# Towing with a TDI Touareg.



## BigEnos (Nov 19, 2004)

How competent a tow vehicle is a TDI Touareg? I tow an open trailer that is about 5500-6000 lbs and I'm sure I'd sometimes have another person plus luggage/tools with me, too. Each year I tow a ~2300mile round-trip, a lot of local stuff (90-120 mile round trips), and maybe a 1000 mile trip in there, too. Anyone else do this kind of towing? 

I would guess that a 3/4 ton suburban and even my current truck (2500HD Silverado) would be much better for just towing (please don't take that as a criticism, but it is my pre-conceived notion), but a Touareg could be a reasonable daily driver as well as a competent tow vehicle, and may allow me to cut my "fleet" down by one. 

Thoughts, experiences, etc are welcomed. Looking specifically at the current generation V6 TDI, not the V10 FWIW.

Thanks!


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## Yeti35 (May 17, 2006)

They are capable of towing up to 7700 lbs if you are using the factory hitch setup. They are all rated to tow 7700 reguarldless of motor under the hood. The V6 TDI has 406 ftlbs of torque, so I don't think towing your open trailer will be that big of an issue.


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## BigEnos (Nov 19, 2004)

Thanks for the response. I was aware of the 7700lb rating or else the consideration would have never even happened. I would like to hear of experiences hauling cars or even heavy boats over long distances. 

I'm not sure what "Factory Hitch Setup" is, but I have seen that they have a 2" receiver. I would definitely want to invest in a wdh/sway-control setup due to tongue weight concerns. Right now, my truck doesn't need that, but it also rides like a stagecoach when it's unloaded. Is there a problem with that sort of setup on a Touareg? 

Any pre-wiring for the brake controller extant, or is it a DIY deal? I don't know if electric brakes are common in Europe or other places the Touareg is popular.


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## Vermontr (Nov 23, 2004)

*Touareg Towing*

I pull a 5500 lb trailer with my Diesel Touareg, 25000 miles so far including out to CA across the Rockies and back thru Canada. It will do a FAR better job than the vehicles you mention because of the torque and especially because the hitch is so close to the rear wheels. For that reason, I've never needed to use an antisway bar. The turning radius at 39' is also a big advantage. Do it!


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## grohgreg (Jun 12, 2011)

The 7700# rating is for trailers w/brakes. Otherwise it's 1650#. My 2011 manual cautions *against* the installation of weight distributing hitches. Pre-wiring is a $140 option over and above the cost of the receiver hitch (which doesn't include ball mount or ball by the way). Brake controller receptacle is inconveniently tucked up way the hell under the dash on the far left. That's why I went with the Prodigy RF controller.

//greg//


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## BigEnos (Nov 19, 2004)

grohgreg said:


> The 7700# rating is for trailers w/brakes. Otherwise it's 1650#. My 2011 manual cautions *against* the installation of weight distributing hitches. Pre-wiring is a $140 option over and above the cost of the receiver hitch (which doesn't include ball mount or ball by the way). Brake controller receptacle is inconveniently tucked up way the hell under the dash on the far left. That's why I went with the Prodigy RF controller.
> 
> //greg//


Huh, no weight distributing hitch? I guess being a unit-body construction maybe applying that torque could be harmful to the structure that the hitch is mounted to. The earlier point about the distance between the rear wheel centerline and the hitch mount being much less than most vehicles that tow is something I hadn't considered, but I can see how that would be an advantage and obviate the need for a WDH setup. Still, I feel like I'd probably have to be more careful about my tongue weight on something like a Touareg vs. my truck, which is OK but could lead to sway. My trailer is shorter than most, only 15' deck. Or, one could see it as an "upgrade opportunity," especially if we're talking aluminum Featherlite 

I'm not familiar with the prodigy RF, but I'm guessing it's a wireless brake controller. I have a wired prodigy on my truck and it's fantastic, so that sounds like a good solution.


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## BigEnos (Nov 19, 2004)

So, the wife and I are talking last night and she mentions something about a 335d BMW and I retorted with "Well, if we get a Touareg TDI . . ." She loves the idea, but we're gonna have to wait a little while before I can pull the trigger on something like this. Kinda weird she brought up cars right as I was thinking about it! 

I found another forum where there seemed to be more info. on towing with one. Sounds extremely promising based on what I've read, but I'll definitely need a trailer with a tire rack and probably a toolbox.

Thanks for the info.!


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## DicknNancy (Nov 6, 2004)

*Towing*

You should not have any problems towing with either the V-6 or V-10 TDI. I have towed our 28 enclosed aluminum trailer around since 2005. You are correct that the Touareg will only come up short (compared to a 3/4 ton pickup) on wheel base and 10 ply tires. I have no problems ever with power or acceleration with the big trailer or even stability with my smaller trailer with 5000 lbs of firewood, but the larger trailer will move around just a bit in the wind. I did tow a 32 ft, three axle snowmobile trailer from Mpls to New Hampshire (empty got 19.5 MPG) to pick up a 23 window bus. Loaded in New Hampshire and drove to Toledo Ohio, geting 16.5 MPG. There, in Toledo, we picked up a 2001 Passat and hauled the whole load back to Mpls, MN, while getting 14.5 MPG through 8 inches of new snow. http://www.clubtouareg.com/forums/f43/volkswagen-rescue-21888.html This thing is happier with a trailer than without and the looks you get are real fun too.
Our V-10 has air suspenison so a Weight Distributing hitch isn't much of a factor on this unit. I put a lot of WD hitches on customers vehicles and would never see the need on the Egg. It is just how efficient the factory hitch is mounted. I probably have 20,000 plus miles towing with the Touareg and it is so much more than I would have thought when we bought it.


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## wensteph (Jun 1, 2010)

It tows great. Light years better than the Yukon I had. Here's a picture of the boat hooked up. It's just at a 5,000 lb tow.

http://www.clubtouareg.com/forums/f66/2011-towing-pictures-52961.html

I towed Savannah GA to far eastern Long Island NY just at 1100 miles without any problem. I went Savannah to Charlotte then up through Harrisburg PA east to NY. There are some long grades around Allentown PA and the Touareg pulled them at 2,000-2300 rpm without any apparent strain. Effortlessly holding 65-70. I had to flog the Yukon up the same grades last year at 5,000 rpm. Milage was pretty good, upper teens; but the engine is still new and it certainly was uphill the whole way. I bring the boat home in August and we'll see how the milage is downhill. 

Seriously, this is an awesome tow vehicle.


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## BigEnos (Nov 19, 2004)

Thanks for all the info everyone! We'll definitely be looking at a 2011+ because part of the equation is the good daily driver mileage it gets. That pretty much rules out the V10 models, and I think we'll be going with a new one anyway. My wife and I both put a lot of mileage on our vehicles. My 2010 TDI Golf got about 20K miles in its first year and my wife does about 15K a year.


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