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Used Touareg, guide me please :)

5K views 28 replies 6 participants last post by  mndvw 
#1 ·
Hello Guys,

I am looking for a used Touareg. Now I found a 2009 model, 3.6. Its mileage is 110 KM.

The owner told me that the car is perfect with FSH and she recently replaced the following components:

* Propeller Shaft.
* Break Pads and discs.
* Battery and tiers.

These components got replaced by agency/dealer after the last major service.

Now my questions are:

* What other expenditures that I can face in the near future after owning the car?

* I own a Prado 2011, but when I drove Touareg I felt that Prado was smother and quiet compared to Touareg. Is it normal ?

* Anything to worry about that I need to check before proceeding with car purchase?

* Is there any issues with Touareg AC? Shall I expect any component to get replaced soon ?

* What is the average annual cost of services/maintenance knowing that I will not drive it more than 20 KM a year ?

Thank you.
 
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#2 ·
No one can tell you what else to expect on a particular car: we can't see it, hear it or drive it and, if we could, buying any used car is a lottery.

The prop [drive] shaft has been done. Good.

The discs and pads have been done [all four?]. Good [all four would be excellent!].

The battery has been replaced. Good.

Not sure what you mean by tiers . . .

Read the buying a used Touareg link in my signature.
 
#3 ·
Like Nooby's said, no one can tell you for sure.
The one thing I don't see on your list that is highly failure prone is the dash blower... this isn't a super big deal if you have basic handyman abilities, but can be pretty expensive at dealer...
My 2007 3.6 has about 137 km and ticking. The same list you have above plus dash blower have been done. Annually I spend no more than a few oil changes and fluid flushes. BUT there are gents on here who have not been so lucky and have had some other issues...some even serious. So you can never be 100% sure. I would (however) remember that this is one of the most common engines found to date in the Touareg, and that VW continues to this day to use this motor in the Touareg. That is the best advise I can offer.
 
#4 ·
Hi noobytoogy,
Thank you for the link, really helpful. And I meant tyres for tires (US spelling).
So, I think it worth getting an expert to try it out. And will give it another ride.

IMHO, a good service is the only thing that will help the car to move on with no issues. For example, I had a very bad experience with Bora. And if I can remember it correctly, the coolant was leaking internally and they did not notice that. It ended with oil getting mixed up with coolant.

If you can answer me the following doubt. How reliable are the sensors in Touareg ? I had also a very bad situation were a sensor failed on my old Bora, and an engine symbol shows up and the car went down all of the sudden in the middle of the road. That was really bad experience. Can such things happen in Touareg, or there is a good resiliency for sensors in it?

Thank u.
 
#6 ·
I would be wary about buying such an old car in the UAE. The environment is extremely harsh on the life of cars.

The other worry would be that this car is not as smooth as a Prado. Normally a Prado would seem agricultural compared with a Touareg. Has it been serviced regularly (often) and the correct oil used? Things wear out because of the dust, sand and salt.

However if you are a gambler and get it cheap you may get lucky. Be prepared for cost and frustration to get it fixed if things go wrong.
 
#7 ·
Hi Murraycod,

Yes it has been serviced regularly.
I am not sure if you had a ride with Prado (mine 2011). It is really smooth, and you do not hear the engine that loudly. I think I need a second ride anyway.

Yes the weather is harsh, but the cars are kept indoor parking most of the time. And in UAE it is not that sandy, though it is humid.
 
#9 ·
Not common. One chap had his timing chain go on a 2007 (T1) 3.6 FSI... that is a very expensive repair. But is NOT common or expected. Any car model will have a few duds, reading on here will alert you to all sorts of things... some of which may seem slightly more common than they really are because people come here for advise or help or just to vent. I wouldn't worry so much about the uncommon stuff.
If you have it professionally looked at and it is ok, I say decide then. I have had a great experience with mine.
 
#10 ·
Hello Guys,

I went this week for a test drive for latest Touareg Model. And there is a difference of engine noise level. But still not pretty sure if this was a difference of T2 and T3 model. I will try to drive another 2009 this week and see.

But guys I am really scared a bit of VW in general. I was also looking for a Passat. But read about horror stories where engine got staled/shutoff in middle of the way. Such experience happened to me with Bora 2002.

Volkswagen Passat Problems | CarComplaints.com

I am wondering of such things happen with Touareg. Can you please comment on that.

Thank you
 
#11 ·
Just buy a Toyota!
 
#12 ·
Sound deadening can make a difference, my 2008 has sound deadening and my 2007 does not. Big difference in the engine note. You can tell by lifting the rear seat (about the only place it is visible).

It sounds like you have a hit or a phobia of VW from past experience, it might be better peace of mind for you to just get an appliance like Toyota or Honda as these makes are marketed to be more reliable than other makes.
 
#13 ·
@noobytoogy: I would like to get another Toyota Prado, but it is more expensive than Touareg for the same manufacturing year by a good margin in UAE (around 6K euros!).

@Spie: I have no Phobia but a bad experience with VW :)))
and would like to get a VW again.
But why you are saying it is "marketed to be more reliable". The link I shared contains consumers feedback which they share from their real experience. I am trying to be scientific in my research, and so I am seeking the experts in this group.

I have no problem to spend money on regular maintenance. But I will feel really bad if things start failing out of the blue. And specially failing engine in the middle of the way.

So, can someone answer my question please. Did anybody heard of a story (or experienced himself) were the engine fail while driving with Touareg T2?

Thank u :)
 
#14 ·
I say marketed because that is Toyota and Honda's target audience. Just like BMW is performance and Mercedes is status. VW is marketed as having clean diesel (ha ha just had to get that in)... Any make will eventually brake. But most modern cars are pretty reliable and close to one another in this area versus the past. I mean doesn't Toyota have service bays too?
Some specific model years and engine choices are worse than others. This is true for every make. The chart you showed demonstrates this clearly when looking at the newer generation Passat. For Touareg it is early models 03' or 04' that seem to have more issues than say the T3.
Owning a car can be frustrating and expensive, so it better be worth it. That is why I drive VW.
 
#17 ·
There's essentially nothing in common between the Touareg and the rest of the VW lineup. The parts are for the most part unique to the model and shared with the Cayenne and Q7. So do not draw comparisons between problem spots in other VW vehicles and the Touareg.

That said the failure areas for gasoline 3.6 2009-2010 are:
-Water pump housing failure (common on the 3.0TDI but not on the gasser)
-Alarm module (it fails giving false alarms all the time)

The other failure/ replacement areas seem to have been covered off by the previous owner.

As for ride quality and comfort, most people who drive the touareg say its the most comfortable vehicle they've ever been in, this coming from people owning Mercedes M classes and vehicles of that caliber. If you aren't experiencing this level of comfort then there is a problem with tires, suspension or something else.
 
#18 ·
Hi Guys,

Thank you for your feedback.

@nickm: Agree with you. But if you have a look at this link, looks like a couple of people got an issue with HPFP.

5 Complaints: 2010 Volkswagen Touareg Engine Problems

On the other hand, I have tried another Used Touareg 2009 today. And there is a difference with the first one I tried. The Engine is not roaring at low speed accelration (< 60 KM/h) as I faced before.

To be honest I am losing my mind looking for a good reliable car. Mainly cause I am buying it for my wife and kid. And finding out that a lot of cars getting issues these days , this includes Japanese cars (as I can see in NHTSA reports).

As I am still looking, I can see that Mercedes as one of the most reliable cars. And VW Touareg looks till now a solid one.

Will let you know if I end up with Touareg. Wish me a good luck guys :)

Cheers
 
#19 ·
HPFP problems are a TDI thing only. Not an issue with gasoline versions as they don't use a HPFP
 
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#20 ·
Hello Guys,

I talked to one of my friends who is German Cars expert and he advised me to go with Audi Q7 2008. And I can find a couple of a good ones. The available T2 currently are few currently in the market (UAE), so I am thinking to consider Q7, otherwise I have to wait. What do you think ? Your opinion really matter to me.

Thank u.
 
#21 ·
The Q7 and Touareg are essentially the same vehicle, but the Touareg has better offroad capability and better handling. Q7 is bigger so good if you need the room.
 
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#23 ·
Looks aside (I don't personally care for them) the Q7 is more visible where I live than the Touareg (there are more of them). I think this is because most people with a family opt for a seven seater. I have sat in a Q7 (never driven one) and it is a very comfortable vehicle. However, it is overpriced. Used Q7's are even overpriced (compared to the Touareg). As the others have said, the Q7 is very close to the same thing as the Touareg minus some offroad and towing ability.

My recommendation is if you don't need the room get the Touareg.
 
#24 ·
Hello Guys,

Still looking for Touareg. I have tried Q7, but Touareg looks more youthful.
Q7 sounds like a mini bus to me. When I set to drive, I was looking through mirrors, and saying "where dose this Q7 car end?" LOL :)

Now I have to make a decision between the following two Trg. Please advice. I am really confused.
Touareg 2008. 93k KM. Full Full Options.
Touareg 2010. 123k KM. Basic Option.
Both car are very well maintained at agency. And Prices are all almost the same( 8k Euro).

And here is some photos and desc for both cars.

https://dubai.dubizzle.com/motors/u...0mYWRkZWRfX2d0ZT05MCZhdXRvX2FnZW50PQ==&pos=11


https://dubai.dubizzle.com/motors/u...j0tLSZhZGRlZF9fZ3RlPTkwJmF1dG9fYWdlbnQ9&pos=1

Let me know what do you think.
 
#26 ·
Welcome to the mad house. At least you did as much research as you could unlike quite a few folk who buy a VW thinking they are super reliable!

Let's hope you can just enjoy the car.
 
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