IIRC the Toureg is pretty hard to get into/out of for tall guys since the windshield rakes back so severely. This from one auto show experience only.

I think you have to be more careful with VW dealers than with Mercedes dealers--at least the overwhelming consensus on the TDI forum is that VW dealers are terrible for service and seldom have any diesel knowledge. That forum does seem to appeal to the young and paranoid, it seems, but then again I'm not taking my Beetle TDI to my dealer. It does make some sense that a dealership selling cheapo cars won't have the investment in service capability that a "luxury" car dealer may have.

The Jeep is no longer available with the Mercedes diesel since the selloff and it seems even less likely you'll get service support for one of those. The thought of 'merikun iron mekanics working on the most technically complex engine sold in the USA is pretty scary.

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Kent Christensen
Albuquerque
'07 GL320CDI, '10 CL550. '01 Porsche Boxster
Two BMW motorcycles

I have heard all the horror stories about VW dealerships and even had a pretty bad experience myself with one when I had my '98 Jetta TDi but I really like the Touareg with a TDi(not the V10, that thing is too much and I understand it has some pretty big issues). I'm only 5'10 so I doubt I would have much of an issue with getting in and out of it. My old boss had one of the first ones(the ones with a very bad reputation) and I don't recall any issues with egress or ingress.

If I were to get the JGC, it would have to be used and I would actually prefer to get whatever I buy used because they're cheaper....

I am to the point where I really don't want anything but a diesel but if push comes to $hove I will buy a less expensive gasser like the Tacoma or even an older Jeep Cherokee for my off road capable ride.

I really, really like the Audi allroad but they have some air suspension gremlins that never really go away. They also drink premium unleaded like it's going out of style. If only we could get a TDi allroad in the states....

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1993 W124 300D
-297K on the clock as I type this.

I'm 6'4" and have a Cayenne. The driver's seat is all the way down and all the way back; and I still hit my head pretty much every time I get in the vehicle, no matter how much I duck.

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1973 280SE 4.5 (Sold)
1984 LWB 280GE (Sold)
2000 G500 NMLE - "Deep Throat"
2007 ML320 CDI (Sold)
2010 Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia TipTronic (Sold)
2010 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI (Sold and Sorely Missed)
2014 ML350 BTC
2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI (On Order)

Here's what Motor Trend thinks:

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/suvs/112_0904_diesel_hybrid_suv_comparison/index.html

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1993 W124 300D
-297K on the clock as I type this.