Anyone towing with Touareg TDI

Originally posted by clickscrazy Update here. Still haven't done anything g to firm up towing. It feels om. Just would like a more solid feel especially since I plan on going up to a 180 next year.

You might wish to check out Sumo Springs. There is a model that will fit the coil springs in the Touareg. I found this with a quick search:

I would check Amazon and other sites to see if I could find a better shipped price. I did not check shipping for the link I posted.

I recently put Sumo Springs on our Frontier. They have made a big difference. Since the Frontier has leaf springs, the ones I got were different (and much more expensive)  than the ones for coil springs. They are well worth the price.

 Power is amazing. Still quietest car I've ever owned. Decent 23 mpg mixed mostly secondary and around town roads. Tows fantastic.

All vehicles will have some issues (even my trusty reliable 2003 4Runner had a few problems outside warranty , and it ate brakes, oh man, 24K brake and rotor intervals, glad they were cheap). The 4 warrantable issues I've had were all taken care of (AdBlue tank heater went south, Dieselgate, and the water pump and oil seal). So far the only out of pocket has been some 10K service intervals, and brakes, and tires. It does seem hard on tires, but I'm changing to a different brand next time, no more Pirellis, they have some annoying road noise after 24K.

If you are handy, keep it well maintained, they aren't importing them anymore. They are still being made for the rest of the world but not North America. The latest version is so nice, but we won't see  it.

Like I said before the Durango V8 seems to have a great tow capability for an SUV too. Just wish they would clean up the diesels so we could have that engine in an SUV.

I modified my current WDW hitch (Husky), so the pin is closer to the ball. It is still out of VW's spec of max of 6.5 from pin to ball....which is crazy.

It has 59k on and is a CPO, so I have a 2 year bumper to bumper warranty. Only service that has not been done on it is the trans service at 60K (I have ordered the kit).

Interesting you had an oil leak and waterpump issue at only 73K! Geez, I will have to keep an eye out for that.

The Touareg is very underrated as a tow vehicle. It is EXCELLENT as a tow vehicle. It has a good weight distribution, firmer European tuned independent suspension, 8 speed AISIN tranny (Japanese!!), and the TDI torque is amazing for a SUV. It's a great daily driver (actual for me 22 mpg 80/20 City/hwy).

Definitely get a small WD Hitch, it will smooth out porpoising over uneven pavement when towing. It's not actually necessary but it does make for a nicer tow experience. The Anderson WD system works as will other brands (Equalizer, and also Blue OX come to mind, I really like my Blue Ox).

If you have a TDI, expect 12-15mpg depending on other factors (wind, speed, hills). I have the 2013 and it was perfect for towing the 177 R-Pod. Currently, I tow an ATC 7X20 that weights 5800-6400 loaded for outings, I only feel the extra weight as a factor on the highway long hills climbs, still maintains 65 mph using 5-6th up long pulls, if I want to pass much slower semis.

The downside of owning a Touareg, it's a Volkswagen, which means every part costs German prices $$$, once you're out of warranty (10yr/100K Powertrain, 3yr/50K bumper -bumper).  I have an extended warranty. I recently did my brakes at 74,000 miles because the wear sensor finally lit up. I paid just shy of $500 for 4 rotors, 2 pad sets, and 4 sensors. I used OE VW rotors and pads, but aftermarket sensors. It turns out the rotors were still nearly perfect. Very impressed with low rate of wear, rear pads and rotors could have gone another 50k+ miles, but I replaced them anyway. Held onto the 4 rotors, will reuse them after turning next time around.

 I also had the water pump replaced 73K miles (leaking), and less than 3 days after that, had a bad oil leak from the front crankshaft seal. Both fixed under powertrain warranty, no money. Other than that, it's been good.

The Touareg is technically now an orphan, as they are no longer being imported into North America. It means that as the years roll on, it may become more difficult to find a good service department (technicians move too). Something to consider for the future.