Tiguans and Rough Roads.

[T&M]

and our Tig on Moreton island, we arrived at high tide

Jimbomort, good on you for getting the tyres dusty! Moreton can be a challenge sometimes even in a full size 4WD loaded up for a weeks camping, travelling over soft sandy tracks.

When you get up this way, we'll have to organise a day from Noosa up the beach to Freshwater and Double Is Point, then back along the Cooloola Way down to Kin Kin, then back down the hwy. This gives you a variety of terrain that the Tig should be able to gobble up. (Even us in our TDI should be fine) Hmmm I can picture some great "forum members on the beach" photos...

[jcubed]

Reality Check

Hi all Softroaders,

Somewhat off-topic, and apologies for using the f-word, but it has been suggested on this thread that a Freelander would be more suitable to my requirements.

A couple of images showing where it went this week-end. No rough stuff, just a neglected trail. I could post more if there is any interest.

The Tiguan can also do this with increased clearance, but spacers only won't work. Wheel diameter also has to be larger by about 2" to get the rear transverse links higher off the ground at the hub end.

[jimbomort]

Jcubed good pics

As a footnote to our Moreton Island adventure we sustained some damage there afterall. Local tyre place hadn't picked it up as they obviously hadn't inspected it as they said they would (grrr). With that said though when I took it back and pointed this out they were very apologetic and really went out of their way to address.

The two problems were:
- a strap on the fuel tank got bent up, must have got hit and caught on a stump on the track near our camp, wood was still lodged in their (have a look under your cars just ahead of the rear wheels, the plastic tank either side of the car with straps over it is the fuel tank, its one piece, it actually goes up and over the drive shaft from what I can see)
- the exhaust system pulled out of its rubber mounts near where the exhaust comes down from the engine and flateens out to run under neath the car (if you look under your cars, you will see two orangy/red rubber mounts that a bracket on the exhaust mounts into)

In addition there has been bit of an occassional rumbly rattle over bumps somewhere in the rear of the car since. Thought the above problems were it and fixed those and maybe its better but hasn't fixed completely. Could be somethign loose in the boot, have to check that next. May not be related but seemed to coincide with.

In summary this has not put me off (though I will feel better when I know exactly what the source of the occassional rattle is), but it does confirm for me that to do more of the same, I'd want to:
- install the bash plate (arctra's)
- lift the car at least 20-25mm (tyres only) and more as jcubed has noted above would be better and provide a greater margin for error/the unexpected (say 40-50mm with jcubeds spacers and tyres)

[jcubed]

More Reality Check

jimbomort,

What you said.

Some more images, with a note on the last one: The exit is a bit more gradual - still steep though - and twice as long. It would be easy to get into the hole - the non track-and-field Tiguan version may scrape its nose, but lift should clear it. I do not know the LR2 well enough yet to be sure that without low range, I'll get out the other side. So this must wait untill I have a proper 4x4 present that can pull me out if need be.

Follow this link to see how it's done: YouTube - Chris at Groenkloof.AVI

[marcsamus]

Had our Tig about 8 months now. It's developed a terrible knock or rattle some where around the passenger side B pillar. Been in once to get it fixed, they supposedly tightened the clips (?) ang put some anti rattle foam.

So now the height adjuster doesn't work, the seat belt won't come out freely and th knock is worse than ever. I've lubed the doorseals so that sqeak is gone ( for now)

Really disappointed and hoping they can resolve
This week or I'll be asking for a new interior B pillar assembly

You don't buy German so it sounds Chinese!

[jcubed]

OK, I'll stop now

Hi Off-roaders,

On my previous post issue, of having enough power to pull the car out of a hole from standstill (zero momentum) due to the lack of low range, the attached images show that this would be possible.

On the approach and departure of these dips/mounds, one always wonders whether the nose is not going to touch where the angle change is at its most acute, but this does not happen. There is no way around this problem with the non-track-and-field Tiguans, regardless of the amount of lift, be it via wheel/tyre or spacers. It can however be seen that the side-skirts touched crossing the berm. No damage, though, and now that one knows the limits of the car, it would be a simple matter to just change the line to slightly left so the wheels run on the ridges, which would clear the skirts. As long as you know, from behind the steering wheel, where the OTHER wheels are ....

What is not visible on the image where the front wheel is off the ground, is that the left rear wheel is hooked behind a tree root. In spite of this, maintaining the accelerator pressure, got the car out of the hole from this position. The Hilux and Jimny also present, required a number of attempts to clear the obstacle due to it NOT having traction contrtol - I'll post videos of this on utube and provide a link shortly.

From experience (expensive!), I know that the Tiguan lower transverse link - the arm between the centre of the car and the wheel hub - would have snagged the root and not clear the obstacle without damage to the rear suspension.

[jcubed]

Sorry, I can't help myself

Hi all,

Just a demonstration - experienced yesterday - of the difference between a softroader without/with traction control.

You must work out yourself which-is-which.

YouTube - X-Trail at De Wildt

YouTube - Freelander 2 at de Wildt

[T&M]

Hi guys, I personally would not take a Tiguan (or similar vehicle) into the very rough stuff. It IS out of their league regardless of what people may have successfully plodded through in the past. There are more capable "real" 4WDs for that sort of stuff. The tigs are great on formed dirt roads etc and even some sand/beach work (as long as entry areas are suitable for our "long front overhang non-Track&Field" versions).

Ours now will really only be just that - a road car for day to day work, and perhaps a drive on some dirt roads to get us to our favourite picnic spot. Any rougher and we would have to follow it with the real 4WD to pull it out

Dont want to see someone try this in a Tiguan. hahahahaha... BTW that 40o angle is about right!!! Very steep!!!

[NZTiguan]

Dont want to see someone try this in a Tiguan. hahahahaha... BTW that 40o angle is about right!!! Very steep!!!

AND done with a winch !!

Really, I'm quite sure that those of us that DO venture off-road a little in our Tiguans are well aware of its limitations. Nobody is suggesting it was ever designed to be a true off-road beast. That said, IF it is raised a little (or a lot !!) and has appropriate tires and wheels fitted it is remarkably capable off the beaten track. In fact even with its current ride height and with stock tyres it's still not bad in the right conditions (dry and not a riverbed as shown in the pic), particularly if you're lucky enough (as I am) to have the track and field model.

To me the issue is why would you risk NZ$60,000 worth of SUV when for NZ$5000 you can buy an old Landcruiser or similar and go anywhere you like without the fear of smashing up your Tiguan. It's just horses for courses !!

Cheers

[clip]

To me the issue is why would you risk NZ$60,000 worth of SUV when for NZ$5000 you can buy an old Landcruiser or similar and go anywhere you like...

(I've got to stop this agreeing with NZ), but it used to crack us up when I lived up north watching all the new $80000 - $120000 Landcruisers, Rangies, etc that were trying to negotiate even just average 4x4 terrain, and the tears that would flow from grown men when they got dented, scratched or caught in a river crossing. I remember one memorable time when a new Landcruiser was stuck 3/4 of the way up a steep rutted incline. His mate in a brand new Patrol had a snatch strap and thought he'd help him out. We were all standing around watching, as they'd blocked the track, and this guy reversed down to about a metre from his stuck mate, hooked up the strap, jumped in his Patrol laughing about how his Patrol was going to get the Landcruiser out, when we reailised what he was about to do. We all dived for cover as this goose floored his Patrol which took off like a cut snake until the strap reached it's maximum, then snapped and flew through the air straight towards the back of his new Patrol smashing into the tailgate. Of course the Land Cruiser barely moved! I guess the laughs of the bystanders didn't help the frustration levels and this guy totally lost it. We ended up winching the Cruiser out as the Patrol owner took off leaving his mate to sort it out himself (and to dry his tears) .

Then there was the time with the new 100 series Land Crusier that had Old Man Emu sus fitted up that pretty much lost the rear arse coming out of the Wenlock River. He wasn't a happy camper at all - especially when a little Lada Neva, complete with a trailer that was bigger than the Lada, had just gone through the same crossing without a problem.

Then there was the time...

At the end of the day, I guess unless you're prepared to damage your new/expensive 4x4 with everything from dents & scratches to mechanical damage, why would you even consider doing any semi-serious, let alone serious 4x4 with it? The only exception I would make to that is beach work - softer and more forgiving than dirt and clay, and not too many trees to hit.

[Captain Bungers]

Had our Tig about 8 months now. It's developed a terrible knock or rattle some where around the passenger side B pillar.

I have an annoying knock and rattle at the driver's side b pillar in mine - been there since I got it. Getting the Tig serviced next Friday so I will get it checked out.

Sent from my X10i using Tapatalk

[jcubed]

AND done with a winch !!

Really, I'm quite sure that those of us that DO venture off-road a little in our Tiguans are well aware of its limitations. Nobody is suggesting it was ever designed to be a true off-road beast. That said, IF it is raised a little (or a lot !!) and has appropriate tires and wheels fitted it is remarkably capable off the beaten track. In fact even with its current ride height and with stock tyres it's still not bad in the right conditions (dry and not a riverbed as shown in the pic), particularly if you're lucky enough (as I am) to have the track and field model.

To me the issue is why would you risk NZ$60,000 worth of SUV when for NZ$5000 you can buy an old Landcruiser or similar and go anywhere you like without the fear of smashing up your Tiguan. It's just horses for courses !!

Exactly!

If you want to do trails of difficulty rating higher than grade 3, NO softroader will reliably do this.

Although, you may get lucky once or twice....

[NZTiguan]

I have an annoying knock and rattle at the driver's side b pillar in mine - been there since I got it. Getting the Tig serviced next Friday so I will get it checked out.

Sent from my X10i using Tapatalk

This will sound CRAZY but check out the centre bin between your front seats. I had (well I thought I had) a rattle from the passenger's B pillar not long after I got my Tig (nearly 3 years ago). The dealer had the seat out, the B pillar in bits, everything was greased, tightened and tweaked and it was STILL there !! Long story short, a while later I opened the centre bin a couple of notches and TRALA no more rattle !! So, if my centre bin is completely closed it rattles, but you would swear the noise is coming from the passenger's B pillar. Sounds nuts but worth a look if nothing else.

Cheers

[jimbomort]

AND done with a winch !!
Really, I'm quite sure that those of us that DO venture off-road a little in our Tiguans are well aware of its limitations. Nobody is suggesting it was ever designed to be a true off-road beast. That said, IF it is raised a little (or a lot !!) and has appropriate tires and wheels fitted it is remarkably capable off the beaten track........

To me the issue is why would you risk NZ$60,000 worth of SUV when for NZ$5000 you can buy an old Landcruiser or similar and go anywhere you like without the fear of smashing up your Tiguan. It's just horses for courses !!

Derek agree, though I can see a few reasons why someone would risk.... One having another car lying around can be both inconvenient and costly (not sure in NZ but a car is going to cost you at least $1000 a year here, over and above your purchase even if it sits idle). Two driving to wherever you are going especially if a long trip may not be a entirely pleasant one in an ol' cruiser and three if you are not going 4wdriving much or not pushing the boundaries too far, its hard to justify. Four everyone has a different appetite for risk! Somewhere in that mix there is a point in which buying an ol cruiser makes a lot of sense for most people, but I suspect that point varies a fair bit with peoples circumstances and finances.

For me, yeah I fully recognise the Tig has its limitations and is never going to be an off road warrior. I dont want it to be. But, I would like to be able to go back to places like Moreton Island and off the beaten track here and there, places where some people at least, would only take an ol' cruiser or would never take their new car.

cheers

[NZTiguan]

I agree Jimbomort and that's what I do now with my Tig. There are a number of places I've gone where many wouldn't take their new vehicles, and ground clearance and tyre limitations accepted, the Tiguan has performed up to and beyond my expectations. The 4motion system, particularly with the off-road electronics, is vastly superior to the systems in most "soft-roaders" and as long as take your time and use common sense you can get your Tig (well mine anyway !! track and field with off-road electronics) into places that would really surprise some of those who haven't "been there, done that".

Cheers