[noelf311]

Hello

I have just joined after lurking for some time. I live in Brisbane Australia.

I am seriously considering moving from our current manual 3 litre Nissan Patrol Wagon to a new V6 Touareg with air suspension. We don't do a lot of 4wd'ing anymore apart from a couple of visits to Fraser Island, especially during the tailor season.

I'm looking for something a bit more refined & modern than the Patrol, that can do the occasional Fraser trip, but can also do long road trips with ease, eg to Melbourne.

We visited a dealer yesterday and was given the message loud and clear that the new model Touareg's would not be capable of doing Fraser Island - "It would just sit there spinning it wheels and would have to be towed off the island"

Now I am totally confused. I have searched the forums and people say they can. I have seen them up there at Ngkala Rocks. But I have also seen a Porsche Cayene on the back of a flat bed being taken home :frown2:

I know they don't have low range, no full size spare and the wading depth could be better, but ...

I have 2 Questions before I go to another dealer (or start thinking about a Toyota :frown2: )

* Can anybody tell me about the capabilities of the latest Touaregs on the sand ? Our Fraser visits are usually around Orchid Beach.
* Also any advice on dealers in Brisbane & SE Qld? (PM me if more convenient)

Many Thanks Noel

 

[Bails]

I took an R50 to Fraser Ise. Air suspension is not an issue. You can drive a 2WD around Fraser if the tyre pressures are right ?

 

[murraycod]

I have been pleasantly surprised at the capability of my Touareg in soft sand. It is a standard 150TDI with steel suspension, but using A/T tyres. Occasionally I go beach fishing and need to cross dunes and drive along the beach. No problems. I have had several locking hub, locking diff, low range 4WD cars previously. The standard Touareg is just as capable with a little bit of care.

The starting point you would need 17/18 inch rims with A/T tyres at low pressure, say 20psi for fair conditions and down to 10/15psi for really soft difficult conditions. This will allow the tyre to spread out and generate grip.

Your driving technique is probably the most important factor. Keep up the momentum and avoid stalling if possible. Avoid the deep ruts that would bottom out your car. If you do stall, don't spin the wheels to dig yourself in further. Get some Maxtrax or similar and a shovel for security to help you get out.

I bet that the stuck Cayenne had large bling wheels and road tyres.

 

[GazzaK]

Make sure your ESC is turned off and air down the tyres and you can go pretty much anywhere. Just another thought though, I don't drive ours on beaches because I don't want salt under the Treg where the sun doesn't shine. I don't want our Treg to turn into a bucket of rust.... just sayin'

 

[murraycod]

Make sure your ESC is turned off and air down the tyres and you can go pretty much anywhere. Just another thought though, I don't drive ours on beaches because I don't want salt under the Treg where the sun doesn't shine. I don't want our Treg to turn into a bucket of rust.... just sayin'

Good point. After a trip I always hose off what I can see, then drive through a good local robot car wash that has underbody spray wash. Touch wood, no sign of problems.

 

[Coight57]

Hello
I am seriously considering moving from our current manual 3 litre Nissan Patrol Wagon to a new V6 Touareg with air suspension. We don't do a lot of 4wd'ing anymore apart from a couple of visits to Fraser Island, especially during the tailor season.

I have 2 Questions before I go to another dealer (or start thinking about a Toyota :frown2: )
* Can anybody tell me about the capabilities of the latest Touaregs on the sand ? Our Fraser visits are usually around Orchid Beach.
* Also any advice on dealers in Brisbane & SE Qld? (PM me if more convenient)

Many Thanks Noel

Noel, I live on the Gold Coast and only know the local dealers. The dealer who you spoke to has obviously never driven a Touareg (or at least offroad to make such a statement). As you would already understand, sand driving is about tyre pressures and momentum/driving technique.


Many of the people from this forum speak highly of the 4Motion Touareg's offroad capability. And with air suspension you have 200/250/300mm clearance options - my 2012 Toyota Prado had only 220mm. But below are two supporting arguments to confirm the Touaregs offroad capability. It's not a hard-core 4WD, but it is certainly capable offroad and on sand.


1. 2014 Australia's Best Car AWD SUV $65-125K was won by the Touareg V6 TDI 4Motion (not the 4XMotion with low range). It scored a 7/10 for offroad against Land Rovers Discovery and RR, which both scored 8s. They don't score a 7 for a vehicle that "would just sit there spinning it wheels". See attached image below from 2014 Australia's Best Car (no Volkswagens were considered in 2015 due to emissions uncertainty).


2. Watch any of the Pat Callinan 4X4 Series-8 offroad shows with the VW Amaroks (PAT CALLINAN?S VW AMAROK - Unsealed 4X4, https://www.mr4x4.com.au/4x4-video-season-8-episode-4-trailer/). He has a standard 8-speed auto with 4Motion and another manual with low range w/permanent 4WD. He has taken both Amaroks to Fraser (and the Simpson Desert, and many other places). I travel with a mate who has the same standard 8-speed auto Amarok with 4Motion and that vehicle amazes me where it will go offroad. And only 190mm ground clearance I believe?


The Touareg 4Motion is certainly capable and proven offroad. I have the 2014 4XMotion V6 180TDI and have driven it across the Stockton sand dunes (without engaging low range) and 200 kms across the Simpson Desert to Poeppel Corner and back (again without low range, apart from 40kms towing a 1.5 tonne camper trailer). The 4Motion and 4XMotion (no longer available in Aussie) have some differences in drive train technology, but my understanding is they are very similar in normal 8-speed auto mode (ie. not using low range).


I have owned/driven Landcruisers, Prados, Patrols and Pajeros.... and the reasons you are looking at the Touareg for being "more refined & modern than the Patrol, that can do the occasional Fraser trip, but can also do long road trips with ease", were similar to mine. I don't drive on the beach (same reasons as GazzaK, although the Touareg is very well protected by design/materials), and can highly recommend the Touareg as a refined luxury car and a great long distance tourer. See video below - 50,000 kms and one year with my Treg!

Welcome to come down for a real test drive if your want. Cheers Paul.


[ame]https://vimeo.com/151979694[/ame]

 

[noelf311]

Thanks everybody. My big worries on Fraser Is for a Touareg are Eli creek at half tide, the slog up to Indian Head 1-2 hours before high tide when we've been held up( 2nd/3rd gear in the Patrol), Hook point which can be tricky when there has been a lot of tour buses through, and lastly all of the creeks/washouts on the beach We are usually there for a week or 2, so we see a lot of different conditions, good & bad
Re rust, everybody has said this to us with the Patrols as well. I have them rust proofed and extra stone chip underneath. Then they go through the underbody wash at Rainbow, when we leave, and then another going over at home with tank or town water. A week or 2 later I go over it again and crawl under to deal with any trouble spots. Touch wood, so far so good
Noel

 

[Odessa]

been to Fraser 7 times in 45 years.

Did it twice in 2 wheel drive in a v8 FJ73 in a breeze

did it last year (up to the top and everywhere in between) in a touareg T1 V8 steel sprung model.

Any Touareg can do Fraser .... period !!!!

its how you drive it and your ability to drive off road and read the terrain. Hardest 2 parts of Fraser are Ngkala rocks (not because of the obstacles but because of ever one else pushing to get through) and heavy deep soft sand at high tide on the lower south east tip at high tide .... if you are rushing for the inskip ferry.

O .. yeah touareg bash plates are not made for Fraser. ... Invest in something after-market ... check out the tread "big bad mud tyres" for battle gear for the treg

 

[noelf311]

Just read most of the "big bad mud tyres" thread. Wow!
It looks like Alex has moved on, is that right? If so who does bash plates now?

 

[seafarer28]

Just read most of the "big bad mud tyres" thread. Wow!
It looks like Alex has moved on, is that right? If so who does bash plates now?

Send "dragline1570" a PM for the skid plate, he makes them for the T2 and T3's and for both the V6 and V10's, a very professional laser cut item with a removable port hole so that you don't need to remove the whole plate when changing oil...... too easy.

TonyB

 

[Odessa]

Alex is still around.

He is a master fabricator (amongst other things) by trade he lives and breaths this stuff.

Alex is still worth reaching out to.

 

[wannabe]

If Touareg with air suspension can conquer the Simpson Desert (including Big Red) as well as the Canning Stock Route, why would it not be able to do Fraser Island? Cheers, Werner

 

[Coight57]

Fraser Island, not a problem. 400kms on Fraser Island... up and down the beach on the east coast and criss crossing the island.


[ame]https://vimeo.com/180145377[/ame]

 

[seafarer28]

As always Paul, very nice!
Bit of a worry seeing a Touareg being run over by a green bus though:wink2:.
Tony

 

[Flash635]

I'd have no qualms taking my R5 onto Fraser, I have low range though.

Just make sure you get a locking/LSD and locking centre diff.
Get the smallest wheel diameter that will fit and the tallest tyre that will fit to give you scope for air down without losing too much rolling diameter.

Get sand oriented tyres, not mudders, Mud tyres will dig you to China on soft sand.

Air adjustable suspension would be good either OEM or after market.

For the trips to Melbourne just put the road radials back on and you're good.The Touareg drives like a car on the road.

If I'm on the sand for more than a day I'll drive up one of the freshwater creeks that feed onto t5he beach to wash out underneath.
Lanolin is a very good rust protector.

 

[Coight57]

I'd have no qualms taking my R5 onto Fraser, I have low range though.

Just make sure you get a locking/LSD and locking centre diff.
Get the smallest wheel diameter that will fit and the tallest tyre that will fit to give you scope for air down without losing too much rolling diameter.

Get sand oriented tyres, not mudders, Mud tyres will dig you to China on soft sand.

Air adjustable suspension would be good either OEM or after market.

For the trips to Melbourne just put the road radials back on and you're good.The Touareg drives like a car on the road.

If I'm on the sand for more than a day I'll drive up one of the freshwater creeks that feed onto t5he beach to wash out underneath.
Lanolin is a very good rust protector.

Flash, agree and all good points. I have low range as well, although I used high-range everywhere apart from a few steep sections when I was towing the camper (1.3 tonne)... and if you were towing, then low range is very handy. Apart from that, tyres and tyre pressure is by far the most important factor - I ran 18psi front and 20 psi rear.

Corrosion prevention I use Couplertec electronic rust proofing on both the Touareg and campertrailer (Aussie made... used by surf lifesaving clubs, councils, emergency services, mining companies etc).

Tyres are Michelin Latitude Cross 265x60 R18 all-terrains which I use as my permanent wheelset (onroad/offroad).

Cheers Paul.

 

[Coight57]

I'd have no qualms taking my R5 onto Fraser, I have low range though.

Just make sure you get a locking/LSD and locking centre diff.
Get the smallest wheel diameter that will fit and the tallest tyre that will fit to give you scope for air down without losing too much rolling diameter.

Get sand oriented tyres, not mudders, Mud tyres will dig you to China on soft sand.

Air adjustable suspension would be good either OEM or after market.

For the trips to Melbourne just put the road radials back on and you're good.The Touareg drives like a car on the road.

If I'm on the sand for more than a day I'll drive up one of the freshwater creeks that feed onto t5he beach to wash out underneath.
Lanolin is a very good rust protector.

Flash, agree and all good points. I have low range as well, although I used high-range everywhere apart from a few steep sections when I was towing the camper (1.3 tonne)... and if you were towing, then low range is very handy. Apart from that, tyres and tyre pressure are by far the most important factors (pressures I ran 18psi front and 20 psi rear, 18 campertrailer).

Corrosion prevention I use Couplertec electronic rust proofing on both the Touareg and campertrailer (Aussie made... used by surf lifesaving clubs, councils, emergency services, mining companies etc).

Tyres are Michelin Latitude Cross 265x60 R18 all-terrains which I use as my permanent wheelset (onroad/offroad).

Cheers Paul.

 

[Flash635]

Flash, agree and all good points. I have low range as well, although I used high-range everywhere apart from a few steep sections when I was towing the camper (1.3 tonne)... and if you were towing, then low range is very handy. Apart from that, tyres and tyre pressure are by far the most important factors (pressures I ran 18psi front and 20 psi rear, 18 campertrailer).

Corrosion prevention I use Couplertec electronic rust proofing on both the Touareg and campertrailer (Aussie made... used by surf lifesaving clubs, councils, emergency services, mining companies etc).

Tyres are Michelin Latitude Cross 265x60 R18 all-terrains which I use as my permanent wheelset (onroad/offroad).

Cheers Paul.

Years ago I was camping on the foreshore at Rainbow Beach, not on the beach, with my '71 Charger.
I saw a totally stock EH with totally stock skinny wheels towing a caravan along the sandy track, I thought if he could do it I could do it.


No.

You need more than wide tyres, something like ,more than 5 inches ground clearance would be good.

 

[Odessa]

Per my previous notes at the beginning re doing Fraser in 2wd ... it was done in a full on V8 lots of torque and wheel spin with a brass button clutch. The back diff was an open diff and it was with BFG muddies.

Its all technique and momentum in sand


In the old days before the 4wd scene came along Fraser was done in Ford Falcon 500's etc etc ... its only now that the big busses are on the island and the 4wd community has EXPLODED that the tracks are not as good as they were ... but they are still pretty great.

I'd have no qualms taking my R5 onto Fraser, I have low range though.

Just make sure you get a locking/LSD and locking centre diff.
Get the smallest wheel diameter that will fit and the tallest tyre that will fit to give you scope for air down without losing too much rolling diameter.

Get sand oriented tyres, not mudders, Mud tyres will dig you to China on soft sand.

Air adjustable suspension would be good either OEM or after market.

For the trips to Melbourne just put the road radials back on and you're good.The Touareg drives like a car on the road.

If I'm on the sand for more than a day I'll drive up one of the freshwater creeks that feed onto t5he beach to wash out underneath.
Lanolin is a very good rust protector.

 

[Odessa]

Thank you Paul that was beautiful !!