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VW Passat TDI

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Comments

  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    Our local VW dealer suddenly has three of these vehicles in stock. I could not find any on his lot up to now.

     

    Also, I saw three Mercedes 320 CDI sedans at the local MB dealership.

    They are awsome. The MSRP is about $ 54K with the navigation system, and basic stuff. They come with a 7 speed auto tranmission, which is somewhat of a surprise. I wonder if VW is moving in that direction also. IMHO, 7 speed auto seems an overkill. The 320 CDI engine generates 201 HP and read this: 369 Ft-lbs of torque at very low RPM! This would be an awsome engine in a Passat, would it not? Especially if the price tag was around $ 30K?
  • ngjagragngjagrag Member Posts: 4
    Have owned my germanic autobahn vehicle for 3 weeks and it is not disappointing in any way The drivers seat is every bit as comfortable as my 96 911 C4. I love its torque, especially in the mountains of NE Pa. It is great in snow and ice with ESP and my 4 Blizzaks and extra alloy wheels that I purchased at the tire rack. It is every bit as stable in bad weather as my 2003 Discovery, I know it can't go where my Disco can, but then again I can go up and back with my Passat. The Disco would need an extra gas station.
  • deweydewey Member Posts: 5,251
    "I just recently found a great shop that works on Lexus."

     

    You are so right, satisfaction with your car is so dependent on who is servicing your car.

     

    I know in my area there are so many VW specialty shops. I am sure that the most devoted VW fans get their vehicles serviced there than at VW dealerships(otherwise they end up being Toyota owners)

     

    After great frustration with dealing with 2 different BMW dealers I was ready to sell my 99 BMW 323 and buy whatever CR recommended as the most reliable vehicle. Since 2003 I had my car serviced by an independent BMW specialty shop and I am now a Born Again Bimmer fan.

     

    In fact up to now(knock on wood) I have had no problems other than a new signal bulb and tires.

    The mechanic said that if all BMWs were like mine he would become a Maytag repairman.

     
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    The mechanic said that if all BMWs were like mine he would become a Maytag repairman.

     

    I think that dealer service problems are wide spread. A friend that sells Buick told me they do not have enough work to keep a full time mechanic, let alone a service manager. So when you do have a problem no one is experienced enough to fix the car. Cars keep getting more dependent on computer analysis. You can't just grab a kid out of McDonald's and have him proficient on this high tech stuff. The days of shade tree mechanics is pretty much history. Unless you find someone you can trust it is best to keep them till the warranty runs out. Even then it is tough getting them back in a reasonable time.
  • obieobie Member Posts: 39
    No offense to anyone driving or writing about other brands/models, but lately about 75% of posts seem to be about anything but Passat TDI's. Could we try to bring this thread back around to the intended topic and keep it a little more focused?
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Obie,

    Welcome to Edmund's forum. I think we drifted off from VW service being less than perfect. If you own a Passat TDI we would love to get your impressions. I would like to buy one if they ever get CA to open back up to diesel cars. I also would hate to see this thread die from lack of attention. The Passat TDI is on my short list for my next car purchase.
  • obieobie Member Posts: 39
    Gagrice--

     

    Thanks for the welcome. I too am hungry for feedback on Passat TDI's because it's on my short list too.

    I have some curiosity as to when the New Jetta will be available with a TDI. It seems from other threads that the Jetta V will be taking over the current Passat's market niche. I like the idea of auto climate control and other amenities being available on the new Jetta TDI when it ships, while current Passat TDI lacks these options even at GLS level.
  • dolphindolphin Member Posts: 71
    isolation in their Passat TDI's? I would like to get rid of the engine noise as much as possible...any good after-market products that you has used or audio shops that you have used?
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    Look for the Gen-V Jetta TDI sometime in the 3rd quarter, available with the 6 spd DSG transmission. Should be the best car in the line.

     

    And yes, pricing on both the new Jetta and new Passat will tell you a lot about VW's marketing stretegy in this country. My prediction: watch out....I think they are about to sink the ship by overreaching again, just like they did with the Phaeton. Jettas that should sell for $21-$22k are going to be carrying $26k stickers, and Passats are going to be uniformly north of $28k, with most over $30k. How long this lasts before the incentives start is anyone's guess, but it sure makes an '05 Passat TDI look like a raging bargain to me.
  • dia1dia1 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 98 Golf. These cars have issues with the front suspension . Upper control arms that only last 30,000 miles. any problems like this in the newer Jetta/Passats?
  • dia1dia1 Member Posts: 2
    To all you TDI folks I am currently driving my 1983 VW Pickup non turbo deisel. It has 180,000 miles and is just about broken in. My last Golf deisel had 265000 and I lost 5th gear to end it's career.
  • deweydewey Member Posts: 5,251
    "Jettas that should sell for $21-$22k are going to be carrying $26k stickers, and Passats are going to be uniformly north of $28k, "

     

    The prices above do not concern me at all. It is not the MSRP that is important, but what the market is willing to pay. I am sure that within a year(maybe within months) great deals will be possible especially with the price estimates you provided above.

     

    The more hefty the MSRP, the more eager I will be in using my negotiating skills to get the TDI PAssat at a price I want and not what VW wants! Anybody who recently bought a Passat W8 or Phaeton will confirm what I am saying(assuming the buyer was a good negotiator)!
  • huynhthuynht Member Posts: 1
    Hi everyone,

     

    I am very interested in the Passat TDI but still have some concerns regarding to the noise level and also (as someone mentioned this in early posts) that the oil consumption. Can someone comment on these issues?

    Thanks.
  • dudleyrdudleyr Member Posts: 3,469
    If you drive with the windows up the noise should not be an issue. It should actually be quieter than a gas version on the highway because of the low revs.
  • cosmocosmo Member Posts: 203
    I really haven't noticed the diesel engine noise when driving the TDI except during the first few minutes after cold starts on winter mornings when it has been below ten degrees. You can definitely hear the characteristic diesel sound when you are outside the car, but it is nowhere near the raucous din blasted from diesel pickups. At highway speeds, the TDI is much quieter than my 1996 Passat GLS (only 2200 RPM's @ 70MPH vs 34000 RPM's @ 70 MPH). The engine noise above idle is IMHO a pleasant low toned exhaust note. Also, no oil added (except at 5000 mile change) in 7,000 miles, and I check the oil at every fill-up (two to three week intervals).
  • mrjettemrjette Member Posts: 122
    I agree, the engine sound inside the car is not an issue. The knocking diesel sound is not even heard (they must insulate well). At stop lights, there is a low frequency growl that actually sounds sort of 'mean'. While different from a gasser, it is not at all annoying to me.
  • fungus440fungus440 Member Posts: 21
    Thanks for the comments. I've read on the other forum about the EGR tweaking (I think that was the item mentioned to reduce the soot).

     

    From all the pages I've read here and the other forum, it seems most of the Passat's problems are actually mechanical in nature and not computer related. So rather than a car like a Cadillac CTS that has alot of computer dependent functionality has an expensive computer related malfunction, the Passat seems to have real mechanical issues, so that if one is proactive about changing out stuff (timing belts, water pumps, snow filters), then the Passat is less likely to leave you stranded somewhere.

     

    Logical?

     

    I like the way the CTS drives, but I'm concerned about the repair cost if a computer thingy crashes. Thanks.
  • obieobie Member Posts: 39
    Now that they've been on the road almost a year, anyone have any reports on fuel consumption in Passats with 10,000 miles or so?
  • todd53todd53 Member Posts: 47
    My '04 Passat has just over 20k miles and MPG is consistently in the high 30s to low 40s. I got 634 miles on my last tank of gas. Oil consumption is little to none (I run VW spec 505.01 synthetic). The car has been excellent thus far.
  • obieobie Member Posts: 39
    Thanks for the report Todd53. What portion of your driving is straight highway miles? I'm curious what kind of mpg I could expect mostly in/around town.
  • todd53todd53 Member Posts: 47
    Obie

     

    I would say that that about 80-85% of the miles are from the highway. Based on my experience, I would guess that city driving would yield MGP in the low 30s.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    The car has been excellent thus far.

     

    How does the Passat TDI compare to your Acura TL?
  • mrjettemrjette Member Posts: 122
    I have an '05 Passat TDI. Much of my driving is to work and back, a total of 8 miles each way. I average in the low 30s. I do much better (high 30s) when I make a longer trip or drive the highway. MPG decreases in the winter. I would guess this is due to colder engine temp and different fuel mixture to prevent gelling.
  • yuppy007yuppy007 Member Posts: 12
    Please let me know those dealerships selling used TDI wagon for over $35K. I would be interested in talking with them.
  • todd53todd53 Member Posts: 47
    Gagrice,

    The TL was good car also, but it was totalled back in October. A college kid ran a stoplight and t-boned it. Thankfully there were no inuries. And it held its value extremely well based on the amount the insurance company paid me for it. I have since replaced the TL with an '05 MDX, which I am also very pleased with.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Here are older posts on the reliability of the VW Passat TDI. I see so much negative verbiage about VW reliability. It all seems to come from people that have never owned a VW TDI.

     

    I drive 60 miles one way to work and have done so since 1989. In that time I have owned and driven several different cars. In 1996 I decided to try the Passat TDI. It sounded like the vehicle for me. Three and one half years and 120,000 miles later I can honestly say that this is the best car I have ever owned. I have been thinking about replacing it in a year or two. However, I will only consider TDIs from now on.

     

    gatewood1, "VW Golf TDI" #88, 9 Jan 2000 3:05 pm
  • todd53todd53 Member Posts: 47
    gagrice

    You might be interested to know that prior to my Passat TDI, I owned a '98 Jetta TDI, which I bought used in '02 with 65k miles. Drove it for 2 years and 40k miles (105k total) with no problems whatsover. It was a terrific little car. I sold it on ebay (for well above blue book value) when I upgraded to the Passat. So while I'm sure that there are some legitimate reliability issues with many VWs, I have had nothing but positive experiences - knock on wood! So if you drive a lot and are concerned about fuel economy, you will be well-served with a TDI. If MPGs aren't as important, you should check out the new Acura TLs. Good luck...
  • fungus440fungus440 Member Posts: 21
    I was at the auto show last week and picked up a brochure on the New Jetta. From the side it looks like an Accord. There's no mention of a diesel engine in the brochure.

     

    However, I was curious about the dimensions between the present Passat and the New Jetta.

     

    Within a half inch on each measurement, the Passat and Jetta are almost equal on front leg room, rear leg room, and rear head room. Within 1 inch on each measurement, you can add front head room, front shoulder room, exterior height, exterior width and front & rear track. Jetta's truck is larger by 1 cubic foot, while Passat's total passenger volume is a scant 1.3 cubic feet larger.

     

    To me, it'll mean the new Passat will be larger and people that don't want to pony up the additional cost of the new Passat can go with the Jetta with not much loss in interior room. The Jetta is 6 inches shorter overall.
  • dolphindolphin Member Posts: 71
    Would you mind telling me the brand of oil, name on the container, and how much and where you get it? I just was at the stealership, and they want US$12/liter!!, for their VW-Castrol oil.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    Yes, the new Jetta rivals the current Passat for room both inside the car [except width] and most definitely in the trunk.

     

    The engine rollout on the Jetta is 2.5 first, TDI in May [or thereabouts], and 2.0 direct injection turbo [same as Audi A3, A4, GTI, etc.] by summer. The diesel and turbo 2.0 will get the 6spd DSG transmission as an option.

     

    New ['06] Passat drivetrains will include the 2.0 turbo, a diesel, and the new VR6 making almost 280 hp....again, not all offered at launch [VW still doesn't understand how to market these cars in the US, after all these years].
  • dieselbreathdieselbreath Member Posts: 243
    I have a '92 VW double-cab truck with a 2.5L 5-cyl. engine, and my wife's '94 Eurovan has the same engine. Is this the same thing going into the new Jettas and Passats?

    (its transverse, and a longer-stroke versionn of Audi's old 2.2L 5-cyl, which was generally longitudinal ... but all new VWs will be transverse starting with the new Passat I understand)

     

    Which TDI will the new Jettas and Golfs get?

    2.0 like the current Passat?
  • todd53todd53 Member Posts: 47
    dolphin - I went online and purchased Motul VW spec 505.01 for $28 per 5 liters. The website is http://store.yahoo.com/ltbmotorsport

    Hopefully they will start making this stuff available in stores...
  • yuppy007yuppy007 Member Posts: 12
    I had just bought a Passat Wagon GLS TDI in January 05, but I was also interested in the 05 Mercedes E320 CDI. I like both cars very much. The Passat Wagon GLS model that I had has the leatherette which I prefer over the leather because I think it is stronger and no animal has to be sacrificed. Although I bought the Passat TDI, I'm not over the E320 CDI. I'm thinking of trading it back in to get the E320 CDI. I would lose about 2k for doing this. This really does not make good financial sense to me, but I want to be in a car that I love to drive for a long time. I traded in my 95 S320 for this Passat TDI and I missed it. The E320 CDI costs twice as the Passat TDI.

     

    Can anyone convince me to keep my Passat TDI or I should go ahead and trade in the E320 CDI?
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Can anyone convince me to keep my Passat TDI or I should go ahead and trade in the E320 CDI?

    Welcome to the forum:

    The Passat wagon has all that extra room. It will probably get slightly better mileage. But then that E320 CDI is a beautiful car. If it was me I would drive the Passat until it gets 7500 miles on it. Take it to CA and sell to someone for about what you paid for it. Then get your E 320 CDI....
  • yuppy007yuppy007 Member Posts: 12
    gagrice, do you use CA to refer to California or Canada? Is Passat TDI allowed in California? I know that E320 CDI is not. Are people paying slightly more for this car in Canada or California?

     

    I thought that for longevity, the difference between these two cars is that in 10 years the E320 CDI will probably be worth $15k, but the Passat Wagon TDI will probably not worth as much, maybe ~$4k. However, it most likely costs more to maintain E320 CDI which makes up the difference.

     

    Another thought is that VW won't be making Passat TDI for 2006 and there is really no plan on when they will make the next diesel model. Mercedes, on the other hand, plans to make 3000 of the E320 CDI every year starting from 2004. I read somewhere that VW may actually raise the price of the next Passat TDI which could mean that the 2005 Passat TDI could actually appreciates in value.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    The market for used VW TDI cars in California is good. One VW dealer in Los Angeles buys them with 7500 miles and sells them at or near new MSRP. I would think in a year you could get your money back along with a trip to California. A quite a few sell on eBay also. I have considered both cars to keep at our home in Hawaii. It is just difficult justifying $60k for a vehicle to sit and depreciate over there. Plus the wagon would be more practical. It sounds like the 2006 Jetta will kind of take the place of the Passat with very close to the same dimensions.

     

    Are you getting decent mileage with the Passat? I assume the handling is good.
  • yuppy007yuppy007 Member Posts: 12
    That sounds very encouraging. Right, financially it does not make a lot of sense spending $60k for a car. We just have to meet in the middle of the needs and the wants.

     

    The Passat handles reasonably well and I do have fun driving it as compared to my old S320. The difference is that rear-wheel drive cars tend to do a better job going up hills than front-wheel drive cars. I like the Passat's Tiptronic feature where I can feel like I'm driving with a stick-shift. The only problem with the Tiptronic is that it doesn't shift when you tell it to. It only shifts when you tell it to and when it's ready.

     

    I drive in the city about 80% of the time and my manual calculation tells me that I'm getting about ~28 mpg. This is probably because I use the Tiptronic a lot. Somewhere I read that the Tiptronic tends to use a bit more gas. It's interesting that I don't get better mpg even though I coast a lot when going down hill or coming to a stop light.
  • dieselbreathdieselbreath Member Posts: 243
    Does your local Benz dealer have any e320CDI's out on a 2-year lease? They probably do, and you can pick which one (for color, etc) you want.

     

    The Benz is $30k more than the Passat now.

    In 2 years the Passat will still fetch $25k and the Benz lease returns won't be much over $40k.

     

    So, in 2 years, trade-up the TDI for the 2-year old CDI of your choice for only $15k, and you've got $15k in your pocket compared to buying it now!
  • yuppy007yuppy007 Member Posts: 12
    I'm not really sure if this is practical. Has anyone done this before?

     

    Are you overly optimistic about being able to sell a 2-year old Passat Wagon TDI for $25K considering that the retail price of a new Passat Wagon TDI GLS is only $27K?
  • avenger1avenger1 Member Posts: 90
    What everyone is saying is that used TDI's sell for new prices in california because you are not allowed to buy new TDI's there. People who want a diesel VW need to buy used there.

     

    I live in CA and I want a TDI, but you can't buy new TDI's here. But I will wait until next year when the feds lift the diesel rules in CA.
  • mrjettemrjette Member Posts: 122
    A similar thing seems to happen in New England. The TDi is not sold in NY, MA, VT, ME or RI (only CT and NH). I drove onto a NY VW lot, and the salesman came right up to me and said "I hope you are here to trade in that TDi!" He explained that they can't get them new, but can sell them used. I never considered that it may be worth more in another state, but guess it is basic supply and demand?
  • yuppy007yuppy007 Member Posts: 12
    If this reasoning is true, shouldn't this same thing happen to the MB E320 CDI? I would guess that it would even be better since MB makes only 3000 of 2005-model E320 CDI compared to 30000 of 2005-model Passat TDI.
  • jimgjimg Member Posts: 1
    I think it's ridiculous to compare the Mercedes E320 with the Passat TDI. The Mercedes costs at least twice much. The only comparison is the type of fuel they use.

     

    If I were you, I'd trade in the Passat and buy the Mercedes. I also think you should buy Google stock at $200 per share.

     

    Both are comparable investments.
  • avenger1avenger1 Member Posts: 90
    I have seen some used 2004 tdi wagons (2004's) listed at calif dealerships for over $35K!

     

    A little known loophole in CA dmv rules states that you can buy a new TDI only if your car "dies" and you need a replacement (emergency). Most TDI owners recommend spending $100 for a clunker, driving it across the border to Washington or Oregon, draining the oil from the engine (while running) and have it "die" in a VW lot. The dealership can then vouch for the car being dead beyond repair, and sell you a new TDI to be imported into CA. It's a lot of work, but possible!
  • avenger1avenger1 Member Posts: 90
    Just a quick check of the web...

    In my neck of the woods, everything is EXPENSIVE. Most expensive place to live in America, I believe (1000sq foot 50 yr old homes sell for about $800K to 1mil easy). Daily!

    Area code 94530 (out in the boonies) has 2 TDI's available (per auto trader.com) at 29,900 (used 2004's with 10K miles).

    Oakland, CA (not exactly glamorous) has a 2003 with 43K miles for $27K. Walnut Creek, CA has one with 30K miles for $28K. And both of these are not even diesels, after a second check!

    Most dealerships in the SF bay area feel they have a license to print money since they are located in a place where citizens are willing to pay $2,25 for a gallon of gas.

    Nearly $30K for a car with 4 years of mileage (and it's not even a diesel)!
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...for used cars have very little to do with actual transaction prices. I've always been bemused by the fact that Kelley gives used car dealers a 30% markup between the wholesale value of any given car, and the so-called "Kelley retail value" that often gets posted on cars, and then "generously" discounted, to say, only a 20% markup!

    Look, all used car shopping should start from the wholesale price and work up, not from the asking price and working down. California is the most competitive car market in the known universe, but you have to be a good shopper to take advantage. And the price of gasoline and real estate hasn't much to do with automotive transaction prices...unless owning a $700k house with a $600k mortagage makes one feel "rich".
  • yuppy007yuppy007 Member Posts: 12
    I contacted those dealers to see whether or not they are interested in my 2005 Passat Wagon TDI, only one replied to say that he's not interested. I wonder how good these dealers are. Maybe, they were able to buy these used TDIs at a low price and mark up so much to take advantage of the few who want the TDI.
  • sorrytdiownersorrytdiowner Member Posts: 1
    There is a recall out on new TDI's for the injector pump. It may come loose and develop a leak, causing all kinds of problems.

    We have a new 2004 Passat with the TDI and have had a hesitation problem at constant speeds since day one.
    Now at 8000 miles it would not start. Dealer has had the car for 17 days and has replaced the injector pump, injectors,egr and others. They got it to start again but still has the hesitation. Last word from dealer friday was he thinks factory will buy it back. It's too bad because we really like the ride and mileage, but we have lost all confidence in reliabality
  • todd53todd53 Member Posts: 47
    sorrytdiowner:

    Do you know any of the specifics regarding this recall, i.e. the official name and/or code? I have a 2004 Passat TDI with 22k miles. Every now and then, the engine does not turn over immediately when cranking, requring 2 to 3 attempts. Perhaps this potential defect has something to do with it. Other than that, it runs perfectly. Please share any details you have regarding this recall.
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