[N3DXT]

I'm a returning member, had a Mk5 R32 new back on 2009 and then moved on to the Mk6 R (before moving on again).

I bought the above around the middle of last month. Quite a big to do list on this so will take a while due to the cost. Plan is to keep it mostly stock, I wanted a V6 again before they were all priced off the road. It's a 2nd / 3rd car, I have a caddy van for work and a Mk7 Golf R as a second 'project'. - All are auto's as my arthritic knees can't be trusted with driving a manual transmission every day.

Issues to sort on the R32 to get it back to where it should be.

Missing recent service information - my aim is to get the following done by the end of November - Haldex, DSG, brake fluid and a full service to get on top of the mechancials.​

Rust to both front arches, a lot of stone chips to the front bumper, mirror caps and bonnet, the bonnet ones have been touched in with a different shade of blue​

There is a dent in the hatch lid and the paint as a whole could do with a good polish​

Front grill badge has been changed for a black version - looks wrong so that will be replaced with the standard chrome look one​

4 almost matching tyres (3 Goodyear F1s and a Bridgestone I think) - I'll change them all for Michelin Pilot Sport 4S as 3 of them are below 4mm anyway​

The Omanyt wheels are not too bad although the barrels do have some rust coming through in patches - I will get them refurbed before I swap the tyres​

VW emblems are missing on a couple of the wheel centres - Have got 2 on their way​

Exhaust has been changed for a res delete (no middle silencer) - I plan to change for a cat back two silencer system​

Rear subframe, suspension arms, shock mounts etc all pretty rusty, 3 springs also rusty (one spring has been replaced recently it appears) - I plan to renew the lot in time.​

Rear drivers side door lock module faulty and electric window not working.​

Windscreen surround - signs of delamination to the glass - I'll get a new one put in in the spring - I'll get through the gritting season first.​

After collecting the car I found the one of the front driveshaft CV bots was split - this one will be a priority​

Rubber sleeves to brake hoses are splitting - I'll get braided hoses put on.​

DSG gearstick surround cracked / damaged - I've ordered one for Ali Express to see what that is like.​

No front car mats - I've ordered a set of those.​

​

Our original R32 - wasn't even a year old when this was taken.

The Caddy

The R

 

[iooroiidvd]

Welcome back to the OC.

I do not understand the mentality of replacing springs or tyres on one side of an axle.

Good work putting everything right.

More and more the door lock modules seem to be hitting an age where they are giving up, I've had a couple go recently.

 

[N3DXT]

Cheers, the door lock module looked a right pain to get to so I wasn't lookng forward to sorting that.

Since picking up the car it's spent a few weeks at the spray shop to sort out the rust issues. I wanted to get those sorted quickly incase there were hidden issues behind the wings or with the cills.

The car ended up having 2 new genuine wings and the bonnet, front bumper, cill covers and mirror caps painted along with the cill threshold as there were a fair number of small areas of rust breaking through the paint there, front lights polished up (found a broken plastic tab on one of the lights so that was plastic welded). Advanced rust was spotted in the bracket that supports the front crash bar so a new one of those was fitted too.

The garage also replaced the door locking module whilst the door skins were off, replaced the wheel arch liner to the nearside as the existing one was cracked / broken and also fitted a new under bonnet sound deadening pad as the one it came with was pretty buggered.

One thing I really wasn't happy with is where VW apply top coat and where they stop, bottom of the A pillars could have done with VW going an extra inch lower with the top coat

Leaking driveshaft CV boot, braking system and exhaust next - the car came will drilled discs, no idea of what brand, pads seem fairly cheap but plenty of meat on both so they aren't worth looking at for now.

 

[VelovetAndy]

Quite a lot to do then, but you are being super thorough.

 

[N3DXT]

Cheers Andy

I've just got back from picking it up from the local garage.

Driveshaft CV boot now replaced
Braided hoses installed plus I ended up having to replace one of the rear calipers which wasn't working fully.
Replaced the steel caliper lines with new (these things)

Exhaust was meant to be 'just' a Scorpion cat back but that didn't go to plan; turns out there was also a blow on the flexis prior to the cats (it sounded awful). A PM to Lucifer (total gem) and the car now has a new pair of new flexis and cats to go with the Scorpion.

Finances have taken an absolute battering obviously so will need to wait a little for the next job which will be DSG service, Haldex Service and Full inspection service

I've not mentioned the interior yet

The car has a leather interior, no rips or scuffs but needs some TLC to make it look a bit less ancient
The steering wheel could do with a retrim - not damaged but showing its 73k miles and 14 years
The headliner is starting to sag but not too bad for now
The car has factory sat nav which doesn't work, no bluetooth and no DAB. I'd like to sort this further down the line but I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes a nuisance and pushes its way up the wish list once I get to start driving the car.

 

[VelovetAndy]

Good call on the Lucifer parts. They are brilliant. The fluids service will not be too bad and you are working your way through the major maintenance items ( which you will not need to do again) . The snag is that 14 years of use, water, salt , road grit etc takes its toll eventually so you are dealing with the inevitable.

 

[N3DXT]

Quick update on this, I've had the car for close to 3 months and completed almost 1000 miles

Since picking the car up I've now had the following done

Front and side spray works along with a few dents pulled out.
New manifold back exhaust,
Four new tyres and two new wheel centres
Braided brake hoses installed,
NSF Split CV boot replaced
Offside rear locking and electric window module replaced
Renewed various exterior trim pieces along with instaling the correct front VW badge
New floor mats.

Today it went to VW for a full service, haldex oil change and DSG service (discounted service plan)

VW have flagged up that the rear nearside spring is broken; the rear offside one had been replaced not long before I picked up the car! The latest issue with the car is that in the past someone has damaged the sump pan and rather than getting a new one has just glued the old one back on.

Next steps on this will now be replacing the sump and renewing the rear suspension complete. I have most of the suspension parts already, I just need to get them stonechipped and then I can get them fitted and get a 4 wheel alignment.

I think I have a bit of play in the steering rack so I'm sure that will be heading up the list soon, for that I'll be getting the existing rack refurbished, this thing will bankrupt me if I can't slow down on correcting the last few years of incorrect maintenance. I reckon it was well looked after for the first 10 - 11 of the 14 years it's been on the road, shame it then got into the hands of someone who couldn't or wouldn't maintain it correctly.

 

[VelovetAndy]

If the rack needs a rebuild, then if you have a gen 2 rack ( which was definitively fitted up to 2006) then an exchange recon one will be a gen 3 . Might just need to be ready for that one. Bit of work with VAGCOM or a garage job.

 

[N3DXT]

Hi Andy

Cheers, with me pretty much everything is a garage job, everything takes me so long if I do it.

 

[iooroiidvd]

Whereabouts are you based and would you recommend the spray shop?

 

[iooroiidvd]

I'm the same, used to do all my own work up to and including engine rebuilds but I need the garage to do just about everything these days.

 

[N3DXT]

HI

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I reckon what would take a proper garage an hour would take me 4, even something simple like swapping wheels over kills my back these days too.

I'm happy with the spray shop results, not the cheapest for sure but I wanted good quality rather than throw £1500.00 their way and then find the colour match was out (or orange peely).

I'm based in Brighton, the spray shop was in Lancing about 15 miles from me, company called Wheatleys. My wife's car needed a spray repair so I used her car to test them out before sending in the R32. I plan to send my MK7 R there as soon as funds allow.

 

[jpop84621]

Bump

Sent from my TECNO KC8 using Tapatalk

 

[N3DXT]

Next steps on this will now be replacing the sump and renewing the rear suspension complete. I have most of the suspension parts already, I just need to get them stone chip protected and then I can get them fitted and get a 4 wheel alignment.

This thing will bankrupt me if I can't slow down on correcting the last few years of incorrect maintenance. I reckon it was well looked after for the first 10 - 11 of the 14 years it's been on the road, shame it then got into the hands of someone who couldn't or wouldn't maintain it correctly.

Latest update (Partial quoted my own post)

Went to pick up the car on Monday, got the train to the garage, sensibly bought a return ticket, more on that later.

I had booked the car in at a local ish VW specialist and arranged to drop it to them on the 26th April, pick it up when done etc. I supplied most of the parts but asked them to source all new bolts. I hd to chase a few times just to be told they are snowed under so despite taking the car in they didn't actually start it until the 14th June.

It went in for them to fit new rear subframe, rear ppring mounts, rear wishbones, rear trailing arms, rear coupling rods, shocks, springs, top mounts, poly bushes along with all new nuts and bolts, the garage also fitted new rear arb bushes, rear arb drop links. At the same time they installed new powerflex front wishbone anti lift ends. finally had the haldex and brake fluid redone (as everything had been apart) along with a four wheel alignment and a new MOT ready for me to put the car into regular use.

First port of call was the petrol staion ahead of the 25 mile journey home, a tank of super unleaded and then on my way, well that was until 2 mins later when the low oil pressure light came on, stopped the car and checked the oil level, all good, looked under the car, no leakage so carefully drove it back to the garage who had now closed for the night, left the car outside, dropped the key in the secure post box. Garage rang next day to say car oil pressure is low when the engine get up to temp, discussed grades of oil and what was put in the car at the last service. was advised a thicker oil might be a very short term fix but not recommended, advised not to drive it until I have the bottom end opened up for inspection. Car is being trailored back tonight.

I need to source a new sump (see post 7 above) and then I can send it to someone to assess what is needed, the funds aren't there for the full fix in the near future so looks like it will be going into storage until next spring.

 

[N3DXT]

 

[N3DXT]

When the car was apart the garage also replaced a leveling sensor located to the rear of the car - they explained it was related to the headlamps, I had no idea it existed but that was another £150 plus as well

This thing

 

[N3DXT]

Got the car back from the garage this morning following an oil change and sorting the sump plug issues out. Appeared to be running ok, I may have won the battle with it at last,

Next job is a wheel refurb. The garage that did the suspension rebuild jetwashed the wheels and blasted off some of the paint on the spokes, looks like the wheels were painted over before but not stripped back / keyed up prior to repaiting. After this I have very little left on the repairs to do list

 

[VelovetAndy]

Damn. I should have sold you my spare rear hubs, freshly powdercoated , to go with the rest of your shiny bits !😀😀😀. Anyway, all good news. Wheel refurb will not cost a fortune, but plan on £250 by the time you have had the tyres put back on with new valves and a balance . In fact , make that £300.

 

[N3DXT]

Glad I didn't see them go up for sale. I'd have been tempted I'm sure.

I've got 3 sets of wheels I need to get round to refurb, the ones on the R32 plus a colour change on the sets I have for my mk7. The MK7 ones are 8.5 x 19 ET42 with 235 35 19s on the rear and 225 35 19s on the front

 

[VelovetAndy]

Nice ones on the mk7 😀