Audi Allroad: the ultimate tow car?

[John Mc]

I'm about to buy an '03 Audi Allroad. It will be the big Family Truckster, used for several purposes including towing my Scamp 16 on occasional road trips.

FYI: The Allroad, sold between 2001-2005, is a beefed-up version of their big wagon, the A6. It's rated to tow 3300 pounds in the US, and 5000 pounds overseas. A 2.5 liter twin-turbo V6 delivers 260 HPs and about the same number of Torques. There's a pneumatic self-leveing suspension that can vary ride height by several inches, with big brakes and stability control to finish the package. Curb weight is 4200 pounds heavier than a Grand Cherokee but well south of a Suburban.

My question is (not)-- can this tow my Scamp 16, curb weight one ton? Don't say no. I'm sure the Audi can handle it, a great deal better than the Subaru Forester I've used in my Scampin' life so far. I just wonder why I haven't seen more threads about the Allroad, which seems to offer it all for those of us who don't fancy trucks and typical SUVs?

Is anybody within earshot using an Allroad to tow an egg trailer? I'm shopping for a hitch, so that kind of advice is especially welcome.

I'm ready to hear warnings of the dangers of owning used Euro luxury cars. This Audi may be the textbook example of that peril. But the car I'm buying has had $4K of preventive maintenance done this year, correcting all the model's known common weak points. There's a three-year comprehensive warranty on it, too, so I feel safer now. It sounds like a lot of car for $13,000, yes?

[DavidSo]

2.5 liter V6? Is that right? That is a tiny V6. 260 HP out of that engine has got to come at a pretty high RPM. Is it a full time all wheel drive?

I don't know the vehicle, so take my comments for what they are worth. If you compare the torque curve of the Audi to the Forrester, you might be surprised. I'll bet from 0 to 2500 RPM the Forrester beats it. The little boxers develop a lot of grunt for what they are, and that low end grunt is what makes a good TV. Once the Audi comes on the boost, it should fly. I wouldn't be pulling out in front of any semi's though . I'd feel alot better channeling that power through all four wheels instead of 2.

I'd be real curious to know how this works out for you!

David

[floyd]

Originally Posted by John Mc

I'm about to buy an '03 Audi Allroad. It will be the big Family Truckster, used for several purposes including towing my Scamp 16 on occasional road trips.

FYI: The Allroad, sold between 2001-2005, is a beefed-up version of their big wagon, the A6. It's rated to tow 3300 pounds in the US, and 5000 pounds overseas. A 2.5 liter twin-turbo V6 delivers 260 HPs and about the same number of Torques. There's a pneumatic self-leveing suspension that can vary ride height by several inches, with big brakes and stability control to finish the package. Curb weight is 4200 pounds heavier than a Grand Cherokee but well south of a Suburban.

My question is (not)-- can this tow my Scamp 16, curb weight one ton? Don't say no. I'm sure the Audi can handle it, a great deal better than the Subaru Forester I've used in my Scampin' life so far. I just wonder why I haven't seen more threads about the Allroad, which seems to offer it all for those of us who don't fancy trucks and typical SUVs?

Is anybody within earshot using an Allroad to tow an egg trailer? I'm shopping for a hitch, so that kind of advice is especially welcome.

I'm ready to hear warnings of the dangers of owning used Euro luxury cars. This Audi may be the textbook example of that peril. But the car I'm buying has had $4K of preventive maintenance done this year, correcting all the model's known common weak points. There's a three-year comprehensive warranty on it, too, so I feel safer now. It sounds like a lot of car for $13,000, yes?

Two points...

1] The car is rare, which would explain part of the reason you don't here more about it. VW makes a fine car but the parts can be pricey.

2]After pulling your trailer all day, take it easy for the last few miles and let it idle for a couple of minutes before shutting it off, even with synthetic oil. Like while you check in at a campground. This will add life to your turbos and prevent them from coking off.

[John Mc]

[QUOTE=DavidSo;279153]2.5 liter V6? Is that right? That is a tiny V6. 260 HP out of that engine has got to come at a pretty high RPM. Is it a full time all wheel drive?

-- Sorry, Dave, I didn't get that quite right. It's a 2.7 liter v6 in the Audi. The same one they put in the S6, their fastest large sports sedan, but tuned for "more relaxed" driving. There's a total of 30 valves under the hood!

I don't know the vehicle, so take my comments for what they are worth. If you compare the torque curve of the Audi to the Forrester, you might be surprised. I'll bet from 0 to 2500 RPM the Forrester beats it. The little boxers develop a lot of grunt for what they are, and that low end grunt is what makes a good TV. Once the Audi comes on the boost, it should fly. I wouldn't be pulling out in front of any semi's though . I'd feel alot better channeling that power through all four wheels instead of 2.

-- The Forester is a non-turbo, with 166 lbs-ft at 4000 rpm. (It's taken me & Gypsy up every major paved pass in Colorado, only once requiring second gear). The Audi boosts that number to 258 torques at 1850! (Would you believe this is the first time I've ever checked that spec?)

I'd be real curious to know how this works out for you!

-- I'm curious myself about this video clip, an old TV ad for the Allroad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rA2kkjbC0o

-- and to the other poster-- Thanks, that's an excellent tip about turbo cooldown habits. I've had pretty good luck with my turbos, totalling 300K miles or so in SAABs and VW TDIs, and never a turbo failure (plenty of other failures, though).

[DavidSo]

Great commercial John!

[Bill in Pittsburgh]

Originally Posted by John Mc

I'm about to buy an '03 Audi Allroad. It will be the big Family Truckster, used for several purposes including towing my Scamp 16 on occasional road trips.

FYI: The Allroad, sold between 2001-2005, is a beefed-up version of their big wagon, the A6. It's rated to tow 3300 pounds in the US, and 5000 pounds overseas. A 2.5 liter twin-turbo V6 delivers 260 HPs and about the same number of Torques. There's a pneumatic self-leveing suspension that can vary ride height by several inches, with big brakes and stability control to finish the package. Curb weight is 4200 pounds heavier than a Grand Cherokee but well south of a Suburban.

My question is (not)-- can this tow my Scamp 16, curb weight one ton? Don't say no. I'm sure the Audi can handle it, a great deal better than the Subaru Forester I've used in my Scampin' life so far. I just wonder why I haven't seen more threads about the Allroad, which seems to offer it all for those of us who don't fancy trucks and typical SUVs?

Is anybody within earshot using an Allroad to tow an egg trailer? I'm shopping for a hitch, so that kind of advice is especially welcome.

I'm ready to hear warnings of the dangers of owning used Euro luxury cars. This Audi may be the textbook example of that peril. But the car I'm buying has had $4K of preventive maintenance done this year, correcting all the model's known common weak points. There's a three-year comprehensive warranty on it, too, so I feel safer now. It sounds like a lot of car for $13,000, yes?

After owning more than 60 vehicles in my life, I can tell you with confidence that a person is lucky if their 7+ year old Audi, Mercedes, BMW, or Saab doesn't need $4,000.00 in preventative almost every year. Proceed with caution!

[cpaharley2008]

The Audi in the info was a v-8!

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

The Audi in the info was a v-8!

But, it was towing something bigger then a 16' Scamp.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

But, it was towing something bigger then a 16' Scamp.

If you think it was really towing that, I have some property.........

[wjquigs]

I just bought a Scamp 16 Deluxe and towed it a few hundred miles home with my Touareg TDI. After towing my sailboat, it was like the Scamp wasn't even there, and I did not have the brakes connected. The Touareg is fairly similar to the Allroad, although obviously the diesel makes a difference. I think you'll be fine towing your Scamp. The AWD, traction control, and adjustable suspension do help a lot, except when it's time for service and you have to break open your wallet.
There's a thread in the Touareg forum about towing with an Allroad. Apparently one nutter towed 5000 lbs, which is probably like towing two Scamps at once.
Towing with an Audi Allroad - Club Touareg Forums

Incidentally, VW once had a commercial showing a V10 Touareg towing a 747. Was going a bit slower than in the Allroad commercial though.

Bill

[DavidSo]

Reminds me of the"Built Ford Tough" commercials. Luckily the trucks only had to last 60 seconds LOL.

[ThomasE]

I have family members that have had Volkswagens and their luxury brand Audi, I guarantee you any parts and repairs will be $$$$$. Have you considered the Subaru Outback (i.e. Legacy wagon) with the flat 6? Or a Forester with the turbo-4?

[floyd]

Originally Posted by DavidSo

Reminds me of the"Built Ford Tough" commercials. Luckily the trucks only had to last 60 seconds LOL.

Ford has announced the demise of the Ranger. Fortunately mine is only eleven years old and I can trust it today over anything new from another source.

Nobody built a better truck in that class, and certainly nobody built more miles for less money. Rumor is that their reason for quitting the Ranger was to push it's buyers into an F150 for a much greater profit margin.
Like the Mustang/Probe mistake they may have to bring it back!

[floyd]

Originally Posted by ThomasE

I have family members that have had Volkswagens and their luxury brand Audi, I guarantee you any parts and repairs will be $$$$$. Have you considered the Subaru Outback (i.e. Legacy wagon) with the flat 6? Or a Forester with the turbo-4?

You know what they say... It only costs twice as much to go first class.

[Jon Vermilye]

Engine wise, it specs pretty close to my RAV4 (269HP, 246 ft-lbs ) & I dragged a Escape 17B 20,000 miles so far including both east & west coast mountains...

[John Mc]

After a few days and late nights of shopping, researching, inspecting and purchasing my Allroad, I have more to report.

Yes, there are only two hitches available, a cheap Class I and a stronger Euro hitch that's out of production, list priced $1,200 if you can find one. I'm confident in the one-ton Curt hitch. It's equivalent to the hitch on my Forester, and equal to the weight of my lightweight Scamp 16 , which has no bathroom, oven, fridge or water tank.
Towing with the Subaru, I never felt that the hitch was the weakest link.

Neither was the available power, which was adequate for the 60 MPH speed limit that we all advise each other to observe at all times (wink). But the necessary 200 pounds of tongue weight was too much for the Forester's springs, causing the car go tail-heavy, planing nose-up like a speedboat.

By all indications, this Audi will be a fabulous tow car. It's got self-leveling air suspension, good for at least 300 lbs on the tongue. Stability control is on guard at all times. The brakes are the size of LP records. The power is way beyond adequate. Best of all, the cabin is a wonderfully quiet, spacious and serene place to sit and watch the world go by. Audi interiors are like Heaven's taxicabs, as lovely and comfortable as anything Mercedes or Lexus has to offer.

I'll report back this spring. We're planning on a spring break trip to Zion and the Grand Canyon. Another 500-mile drive in the Forester didn't seem so tempting, with its wind noise and slab seats. This time, the pleasure will begin the moment we leave the driveway.

[Bill in Pittsburgh]

Call your Audi dealer or local garage and get pricing on replacing those air shocks, transmission fluid change, head light bulbs, brake calibers, etc. to find out what you may be facing. European cars have a ride and feel that is very seductive, but they do break a little more frequently than your domestics or Japanese/Korean vehicles. And when they do -$$$$$$!.
If you are a crack mechanic it is possible to offset some of these costs. One thing I did years ago was to get a business license for "Performance Auto Repair". I was then able to purchase parts for my Porsche and Volvos wholesale. I would do the repairs and charge myself and pay the bill. Though I could have cheated on taxes, I didn't. My sole purpose was to take the dent out of the high price of parts. Again, something you may want to consider if you make this purchase if you feel confident doing your own repairs.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Bill in Pittsburgh

Call your Audi dealer or local garage and get pricing on replacing those air shocks, transmission fluid change, head light bulbs, brake calibers, etc. to find out what you may be facing. European cars have a ride and feel that is very seductive, but they do break a little more frequently than your domestics or Japanese/Korean vehicles. And when they do -$$$$$$!.
If you are a crack mechanic it is possible to offset some of these costs. One thing I did years ago was to get a business license for "Performance Auto Repair". I was then able to purchase parts for my Porsche and Volvos wholesale. I would do the repairs and charge myself and pay the bill. Though I could have cheated on taxes, I didn't. My sole purpose was to take the dent out of the high price of parts. Again, something you may want to consider if you make this purchase if you feel confident doing your own repairs.

I remember years ago a friend approached me with a "idea" where we would each exchange homes and then rent each other's house back to one another. He was so interested in getting the deduction he failed to realize he would also have income. So writing off repairs made by yourself would also result in you having to report as income the same amount. Known as a "Whipsaw" in taxes or wash effect which is -0-. The reason all this is knowledge is because I worked for IRS for 38 years before retirement 5 years ago.

[CliveAlive]

Congratulations on the new ride!

Looking forward to seeing photo's of the rig.

[jen b]

I'll look forward to hearing more, too. We're looking ahead to a new (used) car in another year or two. Figuring on getting more time from the 03 Forester first. Right now the more recent Subaru Outback is tops on the list.

I sure did love my VW TDI, though - I'm curious, did they send the diesel Allroad to north america, or are they all gas?