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You might also want to stop by our Volkswagen Passat: Prices Paid & Buying Experience discussion. You can find lots of information about what others have paid and how the negotiations went.
Good luck and keep us posted!
Obviously my intentions were to "cover the earth" with all the possible things that might need to be checked to insure a long happy life.
I would, however, AT LEAST urge the use of semi-syn oil if the cost of pure synthetic seems too stiff. The fact that it hasn't clogged yet is of course encouraging, but now is not the time to chinzt out on the oil.
And with respect to "lifetime" oils and whatever other fluid may claim to be lifetime:
part of the reason that they are considered lifetime is the thought that the "insert fluid here" lifetime is about 100,000 miles and at that point the manufacturer will be off the hook, so to speak. If this car has 80,000+ miles on in, it would seem then that the oil is over 80% "spent." Who knows, too, if there could have been a single incident where the transmission got ever so little over heated thereby shortening the "lifetime" of the oil.
My intentions were not to make someone uselessly spend money for fluids, but merely to weigh the possible costs that worn out fluids might engender vs the costs of replacing the fluids. The "ounce of prevention" theme, so to speak.
I think we have done our nurse a service, in the long run.
So far, I love the car. Its fun to drive and I am sure the smooth ride will get me in trouble as I scoot 90 mph down the highway.
Thank you so much for your help!
Shawnna
Long time reader, first time caller...so to speak.
I am wondering if anyone has any really good advice for the pesky oil leaks that seem to forever haunt my 99 GLX. I bought used and have a total of 54,000 miles. The VW people have faithfully change head gaskets, cam seals, and everything else at two different dealerships over the span of 2 years but there is only one slight problem. The leak persists. The oil doesn't pool or otherwise rapidly leak so it's a liveable condition. It does tend to foul out spark plugs quickly. Is there a remedy? I'm getting tired of weeks without a car only to deal with a problem that can, apparently, never be solved.
***Amusing note: On the fourth visit after two years of history, the VW tech rep called me to say, "Hey we found the problem! Your cylinder head gasket leaks. We'll fix 'em right up for you." Kind of funny since I explained to him, quite clearly, that those same cylinder head gaskets had been changed quarterly on average and that this was the fourth set. Four defective parts in a row? Is VW hiring tech reps? I'll do it. But anyway, you've gotta appreciate the effort if nothing else, these days.***
I'd appreciate any advice you might care to offer. Please note that every seals been changed (according to part kits) at least 2-3 times.
Has anyone ever had a cracked CV boot repaired? I'm curious about the financial cost of such a repair and any other tips you might have.
Lastly, for shawnna, in regards to your sealed units that never need repairs: be warned. If you read the owner's manual carefully, you'll see that it says specifically in print: Change ATF (auto trans fluid for auto transmissions) every 2 years and replace brake fluid every 2 years. Here's where it gets fun. Only the dealer has the magic transmission oil filler mechanism and it costs you about $270 + a tow if you're stupid like me and didn't realize only the dealer can fill this thing. Most dealers don't know that this is a required (per the owner's manual service), so you may surprise them if you show up with your car on a tow truck and a "you'll never guess what" story.
Thanks for reading and all of your help!
Jon
Do be wary of dealer inspections. I bought my 99 GLX used and had the dealer "inspect" it to the tune of $75. They didn't do jack and said everything was fine. When they brought the car to me, I asked them to please wash the windows. I had intentionally left the windshield washer fluid reservoir empty, to see if they'd refill it during the inspection. (Dastardly and mean on my part, I know.) Guess what? Nada happened because the reservoir was empty and lo and behold it was checked off as 3/4 full on my $75 inspection report.
Needless to say the dealer did a second, "for real" inspection when I talked to the service manager and the car came back to me 1 qt of oil low with a SAT OIL level block checked off on my $75 inspection "for real this time" report.
Long story short, they don't really do jack on the inspections excpet take your money. If I were you, I'd go to a reputable mechanic, who does not work on VW's as a matter of routine. They're usually curious about the car's engineering and very thorough. And, on average they charge less than the dealer. You can usually find a good mechanic by going to your local fire station or police station and asking the motor pool guys where they out source the squad car/fire truck problems. I guarantee anyone workin' for Johnny Law is less likely to rip you off.
Food for thought.
Jon
Regarding your advice to Shawnna about the ATF fluid: it may vary by model year (I don't recall this in my '03 manual), but I was under the impression it was a "lifetime" fluid, per the owner's manual. Not that I'm buying into that, but I've never seen anything in the manual recommending a scheduled change, especially every two years. I'll have to research that. Personally, I'll probably change out at 60,000 miles.
I do agree with you on the brake fluid change interval, though.
And the dealers aren't going to be surprised to see anyone get towed in with the transmission fluid out of the car. It's not a completely unheard of occurrence when a first-time DIY'er tries to drain their engine oil, only to drain the transmission by mistake. Incredible, yet true.
Thanks
Anyway, $800 is in the ballpark if you have it done at the dealer. An independent VW mechanic will probably be $100-$200 below the dealer's price (not as much overhead to pay for). The reason why it costs so much on the Passat because the way the engine is positioned (front-to-back as opposed to sideways), the front bumper (and related accessories) has to be removed in order to access the timing belts. On top of that, your V6 Passat needs two timing belts (one for each bank of cylinders) as opposed to one on the 4-cylinder models.
At 82K, I would seriously consider getting the belts replaced - because if a timing belt breaks on your engine, it could set you back somewhere in the neighborhood of $5,000 - $9,000 for an engine replacement...
I have heard of manual shirt cars popping out of certain gears..I believe it usually implies worn cogs...but the 4th-5th shift is diffucult to miss,so perhaps this isn't the problem...
Either that, or the clutch is ready to be replaced...
Is there anything I need to be aware of with 2002 Passat V-6 manual? What should I look for in a used one with 40-50K miles? My reason for switching to Passat, is its interior and sleek exterior lines.
Camry's 3.0L V-6 must be one of the smoothest V-6 out there, At 90mph, you hardly hear the engine. There is hardly any buzziness or rough noise out of that engine.
To owners with 5 speed manual, how do you like the V-6 mated to 5 speed transmisson? Somebody was talking about timing chain.....Do these engines have timing belt or chain?
Thanks,
Joe
just joined the forum. My wife and I purchased a 2005 GLX Passat V6. This model comes with Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 tires at size 225-45-17. The inside door of the passat states that the pressure for the rear should be 45psi (although all tires came from the factory at 37) but the absolute highest psi is imprinted on the tire at 50psi. I am wary to go to 45, just 5psi under the limit, although this is what volkswagen recommends. I also don't want a stiffer ride, as I feel that the 2005 GLX handles and rides very nice on fairly smooth surfaces here but suffers from a lot of jitteriness out here in Boston where the roads are usually in pretty poor shape. BTW, these tires have only 3400 miles on them if anyone's interested in taking them off my hands (I like Toyo's better).
regards,
-david
I understand VW would err on the conservative side when it comes to letting drivers know they need to refuel, but 4 gallons prior to empty is excessive. The bottom line is that in order to presere my sanity, I end up refueling more often -- effective per tank driving distance is reduced.
I am wondering, since this is all computer controlled, whether VW can turn off the audio warning. The low fuel light is just fine.
Much to my surprise, I found that the engine requires super premium gasoline and gets about 17+
mpg around town with the A/C. It has an automatic
Xmission.
This seems like very poor gas mileage. Is this the norm, or is my car tuned incorrectly? It drives fine.
What car did you have before (model and engine) and what kind of mileage did you get with it?
Couple of things to check:
1) Clean the pre-screen and make sure that the air filter is clean on the air intake system.
2) Verify the tires are inflated properly.
I have not driven it much on the freeways. It now has about 6,000 miles on it.
My other car is a 1996 Cadillac Deville with the North star engine.
Around town, it gets about 12 mpg, but on the road, without the A/C, I can get 28+ mpg at normal speeds
2002 Volkswagen Passat GLX 4Motion V6 with 59K
2002 Volkswagen Passat W8 4Motion also with 59K
there both price at 16K
http://www.cartalk.com/content/testdrives/Reviews/vw-passat-2003.html
I haven't done the brakes on my Passat yet, but I hear the fronts are easier to do than the rears. I've seen a complete step-by-step instructions for both front and rear brakes on the Passat on another forum (with pics, too).
So far everything seems to be working well, I like the car, got a great deal on it and the engine sure seems peppy. One thing I noticed has me wondering though and it's difficult to explain.
When I start the car, with my foot on the gas, I can feel a sensation (in my right foot) that feels like hydraulics engaging (or something to that effect). It's just a split second and then it's gone. What could this be? Is it anything to worry about? I want to ask the VW people when I take it in for the first oil change but I don't want to be snowballed by them into thinking it's just my imagination or something. Has anyone else had this happen?
Nothing to worry about. That sensation is supposed to be there when you first move the car - it's the ESP (electronic stabilization program) kicking in. It's a great feature (many more new cars will have it in the next few years, but VW has been one of the leaders). The only thing to worry about is if you don't feel that sensation when you start. Hope that helps - enjoy that new ride!
Check your owners manual.
Perhaps different issue, but good luck!
What, if any, exclusions are listed?
Are you limited to having work performed only at the dealership where you buy the policy?
What company is underwriting the policy? What is their financial strength?
How long do you plan to keep the car?
Will the warranty cover the timing belt (and associated engine damage) if you wait until the 105K VWoA-recommended change interval?
As another member here (Mark Cincinnati) often quotes, maintaining a VW can be frightfully expensive.
The first thing to check is under the hood - remove the cover over the battery and look under the battery for signs of water. There's a drain under the battery that's notorious for clogging and allowing water to enter the car.
Second thing to check: on a dry warm day, make sure that the a/c condensation is actually dripping on the ground. Some have reported clogs in the a/c drain line, allowing the condensate to enter the car.
I gotta say, though, that most times the water in both of these situations seems to be on the passenger side rather than the driver's side.