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I have often thought that it would be nice to have a short break in a journey...lunch, nap, etc. and do it with the comfort of Air Conditioning. I carry a Honda 2000i generator in the truck bed, but the effort of starting it and attaching the cable just seems to be too much effort for a short stop. Call me lazy. So I have been researching means by which I can run my AC on batteries for short periods. I'm not talking hours...just a short time to have that refreshing break. The challenge with AC on battery is something called Locked Rotor Amps. This is that instantaneous burst of energy required to get your AC compressor turning. In my case the Atwood Air Command 13.5 has a LRA of 63.5. You may consult your owners manual for your specific LRA. The running amps are only 12.5 for mine. (That's high based on actual experience) My quandary was that I could run the AC with my Honda 2000i, but when I wired the AC into the 2000 WATT inverter the compressor would not start. So began my quest for the holy grail...running my AC on batteries. Solution: Install an "Easy Start" soft start kit by Micro Air which reduces the LRA draw by as much as 75%. https://id144248.webhosting.optonline.net/microair.net/merchantmanager/product_info.php?cPath=4&products_id=4 Install a Kisae transfer switch so the inverter knows when there is no shore power. http://www.donrowe.com/KISAE-TS20A-Automatic-Transfer-Switch-p/ts20a.htm With some consulting by Steve L (ScubaRX) I finished the project today at 4:00 PM. With breath held I unplugged from shore power. turned the inverter on, and cranked the AC thermostat down to 80 degrees. The heat index was about 90 at that time. To my utter delight the AC cycled on just as it was supposed to. I was so excited I called Steve to share the good news and we chatted for about thirty minutes while I performed some battery checks. With solar on the draw was 0.7 Amps...not bad for the comfort of AC. Steve suggested I turn solar off to see what the actual draw would be. I was pleased to not that only 4.5 -5.5 amps were being used while the AC was on battery. Now before you get all exercised about ruining my batteries remember that this is a short term thing. One, maybe two hours while at a rest stop, or to leave our Penny Lane in a cool trailer while we have a meal in a restaurant. The important thing is that it can be done. Not cheaply at about $400 total...but well worth it for me.

I'm sorry to hear that so many people are having issues with the radio/tv setup. This issue has been addressed and we shouldn't see this issue moving forward. If anyone goes through what has already been suggested here and continues to have issues, please give us a call.

Tuaregs are solid trucks, but like any German vehicle they will absolutely kill you with extremely high repair costs once the warranty is gone. The 3.0 TDI engine uses FOUR timing chains and the chains are not known for their longevity. Early engines (around 2005) also had issues with tensioner failures. All the chains are at the BACK of the engine, so you are looking at complete engine remove just to gain access, at say $125 per hour at your stealership. Read this: http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/V6-TDI-engine-FAQ.htm If you tow your Ollie into remote regions you run the risk of having a breakdown and not being within half a state of a VW or Audi dealer. Local repair shops will have little experience with these vehicles, nor will they have the expensive specialized tooling needed to diagnose and work on them. Having owned three German cars over the years, I am at the "never again" stage and will not buy a vehicle that cannot be worked on in just about any town large enough to have a car dealer of some kind. If you never venture into the remote Western states, you may be fine with a Tuareg. Just don't try to get a blown trannee or broken timing chain fixed in say Wyoming or Nevada. For example there is ONE VW dealer (and no Audi dealers) in Wyoming, and three in Nevada, and they are located in the cesspools of Las Vegas and Reno. If you travel the boonies you are out of luck. Will AAA tow your car 300 miles for free? I don't think so. The new Titan is intriguing, and the new Cummins 5.0 V8 may in time prove to be a wonder, but being brand new, it is completely unproven and parts availability will be difficult and the parts will be expensive, until it becomes used in more vehicles. I think this would be a killer engine for towing in a light duty Ram pickup., either in a 1500 4x4, as an option in place of the 3.0 EcoDiesel) or in a 2500 Power Wagon. The PW is a superbly capable offroad truck hampered by horrible fuel economy ... the only thing preventing me from running to the dealer to buy one.... If you tow lots of miles into remote areas, buy one of the Big Three for ease of repairs and service. If you plan to be up high more than occasionally (say the Colorado Plateau, or even the very steep back roads of Idaho), get a diesel for the low end torque. Diesels are preferred for towing not just because they get good fuel economy, but because the driving experience is so darned relaxed. You don't worry about climbing or passing, and the greatly extended range between fill-ups is just a nice bonus. Being able to calmly climb a steep pass at 12,000 feet with your engine at 1800 rpm is wonderful. Gas engines have to work in the upper end of their rpm range and having the motor screaming just does not make for a relaxing drive. The only way you know a diesel is working hard is the boost and temperatures go up. Otherwise, it's smooth relaxed sailing. I have a 2006 Ram with the Cummins 5.9 (the last year before all the emissions junk) and I could never go back to gas. John Davies Spokane WA

Quick followup, just picked up our Oliver from Toms Alignment here in the Bozone. They did check for alignment but said it was dead nuts perfect. The EZ Flex suspension system is now installed and it is quiet as a church mouse either going over bumps on the road or leveling the trailer. Its only a short drive from our house to the repair shop so I haven't put it to the test for ride quality but from what I could tell the towing did seem somewhat smoother and more compliant, a good thing. The guys working on it thought the kit was awesome. Inspecting the old parts, the following is what we observed. Some plastic bushings in fairly rough condition but not as bad as I would have imagined, but rust and lots of it everywhere, inside and outside of the bushings as well as the bolts and races the bushings fit into. If there ever was any grease in these areas, and I doubt it, that grease had long left the building. Some bushings did have cracks and splits along the length while others still inside their through holes or races had some flaking. Will try and do a test ride later today or tomorrow and report back on the ride and towing improvement if any. Hope this helps.