[Alabamaoffroader]

Hello, I am a brand new VW owner. I purchased an 04 Touareg with 100,000 miles. I am getting nervous about all the posts I am reading on this site regarding peoples bad luck with the 04. I have put about 3K miles on it and so far I love it. No problems as of yet besides the TPMS alarm bugging the hell out of me. It does sometimes "click" after going over a bump at slow speeds, and wont stop until the vehicle shuts off, and sort of lurches forward when I turn the key off. Not a constant issue though. Wondering if there any general things that I need to check as preventative maintenance, or if I need to get rid of the thing all together based off of some of the things I have read. Thanks Oh Yeah, Thing is a moose in the woods!

 

[LOtouareg]

You obviously did not read this article:

http://www.clubtouareg.com/forums/f63/and-the-number-1-used-car-to-avoid-is-83979.html

LOL. I'm just playing. But seriously, the Touareg is pushing 10 years old. You cannot expect it to be perfect.

 

[Alabamaoffroader]

I'm not looking perfection, but I am looking for something fairly reliable that doesn't require a small fortune to keep on the road.. Sounds like a may have bitten off more than I can chew.

 

[ColoradoMax]

Find or purchase a Vag-Com, and disable the TPMS. Check the tire pressure the old way every once in a while- you'll be a lot happier.

RE: maintenance. If you have the car's history, just follow the manual. If don't have it, assume the proper maintenance wasn't done. You'll want to check the condition of the coils. Find a VW dealer or Indy garage that will change the ATF for a decent price. Change the diff fluid. It's not really that much different than most 4x4 SUVs. The vast majority of the information you need to keep the car running for another 100k is on this site, but you'll have to do some leg work.

There is also a lot of people here who wanted a Camry (really) but bought a Touareg instead. This car requires some attention, but don't lose sleep over it. People don't post when their car is running perfectly; I'll be among the first and say mine is. I haven't needed anything other than regular maint for the last 40k.

 

[Alabamaoffroader]

Thanks for the peace of mind

I appreciate you making me feel a little better about my purchase.. I have loved the Touareg so far. It drives amazing. I get tons of compliments about the looks. Only downside so far has been gas (about 14-15 mpg) and 6 coil packs. It seems like a lot of the posts are from people who have been gouged by the dealer. I plan on trying most of the work myself, with the help of this site. So, we'll see how it goes. thanks again

 

[cates24]

Alabamaoffroader, did you check to see if your year was on the campaign list for replacement coils? I hope so, cause if it was, and they haven't been done yet, you could have it all done on VW's dollar! I just had mine done about a month ago, and ironically enough, the previous owner just had them done in October 2012, but neglected to check VW's campaign list and paid over $600 out of pocket for a job that could have been done for free! Poor guy...anyway, I had a CEL come on and it was the coils, so I had them replaced again, but for free and with OEM parts. If you already paid for it, I am not sure if VW would reimburse you (someone else can chime in on this one), but its worth a shot. Do a search and you will find lots of info on here

 

[Baltimore Touareg]

Alabama, I've found VW's chat sessions online to be helpful in digging up background info on my recently purchased 2005 V6. They were very helpful (to a point) once I gave them my VIN number to do a background check on my vehicle. Might help you also in the beginning to use them to nail down specifics about your car including any recalls that were done on the vehicle. From there, this forum is invaliable. Essential even to keep Tregs alive and functional, and owners happy. If you can find a dealership or VW shop you're comfortable with, you'll have a great relationship with your big boy there. My advice: Take your time when searching for a dealership or indie shop familiar with Touareg's. Most things rushed always produced less than desirable outcomes, and who can afford to be sloppy with their Treg's service?