbo's went out you literally had to pull the engine to replace them. That meant either days of hard labor yourself trying not to royally screw things up or thousands of dollars in labor for someone else to do it.

German cars are crazy to maintain. VW's are a little cheaper for the most part but still.

Not to mention the fact that there is zero room in the engine bay to work with! No room front, back, left, right, forward, or backwards. Nothing! lol

200 Audi S4

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/camaroblood/1252232_13.jpg

2008 HHR SS

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/camaroblood/gm_08hhrss_engine.jpg

Even VW's 1.8t I4 sounds good... unbolted at least :)

i have gli w/few minor mods but to compete w/wrx or srt4 it needs turbo upgrade. other then that german cars are nice. :thumb:

And the Germans make good stuff:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3254/2711616881_94fc5bc67e.jpg

So do you bog it down a little or rev up the previous gear?

I try not to bog it down too much, so I guess add in a few extra rpm before the upshift. It's a feel for me, depends on the terrain. With the low end torque this vehicle has, and no extra weight or passengers, the first two gears feel overly aggresive for daily (non hotrod) driving. I can climb even the steepest hills in third, unless starting from a dead stop..obviously. So I try to avoid 2nd. If i reach city speeds in third, why not head straight to fifth. I shift less, and get better mileage. Thats a no lose i think.

I keep it in third at city speeds (35mph). If you need acceleration at that speed, you will not find it in fifth. I know it's as easy as a down shift, but what if you need it and don't have the time to downshift.