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10K views 14 replies 9 participants last post by  Blek 
#1 ·
It seems no matter how much research I do, I always miss the very bad side of things.

I just leased a 2013 Tiguan SE 4MO. It hasn't arrived yet but the SE loaner I am driving is getting really mediocre gas mileage for a car with 7k miles. Great driving car but I am starting to get some chills even before I drive the new car that comes in Monday after reading all of the issues people seem to be having...most with very new cars and low miles.

Differentials locking up or bad rear fuel injectors, blown fuel injectors, intake manifolds with pressure leaks. Crazy stuff for German automotive engineering quality build reputations!

Is all of this stuff acknowledged by VW in bulletins. Obviously, they had to issue bulletins after so many Tiguan owners are sharing these same problems. ???

From those who have experience with VW products, are the reliability issues this significant and can I expect my car to be in the shop as much as on the road??

MY FIRST CHOICE WAS A 3.6r OUTBACK but the VW dealer was closer and the test drive was really impressive so I didn't take the time to compare. Should I have wished I had?:confused:
 
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#2 ·
Realize problems will arise when something is new. In the US the tiguan was first introduced in 2009. So it's normal for any brand new vehicle to have issues until the mfr works the kinks out. 09 had most of the issues you hear about, 2010 had much fewer issues, and so on.

All parts that you heard of failing have updated components to increase the reliabliity. Many of the failures with rear diff is actually not a defect at all. The oil in the haldex AWD clutch has a service interval. Problem is right next to the drain plug is a drain plug for the rear diff oil. So many uneducated techs or customers are draining the diff oil and overfilling the haldex oil. So what happens when you have gears and bearings with no oil? Boom.

In our tiguan we have gotten 28 mpg on the hwy. Around town is high teens.
 
#3 ·
So, when you go in to have yours serviced, do you tell the svc manager, "be sure to tell the mechanic to pay attention to which drain plug is which and check before letting me drive out!" I mean, how do you ever know whether they did something the right way and then, who is going to admitt to that mistake and pay for it?

I come out of BMWs where it is commonplace to deny mistake on their part and further deny that a Bimmer is anything less than perfect and has few problems. It's always the owner who put an unapproved oil in the car or rode the brakes too hard..etc.

I just like to know I have bought a dependable car that the manufacturer stands behind and you don;'t have to spar in a cage match with the dealer to get fixed without unfairly paying for inherent build quality or mechanic mistakes.

To that end, all I ever see about the 2013 is that it is a carbon copy carry over from the 2012. The only change that I see if some double overdrive deal that increases the fuel economy by 15% (AND PROBABLY MAKES THE CAR EVEN LAMER UNDER THE 1100 RPM 6TH GEAR LAG.)

I do not see comments about correcting previous problems built into earlier models that irritated so many Tiguan owners. Correct me if I am wrong but I would love to see that kind of update on this car to make me worry less.

I had hoped that I would be able to escape the high cost of repairs by switching to VW from BMW and still have the magic of German engineering but then yesterday I read where some Tiguan owner was replacing his brakes at 30k for over $900!!

I love the fit and interior quality of VWs and have always been impressed by performance but 'THE PEOPLE'S CAR" is definitely getting more expensive to own.
 
#6 ·
I've had my Tiguan SE for 10 months and like you, was a little hesitant to buy after reading some of the stories on the site. I experienced the problem with the transmission shifting very early which caused the car to lug along. VW had fix for that within 2 months and I can honestly say that the car has been great since. I thinks it's the best looking small SUV out there and handles really great also. I think it's a very safe car too.

To give myself some piece of mind I bought the 7 yr/70,000 miles extended warranty thru the dealer for $1,300. I hope I never have to use it but it's there just in case.

I would recommend the Tiguan in a heart beat. Good luck.
 
#7 ·
Thank you for the compliment, Nic.

You read someONE person doing brakes at 30k miles and spending 900 dollars. What about the thousands of customers who have the dealer do their brakes for significantly less that you have NOT heard about? A high retail price for brakes are roughly 90 bux each rotor and 90 for the pad set. Add about 2 hours labor and you are still under 500 dollars. ALL dealers have coupons and you can get a brake job for much less than high retail. Going further, AWD cars/suv's will use brake pads at a faster rate than FWD cars/suv's. The extra rotating mass has to slow down too which takes more friction.

I've said it many times before and i'll say it again. VW has rules to play by. A BIIIIIIIIIG rule maker is United states Environmental protection agency. If those rules aren't followed, NOBODY gets a tiguan here. Thank them for making it impossible to please everyone with their fuel economy and emission garbage.

DSG you say? I can't speak for the tdi's around the world with them (no tdi here because smog nazi epa) but a regular automatic transmission with a large transmission cooler (us spec tiguans) will be able to get a large loaded trailer moving up a hill from a stop a helluvalot better than a DSG. In fact, we have a hill at work that, from a stop, all dsg cars are unable to start moving. The key here is torque multiplication from the torque converter.....a component that a DSG doesn't have. Burn out the clutch pack or get 1 mpg less around town. Kudos to VW thinking about what their suv is going to be used for.


VW's not being as simple as they used to be? You're right! If they still had no features or options, nobody would buy them and VW would be kaput. How about Lexus that parks itself? Cadillac that vibrates when danger is behind you? Illuminated cup holders? Mercedes that watches your eyes to see if you will fall asleep? Nissans that beep the horn when the tire pressure is correct? That is all crap other mfr's give customers. Do you honestly think that stuff is super reliable? VW gives, in my opinion, a very toned vehicle without the fat....unless you want it. Now you see VW still is very simple compared to other vehicles on the road.
 
#8 ·
My uncle loves his Tiguan. He got a 2012 SE AWD. No issues AFAIK, he is planning to or already has gotten the transmission update to fix the shifting issue people have complained about. He probably has about 10k miles on it by now. His previous car was a 99' Jetta TDi which had 387,000 miles on it before it was totaled by a falling tree. While VW says oil changes every 10k, my uncle is doing 5k changes himself between the dealer service. He is reporting excellent mileage, though he is no speed demon and drives mostly highway miles, he is beating EPA estimates and is getting over 30mpg highway.

Keep in mind, you'll find mostly negative stuff online, for every complaint you see online, there are 10-20 happy owners that haven't had any issues.
 
#9 ·
I agree with you about all the fru-fru stuff but, as with everything, people have been marketed to believe they can't do without all the costumery in a car - like IPHONES ..... my phone talks longer and just as well as an IPHONE and it did not cost 400 bucks. I can't see paying a premium for the convenience of having something that wipes my --- and allows me to have a phone conversation as a bonus!
THAT SAID, IT IS WHY I BOUGHT THIS CAR. It is practical. I used to think i could never again buy as car without power seats or lombar...and what would I do without xenon headlights?

Ofcourse, if one wants a 40k Tiguan, you can certainly opt to buy that transvestite.

I spent more than I would like the have for a car in this class but I do like the luxury of cup holders and needed AWD -- so I bought this car - besides, the alternative was having to drive a benign looking RAV4 (although a good 6) or force myself to have to drive a CRV everyday. I like to look forward to driving...so it was Tiguan.

I do have to say that I wish they had stuck with a handbrake emergency brake. I don't trust little buttons for such functions that are smaller than the controls on my stereo.

I will always be cautious - no matter what the rep on the car is.
 
#13 ·
Update...one year later

I love this car! Fun to drive and no problems except keeping tires in balance..but that is minor with no severe wear. All the rice rockets want to try it on...so I figure Tigs are acquiring a reputation for being something more than they appear. The only thing I regret is not being able to buy a TDI .... 60 and 70 miles a gallon?!!! No wonder they are having problems getting into this country! This car easily out-tools Lexus and stays right in there with BMW low 3's. If the TDI is here by the time my lease is up, that is what I am getting. Others may look faster or more stylish .... but this car does what others wish they could do.


MY FIRST CHOICE WAS A 3.6r OUTBACK but the VW dealer was closer and the test drive was really impressive so I didn't take the time to compare. Should I have wished I had?:confused:[/QUOTE]
 
#14 ·
Re: Update...one year later

Interesting reading. We've had ours for nearly 4 years without a problem on any front except the recent replacement of a manifold intake when the flaps that regulate the airflow were worn and operating incorrectly (carbon, not uncommon for these engines) - after 3.5 years and 55000ks.

It's boggling to see some of the negative reviews on the net 'this broke, that ran out, it needs a new gearbox' and when you quiz them about proper maintenance and driving habits, they haven't serviced it for 2 years and drive in stop start traffic in S for instance or it's an irrelevant complaint like tyre issues occurring when they're 4 years old or dealer service experiences that shouldn't be in a review about the car and it's performance.
I'm not saying all the issues are negligence or ignorance, as someone already pointed out new models have teething issues.

Our mechanic always jokes that we drive it well, take it off road twice a month and adhere to maintenance schedules and that's why we are fault free - treating the Tiguan as it ought to be treated. Lol

In all seriousness, it's been faultless, the manifold down to wear and tear. The DSG7 and 4motion are amazing on and off road and that's with road tyres.
No problems encountered with DSG which seems a popular one, no nothing.
It's a harsh climate here in oz, so if it goes well here, it's in the bag!
 
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