2014 VW Touareg
Discussion
So like a lot on here I started looking for something and ended up with something different!
I had originally wanted an Amarok and it had to be a V6! Unfortunately these were way out of my budget.
I was chatting my mechanic and he reckoned I should look at a Touareg, I was coming from VW CC and he reckoned the Amarok would be a big down grade comfort wise.
I ended up reading the Touareg forums and air suspension was highly recommended.
The next catch was I’m based in Southern Ireland and there was literally none for sale here with that spec most strangely had cream leather which was also a no go.
I spotted a 2011 Touareg Escape with air suspension on EBay and I happened to be in the UK with work so a three hour drive to see it resulted in the owner admitting when I started asking questions that it had been crashed and badly repaired…hadn’t shown up on Vcheck either.
I left it there and after further research I realised I needed a Euro 6 version for cheaper car registration fees in Ireland on import.
So back to the drawing board, I put a post up on a few owners groups on Facebook and eventually found a Touareg for sale in London, on searching the users posts back the years it seemed well looked after, he was the second owner and seemed genuine.
So I had a red eye flight to London from Shannon early one Saturday morning, met the owner at Stansted Airport and spend an hour looking around the car, it had four nearly new goodyear tyres, recently refurbed wheels etc and everything matched up with the owners description and we done a deal.
The owner on hearing I was never in London before and had a day to waste dropped me in to the city centre and I spend the day sight seeing. I got home at 2am that night 24hrs after I left.
I then arranged customs clearance and had a long week working in France before picking the car up the following Saturday…it was a long week!
Finally Friday came so I flew to Stansted from Lyon and hardly slept that night in my Airbnb and I picked it up Saturday morning and headed off.
My partner met me at Luton Airport and we made the ferry in Holyhead with 10 mins to spare after a huge delay due to a crash at Birmingham.
We made it home at 1am after a three hour drive from Dublin.
So the spec is as follows:
Rline 262bhp
Air suspension
Upgraded electric comfort seats with memory for both seats
Electric steering column
Fold away Towbar
Heated steering wheel
Pan roof
Black leather and head lining
Xenons
VW Rubber mats
And the owner had retrofitted apple car play
On viewing
The ferry home
First (very expensive modification)
Picked up a new trailer to go with it
First priority is to fit a set of mudflaps for it, apparently VW never made any for the Rline.
I had originally wanted an Amarok and it had to be a V6! Unfortunately these were way out of my budget.
I was chatting my mechanic and he reckoned I should look at a Touareg, I was coming from VW CC and he reckoned the Amarok would be a big down grade comfort wise.
I ended up reading the Touareg forums and air suspension was highly recommended.
The next catch was I’m based in Southern Ireland and there was literally none for sale here with that spec most strangely had cream leather which was also a no go.
I spotted a 2011 Touareg Escape with air suspension on EBay and I happened to be in the UK with work so a three hour drive to see it resulted in the owner admitting when I started asking questions that it had been crashed and badly repaired…hadn’t shown up on Vcheck either.
I left it there and after further research I realised I needed a Euro 6 version for cheaper car registration fees in Ireland on import.
So back to the drawing board, I put a post up on a few owners groups on Facebook and eventually found a Touareg for sale in London, on searching the users posts back the years it seemed well looked after, he was the second owner and seemed genuine.
So I had a red eye flight to London from Shannon early one Saturday morning, met the owner at Stansted Airport and spend an hour looking around the car, it had four nearly new goodyear tyres, recently refurbed wheels etc and everything matched up with the owners description and we done a deal.
The owner on hearing I was never in London before and had a day to waste dropped me in to the city centre and I spend the day sight seeing. I got home at 2am that night 24hrs after I left.
I then arranged customs clearance and had a long week working in France before picking the car up the following Saturday…it was a long week!
Finally Friday came so I flew to Stansted from Lyon and hardly slept that night in my Airbnb and I picked it up Saturday morning and headed off.
My partner met me at Luton Airport and we made the ferry in Holyhead with 10 mins to spare after a huge delay due to a crash at Birmingham.
We made it home at 1am after a three hour drive from Dublin.
So the spec is as follows:
Rline 262bhp
Air suspension
Upgraded electric comfort seats with memory for both seats
Electric steering column
Fold away Towbar
Heated steering wheel
Pan roof
Black leather and head lining
Xenons
VW Rubber mats
And the owner had retrofitted apple car play
On viewing
The ferry home
First (very expensive modification)
Picked up a new trailer to go with it
First priority is to fit a set of mudflaps for it, apparently VW never made any for the Rline.
sunnyb13 said:
what a wonderful looking car, and very capable - our local recovery guy has one.
[IMG]https://scontent-lhr6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/391606941_17905749092847792_1730948007147934319_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=gmYqVm09gGUQ7kNvgGhGWC1&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr6-1.xx&oh=00_AYBkPx3Um_bYaq1E6wmOiQYxw6v3UNro-StsKWUyNg-9RA&oe=66C61EA7[/thumb]
Very popular with collection firms now. Have a couple of guys who pick up from work with them. Swapped from double cabs to these. [IMG]https://scontent-lhr6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/391606941_17905749092847792_1730948007147934319_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=gmYqVm09gGUQ7kNvgGhGWC1&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr6-1.xx&oh=00_AYBkPx3Um_bYaq1E6wmOiQYxw6v3UNro-StsKWUyNg-9RA&oe=66C61EA7[/thumb]
Just as an update to this, general MPG tipping about the local area seems to be around 34mpg, a long run from Sligo to West Cork and sticking to 60mph on the motorway yielded 39.5mpg.
I’ve spend sometime tidying up a few bits:
Ordered a VW boot liner
Fitted new mirror surrounds as the old ones were scratched from mirror extensions.
Fitted LED mirror lights.
Fitted mudflaps.
Fitted four new wheel nuts to replace the existing locking nuts.
Ordered new chrome wheel nut covers as the existing covers as the existing ones were flaking.
Ordered new clips for the roller covers that connects to the back seats as one was broken.
Cleaned and greased the sunroof tracks and cleaned out the sunroof drains. I was getting water in the rear wheel wheel which turned out to be from the rear lights, as a precious “mechanic” had fitted LED indicator bulbs and had pinched the light harness in the seal which allowed water in on both sides.
Im awaiting a new front left foglight, as the existing one is letting in water.
Also spend a while chasing and fixing interior rattles, also the previous owner had a mentioned he had a break in to steal a dash cam, whoever replaced the door window glass broke/bent clips on door card so I ordered more of these.
Overall there’s not much more to do with it. I’m looking for a set of 17inch alloysthese seem really common in Germany but less so in the UK and Ireland.
These come with 255/60R17 or 235/65R17. Ideally I’ll fit them with 265/65R17 which are a common size here on Landcrusiers so can be found relatively cheap. Should be more comfortable than the 20s also.
I’ve spend sometime tidying up a few bits:
Ordered a VW boot liner
Fitted new mirror surrounds as the old ones were scratched from mirror extensions.
Fitted LED mirror lights.
Fitted mudflaps.
Fitted four new wheel nuts to replace the existing locking nuts.
Ordered new chrome wheel nut covers as the existing covers as the existing ones were flaking.
Ordered new clips for the roller covers that connects to the back seats as one was broken.
Cleaned and greased the sunroof tracks and cleaned out the sunroof drains. I was getting water in the rear wheel wheel which turned out to be from the rear lights, as a precious “mechanic” had fitted LED indicator bulbs and had pinched the light harness in the seal which allowed water in on both sides.
Im awaiting a new front left foglight, as the existing one is letting in water.
Also spend a while chasing and fixing interior rattles, also the previous owner had a mentioned he had a break in to steal a dash cam, whoever replaced the door window glass broke/bent clips on door card so I ordered more of these.
Overall there’s not much more to do with it. I’m looking for a set of 17inch alloysthese seem really common in Germany but less so in the UK and Ireland.
These come with 255/60R17 or 235/65R17. Ideally I’ll fit them with 265/65R17 which are a common size here on Landcrusiers so can be found relatively cheap. Should be more comfortable than the 20s also.
Great cars. We have a pre-facelift V6 Bluemotion 242hp version. Have done approximately 20k in it now as a family hack. It’s done holidays trips four up packed with buggy’s, bikes and all the paraphernalia that comes with little ones in great comfort. We’ll probably be keeping it until it is scrap value now. A LR D4 might well be the best answer for our needs more but I’d be on edge waiting for the crank to go.
I’d have sought out a SE or Escape version if I’d know much about them pre buying as the ride is quite firm on Altitude standard springs and 20s. I swapped the 20s for 18 “Aspen” wheels and had a set of Michelin Cross Climates fitted. That made a big difference IMO.
Pre and post wheels:
I’d have sought out a SE or Escape version if I’d know much about them pre buying as the ride is quite firm on Altitude standard springs and 20s. I swapped the 20s for 18 “Aspen” wheels and had a set of Michelin Cross Climates fitted. That made a big difference IMO.
Pre and post wheels:
d8666 said:
Thanks, what size tyres are on the 18s? Good to hear they improved the comfort.
Yes I must change the bulbs also, good point.
255/55 R18 8J offset 53 as per the handbook. Aspens were a VW OEM option for the Touareg. Went for them over the 17s as mainly I found a brand new set on new set Parts Depot, but also the 17s only just clear the callipers which some owners have complained stones get stuck in between them. Yes I must change the bulbs also, good point.
https://www.parts-depot.co.uk/alloy-wheels-13-c.as...
Edited by jwwbowe on Saturday 14th September 21:09
The tax is called vehicle registration tax (VRT). There is an online calculator where you can check what it should* cost. The catch is this calculator is only a guide and a lot of cars aren’t on it.
Luckily for me this model was on it and the price didn’t change. The cost was over 7k euro, an older non ULEZ euro 5 version would be even more.
If a car isn’t on the system you have to pay the sum they pluck out of thin air and then appeal it. There are some proper horror stories. Eg jap imports where no emission data is available and end up with road tax of €2400 and a huge VRT bill.
I seen this happen with an Jap import Audi S7 lately on another forum…they wouldn’t use a UK S7s emission data.
Tax is reasonable the euro 6 version is less than the euro 5 versions or our pre 2008 cc based tax system.
Luckily for me this model was on it and the price didn’t change. The cost was over 7k euro, an older non ULEZ euro 5 version would be even more.
If a car isn’t on the system you have to pay the sum they pluck out of thin air and then appeal it. There are some proper horror stories. Eg jap imports where no emission data is available and end up with road tax of €2400 and a huge VRT bill.
I seen this happen with an Jap import Audi S7 lately on another forum…they wouldn’t use a UK S7s emission data.
Tax is reasonable the euro 6 version is less than the euro 5 versions or our pre 2008 cc based tax system.
d8666 said:
The tax is called vehicle registration tax (VRT). There is an online calculator where you can check what it should* cost. The catch is this calculator is only a guide and a lot of cars aren’t on it.
Luckily for me this model was on it and the price didn’t change. The cost was over 7k euro, an older non ULEZ euro 5 version would be even more.
If a car isn’t on the system you have to pay the sum they pluck out of thin air and then appeal it. There are some proper horror stories. Eg jap imports where no emission data is available and end up with road tax of €2400 and a huge VRT bill.
I seen this happen with an Jap import Audi S7 lately on another forum…they wouldn’t use a UK S7s emission data.
Tax is reasonable the euro 6 version is less than the euro 5 versions or our pre 2008 cc based tax system.
Ahhh, that explains why at work we get requests from Ireland to confirm compliance info for cars that have been exported from Australia.Luckily for me this model was on it and the price didn’t change. The cost was over 7k euro, an older non ULEZ euro 5 version would be even more.
If a car isn’t on the system you have to pay the sum they pluck out of thin air and then appeal it. There are some proper horror stories. Eg jap imports where no emission data is available and end up with road tax of €2400 and a huge VRT bill.
I seen this happen with an Jap import Audi S7 lately on another forum…they wouldn’t use a UK S7s emission data.
Tax is reasonable the euro 6 version is less than the euro 5 versions or our pre 2008 cc based tax system.
So another few bits done with this, put it in over the pit to fix a rattling heat shield at the rear AdBlue tank. While it was there I removed all underguards and cleaned and treated the cills, subframe etc with two cans of Bilt hamer Dynax UC clear wax.
The heated steering wheel had lots of little marks from a watch or ring I assume. I picked up a steering wheel from a 2017 Touareg with 30k miles on EBay in perfect condition and swapped them over.
Just the set of 18s to find now, lots for sale in Poland or Germany but getting a seller to ship them is a problem.
The heated steering wheel had lots of little marks from a watch or ring I assume. I picked up a steering wheel from a 2017 Touareg with 30k miles on EBay in perfect condition and swapped them over.
Just the set of 18s to find now, lots for sale in Poland or Germany but getting a seller to ship them is a problem.
d8666 said:
The tax is called vehicle registration tax (VRT). There is an online calculator where you can check what it should* cost. The catch is this calculator is only a guide and a lot of cars aren’t on it.
Luckily for me this model was on it and the price didn’t change. The cost was over 7k euro, an older non ULEZ euro 5 version would be even more.
If a car isn’t on the system you have to pay the sum they pluck out of thin air and then appeal it. There are some proper horror stories. Eg jap imports where no emission data is available and end up with road tax of €2400 and a huge VRT bill.
I seen this happen with an Jap import Audi S7 lately on another forum…they wouldn’t use a UK S7s emission data.
Tax is reasonable the euro 6 version is less than the euro 5 versions or our pre 2008 cc based tax system.
7k Euro ?! !!Luckily for me this model was on it and the price didn’t change. The cost was over 7k euro, an older non ULEZ euro 5 version would be even more.
If a car isn’t on the system you have to pay the sum they pluck out of thin air and then appeal it. There are some proper horror stories. Eg jap imports where no emission data is available and end up with road tax of €2400 and a huge VRT bill.
I seen this happen with an Jap import Audi S7 lately on another forum…they wouldn’t use a UK S7s emission data.
Tax is reasonable the euro 6 version is less than the euro 5 versions or our pre 2008 cc based tax system.
Following with interest as I've also recently picked up one of these, albeit a 2011 3.0tdi Altitude. Very impressed so far with the ride, it's on 265 55 19 inch wheels. I'm also keeping am eye on coolant... had a preliminary inspection from our local garage and it will need some bits doing including fuel tank straps which are corroded but won't derail your thread.
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