OT - Dilemma - not a Toyota!!!!!

[hilux]

Evening all,

I`ve driven 3 Hilux`s 600,000 miles and a Landcruiser 100,000 miles

Broke down about 3 times in total, all got me home under their own steam, never on a trailer or towed so I am a Toyota fan (as per my forum name)

Thinking of replacing my 21.5 year old VX Landcruiser with a VW TDI Tuareg

1) Good car - decent mileage? 2) tow my Mk1 around to track days?

Any thoughts experiences as its a big step for me  

[nikpro]

Bought my 2008 3.0TDI Toureg Altitude in May this year with Air suspension and absolutely love it.  

I get around 28mpg from it - makes no difference on Motorway or short journeys.

(Touching wood) it has not let me down but I doubt it will be as reliable as a Toyota?

[Arm]

Have had 3 over the years and they were all good.

Brother in law has the first and its still going well.

[hilux]

Bought my 2008 3.0TDI Toureg Altitude in May this year with Air suspension and absolutely love it.  

I get around 28mpg from it - makes no difference on Motorway or short journeys.

(Touching wood) it has not let me down but I doubt it will be as reliable as a Toyota?

OOOOOhhhhh..............

`snice  

Thanks chaps, looking at a couple this weekend.

Arm

Any thing go wrong with them to look out for?

[JeffC]

VAG specialist I was at today had one in for repairs, said they were sick of seeing it has been nowt but trouble for the owner It was the V10 tdi though   3.0tdi engine is pretty good, only probs ive come across is the intake manifold motor things,not a cheap job either and they have one on each bank . I had a butchers round this one today and outside it looked well but im really not keen on the dash and switch gear , In saying that if your coming from Toyota it will prob be a marked improvement    

Ps my vote would be for an X5 3.0d sport  which is what I bought a few years ago after test driving A toureg, X5 would see 30 + mpg towing the westy downside would only do 24mpg on the school run  

[davidgh]

Got a 57 3.0 TDi (62,000 miles)  --  and a 10 (mark 2) 3.0 TDi Bluemotion (17,000 miles).

Conclusion: I must be convinced.

Neither car has been (famous last words) back to the dealer except for replacement (under warranty) of a cracked interior door trim on the 57.

Both have been skiing; both have been over the Alps to Italy; both have towed regularly, though nothing more substantial than a kit-car on a Minno.

Mark 1 feels more substantial over all  --  but it is significantly heavier. Mark 2 has a few rattles, but is 4-5 mpg better on fuel, has a better satnav and ICE system, is faster (quite fast, in fact), and has more precise steering. Mark 2 also has slightly larger boot and much more rear leg-room. Mark 1 has more cubbies, and low ratio (though, for normal use, I've never missed it on the Mark 2). Mark 2 is also substantially cheaper on Road Tax.

One major health warning with the Mark 1: Stupidly, and inexplicably, it doesn't have heated windscreen washer jets  --  and the well insulated engine doesn't heat them either. Can remain frozen all day. Real PITA.

Both are carp in snow without winter tyres. But it turns out that Wintrac 4 Exteme are happy to run all year with really rather acceptable wear (30,000 miles). On them, no problem at all.

All in all, IMHO the best "large" SUV for the money  --  and yes, I looked at Disco4 (pretty, but heavy fuel consumption, poor reliability) X5/X6 (pricey, arrogant dealers, good on-road, but (apart from the split tailgate) absolutely nothing special), and Landcruiser V8 (magnificent thing, but expensive, very costly on fuel and road tax, only available with stupidly impractical third row of seats, too tall to get my old mum into, and ugly).

HTH

Edited for spello...  

[hilux]

It does, thanks very much for the time in replying.

I think I`ll go for it.

[samcooke]

We're on our second 3.0 TDi.

The first 55 plater did 68,000 miles with 3 tonnes behind it with us to take it to 98,000 miles overall and needed only a new propshaft, a door lock and consumables.

Not bad.

[Jumpy07]

Had a 3.2 V6 Petrol.. was an early one.. had a few known problems

Stepper motor in transfer box is common prob..

Uneven tyre wear is another..

Also some odd electrical probs... parts are expensive ..

Funny though we did like it.. but methinks a Range Rover would be better in terms of long term ownership costs and availability of parts / cost

Craig

[hilux]

Had a 3.2 V6 Petrol.. was an early one.. had a few known problems

Stepper motor in transfer box is common prob..

Uneven tyre wear is another..

Also some odd electrical probs... parts are expensive ..

Funny though we did like it.. but methinks a Range Rover would be better in terms of long term ownership costs and availability of parts / cost

Craig

Crikey

I thought RR`s were pretty poor with regard to reliability `swhy I havent really been looking at them.

[samcooke]

I guess there are always exceptions either way, but the three RRs we've had have been worrying.

The worst was a 30k mile Supercharged 56 plater that was working perfectly when it arrived. 6 weeks and 300 miles later it finally left having had £6,200 worth of warranty work in the interim.

The other was a 50k mile 54 plate diesel that broke its sat nav. Our fault apparently as we used a boost pack to start it and you shouldn't do that. Funny how its not a problem on any other car.

[davidgh]

J.D.Power can't always be wrong  

[Arm]

I cant report anything going wrong with mine.

The one I sold to the brother in law had a problem and the engine check light came on. That was put down to the fuel they used as the Toyota Lancruiser and Disco did the same when filling up at the same garage.

I've heard propshafts can go and they can wear the OE tyres quickly otherise the V6 diesel is very reliable.