Tiguans and Rough Roads.

[Achtung Tiggy]

Well I am just about to take the tig out to Wombeyan caves...(past Bowral and Berrima NSW) From memory it is a long 40 something kms winding gravel track to get there. Great fun...but will certainly test things out!

Will let you know how it handles it!

Some photos would be good!

[trueman]

If you concerned re reliability rattles etc the Outback is excellent ( mine has 220k+ with no major concerns. The new one looks a touch hideous (maybe because built in USA and maybe designed for USA). Though the forester is a good allround package with a 2.0 diesel due in June. I guess I would feel more reassured in the subaru for an extensive trip then the untried Tiguan. I guess some of the gripes I have heard about the Touareg as a offroader have tainted my view.

[Tigger]

ok...so the tig was fantastic today. All of the potholes and imperfections in the road were handled without the slightest trouble. The ESP calibration is perfect even on loose gravel at speeds over 90kph (only small sections of that road possible to do such speeds). ABS is fantastic if required too.

I would definatley recommend this trip to all of you that can make the time to do so. the countryside and scenery is beautiful.

Perhaps even another Tig day out??
Start at Berrima NSW and head in to the Caves area. Stay for a while etc...visit the caves...(which are astounding!!) then head back via the Goulbern way.

Will post some pics soon.

[jimbomort]

agree with you on the new outback, looks certainly aren't everything but the new outback

we are old subie fans, but think Sube are losing it a bit at the moment. Interiors have declined, outback is ugly and the venerable forester has lost some of its shine. We've had the previous model foresters at work and I always enjoyed driving them, but a lot of our staff are complaining about the new foresters, with the 4 speed auto and extra weight, they're quite disappointing, almost gutless.

We haven't looked back since ditching our 2000 model outback for the Tiguan and the 125 tsi motor is a gem, superior to the sube 2.5 in every respect (ie get up and go, fuel economy and flexibility). Indeed the golf 1.4 (albeit turbocharged and supercharged) has more torque and over a wider rev range than the sube 2.5.

[Tigger]

I agree jimbomort. We almost bought a forester, based apon our love for the first few models. The current range though feels cheap and inferior in every respect to the Tiguan. when we compared them we felt like subi had forgotten how to make cars!

I feel that the Tiguan is a $40,000 car that feels like a $60 th model.

The forester currently feels like a $25,000 car for $40,000...

[Transporter]

I guess some of the gripes I have heard about the Touareg as a offroader have tainted my view.

Yeah, the first model of Touaregs .

[Golf Houso]

It has to be better than a current model Rav4 with mudflaps that I've been driving, what a piece of crap off the road let alone on...

[jimbomort]

for those wondering how Tig goes on the sand read on

We recently spent a week on Moreton Island (off Brisbane), with the Tig loaded to the hilt, roofbox and a towball mounted backrack on as well (more to come on that in another thread later). So back was down a bit and we lt our tires down to 18PSI for driving on the sand.

We got off the Ferry at high tide and had to drive on the drier sand and use a number of inland tracks. In the end we ended up going all over the island, which by the way is fantastic.

In summary:
- the Tig handled it all extremely well
- an extra 5cm+ clearance would have been handy and more relaxing, we were acting like a grader a more often than I'd like
- Tig romped up Harpers (a longish steep sandy slope up to the lighthouse), wife was a bit freaked but Tig blew it away, probably could have done in 2nd gear
- the extra torque of the APR map was brilliant, despite high loads and grader driving, 2nd gear and even 3rd were fine, except a few occassions when I got down to almost walking speed on some soft sand, which were the only times I really needed first.
- with the remap (and probably without) dont need a low range, Tig is almost unstoppable in 1st, only time might be an issue is literally crawling across very rough terrian, but I'm not even sure that would be a problem
- Tig did well with lots of creek crossings, a little hairy, as had to time with waves and keep a bit more speed thru water than I'd like just in case sand proved softer than expected (I got out and tested it a number of times), but I was conscious of keeping to shallow water only as know fording ability of the Tig is very limited

Gave the car a good wash down straight after the trip and I am getting the wheel alignment and underbody checked this week just to be sure.

I should say however that it rained a lot while we were there and so sand was more compacted even high on the beach and inland tracks. May have been more troublesome after a long dry spell, and I am not sure missus is keen to take our Tig again, though provided above shows a clean bill of health I'd happily take it again, with no question whatsoever in my mind if we could get a set-up with air shocks or the like for an extra 5cm clearance or so when on rougher stuff.

Anyone looked into lift 'options'?

[147Tig]

for those wondering how Tig goes on the sand....

Is your Tig has offroad option?

[jimbomort]

Is your Tig has offroad option?

yep, if you mean the offroad tech button. I used it a bit, but lots of times I didn't. Dont get me wrong, I have been impressed with it at times, but dont think it was that necessary on the sand, but maybe it explains why harpers felt so effortless at least - not a 100% sure had it on then or not, but guessing I did.