Advice with purchasing a Toureg (Or other SUV)

[kman42]

Hi, newbie here. I am suddenly in the market for a new family car, since our Commodore Wagon was written off.
This time around we are looking at a diesel SUV for better (and more useful) towing power, better highway performance & economy while fully loaded on trips, more boot space and some offroad capability (dirt roads and the occasional beach). We have 2 kids and not looking to expand the family, so I wouldn't use the rear seats.
We have about $9k to play with. I have seen a 2007 Touareg V6 TDi, and it looks like it ticks the boxes (especially the power). I've researched about common problems, and the dominant one seems to be engine, especially tensioners. Is there any way to check for this while inspecting a car? Any other common issues I should look out for?
Another potential car is the Volvo XC90, which also looks fantastic. Can anyone comment on how these two compare?

Early model Tiguans also pop up, but I'm concerned it may be a bit small for our needs.

[Lucas_R]

G'Day and welcome.

Id say the Tiguan would be too small for 2 adults and 2 kids plus stuff in the boot. Its basically a VW Golf on stilts. And they are not made for towing anything more that a trailer to the dump/Bunnings every now and then.

The Touareg sounds like it would be closer to what you need, especially if towing. The 3.0 V6 TDI is a pretty robust engine/transmission package overall, with decent amount of power and torque (and more available if you get it remapped), but if your budget is around $9k then you will be buying something that is 10-12yrs old and done a fair few km's, so expect some mechanical work to have to be done to keep it running.

Timing chains (as with any VW/Audi product that uses timing chains) are a concern as well as leaking water pumps (once again as with every VW/Audi product). Also the EGR system on a 10-12yr old car will be well on its way to being clogged with sooty mess, so you might want to have that professionally inspected and cleaned.

If you want a towing machine like no other, grab a Touareg R50.....but you will need to add a few $$ to your budget.

As with any second hand car, make sure its been well serviced and have it checked over by either a mechanic or an organisation like State Roads/NRMA before buying as they might help you avoid a lemon.

[Guest001]

Brake Discs can be expensive on a Towrag as well apparently about a grand for the four plus pads

[Lucas_R]

Brake Discs can be expensive on a Towrag as well apparently about a grand for the four plus pads

Good point. Check the pads and disks for wear. The factory pads used on European cars are very harsh (hence the filthy dirty wheels normally seen on European cars) so they chew threw brake pads and disks. If the previous owner has changed to aftermarket brake pads then this may not be an issue anymore as simply replacing the brake pads to aftermarket can reduce the brake wear significantly.

[Guest001]

Good point. Check the pads and disks for wear. The factory pads used on European cars are very harsh (hence the filthy dirty wheels normally seen on European cars) so they chew threw brake pads and disks. If the previous owner has changed to aftermarket brake pads then this may not be an issue anymore as simply replacing the brake pads to aftermarket can reduce the brake wear significantly.

Not only the pads The discs are Soft by design and wear much quicker than Jap cars. My Landcruiser had done 150k and no appreciable wear on disks and did 90k on original pads.. Not may VW or other Euros could match that

[kman42]

Not only the pads The discs are Soft by design and wear much quicker than Jap cars. My Landcruiser had done 150k and no appreciable wear on disks and did 90k on original pads.. Not may VW or other Euros could match that

Can you get aftermarket discs with better wear properties?

[Guest001]

Can you get aftermarket discs with better wear properties?

Possibly but no doubt at a price.

[Lucas_R]

Advice with purchasing a Toureg (Or other SUV)

Can you get aftermarket discs with better wear properties?

Im sure you can. Have a look on Brakes Direct website , they might have something to offer from DBA (Disk Brakes Australia) or perhaps RDA.

Edit - found some BRAKE PADS Volkswagen Touareg

[Transporter]

Can you get aftermarket discs with better wear properties?

Bendix pads lasted much longer in our Touareg2 than the genuine pads and don’t wear out the discs.

[kman42]

[QUOTE=Lucas_R;1319655]
Timing chains (as with any VW/Audi product that uses timing chains) are a concern as well as leaking water pumps (once again as with every VW/Audi product). Also the EGR system on a 10-12yr old car will be well on its way to being clogged with sooty mess, so you might want to have that professionally inspected and cleaned.

So am I reading that the timing chains and water pumps are a common problem on VW cars? Is the timing chain issue one that means you just need to keep it well maintained, or do they fail/stretch regardless?

[poid]

There are a few things to look for on these Touaregs. The drive shaft centre bearings let go every few years, and unless you DIY its a replacement shaft which isnt cheap. make sure you check that on any Touareg you buy (the factory shafts have a date marked on the centre bearing).

When you test drive, make sure you test how it downshifts through the gears. The transmission can develop issues which result in hard downshifts, ie clunks or shifts rough 5th to 4th.

Obviously make sure all the electrics work. The DPF can become clogged with inner city driving like most modern turbo diesels.

From memory those are the main things to look out for.