Ownership Verified: My first ever factory-new car: VW Tiguan 1.4 TSI

MacGuffin

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Joined
Mar 29, 2008
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Location
Wilhelmshaven, Germany
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'17 Ford Mustang GT Fastback
So...

Some chat members already knew it beforehand: First time in my life I got a brandnew car. A pepper grey metallic 2015 VW Tiguan 1.4 TSI.

So why this car and why now?

Firstly I must point out that my previous car, a 1999 Golf IV 1.6, was showing signs of age. And I don't necessarily mean mechanical issues but the more icky type of things that happen to 16-year-old cars that have only been driven for short distances throughout their lives. Meaning a lack of ever getting really warm resulted in certain side-effects moisture tends to have on the long run. I don't wanna go into detail ;) Also it started looking really crappy inside and outside. For years I neglected it, didn't give a damn about it. It was a thing that I used for transport, nothing more. I once got it for free and thus treated it like an object with no value.

Forum members who know me are familiar with me regularly getting rental cars due to a company discount I have with Sixt Rent-a-Car - so whenever I had to go somewhere (including Ringmeet), I didn't go in my Golf but rented something nice for the trip. Worked fine with me. Still does.

However, the point in time came closer and closer, where driving the Golf was becoming unpleasant and downright annoying. I knew something had to be done sooner or later. As it turned out, it was sooner. And I got an offer I couldn't refuse (no, it didn't contain a horse's head ;))

But first things first. Why a Volkswagen?

There have been two brands in my family that played a major role and influenced me from childhood on: VW and Mercedes. But more VW than Mercedes. My parents's first car was a Beetle. After their divorce my mum bought another Beetle, then a Polo, then another Polo, then a Golf. However, since all my cars have been cheap used cars so far, I never got a brandnew one before, never had a choice other then "What's most for my small amount of money?". So I also drove Opels and Audis. But at heart I'm a VW creature and my last three cars were VW's - a Jetta and two Golfs. So yes, Volkswagen has been my first choice. End of discussion.

So why the Tiguan?

Frankly I would have also been okay with another Golf. But the decision was kinda taken from me. You see, the Tiguan I have now, has a list price of 27,400 Euros. I got it for 20,199 Euros.

The difference is what VW paid me for my 16-year-old Golf. Also, my mother - who found the offer - offered she'd pay for it. Completely. But after a couple of days I told her that I'd rather have her lending me the money instead. Works fine with me, too, since I pay no interest now and have only small installments.

But the VW offer to trade in my yucky old Golf was connected to only that special VW Tiguan and no other car. So no choice or say in what it would look like and what kind of engine it has and what extras. It was all preset:

Colour: Pepper Grey Metallic
Engine: 1.4 liter TSI engine with 122 HP
Drive: Frontwheel Drive
Gearbox: 6-Speed Manual

So a rather basic model with not many extras. All the extras in the package summed up to 2,295 Euros. The extras consist of:

- Heated front seats
- CD radio with 8 speakers and MP3 connectivity
- Heated window washer jets
- Rear parking sensors
- Black roof rails
- Removable trunk floor
- Arm rest in the front
- All-weather tyres
- Smoker's edition (not that I'm a smoker)

After a few hours of consideration I came to think: "What the hell? I need a replacement for a 16-year-old Golf. I have no intention in getting some sporty or pretty or cool toy to impress other people. I just need a car for the 5,000 km I drive each year and anything fancy would just be a waste. Basically all I need is just a big, relibale, nicely made and nicely-to-drive shopping cart" - and the Tiguan fits the profile. Pure pragmatism. End of story.

Also I didn't want to look ungrateful and so I gave my mother the okay to sign the contract in my name. And that was 4 weeks ago. Yesterday I went to get the car. Any Japanese, French or even German alternatives weren't even taken into consideration. I definetely didn't want to end up with a Dacia or similar junk and another used car was completely out of the question, too. So please spare me with what I could have also gotten instead rants ;)

Doesn't matter, though, because the Tiguan is a really nice car, full stop.

It's the best-selling small SUV in Germany with a market share a bit over 30 %, if I remember correctly. It's been made for 8 years now, which means all problems and diseases that once existed, are solved and cured by now. It's a quiet, really comfortable, nicely handling and enjoyable-to-drive car. And I came to really like the higher sitting position.

However, it's no rocket. The 122 HP have to fight with the weight and the massive air drag of the Tiguan. From 140 km/h onwards acceleration is a matter of patience. However, it's a lot more agile than my old Golf with its 101 HP, despite weighing 400 kg more. That's because of the turbo of course, which offers a lot more torque than the naturally aspirated 1.6 liter Golf engine. Top speed is said to be 185 km/h, a bit less than my old Golf, but I haven't driven the Tiguan to that top speed yet. Fastest I went on the way back home, was 175 km/h due to traffic. Having said that, you can cruise along with 160 km/h in a really quiet atmosphere. The engine does 3200 rpm in 6th gear at that speed (which means the fuel consumption will not give you a heart attack), the car feels rocksteady and all you hear is the wind noise.

So all in all I think it was the right decision to make that step, though I admit it was a rather hasty one. I have a brand new car I can easily live with for some time again and when I really want to have some more fun, the rental car option is still there.

Finally, one thing has to be considered, too: The difference between a Golf IV and a Tiguan is enormous. They are literally worlds apart. The VW Tiguan is a modern car on the current level of technology. It comes with all the stuff as standard that was only available as an expensive option 15 years ago - if at all. For instance:

- Air condition with pollen filter and charcoal absorber (so bye-bye, smelly air from outside, so long you dirty diesels and two-strokes and farewell you bloody farmers putting slurry on your fields)
- ESP
- A 5-star NCAP crashtest rating
- Automatic lights (no more forgetting leaving your lights on)
and lots of other achievements of the 21st century I cannot think of offhand ;)

So will I bring the Tiguan to the Ringmeet and do a lap? Probably not. I'd still rather have a big rental for that to make the event even more special for me :D

Now for some pics.

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Very practical: The removable trunk floor, so you can put stuff underneath it.
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And last but not least: The mandatory "Yes, it's really mine" pics...
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1.4 TSI :cheers:

I'm not sure I would choose one in a car as big as the Tiguan, but it's a brilliant engine nevertheless. And I would've made the same choice as you did given the circumstances.
 
1.4 TSI :cheers:

I'm not sure I would choose one in a car as big as the Tiguan, but it's a brilliant engine nevertheless. And I would've made the same choice as you did given the circumstances.

If it's not breaking, yes. :p

But honestly, nice choice Guffin. Had the chance to drive it as a 2.0 TDi the last couple of weeks and it's a great car. It surprised me.
 
Congrats. Looks pretty good.
 
I've always had a soft spot for Tiguans, not sure why. Looks great in that color, and 6-speeds make everything better!
 
I've often thought that it was only because taxation is so high in Denmark that we don't always get stuff like leather steering wheel as standard on cars like this...

Otherwise I don't have much to say about it, except it actually looks fairly good for an SUV! Congrats!
 
Well.... it's grey, it's a VW, and it's a small SUV. Very mainstream of you. :p But seriously, based on your criteria, it's a good choice. Have fun with it.

Also, you don't seriously keep the parking disc and city map in the trunk, do you?
 
Thanks everybody. I suppose the feeling and smell of a new car is something special, no matter what kind. So all in all I'm actually rather happy about the situation :D

Also, you don't seriously keep the parking disc and city map in the trunk, do you?

It's a spare parking disc. I have another one behind the sunvisor ;)

And yes, I put all my city maps and roadmaps in there, now that I have the room for them. Usually I know beforehand where I want to drive to. So if necessary, I can pick it up from the trunk before I set of ;) I'm glad I finally have the space for my collection of roadmaps in the car. When I was in the air force, I collected city maps and road maps of every town or region I went to. I will leave away the Texan maps, though :p
 
My first ever factory-new car: VW Tiguan 1.4 TSI

Nice! Cracking deal aswell. Over here a Golf IV even with a low mileage is practically worthless now. 5k a YEAR is spectacularly little, I expect your car to last a thousand years at that rate. I'm doing quadruple that in the C1, used to do even more (30-35k a year) in the Astra

Also, quit defending and rationalising your choice so much...it's YOUR choice and if you're happy with it that's all that matters
 
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VW sells the Tiguan with a 1.4L petrol engine? Weird, here the Tiguan is only sold with the 2.0L TSI engine...

Congratulations for the car! The tiguan is a nice looking little SUV:)
 
The Tiguan is offered with 4 different petrol engines and 3 different diesel engines here, ranging from 110 to 210 HP. Traditionally you get a much wider choice of engine options here in Europe, than in other parts of the world.
 
So it has more engine than color options :p

No. 12 colours available, even red, blue and green. But the model I was offered, was only available in white and grey. And white was already sold out.
 
Congrats on a nice VW and hope it serves you well for a long time.

BTW, it seems to me that cars on German roads are only limited to white, 50 shades of grey and black when I look around :p Not that mine is doing much to break the trend tho :/
 
Sweet little SUV. Any plans to tune the ecu? I remember these 1.4 came in different versions, im guessing the 160-170bhp or so one is not that much different than this one except programming? Or do they still use the 1.4 turbo+compressor ones? I find it really sad how I rarely ever see cars with those engines for sale anymore. Whats better than a compressor for low rpms and turbo to kick in later.
 
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This is the baby 1.4 with only a small turbo making 122hp, the turbo + supercharger 1.4 Tiguan makes 160hp and is still for sale.
 
Nice! One of my coworkers has a Tiguan in black..it looks really good!

Did you debadge your car yourself?
 
No, it came that way. Debadging is an option you can choose.
 
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