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Should I buy an R32?

GIACUser

Master Wallet Mechanic
So....one of my coworkers has a UG R32 with just 45k miles on it and recently put it up for sale asking $20k. He's in his 50's, original owner, and the car is a garage queen. I jokingly told him that I'll buy it but it's overpriced so he said I can have it for $17k. I've been out of the MkV game since I sold my 2007 GTI back in 2012. I've been doing some browsing around and it looks like the majority are high mileage examples and/or ragged to death. Would it be a worthwhile purchase, is it priced too high, are they unreliable at that age?

This would be purely a weekend car as my daily (V60 Polestar) won't be sold. My head says no but my heart screams yes

Thoughts?
This is one of those personal types of purchases made because you have a special affinity for the model/year. Is it a worthwhile purchase to buy a car that is priced at over twice market value? From a business perspective probably not. From a personal perspective, if it is a car that is special to you, price may be secondary. A 14 year old R32 with only 45K miles would be pretty rare but mileage already to high for it to be a collector down the road. The MKV R32 was probably the least popular of the MK4,5,6 R cars. With just a supercharger kit they are crazy fun, I got to ride in one. It also makes a great base for the HPA twin turbo kit if you want to dump another 20K into it and want to double the hp.
 

KevinC

Autocross Champion
One just sold at BaT for $47,500. 12k-mile unicorn. Edmunds pricing is a joke, just as KBB pricing for the Z4M Coupe is off by 100% or more.

I had one, bought it new in July of 2004. At that point, late in the model year, everyone who wanted one already had one, and they couldn't give away the remaining stock. I got a smoking deal without really trying. Loved the car, hated the Konig seats, which just didn't fit my anatomy and made me feel like I needed a chiropractor after any drive longer than 45 minutes. But otherwise - just a superb car, especially for that era.

If you can buy this car for $17k and it's clean, you could definitely flip it at a handsome profit. Lots of interest when they come up at BaT, especially super clean and unmolested ones, which are rare as hens' teeth at this point.
 

vbrad26

Autocross Champion
One just sold at BaT for $47,500. 12k-mile unicorn. Edmunds pricing is a joke, just as KBB pricing for the Z4M Coupe is off by 100% or more.

I had one, bought it new in July of 2004. At that point, late in the model year, everyone who wanted one already had one, and they couldn't give away the remaining stock. I got a smoking deal without really trying. Loved the car, hated the Konig seats, which just didn't fit my anatomy and made me feel like I needed a chiropractor after any drive longer than 45 minutes. But otherwise - just a superb car, especially for that era.

If you can buy this car for $17k and it's clean, you could definitely flip it at a handsome profit. Lots of interest when they come up at BaT, especially super clean and unmolested ones, which are rare as hens' teeth at this point.

We're talking about a MKV not a MKIV
As is $17k. I'd look at it in the $12k range unless all of the maintenance is flawless
And if it is? Then what is it worth in your opinion?
I mean I agree, like I said $17 may be a tad high but perhaps not unrealistic.
Thees cars have already depreciated as much as they can, so clean low mileage examples are going to be harder to come by, thus commanding a higher and higher price as time goes on as people continue to want to buy them. All it takes is one person to "over pay" for one, and then another, and another and so on. I never would have thought a MK4 R32 would sell almost 20 years later for over sticker price and beyond.
I don't think it will go up in value like the MK4 but I don't think it would necessarily be a bad investment either.
 

randomhobo130

Drag Racing Champion
I think as a weekend warrior, it's worth it. Miles will remain low and should stay clean overall meaning you should at least be able to get what you paid for it in a year or two if you wanted. If anything, slightly less which would mean you rented it for a few years for a couple grand. I had the chance to buy one with low miles at 20k like 4 years ago and I kick myself for not doing it every time I see/hear one.
 

Thumper

Autocross Champion
I don't think it will go up in value like the MK4 but I don't think it would necessarily be a bad investment either.

It's a horrible investment, every single car is a horrible investment unless you are dealing in the hundreds of thousands range with bored Bill Gates types who see money as toilet paper and you are literally dealing with cars that only 20 exist etc. If you want an investment buy Telsa options, if you want a MKV R32......buy a MKV R32. :LOL:

Cars are not investments, thinking otherwise is fooling yourself. Like the people that talk about how a 55 Vette cost only $3500 new and now are 100k+. Inflation much? It's worth the same as it ever was, unlike our money LOL

Cars are not art, they are meant to be driven and enjoyed. The only way you could hope to in any way "make" money buying a car is if you buy it and then store it Jay Leno style, put maybe 1000 miles on it and sell it 3 years later. Sounds fun. Heck, the only reason my TTRS only has 15k miles on it is because I used to work at home and have other toys to drive (and I bought a trailer lol).
 
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vbrad26

Autocross Champion
It's a horrible investment, every single car is a horrible investment unless you are dealing in the hundreds of thousands range with bored Bill Gates types who see money as toilet paper and you are literally dealing with cars that only 20 exist etc. If you want an investment buy Telsa options, if you want a MKV R32......but a MKV R32. :LOL:

Cars are not investments, thinking otherwise is fooling yourself. Like the people that talk about how a 55 Vette cost only $3500 new and now are 100k+. Inflation much? It's worth the same as it ever was, unlike our money LOL

Cars are not art, they are meant to be driven and enjoyed. The only way you could hope to in any way "make" money buying a car is if you buy it and then store it Jay Leno style, put maybe 1000 miles on it and sell it 3 years later. Sounds fun. Heck, the only reason my TTRS only has 15k miles on it is because I used to work at home and have other toys to drive (and I bought a trailer lol).

I mostly agree with you. So let me rephrase....

I don't think it will go up in value like the MK4 but I don't think it would necessarily be a bad "investment" either.
Lol.
Yes, cars are depreciating assets, all I'm saying is that you could definitely do worse.
 

StockblockGLI

Go Kart Champion
So....one of my coworkers has a UG R32 with just 45k miles on it and recently put it up for sale asking $20k. He's in his 50's, original owner, and the car is a garage queen. I jokingly told him that I'll buy it but it's overpriced so he said I can have it for $17k. I've been out of the MkV game since I sold my 2007 GTI back in 2012. I've been doing some browsing around and it looks like the majority are high mileage examples and/or ragged to death. Would it be a worthwhile purchase, is it priced too high, are they unreliable at that age?

This would be purely a weekend car as my daily (V60 Polestar) won't be sold. My head says no but my heart screams yes.

Thoughts?

Do it. There is a huge demand for the VR6 motor. If this was a MK4, he could probably get 30K for it.
 

Daks

Autocross Champion
If you have the cash - go for it. DSG is a drag, but that is one of the best sounding engines ever made.
 

Eric6014

Ready to race!
Is the car stock? If so I would go for it if you can get him down on the price a bit. You might be able to do better on price but it's highly unlikely that you'll find another one with low miles that hasn't been messed with in some way. If it's just a weekend car to add to your collection and keep for a long time it should hold some value and it'll make you smile every time you look at it.
 

rip steakface

Go Kart Newbie
looked at a similar car back in 2015. one owner, full service history at the same dealer it was purchased new from (and was for sale at), completely stock, BLUE, 43k miles, perfect. dealer let me take it home for the morning. asking price was $22-23k i believe. i dragged my feet for a few days and someone came in from out of state and snatched it up as i tried to figure out if i should pull the trigger or not. so i ended up in a new 2-door silver mk7 gti s for about $25k lol. still kind of regret missing out on that one. doubt i will ever see one like it again...
 

fauMkVGTI

Go Kart Newbie
Little update. I went and checked the car out this weekend. It's in great shape inside and out and even comes with a folder of service receipts. Took it for a drive and was honestly unimpressed, I'm sure I'll catch some heat for that.

The engine note is great for a 6 cylinder engine but besides the engine note I think my MKV GTI and my MKVI GTI were more fun to drive. They felt lighter (of course) and more playful. I honestly think $17+k is too much for what you are getting. I told him, but he didn't budge on the price. :)
 

GIACUser

Master Wallet Mechanic
Little update. I went and checked the car out this weekend. It's in great shape inside and out and even comes with a folder of service receipts. Took it for a drive and was honestly unimpressed, I'm sure I'll catch some heat for that.

The engine note is great for a 6 cylinder engine but besides the engine note I think my MKV GTI and my MKVI GTI were more fun to drive. They felt lighter (of course) and more playful. I honestly think $17+k is too much for what you are getting. I told him, but he didn't budge on the price. :)

That response is pretty much what I have read / heard over time about the MKV R32. However, put a supercharger kit on it and it’s a whole new ballgame. I got to drive one and it was impressive. Of course with this motor ending use in R cars 12 years ago combined with limited production it will be impossible to find a kit.
 
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