Tiguans and Rough Roads.

[jcubed]

Errata

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

OK,

I'm retracting my agreement with the above part of NZs statement. It's a good solution if you only drive around the cabbage patch close to home; and you have the space to keep it; money for the upkeep, e.g. licensing and insurance, BUT.

On away trips - where you want travel comfortably and economically - when you spot a scenic location with a gravel road leading through it off the beaten track, you don't want to have to say "Let's go back and swop with the Cruzer", or maybe "Next time I'll go through here".

The route looks pretty NOW, i.e. the way the light falls, the season, unusual climatic conditions, etc. It won't easily look like this ever again, and even if it does, how are you going to know when this is?

So I think the effort SUV owners make (myself anyway) to arrive at something a bit more robust, is mostly driven by their wish to be able to seize an OPPORTUNITY when it appears out of nowhere.

[NZTiguan]

Fair call jcubed, though personally I'm a planner when it comes to these trips and though I might venture up an unknown track for a look see I wouldn't be heading into anything that was even close to the Tig's limits without planning and forethought. If that planning suggested it was beyond the Tig's limits I'd be "inside" my mate's old RangeRover with highlift air suspension and powered by a good old Holden (GM to those not down under) V8 !!

Cheers

[jcubed]

by a good old Holden (GM to those not down under) V8 !!

Hi NzTiguan,

Just out of interest sake - in the late 60s - early 70s, Australian imports were popular here. This went on untill our own motoring industry started finding it's feet, after which imports were effectively killed by slapping a 200% import duty on cars. This has since been relaxed, though.

An uncle of mine had a Holden Kingswood station wagon, three-speed, shift-on-the-column auto. The cool dudes bought the Monaro GTS (or was this a Ford?) - ah, this was definitely early 70's, as there was one of these guys that came racing by the school at home-time, to impress the girls...

The car came complete with black stripes down the centre - like a skunk almost. Then there was also a cutesy sporty hatch, the model name which escapes me now.

Also the Utes - The Chev El Camino and some of the Fords - Ranchero, Galaxy 500, etc.

These days we can locally buy the Lumina range and up to a while back, also the Ford Falcon. The latter seems to have been discontinued as an import, though.

So at the southern tip of the next continent, we know what you're talking about .

[clip]

... also the Ford Falcon. The latter seems to have been discontinued as an import, though.

It's about to be discontinued here - permanently!

[Captain Bungers]

It's about to be discontinued here - permenantly!

And replaced with a new import...

[clip]

yeh, ironic isn't it

[jimbomort]

.......and powered by a good old Holden (GM to those not down under) V8 !!

yeh you can pick them up cheap these days, usually at a ship yard, they make good anchors!

ok a bit harsh, but lets not romanticise them too much, simple and honest motors they were and 'the thing' of our youth, but efficient and great motors they weren't. The 4.2's (253's) in particular were a real hit and miss, I know of some real lemons and the 308's weren't much better. I used to love the old 351's too, and they had their place, but......

Of course the ol' V8s have a much nicer note than our Tigs! Shame that, I wonder if a Audi 4.2 would fit in the Tig..........

Anyway hope the Rangie has a good one. Whats it like on Juice?

[NZTiguan]

yeh you can pick them up cheap these days, usually at a ship yard, they make good anchors!

ok a bit harsh, but lets not romanticise them too much, simple and honest motors they were and 'the thing' of our youth, but efficient and great motors they weren't. The 4.2's (253's) in particular were a real hit and miss, I know of some real lemons and the 308's weren't much better. I used to love the old 351's too, and they had their place, but......

Of course the ol' V8s have a much nicer note than our Tigs! Shame that, I wonder if a Audi 4.2 would fit in the Tig..........

Anyway hope the Rangie has a good one. Whats it like on Juice?

It's a 308 I think and LOVES drinking copious quantities of gas BUT it's far more reliable and "on the spot fixable" than the original donkey. I think that's the point from an off-road perspective, relatively little to go wrong, and relatively strong as well as with plenty of torque down low where you need it. A pretty easy conversion to by all accounts and if it does "go wrong" you can pick up spares and even whole engines as cheap as chips, by next weekend's outing she's all sweet again !! Mind you he has very little trouble with it, it just keeps thumping along !!

Cheers

[jimbomort]

euro mod company for off road Tig

I remember once seeing a european company that made an off road modified tig with raised springs, larger tyres etc for about an extra 50mm clearance. Was a website or at least a video. I would like to find again for reference and ideas. But stuff me if I can find via google now or on threads I've checked. So hoping someone here knows what I am talking about and can put me back on track.

[team_v]

I remember once seeing a european company that made an off road modified tig with raised springs, larger tyres etc for about an extra 50mm clearance. Was a website or at least a video. I would like to find again for reference and ideas. But stuff me if I can find via google now or on threads I've checked. So hoping someone here knows what I am talking about and can put me back on track.

Delta 4x4?
Tuner Special: Delta 4x4 Tiguan

[Transporter]

I remember once seeing a european company that made an off road modified tig with raised springs, larger tyres etc for about an extra 50mm clearance. Was a website or at least a video. I would like to find again for reference and ideas. But stuff me if I can find via google now or on threads I've checked. So hoping someone here knows what I am talking about and can put me back on track.

I've added that teams_v supplied link to the sticky thread (...shortcuts to useful threads...). That's why that sticky is there, so if you (anybody) find something interesting, just mention it could be worth to save the link to it and i will copy the shortcut there.

Thank's team_v.

[Dartiguan]

Derek (NZ Tiguan) could you identify the exact differences in the 'track and field' model you say you have, as you have mentioned this in an earlier post. Haven't felt the need to go offroad in my shiny new car yet.

[NZTiguan]

Derek (NZ Tiguan) could you identify the exact differences in the 'track and field' model you say you have, as you have mentioned this in an earlier post. Haven't felt the need to go offroad in my shiny new car yet.

OK, from memory and as I understand it:

1: The main external difference is the nose. Standard has an 18º approach angle and track and field has 28º. This means different panels from the front of the front wheel arches. So, I don't have the lower grill and my fog light grills are smaller.

2: Below this I have a sump guard with a plastic front cover for "appearance" plus there is I believe, (I haven't actually crawled under to see), a couple of other small protective guards for vulnerable bits and pieces.

3: The electronic "off road" package. This has been pretty well documented I think but basically gives you hill descent and ascent controls, 50/50 torque split, altered ABS and throttle responses, etc etc oh and a compass ??

In Ausi and in Europe you can get the off-road package without the track and field body and that's a pretty good compromise for most people I think. When I got mine (3 years ago) you could only get the off-road with the track and field body here in NZ (an obvious combination really) and so that's what I went for. I'll stick a pic or two in here so you can see the different nose. If you want any more specifics feel free to yell OK.

Cheers

[Transporter]

...and a metal cross member under the radiator. All the parts that could make the Tiguan track and field are just bolt on but to many there and you would have to replace front mudguards as well and get all painted, the cost of it would be just not worth doing. Unless, you're handy with the fiberglass and have a lot of time.

[team_v]

...and a metal cross member under the radiator. All the parts that could make the Tiguan track and field are just bolt on but to many there and you would have to replace front mudguards as well and get all painted, the cost of it would be just not worth doing. Unless, you're handy with the fiberglass and have a lot of time.

I spoke to Dermot about the cost of doing this and he said it would be between 5-7k to get done.
They also have to upgrade the radiator mount and a few other bits and pieces to reflect the new shorter front end.