VW Alltrack: Anything I should know?

Helping my father decide on a replacement for his now-totaled 2017 Golf SportWagen (snow storms, spruce trees, and gravity are a combination better avoided). He has a long-standing relationship with the local VW dealer, so it's going to be another VW. I think he's inclined to another SportWagen, which brings us to the current short list:

- 2018 SEL, 29,995

- 2017 Alltrack SEL, 27,995

- 2015 TDI, modifications done and warrantied, 28k miles, 23,995

My gut tells me the Alltrack is the best buy out of these (it's a leftover, which accounts for the almost 7k off the MSRP), but I know almost nothing about them except for what I've read in the when-new reviews. He had a TDI before, and he's not opposed to another, but I think he's better off with the newer car and the AWD (we have winter here and he won't change to snow tires). Anything good, bad, or indifferent about these that I should be aware of before he pulls the trigger?

All I have heard is about the pano roof leaking.  We are currently looking at a '17 Sportwagen in the TSI flavor.  4motion, without the Audi Allroad fenders that accompany the Alltrack.  Most VW forums have good things to say overall.

Thanks. His last car had the pano sunroof and he had no problems, perhaps because he never opened it.

We just bought an 2018 Alltrack SE a couple weeks ago for the wife. Ended up going with an 18 since new 17 manuals are gone and for 2018 they have a 6 year / 72k mile bumper to bumper warranty. 

So far so good at 800 or so miles. 

All I've really heard about is the leaking roofs and other random VW type issues (CEL / electrical Gremlins)

It really will be bascially the same thing as his sportwagen w/ all wheel drive so if he liked that he should like this. It's all of about 1 inch taller half of which is larger sidewall tires. 

It's quite a bit slower and less rowdy than the Forester XT it replaced but is a way nicer place to spend time. 

The extra height, especially in the sidewall, is good - he drives into NYC a lot, and the roads are downright destructive. The warranty on the 17 can be extended out to 6/72 for $1200, which is probably a good thing to do, given VW's penchant for electrical gremlins. He'll be going with the SEL because he wants the heated power seats and the nav, so DSG it is.

maybe tell him that snow storms + gravity + snow tires <> spruce trees.

Aspen said:

maybe tell him that snow storms + gravity + snow tires <> spruce trees.

Well, had the car been moving at the time this might have been the case, but it was sitting motionless in the driveway when two spruces shed their tops, which plunged onto the unfortunate SportWagen.

I just bought my wife a 2018 vw Tiguan 4motion. WE love it! But I’ve got a 2015 TDI bought new and I love it also. 

We drove both the alltrack and Tiguan... ended up choosing the Tiguan for numerous reasons. As a very well informed Vw “fan” I can only recommend avoiding anything with a pano roof. We see issues a lot at my place of business. 

And yes I do work for a dealership that specializes in Vw’s and also possibly sells them new. -_- 

also... if he does purchase rather than lease recommend him to get a 2018 for the new warranty. Any questions feel free to ask.

Not sure what part of the world you're in, but if those are US $, that TDI is overpriced.

We paid a few grand less for our '15 TDI DSG SE "Fender Audio" Golf "new" about 11 months ago, it had ~33 miles on it when we drove it off the lot.

We test drove a '17 4motion Sportwagen, we liked it, but at least then you could only get 4motion on the lower S trim.  We wanted heated seats, so we passed.

I want an Alltrack, if Dieselgate hadn't killed them, we'd be in a TDI Alltrack today.

We sold our '14 TDI Sportwagen back to VW during the buy-back, bought the Golf a couple months later when they were finally green-lit to sell the leftover TDIs.  We test drove a some '15 TDI Sportwagens too, but they too were only S trims, non-sunroof models, and/or the wrong color when we were shopping.  I really like the Golf, but frequently miss the utility/cargo space of the wagon.

I just did the 20K service on our Golf Friday, the oil filter on the EA288 engines is in the dumbest spot, I've made the biggest messes both times I've changed the oil now, even had the special filter housing drain tool the second time.  Either put down a lot of cardboard, or pay someone to do it.  Dealer we bought it from charges $60, after the mess, I've about decided to gladly pay them to do it.

In reply to 02Pilot :

wind + spruce tree, got it 

In reply to bigdaddylee82 :

Vw doesn’t offer the incentives that you as well as myself received when buying the TDI leftovers. Sadly. Definitely some haggle room though.

Oh I forgot to mention if he goes 18 vs 17 it might be worthwhile to have him join the SCCA. They have a partnership program with VW and you get the car $500 off invoice. 

It's done. 2017 Alltrack SEL, white/black, 27,000+1,195 to extend the warranty out to the 6yr/72k that the 2018s come with.

Cool, I tried to get my wife to buy one.  She enjoyed it, but she really liked her mazda3 and thus the CX-5 won out.