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Old     (colombiansurfer)      Join Date: Sep 2008       12-05-2009, 3:55 PM Reply   
Does anyone pull there boat with this vehicle? If so, any complaints or raves? Thinking about getting one. What are your thoughts?
Old     (lifetimewarranty)      Join Date: Oct 2008       12-05-2009, 4:25 PM Reply   
Looks like the tow rating is 7500 lbs

I'd buy one!

(Message edited by lifetimewarranty on December 05, 2009)
Old     (cbk)      Join Date: Aug 2006       12-05-2009, 5:38 PM Reply   
Oddly enough, I have pulled an Avalanche C4 several times with one of those. To my surprise it had zero problems handling a boat of that size. I have to say that it was more than impressive all around, I just didn't expect it to perform like it did. Green light from me.

FYI...I have a good connection on Mercedes Benz, feel free to message me if you need more info.
Old     (gti2lo)      Join Date: Nov 2005       12-05-2009, 7:37 PM Reply   
I have a touareg... rated for 7800 lbs.... handles the X-star great...

Can you get air suspension on the GL class? I would recommend for keeping the truck level with towing
Old     (linder)      Join Date: Mar 2009       12-05-2009, 10:22 PM Reply   
Air suspension is standard on the Gl. Great car I would recommend it any day, especially the diesel.
Old     (colombiansurfer)      Join Date: Sep 2008       12-06-2009, 12:25 AM Reply   
The GL 350 comes with air ride/suspension as a standard. No spare tire, since it has run flat tires on 20" rims. All wheel drive is great so not need for 4X4, plus it gives you a little better handling.

Team CBK, I will be using USAA to get the vehicle since I used them to get my 2010 C350 last week. They have a vehicle buying program which they have access to almost any vehicle line and getting it at the price the dealer has to pay, minus fees and kick backs. I was able to save almost 5K on this car from the sticker.

Greg, good to know on the VW!
Old     (sailing216)      Join Date: Oct 2007       12-06-2009, 5:31 AM Reply   
Also in the same class is the Audi Q7 with diesel V6 but it's out of the box lack is the air suspension option. The touareg had the V10d option but they are very few to find.

The G bluetec sounds like they have a great balance of options except 20" runflats will be mucho money to replace and I'm not a fan of on cars, but saftey point of view might be worth it to the family.
Old     (colombiansurfer)      Join Date: Sep 2008       12-06-2009, 7:22 AM Reply   
I looked at the Audi Q7, but the 3rd row seating is for midgets. Just like the Porche Cayenne. The VW V10 is no longer in production because of reliability issues they were having with the motor.

I am going to lease the vehicle only for 39 months so I can write it off on my business taxes. So everything will still under warranty. And at the end of my lease I can walk away an into another one. the P1 option package seems to have everything that I will need, but I will add the head rest DVD's and the lighting package. Do not care for the keyless start since I hear of people having problems with the fod shutting down the vehicles. Not just MB, but BMW also.
Old     (gti2lo)      Join Date: Nov 2005       12-06-2009, 8:38 AM Reply   
Q7 doesn't tow like the Touareg... chassis is different... not sure how comparable it is... tow capicity is lower.

I heard good things with the 6cyl TDI, we had the V8 and it's great because of the transmission. (1-4 close ratio, 5-6 spaced out for economy)

My opinion better than my buddy's F150 Harley Davidson... piss ass poor 4 sp trans!

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Old     (sp0tts)      Join Date: Jun 2004       12-06-2009, 12:01 PM Reply   
David, I'm pretty sure the reason VW cut the V10 TDI was because they weren't selling many in the US, market just wasn't there for an $80k VW.

Your best resource for that vehicle is probably going to be a Mercedes forum. Pretty sure MB has had a diesel option for a few years now, hopefully someone can give you some insight.

I recently was in a similar situation to you and test drove X5d, Q7 TDI, Touarage 2 TDI, & ML350 Bluetec. I decided to look hard for a used 08 VW T2 V10 TDI, but had trouble finding any (hadn't heard much about reliability on the motor and was in several forums). Ended up with an 06 Cayenne Turbo Certified for less than any of the vehicles I listed above.

My needs were probably a little different than yours (didn't need a 3rd row seat and wanted something that drove like a car), I think as long as you have an air suspension, any of the offerings I mentioned will tow just fine, and so will the GL. I say air suspension simply because I've driven a Cayenne without one, and it was night and day to mine.

The only thing I would be aware of is 0-60 on the vehicle you're looking at is 9.1 seconds without the boat, so it may take some time to get up to speed with the boat, maybe not much more though with the amount of torque it has.

Supercharged Range Rover Sport may be another one to look at if you haven't already, very good vehicle, reliability is a question with all Rovers though. I have heard they've gotten better.

Audi has V8 & V12 diesels in Europe and Porsche is supposedly working with one of those engines, should be interesting to see what comes out down the road in the US as far as this market goes. Good luck with your shopping and let us know how it tows once you get it....
Old     (sp0tts)      Join Date: Jun 2004       12-06-2009, 12:04 PM Reply   
and Greg, I could be wrong, but I think I've read somewhere that the Q7 towing capacity in Europe is higher than it is in the US.

(Message edited by sp0tts on December 06, 2009)
Old     (gti2lo)      Join Date: Nov 2005       12-06-2009, 4:17 PM Reply   
N/A is lower on the Q7... the V10 in the Touareg with low in numbers due to the 10k+ premium price that is had... not to mention it belittled the big three in terms of technology, performance

As for the Range Rover... stay...stay far away...

Unreliable, expensive and piss poor resale value! (lots of people I know had had horror stories)

It's a poser SUV....

Mercedes ML350 I would not trust with a big boat.. GL wouldn't be bad(no first hand experience)

BMW X5d would suffice with a smaller boat..

(Message edited by gti2lo on December 06, 2009)
Old     (sp0tts)      Join Date: Jun 2004       12-06-2009, 7:17 PM Reply   
Resale on all of them is bad, main reason why I went used. The Rovers do seem a little worse than the german SUVs though for resale. I've heard the 07+ Rovers are much better on reliability, but I didn't look at them for those reasons. It seemed to me the X5 4.8s did the best on resale when I was shopping - I was comparing to MMR at Manheim, not KBB. Original owner of my CTT for example took at least a $45k hit to drive the thing 30k miles, $1.50+ per mile plus fuel, ins, & maint, that's crazy IMO, but to each their own. I could've had an '08 V10 in AZ for $45k with 30k miles on it, but couldn't trade my truckt then. X5 M has some impressive specs, would be nice if they would throw an air suspension on it and increase the towing capacity.
Old     (linder)      Join Date: Mar 2009       12-06-2009, 10:53 PM Reply   
I wouldn't trade my V10tdi for any other SUV on the market, bar none.
Old     (joe_crawley)      Join Date: Jan 2007       12-06-2009, 11:11 PM Reply   
"No spare tire, since it has run flat tires on 20" rims"

Run flats work only at high speed. Don't waste your money on a truck without a spare, think about what else they forgot to put in the car.

I've got run flat 20s on my truck, and I've certainly had flats that needed immediate attention. I'd smack the taste out of a salesman's mouth if he tried to con me by saying you didn't need a spare.
Old     (colombiansurfer)      Join Date: Sep 2008       12-07-2009, 9:59 AM Reply   
You are right there is no spare tire for the vehicle, but there are after market spare tire holders for the vehicle. Also with MB there is there 24 hr road service where they come out and fix the tire for you until you can get to a shop for the repair.

As for me, I will be leasing the vehicle, so taking a resale value hit is not a worry for me. I will turn it in after 3 years and get another one.

I am on both forums for MB and they have given me some great feedback as well, but not many pull our kind of boats. They have all told me over there that the vehicle gets better gas mileage than the 450 or 550. Better low end torque too! Another one told me that he got 20 MPG pulling his run about boat no problem.

The only extra maintenance is the AdBlue, which I can get it at any truck stop for 1/10th of the price and add it myself and the fuel filter. But the oil changes on these vehicles is every 15K miles. So to me that is once a year if that. Right now I spend about $400.00 a year in just oil changes on my Nissan. The MB-BT A Service is $189.00 and the B Service is $289.00. So I am still saving with the MB-BT over the Nissan.

I am going out this weekend and the next few days and test drive all that I can and see if they will let me pull my boat with it to get a feel of how it is going to do. So far the MB dealership said sure I can as long as a maint guy goes with me. No sure why a maint guy verses a Sales Rep, but what ever. I will post my findings here and let you all know what I get.

David
Old     (guido)      Join Date: Jul 2002       12-07-2009, 10:23 AM Reply   
My boss just ordered one after having the 450 for the last three years. They're nice vehicles. The diesel doesn't have a ton of punch, but it gets the job done very efficiently. It'll pull the boat fine. Even something fairly heavy.

They get phenominal mileage for a big vehicle.
Old     (gregtay)      Join Date: Aug 2008       12-07-2009, 11:38 AM Reply   
... and i wouldn't trade my 08 V10 Touareg for any other car on the market either... you are going to have to pry this one from my cold dead hands. I had an 07 Tundra CrewMax 5.7 and an 08 Armada.. and i can honestly say the Touareg tows better I pull my 08 23LSV with no issues... you forget the boat is back there... and up steep mountain passes at 70mph the V10 stays around 2000 RPM.. no downshifting.. and even going up hill at 70 you can accelerate with ease.

(and the V10TDI was dropped in the US market due to low demand an high cost.. it is still available for the rest of the world on 2010 Touaregs. It is one of the most amazing motors ever built... and no.. it does not have "reliability issues" as someone stated.

I am sold on oil burning German SUVs. If i had a choice i'd take the V10 Touareg.. but I think you would be happy with any of the following: MB GL Bluetec. Touareg V6TDI 3.0L (09-10), Q7 TDI (3.0L).





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(Message edited by gregtay on December 07, 2009)
Old     (wakecumberland)      Join Date: Oct 2007       12-07-2009, 11:56 AM Reply   
gregtay,that is a beautiful rig. I love how level it sits with the boat hooked up. What is the V10 bringing at market these days? Are all of the Touaregs good or is there a model year to avoid? I would love to replace my tow vehicle with one.

(Message edited by wakecumberland on December 07, 2009)
Old     (gregtay)      Join Date: Aug 2008       12-07-2009, 12:12 PM Reply   
All V10's have the air suspension option.. so it's ALWAYS level... when i hook up the boat the rear sags like a normal car and the nose lifts.. as soon as the Toaureg feels the weight the rear raises and the nose lowers to level things out. I can also lover the Touareg to "load level" which basically slams it for easy loading.. or raise it up for 12" of ground clearance. Plus.. i have 3 settings (sport comfort and "auto") to change how the car rides. As soon as you hook up the trailer lights the Touareg switches to "tow mode".. so the tranny shift points change and it even figures out that it needs to disable the rear sonar parking assist.. since there is obviously something back there. There's no trailer wag (and if it did the Touareg has anti-trailer wagging technology built in.. it will use the brakes on each wheel independantly to bring things back under control. The other advantage of the V10 are the standard 350mm front brakes. No issues stopping while towing.

I picked up my V10 in May for $44K w/ 14K miles on it. MSRP was $78K (I have every option including rear locking dif and front and side assist and adaptive Cruise control (automatically slows down when a car gets in front of you... it's amazing... you can actually trust it.)

2008 models are the best since it is a "Touareg 2".. slight body change but a ton of other little things were improved (plus it was the last year you could get the V10 in the US.) early 2004 Touaregs had some issues but most 04 Touaregs are fine now... VW stepped up and took car of the problems with a big service campaign.
Old     (sp0tts)      Join Date: Jun 2004       12-07-2009, 2:59 PM Reply   
David, I'd get a spare anyways if possible. Roadside assistance is nice, but if the dealers nearby don't stock that tire, you'll be SOL anyways. I got a flat on my Cayenne in Philly and nobody had my tire stocked, not even the Porsche dealers. Didn't have my boat in tow, but the tires a lot of these german SUVs require aren't stocked by many tire places, if you blow one, you could be waiting at least till the next day in a lot of cases. I have a compact spare, that I'm replacing with a full size spare, unfortunately I had to learn the hard way. The rest of you should consider this also, especially if you're towing a boat a long distance.

Adam, the prices on the 08 V10s are right around what Greg paid, I had found one in AZ for the same price with a little more mileage about a month ago, certified with a warranty up to 100,000 miles. 06's I think can be had in the low 30's.

Greg, you said oil burning? your Turbo's burn some oil?

I'm with you guys, completely sold on the German SUVs too. The company I work for has diesel trucks from all of the big 3 and I've towed with every one of them, can honestly say my Turbo tows better than any of them IMO, accelerates better, stops shorter, shifts smoother, and the speed you can maintain going up grades is amazing, not to mention how fun it is to drive when you're not towing.
Old     (gregtay)      Join Date: Aug 2008       12-07-2009, 3:42 PM Reply   
No.. my turbo's don't burn oil... just refering to "Diesel".
Old     (guido)      Join Date: Jul 2002       12-07-2009, 6:18 PM Reply   
Oil burners are where it's at.... I absolutely love my diesel pickup. The power is amazing and addicting. Tows like there's nothing there.

I'm pretty sure the wifes next car will be diesel, also. Probably the X5 since we wont need it to tow. We'll be an all turbo, all all-wheel-drive family.

My stepsisters dad has a V10 toureg. He swears by it and has owned a ton of different vehicles. It's the only one I've seen him put more than 20k miles on before selling. I think he's pushig 75k right now without any complaints.
Old     (laptom)      Join Date: Apr 2002       12-08-2009, 3:33 AM Reply   
Why not a Q7 with a V12 Diesel... It kicks ass to the Toureg V10 .
The Cayenne Diesel is available in Europe, it's the V6 Diesel (same as Q7, with a little bit more power).

I think the GL350 would tow great a 7000LBS boat, expecially with air suspension and tow package.
Old     (gregtay)      Join Date: Aug 2008       12-08-2009, 10:14 AM Reply   
I'd take the Q7 V12TDI or the Q8 4.2TDI...but until Audi of America allows us enjoy those amazing engines i will stick with my V10TDI.
Old     (gti2lo)      Join Date: Nov 2005       12-08-2009, 3:57 PM Reply   
There are a lot of engines that europe gets that N/A doesn't....

shame....
Old     (wakecumberland)      Join Date: Oct 2007       12-08-2009, 6:09 PM Reply   
I found a 2007 VW V10 TDI w/ 32000 miles for $30,000. That seems like a pretty sweet deal no?
Old     (sp0tts)      Join Date: Jun 2004       12-08-2009, 8:04 PM Reply   
Adam, yeah that sounds like a great deal to me, especially if it's Certified (think VWs certified warranty will take you to 100,000 miles), even if its not you should have some balance on the factory warranty yet. It probably drives like new with only 30k miles on it too.

Greg, I asked about oil burning, because the Turbos in my Cayenne definitely burn a quart every couple thousand miles. The dealer told me about it up front and they all do it, the 911's are way worse apparently. When I saw that comment, it made me curious.
Old     (gregtay)      Join Date: Aug 2008       12-08-2009, 9:49 PM Reply   
VW Certified adds 25K and 2 years to the factory 4 x 48. You can purchase a 7yr/100K mile VW bumper to bumper (extends the factory coverage) for about $2500... worth EVERY penny.
Old     (okwakebdr)      Join Date: Jul 2005       12-09-2009, 6:57 AM Reply   
Anyone have experience with these vehicles at high altitude and steep roads? I have been thinking about going to a diesel from my F150 since I moved to Denver. I pull a 2005 SANTE, so its not that heavy, but I'm sure I'll be upgrading to a bigger boat eventually. Also, I'd like to make a trip to Powell next year which means going up over Loveland Pass at 11,000 feet.

Was considering going to a F250 SD, but now you really have me thinking b/c I don't really need that much truck most of the time (commuting, etc.)

(Message edited by okwakebdr on December 09, 2009)
Old     (gregtay)      Join Date: Aug 2008       12-09-2009, 7:55 AM Reply   
a major plus fo the turbo diesals is that they are less effected by altitude... you won't have any problems. I live in Seattle now and they think a "high mountain pass" is 4000 ft... so that is about all the experiance i have had while towing with my V10.. felt like i had just as much power as at sea level. (I grew up in AZ.. went to school in Flagstaff (7K feet and 2 hours form Powell!.. went every weekend!) and spent a lot of time in the colorado rockies (Wolf creek, Telluride, Ouray, Durango, etc.... now that's "high mt. passes" :-)
Old     (jwake123)      Join Date: Dec 2009       12-09-2009, 8:20 AM Reply   
I bought a 2005 Chevy Tahoe just to tow my boat. I don't really tow too far and too often since I live on a lake. However, when I needed to go on the highway for the first time and I tried hooking up the wires for the lights, it didn't work because my tahoe's connection rusted out.

So I had to use my other car, an '08 Lexus GX470, thank god I get the tow package on everything. Now I tow regularly with the Lexus and never have an issue, nor does it ever struggle handling, braking, or accelerating. Some of these vehicles are actually pretty shocking in how good they are at towing. Never would have guessed the Toureg would be good at it either.
Old     (guido)      Join Date: Jul 2002       12-09-2009, 10:30 AM Reply   
okwakebdr:

The new diesels are AMAZING!!! I drive regularly at 7k feet of elevation. Almost 0 loss of power. Soo much better than my old Tahoe. It was a dog at elevation. Absolutely lame when towing up high.

The 250 SD is a huge vehicle and definitely overkill. I'm using mine as my daily right now. Luckily I don't ever drive around in town and have a motorcycle for short trips or ease of parking, but I love the F250. I was just thinking last night that I'd never own anything else. What a great vehicle. I'm already planning on getting a 2012 F250 after they work the bugs out of the new motor.

(Message edited by guido on December 09, 2009)
Old     (delmage171)      Join Date: Mar 2008       12-09-2009, 12:12 PM Reply   
How well do all these vehicles brake with these larger boats???

My neighbour has the large sea doo boat (23ft'r) and hes towing it with a VW Tijuan, I am not sure if I would want to have to break super hard with these small SUVs

Just wondering though!
Old     (guido)      Join Date: Jul 2002       12-09-2009, 12:37 PM Reply   
A GL is not a small vehicle. Neither are the Cayenne or Toureg's. They're actually quite heavy, have long wheel bases and large brakes.

A Tiguan is a pretty small vehicle. Much smaller than anything mentioned here. I wouldn't be comfortable towing anything larger than a competition ski boat with one.
Old     (srock)      Join Date: Mar 2002       12-09-2009, 12:47 PM Reply   
I was talking to my neighbor who tows a 37' Contender with his GMC diesel. He said towing was never an issue but stopping was. He has three axles but with brakes on only two. Wishes he would have added the brakes to all three axles. I cannot ever imagine anyone with a wake boat complaining about their diesel power. I cannot wait for the diesels to come out in lighter SUV's other that German autos.
Old     (colombiansurfer)      Join Date: Sep 2008       12-09-2009, 1:18 PM Reply   
Thanks for all the input guys. Here is what I have learned from the Maint man at MB.

He stated that run flats are hard to come by in most states. However, I did a search here in NC and Discount Tires carry's a large selection of RF's. Once the original tires are worn out, switch out for regular tires. The TPMS will still work, but no spare. That is where MB service comes into play. Call them and they will repair the tire for you. But did tell me to stash a can of fix a flat and that would hold me over. V10's are hard to find here at the VW dealership.

The 2010 GL 350 that I am looking at has every option to include air ride which I like. I have been on the MB forums and they all pull boats and tell me about the 20+ MPG they are getting with there GL's. No complaints at all except from the GL 450 and 550 guys that are screaming about the MPG. I believe the diesel is the way to go from now own, especially if pulling a boat. AWD is great for better handling and pulling out of the ramp. With my USAA discount I am looking at 70K for a new 2010 GL 350 loaded. My payment will be around $250.00 a month/ 36 months with the money's that I put down.

I am waiting on my local dealership to get one in so I can test it out with the boat next. He can't keep them in and the used ones are gone before they are ever put on the lot. It is a HOT vehicle right now.
Old     (gregtay)      Join Date: Aug 2008       12-09-2009, 3:46 PM Reply   
Good luck David... looking forward to seeing where you end up on a new rig.

Answering questions above: The Touareg (and others in it's class)do fine with heavy loads. I tow a 23' Wakesetter and you don't feel the boat back there. My V10 has 350mm brakes.. so no problems there either. This isn't a "boardlline" situation... it's well within the limits of the Touareg and the boat does not effect how the Touareg drives. One major plus... my Touareg tops the scales at 6000#... that's more than most full size/large SUV's and full size 1/2 trucks. (and being a diesel I manage to get about 18-20 MPG in the city and 25-27 highway... and even towing the boat i average around 20-22 on the highway.) I am sure the MB will provide the same level of towing experiance... they build their cars with the ability to tow in mind. In Europe they don't have huge American trucks or SUVs for towing... they use their cars and mid sized SUVs.. it is very common to see a MB or BMW sedan pulling a boat, etc. In America we think that is just WRONG... but that's because we picture a Chevy Malibu pulling a boat...which is just WRONG. :-). They build their cars a bit different over there... there is a reason they are so expensive.

Oh.. and if you think German cars are expensive.. just check out how much they cost in Germany!! A new Touareg V6TDI in the US runs US$50K.. same car spec'd the same in Germany is EU$67K.. with the current exchange rate they puts it around US$100K! And you can't buy a BMW X5 for under US$100K either.... so we acutally get a pretty good deal here in the states :-).

(Message edited by gregtay on December 09, 2009)

(Message edited by gregtay on December 09, 2009)
Old     (guido)      Join Date: Jul 2002       12-10-2009, 10:37 AM Reply   
I'm curious where the price of diesel will go with the market starting to lean towards it as a more viable alternative.

Only so much diesel can be refined from each barrel of oil. This could creat a surplus of gas and a shortage of diesel if more people get back on the diesel bandwagon.

This was the excuse two years ago when diesel got upwards of $5.30/gal in california. There was a point where it would have been more affordable to drive a gas vehicle with 25% worse fuel economy.

It'll be interesting to see. For right now, I totally agree, diesel is the way to go. Great power and amazing economy.
Old     (colombiansurfer)      Join Date: Sep 2008       12-10-2009, 12:06 PM Reply   
C.I.E. if that ever happens again, diesel ful going high and regular gas going low, I still have my Pathfinder that I can use. Then when Gas goes back up and diesel goes down, then I have the MB. Either way, I do not think that I or anyone else can go wrong with a diesel motor.

On another note, I was told to look at the F250 but when I read the mileage was under 10 MPG, I stopped reading. CR rated it the worst MPG truck out there. 7 MPG city and 10 MPG highway and that is not pulling anything. I hope the article was wrong, but I asked around and everyone told me that it was a drunk on fuel.
Old     (guido)      Join Date: Jul 2002       12-10-2009, 12:36 PM Reply   
You're talking about the F250 with the V10, right? That I totally believe. It's a hog.

The diesel is a whole other story. Mine averages just over 16. It'll do 18-19 on the freeway and around 15 in town. The best part is that it doesn't change much when towing or going up hill.

I've heard the new one with the twin turbo motor is worse, but I can't imagine it being anywhere near that bad.
Old     (wakecumberland)      Join Date: Oct 2007       12-10-2009, 12:49 PM Reply   
I test drove an 08 F350 Diesel w/70000 miles and the computer was calculating 11-12 mpg around town. Fun to drive but mileage sucks. I hope Ford gets it right with the new 6.7 coming out in March.
Old     (mckid)      Join Date: Dec 2009       12-10-2009, 4:12 PM Reply   
it looks like u got money so u needa buy a ram 2500 that would be a clean rig
Old     (linder)      Join Date: Mar 2009       12-10-2009, 5:19 PM Reply   
"The 2010 GL 350 that I am looking at has every option to include air ride which I like. I have been on the MB forums and they all pull boats and tell me about the 20+ MPG they are getting with there GL's. No complaints at all except from the GL 450 and 550 guys that are screaming about the MPG. I believe the diesel is the way to go from now own, especially if pulling a boat. AWD is great for better handling and pulling out of the ramp. With my USAA discount I am looking at 70K for a new 2010 GL 350 loaded. My payment will be around $250.00 a month/ 36 months with the money's that I put down. "

I say go for this! I would in a heartbeat.
Old     (gregtay)      Join Date: Aug 2008       12-10-2009, 5:52 PM Reply   
I am with Nick. Jump on it... you will never look back and you will wonder why we have been missing out in the US for so many years. These things aren't cheap (like is said.. my 08 V10 Touareg has an MSRP of $78K) but they are worth every penny... and you will even get MB service... i am stuck with VW service :-O
Old     (linder)      Join Date: Mar 2009       12-10-2009, 11:30 PM Reply   
Love the car greg, mines a few years older but still fall in love everytime I drive it!

I have towed everything from our wakeboard and ski boats to this big tex dump trailer with our tractor in it and you couldn't even feel it back there!!

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Old     (okwakebdr)      Join Date: Jul 2005       12-11-2009, 8:51 AM Reply   
Nick,

That's not the same care in both pictures is it? I love the black wheels on it. That is a great looking vehicle.
Old     (linder)      Join Date: Mar 2009       12-11-2009, 10:40 PM Reply   
Yes it's the same car, changed the wheels a few months after I bought it, 20% gloss black powder coated porsche cayenne turbo wheels.

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Old     (lifetimewarranty)      Join Date: Oct 2008       12-12-2009, 9:18 AM Reply   
That's sweet!
Old     (linder)      Join Date: Mar 2009       12-12-2009, 9:40 PM Reply   
Not trying to push the touareg, but the V10 is one of the best cars ever made in my opinion. 553 ft lbs of torque stock, gas mileage over 20 mpg, 0-60 in high 5's low 6's (thats a 6000 pound SUV), tows anything, and never looses power at altitude, I love this car.
Old     (brianinpdx)      Join Date: Aug 2009       12-14-2009, 12:20 AM Reply   
+1 for the Touareg. We've had one for a while now and love it. Make a great sound demo as well and tows like a dream.

http://www.exileaudio.com/touareg/

Anyone else put 10's in the doors? hehe!
Old     (carlosdynamicaudiolodi)      Join Date: Aug 2009       12-14-2009, 5:06 PM Reply   
X2 for the Touareg. I had an 04' and towing a 20' travel trailer was too easy. I really felt like there wasn't anything behind me. I'm on my 2nd Touareg (08') and can't wait for the new version whenever it comes out.
Old     (gregtay)      Join Date: Aug 2008       12-14-2009, 5:37 PM Reply   
Unfortunatly the 2011 Touareg will be a lot less of what makes the Touareg great today. It will become more like the a big Tiguan. :-( VW loses sales to cars like the MDX and RX (which are both less expensive.)
Old     (linder)      Join Date: Mar 2009       12-15-2009, 12:05 AM Reply   
Brian, is that your touareg?? that's a serious sound system!! I am a total audiophile and love that kind of stuff, all I've got is a focal sub and amp in my touareg but it has added alot of depth to the stock sound!
Old     (sulmaxwell)      Join Date: Dec 2003       12-15-2009, 2:46 AM Reply   
SAW A guy with the ml350cdi-(blutec) towing an x45 trhough the mountains where we are..that's a tough tow...and it was all good...my bro has an ml320 blutec...either of those will be the next vehicle for us...I'm very impressed with them!
Old     (srock)      Join Date: Mar 2002       12-15-2009, 7:05 AM Reply   
Hate to rain on the Toureg love-fest but everything I read puts them at the bottom of the reliability list. I looked at one years ago and thought the fit, finish and lines were great but there is nothing worse than sitting at the dealership.
Old     (gregtay)      Join Date: Aug 2008       12-15-2009, 11:00 AM Reply   
You can't rain on my parade.. so don't worry about it:-). Yes, some early 04's had some issues.. VW fixed the problems. Yes, the Touareg is an extremely complex machine with a ton of computers (And the V10 is one of the most complex engines ever put in a car) and it's German... so sometimes it takes a while to get parts if they are not on hand. But... it's no different than any other high end complex. Mine has never been in the shop.. and neither has my friend's 2004 Touareg. On the other hand.. I have a friend that lives in Munich who just purchased a new MB GLK 2.0d from the factory... it was in the shop after a week.. and of the 5 months he has owned it, its been in the shop for about 2.5 months! (And he lives where they make it!) IS the GLK bad? no.. he just got unlucky.

I will also comment that the Touareg (and any German car) is expensive to own!... brakes are $$$, tires are $$$ and it's not too kind on either. If you want cheap.. go by a ford truck. If you want a great car to drive around every day with the ability to tow your wakeboat as well as do some serious off roading.. then the Touareg is a great choice. The other option would be a nice Audi A4 or BMW 3 series as a daily driver and a ford truck for towing the boat. in my case i only have a 3 car garage.. 1 spot for the Wakesetter, one spot for my wifes TT Roadster, and one spot for me. I tried a Tundra.. i just couldn't drive that thing around town ever day. Then i tried an Armada.. still way to big (and 10 MPG's simply sucks)... so the Touareg is the perfect car for me and my needs.
Old     (brianinpdx)      Join Date: Aug 2009       12-15-2009, 11:00 AM Reply   
Nick - yes that's one of my demo vehicles for Exile Audio. Having tens in the front door makes mid bass attack amazing. People usually are pretty wow'd by that. We actually set this vehicle up to show off factory integration and such... Keeping the overall stereo factor pretty small. I've got another vehicle that is done up with a stupid loud system somewhere on the site if you poke around. It's a BMW M3 convertible.

As for Trag's reliability... I dont mean to sound like a spokesperson for them or anything but I haven't had any trouble at all with this vehicle. nadda. nothing.
Old     (srock)      Join Date: Mar 2002       12-15-2009, 11:47 AM Reply   
I ended up purchasing a loaded 08 Sequoia with a towing capacity of 9500# for $47,000 new however, it's big. After 53,000 miles, it has yet to see the shop.

Having owned BMW's and Mercedes, I'll stick with something else. Too much time in the shop and it ain't cheap. I will admit, a diesel tow rig, other than a 3/4 ton pickup, does make it tempting to look.
Old     (joe_crawley)      Join Date: Jan 2007       12-15-2009, 2:43 PM Reply   
"The other option would be a nice Audi A4 or BMW 3"

I'm pretty sure there's other options that don't include unreliable, expensive and pretentious german cars.

(Message edited by joe_crawley on December 15, 2009)
Old     (gregtay)      Join Date: Aug 2008       12-15-2009, 3:38 PM Reply   
Okay.. your right... i should have said the other options for a great driving car include the BMW, Audi, and the Chevy Malibu.
Old     (guido)      Join Date: Jul 2002       12-16-2009, 10:22 AM Reply   
ha, ha, ha... awesome
Old     (gti2lo)      Join Date: Nov 2005       12-16-2009, 7:17 PM Reply   
Hahaha German cars rule...

I have a A4 for everyday... trailer is done with dad's Touareg, brother has a A3 and mom has a C class mercedes...

Oh and I've owned 4 other VWs, brother had 2, Dad on 4th german truck (2 ML's and 2nd touareg), mom on 2nd mercedes...

Kraut comes out of our tailpipes! :-)
Old     (linder)      Join Date: Mar 2009       12-16-2009, 9:59 PM Reply   
I had an early 2004 touareg V8 and it had a few problems at the beginning but over the 100k miles I put on it I loved that car. Then I upgraded to the V10 and this thing hasn't had a single problem yet, and it seems to just get better with age (better fuel mileage)
Old     (carlosdynamicaudiolodi)      Join Date: Aug 2009       12-16-2009, 11:16 PM Reply   
German cars do rule! I sure hope VW doesn't water down the 2011 Touareg. http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/12/report-volkswagen-touareg-successor-headed-for-detroit/
We have an 09' Audi A6 3.0T and love it. I don't think a domestic can give you that fit and finish. Although they are getting better.
Old     (gti2lo)      Join Date: Nov 2005       12-20-2009, 10:14 AM Reply   
You see the new A3 TDI? Too bad no Quattro... I'd get one in a heart beat!
Old     (wakecumberland)      Join Date: Oct 2007       12-21-2009, 9:24 PM Reply   
I test drove a 2010 Touareg TDI today. The truck drove very nicely and had plenty of power. The one thing I was really disappointed in was the feel and finish of the interior. Compared to my 06 Jetta TDI, I thought it was actually cheaper feeling than my $23,000 Jetta and the sticker was $45K!

How do the older V10s compare to the new V6 TDIs as far as interior appointments? Do you ever feel like the Touareg is too small? We have one child (10 mths) and trying for number 2.
Old     (sp0tts)      Join Date: Jun 2004       12-22-2009, 4:01 PM Reply   
Adam, hopefully someone else can chime in on the interior upgrade years, I do know they made changes in '08 when the Touareg 2 came out, would immagine not much has been changed since, but I had thought the Nav system was getting an upgrade for '10. I kinda felt the same way when I test drove an '09 TDI and didn't really like the Q7 intereior either (liked the X5 the most inside). Another option if you're willing to look used is you could get an 06 Cayenne Turbo on CPO for about that price and have a warranty up to 100,000 miles. I got mine with 30,000 miles on it for that price and it drives like new, basically got a $100,000 vehicle for less than half of the original cost, pretty sure it won't depreciate as quickly as a new vehicle from here on out either. If you can get over having to have a new vehicle, it's a very good alternative, but not a diesel. The Cayenne does have a bit of a different feel to it both in the way it drives (more sporty) and in the interior which is different. If you'd like it or not is up to you to decide. I can tell you a CTT will tow as well as the V10. If you would decide on the regular V6 TDI, make sure it has an air suspension, I wouldn't buy one of these vehicles without it and it isn't standard on the V6 TDI (at that sticker I would guess the one you drove didn't have an air suspension).
Old     (wakecumberland)      Join Date: Oct 2007       12-24-2009, 9:41 AM Reply   
Thanks sp0tts, I'm looking into it now. Its hard to believe you can buy one of those at less than half price and only 3 years old!

Is the Cayenne S worth considering or just the Turbo? Can you find one with the air suspension?

(Message edited by wakecumberland on December 24, 2009)
Old     (sp0tts)      Join Date: Jun 2004       12-24-2009, 10:57 AM Reply   
Adam, I agree, I couldn't believe how they depreciate new off the lot, but if you look at a lot of the other luxury cars in that range, most of them are like that. Best part is most of the people that own them pamper them and hardly drive them, 30,000 miles is like new on just about any german luxury car. The guy who owned mine before paid $1.50 a mile plus gas, tires, ect. to drive it and traded on a new one, crazy, but I guess if you have the money...

The S would be worth considering if you want to save a little, but they're extremely hard to find with an air suspension (I had originaly been looking for a used S with an air supsension because I wanted to stay in the 30k range, but once I drove the turbo, I bit the bullet). The GTS, Turbo, & Turbo S have the air suspension standard. The GTS came out in '08, so you'd be going up in price there, and 08 S could probably be had in the mid to high 40's, but you'd be pressed to find the air suspension on one of them also. If you do drive one and like it I would just be sure to get one Certified from a dealer just in case anything goes wrong, then you're covered. Another thing to realize is a lot of the 06's weren't actually sold till 07 (Porsche made too many and basically skipped the 07 model year)...

I can tell you my Turbo tows better than any of the diesel pickups I've ever towed with and the construction company I work for has F350s, Chevy 3500s, and the Dodges with the Cummins and I've towed with all of them, CTT tows smoother and excelerates much faster even with a boat behind it. For an extra $2,000 I can chip mine and be at roughly 530 ft lbs of torque and over 500hp, but I've been driving fast enough without the chip .... Good luck, if you have any more questions let me know...
Old     (hunter660)      Join Date: Aug 2007       12-26-2009, 9:26 AM Reply   
Either of these vehicles have seating for 6?
Old     (wakecumberland)      Join Date: Oct 2007       12-26-2009, 10:42 AM Reply   
The VW and Porsche seat 5. The GL has a third row and seats 7 I think.
Old     (tro)      Join Date: May 2009       12-26-2009, 5:08 PM Reply   
i can understand one of those little things being able to pull the boat, but can it really stop a 23 foot boat? just seems like a 23 foot boat would overpower that thing when trying to stop quickly. there doesn't seem to be any way that little suv could stop a 23 foot boat at highway speeds. doesn't seem safe at all.
Old     (gti2lo)      Join Date: Nov 2005       12-26-2009, 7:02 PM Reply   
tro- the touareg has bigger brakes than any full sized truck on the market.... HANDS DOWN!

Touareg V8 has a 6 piston caliper in the front on a 14.5" rotor.. if not mistaken...

Rear brakes are the 4 piston variety.


I am positive the "pepper" has the same setup.


Not to mention no american built truck is going to have fit and finish like this
Upload
Old     (sp0tts)      Join Date: Jun 2004       12-27-2009, 8:39 AM Reply   
tro, that "little SUV" isn't so little, it weighs 5200 lbs. For comparisons sake there are a lot of pickup trucks don't weigh that much (a standard cab F150 weighs 4700 lbs. and a Silverado 1500 extended cab with a standard box only weighs 80 lbs more).

and to compare brakes, these SUVs can go from 60-0 in 112 feet. Here's a link has braking distances for trucks from most manufacturers:

http://special-reports.pickuptrucks.com/2008/11/braking.html

needless to say, the shortest distance was more than 30ft longer and every average was over 40ft longer from 60-0 than these SUVs.

The only advantage a pickup or suburban could have is a longer wheel base. There's only a 6 inch difference in wheelbase between these SUVs and a Silverado standard cab. The crew cabs are around 30 inches, which one could argue is significant, but the brakes and suspension on these vehicles more than make up for the wheelbase difference IMO.

Now are these vehicles for everyone? No, some people like trucks or have other needs. Are these vehicles a safe and more than capable tow vehicle? Definitely.
Old     (tro)      Join Date: May 2009       12-27-2009, 10:56 AM Reply   
interesting information. i guess that thing is a little more stout than it looks.

From the pictures, it looks like a minivan.
Old     (wakecumberland)      Join Date: Oct 2007       12-28-2009, 9:11 PM Reply   
what would you give for this V10?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300380204939&viewitem= &sspagename=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Old     (gregtay)      Join Date: Aug 2008       12-28-2009, 9:43 PM Reply   
30-35K is about right. I paid 45K for my 08 V10 with 14K miles on it back in May.
Old     (gti2lo)      Join Date: Nov 2005       12-29-2009, 9:00 AM Reply   
Looks like a "clean" truck.... all the bells and whistles too!

Rear cam is awesome for reversing to the hitch/ball.

just make sure to check the carrier bearing has been changed... known to "hum" at hwy speeds. They changed to a newer one and problem is solved.

Otherwise the diffs/transfer case are rock solid
Old     (hunter660)      Join Date: Aug 2007       12-29-2009, 9:11 AM Reply   
Thanks to this thread I know what my wife's next car will be. Nick, yours looks GREAT with the black wheels.

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