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Comments
Congrats on getting a "perfect" Passat.
-Craig
I am considering buying a used Passat. I've been reading the discussions here and they have been very helpful. I'm interested in the 1.8T/Stick combo. I don't have any experience with turbo engines and i'm wondering about their relibiality. I keep hearing horror stories and don't really know what to believe. Do they really just "give out" after a certain amount of time? Are they reliable?
Thanks!
The description of the noise and when it occurs sounds a lot like the anti-lock brake test that is performed automatically. This is normal, and happens within the first 20 feet or so when you are either in drive or reverse. I would certainly think that your service department is familiar with this self-test. Maybe you could ask if they think it is related to what you are experiencing.
You would think that if that was the noise that the technicians would have heard it before, but they both shook their heads. Plus, this engineer came down from Volkswagen of America to the dealership to analyze my car. When the noise happens, sometimes it is very soft and other times it is very loud...when it is loud I can actually feel a vibration in the gas pedal when it happens. It always happens within the first few seconds of taking off in reverse or in drive after starting the car...but it never does it if I park the car while it is running and then take off....it has to be when I start it up and then move. I just don't see how that could be the problem... I have never heard of valves "breaking in"... Thank you for your response, though...I will bring this up when I go to the dealership to get my car in a few days.
Ronie
Good Luck! Other than that problem, how do you like your Passat so far?
Let us know what they say. The anti-lock brake self test occurs exactly when you are describing your noise. It is performed only once when you start up the car and move either forward or in reverse. It will not perform this test again until the next time you start up the car. I'm not sure if I can actually feel this through the gas pedal, but I have a 4Mo, thus the tiptronic transmission. Perhaps with a stick I'd feel it, I don't know.
I'm very surprised that they went to the point of replacing the control arms and front axle. That's quite an expensive repair.
-Craig
Let us know what the service department learns.
Cheers,
- Ray
Indigo Blue W8 . . .
Cheers,
- Ray
Looking at high(er) performance rubber to replace the OEM Contis . . .
50,000 miles and too many problems to mention - almost all after the meager 24 month warranty.
Going back to Hondas and Toyota's. My first and last VW. Great styling, but they really blew it when it came to quality.
The 2000+ models are much more reliable (on average).
And the warranty on all 2002+ VWs are now a class leading 4/50.
I don't blame you to want to go to Honda. They (along with Toyota) are the most reliable overall.
-Craig
We all want more reliable cars.
Overall the Europeans due to market pressures have improved their vehicle's reliability scores. When they don't do that, they generally make the warranties very generous.
Some of us do not dislike Japanese cars but don't find them able to offer the driving pleasure that many of the German (and other European) cars offer.
The trade off is apparently real.
You determine the type of "tastes" you have and what you value and:
Choose it and drive it like you live.
I replaced the VW aero blades with Anco NZ1R's. The Anco N21R's saved me $64! You just have to pull the old rubber out of the aero blade, and slide in the replacement, after you pull the replacement out of the Anco plastic holder. There is one end on the aero wiper where the plastic cap comes off. Slide the replacement on from the opposite end. The end where the cap came off has a little barb under the cap that holds the blade in place. Pry that up so that the blade will slide all the way flush to the end, and then push the barb back down and replace the plastic end cap. The drivers side wiper seems to be shorter, so you'll have to trim a little off that blade after it is installed. This sounds more complicated than it actually is, just be patient sliding the wiper on the aero wiper, you have to kind of work it past the center of the arm, and just keep pulling it on, over the barb at the end.
Anco was one of the top rated wipers in Consumer reports.
After I did all of this, I read on Club B5 that the blades will be replaced under warantee by the dealer. I don't know if this is true. From what I've read, some dealers will replace them and others won't.
-Craig
The Tip one puts in D, and doesn't have to think about it anymore. While it's convenient, it's also less involved, costs more upfront, uses more fuel, and makes the car slower.
It comes down to user preference. Some get Tips because their wifes don't drive manuals. That's one of the reasons I *GOT* a manual - so she can't drive it.
-Craig
>>(besides the potential costs of fixing an automatic transmission).<<
You could easily re-write this and say, "besides the potential costs of replacing a clutch."
:->
-Craig
Even so, I wouldn't trade my manual for a slush box.
-Craig
It's not an Edmunds thing though, it's part of the way the Web Crossing software works. I'm not defending it because I wish more than you that it wouldn't happen, but I know this - it ain't going to change.
It's helpful to let folks know the reason for the double posts and also to let them know they can delete their own posts - a lot of people miss the fact that they have that capability (as well as the Edit capability for 30 minutes after posting).
Sorry for the interruption; I just thought this explanation might be useful for some....
Quantitatively however, the manual cars accelerate more quickly, get better milage, allow absolute control in real time of the gear selected and according to my wife, who can't drive an automatic -- I swear it's true -- are safer and more fun.
We can argue about some of these "facts" to be sure, but most of the attributes are as noted.
Their value and benefit to you is another matter.
I would only consider an automatic if they got rid of the tip lag and if they put a lower final drive ratio on the car to speed up the acceleration (and would charge less for an auto than for a manual) -- man a 2.8 Passat Tip is bog lazy sometimes.
To repeat, the value and benefit are in the foot and shift hand of the driver. My opinions are 100% correct and cannot be disputed -- but they only apply to me.
The few facts that quantitatively seem to favor manual transmissions apparently sway fewer and fewer buyers every year. Those that fancy performance, though, often chose manuals when given the choice.
Now for something completely different, I would take the 4motion option even if it forced me to get the tip; but if 4motion and manual transmissions become available, well then I would go 4Motion and manual every time. The W8 offers such a choice and I'll bet they are discounted since they seem to sit in pairs on dealers lots for weeks.
I know 4-Motion adds a lot of weight, which penalizes speed and gas mileage, but I suppose I would be glad I had it if I hit a patch of ice.
Thanks for all of you postings, this has been very troublesome and time consuming for me and I appreciate all the feedback. Other than that, I love my passat!
Ronie
ESP is available as an option on the '03 4-Motion. It is standard on the W8.
The VW website says that electronic stabilization is "Not Available" on the 2003 Volkswagen Passat GLX V6 4-Motion.
Sorry, I don't see where you're looking on VW's website. If I either build a Passat or just look at the list of std features and options I see ESP as a selectable $280 option.
Plus, ESP is one of the options I have on my '03 4Motion wagon. I'm assuming you're looking at available options for Passats in North America?
I went to:
-vw.com
-Passat
-Compare
-2.8L 190HP 6cyl GLX w 4 motion against Passat GLS 1.8T
-Safety & Security
Under Electronic Stability it says "Not Available"for the 2003 6 cyl and $280 for the 1.8T.
I just signed on the www.vw.com and built myself a V6 Passat, ESP was $280 option.
It may not have the reliability of a Honda or a Toyota and mechanical/electrical quality may not be up to Japanese standards. Coil issues, quirky light bulbs burning out etc...
What it has though is something not found in an Accord and especially not a Camry. It is, in my opinion the best looking mid-size sedan on the planet with excellent handling and luxurious looking interior. So good looking that I am sure that Nissan took one look at the '98 Passat and did a quasi copycat design with the Altima. The 2001.5 redesign was phenomenal and those redesigned headlights and tailights are a sure winner.
I will sacrifice a little for something that I WANT. I drive 50,000 km per year and a car is literally my second home.
"Choose it and drive it like you live?"
Absolutely!!
Pick a vehicle that you love to drive. Would you marry a mediocre looking women just because she served you dinner at 6PM sharp every night? I think not.
GO HARD OR GO HOME...
One of the likely changes that will be noted is that VW will provide maintenance with the deal for a certain period of time or miles. The Phaeton will be the first to have this Premium benefit.
Now, the real specific details are not to be found, by me at least; but, I would suspect that such Premium Class attributes will begin to show up in 2005 -- calendar or MY, beats me.
Now, this strikes me as a good thing. But, as as former VW owner (Jetta, Quantum, "old beetle" -- etc.) and an admirer to this very day and a current Audi owner I can tell you that many of the Audi owners still wax poetic on the subject of reliability.
I read about people who have had issues with their all maintenance covered for 4 years or 50,000 mile vehicles and still complain. So just understand that as these premium features come the VW brand, it does not mean that they will only require that you put gas in them and drive them without maintenance for 50,000 miles. I suspect there will still be issues with parts that break and coils that fail (for example.) Hopefully the fact that there will be no "cost" (money) to you will begin to shift the perception of value and reliability.
Here's a theory and I didn't make it up but I think it has SOME merit: people who buy European cars, German cars in particular, have very high expectations (as they should) and very low tolerance for "issues" with their cars -- and they are vocal about it (one suspected reason: they care about driving and look upon it as more than a way to get from A to
If this thought process is even partially accurate, well it is certain that some of the issues folks have with their German (and other European) cars are due to their very high expecations and intolorance for flaws.
Who knows the extent to which this demeanor "afflicts" the buying/driving population of European cars vs non-European cars.
As a somewhat supportive side-note, a friend of mine has a Cadillac -- he complains about flaws constantly and the car is always being serviced to tune it to "perfection." My friend, after all, bought the Cadillac because he no longer wanted the issues that he had formerlly associated with Oldsmobiles. This kind of thought process may be what the ardent proponents of the "European car buyers and drivers have higher expectations" theory assume to be the attitude of most [German] car buyers who buy cars of this origin.
One last anecdote, another friend has a 1997 Acura, that seems to be the Timex of cars (you know, "it takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'"). Yet when I ride in the thing the automatic transmission is so rough that I think it is going to hurl itself out from under the car at every shift point. My friend claims "it has always been that way." Now, this is the same guy who has to lift the hood and fiddle with the battery connector to start the car and says it has been that way for about 3 years. His tolerance for "stuff" like this goes way beyond anyone that I know who has a European car.
So, who knows, maybe, just maybe VW's -- to name one -- aren't as reliable as Toyotas, but maybe, just maybe that is becuase their owners/drivers have less patience and higher expectations and a greater proclivity to spout off when they have an issue.