Golf R Observations and Questions

[gtishe]

I've thought about this too, and I spotted a thread somewhere ages ago where someone had a Hayman Reese Towbar fitted to an R32!

I did see a silver R32 this morning with a Towbar, and am wondering if the exhaust set up in the R is much different to that of the R32.

[ethosguy]

I did see a silver R32 this morning with a Towbar, and am wondering if the exhaust set up in the R is much different to that of the R32.

I've made some enquiries re: R towbar fitment and ADR compliance but haven't come up with anything solid.
The best I've come up with is HP exhaust and rework the pipes or maybe a GTI muffler and fitted with a GTI rear bar (wide tips).
Hacking the std rear bar might be drastic?
Some comments have been made about the fuel tank in the R being different to other specs???
I'm presuming Golf 'type' ADR would suffice; maybe engineering certification reqd.?
Or a used S3 - new to $$$ for me.

Our Tiguan bar is a really neat installation, that might not even interfere (much). I might visit a dealer and park near by to do a comparison.
I'd be supprised if VW missed this, maybe excluded by marketing rather than technical?

If anyone has better detail prey-tell...

[Corey_R]

In relation to the Golf R fuel tank. Overseas specs state it as being 60L instead of 55L of all the other Golf's. However, the Australian spec only states 55L for the R tank too. I've highlighted this to a dealer who has escalated via VGA, but we're still waiting on the official reply. I doubt that the Golf R has a different fuel tank for Australia only, so I'd be confident that it'll come back as having the 60L tank just like every other country. Plus, we've already got members who have put more than 55L of fuel into their R tanks.

The question of ADR compliance is a good one. Even IF you can get someone to somehow fit a towbar to the R, is it legal to then tow anything if Volkswagen have not seeked ADR compliance for it and published the maximum braked and unbraked towing limits?

So yeah, if you really want to tow something and you're buying an R, you'd be wanting to do your homework first! Or just buy a GTI

[Serge]

A simple answer to towing on golf R is..... NO, it cant be done.

[dave_r]

A simple answer to towing on golf R is..... NO, it cant be done.

But why would you want to? I've never understood the fitment of towbars to small cars. If it is for bikes, then use roof racks. Having towed gokarts/jetskis etc with falcons, nfi why you'd want to tow anything with a small car.

[team_v]

But why would you want to? I've never understood the fitment of towbars to small cars. If it is for bikes, then use roof racks. Having towed gokarts/jetskis etc with falcons, nfi why you'd want to tow anything with a small car.

I tend to agree with you on this one dave-

I have seen corolla's and even charade's with a towball and wonder why they would even bother.
I assume it is becasue they don't want to have 2 or even 3 cars just so they may be able to tow something once every few months.
i.e. guy has sporty golf, wifey has convertible (say mx5) and then they need another car to tow the jetski or trailer around, it is hard to justify owning 3 vehicles with the costs associated now.

The simple answer here is that if you want to tow and you are looking at a Golf R, then you need to look at an Audi S3 8P (or a tiguan)

[dave_r]

I assume it is becasue they don't want to have 2 or even 3 cars just so they may be able to tow something once every few months.

That'd be a poor excuse for being a danger on the roads though.

[team_v]

That'd be a poor excuse for being a danger on the roads though.

I know, and i agree with you.

[Corey_R]

Having said that, whilst many may consider the Golf a "small" car, it's heavier and more powerful and torquey than the falcons and commodores of yester-year which everyone used to tow their caravans and crap around with anyway....

[Mountainman]

I have seen corolla's and even charade's with a towball and wonder why they would even bother.

I saw a couple of grey nomads in a Hyundai i30 diesel towing a 15ft caravan at Litchfield Nat Park in the NT when I was there in June. But then it would have a bit more torque than a Charade....