I currently own a Touareg, which was apparetly manufactured within the very bowels of hell because the thing is a rolling toilet. It's been in the shop *again* for over two weeks. Knowing that the Q7 is a derivative of the Treg scares the hell out of me. Would I be correct in assuming that Audi is not using any existing VW parts/systems?

The Treg makes me realize just how nice our A6 Avant was, and besides that I never saw another one like it in the several years we drove it. Tregs have become soccer mom SUV's of choice in this area.

Thanks for listening to me gripe and rant. :)

i also own a treg and have been frustrated with the continuing problems I have, I have been assured by my audi rep that there maybe teething problems, but they have learnt the mistakes with the treg...

The only issue I have with my Touareg is the tire monitorng system and the dealership. After 40,000 miles, I've ordered the Q7 with high hopes both for a better vehicle and dealership.

You make it sound like Audi built the Q7 from ground up rather than leveraging the development costs VW and Porsche already invested.

FWIW, I haven't had any issues with my '04 Touareg (bought in June 2003). You never really know about reliability. Not all Hondas are reliable. Likewise, not all VW/Audis are unreliable. I know that some brands are statistically more reliable than others, but that doesn't really matter a whole lot if yours is an outlier.

...I think. I know the 4.2 FSI engine is unique to Audi. Perhaps the forthcoming 3.6 will be shared.

I love people that lash out with BS information....

Remember two ears, two eyes and only one mouth.

the 3.6L FSI engine will be shared on both the Touareg and Q7. OK, they might not be EXACTLY the same, but not 90% different...

From what I've read, both the Q7 and Touareg (and Cayenne) use Aisin's 6 speed Tip. Again, maybe not 100% the same, but 90% different?

we are talking about the whole vehicle, starting with the frame, lengthened 13 inches and lightened by almost 630lbs, brakes suspension components are different, as well as the four wheel drive system and its differentials, interior components , exhaust systems, engine internals and fuels systems, nav, comfort and convenience systems are all unique. shall I go on. Dont get me wrong I love the Touareg, remember I ran a VW dealership for 12 years, I was at the Case construction prooving grounds for the product launch. They are very different with regards to what they are intended for. And to truly answer his questions, regarding reliablity, will take owners feedback and time.

simply that 90% different (to me) is implying that the Q7 is a completely different car. It sounds like it's more different than it is the same, but again, doesn't that imply that Audi has essentially built the Q7 from scratch/ground up? (maybe they have).

Going back to the OP's question, then reliability would be a definite question mark since Audi is not using the now (hopefully) debugged systems present on the Touareg.

As a Touareg owner, all I can say is that a 630lb drop in weight is worth the price of admission (to me). For some odd reason, that piece of info excites me more than all of the other different/unique stuff the Q7 has.

However it's definitely a pig worth looking into. For a family of 4 with strollers and all kinds of kid junk, the amount of space available sells it for me. If the interior is as nice as my wife's 04 A8L then I know what we want next.

are not necessarily a bad thing. Especially if those components have either met their prescribed performance ratio (reliability) or if they have been evolved/improved as a result of experience.

I'm much more interested in where the new vehicle is assembled and by whom. However, being an early adopter has its associated risks aside from any other variable. Others have alluded to the fact that the service/support you receive is just as important if/when problems arise.

If you have a problem that is aggressively resolved by your service department the problem perception is minimized. Even if it is a significant problem (safety, powertrain, etc...)A positive and rapid resolution reinforces your decision to purchase the brand.

Audi's focus on improved dealer service experiences gives me some comfort in the decision to be an early adopter. I'm not implying the service experience is perfected at Audi dealers. I am stating that at many dealers the service experience has improved significantly.

VW envisions Toyota standards as their benchmark for initial and long term quality. That is not a bad idea considering recent history. Your experience included.

My decision on the Q7 has as much to do with my relationship with the dealer as it does with any other factor. Been there, done that. I'm confident that Audi has improved their initial quality as well as the dealer service network to handle the Q7 launch. (fingers crossed)

This forum will help tremendously for all launch platform owners. That is, of course, if you balance the bs with the valuable. This reply could qualify as bs if I don't stop now.

Hang in there, I'm confident it will be a better experience.

85% of it's value is built by VW, yet it doesn't seem to have been tarred with that same brush of unreliabilty.

"Buyers of the highly successful Porsche Cayenne sport-utility vehicle, which starts at $41,000, are probably unaware that VW workers produce more than 85% of the wholesale value of every Cayenne, and that the Cayenne shares 65% of its parts and modules with VW's Touareg. "

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_44/b3957087.htm

Nice and interesting article through which i gained a lot of information.
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Taylor

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