Looking at a new car.
Some very good looking lease deals on VW Touaregs. Never leased before, always bought outright from new, but these are very tempting.
Test drive one today (R line 262 3L V6). Felt like a large, refined, comfortable tank! Very different to my current slightly sporty (and low) estate.
Any owners that would like to share their opinions (or on going from a sports estate to big 4×4 in general)?
Second hand not an option before anyone starts 🙄

Be prepared to be criticised for looking at a 4×4, any moment now and you’ll be told that you need a van or another car like the poster has

I hired an R-lIne in Germany from Hamburg airport. Got a speeding ticket about 2km later. Therefore I don’t like them.

Other than that it was pretty good.

Do you holiday in the Lakes? They appear to be a popular option if you do….

Price of tyres, and brake discs, the discs on those are massive and handed so not cheap come replacement time.

Used to have the Touareg years ago and it was a fuel guzzler, lovely to drive but very thirsty indeed and it was the V6 diesel.

Last year I got the Volvo XC60 AWD and its in a different league! fantastic car to drive and the fuel economy is really good, yes its a 4X4 but it only goes into AWD once the road conditions dictates and the safety features are second to none.

I’d definitely buy another one again

Drove one for a week last year and found it to be a very capable truck. A friend had a Hi-Lux out there at the same time and they both seemed pretty good to me.

I’d happily have either if I was in the market for a big arse truck. Certainly seemed as good as anything else.

Tom KP

Absolutely amazing car. Had one for 2 years (previous spec R-line so almost identical to the one you’ve driven).

Fuel is good for the size – 35mpg with a heavy right foot.

Tyres aren’t as bad as you think – try oponeo and you’ll save a fortune.

You will not get a better car in the same class for that money. BMW X5, Range Rover sport etc… All cost a LOT more for an equivalent spec. I’ve started shopping for my replacement next year and am highly likely to order another.

Email me if you’ve any specific questions.

And I’ll do you a good deal on the lease (vw dealer btw)

Thanks for the feedback so far. When I can’t fit my bike inside my current car it goes on the roof. Is this practical on a higher car like the Touareg? I’ve used a tow bar mounted rack on previous car, so could think about going back to that.

thered, could you do better than this (on a 8000 mpa deal)?

http://www.centralukvehicleleasing.co.uk/vehicle/choose_your_lease/66059/volkswagen/touareg/30_v6_tdi_bluemotion_tech_262_r_line_5dr_tip_auto.html

I’m on holiday at the moment, and have brought my bike on the roof. Harder than a standard car, but still perfectly manageable.

Just bought a slightly older one, I went for the se spec as I want to pull the odd trailer and get across fields / properly crappy tracks etc so didn’t want the lower ride height. It goes like stink in a straight line, local runs are circa 30mpg, longer and it’s about 40mpg. Tyres are £140 a corner (cheaper than the A6 it replaced) Goodyear fitted but lots of others the same price. Great on a roads and in town, ok off road, but a bit large for smaller roads. Kids love it (high and comfy) and I like cruising in it but love getting back into my little golf, feels like a go cart!

It is named after a terrorist group from west Africa. Something to bear in mind.

I looked at these a while back. Apparently if towing anything you need to have speced another engine/coolant fan otherwise the engine warranty is in doubt?

Ah, that explains why the vw towbar comes with a fan

Apparently (according to Bristol VW) it’s the higher power engines that need the fan. The 200hp ones are ok, the 250ish ones can over heat. Suspect you need to tow 3.5t up a mountain at 90mph for it to actually have any problems though.

Whichever model you get, I hope you enjoy it – getting the right vehicle really does make trips out with friends and family so much better.

Just don’t let it make you start driving like the Touareg owners that I see on the roads – very dodgy, most of them.

Just don’t let it make you start driving like the Touareg owners that I see on the roads – very dodgy, most of them.

Don’t worry about that. I currently have an Audi, and am like a one man crusader to drive against the stereotype.

Also, is their enough of these on the roads to generalise (like thats ever stopped anyone before!)? I don’t see many, so have never noticed a trend. However, see lots of Audi’s being driven by idiots.

Love mine, chews through tyres a bit qicker than I hoped. Not sure if it is my driving or the wife towing her horse.

Great all round family shifter, very comfy. Wouldn’t use it for an everyday commute in town though.

I’ve got the older R5 diesel in Altitude spec. All the toys ever needed, crap VED though 🙁

My mistake.

Being a bit special and worst for wear yesterday I somehow managed to get the Touareg and Amorak confused.
What a silly bunt!

Tom kp

Np zero, assumed that was the case

I think they are really nice cars, my old man has one. better economy than his old Freelander apparently. Just out of my price range. Ended up going for an XC60, as could get a good discount and they were easily big enough for our needs.

Also looking to roof mount a bike rack. Hope it is not too high, as I don’t want to do a hitch rack. The VWs are even higher, so worth checking it isn’t too much of a hassle to get the bike on the roof.

Get V10 and tow a jet…

My bro in law bought the v10, it’s a bloody animal. Fuel bills are a bit steep though. My A6 did 42mpg on the drive to South of France, fully loaded any going fast. He managed 17mpg, and it can be worse around town!

V6 diesel is the only engine available now (from new). 200 or 262 bhp. Manufacturers combined mpg is ~40mpg, not sure how that will reflect actual mileage, but I tend to get slightly over the quoted figures in my last couple of cars. Not an economical option obviously, but acceptable for the milage I do.

I thought you could still get a 4.2 v8? Anyway, the 3.0 v6 in mine is doing 32mpg locally and 40mpg on longer runs. I think it’ll do more but I’m enjoying the poke at the moment, plus I’m taking it off road a bit and towing a few trailers and the like.

Not any more, 3L only

Lovely motors but my mate’s struggles to get a couple of sets of golf clubs in which is just crazy for that size of car. All bonnet and no boot!