I was going to get an R32 but today I am going to BMW to test 1 series.

[sluday]

My first thread. I was just about to pull the trigger on a VW R32 but I was surfing the web and came an add for a 128i lease that looked pretty good. The lease was for a 128i coupe w/ premium pack, metalic paint, heated seats, and auto trans. the price $339 per month 24 months but $4300 due at sign which is really high. If I like it I'll go for 3 years with less down. The R32 and 128 are nearly identical as far as options go minus the AWD and xenons for the bimmer but minus power seats, bluetooth, and no charge maintainance for VW. I am guessing the bimmer will have better fuel economy than the Vw as well. The salesman at BMW sold me my first Audi A4 9 years ago so he should not jerk me around. I'll get the 135i numbers as well but to get the options I want will probably make my payments to high. If you guys have any tips before I go that would be great.:roundel:

[professor]

have you seen the fifth gear and top gear comparisons between the r32 and the 130i? that should give you some idea of the difference between the 128i and the r32:

and

[randomquickness]

you just bought a 1 and don't even know it yet...

[cozza]

Could be worse... You could live in Australia where the interest rates are around 10% and a 125i (128i equivalent) costs $70,000...

[335I talian Stallion NJ]

Do not put money down on a lease!!!! MSD's are a better way to go!!!!

[JB135i]

RIP R32

[AchtungF80]

Don't buy an R32 unless they're throwing it at you for $28k + Loyalty rebate.

[MVF4Rrider]

R32 is a cool car, and super fun to drive. If 135i ownership is half as fun I'll be impressed. The only downsides to me are the fact it's a hatchback which I don't like as much and the fact it's top speed governed at 130 mph. It's also not as balanced but that can be worked out. The plus side is that it's rare to see and mega fun to drive. DSG puts it in another league. Having AWD is a plus too. I could easily live with it. But you can see I purchased a 135i and could have purchased a R32. Again, the hatch kills it for me. But it's a cool car nonetheless.

Note: if it weren't for M-DCT, I wouldn't be buying a M3.

[mtla4]

As for me its 135>R32>128

[sluday]

Originally Posted by AchtungE30

Don't buy an R32 unless they're throwing it at you for $28k + Loyalty rebate.

they selling for $28,490 at most dealers for non nav but I don't want nav, it's probably the worst on the market. That is the only reason I even considered an R32 in the first place is because of the huge price reduction.

[sluday]

Originally Posted by Balls

R32 is a cool car, and super fun to drive. If 135i ownership is half as fun I'll be impressed. The only downsides to me are the fact it's a hatchback which I don't like as much and the fact it's top speed governed at 130 mph. It's also not as balanced but that can be worked out. The plus side is that it's rare to see and mega fun to drive. DSG puts it in another league. Having AWD is a plus too. I could easily live with it. But you can see I purchased a 135i and could have purchased a R32. Again, the hatch kills it for me. But it's a cool car nonetheless.

Note: if it weren't for M-DCT, I wouldn't be buying a M3.

the only hatch i ever owned was an Audi TT and that was almost useless because of the angled rear window. I hate the hatch look but on trips to Costco and the occasional garage sale it would come in handy.

[Perfect128]

There is also a Motive Mag comparison between the R32 and 128i

http://www.motivemag.com/pub/feature...en_R32. shtml

[peppebmw]

I love my 135i but the R32 is a more practical car for my region. I had a 04 and it was so much fun. If VW offered a 6spd I would have bought one especially with the deals that are going on. I just can't live with the DSG. I think hatch backs are cool! Guess it is the Italian in me. As far as rareness goes the R32 is in that category but I have yet to see another One series on the road! I am still nervous driving the One since it is my first RWD car and I have had 3 AWD cars before this. Personally if you are going to get an automatic and you don't have another car for the winter and don't mind hatches then the R32 is the way to go! Plus the DSG is no ordinary automatic!

[thesmokingone]

If vw could offer the r32 in a form other that the current one (coupe, less odd looking hatch) I would have gone with one because it rains all the time in Louisiana. Thing is, around here if you roll up in an r32 its still a rabbit to the girls here. Not that its a good reason to not buy a car, just saying..

[IndyMike]

First off, I am enamored of hot hatches. Continuing as the consummate contrarian I also like Tourings (station wagons).

I would never trade the R32 for either the 128 or 135. Living in the heartland of America it can do things in certain weather conditions that the one series can only dream about.

Even just running with all-season it's as much fun to drive on backroads as the ZHP, which has been relegated to strictly weekend duty. I would prefer the manual of the ZHP to the DSG of the VW, but other than that around these parts it's just flat out a better daily driver.

And sorry, the good folks at Motivemag just don't get it.

You can't appreciate the R in an hour; in a day; in a week or even a month. It takes a sustained test period on all types of roads and conditions to give it the PROPS it deserves.

Until now I've never owned a VAG product before, but have been blessed to own five 3 series all with SP, and the R32 has the soul and DNA of a BMW. It has that perfect blend that is so hard to find in the automotive world today.

All of that being said, I'm still extremely interested in the one series but only as the eventual replacement for the ZHP. Unless I croak or the R32 gets totaled #923 is not going to be replaced by anything.

As for the OP, I'm not saying don't get the one series but rather seriously consider your circumstances and surroundings (Joisey gets snow, right?) and test drive them both before you sign on the line.

[TrojanBMW]

I can't believe how much the R32 is going for nowadays. Is it officially a sales flop at this point?

Around LA you would have to pay 28K for used one that was a couple years old not too long ago.

[sluday]

Originally Posted by IndyMike

First off, I am enamored of hot hatches. Continuing as the consummate contrarian I also like Tourings (station wagons).

I would never trade the R32 for either the 128 or 135. Living in the heartland of America it can do things in certain weather conditions that the one series can only dream about.

Even just running with all-season it's as much fun to drive on backroads as the ZHP, which has been relegated to strictly weekend duty. I would prefer the manual of the ZHP to the DSG of the VW, but other than that around these parts it's just flat out a better daily driver.

And sorry, the good folks at Motivemag just don't get it.

You can't appreciate the R in an hour; in a day; in a week or even a month. It takes a sustained test period on all types of roads and conditions to give it the PROPS it deserves.

Until now I've never owned a VAG product before, but have been blessed to own five 3 series all with SP, and the R32 has the soul and DNA of a BMW. It has that perfect blend that is so hard to find in the automotive world today.

All of that being said, I'm still extremely interested in the one series but only as the eventual replacement for the ZHP. Unless I croak or the R32 gets totaled #923 is not going to be replaced by anything.

As for the OP, I'm not saying don't get the one series but rather seriously consider your circumstances and surroundings (Joisey gets snow, right?) and test drive them both before you sign on the line.

You right about driving year round and yea Jersey does gets snow( this year we got lucky) and rain and I live close to the ocean so you can throw in a few hurricanes as well. I'll look at both and then compare the pros and cons on both. If I get the bimmer it would probably be a loaded 128i because the 135i will be too expensive with the options I want. So the r32 has a slight edge when compared the 128 but the 135 blows both away as far as performance goes.

[sluday]

Originally Posted by TrojanBMW

I can't believe how much the R32 is going for nowadays. Is it officially a sales flop at this point?

Around LA you would have to pay 28K for used one that was a couple years old not too long ago.

Yea you can get one around $28000 but it's not because it's a bad car. most people only want manual tranny in sports cars so the DSG is slowing the sales. The first R32's sold much faster because of the 6 spd manual. Also the high gas prices and VW's new TDI coming this summer has a lot of people on hold.

[MVF4Rrider]

Originally Posted by sluday

Yea you can get one around $28000 but it's not because it's a bad car. most people only want manual tranny in sports cars so the DSG is slowing the sales. The first R32's sold much faster because of the 6 spd manual. Also the high gas prices and VW's new TDI coming this summer has a lot of people on hold.

No one ever said the market is smart (especially the US market). DSG is far superior to any manual gearbox. It's faster and gets better fuel economy too, and anyone who thinks a manual gearbox gives you more control is either stupid or has no experience with DSG (possibly both). Ultimately the R32 is a very good car, no matter what mass America thinks... God forbid I ever follow suit to the masses...

[GT3]

Originally Posted by 135ItalianStallion

Do not put money down on a lease!!!!

+1

If you do lease a car NEVER put any money down on it.

The R32 is a very nice car. The DSG is an awesome piece of technology. I had no idea they were selling so poorly. Worth a look for $28K.

[TrojanBMW]

Originally Posted by sluday

Yea you can get one around $28000 but it's not because it's a bad car. most people only want manual tranny in sports cars so the DSG is slowing the sales. The first R32's sold much faster because of the 6 spd manual. Also the high gas prices and VW's new TDI coming this summer has a lot of people on hold.

Yeah, VWVortex practically exploded when it was announced that the DSG was the only tranny available. If you think the posts about sunroof delete on the 135 was excessive . . .

[peppebmw]

Originally Posted by TrojanBMW

Yeah, VWVortex practically exploded when it was announced that the DSG was the only tranny available. If you think the posts about sunroof delete on the 135 was excessive . . .

Yeah and I was one of them! Used '04 R32's are still holding their value quite well. Most I have seen are in the low $20K's. The old R32 was more raw. 6spd manual, fatter sportier steering wheel (like 135i sport) Konig sport seats, nicer body kit. The only thing it was missing was the nav option (which I'd pass on) and the Xenon lights. I miss my R32. I still have poster #1 of #5000.