cuatrokoop

'07 4.2 w/air suspension, factory tow and aftermarket brake controller. I've pulled a 9klb GVWR dump trailer mostly full (guessing 7k lbs), my enclosed Haulmark car trailer with a bunch of stuff in it (4500lbs, guessing), an open uhaul steel car trailer with my old A6Q (5-5.5k) including many hills that ended up with almost dropping to 1st gear they were so steep (back roads of south/central OH), etc etc.

I'll be pulling my Haulmark with my 1990 Coupe quattro loaded in it, with a large amount of parts from NWOH to NEOH in a couple weeks. Not very worried about that haul either. I'm sure I'll only get 14mpg at best (that is what I got with my trailer at 60mph on I-75 construction zone).

I've also checked, I should be able to pull our Wellcraft Eclipse 260 on an aluminum tandem axle trailer (6500lbs total). I'd just prefer electric brakes and not surge brakes, which is hard to find on a boat trailer. I'm not a fan of surge brakes.

I've only towed smaller loads with my daily driver 3.6 Premium, I added the factory trailer controller and receiver, so it's rated at 5500lbs.

I have Unitronic programming in the 4.2 (and my daily driver 3.6).

DUTCH VanAtlanta

I towed this 4400 lb camper to Alaska and back from Atlanta with my 2015 Q7 3.0 TDI. With the full sized spare up top on the Q7, I averaged 17.5 mpg with speeds on the US Interstates up to 80 mph.

Air suspension really is a big plus in my experience, since it levels the Q7 with a heavy tongue weight.

lentiman

TDI all the way for towing. When getting this beast I specifically wanted a turbo diesel and it hasn't disappointed. We have a 20' Mastercraft ski boat and it's about 5000 lbs with the trailer and gas. The Q7 TDI tows it like it's not even there and I love it. Makes it a dream to tow. We towed the boat with a 2007 MDX and it was okay but over 70mph it was not stable (any shimmy would start to build to steady shaking, scary) but the Q7 TDI I can pull the boat at over 80mph without even a concern. We also have air suspension which is very nice.

Oh, one word of warning though: when dropping your boat in the water put the air suspension in lift mode and make sure you don't get the exhaust pipes wet. Getting any water in the exhaust pipes will fry the emissions sensors and put the car into limp mode. Found this out the hard way. In a gasser you'd not have to worry about this.

DEEZ11

Son of a bitch!!!! I just experienced this last weekend. I heard water swooshing around in the exhaust pipes when I pulled the boat out- so far i haven't gotten an indication that the emissions sensors are fried--- did you get a visual indication that the system went into limp mode???

lentiman

You can read all the details here: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q7-...aster-2899167/

I'd never had issues with putting the exhaust pipes in the water before my TDI. I ended up going back in my wife's MDX at 11:30pm to tow the boat back home. Kind of disaster like but everything is okay now. They should put a warning on the car about it. It's got a towing package and towing a boat should be expected as well as getting the exhaust pipes wet. It's my only complaint about the car so far.

DEEZ11: How do you like your APR Stage 1 tune?

J. Patterson

NOTED! Thanks for the heads up. My ramp is steep and I have to get kind of deep to get the bow of the Mastercraft over the bow latch. I'll be careful.

My Nox sensor has been replaced twice under CPO anyway but it was not related to backing into the water either time. Just Nox readings out of range.
(imagine that :-/)

DEEZ11

Thanks for the heads up on this ill make sure to put the suspension in lift mode from here on out- that would not be fun to deal with. The water swooshing around in the exhaust cans was alarming enough.

Tune is great, highly recommended- I actually just had to take the tune off to take the car in for some service at the dealership and its definitely noticeable, even during the 3 mile drive to and from my performance shop to the dealership. It back on now, It improves throttle response and gives the car a bit more grunt from the improved torque thru the power band and it pulls my boat like a dream.

Sick Mastercraft by the way- I love how the new ones allow you to drip the tower like that during transit- keeps all the bugs off.

Greystoke

What tune did you use for your TDI?

Grey

lentiman

APR stage 1. It's in his signature

D3Audi

Do you guys think I'd kill my Q7 trying to tow a 29ft Searay Sundancer? lol I don't have a truck and I wonder if it'd be dumb to even try it. About 8 miles from my house to the boat launch. I think it would damage the car. Maybe transmission... What do you all think?