That was a rather lame review imo. They hardly did anything difficult and I know there is way more difficult trails in CO. I have been on them in both of my T1 and T2 Tregs. That review proved nothing to me of what it is capable of. I still wouldn't take it places I have been in either of mine. I don't think it would make it honestly. They also wrongly said air suspension is available as an option. It is just not in NA.

 

These 2 are a couple of idiots who honestly make the worst reviews I have ever seen. They simply do not know the product they are reviewing and they ALWAYS make multiple mistakes, so im not surprised there, and their jokes are just sad.

 

I cringed when they pushed the lift gate closed....ahhhhh

 

OK gentlemen, just three points:

1) Like anything, especially on YouTube and especially with car reviewers, take what you like and spit out the rest. These guys are always zany in their reviews - I wasn't expecting allot from the review, therefore I was pleasantly entertained.

2) I think everyone here at CT realizes the T3 is inferior to the T1/T2 off road, but I haven't really seen any footage of a T3 doing anything off road - it was nice to see the T3 doing a few things in the dirt.

3) I have always thought, just because I don't agree with someone entirely it doesn't mean I can't find some common ground somewhere. And, I know their conclusions and statements are mostly meant to entertain and not to be taken as the foremost authorities on the state of automotive excellence. The sheer volume of their reviews would make this impossible, However, in this case, I think they genuinely liked the T3 and consider it underrated. I at least share this sentiment, and agreed with some of their positive T3 comments.

 

There are places in Ouray I know you would not follow me in your T3. There was nothing difficult about any place they had that T3. If you are going to travel on roads like they were on, yes is would be fine. Stuff I have been on in and around Ouray would get that thing stuck or bottomed out.

 

I agree, I've watched a lot of their previous reviews, they always seem to like vw products, they're pro diesel, and their love of the touareg seems genuine.

 

Yeti, you were green once but I see that I have spoiled you!

 

:drunk:elvic_thrust:

 

I am convinced that when it comes to off-roading, the driver is ALWAYS the most important part of success. Sure, a good off-road driver in well-equipped T1 will get further through a rough terrain than an equally good off-roader in T3 with a few off-road goodies missing, but what does it prove or disapprove? The VW surveys conducted over a number of years showed them clearly that over 90% of T1/T2 drivers NEVER engaged locking differentials and used air suspension mostly for fun in the city if at all. So they did what is right for the VW NA market. If one desires to have those fancy, but deemed by VW unnecessary, off-road features they’d be forced to consider buying Cayenne. Otherwise there are other off-road-capable cars – comes to mind Jeep Wrangler as one of the less expensive.

 

That's pretty weak. My long time friend from college days, Daman Smith, runs a shop that does 4x4 modifications to Jeeps to make them offroad worthy for most everything here in CA to Moab.

You can check out some of his photo's here. The articulation on a Jeep makes a T1 or T2 look downright pathetic for traction an wheel control while on trails here in the desert SouthWest of the USA.

Damian Smith Auto Repair in Chatsworth - 4x4 Photos


http://www.damiansmithautorepair.com/4x4/

 

The thing about a Touareg is that it doesn't need huge articulation as it will drive even with two wheels off the ground [and this one is on road biased General Grabber UHPs if I recall aright]:.

And a bit of fun in the Moab too:

 

The thing about a Touareg is that it doesn't need huge articulation as it will drive even with two wheels off the ground [and this one is on road biased General Grabber UHPs if I recall aright]:.

Touareg Unlimited Day 2 - YouTube

And a bit of fun in the Moab too:

Volkswagen Touareg, 2003, Moab. - YouTube

Lol well said!, who needs wheel articulation when you can do that!

conservativeconsumer: I disagree that air suspension is for offroad only, they had a sport mode for a reason and the comfort mode made the treg the most comfortable ride I have ever been in. I still think they took out air suspension just to meet a bottom line, none of this consumers never used it or it had problems B.S. VW wants to continue asking a premium price for non premium options.

 

Wow, I have never seen a vehicle do what the treg did in Moab. We took our Jeep Liberty there and like most 4x4 rigs it has two wheel drive when you loose traction , it would have been stuck the first time a wheel came off the ground. Also we tried to get up on the shelf with our Liberty that the treg lifted the right front wheel on and could not get enough traction. Our Salesman was at one of the Moab treg runs and said it was unbelievable what these rigs well do.

 

Wow, I have never seen a vehicle do what the treg did in Moab. We took our Jeep Liberty there and like most 4x4 rigs it has two wheel drive when you loose traction , it would have been stuck the first time a wheel came off the ground. Also we tried to get up on the shelf with our Liberty that the treg lifted the right front wheel on and could not get enough traction. Our Salesman was at one of the Moab treg runs and said it was unbelievable what these rigs well do.

The tregs can put most off roaders to shame, my favorite part is that the treg does not have a ladder truck frame yet it is so stiff!!!

 

That is what the uni body is know for. I worked at a jeep dealership in the early eighties when the Jeep came out with their first four door uni body Cherokee , of course at first we thought that a full frame 4x4 was the only thing that would work. I bent the frame on my CJ-5 many a time just climbing in the dirt and twisting the frame. The Cherokee never had this problem because of the still platform and rocker panel's and with the A and B pillars tied in it was like a mono cock design. And now with all the high strength metals and welding technique's these are a really tough body platform combo.

 

That is what the uni body is know for. I worked at a jeep dealership in the early eighties when the Jeep came out with their first four door uni body Cherokee , of course at first we thought that a full frame 4x4 was the only thing that would work. I bent the frame on my CJ-5 many a time just climbing in the dirt and twisting the frame. The Cherokee never had this problem because of the still platform and rocker panel's and with the A and B pillars tied in it was like a mono cock design. And now with all the high strength metals and welding technique's these are a really tough body platform combo.

How ironic is it that a unibody frame can handle off road conditions better than a truck frame! It almost seems like the polar opposite of what should actually happen.

 

The traction I saw on the video is nothing like I have ever had in a off road rig. Also all the really hard core off roads 4x4 's I have driven and owned have not been very good on the road. In fact some were almost not even safe on the road because of the huge tires and lift kits they had. Its hard to believe that the Touareg is so agile off road.

 

The traction I saw on the video is nothing like I have ever had in a off road rig. Also all the really hard core off roads 4x4 's I have driven and owned have not been very good on the road. In fact some were almost not even safe on the road because of the huge tires and lift kits they had. Its hard to believe that the Touareg is so agile off road.

Absolutely agree! the treg really is a little unknown gem, part of me really likes that! and part of me thinks if it had been priced a little cheaper and had been more popular, it would be MUCH cheaper to maintain now. The wrangler is one of the very well known TERRIBLE on road vehicles.

 

Totally agree...! The Touareg was and is designed properly, not sudo-type offroader like most offroaders. exceptions are Range Rover, Unimogs and a few others. American designs don't cut it. Most of the owners probably don't know what it is about and what it is capable of. Some do know and this is why we own it.

 

Totally agree...! The Touareg was and is designed properly, not sudo-type offroader like most offroaders. exceptions are Range Rover, Unimogs and a few others. American designs don't cut it. Most of the owners probably don't know what it is about and what it is capable of. Some do know and this is why we own it.

Hahah it is that "secret" allure of the touareg that makes me really like it and appreciate it. I think the treg could own a range rover off road, the rover is HEAVY and just not as agile as a touareg offroad.

I believe American vehicle technology in general is far behind everyone else....they still don't understand how to get power out of smaller engines, I mean holy crap the srt8 has a 6.4l engine, WHY?, its not like it makes good HP numbers either! The Porsche turbo s has a twin turbo 4.8l V8 and makes MUCH more power, also the weight of that 6.4l engine demolishes what could be much better handling. A couple years ago Chrysler had a 3.7l V6 that made a funny 210Hp, Hyundai/kia has a 3.3 that makes 290hp and that's only using direct injection technology.

 

I like Mogs...

 

This just blows my mind. Back in 67 Olds had a hot car called the 442 and its top speed was said to be 115 and 0-60 was 7.4 seconds. I think the fuel is shut off on our tregs at 130 and the 0-60 time is 6.8 . And that is from a 5100 lb v-6 powered diesel. Its just Amazing to me.

 

The 67 Old's wasn't very aerodynamic and has a high coefficient of drag. 0-60 on a 3.0 TDI treg is about 7 seconds. 6.8 might be a bit optimistic.

While I am interested in my Touareg's performance on road in foul weather conditions, if I wanted something for offroad, I would have held on to my 1987 Toyota 4x4 Extra Cab with a real frame, not a unibody. Anything with a unibody, to me, is not serious off road material. Look at everything that drives around in Baja California offroad, heck, most of California, and they are all are built on a frame, not a unibody.

As a tow vehicle, due to the 3.0 L TDI motor, and as a pussy offroading (think gravel and light mud) vehicle, the T3 is fine. But look at the tires, and the size of the rims, and that says it all, it's not serious offroad, not enough tire sidewall height. Huge brakes prevent the car from running smaller diameter rims with higher sidewalls, what folks that are serious about offroading run.

 

I am one of the those that can appreciate my Touareg a little more knowing what it is capable of off road as well as on. It really did give me a whole new respect for it after I learned of it's off road abilities.

 

It doesn't matter if the treg is still faster than a big bad muscle car. Of course most Jap cars are faster than any of the so called muscle cars. I owned a few big block 427ci 390 to 400 hp vets and they handled so bad you really could not get enough traction to go straight down the road. Now if you go to the drags they have small cars turning in the 10 second bracket.

 

Gene Berg was drag racing VW Beetles in the 1970's and getting in the low 10's on a pancake motor. Doing 111 to 113 through the traps.

 

You guys kill me with this offroad stuff. The right tool for the right job so if you're in Baja you want to build one of these:

or buy one of these:

FR Raptor XT: Ford Racing's New $100K Limited-Edition Baja Pre-Runner

If you want to go over stupid rocks then build one of these:

If you're going nuts in your SUV doing what 1% of owners who go off pavement do with their SUV, then the Touareg has more than enough power and all the capability you'd ever need:

If you think the 3.0 TDI is small and weak then you're nuts. Its fine for towing this:

If you are serious about towing then buy one of these:

Rant over.

 

You'd get shot at or sued by an Enviro Nazi's attorney from Marin county for taking your Touareg on a muddy public road like that and tearing it up here in California.
This state is pretty much locked down by Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein and Nancy Pelosi... because the majority here voted them in and won't vote them out of office. Remember who brought us CARB standards. I hate this states politicians, taxes and rules. Freedom has turned to slavedom... slave to taxes, politicians and greed.

 

Right on for sure.

 

Well Oregon is not getting any better on these issues. We used to have the woods to play in but now most of it is closed with gates and we have a hard time finding a place to shoot. Lucky for me my best friend works for the forest service and has keys to all the gates.

 

The pickings sure are slim in Oregon. Most trails have become reserved for logging.

 

Glad some of you guys got a chuckle out of the rant. I want the Ford Baja pre-runner.

 

Ha! THAT was my choice in those photos too!

We have several thousand miles of public roads called byways on our small island - this is typical but there are some a lot worse and although it's been videod by a trailrider, I use this from to time to time as a short cut and a lot of others byways besides. The estate owne only shoots twice a year but his gamekeeper rears over 20,000 pheasants and partridge for him!

Regrettably, quite a few morons have 4x4s and don't respect the self imposed rules most of us observe regarding maximum speed, inappropriate use during prolonged wet periods, making new tracks beside existing or criss-crossing existing ones, being courteous to walkers and horse riders - the simple things that keep these places open to wheeled traffic as they have been, in some cases, for 1,000 years and more.

So the morons who abuse the tracks are responsible for giving ammunition to those that would happily close these routes off to wheeled vehicles.

 

Yes, but this is not the entire truth. There are just simply too many of us on this Earth now. Unfortunately the number of morons does also grow proportionally to a general population growth.

 

Personally I think the gene pool could do with a little disinfectant - morons breed far more rapidly.

 

LOOOOL at both posts^^^

 

Now here is a real hard core crawler ready for anything.

 

Oh I built this myself over about a year. It runs on 3s lipo battery that is 12.4 volts and has a top speed of about 4 mph . It has locked stainless axles and cnc machined wheels and custom oil filled shocks and cost me about 2 grand to build.

 

I love stuff like this for some reason.

Nice work!