Thread: what to buy...mk4 or mk5? opinions please!

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The best thing is to test drive one your self I would think.I have a MKIV but I have never driven a MKV so don't know if there is much difference.

Yeah, I think I'm gonna have to...just wondered if anyone has driven both and has a preference? I've never had a decent car so thought i would treat myself!
I don't mind paying extra for a nice mk5 but if the mk4 is the better overall, i don't mind just having a 4. Cheers Paulie

Hello, same as above mate, i have no doubt the mkv will just be as quality as the mkIV. IMO i prefer the IV but i am biased as i have one and i would get put on death row if i even mentioned test driving a V lol

i think in fairness the Mk5 is as cornerable if not better as the chassis was improved.

Soundwise for me the mk4 is better as the mk5 is quite discreet, but nothing a Miltek couldnt solve.


Brakes are way better on the Mk5, a little soft on the Mk4 altho they do stop well.

Mk4 has definate more 'hardcore' feel to it when driving, the Mk5 feels softer and more refined. Mk4 suspension is way harder.

I drove both and bought a mk4 altho in fairness at the time there was a 6k difference in price too which helped sway the decision.

Drive both and you'll see exatly what i mean.

I drove both, and I think the Mk5 is a little bit better to drive. The Mk4 has all the soul / character though in my humble opinion and also looks better (controversial !!).

You have to try them both out and see. Goes with your gut.

TG test track times, the Mk5 is 3 seconds faster than the Mk4. But on the Nordschleife (nurburgring) the Mk4 is 12 seconds faster than the Mk5! Dont know how that works but its true!!

Thanks for all those replies, I'm looking forward to giving th mkiv a try aswell, I still reckon I'll go for the MKv in the end but we'll see...
I've seen a few on A/T in grey colour. I always liked the mk2 in atlas grey but could never find a decent one so i settled for tornado red.
What do you guys think of mkv in grey!?

I think grey is a nice colour for the Mk5 GTI and R32.

Very easy to keep clean too. My old cooper S which was dark silver metallic (looks grey) hardly ever looked dirty.

Yeah, I like the grey PSG.
hmm... just looked at some mkiv's on AT aswell, they're good looking, mean cars
It looks like most are modded so if i do decide on a iv, I'll have to pay 15ish for a good standard example?!
I'm not sure what colour I want on the mkiv? I like the blue but a bit much for the Mrs, dn't want a red one, (I like but my valver is red), I like the black but, is it a bit PIMP?
had silver cars before? I can't decide what colour is for me. Gonna test drive a MKiv somewhere first then go from there!

Originally Posted by Paulie

The best thing is to test drive one your self I would think.I have a MKIV but I have never driven a MKV so don't know if there is much difference.

Nice sig Paulie......

MkV Haldex has Sport mode with the DSG. Are we really doing the MkIV v MkV "war" again??? Not to mention the blues ones being fastest.....

Originally Posted by JayCee

MkV Haldex has Sport mode with the DSG. Are we really doing the MkIV v MkV "war" again??? Not to mention the blues ones being fastest.....

Hope not, its the only thing i DONT like about this club.

Mk V and Mk IV are both great cars, but not competitors, as they are in completely different price brackets.

As far as looks/style goes I find the MK V even more distinctive and think VW did a great job in developing the R32 brand.

Paul

This one has been argued many times before and always gets people's attention, heres my 2p mate...

I have driven both and the first time I drove the 4 I fell in love so I bought one. I like test driving new cars so I recently took the 5 out while mine was getting serviced. I have to be honest and say that the 4 I took out was a relaxed dealer who gave me the keys and away I went, whereas the dealer came with me with the 5, and he was an 'experienced/seasoned' guy shall we say so he was all on for telling me about the cruising capabilities and the more refined drive, whilst checking the speedo the whole time. I was however disappointed with the 5 for this reason. It felt like a GT rather than a sports car, after all the .:R stands for racing and not .:Relaxing, so I'm told the 5 handles better with a better chassis and i'll accept that as I wouldn't know, but for me I like the raw appeal of my 4. Many will argue I'm biased, I bought the 4 as I honestly prefer the looks but for the same reason (plus the exclusivity) I didn't buy an Astra VXR so that could be said of buying my car over any other similar car. To those people I would say YES I am biased as I LOVE the 4 to bits plus you can make as many or as few alterations as you wish for not a lot of money which I'd be reluctant to do whilst in warranty. I'm also biased as the moment I saw one on the road in 2002 I knew one ay I'd have to have one. Plus performance wise you are getting near enough the same for around 7k less, so you win all ends up.
At the end of the day I see the 5 in the same light as the new Volvo C30 hatch... like Marmite, it is a love hate thing, and I've never really been a fan of the shape but again that is down to preference.
Essentially each car has it pluses, the 4 IMO looks better, is undoubtedly rarer, (you don't see as many middle aged women using them as a runabout) and is harder and rough around the edges BUT it doesn't handle/stop as well as the 5 and I think the standard 5 exhaust sounds better, but the 5 is arguably nowhere near as neatly put together inside, (bits on my dads mk5 gttdi were always falling off) is more refined and doesn't catch my eye as often.
Drive them both, love them both and then decide.

Originally Posted by Jay C

Yeah, I like the grey PSG.
hmm... just looked at some mkiv's on AT aswell, they're good looking, mean cars
It looks like most are modded so if i do decide on a iv, I'll have to pay 15ish for a good standard example?!
I'm not sure what colour I want on the mkiv? I like the blue but a bit much for the Mrs, dn't want a red one, (I like but my valver is red), I like the black but, is it a bit PIMP?
had silver cars before? I can't decide what colour is for me. Gonna test drive a MKiv somewhere first then go from there!

PS the 4 was also available in a limited run in grey so you do have another option, plus there are three variants of the blue if you didn't want a black!
PPS I think I got a bit carried away with my rambling!
Enjoy the hunt!

Originally Posted by zirconium

The only reason I would select the MK4 is style, the MK5 is a very capable car and in theory more capable than the MK4 R32 due to advances. However VW have simply missed a trick with the styling on the MK5 R32. it falls into the Marmite Category! you either love it or hate it.

Ha ha just read this after my ;laptop refreshed the thread, great minds think alike Zirc!

Thanks guys,
Sorry for starting off the whole 4 or 5 debate!
Cheers for your replies though.
Going next week to test drive a flappy paddle DSG one.

When I go to the occasional meet I see all the MkIV's and they do look meaner and more distinctive. However, most are modded where as the MkV's are often stock. Out of the box the MkV looks a little too subtle but put some 19's on, lower it a little and fit a Milltek exhaust and it's transformed. Tastelly modded MKV's look easily as good ;-)