➖ Patency (breaks front spoiler)
➖ Economy
➖ Music
pros
➕ Reliability
➕ Dynamics
➕ Light
➕ Design
The advantages and disadvantages of the Volkswagen Tuareg 2016-2017 are identified based on feedback from real owners. More detailed pros and cons of the Volkswagen Touareg 3.6 and 3.0 diesel with automatic and 4x4 all-wheel drive can be found in the stories below:
Owner reviews
Great car. I started with a gasoline V8, skated more than 100,000 km on it without problems. Then I decided to try a 3.0-liter diesel engine, drove another 100,000. Also without problems, although I was very worried about the quality of our diesel fuel (I only refueled at Lukoil or BP).
I drove to Astrakhan and Karelia - everything is fine. In terms of driving performance, the Volkswagen Tuareg cannot be compared with anything: the engine is chic and importantly economical. Power reserve 1,000 km. The most important thing is to serve according to the manufacturer's requirements.
Vladimir Raskopin, review of diesel Volkswagen Touareg 3.0D (245 hp) AT 2014
Video review
The car is good, if not for some shortcomings. For the first MOT you need to pay about 20,000 rubles.
The main disadvantage is 11l. diesel fuel per 100 km on average. Although on the passport they write almost twice less. The rearview mirror covers a lot of space.
Vladimir Prikhozhanov drives a Volkswagen Tuareg 3.0d (245 hp) AT 2015
I have had a Tuareg since 2008, 224 horses diesel 3.0, a problem-free car. For 240,000 km in the box, I changed the valve stem seals and the harness (this is a cheap repair), at 160,000 I changed the lower arms and rear shock absorbers in the front end, at 180,000 I changed the upper arms and that's it.
In terms of comfort, the new VW Touareg is very comfortable. Sat on it after the Pajero 3 (Tuareg an order of magnitude higher and more comfortable), 6-speed automatic. The truth is eating up on the highway normally 9.2-10.5 (how to drive), in the city 10.5-12.2, again, how to drive. But that suits me just fine.
Sometimes there is not enough pickup to the engine, but from a place it is very good, fast and powerful. Another drawback is the air dampers, enough for about 40,000 km, after a small repair and not expensive, you can extend the life by another 20,000.
Vyacheslav Orekhov, drives a Volkswagen Touareg 3.0 diesel (245 hp) AT 2014
Nice car, premium entry. But “German quality and reliability” is alien to this brand of car, despite the fact that I drive their “flagship” car ...
Tuareg is not reliable (breakage of the air suspension with a run of 2,000 km). Expensive to maintain. Voracious. Cross-country ability is not an SUV. Only 2 years warranty.
Of the benefits - an impressive view and dimensions. Dynamic on the highway and in the city. The suspension adapts to the road. Spacious.
Alexey Syrokumov, drives a Volkswagen Tuareg 3.6 (249 hp) AT 2016
The car is cool, moderately fast and beautiful, but it's a SUV. Having tried it once on the road, I try to go around difficult places more. It's just a car with high ground clearance!
If you ever go off-road on the new Tuareg, then think twice, because it will probably cost you a pretty penny. The fact is that a "spoiler" is installed on the bottom of the front bumper. Fuck if he was needed there ... Well, this crap rests on a couple of clips and breaks in flight. Moreover, the mount near the wheel breaks, and at speed from the wind it is erased against the wheel. Changed it twice already. Terribly annoying. I plan to take it to hell!
The next minus is the operation of the rain sensor, it feels like it is not there, but it seems to be there)) The sound in stock with the RNS-550 radio is complete squalor.
The owner drives a VW Touareg 3.6 (249 hp) with a 2015 automatic.
I will compare mainly with my previous KIA Sorento. Appearance: In my opinion, the Touareg has one of the most harmonious exteriors. Especially in the R-Line body kit and on large wheels. There is absolutely no desire to change anything. I don't even want to tint.
Salon: there is a lot of space inside, and with a height of 190 cm I can sit very comfortably in any of the four places (including myself), except for the middle seat in the back, it is uncomfortable due to the too high tunnel. All controls are conveniently located, the only thing that is not convenient is the control unit for external lighting devices, it is located to the left of the steering column.
Engine: when I first started driving, 249 forces seemed incredibly vigorous, I think in contrast to the Sorento. Now I'm used to it, there is no longer any delight, but I have more than enough.
The eight-speed automatic transmission works quite quickly, the sports mode is especially interesting - in it the engine keeps high revs even under throttle, in order to always have the possibility of a sharp pickup, I am very pleased. But there is also a negative point - basically, I don’t know what it depends on, the box switches VERY smoothly, like a CVT, but sometimes there are very unpleasant tangible pokes, I can’t remember such ones on the Sorento.
Air suspension - that's just a miracle! I was very afraid to buy a car on 20-inch wheels, I thought it would be tough, but this is not about Tuareg on pneuma. Small bumps, as well as large bumps and pits, pass very comfortably.
Headlight. It's just a song. It shines VERY brightly and where it is needed, it is enough even on wet pavement. It's also adaptive.
Review of Volkswagen Tuareg 3.6 (249 hp) automatic transmission 2016
Mileage is currently 2,400 km, while only pleases. ICE 204 hp, when buying they said it makes no sense to overpay 120 tr. for 245 hp Like, for 20 tr. move on later.
Interior trim leather, but not nappa, for the men of the rules. Audi's wife, she took nappa - softer, more pleasant. The front seats are adjustable in all possible positions. My height is 192 cm and weight 115, very comfortable. Pretty quiet in the cabin, fender liner with some kind of wool.
The speakers are enough without flashing: S-mode and the pedal is deeper. The finish seems to be premium (aluminum, wood and soft plastic). The tank is 100 liters, and the computer writes that it lasts for 1,020 km. Filled up and forgot. Gasoline was not considered for these reasons. The dynamics are almost the same.
With regards to reliability, relatives have 2 such vehicles for about 5-6 years. No questions, consumables and all. The assembly of my car is not Kaluga. Purebred "fascist" (although he waited 3 months).
Review of Volkswagen Tuareg 2017 3.0 diesel with automatic
All articles
The first Touareg appeared at a time when the format of luxury crossovers had not yet taken shape, and Volkswagen itself was not very good at making luxury. And just the heaped up, equipped with the latest trim and technology Touareg, along with the flagship Phaeton sedan, was supposed to change the idea of the brand as a manufacturer of “people's cars”.
As for the crossover format, which has not yet taken shape, at the turn of the nineties and zero, manufacturers believed that in such a car there should be more cross-country ability than passenger properties. Therefore, the first Touareg on the move gained fame as a very, very all-terrain vehicle. This was facilitated by air suspension, and a rigid rear differential lock, and good body geometry with short overhangs front and rear.
As a result, without any special alterations, the serial Tuareg overcame difficult expeditionary distances across all continents, and its distant relative won several Dakar rally marathons.
The second generation turned sharply to the side. The very original look was replaced by a corporate-wide one, and the Touareg II immediately looked like all the other cars of the VW concern. The off-road package was removed from the list of options, sharply narrowing its habitat. But they worked on the decoration and equipment.
There is more luxury, less cross-country ability. It was the end of the "zero". Manufacturers have realized that locks do not sell cars, but something else.
Motor range "Tuareg" I and II generation
In terms of diversity, the Tuareg I generation is preferable. There are more petrol and diesel options in its range of power plants. Gasoline engines are presented in the range of 3.2 liters, 3.6 liters, 4.2 liters and 6.0 liters.
Diesels are also overabundant - with a volume of 2.5; 3.0 and 4.9 liters, and there were still options with mechanics, while the second generation was completely aggregated only with automatic transmissions. The range of engines was also blown away to two diesels and one gasoline unit plus a gasoline-electric hybrid.
The irony is that the market did not appreciate such a variety. Buyers of the first "Tuareg" still took mainly three-liter diesel engines (64% of offers on the secondary market), only about a third of offers fall on the petrol V6.
Which is logical. Diesel is more versatile, more economical, more pleasant in terms of tax. It pulls from the very bottom, which is good both when starting from a traffic light, and when starting knee-deep in mud. Out-of-town consumption of 7-8 liters is also pleasing to the eye and wallet.
True, this engine is more capricious than gasoline. He is picky about the quality of diesel fuel, while low-quality fuel instantly disables the high-pressure fuel pump (11-16 thousand rubles in disassembly, excluding work). This applies not only to three-, but also to 2.5-liter diesel engines.
The breakdown of the second generation Touareg engines is slightly different: there is a higher share of gasoline units (51% of offers), although diesel goes head to head (48%). Take, again, better diesel. Adjusted for the exactingness of fuel quality, it is more traction and economical.
Which "Volkswagen Tuareg" is better in the cabin
In many ways, a matter of taste, but still the second generation is more modern, smarter, richer. This also applies to the quality of finishing materials, and the multimedia component. The second "Tuareg" has a lot of electronic assistants, including a system of all-round visibility. On Touareg I, this business will have to be “collective farmed” in the nearest garage.
Well, in general, the first Touareg is more archaic. With solid wood on the panel, with rough leather on the chairs - this is how premium was imagined in the late 90s.
The second generation Touareg has another problem: visually it is too similar to other Volkswagen models - from Polo to Golf. In general, everything is the same, just more magnificent and richer. Such a close relationship can definitely scare someone away.
In terms of space - parity. Both are spacious for five passengers, VW did not offer seven-seater options in either the first or second generation. Which does not negate the convenience for a typical family with 1-2 children: at ease, places with a margin, a trunk with an overabundance of displacement.
On the go: what is the difference between two generations of Tuareg
Let's go back to the beginning. The first Touareg was created with an eye to off-road conquest, the second became very “parquet”, hence the difference in gait. On a broken road or even beyond it, the first Touareg (also with air suspension) is much more preferable. But when the turns on the winding track begin, you will obviously want to be behind the wheel of the second Tuareg. It is denser, it rolls less, it holds its course more tenaciously. Especially, again, "pneumatic". In the case of a conventional spring suspension, Volkswagen confused ride with buildup, as a result, it will not be very good for the rear passengers, and it will be harder for the driver to refuel the car into turns.
In general, from the point of view of "steer" Touareg II is more interesting. From the point of view of going to the dacha along the country road - definitely the first.
Which one is more "fluffy"?
Good question. The first Tuareg does not have a very good reputation. Mainly because of the capricious diesel engines and air suspension. It is there with an open circuit, that is, the air for pumping is taken from outside (along with all the dust and other small fractions). Because of this, cylinders and all other pneumatics have a relatively short life.
Most of the sores of the predecessor of the second Touareg overcame (pneuma there with a closed circuit, for example, that is, air circulates inside a closed system), from which it lives much longer. Diesel has become less capricious. Or is it our oilmen who have learned how to make a normal "Euro", and the life of the owners of expensive European cars immediately improved?
Be that as it may, the second Touareg is generally stronger and less whimsical in terms of fundamental units, but weak in detail. So, the owners of pre-styling cars complained about the build quality of the interior. Yes, it looks expensive, the materials are good, but the crickets and squeaks are annoying, and the interior panels literally “breathe”, you just touch it with your fingers. Plus, complaints about electronics and electrics, such as the failure of power windows.
In general, if the first Touareg fell apart immediately and for good, then the second - a little bit and where you do not expect it.
What are used Tuareg sold with?
Tuareg buyers have plenty to choose from: there are many offers for both the first and second generations. For the pre-styling Touareg I, on average, they ask for 1.3 million rubles, for the updated one - 796 thousand rubles. "Tuareg" of the second generation before restyling is given for 1.4 million rubles, after - for 2.3 million rubles.
For 700 thousand we found a 2008 Touareg with a mileage of 209 thousand km:
We punched through the site and found an accident, calculation of repair work and unpaid fines:
The accident happened in July 19th. The damage was minor, the insurance companies estimated the restoration work at 12,500 rubles. One fine for speeding, issued the day after the accident:
Not a bad option, but let's see if it's worth taking a newer car - the second Tuareg 2017. with a mileage of 31 thousand km:
Not worth it. The vehicle is pledged:
So which Tuareg to choose?
Two generations of the same model are too different to be labeled "better" or "worse". The first Touareg is brutal, all-terrain vehicle, conqueror. The second is just a comfortable family car. The first is easier to finish, but it will crawl further. The second one will crawl in there, but will get out already on a tractor. The first off-road - the second - "lighter". So it's largely a matter of priorities. We drive up to our ears in the mud, looking for a lively Touareg I. We drive beautifully around the city - we look at the Touareg II.
The main thing is to look carefully. Everything can be very difficult there both in terms of technical and legal conditions.
What car would you like to read about in the next article? Vote for one of four models!
Cars from Volkswagen Corporation to this day are seen as just an ideal acquisition. But in fact, everything has long ceased to be as good as many believe. Many of the concern's cars turned out to be not the most successful, they received a lot of unsuccessful equipment, which the owners are forced to simply constantly repair. This causes a certain change in the reviews of these cars. Of course, this fact cannot but affect the rating of the manufacturer. But all the negativity falls on mass cars, but they prefer to remain silent about the premium class. The large Tuareg crossover has pretty good reviews in all its generations. Loving him both new and used, they buy for a family, for business, for long trips and for other purposes. In the competitive range, this SUV has quite a few market bestsellers, but to this day the car holds high positions in sales.
However, this car was not without its problems. Especially serious problems arise if you buy a used car. This is Russia, and it is very difficult to choose a good used car here. When it comes to the premium class, the complexity increases. Often these cars are well serviced, driven to service stations on time, stored in garages and covered parking lots. But the modes of operation are ruthless, and the first owner knows very well that he will soon change the car to a more modern one. Therefore, the car is operated “to the holes”, and then it is prepared for sale and is actively sold on the secondary market marked “perfect condition”. Today we will look at exactly where to look when buying a used car, as well as what factors of childhood illnesses should be assessed. Volkswagen Touareg is better to buy new, but if you decide to buy a used car, be sure to consider the following recommendations.
1. Air suspension - problems can not be avoided
In many versions and trim levels of this car, an air suspension was installed with a large number of options. This is an interesting feature, but maintaining this node on a German car will cost a fortune. You may argue that such a suspension does not break, but this is true for cars up to 200,000 km of run. Then there will be expenses. Problems may be as follows:
- one fine morning you may find that your iron horse began to hobble - fell on one wheel, tilted due to the failure of the rack, which is very expensive;
- pneumatics is connected to the diagnostic system, so the car could unexpectedly report problems with the suspension and give an error requesting to contact a service station;
- pneumatics react poorly to cold weather, problems with low quality fittings were noticed on the first models, poor tightness of the suspension system appeared;
- the compressor that pressurizes the pneumatic modules also failed on many cars older than 5-7 years, and this is a very expensive part that only needs to be replaced.
Problems with air suspension are no longer relevant for new cars. Its design is completely different, and the quality of work has been greatly changed. This means that when buying a Touareg in the cabin, you will not run into trouble in the form of expensive chassis repairs. But it is better to buy a used car with spring suspension options. Let it not be so comfortable, but it is reliable and inexpensive.
2. Twisted mileage is a problem for every second
The owners of a premium car are well aware that with a run of over 300,000 km it will be impossible to sell a car for good money. Therefore, on every second Tuareg on the market, mileage is significantly twisted. Only officials can determine the intervention when connecting computer diagnostic equipment. It would seem that the twisting of the run is not so terrible. But in fact, this factor has such features:
- a German SUV requires a certain quality of service, each MOT is unique, certain spare parts are replaced according to the regulations, so that when twisting, the service will be disrupted;
- all parts and mechanisms have a certain resource, so the owners usually prepare for repair or replacement for a certain mileage, all breakdowns will be a surprise for you;
- oil change intervals - when winding up the kilometer counter, no one thinks about future maintenance, so you can miss an important moment with regular maintenance;
- a car with a mileage of 350,000 km is already a lottery, and when you buy a Tuareg with a mileage of 150,000 km, you actually get a new car without any problems in operation.
Therefore, the question of mileage remains open. Many owners recommend using even the most expensive real mileage checker to make sure the data is original. Often the master at the service station, when diagnosing the suspension, engine and other parts, can easily determine the approximate mileage. When buying such a car, you should definitely go for a good diagnosis.
3. Bad diesel fuel - the death of diesel technology
German diesel vehicles are today considered the most reliable in their segment. But the first and second generation Tuareg with a diesel engine turned out to be not so positive in terms of quality of operation. The car works confidently on good fuel, but when refueling at an untested gas station, it causes a lot of trouble and problems. Here are just a few of them:
- the fuel pump breaks - this makes it impossible to drive the car until the malfunction is fixed, in this case the pump simply changes to a new one;
- nozzles get clogged - this is a normal problem for all the first Touaregs with diesel engines, you will have to clean the fuel system often, and this is an expensive procedure at the service station;
- the V6 TDI engine more or less copes with such a problem, but when refueling low-quality fuel, consumption can double or even more, and the system will malfunction;
- the fuel filter becomes clogged, it is rather small, so after a few refuelings with low-quality diesel fuel, the filter ceases to perform its tasks, this is a big problem.
If you have bought or are going to buy a VW Touareg of the first or second generation, you should be careful about the choice of refueling. This is especially true for diesel units, which are quite serious about the purity and composition of the fuel mixture. Otherwise, you will become a regular guest of the service station, and the high cost of services will lure more and more money out of your wallet.
4. Poor chrome finish and decorative details
Another problem faced by Touareg owners after 5 years of operation is decorative. There are quite a lot of chrome parts on the body and in the interior of the car. They often begin to fade and peel off after 5-6 years of using the machine. This is very strange, given the eternal chrome elements on the Trade Winds of the early 2000s, for example. You may also experience the following problems:
- the car very noticeably loses its attractiveness of appearance, the paint on plastic parts can fade and peel off, the top layer of varnish on the paintwork is overwritten, the shine disappears;
- with frequent washing, already at the 5th year of operation, the paint begins to show the first problems, and this is very unlike Volkswagen, since cars did not have such diseases before;
- chrome parts not only fade, nothing can be done with them, you have to change them, ordering very expensive new decorative elements from the officials;
- the decor in the cabin also often falls off, plastic elements fall out, inserts of other colors and textures, but the manufacturer attributes this to poor-quality roads and a sloppy trip.
In general, the car is assembled with high quality, but there is absolutely no confidence in the little things in it. This is quite unusual, as we are accustomed to the perfect attention to the smallest details from VAG. If you take a Tuareg with a fairly high mileage, you can hardly avoid the need to repair decorative elements. This is an important warning to all potential buyers of such vehicles.
5. Gearbox - reliable, but you can kill
When buying a new VW, there are no problems with 8-speed automatics and other boxes guarding the Touareg. But used cars, especially with a significant age, are distinguished by a huge number of malfunctions in this unit. The problem is that the machine initially cannot serve as long as a manual. Quite often the following problems occur:
- shocks when shifting gears, which occur when the internal equipment fails and wears out, the repair is quite expensive, it will cost at least 1000 euros for the service;
- incomprehensible errors on the on-board computer screen, which indicate the failure of the box parts, the electronic control unit often breaks down, which is not easy to replace;
- the box may stop working spontaneously, unpleasant sounds often appear in it, extraneous hum, crackling when switching and other troubles that indicate an imminent breakdown;
- far from all masters undertake the repair of an 8-speed automatic and other automatic transmissions, since the box is quite complicated, its design makes it possible to make good repairs only at branded service stations.
In recent years, Volkswagen has done a lot to ensure that car buyers can only be served at official stations. There are many specialized service stations in Russia with cheaper services, but this does not save you from significant repair and maintenance bills. Gearbox features should be considered before buying a car. It is important to drive the machine in all modes and check it on computer diagnostics.
We offer you to watch a video about a used Tuareg and the features of its purchase:
Summing up
Modern cars always pleasantly surprise the owner with comfort, give excellent opportunities for a comfortable trip. But they do not always guarantee high quality and long-term operation. When buying a used Volkswagen Touareg, you become a hostage to circumstances, forced to be serviced at a narrow circle of stations, and buy rather expensive spare parts. But the service for the car will not be needed too often, the car is reliable and successful in its design. Tuareg owners confirm that with moderate use of up to 300,000 km, regular maintenance alone can be enough.
However, many of the used Touaregs on the market are quite dead. These cars are sold either when buying a new generation, or after receiving extremely unpleasant bills from the service. The first option is preferable, so it is best to buy a used SUV from a friend. If you know the history of the machine, you can easily predict possible problems in the near future. Pay attention to engines. It is often better to buy basic units without complex fuel technology. In the case of used cars, this is the best choice. What do you think about the possibility of buying a used VW Touareg?
Let's be frank. If you need an SUV, and not just an urban "popovoz" with the function of export to nature, then the VW Touareg, even with 4XMotion, is not at all the best choice. It's not like he'll get bogged down in the first puddle. No. Just the same, with cross-country ability, he is in full order. Simply, the forest is branches, snags, a winch, a broken cable, broken bumpers, etc. It's a pity to bathe in puddles of an expensive handsome man stuffed with electronics. Brutal, I would even say, "wooden" Mitsubishi Pajero in this path will be much more harmonious. It will cost less, it’s cheap to maintain, and there are fewer “killed” cars on sale. Well, or Nissan Patrol, since there is absolutely no way without a minimum level of comfort.
The illiquid “Korean” Kia Mohave can also be dragged here. The Mercedes “Italian-American” Jeep Grand Cherokee is similar in all respects to the “German”, while being beautiful and extraordinary, but the choice of engines is small and it will be much more difficult to sell it - illiquid. If the maintenance costs of the Touareg didn’t scare you, then perhaps you should take a closer look at the used “British” Land Rover Discovery - it will definitely kick all the “extra” money out of you, while driving you into a trance with a lulling air suspension.
Now, remembering that the Volkswagen company began once as a manufacturer of a popular car brand has become a bad form. Take, for example, the Touareg - a chic SUV, which is mainly driven by well-to-do citizens ...
The car was released in mid-2002. He became the first large SUV of the German concern. And in the full sense of this meaning - you can not only drive on asphalt on the Touareg, but also get out of the city.
There are no complaints about the build quality of the cabin. All elements are tightly fitted to each other, the skin is stitched with neat stitches, it is pleasant to touch the buttons and levers. However, there were problems with the reliability of a huge amount of electrical equipment, especially with the 2002-2003 Touareg. Moreover, the electrician is not the worst thing. Many cars needed repair of the gearbox, handouts, air suspension! Often the electric drives and tire pressure sensors failed, the four-zone climate control began to “fail”, the rear view camera or the Keyless Access system (starting from the Start key) failed.
As for the body, there should be no complaints about it: the paint does not peel off, and Touareg does not know what rust is in principle. According to the masters, it is best to buy cars with a Russian "registration". Then you can track the fate of the copy you like and check which problematic details have already changed.
In the first months of production, two engines were installed on the Touareg: a 3.2-liter gasoline “six” (at first 220 hp, but then the engine power increased to 240 hp) and a 5.0-liter diesel (313 hp). With.). The last motor is simply unique. Suffice it to say that it is a 10-cylinder and still remains the most powerful diesel engine installed on cars and SUVs. Many cars have a modest 2.5-liter 5-cylinder diesel (174 hp) as well as a 4.2-liter V8 petrol (310 hp). Well, the currently produced Touareg is already equipped with a slightly different range of power units: petrol V6 (3.6 l, 280 hp) and V8 (4.2 l, 350 hp), as well as diesel engines with a volume of 2.5 l (174 hp), 3.0 l (225 hp with "mechanics" and 240 hp with "automatic") and, of course, a V10 with a volume of 5.0 liters (313 hp). With.).
A few words should be said about the "charged" Touareg. Since 2006, Volkswagen has been producing the breathtaking Touareg W12 with a 6.0-liter 12-cylinder petrol engine (450 hp). In addition to the Touareg W12 engine, it has a slightly different aerodynamic body kit and a very rich package. There are still few such machines made, although they are found in Russia. True, their price shocks even Volkswagen dealers: for SUVs with W12, we are asked for more than $155,000! Well, at the end of 2007, the Germans began to produce the Touareg R50 with a V10 diesel engine producing 350 hp.
Which engine is better? No one will give a definite answer to this question. It is worth starting with the fact that all motors turned out to be reliable and practically do not cause problems. Much depends on how much you are willing to spend on the Touareg. Although even a wealthy Russian is unlikely to take a used Touareg W12. Such machines are insanely expensive, and besides, there is no special meaning in them. If you have a decent amount of money on your account, it is better to turn your attention to a 3-year-old Porsche Cayenne. It will cost about the same money, and it will look more prestigious. To put it mildly, cars with a V10 diesel or V8 petrol are not cheap either. They cost almost one and a half to two times more than, say, a Touareg with a 2.5-liter diesel engine.
If we put aside the show-off, then the mind will tell you that the best option is the Touareg with a 2.5-liter diesel engine or a 3.2-liter gasoline V6. Both diesel and petrol V6 proved to be very reliable and unpretentious units. In addition, they are the cheapest to operate. For example, motors do not have timing belts that need to be changed periodically. V6 is equipped with a very strong chain, and in a diesel engine, the gas distribution mechanism is almost eternal, gear. An important factor was also the fact that such units as the gearbox and transfer case live longer here than on cars with a V8 or V10.
In general, the gearbox and transfer case have long been considered really weak points of the Touareg - the problem with them was resolved only after mid-2004. Therefore, before buying cars made in 2002–2004, you need to carefully check whether the transfer case has changed. It is worth paying attention to how the dealer fixed the problems. The fact is that at first Volkswagen wanted to limit itself to small bloodshed and offered to install only a servo drive and new software on problem cars. But this often did not help, so the Germans decided to change the handouts altogether. The automatic transmission also sometimes broke down, and problems in 90% of cases arose on the most powerful machines. In general, the "razdatka" and the automatic transmission must be very carefully checked. After all, when buying a 3–5-year-old Touareg, the warranty for which has already ended, the owner runs the risk of running into a fantastically expensive repair of these elements (“razdatka”, by the way, costs about $5,000).
A few words need to be said about the off-road capabilities of the Volkswagen Touareg. For the daily "Camel Trophy" this car is not suitable. However, it is also difficult to call it an urban crossover. Touareg can, if necessary, drive on a very serious off-road. In the arsenal, he has not only the already mentioned "razdatka", but also a very decent ground clearance, as well as a locking center differential (automatically when the wheels slip or forcibly when downshifting). Well, if you need to go to nature more often, it is better to take a car with a rear differential lock installed (it was an option). Or look for a Touareg in the Expedition package. It is equipped not only with two differential locks, but also with reliable bottom protection, as well as a winch.
Suspension Touareg can be either simple, on springs, or pneumatic. In the latter case, you get an incomparably higher level of comfort, as well as the ability to adjust the ground clearance (up to 300 mm). But for this you will have to pay a tidy sum. After all, cars with air suspension give their owners quite a lot of trouble. Especially when the mileage reaches 100,000–140,000 km. I must say that on cars of the first years of production, the air suspension could break even after 30,000 km. The cause of the failure was usually worn compressor valve seals. In addition, sometimes the pumping cylinder failed, and sometimes the air struts themselves failed. The latter are very expensive - about $ 2000 apiece! A new compressor is also insanely expensive, but it can usually be rebuilt for "only" $400-$500. In general, it is clear that the pneumatic Touareg can require a decent investment.
However, many buyers of not only new, but also used cars are willing to risk money for the sake of comfort. And perhaps they are right. In addition, Touareg springs do not differ in ideal reliability. At least the front levers here until recently failed too often - active drivers changed them annually. And the cost of levers, by the way, is about $400-500 apiece. The rear suspension has two levers per wheel at once, but their resource turned out to be much higher. Although remember: it is possible that on cars with a mileage of more than 100,000 km, they will also require replacement. Therefore, in the end, the buyer of a 3–5-year-old Touareg can invest more than $ 2,000 in the chassis (plus the same amount if the car has air suspension).
EXCURSION
Volkswagen Touareg became, in fact, the first SUV brand «Volkswagen». Of course, experts know that in the 80s and 90s, the German concern made an off-road version of the second generation Golf called the Golf Country. However, this is nothing more than a modest and simple Golf II with increased ground clearance and a slightly different appearance.
Work on the Touareg began in the late 1990s. It's no secret that Volkswagen made this car together with Porsche engineers, thanks to which the Porsche Cayenne was born. In addition, it can be noted that on the basis of the Touareg / Cayenne, the Volkswagen concern built another model - the Audi Q7.
Especially for the Touareg and Phaeton, Volkswagen engineers have developed a unique diesel engine. It has a volume of 5.0 liters and immediately 10 cylinders arranged in a V-shape. The power of the V10 is 313 hp. No less impressive is the amount of torque - 750 Nm. In addition, there were other engines: petrol V6 with a volume of 3.2 liters (220 hp, and later 240 hp), V8 with a volume of 4.2 liters (310 hp), as well as a 5-cylinder 2.5 liter diesel (174 hp).
In 2006, the Touareg W12 appeared with a 6.0-liter 12-cylinder petrol engine producing 450 hp. In the same 2006, the SUV was upgraded: the appearance changed a little, the interior became a little different. Under the hood of the Touareg began to put petrol V6 (3.6 l, 280 hp) and V8 (4.2 l, 350 hp), as well as 2.5 liter diesel engines (174 hp), 3.0 l (225 hp with "mechanics" and 240 hp with "automatic") and V10 with a volume of 5.0 liters (313 hp). Well, at the end of 2007, the Touareg R50 appeared. This "charged" car has a V10 diesel engine, which already produces 350 hp.
Volkswagen Touareg is not a car for the poor. However, this machine has not only a huge number of advantages, but also many disadvantages, primarily related to the reliability of such components as the transfer case, gearbox, pneumatics, suspension and electrics. And although now all the “childhood diseases” of the Touareg have been cured, buyers of used cars may encounter them if they refuse to carefully check the car before making a deal.
