200 Series questions-~Touareg tdi

SSF556

SE Expedition Society
Why not look at a 2007-2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD with QD2...front and rear electronic lockers, straight axle in the rear, lots of options to lift, V6 Mercedes diesel(parts are reasonable since it engines are widely used in Mercedes cars/trucks and Sprinter Van), 17 inch wheels..... It does have limited room inside and that to me is the biggest downfall. I know some on here would not even utter Grand Cherokee and Land Cruiser in the same sentence, but hey reality is we live and expedition in the USA....big difference than the African bush. I would however put my Grand against a Touereg V6 TDI.

Currently 31 listed for sale on Autotrader.com....QT2 4x4 systems uses a brake assisted 4 wheel drive system, but it also has a 4LO setting as well. I am getting ready to add a rear air locker from ARB.

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/searchresults.xhtml?endYear=2008&fuelCodes=DSL&zip=29605&driveCodes=4WD%7CAWD&sellerTypes=b&mmt=%5BJEEP%5B%5D%5B%5D%5D&fuelCode=DSL&Log=0&driveCode=4WD%7CAWD&makeCode1=JEEP&startYear=2007&numRecords=25&searchRadius=0&bodyStyleCodes=SUV&showcaseOwnerId=1367678&captureSearch=true&Log=0
 
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Viggen

Just here...
USAA is probably the best in just jus insurance, but all banking, investing, and whatever else they do... I will agree i would recommend getting the v6 tdi... Unless your a huge fan of vw and want to buy a few specialty tools.

I also have USAA but Im pretty sure that they are going to hook you up with an associated company that will supply the warranty. It wont be USAA directly and since these aftermarket companies do not want to lose money, they will offer you something that doesnt cover everything. Get an exclusionary warranty where everything is covered except a specific list of items. I love VWs but will never own a modern one out of warranty.

Dont get the V10. Get the V6.
 

Eric Edwards

Adventurer
I have a great idea. Instead of buying a LC 200 at full sticker of $80K... buy a Touereg and drive it for 100,000 miles until you can't live with the maintenance costs anymore. Then buy a used LC 200 with 100,000 miles (from some dumb bloke who thought it was a mall cruiser) for about $45K, and drive it for another 400K miles. = D

Also a USAA member here and I just purchased an extended warranty for my BMW M3, and can confirm that they outsource it to a 3rd party. It covers everything from bumper-to-bumper minus the navigation and radio. Excludes wear and tear items of course.
 

TeCKis300

Observer
This was posted in another thread relating to the same topic by Kaisen, so I'll extend the information here since I'm curious:

Land Cruiser 100 - 112.2" wheelbase, 5,425 lb curb wt, 6925K lb GVWR (~1500 lb payload), and a 6,500 lb tow rating (650 lb tongue)

Land Cruiser 200 - 112.2" wheelbase, 5,730 lb curb wt, 7275 lb GVWR (~1587 lb payload), and a 8,500 lb tow rating (820 lb tongue)

Touareg V6 TDI - 112.4" wheelbase, 5,086 lb curb wt, 6486 lb GVWR (~1287 lb payload), and a 7,700 lb tow rating (616 lb tongue)

Touareg V10 TDI - 112.4" wheelbase, 5,900 lb curb wt, 7000 lb GVWR (~1100 lb payload), and a 7,700 lb tow rating (616 lb tongue)

Suburban 2500 - 171" wheelbase, 6,100 lb curb wt, 9K lb GVWR (~2900 lb payload), and a 12,500 lb tow rating (1250 lb tongue)
 

Vzfit

Observer
I have a great idea. Instead of buying a LC 200 at full sticker of $80K... buy a Touereg and drive it for 100,000 miles until you can't live with the maintenance costs anymore. Then buy a used LC 200 with 100,000 miles (from some dumb bloke who thought it was a mall cruiser) for about $45K, and drive it for another 400K miles. = D

Also a USAA member here and I just purchased an extended warranty for my BMW M3, and can confirm that they outsource it to a 3rd party. It covers everything from bumper-to-bumper minus the navigation and radio. Excludes wear and tear items of course.

Great idea here. I have owned two VW Tdi's (2001 jetta and still have a 2005 passat wagon) and have absolutely loved them. The v10 tdi is definitely a different animal that I do not have much experience with. I wish the v10 got better mpg's and apparently the maint is a pain in the rear, but man it looks like a pretty fun car to drive. I like the fact it has air suspension that can raise the ride height to 11.8'' (if i can remember correctly) and have already been looking for All terrain tires: General 255/55r18's seem to fit the wheels. Does anyone know if the V6 Tdi models have the air supspension option? Many people online are saying how great/fun the v10 is while many others are dogging it. Like someone said earlier, "i guess it just comes down to the drivers preference." Still leaning towards the v10 tdi, gonna get 2 yrs of bumper to bumper coverage and if it lets me down in time, ill get a 200 at a more discounted price.
At the end of the day, money (as per usual) became the biggest factor in choosing a touareg over a 200 series LC. I prefer the 1st gen touareg over the 2013 and as far as LC's go, I love the 2013's features over the 2008-11 models. Again, not my overlanding rig (i am still in love with my pop-up camper), but, hey, I'm a Texan and still love 4wd's.
 
If you're going to keep it for 20-30 years the Landcruiser would be the better buy. I think the Touareg would eventually bleed you dry. If they both have 4 low and locking diffs I don't think there will be much difference in capabilities.
 

Vzfit

Observer
The V10 Tdi Touareg had some sort of transmission leak that the dealer said his guys would fix in a few days. Those days turned into a week and a half and I was able to get my deposit back when the leak was fixed but a check engine light started flashing. After much thought and forum study, I decided to go with a new 200 series. Now I am definitely in much more debt, but my family has a very safe and reliable vehicle for many years to come.
 

madmax718

Explorer
Im not getting worked up or mad. I dont own a TReg. They are just WAY out of the amount of money that I am willing to pay for a car. I will spend that much playing around with one but never on a new car. That being said, the TReg is $30k cheaper than a 200 series. So, if you want to talk about cost of ownership, it has a head start right there. Not to mention it will get an easy 5 or 6 mpg more than the shameful 13 mpg that the 200 gets. Financially, the $2k youll spend every 15k miles on brakes and a tire or two is nothing in the grand scheme.

1. The sales of the Land Cruiser here in the US do show something. Really, less than 300 units sold across the whole of the country. Thats shameful. Its price point being high has nothing to do with it. Land Rover has Discos and Range Rovers that are that high and have no problem moving them. That, and they are more economical. Toyota has slapped the L on the Cruiser and you know how many they moved last month? 291. Land Rover moved 902 Range Rovers in the same month. Even combined with Lexus, its still an unwanted, unsuccessful vehicle.
2. How many 200s do you see in these vaunted Australian magazines? Also, in these same magazines, you know what is voted the best 'ute pickup, a FAR larger market? Its the VW Amarok.
3. The UN also standardized on the Defender, which according to everyone here is a Land Rover and therefore completely unreliable. It also probably has something to do with dealership network. That matters a lot. Its probably the only reason why Scott put an E class Mercedes on the top 10 list. Remember that? That was dumb. New Mercs are nightmares but I guess parts can be had most anyplace when it breaks (but too bad the knowledge probably isnt).

On point with 1, Its a way large vehicle, but not large enough to have ever competed with the likes of the excursion, at a price point which is way too high (for no good reason. ). But they don't make a LC here anymore, its geared toward lexus, with a lot more creature comforts (weight) and a thirsty engine to compensate for its uber heavy weight.

On point 3, its hard to be critical on the defender- there hasnt exactly been that many imported into the country. And the ones that are here, are old. of course they require maintenance. There is some ridiculous electrical issues that had once plagued all british cars, but that gauntlet seems to have been passed to the germans!

For the record, I like both trucks. :)
 

madmax718

Explorer
This was posted in another thread relating to the same topic by Kaisen, so I'll extend the information here since I'm curious:

Land Cruiser 100 - 112.2" wheelbase, 5,425 lb curb wt, 6925K lb GVWR (~1500 lb payload), and a 6,500 lb tow rating (650 lb tongue)

Land Cruiser 200 - 112.2" wheelbase, 5,730 lb curb wt, 7275 lb GVWR (~1587 lb payload), and a 8,500 lb tow rating (820 lb tongue)

Touareg V6 TDI - 112.4" wheelbase, 5,086 lb curb wt, 6486 lb GVWR (~1287 lb payload), and a 7,700 lb tow rating (616 lb tongue)

Touareg V10 TDI - 112.4" wheelbase, 5,900 lb curb wt, 7000 lb GVWR (~1100 lb payload), and a 7,700 lb tow rating (616 lb tongue)

Suburban 2500 - 171" wheelbase, 6,100 lb curb wt, 9K lb GVWR (~2900 lb payload), and a 12,500 lb tow rating (1250 lb tongue)

Some math here: 4 men at 225 lbs each=900 lbs. That leaves you 387 lbs for:
winch: 100 lbs
Water: 8.34 lb/gal figure 15 gallons (3 jerry cans) about 130 lbs for water (with cans)

you have a remainder of 150 lbs for food, clothing, winch straps, recovery gear, shovel, hi lift, coolers, cell phones, spare gasoline. Winch bumper? rear bumper?Larger tires? Larger spare tire? That uber bullet proof roof rack?

When its all said and done, and not to be the weight police, the payload ratings don't allow you to carry very much "expedition" class equipment.

The VW has better crush ratings, as the EU had a different set of drop requirements- repeated drops of the vehicle on the roof. they also have a more accelerated side impact crash requirement as compared to the global market.


These variances are the reason why we don't see many forward control vehicles in america. It cant take our front impact crash ratings.

Again, I don't know how much the VW would be outfitted like the typical LC going out on an adventure. I think its a great north american platform, but when you get out into the sticks, (and even though I don't have one), I want a toyota. Its just a greater dealer network- about 1500 or so in the U.S.: vw has about 600.

Then again, you can get a mid 80's or 90's chevy, and go into any autozone or orielys and get just about everything you need. Problem is- off the continent, I don't think you'd find the parts as readily available.
 

Eric Edwards

Adventurer
So is the whole debate over with now? Not sure what the VAG guys were trying to prove by going onto a LC forum and talking craziness. I guess that extra $30K does get you something after all... = D
 
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Mighty

New member
Interestingly enough... when it was time to buy a new car for my wife we considered both the LC and the Touareg. They are very different vehicles... each wonderful in it's own way. If you find yourself in a position to buy either one of these top end vehicles, take just a minute to relish your incredible good fortune. We settled on the Touareg TDI. The V6 is built by Audi, with laser polished cylinder walls, 10K miles oil changes and an awesome 406 lb ft of torque. It made the LC feel like a bull dozer comparatively. If she drove around Africa all day long I might have chosen the LC but the truth is this vehicle spends most of it's life on pavement and a foray into a national park dirt road is not going to test the capabilities of any current 4 wheel drive vehicle. The Treg gets just over 20 driving around town all day long and my wife enjoys accelerating. On the highway it just got 28 and change driving to New Mexico from Texas. It's put together well and it feels solid everywhere... the knobs and switches and latches are better than any previous Treg, according to all the motor media.

So, considering I bought upgraded Treg, best leather, huge sunroof, etc... and I still have $30,000 left in my pocket to handle any repairs that might come up... the Treg was a better choice for us.

Good luck.
 

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