Club Touareg Forum banner

Buying Soon >> Towing post fix input/recommdnations wanted...

2K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  Fourdiesel 
#1 ·
OK, I've narrowed down my purchase to a couple 2012 Exec models that have been fixed. Going to be towing a 5,000lb (fully loaded) 22ft RV a few times a summer as well as our 6000lb boat (spring and winter haul out).

I know most are frustrated with their T3 post diesel-gate fix but...

1. How much did the fix impact your towing experience?
2. Is your frustration more with the engine or the transmission changes?
3. Will the Malone tune make everything better?
4. Should I be planning (if posible) for a transmission retrograde as many have tried?

I'm hoping to get this T3 in the next week and be on the road 1200 miles in late June for a two week trip around the midwest. Just wondering if I should plan on the trip with the T3 "as is" post fix or get the budget and time in for the Malone ASAP.

Thx for any real world experience input!
 
#2 ·
The following is the general consensus around here, based on many users experience...

1 - no impact other than increased DEF consumtion
2 - both, but TCM more than ECU
3 - not everything..... deletes and TCM reflash are required for "everything" to be better
4 - yes

Full disclosure: My '14 is fixed and OEM AF. I've never even driven a non-fixed version. Everything above is from reading this forum. (read, no real world experience as per your request)
 
#3 ·
Thanks good info and I have been slowly finding this info...

items I’m still searching for include...

1. How much DEF can I expect to use per tank or per towing tank
2. How is the TCM getting done by most? I see one user offering but may not now. Haven’t found retailers like Malone offering service yet...read lots about security in TCM code being an issue.
 
#4 ·
I have a 2016 lux fixed and have driven it 4000 miles so far. It was a "new" car when I got it. The ad blue consumption is about the same as my 2012 TREG,but no real towing like you are going to do. Without towing I go 10K without a warning of need to fill DEF tank so I would think you should get at least 4-5000 miles without a fill alert. A lot of my miles are on the highway at 75-80 mph. Hope this helps some.
 
#6 ·
I know most are frustrated with their T3 post diesel-gate fix but...

1. How much did the fix impact your towing experience?
2. Is your frustration more with the engine or the transmission changes?
How do you "know" this? I have no frustration.

1. Greatly increased DEF consumption when towing. Other than that, no difference. (towed 5,500 lbs 31k mi pre-fix; 3k mi post-fix).
2. Ain't got no frustration.

I got $10k. I can spend a few bucks on DEF.
 
#7 ·
How do you "know" this? I have no frustration.

1. Greatly increased DEF consumption when towing. Other than that, no difference.
2. Ain't got no frustration.

I got $10k. I can spend a few bucks on DEF.
wow...I didn't know the pay out was that much...awesome! I thought I hard people saying $5-6K. Yeah a pay out like that will pay for a lot of DEF and tunes!
 
#8 ·
I towed a 5000-5500 lb 24 ft car trailer 1500 miles. It used about 1.5 tanks of 2.5 gallons of DEF (so about 4-5 gallons total). I found auto parts stores carry it for around $11 per 2.5 gallons. I'd say towing you get about 600-700 miles on 2.5 gallons of DEF with a large, heavy, high air drag trailer. Towing this trailer I got about 10.5 to 11 mpg at about 62 to 65 mph.



I have also towed a smaller U-Haul 6' X 11' enclosed trailer (their two axle unit with brakes). I got about 18.5 mpg on the same trip with less DEF usage.


I get about 3000-4000 miles normal non-towing from a 2.5 gallon DEF fill before it says to refill in 1000 miles (I almost always add it right away).


My suggestion is to grab a Tekonsha P3 brake controller, an adapter hardness and have fun towing. Towing with a turbo diesel really is nice.



I have a post fix '13. My only complaint I guess is going up hills pulling a heavy, high drag trailer you notice it speed wise. It would help to have a bit more HP and a wider torque curve. On my 1500 mile trip there were areas where I had to up shift (yeah weird) to maintain get back into the turbo's peak torque range to get 60 MPH going up the Appalachian mountains. Other than that it doesn't seem to really notice a trailer much (acceleration is slower but that is to be expected). Pulling the 3500 lb U-Haul trailer it was barely noticeable.



To me one thing I recommend is a weight distributing hitch (my tongue weight is about 400 lbs measured).
 
#9 ·
My suggestion is to grab a Tekonsha P3 brake controller, an adapter hardness and have fun towing. Towing with a turbo diesel really is nice.


To me one thing I recommend is a weight distributing hitch (my tongue weight is about 400 lbs measured).
Great minds think alike. Not only do I have my P3 (nobody wanted on Craig’s list at half price cause they don’t understand what it is) from my old T2 gasser days but my WD hitch went from T2 to F150 and works amazing on our smaller RV rig. Going to test a 2012 Exec today and if we can out th deal together I’ll order a Malone stage 2 ASAP. I’ll try out the DEF system for the summer and see how I feel about it but since rigs I’m looking at have 80-100k it may be time fro it to go.
 
#11 ·
It is to be expected that DEF usage will increase when towing a heavy load. The purpose of DEF is to reduce NOx to acceptable levels. At high power levels any diesel produces much more NOx therefore the system is set to add DEF to react with and reduce the NOx level.

The average usage figures promoted in the literature don't usually allow for much heavy horsepower driving and therefore give a biased estimate. I'v not seen it done but DEF usage probably correlates pretty closely with miles-per-gallon, higher DEF use means lower MPG.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top