Off Road Driving (Beach)

[Halooch]

Hi,

I'm a 103 TDI Auto driver from Australia and was wondering if anyone had taken there Tiguan Off Road yet? In particular on the beach.

I'm interested in driving to the likes of Stockton Beach where the sand is quite cut up on the entrance to the beach. I know there might be issues with ground clearance but wondering if anyone has any experience of beach driving yet?

Cheers,
Eoin

[balkanac]

I dont see how Tiguan would be different from other soft roaders. Just let some air out of the tyres and you'll be fine

[phaeton]

Also read instruction manual

Welcome to the forums BTW

[Halooch]

Thanks for the welcome.

The strange thing is the manual says don't let air out the tyres.

[phaeton]

Ok maybe don't read the instruction manual

Talk to a local or a fellow softroader owner who has been on the beach before.

[NZTiguan]

Thanks for the welcome.

The strange thing is the manual says don't let air out the tyres.

That's probably cos it will set off the TPMS, but you can reset that and then reset it again when you pump them back up BUT make sure you DO pump them back up or you'll have all sorts of handling fun and games back on the "hard".

Cheers

[T&M]

Just digging up an early thread...

Having done a fair bit of offroading (mainly in full size 4WDs) the main thing to remember is the Tiguan is only a softroader with limited ground clearance. The soft sandy situations we get upon entry/exit to/from beaches can be a challenge if there is only little ground clearance.

Agree with letting the air out - but again be careful how much... not enough and it won't make any difference - too much and you may roll a tyre off if cornering too fast in extreme circumstances...

[mickofoz]

Maybe this is just my ignorance speaking, but could some please explain to me why you would want to drive your Tiguan or any vehicle for that matter, through salt water? I cringe every time I see people drive their expensive motor vehicles through salt water on the beach. Talk about signing a death certificate for the car. Don't people know that salt and cars don't mix or am I just showing may age here and people just don't care. I for one had to work hard to earn the money to be able to buy my Tiguan. You will not find my Tigga anywhere near a beach let alone in the salty sea water.

[team_v]

Maybe this is just my ignorance speaking, but could some please explain to me why you would want to drive your Tiguan or any vehicle for that matter, through salt water? I cringe every time I see people drive their expensive motor vehicles through salt water on the beach. Talk about signing a death certificate for the car. Don't people know that salt and cars don't mix or am I just showing may age here and people just don't care. I for one had to work hard to earn the money to be able to buy my Tiguan. You will not find my Tigga anywhere near a beach let alone in the salty sea water.

Gotta agree here.
I would never take any daily-use car on the beach for fear of rust and salt issues.

That is what 12+ year old 4x4's are for.

[Moonan]

I guess it's horses for courses - there are many of us who ouldn't buy a 4x4 without at least dreaming of taking it on the beach or into the bush. And make no mistake, you have all bought a 4x4. These modern names "SUV", "soft-roader", AWD" are just for marketing. My 1983 subaru proudly displayed the "4WD" badge on the bonnet and went anywhere I wanted to go on Fraser Island etc.
So, if you want to take your Tig on Stockton Beach, use the Birubi Point entry and exit, let the tyres down to about 15 PSI BEFORE leaving the gravel bit and going on the sand, take the corners fairly gently, consider using the tiptronic and holding the gears so you are running between 2000 and 3000 RPM all the time.

[Transporter]

Maybe this is just my ignorance speaking, but could some please explain to me why you would want to drive your Tiguan or any vehicle for that matter, through salt water? I cringe every time I see people drive their expensive motor vehicles through salt water on the beach. Talk about signing a death certificate for the car. Don't people know that salt and cars don't mix or am I just showing may age here and people just don't care. I for one had to work hard to earn the money to be able to buy my Tiguan. You will not find my Tigga anywhere near a beach let alone in the salty sea water.

The salt and grit is/was used during winter months in EU countries to ease slippery conditions on the roads. Car still lasted 10-12 years or longer, if you looked after it and did the rust proofing when the car was 3-5 years old and re-done it every 2 years.

So taking the car to the beach is not that bad I took our Forester to the beach many times no sign of rust on it. I always used hi pressure water to clean under the wheels.

[Transporter]

I guess it's horses for courses - there are many of us who ouldn't buy a 4x4 without at least dreaming of taking it on the beach or into the bush. And make no mistake, you have all bought a 4x4. These modern names "SUV", "soft-roader", AWD" are just for marketing. My 1983 subaru proudly displayed the "4WD" badge on the bonnet and went anywhere I wanted to go on Fraser Island etc.
So, if you want to take your Tig on Stockton Beach, use the Birubi Point entry and exit, let the tyres down to about 15 PSI BEFORE leaving the gravel bit and going on the sand, take the corners fairly gently, consider using the tiptronic and holding the gears so you are running between 2000 and 3000 RPM all the time.

Yeah, that's the spirit. Why else one would buy the car that doesn't need the roads?

[Sanman]

I always think of those photos of those poor goofs whose shiny new car is bogged up to the axles in sand with the tide coming in.

[Moonan]

I always think of those photos of those poor goofs whose shiny new car is bogged up to the axles in sand with the tide coming in.

Don't worry, I once pulled a 60 series Landcruiser off a log on Fraser Island (sideways) using a Suzuki Stockman, you know, a 1978 800cc jobbie. We were cruising in the subaru and the suzuki and decided the zuke was probably a better tractor with its VERY low range when confronted with the situation. The Tojo had been through a tide-in, tide-out, water up to the dash, and we eventually got it going! It was 2 weeks old, had less than 1000km on the clock, and the "victims" had tried to drive across a tidal estuary in it! We used to carry a gallon tin of WD40 and a pump spray in those days and started it by taking out all the fuses, putting the ignition one back in, and drenching everything with the WD stuff. The air cleaner was full of water but none had gone into the carby. Those things used to draw air from the top of the air cleaner.

There are plenty of photos of those poor goofs you refer to, and often they have done something to contribute to their problem. Mostly the trick is to learn your vehicle and drive to the conditions.
I'm taking the Q5 out for its first outing with ClubTouareg next weekend, and I'm sure that I'll learn a bit about what you can (and can't) do with it then. For all of its apparently "limited" off-road capability, a Tiguan shouldn't be too far behind the Q5 if driven with the right way. Track & Field approach and departure angles would go a long way!

[jimby]

we took our Multivan 4motion to Stockton beach today with a friend from Medowie who owns a mitsubishi triton 4wd. we went in at 18psi all round and the ESP switched off and we didnt get stuck once. we entered at the north end and drove down to the shipwreck and out at the exit just north of the wreck. we did some dune bashing just near the tin city and the van didn't get stuck once. it was very busy and we were the only vw on the beach at the time. i think the conditions were about as much as you'd like to push the haldex system as the system relies upon the wet clutch to transmit torque to the rear and it can overheat after a time and switch off. when we stopped near the shipwreck and jumped out the sand was very deep and soft, there was a subaru outback stuck and a landcruiser helping him out. the speed limit on stockton beach is 40kmh which meant we were sitting around 3000rpm in second or 2000 rpm in third but when the sand got deep and rutted the van didnt have enough torque in third so it was back into second to rev through.
I'd recommend anyone with 4motion that they spend some time on the beach as it really is an eye opener as to the limits of the 4motion system.