My *new 2014 Touareg

I had wanted a 4Runner for years and years, to the point I had spreadsheets with data from Cars.com containing asking prices, miles, locations, the works. Then I went and rented one. Out on the highway, the 4Runner is horrifying. Toyota's 5spd auto is old, yet reliable, and MPG was horrifying. I went back to the drawing board. A few months later, I rented another and this time took it from Cleveland to New Jersey along the Penna Turnpike. The 4Runner couldn't handle highway curves, requiring me to brake a few times trying to do 75mph around some of those curves. It was then the Touareg appeared. I read how they handled better than the average SUV, the MPG was higher due to having the 8spd auto, and being a VW fan, the VR6 sold me.


Finding one was tricky as they aren't as common, but did manage to find one locally and jumped on it. Over 4 months, I've probably averaged about 24mpg, have had to replace the water pump, the AC control module, and have never wanted snow to arrive more than I do now. Coming from a MINI Cooper S, I can't wait to use the Touareg this winter.


Plans are to grab the lowering springs to bring it down, probably do bigger wheels once the idea of paying for 20" tires can be digested, and am debating doing the muffler delete to bring out the VR sound. I've seen a few videos with this, but not sure I'd want it that loud all the time. But currently all of the fun money is going towards the 70' Bug hiding in the garage :wink2:


Here's the shortbus, in her concrete jungle habitat.