[s-cars] Non Audi, but VAG question.... VW Touareg V10 TDI vs. V8 opinions?

[weski at verizon.net]

Jim,

I've had a 2007 V10TDI for 3 years now.  It's been a solid ride with 
only a couple small issues.  I bought it with 99k on the clock and was 
able to get a 5-year 100k mile extended warranty on it (I'm going to use 
that warranty for the first time this summer).  Air suspension is a must 
and was standard on the V10.  The torque is ridiculous.  We bought it 
for towing horses - 3-horse trailer and 2 thoroughbreds weigh in at 
6,500 lbs and no issues pulling it up hills.  We get 25/26 mpg highway 
(no trailer) and 22/23 around town but I didn't buy it for the mileage 
but it is nice getting better mileage than the F250 others tow with.

Like our URS cars, there aren't too many parts that one would consider 
inexpensive.  It's very picky about what oil is used and if it's not 
used then you can expect to pull the engine for repairs around 100k (and 
it has a 12 quart capacity for each oil change).  The ride on the 
highway is amazing.  We just drove it from western PA to NC and back 
this weekend and it's a blast to drive up mountain passes.

I've also heard great things about other Treg owners with the T2 
generation V6 TDIs and their quite capable of towing well.  Easier to 
work on than the V10 due to space under hood and they come with all the 
same style and creature comforts.  Air suspension would be a must either 
way.

We are currently at 170k miles and plan to service the turbos later this 
summer along with other preventative maintenance while the engine is 
out.  I'm planning to keep the Treg running to 300k miles like my URS6.

Good luck with your search.  www.clubtouareg.com is a great resource of 
information and has a buyers guide too.

Paul
3 German Cars
3 Turbos
21 Cylinders


On 5/19/2017 1:08 PM, Jim Fleischer wrote:
> Thanks for the info and opinions, everyone.  From the responses so far, there are die hard V10 TDI fans extolling the virtues of limitless torque and great gas mileage, and those warning of the added expense of regular maintenance and the possible horrors of an engine out service.  Then there is the gas hog V8, of which there are sooooo many more to choose from with fewer miles and at substantially less initial purchase cost.  It seems that there is no question that either would perform just fine for my intended use, it comes down to availability and whether or not I want to spend the $15k+ on a TDI when I can find plenty of V8’s out there for less than $10k.  That $5k+ can buy a lot of gas….
>
> Not gonna lie, I am always attracted to the “top of the line” models of any car I buy, and the TDI is that animal.
>
>  From a general maintenance standpoint, I am used to working on my own stuff 98% of the time.  I am assuming that the V8 would be more likely to be easily maintained on the road than the V10 TDI?  I know they both are going to have greater maintenance considerations than a Ford F150 et al, but I just can’t see myself in something American after having been in mostly Audis for the last 23 years.  Is this a safe assumption?  One other thing, as I’ll be relocating to Whitefish, MT at the end of the summer from Eagle, CO, I would expect there would be greater options for service for the V8 up north than the V10 TDI.
>
> I’m open to other vehicle suggestions, however it seems like the best bang for the buck at the moment is the 2005-07 V8 under 100K miles for less than $10K is the best option for me currently.  Further opinions/suggestions are more than welcome and encouraged.  Thanks!
>
> Best regards,
>
> Jim Fleischer
> ’95 urS6 avant, 210K
> ’04 Allroad 6-speed manual, 179K
> ’89 4Runner SR5 V6 5 Speed, 324K!
> 23’-25’ Airstream TBD…..
>
>
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