Questions for the 7h trip home...

Hasenwerk · Dec 20, 2007

Hopefully this weekend I pickup my "new" 2006 V10. The drive from Vancouver to Quesnel is about 7h. To be quite honest, I haven't been in a Touareg for more than five minutes let alone drive one.

This car will add to my collection of four wheel drive vehicles as seen in my signature. Gotta have the best right! This one has all options but keyless start from what I can see. Rear climate control, rear diff lock, park sensors, navi, leather, nice black on black!

The car has the navigation system in it, so armed with that information, what is in it for a sound system? Can it play MP3s on a CD? Can it play MP3s on a DVD? Is there satellite radio? If not, can a Sirius receiver be added "neatly" as Volkswagen would have done it? Is the $75 VW ipod option that lets you control the ipod via the car the best idea or is it best to use the ipod controls and plug it in the aux?

Tires are the original 255/55-18s with 24.000kms on them. Suitable for winter in California, but not for the back country of British Columbia. I am thinking of getting either some BFG ATs in 265/65R18 format (31.7") which from what I see here is about the max that will fit (yes / no) but I have these on my LT 4x4 and Syncro TriStar - they seem a bit "truck" to me rather than "ute" tires. For me they need to rated for severe snow - so is there any other all-terrain style tire that is sever snow rated like the BFGs. Driving for us (really the wife's car here) is a lot of back country with dirt and rocks on forest service roads and the like. Would like one pair of sneakers to wear on the car all year. Would like to see slightly smaller than 31.7 unless these will fit "just fine".

What's the real world, driving at 120km/h fuel economy for the V10 - 7h on one tank of fuel should be about right?

Any common problem area that I should make sure works 100% before I drive it away from the VW dealer?

Thanks in advance!

nickm · Dec 20, 2007

Hasenwerk said:
Tires are the original 255/55-18s with 24.000kms on them. Suitable for winter in California, but not for the back country of British Columbia. I am thinking of getting either some BFG ATs in 265/65R18 format (31.7")

Nice machine, congrats!!! I'd bet the tires are shot with that mileage (the Touareg is heavy and powerful, and eats up tires). Personally I'd go with the Nokian WR, excellent do it all tire, lasts a long time, and is well regarded by most on this board

WhalerMax · Dec 20, 2007

I did my four hour trip home yesterday with my v8. My only recommendation is, get a radar. This car is very easy to loose your speed in. The highway ride is great.

Good luck

me_tobster · Dec 20, 2007

WhalerMax said:
I did my four hour trip home yesterday with my v8. My only recommendation is, get a radar. This car is very easy to loose your speed in. The highway ride is great.

Good luck

Agreed, after the second day of ownership, I hard wired my radar into the over head console. Not that it is a permit to go fast. But it is very, very, very, easy to speed in the Treg. Several times on the intersate driving with one finger on the wheel and tunes jammin I look down and see 105 or 110. Then I do this...:shock:....:evil_laugh:.....[-X

vinnieg24 · Dec 20, 2007

hahah iw as just going to say the same thing, i just got a ticket the other day...i suppose it's not the cars fault

...ask long as your car has cd player, im pretty sure you can play mp3s i can on mine.

briscowings · Dec 20, 2007

You said 120 KPH didn't you mean 120 MPH?

Thanks
Ken

Hasenwerk · Dec 20, 2007

I think I am screwed then... for the last 10 years or so I have been driving VW vans, all be it they are TDI equipped, but you KNOW when you are doing 100km/h... my camper with the R-TDI can do 160km/h but at that speed the wind noise is so loud and the handling is equal to a drunk squirrel crossing the road... in my LT we throw a little party when I exceed 100km/h...

The last time I was >160km/h was in Germany with a Nissan X-Trail Diesel... according to the GPS we got to 201km/h somewhere between Hamburg and Frankfurt... I have a feeling the V10 will do a little better than that... :twisted:

So... a few CDs full of MP3s shouldn't be a problem - cool cool... just wear light sneakers instead of heavy boots and the accelerator problem should be...

Hasenwerk · Dec 20, 2007

No... 120km/h - I'm Canadian eh! Speed limit here is 100 with most people doing 110km/h RCMP will generally leave you alone if you are under 112 to 113... at least when I was driving my high top Westfalia Syncro... a gloss black Touareg could change that I suppose...

briscowings said:
You said 120 KPH didn't you mean 120 MPH?

Thanks
Ken

ekloc · Dec 20, 2007

This past weekend I picked up my V8 and drove it home from Florida to Toronto, Canada. I probably couldn't pick a worst weekend to do that since I encountered tornado warnings and heavy rain down south and nasty winter storm and very high winds in northern US and Canada.

My onboard computer calculated very good gas millage of 13 L/100 km (18MPG). I think it's overly optimistic calculation and I will have to verify that. Your V10 is better on gas so you should be seeing same or better numbers for highway travels.

Like Nick said, Nokian WR tires are considered the best by many here. At $360 a tire they are not the cheapest but they are supposed to be just right for this heavy truck. My mechanic spoke highly of Toyo Open Country tires as well.

Fast Frank · Dec 20, 2007

I will sell you a new set of 4 for $200 per tire plus shipping. Although I will be gone and couldn't ship them until after Christmas. I am speaking of Nokians.

nickm · Dec 21, 2007

I bought my nokans at tiresbyweb.com I was very happy with their service and speed.

khaug1 · Dec 21, 2007

Our egg returns ~20 mpg at an actual 72 mph (75 mph indicated). That gives you a range of ~ 530 miles to an empty tank.

The mpg calculator on our egg is some 11% optimistic.

Impressive stable of diesels you have. I thought we were doing pretty well with our two. Have a good trip.

Hasenwerk · Dec 21, 2007

khaug1 said:
Our egg returns ~20 mpg at an actual 72 mph (75 mph indicated). That gives you a range of ~ 530 miles to an empty tank.

The mpg calculator on our egg is some 11% optimistic.

Impressive stable of diesels you have. I thought we were doing pretty well with our two. Have a good trip.

Is it possible to change the mileage calculator with VAG-COM?

I do like my Diesels. I used to run a company that installed TDIs into VW Vanagons. I like the rare and unique VWs... who wants to drive a sheep?

Arkarch · Dec 21, 2007

Unless you are going to get on talus slopes with sidewall-eating rocks, you should be very good with the Nokian WRs. I have heard many good things here about them. 31.8" is about the largest that will fit Touaregs; 30.7" is probably more correct but I want the extra 0.5" clearance. I have not run a recent calc for 18's.

I have the BFG AT KO's for the heavy trails (love them!!); and Goodyear Fortera TripleTred's for highway. I coulda gone WR's for Highway, but with a Goodyear Credit Card burning a hole in my pocket;a very similiar (if not plagiarized WR design); and the nearest Nokian dealer two hours away, I went for the GY's. However I got an unfortunate bonus from the GY dealer in the form of $1700 door damage, so perhaps I should have gotten the Nokians after all.

Hey, have fun with the rig!!! If you ever get down to Utah or Colorado or Vegas look us up!

khaug1 · Dec 21, 2007

Hasenwerk said:
Is it possible to change the mileage calculator with VAG-COM?

I dunno. Perhaps someone knowledgable will chime in here.

Hasenwerk · Dec 22, 2007

We have a lot of forestry roads that we like to travel on in the summer and I am looking for a set of tires that can be run until the car turns 100.000km - ICBC (The gov't insurance here) will be bringing in rules that winter tires in this region must have the severe snow rating or else you may be liable for any accident you are in. The BFGs do have this rating. I was thinking the smallest 18s the BFG makes which is the 265/65R18 which is 31.7" tall - so not a good idea?

The other tire I am looking at ist the Michelin LTX A/T in 265/60R18 format (30.5" tall) which is said to have the severe snow rating pending...

I've never been farther south than SeaTac WA, so perhaps this summer we might venture a little further south if we don't go to Inuvik

Arkarch said:
Unless you are going to get on talus slopes with sidewall-eating rocks, you should be very good with the Nokian WRs. I have heard many good things here about them. 31.8" is about the largest that will fit Touaregs; 30.7" is probably more correct but I want the extra 0.5" clearance. I have not run a recent calc for 18's.

I have the BFG AT KO's for the heavy trails (love them!!); and Goodyear Fortera TripleTred's for highway. I coulda gone WR's for Highway, but with a Goodyear Credit Card burning a hole in my pocket;a very similiar (if not plagiarized WR design); and the nearest Nokian dealer two hours away, I went for the GY's. However I got an unfortunate bonus from the GY dealer in the form of $1700 door damage, so perhaps I should have gotten the Nokians after all.

Hey, have fun with the rig!!! If you ever get down to Utah or Colorado or Vegas look us up!

Arkarch · Dec 22, 2007

Hasenwerk said:
The BFGs do have this rating. I was thinking the smallest 18s the BFG makes which is the 265/65R18 which is 31.7" tall - so not a good idea?

I have the 265/70/17's... Works fine. Several other offroaders have them. I do quite a bit of highway driving. However they do have a 'heavier' feeling, so doing a rough commute every day with them may not be as fun.

I do not have direct experience with the 18" rim versions.

Hasenwerk · Dec 22, 2007

Looks like 265/75R17 is the same size as 265/65R18 So by saying a heavier feeling, this means not as good acceleration? Would the torque of the TDI make them feel better in your opinion?

What is your max ground clearance with these? Can you hear them inside at 75mph?

Arkarch said:
I have the 265/70/17's... Works fine. Several other offroaders have them. I do quite a bit of highway driving. However they do have a 'heavier' feeling, so doing a rough commute every day with them may not be as fun.

I do not have direct experience with the 18" rim versions.

nickm · Dec 22, 2007

Nokian WRs carry the severe service winter emblem, so they would meet the legislation..in addition everyone is getting very good mileage out of them.

Just as a heads up you are LUCKY to get 20K miles out of a set of tires on a touareg (lotsa weight and lotsa power chew up tires)...trying to go 100k kms on a single set is abitious and is not likely to happen. WRs have lasted some folks around 40K miles. Personally my thoughts are in light of what you are looking to get out of your tires (high mileage + winter rating) WRs may be your only choice.

I don't have any knowledge or experience re: BFG longevity.
hope this helped

Arkarch · Dec 22, 2007

Hasenwerk said:
Looks like 265/75R17 is the same size as 265/65R18 So by saying a heavier feeling, this means not as good acceleration? Would the torque of the TDI make them feel better in your opinion?

What is your max ground clearance with these? Can you hear them inside at 75mph?

Acceleration is good; I got an older V6, could be slower on the lower end, but seems really strong higher up. There is also the force need to turn them tires, though the Touareg's steering is very strong. With a TDI I doubt acceleration would be an issue even if you had Flintstones.

9.6" clearance steel suspension, essentially the same as a FJ on the same tires. It should be greater than 13" with air suspension X-tra setting.

Also referencing the last post - as said, the Nokian WRs have a strong base too. I think Nokian and BFG's are the two most vocal camps here. There is also a good number with Bridgestone Revos, Pirelli Scorps, and GY Fortera TripleTreds (leave anyone out?) Not many seem to stick with the stock Dunlops and Contis, from what I have read this past two years.

Questions for the 7h trip home...

Hasenwerk

nickm

WhalerMax

me_tobster

vinnieg24

briscowings

Hasenwerk

Hasenwerk

ekloc

Fast Frank

nickm

khaug1

Hasenwerk

Arkarch

khaug1

Hasenwerk

Arkarch

Hasenwerk

nickm

Arkarch

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