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2004 v8 Touareg vs 2004 Lexus RX330

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2004 lexus rx330 v-8
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Rsen99

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
My wife has a RX330 (V6) and I just got my V8 Touareg. Outside the vehicle the Touareg is longer. Sit in the vehicles and the first thing I notice is that the Touareg is wider. Right now the I think both cars are the very similar.

Start the engine.

Lexus RX330 only comes with a V6. When I push the engine it starts to whine as it reaches the higher RPMs. The Touareg purrs to life. I love how it anticipates being driven by priming the fuel when I open the driver's door. The Treg doesn't even sound like it is struggling when I start to need higher RPM's.

The Lexus ride is really nice, since it is basically a souped up Camry. The Treg ride is solid, different from the Lexus but in a manly sorta way. Sounds weird but the pot holes are attacked and relished by the Treg and tolerated by the Lexus.

OK... I know this post is really hoakie...I will do some 0 - 60 times and get them posted asap.
 
#2 ·
I'm interested in the comparison because we own these two vehicles with the same horsepower and vintage. Touareg is mine and the RX330 is my wife's, and both are very happy with our selection.
All the best,
 
#4 ·
This would my review be

I love the looks of the Touareg
The Lexus is god awful ugly on the outside so the choice is easy
If it were V6 against V6 the choice would be different.

It would be neither and I would save some more till I gave enough to buy the V8
 
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Discussion starter · #5 ·
Getting ready to go on a 10 hour trip, 2 adults, 2 seventeen yr olds and one 14. Tried the Lexus and Treg, guess what the Lexus has more rear seat room.

The difference was the scooped/ scalloped back of the front seat. The Treg has flat / straight backs which cuts out the rear seat knee room. I really wanted to take the Touareg but space wins this time.
 
#6 ·
IMO, the Treg a not a comfy 5 seater with adults/teenage kids and not on any long trips with a lot of luggage. 4 adults is OK, 2 is brilliant (which is now me with the wife). I'm over that stage and the Treg would not be my choice with 3 kids and their stuff.
 
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Discussion starter · #7 ·
There are obvious differences between the options such as auto head lights and wipers.... My treg doesn't have it.

The acceleration and braking in the Lexus is soft... in the Treg it wants to go or it wants to stop.

It actually makes me think the Lexus has a problem, everything is soft.

I'm prepping for a drive from Columbus to Little Rock, both cars have high mileage, but I'm taking the Treg. A little nervous but really excited to see what the Treg can do.

Really just a picky point - the Lexus seat seem to have a flabby drive seat while the Treg is stiff.

I agree with the earlier post - V8 and the rest doesn't matter. We'll see.
 
#8 ·
Being a 2004, chances are it has that extra resonator under there that the rest of the later V8's do not have, so you are not enjoying the few remaining pleasures of Audi V8 gas guzzling ownership, which in my opinion, is the sound first and foremost. I love the sound and exhaust note of my V8, and ever since I took out the secondary cats, I'm getting CONSTANT compliments on how nice it sounds from complete strangers, at stop signs, gas stations, even at work. I just don't see the Lexus as being something to compare to here at all..



 
#10 ·
Yep, I hear the sound when I open the driver's door.
 
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#13 ·
bradski said:
As to this:

Do you have air suspension? I believe what you're hearing is actually the air compressor coming on...
Click to expand...
The sound is similar (but quieter) but even my MK4 Jetta did it when you opened the driver's door. To my knowledge, it did not have air suspension :p
 
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#14 ·
bradski said:
As to this:

Do you have air suspension? I believe what you're hearing is actually the air compressor coming on...
Click to expand...
Not the air suspension, my 04 V6 did this as well. I do not notice it in my TDI, but could be I am so used to I don't notice or the TDI is different.
 
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#16 ·
Driver's door linked to fuel pressure regulator sensing system

LOtouareg said:
What do you mean the Treg primes the fuel when you open the door?
Click to expand...
If your vehicle's fuel system is not at a predetermined pressure when you open the driver's door, the fuel pump spins up and re-pressurizes the fuel delivery system in anticipation of the engine roaring to life. You would hear this upon a cold start in the morning, typically. It's quite apparent in an enclosed space like one's garage.

If you don't hear this, you have a problem with your fuel pump! You won't hear this during constant around town starts and stops like running errands. I do not know how long it takes for the fuel delivery system to fall below the preset, but it seems to me that an hour or so is long enough.
 
#17 ·
volkswagendude said:
Being a 2004, chances are it has that extra resonator under there that the rest of the later V8's do not have, so you are not enjoying the few remaining pleasures of Audi V8 gas guzzling ownership, which in my opinion, is the sound first and foremost. I love the sound and exhaust note of my V8, and ever since I took out the secondary cats, I'm getting CONSTANT compliments on how nice it sounds from complete strangers, at stop signs, gas stations, even at work. I just don't see the Lexus as being something to compare to here at all..
Click to expand...
Are you legally able to take out the extra cats on the V8? How hard was the surgery and did you do it yourself?
 
#18 ·
Matteojs said:
Are you legally able to take out the extra cats on the V8? How hard was the surgery and did you do it yourself?
Click to expand...
How should I begin.....

We don't have the sniff test here, that said, most commercial shops will not perform the job, because if a said inspector was to just happen to walk in as the surgery was being performed, or perhaps even a snitch make a call beforehand, it would be an instant for digit $$$$ fine to the shop owner and the acting mechanic. Notice though I said "commercial" shops, and by that I meant chains and such. Therefore they only amount to a minute fraction of else out there ;). Yes, I payed a professional shop to do the job. I bought a set of used(but never used) Fabspeed pipes from a member on here. I then had additional hangars fabricated, as per the OEM secondary cats design, since the Fabspeed pipes did not have such a provision which I deemed necessary for further rigidity and support.

Now politics and state laws aside, and coming to reality, there are four cats on the Touareg. The primary cats are the ones that do the main job of keeping things green. Now I have had quite a few guys from your country that have the sniff test in their respective states, tell me that their Touareg V8 passed the sniff test with the two secondary cats off(do not confuse with the other two primary cats upstream). If this is the case, then they act more as resonators. I'm not saying they don't further reduce emissions as icing on the cake, just saying what guys south of the border have told me which is good enough for me, considering we don't have the test in this province. Worst comes to worst though, I kept the two secondary cats on the side.

Very early 2004 Touareg's have an additional 5th resonator.



 
#20 ·
Matteojs said:
volkswagendude said:
How should I begin.....]

Thanks for the info. I have my own mechanic and will check with him. He is always on board and can test the E level after doing it and tweak things if need be. Would love to get a little more sound out of it.
Click to expand...
Report back on your E level.
Click to expand...
 
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