Today’s Nice Price or No Dice Touareg represents the last of an era of fancy Volkswagens for the U.S. Let’s see if this competent but complex 4X4 is simply priced.
Seeing as there’s some sort of global trade war afoot, it makes sense to buy domestic for the immediate future. That’s presently not so easy when it comes to eggs, but it proved a slam dunk with yesterday’s 1990 Buick Reatta, a car with a star-spangled pedigree and a modest $5,595 asking price. Based on the comments, most of you liked the idea of the Reatta, and its 77 percent Nice Price win proved the price hit similarly.
Now, should you be a contrarian to the whole trade battle thing, or are just someone who digs risk and big, beefy diesel SUVs, then today’s 2014 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Sport should salve that pesky itch.
At 154K, this luxury Volkswagen is a bit heavy on the miles, but the seller avows it to be “One of the cleanest Touareg TDI’s around” and promises that it has been “well cared for.” That care apparently included a recent oil and filter change at the VW dealer.
Other pluses and add-ons include a set of WeatherTech floor mats, an extra spare tire, and aftermarket LED lights in the cabin.
On the downside, this is one of the last diesels to be sold by Volkswagen in the U.S. owing to the corporate malfeasance that made the German car maker out to be some sort of global wannabe Bond Villian.
The engine is a 3.0-liter “BlueMotion” V6 that makes a middling 236 horsepower and a much more impressive 406 lb-ft of torque. Mated to that is an eight-speed ZF automatic and situational AWD, the latter controlled by a knob on the console. This is probably the sweet spot for kit on these VWs, as the engine/transmission combo is wildly efficient given the car’s significant weight and capability, offering around 20 mpg in town and nearly 30 on the open road. That’s matched with decent power and reasonably quiet operation.
Yes, these can be a bear—and quite expensive—to repair should something go wrong. Fortunately, the seller claims this wagon to be without significant fault, save for a TPMS light on the dash. That’s due to the lack of sensors in the Porsche Cayenne-sourced wheels it wears. Those do pair well with the silver metallic paint and black-out trim. The windows have all been given a heavy tint, which is good for keeping the cabin cool but less so for visibility. The Porsche wheels are shod with Michelin meats and seem unencumbered by locking lugs, a minor oversight meaning bad neighborhoods should be avoided.
The cabin appears clean and features a sizable 8-inch infotainment screen in the center stack. The rest of the dash is pure Volkswagen, with the familiar switch gear and steering wheel to make even an owner of the lowest-spec’d Jetta feel at home. The only noticeable issue appears to be a small divot or tear in the driver’s seat squab, a sad flaw in the otherwise well-presenting space.
As a matter of fact, this Touareg looks nice and tidy pretty much all over. A peek under the hood shows the engine bay plastics to be intact and free of discoloration. The wagon’s underside is just as clean, proving that cars can go the distance if well maintained. Finally, the title is also clean, and the reason given for the sale is the recent gift of a long-lusted-after vehicle that makes the VW redundant. I’m kind of curious about what vehicle that might be.
I’m even more curious about what you all make of this Touareg’s $11,300 price tag. That’s a far cry from the $60K-plus price it carried when new, but now, 150K and a long-expired warranty later, what does that do for you?
Let’s give that some consideration. What’s your take on this well-kept TDI Touareg at that $11,300 price? Does that seem fair for the wagon as it has been presented in its ad? Or, as well-kept as it appears, does that just not add up?
You decide!
Washington DC Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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