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VW Touareg SUV

191012141543

Comments

  • vwguildvwguild Member Posts: 1,620
    now I know why I sell so many VWs!!!!!

    As to performance...I would suggest that this is in the eye of the beholder...We had the T-Regs out on the track at Firebird International Raceway in Phoenix...pushed both power plants against the competition...X5, MLs, etc. Handling and power were all there...

    Test drives are very unique experiences...For me, I try to provide a simple, no nonsense combination of city & highway driving...No conversation, unless I am asked a question..But, I know that for the customer it is generally always an 8 out 10...The car is unfamiliar, there is a visual assault because everything is new and different, and the fact that the car belongs to someone else promotes a bit of discomfort.
  • vwguildvwguild Member Posts: 1,620
    I am still being timed out here with longer than normal two sentence posts...if interrupted by a phone call or two...

    Mark, your experience at this store is just plain sad...The Phaeton arrives in November and will be a wonderful product for a very select clientele. The R32, not RS32, will be here Q1 2004 and will be priced at ~$30K...And the Touareg can be ordered to spec today...
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    The time-out should be a bit longer than that even if you aren't using "auto-login." I'll ask around. Also, you should be able to edit an existing post if you get back to it within 30 minutes.

    Interesting perspective on test drives, btw.

    Steve, Host
  • vwguildvwguild Member Posts: 1,620
    I still don't know why it times out at all...Although, rare, there are times when I have embarked on a longer than normal response...technical stuff or marketing concept...The phone rings, etc....You go back after awhile and continue...hit "post my message", and nothing...the 30-40 minutes all for naught...

    This happened just the other day in a response to my friend Mark from Cincinnati...

    It has always been a problem with the Town Hall
    servers or software...
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I don't think you want to go to auto login at work, lest people start posting as you.

    Often you can go "back" in your browser after a time out and find your draft from the message box, copy it and repost it into a new message box.

    But for you it may be safer to compose in Notepad and then paste into Town Hall when the phone quits ringing.

    Steve, Host
  • sunilbsunilb Member Posts: 407
    I checked out the T-Reg today... very cool vehicle, unfortunately test drives weren't allowed today.

    The interior was very rich, I didn't find the plastics to be anything but luxurious. However, I couldn't help but notice two unfortunate items:

    1- the back seat bench is a bit low; and
    2- from the outside, it looks like a Passat wagon jacked up and with the cargo area chopped in half. Not necessarily a bad thing, but given that 95% (my estimate) of consumers won't take this off road, more cargo area would be good. Also, it seems a lot of excess materials are included for off-roading and that leads to an overweight vehicle).
  • prajapatiprajapati Member Posts: 33
    Decided to go with XC90. Being a Passat owner and a VW fan, I was defering my purchase decision for the arrival of Touareg but XC90 came out as a winner for us. Our decision was based on internal comfort, price point and usage.

    Might get T-reg when my Passat lease expires in early 2005.
  • spsmykspsmyk Member Posts: 4
    So my wife and I have had it for 5 days and have put 400 miles on it. Bought the V6 with Premium and Nav. Offroad Gray with Anthracite Gray.

    Before buying test drove the following SUV's:
    MB
    BMW
    Volvo
    Porsche
    Expedition
    Acura
    Lexus
    Honda

    Chose VW for following reasons:

    Price
    Own a Passat GLX and a New Beetle and love both
    Loved the exterior.
    Perfect size for us.
    Second place was the X5 and there are soooo many out there, then the MDX, but we don't need third row for two of us.

    Highs:

    I really love this car.
    - Handles great for an SUV
    - Very comfortable
    - Many comments from people including two people who both said damn I should have waited for it (one driving a new MB ML and the other a brand new Sequoia).
    - Feels great - no fatigue after a 120 mile drive
    on Saturday.
    - Doesn't show dirt as much as I anticipated in a brief offroad excursion.

    Lows:
    - Gas mileage a bit less than my Passat ;) --- averaged about 19mpg over the weekend in mixed driving.
    - Can't get Homelink to recognize the door opener.
    - Can't get memory programmed to key (going to read manual tonight so I can't fault them for either of these two yet).
    - Nav disks had to be ordered --- get them today finally.
    - Still not comfortable with the jog-dial to navigate menus - when trying to select something, it often scrolls past the selection that I would like.
    - Wish the storage bin at top had a cover.
    - Acceleration ok - not thrilled but still getting used to it. Feels about 20 MPH slower in the car than actual speed. I was doing about 100 on the highway the other day and only the speed warning light pointed this out --- honestly felt like I was doing 70 or so...maybe I should have waited for an 8 at the dealers. Although if I was looking for a fast SUV would have bought the Infiniti FX or the Porsche.

    Overall:
    - Very, Very, Very happy with my purchase and we are contemplating trading in the Passat and the Beetle in on another Touareg when winter comes along (after all we are in Upstate NY). Maybe then I can get my 8 :)
  • markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    Your 5 day update was great to read -- you have not mentioned the dealership experience, so I must assume that it is at the worst, neutral.

    Your post was very encouraging.

    VW needs to "offer" all inclusive maintenance. I have decided that although I know the maintenance costs are buried in the purchase price that it "just feels" good to pull into the dealer and say, "my wipers aren't wiping, there is a squeak in the passenger side power window, I think I need an all wheel alignement, and one of the puddle lights is out and while I'm here go ahead and perform the 10K oil and filter change and the left front wheel may need balancing.

    And, I can't wait, so please let me use a car for the day and when I pick mine up, I would like to have had it (weather not a factor, of course) washed and the floor mats vacuumed. Oh and I don't want to pay you a penny for anything other than some gas for the "loaner" car that I would have had to pay for anyway.

    Somehow, even though I know "it's in the sticker price of the Audi. . ." service never feels like I am being nickel'd and dime'd to death. And there is never any hassle.

    How about this. . .make the VW available with the "option" for full warranty and the "audi" advantage. My dealer claims that the cost of such a feature -- depending on the car -- is $1500 to $2000. Funny when I didn't have full maint in days gone by, even oil changes were $100 affairs, or so it seemed.

    Where do I sign VW ?? Are you listening ??

    Or, do it the "right" way and call it VW Elite protection and spell it out just like Audi does -- who cares if you rip off the program from Audi. It works and it probably helps attract repeat buyers.
  • mml7mml7 Member Posts: 55
    - Can't get Homelink to recognize the door opener.

    I had a heck of a time getting it programmed too. I finally got it programmed by holding the remote in front of the Homelink buttons (towards the windshield), just underneath the compass display.

    - Can't get memory programmed to key (going to read manual tonight so I can't fault them for either of these two yet).

    There's a typo / bad info in the manual. Try this (steps 2-4 are probably unnecessary...):

    1) Put key in ignition and turn to the on position
    2) Adjust seat and mirrors as necessary
    3) Push SET
    4) Push and hold the memory seat button until you hear the beap
    5) Turn key to off position and remove from ignition
    6) Push SET
    7) Push the memory button again
    8) Push and hold the UNLOCK button on the remote until you hear the tone.

    g'luck. let me know if it works!
  • prelude1997prelude1997 Member Posts: 26
    Went into the VW dealer in Rockville, MD today to get the $50 Amazon card for the Passat testdrive. They had one V6 Touareg on the lot. The salesman talked his GM into letting me take it around the block. A+ for style. Very clean looks with small amounts of chrome to spice up the exterior. I've always liked VW/Audi interiors and this one's no exception. Real wood and aluminum. There's some hard plastic on top of the dash but it's got a nice grain to it. I'm only 5'10" so had I plenty of room front and back. Maybe due to the high hood, the cabin felt a little confining.
    The V6 sounded very smooth but a little more power would be nice. I would step on the gas and the power didn't come on until a second later. Kinda like a turbo, weird.
    The cargo area is not large, but adequate.
    Great SUV at 35K. but at the 39K sticker, merely interesting. And the V8 coming in at 45K? I'd rather take the GX470.
    A side note: the sales guy was great. not pushy and very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. wish they were all like him.
  • mbperkmbperk Member Posts: 9
    spsmyk:

    As for the Homelink setup..you may have "rolling codes" with your garage opener. This was present on my garage door opener so I had grab a ladder and climb up to the garage opener, remove the panel, press the test/configure button and then quickly return to the car and press the Homelink button I wanted to open the garage. Hope this helps.
  • sambucasambuca Member Posts: 17
    markcincinnati, thanks for another terrific post. I just found this townhall two days ago, and I've read every single post on Audi A6, Touareg and BMW 5 series. Great stuff.

    The Bay Area paper had an ad (The SUVW – cute) announcing that the Touareg was arriving in dealerships on June 30th. So I went to my closest dealer (Dublin). This is a freshly built new-look standalone dealership. They had a V6 (Colorado Red with Beige interior) in the showroom, and a Reed Green V8 in the shop – which I wasn’t allowed to look at..

    First, the car: it makes much more of an impression in the flesh. It has real presence. The materials looked and felt great – as good as my A6, much better than my ’99 Passat. The front seat was very comfortable for my large 6’-2” frame, but as usual I had to push it all the way back, and down. When I did that, I uncovered not only a hump with the track, but exposed screwheads, body metal, and wiring. I read about this either in this townhall or on VWVortex, but it looked terrible. Certainly not fitting for a $49K vehicle.

    My other major disappointment is the back seat. Definitely too small, too low, and not enough legroom behind my seat. It’s almost as if VW took a page out of the GM book and used their “low bench” trick to increase the interior volume rating of this vehicle.

    The Touareg would be perfect if it weighed 4400 lbs. and had a roomier and higher rear seat.

    As for the salesman, what an unbelievable [non-permissible content removed]! They’ve marked up the V6 by about $6 grand. $49 grand for a V6! I asked when I could drive one, he said: “not for 6 months”. I asked if he had a sample or swatch of the Teak leather, and he said no, but it only comes with the light metallic blue anyway. Wrong! That’s actually one of the few colors it does NOT come with!

    He also said that I could not even order one for about 3 months, and then it would take six months to deliver! He said in the meantime, I would have to take whatever car came in. ( from this townhall, I already understood the deal with the deliveries).

    He showed me a brochure, but would not let me keep it! This guy was really working hard to earn my business!

    From my vantage point, VW is doing everything wrong in launching this car. What’s the point of building these brand-new dealerships and advertising this new LUXURY SUV if they can’t get their act together?

    So now, I have to reconsider. Most of the local Audi dealers have been professional, courteous and knowledgeable, unlike this VW clod.

    I may wait for teh dust to settle and the bugs to be worked out on this new model.

    I love the looks and the interior on my A6 2.8, but not the soggy handling or sluggish performance. I need a bigger back seat. I love the A8, but that’s not an option right now.

    The warranty on my A6 runs out in December, so I have a few months. A local BMW dealer had a 2002 S6 (yes, S) for an unbelievable $43K. By the time I saw the ad, it had sold. I’ll give the Allroad another look based on your postings (probably a 2002 with 100K mi warranty), and maybe an A6 4.2 that I can run for a couple years.

    I’ll also check out a couple other VW dealers in the area and give them a chance to earn my business. Let’s hope they’re better than the guy I visited today.
  • jpvwaudijpvwaudi Member Posts: 139
    It depends on the opener you have; most of the time (my Passat and Audi people) can just bring their garage remotes (I usually grab them out of their trades or lease returns). You just sit in the car, hold the button until it blinks rapidly,then press the opener's button. Get out of the car, and go around to the sensor. (on an A4 it's within 5 feet of the passenger headlight)Press the opener's button and hold it until the running lights blink........
  • gbasegbase Member Posts: 1
    It's a shame that the VW "T" appears to be underpowered. Just like the W8 Passat....too damn heavy.

    The quality of materials appear to be first rate and very Audi like. But as others have mentioned, when the price starts climbing into the mid 40's and knocking on 50'g for the V8 model, a lot of other cars come into play.
  • sunilbsunilb Member Posts: 407
    try the VW/Audi dealership in San Rafael... I stopped by there yesterday and the salesperson there was very nice. Also mentioned that they are allowing customers to order specific cars today (for delivery in ~ 2-3months).

    They have 2 T-regs: one V6 [w/air and nav] and one V8 [pretty basic]. He said test drives would be allowed this week.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    That is pretty clever. Volvo should grab the "sport utility Volvo" moniker for the XC90.

    Steve, Host
  • sambucasambuca Member Posts: 17
    Thanks for the tip, sunilb. I'll give them a try and also see if they're marking them up. A basic V8 sounds pretty good to me.
  • vpotlurivpotluri Member Posts: 47
    Able to look at (couldn't test drive as they were sold) a couple over the weekend. Nice look and feel. Very disappointed with the space in the cabin. One look at the back seat told me, I need to keep looking. And the fact that I couldn't get the attention of one salesperson for 30 minutes told me I will clash with these guys over customer service issues IF I bought this SUV. I don't need the aggravation. On the other hand, the Lexus dealer offered to send an RX330 over to my home for a test drive. The difference is night and day. Should have known to not buy cars from a manufacturer that sells rabbits!!
  • markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    . . .at least I hope so. The VW dealer body needs, largely -- VWGUILD excluded -- to be sent out for reprogramming.

    My wife and I could, product wise, see ourselves in an RS32 and a Touareg V8 within 2 years -- having once owned an A8 and 2 V8 A6's, I could even be at least a candidate for a Phaeton.

    The Audi dealers here in Cincinnati treat their suspects, prospects and customers pretty much like the BMW dealers and the (1, in Cincinnati) Mercedes dealer. Come to think of it the Saab and Volvo dealer also treats customers well. I suspect the Rolls and Jaguar dealers also treat customers well (I have only visited the Rolls dealer one time, several years ago and the showroom people talked with me "as if" I could actually be a potential customer. Even the Cadillac dealers haven't universally "got it" with respect to customer expecations and treatment.

    So my wife is already starting to "justify" the $10,000+ extra for an Audi over the RS32 -- even though she wants a back seat and actually likes the looks of the RS32. The dealer pretty much was a turn off.

    The Audis seem like more of a bargain, every day.
  • eddiem3eddiem3 Member Posts: 1
    I went to my local dealership in Fairfield county , CT , although a waiting list is accumulating they are asking only MSRP . Which considering it wasnt long ago the Acura MDX was getting 3-4 K + MSRP I guess this isnt bad . I as well felt the the SUV has aggressive looks and all the bells and whistles one would want from a luxury SUV ...I do realize that the BMW X5 is the competition , but so is the Volvo XC90 ...I found not only the back seats small and the trunk space limited , I thought the rear visibilty was poor . Additionally I as well noticed all the "mechanics"of the power seat on the drivers side as you got entered the vehicle . Aside from being concerned that at this weight will the 220hp V6 Toureg have any pick up on highway, having previosuly owned an Audi A6 I am a tad worried about buying a new model car from VW / Audi ...Oh yeah at 38 800 or 45 000 ish for the V8 if you want to compete with the Acura, BMW, Mercedes and Volvo's of the world , VW will need to offer the luxury car treatment you get when you have you car serviced ...at leat IMO . Additionally my Audi experience was HORRIBLE aside from all the probs with the A6 (I had A4 before that and it was worry free ) the dealerships never had the parts for the recalls and I was outright told by a salesperson that the N.A mkt is a second class citizen for Audi / VW ... good luck
  • vwguildvwguild Member Posts: 1,620
    the playing field even...First post for the 300/330s NOV. 21, 2000...7000+ posts there...The Touareg was given a formal introduction TODAY...Some Dealers do not even have their first two yet...

    Do you want to know why they offered to bring a 330 to your home for a test drive? Because they are not selling them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    No room in the back seat of the Touareg? Well...
    there is room for a ton of stuff behind that seat...The 330 offers more room in the back seat,
    but you have to send your stuff via Fed Ex because you can't get more than two bags behind the seats.

    Is the Touareg a jack of all trades SUV? Only for the most part...If you and your significant other have a couple of kids that are 6' plus and don't want to go off road; this vehicle is not for you...
  • markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    The VW cars are certainly not my issue -- I thought the Touareg was good from a space and layout standpoint. The issue was the dealer's people.

    The treatment at the Audi dealer is "comfortable" and "comforting" -- and we're not going cross country to buy from you even though we're sure you would be a good guy to deal with.

    We can debate the merits of the vehicle forever and there will be people who think it is too big, too small, just right, etc. -- the dealer body seems, at this point in time, oblivious to VW's upmarket move; or, if not oblivious, clueless as to what is expected of them.
  • jbgrahamjbgraham Member Posts: 34
    I started my shopping experience today with a test of the FX35. Even though it's a very different vehicle than the T-Reg, I also went to the VW dealer to take a look. Nice Audi-like interior, but I was made to feel like I was sitting in a Fabrege egg. No test drive, no interest in scheduling one, and no real sales interest period. Did he think if I sat in the driver's seat long enough, I'd just buy it? I'm trying to imagine how that translates to the service experience. VW might want to remediate their sales staff - there's just too much competition in this segment now.

    On the positive side, I DID like sitting in the vehicle. It has far more off-road capability that I will use (essentially none), so it may not be a practical choice for me. But, I liked the look, the size, the features. I have time, so when things settle down, I'll stop back. Availability (assuming that occurs) can have a great influence on dealer/sales attitude and response.
  • ohiosuvohiosuv Member Posts: 33
    I just did a test drive of the Touareg. It was a V6 with premium package. V6 is clearly underpowered due to weight of vehicle, which means V8 is really a necessity. Interior was very plush and it felt solid all the way around. It looks great from the front and rear, and just good from side.

    I have been waiting for the Touareg to come out in order to compare/contrast it to the Nissan Murano. The big question is whether the VW is worth the extra $10k in upfront cost vs. the Murano, as will as the additional estimated $1,500 in additional operating costs (gas, insurance). Also, I assume service and character of salespersons ("lot lizards") will be equally mediocre (vs. luxury brands). Any input would be appreciated.

    I like the Touareg better, but do I like it by $10k better?? (FYI, have ruled out the RX330 (don't like the look or price), MDX (wife has one), X5 (too expensive), any domestic nameplate, any true wagon and any truck based vehicle.)
  • beauxdadbeauxdad Member Posts: 4
    Hi, I am new to this group, however I just bought a Wheat Beige with Beige leather, V8 with the Premium Plus package, which translates to loaded! Paid sticker ,it's way too much but what the hell .I wanted it. The car should be in next week (I live near Houston and the Western US distribution center is here at Port dock facilities.
     I want to pass on our introduction to the T-Reg,
    the local dealer had a "by invitation " showing of three new units, two 6's and an 8. One V6 was available for test driving. They brought in a professional race car driver from the pro series to act as a spokes person and a host driver. He had laid out a test track in the neighborhood and
    a slollom (sp) coarse in the dealer parking lot. He took my wife and me out for a "spin" in a new V6. ( it had Vynal seats that look just like leather) Quite a wild ride to say the least. He threw that car around like a Gran Prix car and it stuck like glue without a wimper or groan (except from my wife, she looked a little pale!) At the end of a long set of switch backs he reved up to red line slamed on the brakes in a panic stop, but there was no panic just superb manners in a fully controlled stop. All I can say is "you had to be there". Long story short, I went back the next day
    and drove the 6 but I was not really impressed with the pick-up unless you really wind it up. Any way I like a V8 with lots of torque, so that's what I bought. I shall advise you further after delivery
  • skip30skip30 Member Posts: 33
    You must have blinders on! In Los Angeles the RX 330s are everywhere. They are flying off the lots as fast as they come in.
  • cotmccotmc Member Posts: 1,081
    Sorry, I hate to butt in and get off the primary topic, but I have to agree with the previous post. The 330s are selling quickly off the lots here in Arizona. Lack of availability is the reason why we purchased one from a dealer in California. I think the original poster's point was regarding the excellent customer service he was experiencing from Lexus. I can echo that sentiment. While we were vacationing in San Diego, the Lexus dealer picked us up from our hotel and drove us back to her dealership in Ontario. We drove the new 330 home from there. All terms of the sale were handled quickly via phone and email, and the delivery was quick and easy. We've also had an Audi A6 purchase experience in which the Audi dealer went out of his way to help us out. This is the type of customer service that some $40K SUV buyers are expecting to receive.

    One more argument to post #606: There was plenty of room for all our family's vacation baggage behind the rear seats of our new RX 330. That was with the seats slid all the way back. When more cargo space is needed, the rear seats can slide forward (at the expense of rear seat leg room).
  • avery1avery1 Member Posts: 373
    What is it with these German engineers. I have a '99 RX and we were debating between the ML320 and the RX when we bought it. I remember clearly one of the negatives of the ML was the difficulty in putting the back seats down. In fact two salesmen couldn't do it. I just checked out the T and had a similar experience . In fact, the salesman couldn't do it and another customer finally figured it out. With the RX you pull the latch on the top of the seat and lower it down. Easy to do one handed.
  • dieselbreathdieselbreath Member Posts: 243
    its vaguely the same as the Beemer X5, which is supposedly the largest dimensions that will fit inside a "standard garage in Europe".
    (can't remember where I read that)
    Back seat is too small for us ... my teenagers are both over 6' tall.
  • vpotlurivpotluri Member Posts: 47
    Even though I felt that the interior cabinet space was poor in the Touareg, my biggest problem is with the lack of attention shown by the dealer when I walked into the showroom. They could see me for 30 minutes but not one cared to ask if they can help. I currently drive a Mercedes ML and am used to a decent level of service and support and Volkswagen dealers, like many have said here, don't seem to understand what that means. I am not paying $40K+ for poor service. I am used to getting a E320 sedan when I drop off my ML for free maintenance. When I asked a VW dealer if they give loaners, he said they will provide "something". Okay!!!!

    As for RX330s not selling, that is news to me.
  • markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    Whenever either my wife or I take our Audis in for service, we are loaned A4 1.8T quattro automatics with premium and sport package (I know because the tires and wheels are 17"'s although I guess it is possible that the car loaned just has the upgraded wheel option -- but that's really beside the point).

    Several times I have been loaned A6 3.0's, once or twice I was loaned an A6 2.7T and 1 time an S4 automatic?!? My wife was loaned a front trak TT with a 6speed auto last time.

    The cars in for service are always washed and sometimes vacuumed.

    We have a dealer charge so even if there is a charge it is never at the "point of purchase" that funds are required. Although with the Audi advantage the biggest cost is the upcharge for Mobil1 Oil.

    The whole approach is meant to minimize the fact that you are in for service -- there appears to be a culture that fundamentally wants you to know that they know they are "putting you out" and that they will bend over backwards to make you feel as little pain as is possible.

    The sales people are also regularly checking up on the customers and not changing from a "I love you while you're buying" to a "get outa my way, boy, you bother me" after the sale.

    I am unable to speak for all VW dealers, or in fact, any VW dealers -- I can only speak as a previous and potential future customer. As Monty Python says "run away. . .run away!!"

    Damn, and I'm starting to really like the VW products.

    Shame, damn shame.
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    Which dealer did you go to. I am in houston and have visited two dealers. Momentum seemed unwilling to move off price But Archer was ready to cut a deal if we were ready to buy.
  • surfsuppsurfsupp Member Posts: 10
    keep us posted on any "deals" on the treg you might come across. with the cayenne, mdx, fx35/45 and x5 discounting, i have to imagine it can't be long before the touareg is too.
  • beauxdadbeauxdad Member Posts: 4
    I bought from Clear Lake VW on I 45 south. I did not get any deal,even though I tried and tried. The S.M. said he would be fired for any deviation
    in price. I had been talking to them for at least two months prior to first showing. If Archer will cut a deal go for it!
  • dieselbreathdieselbreath Member Posts: 243
    I bought my New Beetle at Cowell Motors in Richmond BC. One time they didn't have any loaners left, so they rented a Windstar from the rental shop around the corner. They paid for everything.

    Later I had a fog lamp out in the Beetle and my dealer was booked, so my wife took my car into Guildford VW in Surrey. She got a New Beetle GLS with the 1.8 Turbo plus aftermarket airdam and other customizations for an overnight loaner (replacing a fog light on a New Beetle requires taking the bottom cover off the car and going in from the back ... 5 hours or something).

    Even for simple oil changes the car always comes back washed outside, vacuumed inside, all windows washed inside and out, with a comment card. We now do our service at Bruce Norman's dealership in Langley BC. The service at all 3 VW dealers is as good as I ever got at Mercedes of Canada on Broadway Ave. in Vancouver (Canada's largest Mercedes dealership by sales volume).

    However, I've talked to friends in Seattle and its obvious that the dealerships don't take their jobs as seriously. And the prices!

    We had a rear seal replaced on my wife's Eurovan, along with the clutch and some hoses for just over $1000 CDN with tax. A friend in Seattle had just the clutch replaced on his Eurovan and it was almost $1500 US. Factoring in exchange at the time, he paid double for less work.

    If that's typical of US VW dealers, then its no wonder that VW will sell more cars in China next year than they will in the US! (They have over 38% market share in China, and also build Audis there)
  • superdonsuperdon Member Posts: 16
    I am currently in Korea and will be back in the states in early AUG. I have a V-8 Touareg on order with a SEPT. delivery date. We get a discount of about $2,500 with a military sales program. I agree with everyone who is concerned about VW customer service. I really don't think that they went about this the right way. To be honest I have never had any real contact with VW sales or service personnel. I have had lot of contact with the people of Lexus, and BMW. I must say they know what to do to make THE CUSTOMER happy!!! Their cars have a great "pit crew". The service from coast to coast was about the same. I fell in love with the Touareg from only looking at it over the internet. I think it is a great vehicle. The sales guy here had a nice (so so) XC90 but my heart was set on the VW. I just want to make sure the supporting cast know what they have gotten themselves into by selling a $40,000 + vehicle. A great vehicle alone will not determine it's success or if it will win the race. If VW is going to win this race to ELITE status they better make sure they have trained their pit crew how to do it!!! It's an investment they cannot afford not to make!!!
  • chchoichchoi Member Posts: 40
    I like both X5 3.0 and Touareg V8. Any recommendation between the two? Do you have the similar traction control? I do notice X5 has more room than Touareg for back seats. And X5 back side airbag is not standard. Also it seems X5 has a higher clearance.
  • mml7mml7 Member Posts: 55
    I like both X5 3.0 and Touareg V8. Any recommendation between the two? Do you have the similar traction control? I do notice X5 has more room than Touareg for back seats. And X5 back side airbag is not standard. Also it seems X5 has a higher clearance.

    The Touareg's full time AWD system uses a 50:50 front back split. The X5 uses a 38:62 split. The Touareg can transfer 100% of the power to either axle, or to a single wheel when properly equipped. I'm not sure if the X5 can do this.

    They both have traction control (plus a bevy of other acronyms like VDC/ESP, ABS, EBC, HDC) but I don't know if one is better than the other.

    The X5's ground clearance is 7.1". The non Air suspension equipped Touareg is 9.3". With the optional air suspension, you can jack that up to 11.8".

    The Touareg also does not have rear passenger side airbags (which would be a bad idea anyway if you have small kids). Like the X5, though, it does have the Side Curtain airbags that extend from the A piller to the C piller.

    All in all, the X5 is really nice, but it ended up being too expensive for what we would have gotten. A stripped X5 3.0 with 5spd auto already pushes $41.5K. And that doesn't include things like leather, sun roof, heated seats or wood trim -- you know, the things that luxury cars are 'supposed' to come with.

    Of course, the BMW has that brand cache that VW does not (good or bad depending upon your perspective)....
  • prajapatiprajapati Member Posts: 33
    I would go with Touareg v8 with premium package over a X5 3.0 with some options. It would cost about the same but Touareg seems to be offering more for the same bucks...(except the awe of the brand image!)
  • sc430pilotsc430pilot Member Posts: 6
    On June 29 I had the chance to test drive the V6 and July 3 the V8. I have also found dealers willing to sell at MSRP, but so far, not below. The V6 had navigation and other features, but no air suspension. The V8 was a base model, no real options with standard suspension.

    The V6 drove very nicely, good steering feel, and the ride was very comfortable, not harsh at all, likely helped by the 17" Wheel/tire combo. It was also a quiet car, with adequate throttle response. Might be a bit of a slug with a load, or traveling in the mountains or both. Why is it that none of the dealers (Porsche and VW) have Navigation CDs in the car. Are they afraid it will not compare well with other brand SUV navigation systems? Anyway, compared to the Toyota Previa LE AWD that I have now, the V6 Touareg is extremely nice, except it doesn't hold as much cargo as my minivan. The manner in which the rear seats fold and unfold leaves much to be desired. The rear seat headrest design significantly blocks the rear view and become real fumbling points to remove while trying to drop forward the seat backs. My wife seriously pinched her finger trying to see how she could operate the seats herself. Cut the stay immediately at the dealer to get her home to ice the pinched finger/nail and emerging blood clot.

    The V8 engine sound it noticeable, but nice. The final drive ratio for the Cayenne is 4.12, but the VW final drive is 4.54 for some extra punch off the line. I'm not absolutely sure, but I think the Cayenne starts off in second gear from a standing start. The Touareg seems to start from first gear and the calibration on the electronic gas pedal with the 4.54 drive makes it very jumping in response, similar to driving a V8 BMW X5....maybe worse. The jumpy start is the only bad behavior of the V8 and it will crop up when trying to be careful in a parking lot, especially a multi-level cramped one like in San Francisco. It has plenty of power for hauling loads of people/material and is my engine of choice. Just wish the throttle was de-tuned or there was a tiptronic selection for starting in second gear. The steering didn't seem as good as the V6, probably due to the heavier engine and the ride in the V8 was also poorer than the V6, perhaps due to the 18" wheel/tire combination.

    The Cayenne S had better transmission response and drive-ability with no jackrabbit starts like the Touareg. With the glut of Cayennes on dealer lots, especially in markets like Silicon Valley, discounts are readily available. The choice between the two cars is closer in price than it will be later when more VW product will abound, but the Porsche premium price, though still present, is not a hugh differential.
  • vwguildvwguild Member Posts: 1,620
    No questions about this...Busiest board elsewhere, but nothing here...very strange...
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
  • ohiosuvohiosuv Member Posts: 33
    I have been waiting for the Touareg to come out and now that it has, it is decision time. Do I buy the VW or save $9,000 and buy the Nissan Murano? Any sage advice is welcomed.

    I am leaning to the Murano, largely because I don't think I can pay $42K for a VW. If the Tourag (V8 version) were say $5,000 less, no problem. If the Touareg were made by Audi, again no problem. But $42K and I don't even get a premium/luxury nameplate!! Not to mention that VW did horrible in the most recent JD Power long term problem tests. I will also likely incur an additional $1,500 per year in higher gas and insurance costs with the VW (need the V8).

    This is a shame becuase I wanted to spend low $40's and get a premium SUV. Unfortunately, the obvious car-based choices are out: MDX (my wife has one and we can't have 2 - we love it by the way), XC90 (nice, but not quite worth @$43K and the comments seem to be bad), RX330 (just don't like it and it's not masculine enough), X5 (love it, but can't get past spending $50K for a vehicle).

    I like the Touareg, but just don't love it. I like it somewhat better than the Murano, but just not sure how much more. Thanks in advance!
  • vwguildvwguild Member Posts: 1,620
    The first thing that you need to do is decide if you are the type of individual that requires a badge of status. Or, if you would prefer to be an individual that does require that type of affectation...

    The next thing that you need to do is read the reviews in the Automotive Press.

    Then you need to drive both vehicles on the same day, and within a narrow window of time...

    Consult the various Nissan Boards here and find out if the Nissan Owners have any Service or reliability issues...

    And finally, bear in mind that the Touareg is the result of a $600,000,000.00 Joint Venture
    with Porsche, and that deep down in the Frame & Metal of every Cayenne lives a Touareg...All originate at the VW Plant in Brataslavia, Slovakia...
  • cotmccotmc Member Posts: 1,081
    You brought up some very good points about the Touareg and its primary competition. We were in a similar situation, except that we were trying to keep the price below $38K.

    At first, the Murano seemed to be an excellent choice for the dollar, but there were 3 factors that eventually swayed us away. The biggest factor was that many new Murano owners were already complaining about rattles and other unwanted interior noises. I researched the Nissan enthusiasts' web site of freshalloy.com. There were many different gripes about rattles in the doors and pillars. I saw a poll where nearly 50% of participants claimed their Murano had interior noise issues. With the addition of other feedback I read at this site, I feared the interior build quality was lacking. Secondly, I also disliked the option packaging and pricing. Finally, after growing accustomed to premium nameplates such as the Acura, BMW, Audi, etc., I did not look forward to dealing with my local Nissan dealer for maintenance and warranty service.

    We also considered the Volvo XC90, but for my price range, this would have required a FWD model with the 2.5T 5-cylinder engine. I had a difficult time paying so much money for an underpowered 4300-pound SUV. We were also concerned about reliability, although there seemed to be fewer known issues with the 2.5T than with the 6-cylinder model.

    We considered another MDX, but we were looking forward to something different after driving our '01 model for nearly 60,000 miles. We also wanted our next SUV to have head-protecting side curtain airbags, which were still lacking in the '03 MDX.

    We probably would have given the Touareg more consideration if we intended to use our SUV off-road. The Touareg seems to offer an excellent combination of on-road manners and off-road capabilities. However, those off-road capabilities come with a price, especially in terms of weight. There is also the big question mark concerning reliability. However, if you plan on driving this next SUV under some challenging conditions, I would highly consider the Touareg before a loaded Grand Cherokee, Land Rover Discovery, or similar competition.

    We ended up purchasing the '04 RX330, in the dark flint exterior (to help add some "masculinity"!). My wife is the primary driver, but I also enjoy it. It certainly wasn't our first choice, but it does what we need it to. It provides good acceleration, a comfortable ride for our urban and freeway driving, and we expect it to have good reliability. As an added bonus, we get very good fuel economy on regular unleaded fuel.

    Since the RX330 doesn't seem to be to your tastes, would you consider the X5 with the 3.0 engine? If you factory order an '04 model, you should be able to choose your options wisely to keep your price well below $50K. You will also get free maintenance for 4 years or 50K miles.
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    If you are considering the murano look at the FX35/45. A fully loaded FX35 can be had for less than 42k if you are a good negotiator (going rate is invoice + 500).
  • ohiosuvohiosuv Member Posts: 33
    re: vwguild comments - I have driven both vehicles and have read ALL the auto press

    re: cotmc comments - I also have some concerns on the Murano build quality, but at this point don't see it as a big hinderance. I have no problem with the option packages and pricing. I also would rather deal with premium nameplate dealers, but that does not include VW. I agree with your Volvo comments.

    I don't plan on ever taking my new vehicle off-road, so the extra's on the VW are wasted on me. My conclusion as to why they increased the cost of the vehicle with the off-road extras is that they wanted to "buy" credibility to stand out in the crossover field and wanted to get to a higher price level to push the VW brand to a higher bracket. Time will tell, but I think they are going to have a tough time asking people to pay the same amount for the VW as the Lexus. (They are the same price because the VW requires a V8 just to stay even with other vehicles due to its high weight.)

    The X5 even with the smaller engine will be more than I can get comfortable with. I just don't care for the exterior looks of the RX and think the new 330 is a less than inspiring successor to the 300. I will not buy the FX-it looks ridiculous, has a rough ride and will get killed on resale.

    Thus, I'm back to the Murano vs. Touareg decision?!
  • rkuehnrkuehn Member Posts: 120
    VW had built a "mainstream" SUV that was a good fit for its overall product line and customer base? Kind of like the XC90 is for Volvo. Like it or not, the XC90 hits the Volvo market bulls-eye. Or the Pilot for Honda.

    VW had orginally planned to sell 60,000 SUVs annually. Did anyone notice that's been halved to 30,000? Had VW done a mainstream vehicle that directly competed with Murano, Highlander, Pilot, etc. they could have sold 80,000 of them. I guess the ego trip was more important.

    It is nicely done though, just a massive missed opportunity. And why does the FX look more like a Porsche than the Cayenne?
  • mml7mml7 Member Posts: 55
    I don't plan on ever taking my new vehicle off-road, so the extra's on the VW are wasted on me. My conclusion as to why they increased the cost of the vehicle with the off-road extras is that they wanted to "buy" credibility to stand out in the crossover field and wanted to get to a higher price level to push the VW brand to a higher bracket.

    Just a nit pick, but the Touareg is not a crossover vehicle and not based on a stretched wagon/sedan platform like the MDX, Murano or RX.

    Time will tell, but I think they are going to have a tough time asking people to pay the same amount for the VW as the Lexus. (They are the same price because the VW requires a V8 just to stay even with other vehicles due to its high weight.)

    The problem here is that Lexus did a *terrible* job with the redesign -- that back end is UGLY. Plus, the way they build/deliver them, the resulting cost is over $40K, despite the low base price.

    0-60 isn't everything and the V6 Touareg can hold its own. It definately isn't as fast as an X5 3.0, MDX or RX330, however.

    The X5 even with the smaller engine will be more than I can get comfortable with.

    See my comments above re: VW vs. X5. Nice car, just too rich for my tastes.

    I just don't care for the exterior looks of the RX and think the new 330 is a less than inspiring successor to the 300. I will not buy the FX-it looks ridiculous, has a rough ride and will get killed on resale.

    I agree. The FX does look a bit weird, but so doesn't the Murano (IMO). We seriously considered the Murano a few months back. With almost no negotiation, we could have purchased a fully loaded Murano for less than $500 above invoice. (and get a great deal on our trade)

    We had thought that if we looked at the Murano long enough, we would come to appreciate the way it looks. It looks great from some angles, and terrible from others.

    The interior of the Murano is unrefined compared to the Touareg and more in line with the Altima. I thought all that aluminum looked a bit tacky (plus I can't figure out why they highlight that awful cabernet colored leather). Still, at ~$32K for a fully loaded rig, it represents a pretty good bargain.

    If you really like the Murano, buy it. You'll save yourself a at least $5k over any of the other cars you mentioned.
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