Should I buy a 2006 or 2007 Touareg?

[Twin Turbo V10]

I do have to add that VW needs desperately to learn what customer service is all about

[pcrage]

I was commenting on a a statement that ALL car companies go through these issues. The fact is that they do not or at least not at the rate the Touareg has expereinced. Notwithstanding CA Touareg's diatribe about how a german car handles versus a "jap" car...this was not the issue I was addressing...but it must have been important to CA in any event.

There seems to be this notion that Touareg owners can somehow rationalize the very poor experience the Touareg has had by making broad and subjective statements about every car company and every vehicle. I will tell you that I gave the Touareg and VW 2 (TWO) opportunities to keep my business and they failed miserably with two malfunctioning vehicles and a customer service function that was, at best, not capable of dealing with a return of unopended wiper blades at Walmart.

It is quite amusing to read all the posts making excuses and bashing other manufacturers in a cultish way of aggrandizing the Touareg....

Does it handle well...yes Is the 8 fast...yes Would it take an accident well.... I hope so.... Does it have a higher than average number of problems...yes

BUT this does not mean all companies have problems as frequent and as significant as those experienced with the touareg....Irrespective of ones feeling about the relative value of having one in their garage.....

[CA Touareg]

My views are not subjective. You must not be up on cars! It is not my opinion. Look at accident avoidance ratings and you will see the facts. Go into a Porsche dealer and read some of Dr. Ferry Porsche's quotes about his philosophy of cars. You will not find any quotes remotely similar from a Japanese car maker.

The philosophy behind German cars and Jap cars is polar. This is not subjective but objective.

I have owned 22 new cars in the last 2 years and have personally experienced a lot of what I have read about all types of cars including the problems with reliability. We have owned American (diesel truck), Japanese (Honda & Toyota), and German (BMW & VW). I do not mean to come across as if I am bashing anything other than German but I am simply stating the differences. Japanese cars aren't all bad. I am just talking about handling and performance. If that is not your priority and you prefer something other than a German car - who is to say what you choose. I am just pointing out the obvious differences.

If you want a car that will probably be trouble free, poor handling but utilitarian = Japanese cars. If you want a great driving machine yet more complicated = German cars.

[pcrage]

If your views are not subjective then what would possess you to conclude I am not "up on cars"?

But again...I must say that your points are good ones but not what I was talking about...if you want to begin a new topic great but accident avoidance, handling, and all that other German car philosophy commentary does not, will not and cannot support a statement that all car companies have problems like the Touareg has had....

That is all I was commenting on......I had a '98 Toyota Land Cruiser with 160K miles and no major issues in 7 years. My two Touaregs had at final count 14 signigficant problems between them (some of whiuch were the same, ie battery dead, MFI malfunctions) and 47 days in the shop and I put a collective total of 23K miles on the two. But they handled well!!!!

[Twin Turbo V10]

Pcrage,
I don't think we are defending a poor relability record. In simple verbage it Sucked!
We all agree. No defending here...just read the drama on the boards. It's very clear.
I think you may want to try to understand that the Touareg did everything so well...from Interior exectuion, Handling, Ride, Performance, Looks and off road ability...
So well in fact it was vehicle of the year in its category. The aftermath troubles are well documented history.

For all of us that spent at least $40,000 hard earned money we are thrilled that they got this exciting vehicle where it should be.

For them to release it the way it was...well that was a joke.

Do ALL other car companies have this many problems in one vehicle. No, but some do and others are close.
Are Jap cars non inspiring, cookie cutter, booring vehicles. Absolutely.
Did my friends with many Mercedes have as many problems as the Touareg, absolutely!

Is Toyota the king for now in reliabilty. No doubt. Good job Toyota in raising the bar for quality and reliability. If they begin making Toyotas with nice interiors and great styling the other car companies better look out. For now they are as ugly as the Toaregs past reliability.

Will true car enthusiasts take a hit on reliability for a truly inspiring machine. No doubt.

We should all win from this in up coming quality from other companies. Look at the fit and finish on GM now. Real nice and it's about time.
Can anyone touch a Corvette Z06. Not even close....even at $40K more.
Porsche is still scratching their heads.

Will a jap car ever be a sought after classic...the closest they ever came was a supra...eh em...nope! and all the oldZ's are...well...rusted away.

No one here that can not take the facts. Just a bunch of happy people that see the Touareg back where it belongs and have a little pride in the ride.

[pcrage]

I can't dissagree with what you say.

I suppose after spending an aggregate of $90,000 plus on these two Touaregs and finally having to exit the last one for a $15,000 equity loss after an 18 months ownership experience with no attempt by VW to correct the insidious issues they sold me, knowingly perhaps, I am jaded.

In some cricles they call this felony theft.

Here you call it "cyclic issues".

Best Regards,

[Twin Turbo V10]

You are perfectly justified in how you feel and I agree with you on many points.
I felt the same way. After leasing my 2004 V8 I dumped a total of 25K into a maintainence nightmare. (36 month lease)
I was so pissed and hated VW.
For what ever reason this V10 fell into my lap with an amazing deal through a call from VW.

Owner loyalty, no security deposit, bla, bla, bla.
I first read much and interviewed certifed Touareg techs.

After all my wife and 2 year old little boy are depending on this vehicle too.
I was very tired of dropping that sucker off for service and driving a dirty, nasty rental.

After doing my homework I found the true problems to be hardware and software non compatiability issues. Now stepper motors are re programed. Not replaced and so on. We were the test bed and VW will suffer the loss of good clients for this.

Discount 70K Twin Turbos to try and earn clients back. What this has really cost them remains to be seen.

Do they deserve your business again. No. Did they deserve mine. No.
Am I happy with the V10 and think I have a real winner. Yes.
Not sure if I can say I got lucky or .....deserved this deal.
Thus far I am thrilled. From the new crisp hi's on the sound system and every real and large improvement on everything in the vehicle I am begining to be won over.

[Godwine]

Hi Guys,

I probably am not qualify to make any comment as this is my first Touareg. But it is not my first VAG vehicle. But I really never have any real problems with any of my VAG vehicles. We had more problem with my dad's Volvo and my brother in-law's Camry then I had with any of my VAG vehicles.

As for customer service, I know many of you have had problem in the past, I've only called Audi of america ONCE concerning misleading info I got from the dealer resulting in me driving back to the dealer more than 3 times for a non existing problem. I mentioned that "I've used a good 200 dollars worht of gas fo these useless trips". 3 weeks later I received a cheque from VW for the amount of $150 to compensate me for my time and gas.

Will I purchase another VW Audi? Definitely, in fact I am trying to convince a friend to get an A3, while trying to get my sister to trade her A4 in for a Q5 when it arrive.

Thanks
Godwine

[Sammygq]

I think u should by the new one. It looks damn good!

'07 V6FSI Black magic,adaptive bi-xenon, air suspension, nappa beige

[A64.2wasme]

Originally Posted by pcrage

Twin... All car companies do not necessarily go through these issues....

I have had several Toyotas and Hondas including my newest addition, a 2006 Land Cruiser, and I will tell you that SOME companies do not go through cyclic issues especially on the backs and in the pocket books of their customers.

Hmmm. In light of Toyota's multiple recalls and consequent sinking quality ratings, care to defend that statement now?