Volkswagen Passat 2005 and earlier

bruce50e

I may be wrong here, but I thought the reason the 1.8T has so little torque steer is because the engine is set longitudinally, not transversely. Torque steer is a characteristic of transverse mounted FWD engines, regardless of size or power. My extremely underpowered Acura Interga had a large amount of torque steer. It had a transverse engine. The above mentioned Altima probably has a transverse mounted engine also.

pkradd

You're correct in that repair costs are higher on the Passat then a Honda or Camry . I did opt for an extended warranty to take care of that. Once out of warranty I would suggest going to an independent repair shop. I've gotten mailings which have service and repairs about 30 to 40% less then VW charges. Just a thought.

mbnut1

The B5 chassis basically eliminates torquesteer by virtue of the multilink front end. Wish I had a more detailed explaination.

blackjetta18t1

mbnut is correct. The B5 is the same chassis as the A4 and the A4 is revered for its FWD setup due to its suspension. Same with MBnut, I don't have specifics but I know we can all thank Audi once again for giving us such good things....

dle01

sda -- I have a 2000 Passat GLS with the same tires (Michelin MXV something or other). I will be interested to know what replacement tires you select, and how you like them. Please report back on your choice.

Our car has about the same mileage - 30,800. Our Michelins are wearing very well, and I am fairly certain that I will get 40,000 or more miles out of them. My wife is the daily driver of the car, and (I think) she drives more conservatively than I do. This may be a factor in the even wear.

Although I don't know the price, I would lean towards replacing them with the same tire. I've never been happy with the grip, and in fact if I were the daily driver of the car I would probably go with a more performance oriented tire. However, the ride quality is very good with the Michelins and I have been very impressed with the fuel milage. Our car is a V6, but regularly returns 30 or 31 mpg on the highway, even when cruising at 80+ mph. A friend has a 2001 GLX with the 16inch rims and larger tires and reports 26-28mpg in the same conditions. The wheel/tire combo is the main difference in the 2 cars so I've got to think the tires have something to do with the mileage. Anyway, hope this is helpful and eager to hear about your tire choice, price, and performance.

krzyss

The Driver !!!

Krzys

PS Michelin tires are usualy good (forget about XWs) but pricey. One can find comparable tires from different vendors. I like Dunlop for example, and SP 5000 might be good replacement for MXV4.

zzabc

Hey all, love reading all the posts. I am looking at buying a '99,dark blue, auto/tip, 27k,leather,moonroof, cold weather, cd, fog lights, alloys. Car is in outstanding condition, reputable vw dealer is asking 19k, what is the car worth- I am thinking 17.5 range??? any input would be great. Thaks in advance.

jgranata

bruce50e hit the nail on the head...a fwd design
with a longitudinal layout is, imo, far superior
for handling and performance...it's not as effecient as transverse for packaging. the wife
had a 89 audi80 fwd, right behind the engine was
the 5 spd tranny and coming out at 90 degrees to
the tranny were the halfsshafts going to the front wheels...very neat and tidy...only under
extreme throttle input during hard cornering, would you feel any torque steer, very manageable...jack g

danandkat

Hi--I'm a newcomer to the Passat board, and am starting to think about replacing my '87 Accord. A '98 or '99 Passat looks like it could be a good bet. I am still in the information gathering stage, and haven't gotten out and test driven anything yet.

One thing that concerns me is the Turbo4. I have never had a turbo before, and am worried that it is just one more thing to break, and expensive to repair when it breaks. Can anyone give me some information on whether this is a valid concern? Would I be better off with a V6, or should it make no difference? I have driven a number of 4cyl (non-turbo) vehicles (Camry, Accord, Stanza, Colt) and found the plain old 4cyl to be adequate. Typically I prefer a 5sp manual.

There was a post not too far back about VW stating that regular fuel would be OK, but might lead to some loss of power or MPG. Anyone out there with some real world experience regarding this?

Also, am I correct that the Passat was last redesigned (in a major way) for 1998 MY, and has not been substantially changed since?

Any thoughts, comments, or suggestions will be appreciated. I look forward to hearing from you and to frequenting this board.

Thanks, danandkat

'01 Mazda MPV
'87 Honda Accord
'85 Toyota Camry

pkradd

There are considerable front and rear end differences between the 1998-9 and 2002. Chrome accents have been added. The new one is slightly longer I believe. Cup holders have been added to the center console. If you look at both cars side by side you'll notice the differences even more. According to VW major under the skin changes have been made - some 2000 tweaks including a stiffening of the body. I believe the turbo is good for 100,000 miles. It is used on many models in the VW line. Reviews have been positive. There is no tire-burning acceleration but there's plenty of power when cruising. I have a 2001.5 (2002) turbo with tip. I love it.

claywaterfill

Wasn't there a redesign with the 2001.5? Would there not be quite a few differences between a new Passat and a 1998 model?

pkradd

2001.5 = 2002.

txguy67

Howdy All! 2002 GLX V6 almost 2K miles almost 2 months owned and have a couple of questions.
1)The climate control switches between fresh and recirculate often..normal?
2)I can't get the homelink to program my "rolling code" garage door opener but have programmed an older "non rolling code" opener.
Input/Suggestions Please!
Otherwise Love this awesome German machine!
Thanks

pkradd

I have a rolling code as well and have had no luck programming it for Homelink. Also need help!

vwguild

with *Rolling Code* is addressed on Page #54 of
Booklet 3.1 (Controls & Equipment)

trlyka

'99 Passat GLS-94,000k

I just got the car and I drove it for the first time at night last night, and I noticed 3 lights that are out.

You know the lights that tell you where the dash vent wheel is. Only 1 out of the 4 is lit. The only one lit is the one to the right of the driver side.

Are they easy to replace myself? Looking at it, I'm guessing that the dash has to come apart.

Has anyone else ever had these lights replaced? Did it have to go to the dealer? How much did it end up costing?

I could swear I posted about this, but I don't see it anywhere.

Any help is appreciated.
Thanks

pkradd

I wonder if it is really a fuse or fuses? Check the fuse box first!

brick22

I remember about a month ago hearing you say that there were a certain number of audis and vws leaving Germany on two ships, in May. Do you know when the next ship leaves? I was told on May 28 that my audi has completed production and should arrive on the west coast in late June. I liked that you knew the names of the ships. Thanks!

pkradd

Titanic and Andrea Doria. (Just kidding).

brick22

Stop it!!!! What happened to the Andrea Doria?

pkradd

Go here:

http://www.andreadoria.org/

vwguild

The *ANDREA DORIA* went down too...

Your Audi is most probably aboard the *MARINA ACE*
which is due to arrive in San Diego on 25 June
with 1100 units.

brick22

Thanks you two!
Here's what vwguild said,in April,I think: "There are 6264 VWs & Audis arriving in to the Port of San Diego between the DYVI/PAMPLONA that arrived this Past Tuesday, and the NEW YORK HIGHWAY that arrives on 25 May... 6 other vessels arriving from Emden in between these two dates.."

I'm about to go look at the Andrea Doria site--
I like the name of that ship, vw, Marina Ace--I read it Marina Ice first--but I was told the ship lands in Delaware and then the cars have to ride the rails to Tacoma--I'm in the NW.

brick22

Interesting website, pkradd. A hobby?

pkradd

Not really, just being silly on Sunday. Hope your car arrives soon.

scirocco22

Starting to get impatient again, Jill?? ...can't blame ya.

--'rocco

p.s. --btw, how long has it been since the order date?

trlyka

A fuse was the first thing I thought of. I checked the book and I don't think there are 4 separate fuses for those lights.

I'll probably end up going to my mechanic to see what exactly controls the lights. I'm guessing the bulbs simply burned out.

Thanks

brick22

It was fun, pkradd. Thanks for not telling me to go back to the Audi board. They've been talking up the W8 for weeks over there, anyway. I'm okay with waiting, scirocco, walking to work or catching a ride, watching the roses bloom in the neighborhoods. Guess that dolphin grey just feels like a winter color and now it's almost summer.

Oh--and I think I said yes on February 22, but who knows when he acutally placed the order. He said he didn't need my deposit to place the order as long as it came in the next couple of weeks-- I don't think it was official until sometime in March. He did mention 120 days the first time we talked about the possiblity of ordering.

brick22

veedub1

Hello,

Had our GLS for about 2 months now, everything is great, but once in a while, the air from the AC produces a bad smell in the first few seconds upon turning it on. At first we thought that it could just be new and will go away. But it's still happening.

Does it have anything to do with the micro-filters or something?

Should I bring it back to the dealer?

Thanks!

rayainsw

From the Sunday (yesterday) Boston globe:

http://www.boston.com/cars/reviews/2002/volkswagen_passat_w8.shtml

Cheers,

- Ray

Who is always interested in what the press has to say about the cars I buy - both before and after I have made the purchase . . .

markcincinnati

Car and Driver liked the W8 too -- a lot!

vwguild

Some one over on the Vortex is looking for a good
Dealer in the Cincinnati Area...Any thoughts?

bruce50e

I had difficulties programming the Homelink/rolling code combo also. I tried and failed several times with my car in the driveway. I finally pulled the car into the garage directly under the opener, lowered the door and set up a ladder (carefully) next to the car. I hit the 'learn' button on the opener, scrambled down the ladder and into the car, turned on the ignition switch and hit the Homelink button. It worked!!! I can only figure that the Homelink control was too far from the door opener when sitting in the driveway. The door opener is a Sears. AFTER I did this I remembered that I had to stand on the ladder when programming the remote keypad that came with the door opener. Like they say, hindsight is 20/20.

markcincinnati

Northland VW -- in Norwood -- old old dealer, CAR people, good folks, high integrity, etc.

Century VW -- in North Eastern Cincinnati -- newer dealer, nice facility, some salesperson churn, always seem to have good inventory and when I had my Quantum they were good at service.

I met a Century (sales?) person at the Cincinnati auto show and he seemed to have a pretty good product "IQ" -- a friend of mine bought a VW at Fairfield VW and said that Northland had "spoiled him." If I told you anymore about what this means, I would be making it up.

While these certainly aren't the entire population of dealers, these are three of the ones that are most often noted -- and generally with good things or at least no negatives.

The Fairfield dealership is new and is part of a larger "regional chain" of dealerships -- that may be a good thing or a bad thing based on your experience.

I personally like to "meet and know" someone who has an ownership interest in the dealership.

But, small guys may not have the clout you need at the "corporate level."

Anyway, these dealers (above) do appear to have staying power.

vwguild

Thank you, Sir...

pat

The Town Hall is about to take on a new look in an effort to make content more easily searchable and accessible.

Have you seen the Letter from the Town Hall Manager on the Town Hall Welcome page? If not, you might want to follow that link to have a look.

And hang on to your seats. Change is never easy - for any of us - but resolving the Search problems we've had will be worth the pain.

Pat
Sedans Host

(To those of you sick of reading this, think how sick I am of posting it!!!! :-) :-):-))

shamgotti

Has anyone seen the passat coupe? It's hot and I hope vw brings it here. Check it out at; http://thehollywoodextra.com/cars/cars.html

pkradd

That's a mock-up or photoshopped picture. VW does not have it on the docket for manufacturing as far as I can deterimine. Perhaps VWGuild can comment.

vwguild

pictured here looks very well done; so I cannot
comment on the source, but for now I think the
plate is pretty full..What is probably closer, I
believe, is the Jetta Coupe/Convertible. This
would seem to be a more plausible step given the
market for coupes...

blackjetta18t1

if you go on vortex, they have a SEAT I believe that is a coupe and based on the Passat platform. They mention that it could theoretically allow for a Passat coupe but the picture may be a revamped SEAT.

automan227

I am looking for either a Passat for Passat Wagon. A local dealer of mine has a Pre-Owned 2002 Passat GLS 1.8T, with Alloy Wheels and some other options that make the Vehicle come out to have an MSRP of $25,875. They are asked $22,439 for it but the catch is that it is one of the service loaners that has 8,045 miles on it.

To me that price of $22k is awfully high for a loaner car. It does come with the remainder of the 4 year/50,000 mile factory warranty however they won't make it certified pre-owned because it has under 12,000 miles and is not over a year old yet.

What do you people think?

Thanks.

vocus

Having a couple loaners in the past couple months, I can tell you for sure they are beat down. People are harder on loaner cars than they are on their own, so be warned.

vocus

Where can I get a picture of this car? A friend of mine likes 2-door cars alot, and wanted to know what the 2-door Jetta would look like. If someone could provide a link or info, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

automan227

Are saying that you run the loaners harder then your own car vocus? Im just messing with you.

Thats what I was taking into consideration the car being $22k. I was thinking somewhere from $18k-$19k would be more appropriate. What do you think?

AS

vocus

I am hard on any car, actually.

I would say something like $18K. Check the TMV for used Passats if it's available.

lurker01

What is in the GLX that you cannot get from a loaded GLS? There is a ~$700 price difference. What does that buy?

vocus

You won't ger the tilt-down passenger's side mirror (works when backing up), the power seats, the memory driver's seats, the larger wheels, and some other trim things I think. That's all I can remember off the top of my head though.

automan227

I checked TMV for a 2001 (2002 not out yet)and its $21,700 for a certified vehicle. The dealership emailed me back saying the car is only 6 months old with an original MSRP of $25k and change. They asked what I thought was a fair number and I told them somewhere between $18.5k and $20k more towards the $18.5k.

But I then told them with regards to it only being 6 months old that it was a service loaner which means that it probably takes more abuse then a normal 1-2 year old vehicle. I have yet to hear from them with regards to the numbers I put out there. I figure if I can get them to $19k I will bargain them down some more.

Thanks for your help.

AS

markcincinnati

At the price and age (of the car) you are talking and using my experience with LEASING -- I would say that you could probably lease a brand new car for a PER MONTH charge that would be less than the finance cost of a used (8K+ miles) loaner. Unless there is some fantastic super duper lease deal they have put in front of you on this specific car.

I "ran this scenario by my Audi dealer" who basically said the only way to make this an advantage is to pay cash up front and pay about 10% less than the number in your e-mail.

Now, his advice was free and off the cuff. It may be worth what I paid for it.

My advice is to lease a new car and not go to risk on a "loaner" unless the price drops at least a few grand -- which, under the circumstances, they may not want or have to do, since most other prospective buyers probably don't have the same advantage you have (the "edmunds town hall" advantage, silly).

No, I am not a shill for edmunds. Well, I may be shilling, but I am not actually a shill, if you get my meaning, if you catch my drift. . . .