Anyone have any experience of the Touareg? Considering a 3.0 TDI – big, grunty and surprisingly fun to drive. Other suggestions would be good, but diesel 4x4s are fairly specialist over here in the US.

http://www.reliabilityindex.com/reliability/search/407

My Mrs has one from new MK2 version, it’s on 100000 miles, in that time the only major thing it has needed is an EGR valve, goes through tyres if driven spiritedly. I have told her to get rid but she says she loves it, for a big lump of a motor it does shift compared to X5/Q7 loads of torque, the only time I use it is when towing 3500kg trailer and it does it with ease.

Arent they small on the inside for such a big car?

If you’ve access to U.S. Gas prices surely a V8 is the only way to go!?

V8 nah v10 diesel is the daddy.

Which model – the first variant or the latest one. A friend had the first variant and he said it was bloody awful. but a guy I work with has the current model – a big stinking V8 petrol, but he is based in the M.E. where petrol is a about 12p a litre. It’s a lovely car – interior space is not too bad, very spacious in the passenger compartment, but the boot is not particularly huge. Can’t comment on the off-road capability as it’s never seen anything other than tarmac.

If you’re stateside then why Diesel? Aren’t petrol prices low over there and diesel not so common? also Petrol engines are cleaner and more reliable. Diesel makes sense in the UK for big cars like that but i’d much rather have a big petrol lump up front if the petrol prices were sensible.

V8 nah v10 diesel is the daddy.

My Mates got the 5.0 V10 Diesel. He was happy when the Diesel prices fell the other week……

Petrol is cheaper in the us but not trivially so, if you are going through a gallon every 15 miles it can add up!

scotsman – Member

a big lump of a motor it does shift compared to X5/Q7 loads of torque,

I’ll bet you a pound it doesn’t.

Was planning on a newish model – maybe a couple of years old. Here we get a choice of 3.6 VR6 petrol engine (280bhp/266lb-ft) or the 3.0 TDI (240bhp/406lb-ft). All of that torque makes a big difference in such a heavy car.

“Regular gas” is around $1 per liter around here, and diesel about the same. Not expensive, but at the same time, I wouldn’t go buying something that won’t get more than 20mpg.

I’ve heard horror stories about the mk 1, but hopefully the new one is better…

I drive one regularly at work. It’s very comfy, cruises very well and can shift it when required (much to the surprise of some tailgating types). It gets taken off road as well and has been very good indeed. The boot isn’t huge (especially not with two dogs in it!) and it can be a bit thirsty but other than that it does a decent job.

Huge fuel tank. If you get a slow pump it can take what feels like forever.

BillMC – Member
http://www.reliabilityindex.com/reliability/search/407

as it’s a blatant school child delivery device most of those states will be from short trips by mums, so fairly un-even report i’d hazzard a guess at.

Hmm, small boot? I thought it was massive, but I’m currently driving a Golf GTI…

Another alternative is the Q7 with the same engine. I imagine that it won’t be quite so fun to drive though, as it seems a fair bit bigger.

Mate has just bought a 3.0 litre version – R Line or some such name. I can vouch from the passenger seat that it goes like stink. Boot is an embarrassment though. Really impressed with interior and toys that come with it. He ended up paying £15k or so under list as VW were doing offers plus garage haggling.