Volkswagen Passat 2005 and earlier

bjbird2

What's an HP air filter?
I was going to change to a K&N filter, but I'm trying to get more info. As I said earlier, some time ago I read a post from an engineer who claimed he was involved in performance testing of air filters, and had the graphs and charts on a website to show that the K&N filters did very little to increase performance, and in some cases they were detrimental to performance. If this is true, it seems the only advantage for K&N would be that they are washable. I've always used them in my vehicles, but held off on using a K&N in my Passat after reading that post.
Does anyone have more information?

paulseattle

thanks for your opinion on the brake job.
after presenting the opinion of other shops and dealerships, the shop where the job was done actually gave me the money they charged for turning the rotors back. at that point it wasn't about the forty bucks rather than the fact that they couldn't prove the validity of their charge.

toddl

Took my car out on the highway for an hour to appointment and back. Average MPG crept up to 16 from 13. After going to the dealer, they don't see anything wrong.

I love the car still, but feel a bit mislead with 13 MPG when the sticker claims 19 MPG. If I wanted this, I would have bought an SUV, not a European sedan.

If anyone can suggest something (K&N air filter, etc), let me know.

markcincinnati

markcincinnati

Easy one first, filters -- schools of thought do include: very little benefit, some benefit, a lot of benefit. I suppose there is always someone who will say absolutely no diff, and waste of money.

I say there is a little benefit and it is inexpensive and the one I got made the car sound a little more aggressive under acceleration, kindof a WAAAAAA WAAAAA (deep) sound.

=====

Eurpean cars are "more difficult" to get worked on, huh? I don't know about you, but if I buy a new car, I have it serviced at the dealer. Minor stuff, limited perhaps to fluids and tires, many places can perform these services.

I would not want the "corner mechanic" to work on my Toyota, Acura, Audi, Volvo, BMW or VW -- so the "perhaps more risky if they need fixin'" doesn't sway me.

If you like the Passat and have compared it to other cars that ostensibly compete with it, you have probably already come to the conclusion that a Toyota Camry and a Passat are in many way polar opposites. The Passat may have its detractors (and fans) but the "European" car feel of the Passat is unmistakable -- the car will handle differently (notice I was careful not to say better, yet).

To many who write for car magazines for a living, the Passat -- especially the W8 Passat with 6spd manual and sport package -- blows away its competitors in the "joy of driving" category.

Moreover, the all wheel drive Passat, which due to its low add on price is a no-brainer option, sets the Passat so far apart (and I think above) much of its competition, well -- why bother?

The car you are buying may be an appliance -- in all the most positive senses of that word -- or the car may be an extension of you. The Passat is for the person who wants the car to at least some extent to be an extension of themselves. It is hard to think of it as an appliance.

These are the subjective attributes, naturally.

Only your butt will know -- and only if you test them both.

Don't get a Camry because someone told you that the VW would be challenging to have serviced. But don't get the VW if you really love the Camry.

The comparison between the two should demonstrate that VW's marketing campaign at least was influenced by its engineers "driver's wanted," indeed.

jlmoran

I need to vent a little. My wife took my 3-month old GLX V6 to the doctor's, and a nimrod driving a Jeep decided it would be a great idea to slam her car into reverse to get into the doctor's office driveway that she just missed -- as my wife was pulling into said driveway.

My Passat's driver-side door was smashed; the driver's side front quarter panel was smashed; the driver's side-view mirror was wrecked. The body shop has said that at this point, it's simpler to just replace the entire door and quarter-panel rather than try and repair them.

Thankfully, my wife was completely unhurt. The side-curtain airbags didn't even deploy, as the impact was slow enough that the glass didn't break and the interior compartment completely retained its integrity. Had this occurred in my wife's Saturn wagon, I know the damage would have been a lot worse and she may well have gotten a spray of glass to the face.

But now I'm driving my mom's '95 Saab 9000 CS while my car is in the body shop. And the Saab bites!! The engine and cooling system are unbelievably noisy, the sound system is incredibly tinny, and on the way home I hit a bump in the road and had my head smack into the sunroof well.

The insurance company is sending an adjuster to look at my car tomorrow, thank God. Hopefully, by the time I'm back from vacation on Labor Day, my car will be fixed and I can send my mom's car back to her. I really didn't appreciate how good this car is until I was suddenly deprived of it and put into another (albeit 7-year old) "luxury" import car.

outrun

I've heard reports of people getting upwards of 27mpg with the V6 (non 4Mo) on the highway. I'm not sure what they're doing different. But try this:

Get onto the highway, cruise at 65.
Reset the MFA (holding the A/B selector switch in for a few seconds)
Go into A (current trip) mode
Go to the MPG Average mode
See what the MFA shows after 10-20 minutes.

I consistently get 30+mpg crusing at 80 with my 1.8T. My record high on my commuting route (30 miles, 80% highway) is 38.6 (according to the MFA).

-Craig

hoodornament

My experiences pretty much mirror Craigs, I always get 30+ on the highway (1.8t), albeit with a manual tranny. I have read other posts on this board that say they get an easy 20+ mpg with the V6 (approaching 30mph on the highway).

jlmoran

I drive about 85% highway, 15% in town, and after three months I consistently average 24 MPG. When I'm on the highway, holding at 75 mph, the MFA shows an average of about 27 MPG after 20 minutes of driving; in town it's about 20 MPG.

I do make sure to use 93 Octane gas on every fill-up, although the few times I've used 91 I haven't noticed any difference in mileage.

bjbird2

I've never gotten less than 30mpg on road trips in my 1.8t, driving an average of 70mph, often hitting 80-85. The best mileage was 35mpg on a 1000 mile trip, using cruise most of the time.
MPG around town has averaged 26.

bjbird2

I'm not so sure that the answer to the K&N air filter performance is so easy.
2 posts by the Tech Writer of another forum (Westfalia.org) on this topic:
"the engine was designed for a particular air flow and resistance. An aftermarket filter can alter these characteristics and negatively affect performance. More (the aftermarket's usual claim to 'better breathing') isn't necessarily better. See your Bentley Sections 3-6 and 9-4.3."

"Air flow is governed...by the intake process -- the 'vacuum' of the intake stroke, [rather than by how much air one can force into the air-filter]. Sealed, pressurized intake air (turbo or supercharge) can improve performance/efficiency, but only if the fuel system is equally adjusted."

and
"I wouldn't be surprised if this is true.
My friend runs a Miata in SCCA Club Racing. He dynoed his car, comparing the effect on horsepower of different filters (paper, K&N, or cone) and various timing changes.

At the best timing setting when using the K&N, the K&N was down 3 horsepower compared with the stock paper filter. So, essentially, at least with the Miata, you pay $45 for the privilege of losing 3 horsepower."

5speeder

I'm curious why you use 93 octane rather than the specified 91. I've used them both in my 1.8 and don't see any reason to use the 93 (unless I can't get 91 or 90)

bronsonb

My wife's 1999 Passat GLS V6 Auto gets 30+ MPG on the highway. We also have a 2003 1.8T auto wagon, and it gets about 26 on the highway. City mileage for the V6 is about 20 MPG. The 1.8T gets about 21 - 22 MPG in the city. Hope this info helps.

altair4

You wrote:
>>Took my car out on the highway for an hour to appointment and back. Average MPG crept up to 16 from 13. After going to the dealer, they don't see anything wrong.<<

Ummm, okay, let's get down to exactly what information you have and where you are getting it.

1) When you are reading your mileage, are you reading from MFA #1 or #2? You can switch back and forth between them by pressing the button on the bottom of the right steering wheel stalk. #1 give the mileage for the most recent trip (as long as the car was off for more than a couple of hours or the MFA was reset). #2 reads the aggregate mpg and will continue to do so until you either a) reset it, or b) it exceeds one of the reading parameters. MFA #2 adjusts more slowly the more miles racked up.

2) Have you ever calculated you mileage by hand? You know, mileage driven divided by gasoline purchased (full tank to full tank)?

Let's try another experiment in real world driving - go out and buy a full tank of gas. Reset the both MFA's (both of them - if you don't know how to do this, read the manual. I'm not being a smart-@ss - some people really don't know how). Take another drive on the highway - non-rush hour. Is this car a tiptronic automatic? If so, make sure you are in "D" and not "4" or some other position. Record what both MFA's say for your MPG. Fill up again, and do the math by hand.

If you are still getting only 13 to 16 mpg, I'd say you have either something wrong with your car or you are driving in some incredibly mountainous terrain. If there's a substantial discrepancy between the MFA readings and you hand calculations (I personally have never seen more than a 3.7% discrepancy), then maybe there's a calibration problem.

Finally, what was your last car (model, engine, and transmission)? What kind of mileage did you get with it? This will give people here something to compare to.

As an aside, I have a wagon with the 1.8T and Tip. I get in the low 20's around town and over 30 mpg on the interstate. Wagons aren't as aerodynamic as the sedan (but we can haul lots more ;->) Your numbers seem very low, especially your highway run.

Good luck! Looking forward to hearing your results!

PS: Are you a two-footed driver? Are you resting one foot on the brake pedal? Again, I'm not trying to insult you - just trying to help figure out your mileage problem.

PPS: Are you on the original tires and rims? Changing rim size can impact the mileage and the mileage readout on the MFA.

toddl

I appreciate your input. I suspect that my bad mileage is do to the fact the car is only a month old, we drive usually for 10-15 mins max all city, and there are a few hills around our area.

The 1.8T is going to get better mileage no matter what.

I can see we will get better mileage on the highway, but the city mileage at 13-15 mpg baffles me. Can't help but to think I bought an SUV in Passat clothes.

altair4

Hey, just saw your post. Short trips like that...yep, I can get individual trip readings in the teens, too, even with the 1.8T. But if I give it a little longer trip, the reading improves steadily. Give it some time to break in more, and try my suggestions on the highway again. It really should be doing better.

toddl

You wrote:
>>Took my car out on the highway for an hour to appointment and back. Average MPG crept up to 16 from 13. After going to the dealer, they don't see anything wrong.<<

Ummm, okay, let's get down to exactly what information you have and where you are getting it.

1) When you are reading your mileage, are you reading from MFA #1 or #2? #1 give the mileage for the most recent trip (as long as the car was off for more than a couple of hours or the MFA was reset).
I can see from MFA#1 what mileage I am getting on a real time basis. Highway mileage on MFA 1 is fine, city varies from 7-19 mpg on a real time basis.

#2 reads the aggregate mpg and will continue to do so until you either a) reset it, or b) it exceeds one of the reading parameters. MFA #2 adjusts more slowly the more miles racked up.

MFA#2 moved from 13 mpg in mostly city, to 16 mpg after driving for about 80 miles on the highway. It is now going back to 15 mpg after city only driving.

2) Have you ever calculated you mileage by hand? You know, mileage driven divided by gasoline purchased (full tank to full tank)?

I haven't done this yet, but will do so. However, I know from the miles I have driven (1K) and how fast the tank empties that something isn't right. I am averaging about 225 miles/tank.

Let's try another experiment in real world driving - go out and buy a full tank of gas. Reset the both MFA's (both of them - f you don't know how to do this, read the manual. I'm not being a smart-@ss - some people really don't know how). Take another drive on the highway - non-rush hour. Is this car a tiptronic automatic? If so, make sure you are in "D" and not "4" or some other position.

I have reset this 3 times, and still have the same results. The car is a triptonic auto, and yes, the car is always in D. I have tried using the manual part of the triptonic, with no improvement.

As for driving on the highway non-rush hour, I live in LA, so this is near impossible. Every hour is rush hour. :-)

If you are still getting only 13 to 16 mpg, I'd say you have either something wrong with your car or you are driving in some incredibly mountainous terrain.

I am not sure I am the only one with this issue. Someone earlier posted she lives in SF, and when she drives her V6 wagon, she averages 7-9 mpg, because of the short trips and hills. It is somewhat hilly here, but not mountainous. The dealer's service lady has the exact same car, even color, and averages 16 mpg in the area.

Finally, what was your last car (model, engine, and transmission)? What kind of mileage did you get with it? This will give people here something to compare to.

My last car was a 2.0 4 cyl turbo Saab 900 SE Conv. 5 spd. I averaged about 17 mpg in the city. The cars weigh about the same.

Good luck! Looking forward to hearing your results!

big_guy

I have a 1.8T with tip tranny. For my little 10-15 all city jaunts I frequently get readings for mileage in the mid teens. It isn't until I hit a longer stretch of road, without all the traffic lights and stop and go traffic, that my mileage gets up into the 24 mpg range that I average. My commute is about 50/50 freeway and city.

On the way into work where I am traveling on freeway initially and going downhill for most of the way, my onboard mileage meter gives me a reading of 30 mpg pretty consistantly. On the way back home where I start out in city traffic and I have to go back up hill to get home, the onboard mileage meter gives me a reading of 22 mpg pretty consistantly. When I add in all the short trips to the grocery store etc., the average mileage between fill-ups is about 24 mpg. The best I have been able to do on an extended highway trip was 33 mpg which included several mountain passes and an average speed of 60 mph. Just my $.02

altair4

Well, I'd say that your MPG readout is right, and that if you were driving an actual SUV, you'd be very close to single digit MPGs (based on my experience with a recently rented Ford Explorer that saw 18 mpg on a trip that was virtually all interstates from Pennsylvania to Illinois and back again). This is backed up by your service person's exerience. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

BTW, my condolences on LA traffic. Haven't been there in at least eight years and don't miss the traffic at all. I'm sure it's only gotten worse.

PS: My car is EPA rated at 21/30. I'm averaging 22.4 overall (yeah, I've got to do something about that obsessive/compulsive thing about MPG records). Around town, I almost always beat the 21 mpg rating, at least by a little. I don't get out on the highway much, but the last long trip I took in February gave us 30.8 mpg with a packed car. I've got a trip to Michigan planned for over Labor Day weekend, so it'll be a chance to see what the mileage is like, now that the engine is broken in (although the a/c will likely be on the whole way).

It doesn't take much of getting into the boost with the 1.8T to start to eat into the mileage numbers (but darn, it's sooooo much fun).

outrun

I got the 38.6 with a 1.8T, manual tranny, sedan. Important facts I left out.

I watch the MFA average once in a while, and during the first 3-5 minutes, it's between 15 and 20. Then once I get on the highway, it screams up to 30+.

If I do extended city driving, it creaps up between 24 and 29, depending on how frisky I'm feeling.

My car is rated at 24/31.

-Craig

jlmoran

There was a discussion a while back on this board about the right gas to use. The general consensus was either use 91, or spend the extra 6-10¢ a gallon and buy premium/93 Octane.

Initially I was going mid-grade and decided to go with the premium in the end, mainly because I have to fill the tank every 6-7 days and the annual difference in my gas payments worked out to about $3 - $6 (60 fill-ups per year x $0.06 per gallon = $3.30; if it's $0.10 per gallon difference then it's $6 ). The premium usually contains the detergent additives and all, so what the heck? I'd rather baby the car a bit for an extra $3 - $6 a year.

vocus

I had a Jetta, and was told by Pep Boys, Sears, and another tire shop that they didn't have the correct tools to work on my car when I needed a lug nut removed that had been put on too tight. So to a certain extent, that can be true.

outrun

The recommended fuel is 91+ Octane. Using less will result is less power and less fuel efficiency. This results almost in a break even situation: cheaper gas = less miles per gallon.

Might as well enjoy all the performance the engine can give you - fill up with premium.

And I believe that all grades of gas as reputable gas stations contain detergents (Shell, Exxon, Mobil, etc.).

-Craig

warhawk5

The annual difference in your gas payments is more like $50-60 ($90-100 if the diffrence is $.10 per gallon). You forgot to multiply by gallons going into the car. At $.06 a gallon more, it costs about an extra dollar each fill-up (based on a 16 gallon tank). It's still worth the extra, though.

I'm just curious where you can even buy 91 octane? I live in Wisconsin and we have 87, 89, and 93. We don't have 91, so I'm forced to put 93 in my tank. I have an '03 GLX Tip.

stephenmbell

I was wondering,I have on 03 Passat GLX --

I don t have my manual handy, but when I bought the car, the dealer said the books says get an oil change every 5000 miles, but they recommend 3k??? What have you all done?

Also, if I get the oil changed any place other than a vw dealership - does that void the warranty?

Thanks

outrun

Deduct the cost of getting worse gas mileage, and the difference is really nill.

-Craig

1993flhs

Warhawk5, Here in colorado the gas octanes are 85,87,91. You need less octane at higher altitudes.

bjbird2

Most of the time I buy my gas at Sam's Club where 93 octane sells for about the same price as regular everywhere else. I've heard that Sam's sells gas at cost or below to draw customers to the store.
Does anyone have information on how much or how little detergent the retailers put in their gas, or do they all buy from the same distributors?

5speeder

Craig--we're not questioning jlmoran about premium vs. standard octane, the question is about 91 vs. 93. Anyway, if what you say is so, that all grades contain detergents, there'd be no reason to buy 93 when you can get 91 for a lower price, right? RE: mileage, because 87 gives lower mileage than 91, it doesn't necessarily follow that 93 gives better mileage than 91, ageed?

outrun

Yes. I don't think there are many markets/stations that have both 93 and 91. It's more of a regional/climate thing. If both are offered, it'd be fruitless to buy 93 instead of 91. But anything below 91 is not recommended.

Sorry if I misunderstood the conversation...

-Craig

outrun

Almost all stations source their gas at the same gas reserves. But the stations themselves add the detergents that make one brand better than the other.

Personally, I use Mobil (Speed Pass, baby!). When not available, Exxon or Shell are my 2nd choice.

-Craig

jlmoran

You were right about me forgetting the number of gallons per fill-up. However, I'm typically getting 12 gallons at a fill-up, not 16. To do 16 I'd have to run the tank dry, and I'm not about to do that. I pretty much get the tank filled when the fuel indicator light comes on, which is typically with 40 miles left on the display.

At 12 gallons a fill-up, that works out to $39.60 with $0.06 difference; $72 with $0.10 difference. Definitely a significantly larger sum, but I think still worthwhile.

Here in NJ, the gas grades that are available vary by the seller. Exxon, Mobil and Gulf all typically have three grades -- 87, 91, and 93/94 (depending on their level of "premium"). Most Sunoco stations have five grades -- 87, 89, 91, 93 and 94 "Ultra".

quan69

Congrats on getting the Passat.

Mod suggestions: better suspension (springs/shock), better tires and/or bigger wheels, body kit (check out drivergear.vw.com), Alientech window controller. Chipping the V6 isn't really cost effective. You only get around 10 HP for the money. Go to www.clubb5.com and get ideas. Enjoy.

svrls

Hi, I own a 2002 GLX. Have your oil changed every 5,000 miles, not 3,000 (also depends where you live and how you drive). Go by what the manufacturer says not the dealer. As long as you mark in your manual where indicated (keep receipts) that you change your oil yourself or somewhere else when specified, your warranty is valid. I have brought my car in to the dealership for every oil change so far (3 times).

jtrujillo86

Hey guys...I have been all over Edmunds doing research about cars. Currently I own a 97 Chevrolet Malibu with 63K on her. I've had it for about 16K and in the past 6 months, I have dumped about $1,400 into getting it fixed.

Well the bottom line: I'm in the market for a used vehicle that will last me a while without anything more than maintenance. I've found a 99 Passat GLS with the 1.8 Turbo engine. She's silver and has 73K on the odometer. The options include the tiptronic tranny, alloy wheels, and sunroof. I have a few questions for ya'll:

1. For everyone with the 1.8T, how has the experience been? Since I'm buying a car with 73K on her, I'd at least hope it'll go to 150K without any repair over $400. Once again, I don't mind maintenance. Has anyone had any major failures with the turbo or anything like that? How about any transmission problems?

2. They're asking just under 10K for the car (actually it's $9,588). Is that over the top? According to Edmunds TMV, it's a good buy.

3. Is there anything that is supposed to be done that I should check on before I purchase? i.e. timing belt replacement

4. Assuming that the 65K or 70K service was done on the car (whichever the last service is before 73K), what is the next major job that needs to be done?

Thank you so much in advance for any help that is directed my way. I hope that by Wednesday, I can come to this board and gladly proclaim, "I'M A PASSAT OWNER!!!!"

Here is the ad if you wanna take a look:
http://johnsonbrosauto.com/JBInventory.htm
You'll have to scroll to the bottom and click on page 2. Then scroll down again and click on the Passat at the very bottom.

About the photos: Everything looks great to me. The engine compartment is dirty, but I'm not sure that necessarily means neglect. Another thing: Do you guys notice how the "VW" emblem is missing from the engine? I've noticed that on a ton of 1.8t's on Ebay. Is that normal? Is everyone's intact or missing?

Jeremy

markcincinnati

2screwsloose

Sounds like the jokers who feel the need to
turn brand new rotors are trying to "break the
bank" as well. If their rotors need turning
right out of the box they must be poor quality.
Maybe they had a bad experience with a rotor
once and just assume all rotors are bad now.
Well you know what they say about ASSuming
things. Steer away from those guys, they may
have a boat payment to make. Steering and
braking are the 2 most important systems of a
car, and best not left to amateurs.

2screwsloose

There really is no practical advantage to using 93 octane over 91 if your car requires 91. You are paying extra for something you can't realize a benefit. Sometimes 91 is not available. In Ft. Worth I can get 91, but in Arlington/Grand Prairie it's difficult to find. Most often the choices are 87, 89, 93.
My fuel economy has never been higher than 38.5. Most often I average 34 w/cruise + AC (60MPH)
At 75 w/AC I get 30. Coming home in the afternoon during rush hour (why do they call it rush hour when you move 10' at a time?) I can get 16 or less. It's all relative. If you drive 10-15min on city streets you shouldn't be concerned unless billowing clouds of black smoke are coming from the tailpipe.
'02 1.8T Tip 47K mi. FRESCO GREEN

burrsr

I will soon be in the market for a new Passat. However, given the model and options that I want, I fear that availability may be an issue. Due to the deals to be had as 04's arrive this fall, I want an 03 GLS Wagon (5-sp MANUAL), with Leather, Monsoon, and ESP. This may be a relatively rare combination (especially 5-sp manual + wagon), and I'd like to be able to search for cars that meet these criteria within, say, a 500-mile radius from my house (Cincinnati). Does anyone have any suggestions on good web sites or means of "searching out" for this particular car? I'd like to do as much as possible on my own before involving a dealer...

Thanks in advance.

hoodornament

Although there may be resources I dont know about, I believe the only way to do this would be to

1) Determine the exact invoice price for your configuration and then search the VW dealer websites in your area (search their new car inventory) for Passats which match that exact invoice price. This is a hastle I know, but Im not sure that their inventory search will tell you whether specific cars are automatic or manual trannies.

2) Lets carsdirect.com do the work for you. They will probably come in very close to the best price you will get and will actually locate the car for you (do all of the legwork). Where this might prove to be an inconvenience is if you have a tradein vehicle

Good luck
HO

burrsr

Thanks. Those were the two routes I was going to try. Unfortunately, it's hit or miss on whether individual dealers keep their new inventories updated/accurate on their websites, and I'll probably have to try 10-15 dealers to locate my car. But it sure beats physically going there!

I was going to try Autobytel -- I will give Carsdirect a shot as well.

sds54

First of all, tried to buy it from Santa Monica VW which was a nightmare & I strongly discourage anyone from buying from them... they were horrible. In the end I bought it from Downtown VW - they were great.

My question to everyone is, should I take the 10 yr. 100K warranty for 1700? w/ zero deductable. I plan on keeping for a long time, and only drive about 10K a year. I am concerned about VW repair costs down teh line, and this would only add 25 bucks to my monthly payments... but what does everyine think. Isit a ripoff? I have to tell them right away.

bronsonb

sds54 - The $1700 warranty sounds a bit steep, IMHO. When we bought our 1999 Passat, we got prices for aftermarket warranties in the range of $1000 for complete 10 year 100K mile coverage. I have totaled up the items I have repaired on my car that would have been covered under an extended warranty, and I come to just about $1700 (and I think mine has had a few more things go bad than the average Passat). The car has 65K miles. So it doesn't seem like you'd make your money back (again, just my opinion based on the #s).

You might do better to stick that $1700 in a long term CD (say 4 years or so) so that the cash would be available for repairs *after* the factory warranty expires.

So, if I were in your place, I think I'd be inclined to pass, but hopefully you'll get some more opinions from others on this board (markcincinnati, outrun. and altair4 come to mind as ones whose advice is worth listening to...I know there are others, but those are the ones who immediately come to mind).

outrun

$1700 is a lot of money to invest when you're not going to use any benefit from it for another 4 years or 50,000 miles. It DOES buy peace of mind, but is that worth that much out of your pocket?

I've been through the same thoughts as you. In that past, I've purchased extended warranties, and every single one I've lost money on. These companies make money for a reason - the odds are with them. There is more of a chance of you not having $1700 worth of repairs for the last 3 years/50,000 miles. Again, it's priced so, in the end, they make money.

You may want to look at Warranty Direct as well. They offer extended warranties for less money. I almost bought from them, but decided that I'm going to "risk" it and deal with repairs as they arrive after the factory warranty expires. I did the same with with my wife's '01 RX300.

It's funny how every auto company will praise the car before the sale, how reliable it is, etc., but then after the sale, they scare customers into buying an extended warranty. It's pure profit for the dealership.

Tip: These extended warranties from the dealership ARE negotiable. There is a significant mark up the dealership puts on these things. They can take a hit on their profit if you tie it to the sale of the vehicle.

-Craig

vocus

I originally bought a 5 yar/100K warranty on my PT when I signed the contract. It was $1840 I think. I had second thoughts though after reading the reliability data, and cancelled it the next day.

whcatto

I have an '03 GLX. I just took it to the dealer for the first oil change (5000 miles). The receipt says they used 10w30. I know the manual says 5w40. Is this something I should be concerned about? Any advice is appreciated.

Bill

brozhnik

Well, my wife really preferred the Passat, so I am taking posession Tues. My questions:
(1) Breaking-in rules --- no hard braking, no gunning the enging, vary the speeds-- but any other impt. break-in rules, and for how long?
(2) Any tips for preserving the interior/exterior? Don't hesitate to give "Cars 101" advice" Even if it's familiar. Thanks!

markcincinnati

Lots of things could be advised regarding the break in. My $.02 = read the manual and do what it says; or listen to my dealer owner who owns both an Audi and a VW dealership and has been to Germany countless times (more than I have been which is 6 to Ingolstadt alone) who tells me there is a "tire" break in period of about 100 miles -- apparently brand new tires don't have very good traction. Beyond that my dealer says the cars are capable of delivering a long life even if they are driven off the assembly line to the autobahn and run all day at top speed.

I generally try to let things settle in around 500+ miles. Realize that the engines in these cars will seem to be almost magically replaced with a newer, smoother higher-powered engine @ about 5,000 miles or so and another time, although much less dramitcally @ 10,000 miles.

Frequent oil changes using Mobil1 (7,500 with both oil and filter)are my other extra care items.

Drive it like you live. . . .

maccini

Hi Guys/Gals,

I just bought a 03 Passat GLS. I used carsdirect.com and I was very pleased. I got the car at invoice. I got the $500 cash back from VW and also $1000 cash back that was passed on to the dealer, which was passed on to me.

 I read the owners manual and it states that you shouldn't go over 3/4 of the top speed on your speedometer during the break in period. My speedometer says 160 MPH and YAHOO... I have no problems taking it up to 120 MPH, this car handles so nice.

OK here are my questions…

 I'm debating.... should I change the oil at 1000 miles (Just for the initial break in period) or should I go the full 5000 miles? I would think you would want to change the oil after the break in period for safety sake. What have you guys done?

 Oh yeah, what&#146;s your take on the high performance chips and do they void warranties?

outrun

First oil change is at 5,000 miles, like the manual says. There's no need to question that.

Chips for the 1.8T are great, but depending on the dealership, they will void your powertrain warranty.

-Craig