Volkswagen Passat 2005 and earlier

8u6hfd

The weird socket is the weird socket is the wheel lock.

The dealership is supposed to give you the wheel lock. They switch out the 5th lug bolt to the lock when prepping the cars. I heard that tends to happen, forgetting to give you the wheel lock

mppedersen

What changes are going to be made on the 2003 GLX models?

Off the top of my head comment, some of the posts I have read say that the 2003 GLS models will have a sunroof standard. Thats all well and good, but a power driver seat is missing in action on all GLS models. That seems to be backwards.

vwguild

the same with exception of ESP as an option...

c1rybick

well, it only happened with that $60,000 (used, I don't know, maybe that's a little optimistic) Audi A8L (huge backseat). I actually didn't like it all that much. Passats are simpler inside, and I like the lack of clutter.

I do wonder why the key wouldn't turn, however. I couldn't start the car, but I could've stolen the key.

Fancy that, the used Passats are almost always locked, and it's usually a new one that's unlocked. Makes a lot of sense, really...;)

merc1

There is a fly in the buttermilk at that dealership. Insurance, hidden cameras...something..

M

amoorenpls

Totally confused.

I have been researching the Jetta, Passat and A4 with looking to purchase in the near future. I really like the GLI (the 17" wheels look great) with the leather, sunroof and monsoon. However for the money I could get a Passat GLS similarly equiped (but with 1.8T) but with puny looking 15" wheels. As far as the Audi goes I would probably have to buy used to get the same equipment level.

I am single and would probably own for 1.5 - 2.5 years. I have gone through a career change and probably will have more money to spend in a couple of years. Recently I have owned trucks and SUV's but the best vehicle I ever owned was a '94 Acura Integra GSR. I'm a little older now and looking for more sport sedan than pocket rocket, but as one can tell I like 'drivers cars'. I drove a 5sp Passet in Ireland last summer and really liked it, have as of yet to try Jetta or A4.

looking for other opinions as to which way I should probably go.

rayainsw

Passed 3,000 miles on my W8 sedan last weekend, here is my update (long!):

A little background first. I traded in a Y2K Lincoln LS V8 Sport w/40,000 miles. I had not owned a European car for several years. I had not owned a German car since a 1980 Audi 5000 5-speed.

Before I selected the W8, I researched and test drove many cars in the $35K to approx. $50K list price range, including the 3 and 5 series BMWs and both the 2.7TT and 4.2L A6 Audis.

Overall, I am quite pleased with my W8. The combination of German engineering and feel suits my tastes quite well. The ride and handling are both excellent. It generally feels stable and well planted. I am still debating whether to just replace the OEM Continental tires with more aggressive 16” rubber – or replacing the wheels and tires both with 17”-ers. And I may investigate installation of the Sport shock absorbers, once that package is available.

The acceleration feel is very good. In particular, the ability to almost ‘wish’ the car from 70 to 80+ mph on the highway is really exceptional. And I expect that this seemingly effortless acceleration is largely a result of the fact that the engine rpm (around 2,500) at that road speed is just below the torque peak. The ‘elasticity’ of this motor overall is quite impressive. Yes, I can always downshift manually. And yes, there is the option to ‘provoke’ a downshift in automatic mode. And yes, even push past the throttle resistance point into ‘kickdown’. I appreciate and sometimes use each of these options. But many times, just a smooth surge of acceleration while remaining in 5th gear is what I want – and in the W8, it is provided in a superior manner.

The W8 motor certainly is a jewel. It pulls well in any gear at any reasonable rpm. In fact, it even pulls well from ‘unreasonable’ rpm. The Tip. will allow the trans. to stay in 5th or 4th gear all the way down below 1200 rpm. And the motor pulls cleanly and with no indication of mechanical discomfort from that low rpm range! No – it certainly does not accelerate quickly under these conditions, but often in traffic on surface streets, that is just not an issue. And that provides a range in 5th gear of approximately 35 mph to 130 (electronically limited) mph.

The motor makes about the right level of mechanical noises in the right combination for me. And it is very smooth. I admit that I would enjoy hearing a W8 with a Borla or other aftermarket exhaust – I suspect that the flat crank howl would be remarkable! I would personally prefer to hear just a bit louder exhaust note. But then I had dual MagnaFlows put on my Lincoln LS . . . !

The interior is, of course, largely the same as every other recent Passat – this is a good thing, in my view. And the exterior is also essentially identical. I happen to like the Passat styling – and the addition of the 4 tail pipes is a nice touch. I have so far encountered no rattles, squeaks, or other unwanted noises. The cup holders work particularly well for me.

I continue to enjoy most aspects of the Tiptronic. I like VW’s implementation of the man-u-matic ‘theme’ better than any one else’s that I have driven. Specifically, that includes those in BMW’s 3 and 5 series. I appreciate the fact that at any throttle position (including WOT) and at most any road speed that makes sense, I can up shift or down shift at will. I also appreciate the fact that the display shows what gear I am currently in. (I still find it very odd that the new Infiniti G35 that I drove does not display this information when the auto trans. is in what they describe as manual mode.) Since I can no longer drive a car with a clutch, this is the next best thing. And it is even better in the heavy traffic I must often deal with.

There are two things that I do not like about the trans. behavior. One is the fact that in both Tip. and regular automatic mode, the automatic downshifts often are not smooth. In fact they are sometimes rather harsh. In heavy traffic, at relatively low speeds (say, below 35 mph) each downshift jerks the car. The TCC lock / unlock algorithm also causes driveline surge. I am disappointed that these downshifts are not better managed. It makes smooth driving under some circumstances nearly impossible.

The other Tip. issue I have is with the slow shifting at WOT and high rpm. I have hopes that when a W8 Tip. chip becomes available, it will address this, with a quicker and firmer shift action.

I am a bit disappointed in the real world gas mileage. Based on the EPA estimates for the W8 and my experience with my prior vehicle (EPA 17/23 vs. the W8’s 18/25) I had expected slightly better gas mileage than my previous car. My LS had a 3.9L V8, similar peak HP and TQ, 5 speed man-u-matic, very similar final drive gearing, and a vehicle weight only about 150 pounds less than the W8. At this point, it looks more likely that the W8 will actually average slightly worse gas mileage. (sigh) The good news is that the larger gas tank in the W8 (21.1 vs. 18 gallons) does allow an increase in driving range. In the same commute driving, much of it in and around metro Atlanta, the W8 has been averaging just over 19 mpg - vs. just over 20 in my LS. A recent trip of 600 miles in a weekend, mostly cruising at 65 to 80 mph, resulted in about 22. In my Lincoln, on the same trip under very similar conditions, the LS would typically have exceeded 24 mpg. I had hoped that on a long run I could average close to the EPA highway estimate of 25. Not so far. And no, this will not kill my budget – a difference of 1 or 2 mpg is simply a mild disappointment.

Unfortunately, this last item leads me to the most irritating aspect of the W8 so far. I have now 6 or 7 times encountered a bizarre drop in the fuel gauge reading. This has been an almost instant drop of about a quarter tank. I happened to catch this once – and watched in fascination as the gas gauge dropped from just over half to just over a quarter – in no more than 3 or 4 seconds. And of course the ‘range to empty’ display dropped an equivalent amount. Very odd. And disconcerting. If I cannot trust the gas gauge to be accurate, the cruising range I just mentioned becomes a bit more of an act of faith. One occurrence of this behavior happened between when I parked the car in my garage one evening (showing just over a quarter tank and a range of 100+ miles) and the next morning, when I started the car and was rather shocked to see the gauge read empty and the range now = 0. (Display - something like: GET GAS NOW!). Rather startling and unsettling. No, I have not scheduled a visit to the dealer to address this. I was hoping that this problem will go away over time. (Stranger things have happened!) I discussed this with my service manager last Saturday while my car was having the first oil change (9 quarts of Syntec!) and he said it was likely the sending unit. I presume that this

rayainsw

. . . I presume that this is in the gas tank itself. I hope so. I certainly do not relish the idea of any dealer service department ripping into my dash. . .

The handling is essentially what I expected. It feels solid, controlled and responsive. It certainly is capable of high speed cornering and feels secure under any conditions I have driven it so far. It is clearly not as agile as a Miata, for example – and that’s just fine with me. I would prefer not to drive my commute each day in a Miata. Just my opinion. The reinforcements to the Passat structure appear to have resulted in a rigid feel and the chassis deals well with most road conditions I have encountered.

The A/C works very well – and I nearly always drive with the sunroof in the full vent position and a rear window down an inch or so. Here in the Atlanta area, in 85 to 90 degree heat with dew points near 70, it does an excellent job.

A few other minor nit picks: I would prefer a CD changer in the dash or center console with a 6 / 8 disc capacity. In the past I have had this arrangement, and purchased a couple of additional magazines. I have found that, on long trips this allows changing music sources with minimal distraction.

While I like the ability to adjust the fore / aft position of the center armrest, I would prefer that there be some way to lock it in the position that I do choose.

And that’s about it. If anyone has specific questions, I’d be happy to try to answer them.

Cheers,
- Ray
Who (so far) enjoys every drive . . .

vdub2

Why shouldn't you buy a passat? Well, here's the reason, After you purchase that awesome car with a nice deal, thinking you now own one of the best cars affortable german engineered cars out there, then what happens when you bring your car in for service?

Well, here comes the horror. If you haven't done your research on Customer Service and satisfaction, you will see that VWoA (VolksWagen of America) are nortious for giving bad service. Currently, in the 1998-2001.5 models of VW, we're having problems with the control Arms. This is a design issue that VW knows about, and has published technical bulletins about this problem. But, VW refuses to recall all cars that are affect by this, and any repair work for this part will be paid by the car owner. There are many disscussions going on throughout many of the VW enthusiast sites. If you read about how bad service generally are, you'll agree that all the pain and trouble you're going to inherit by purchasing this car will not be because of the car, but because of the service, and Volkswagen's unwilliness to help their customers. If you have enough money to buy a W8 Passat for 40k, you're better of purchasing a BMW or Mercedes for the same price, and get the best treatment, and Free Oil changes. Do the math, and research. Would you buy a good car with crappy service like a VW, and later call up Volkswagen only to get the round around?.. If so, by all means buy a VW, because that's what you'll get. You don't have to take my word for it just check out the other VW sites.

outrun

While I don't disagree with you on the reputation VW has for service, your statement about the years in which the control arms are faulty is incorrect. The 2001.5 and 2002 models are identical (except for warranty terms), and have the new control arms. As as far as I know (and have read), VW redesigned the control arms during the 2000 MY, so even the 2001 B5 Passat have the new control arms (and some late-year 2000's). And as far as I know, the redesign consisted of a different material (harder/stiffer) used for the bushings so they wouldn't wear out prematurely. If *I* am incorrect on the years, please let us know.

I personally have not had service yet as I have only 2700 miles on my 2002. But the dealership I bought from (VW Gallery in Norwood, MA) has a very good reputation (they also sell/service BMW and Mazda at the same location). I'm praying that my expectations from this dealership are upheld.

-Craig

oldgearhead

I see this listed on the VW site under current incentives. What exactly is this ?

TIA

Mike

vwguild

This is continued aggressive financing rates on 2002 Models or $1250.00 of Incentive Money to Dealers...Operative word: OR...

oldgearhead

I see this listed on the VW site under current incentives. What exactly is this ?

TIA

Mike

jpierce26

Outrun.....

I live in Providence, how was the purchasing experience in Norwood? I was thinking about heading up there. Do you recommend a sales person?

Jeff

outrun

The experience I there was good (not excellet, but not bad). It was MUCH better than Colonial VW in Westboro (they were truely horrible). And somewhat better than Bernardi VW in Natick (unprofessional sales staff that would beat the crap out of the demo vechicle while taking the car off the lot for a test drive).

I dealt with Tony Shuman. He seemed like a nice enough guy and has sold 100's of VWs over the years (has pictures of each sale hung on a wall). But I needed to haggle with him for about an hour. I did end up beating Edmunds TMV by about $80.

I still don't know if I'm going to use them for service, as I haven't taken the car there yet after the sale. They did promptly order the LATCH hooks for the rear seat and sent me a notice that they were in. I'll have them installed when I get my first oil change at 5k.

From what I've read, they probably one of the best VW dealerships in that area.

-Craig

big_guy

I am currently leasing a white 2001.5 GLS w/Tip, Cold Weather Package and Monsoon stereo. I have had the car in for a 5000 and 10000 mile service. Both of these services were done in a timely manner (scheduled an appointment and had the car back within 6 hours of dropping it off), and both of these services were at no cost to me. The 15000 and 20000 mile services will likewise be at no cost to me.

In addition to the regular oil change service conducted at the 5k and 10k marks, I had an engine service light come on in the vehicle at around 4000 miles. I described my service experience in post #3023.

Not all VW service is sub par. I have been very pleased with my service to this point.

jpierce26

Thanks for the info. I may swing up and see the guy. I am going to negotiate for the first time with my sales person on Friday. I took the day off for this. I am ready to buy!

What model Passat did you purchase? Were the 2003 available?

Jeff

trlyka

The Passat and A4 are more "mature" looking cars. The Jetta looks more sporty, but I think it also has a younger generation look to it. I too had my heart set on the Jetta since the first time I saw the '99 models. As of last month, my old car died and I needed a car asap. As I started looking for used cars, I came across a '99 Passat and that was the end of my search. I will be 31 this month and I guess my tastes are growing with my age as far as sporty looking being the more important aspect of the car I drive. The Passat drives real nice and it is responsive even on bumpy roads. I have a lot of bumpy roads where I live and if I'm in a hurry, I still feel safe going fast and the car holds onto the road with a solid feel. I don't know much about Audi except they cost too much for what I can afford. I can't take anything away from an expensive German car (Audi-BMW-Mercedes), but I think VW is certainly the best value for your dollar.

trlyka

We're all "car people" here......

Why do people feel the need to touch cars as if they are a leaning post?

Ok, maybe its me, but I can't stand it when people touch my car and leave hand prints on it. I am not nearly as anal as I used to be, but this still bothers me even if my car needs to be washed anyway. My car isn't perfect, but it's fairly clean looking ('99 Passat Dk Blue). Years ago, I used to have to hand wash my car and I would even hook up the hot water to the hose in the winter. That was when I had a black '95 Jeep Wrangler and then a black '96 Corvette. Both were brand new when purchased. I now rarely hand wash my car.

Is anyone else like this?

I don't like people even touching the car I have now, and it's used. Once and a while I have this guy come and bring me stone for our driveway and we were talking by the front porch. My car is parked there. While we were talking, I noticed him leaning with his hand on my trunk lid. I didn't say anything at first and then I couldn't stop myself. I said in a serious tone "You're touching my car". Kind of like when you say to someone that they are stepping on your foot, but its not a big deal. He looked at his hand as if he forgot where he put it and then stood up straight and looked at me with a smirk as if I were crazy or something but we were both chuckling at the same time. He was filthy from his days work and his hand left a lumber jack print on my trunk lid. UGH!

Gee Wiz....What will I do when I have kids????

outrun

I purchased a 2002 Passat GLS, 1.8T, 5 speed, Leather, Luxury, Monsoon. Silverstone Gray/Black interior. Built in Mosel. Purchased it in April, and it has all the running changes made to the B5.5s (new style wipers, for example).

Absolutely love it.

It was irritating not driving it must in the past 2 months. My contract at my previous employer ended (after almost 5 years) and was out of a job for 2 months. Finally got a job a few weeks ago further away from home, so now I get to drive it about an hour and a half a day.

-Craig

amoorenpls

Someone who actually has the exact car I'm looking into. If you don't mind me asking what did you end up paying for it? How is the get up and go on it? I know it isn't exactly a sports sedan more of a touring car, but with the 5speed a car's characteristics change somewhat. Don't mean to be a pest but can you elaborate a little on your driving experiences so far.

Thanks

timtran

There is a condition called OCD that makes people think and behave like what you describe. There is a cure however. Wouldn't it be nice to go to bed and not think about your car?

thor8

Vdub2 I hate to dissapoint but the wife just bougth another Passat, GlX V6, we had a 98 Passat and it was flawless and the service at the local dealer has always been first class and corteous, so for a first class car and good service we rewarded them by buying another one.

outrun

I ended up paying $24,000 even (including dest, port fee, ad fee, and showroom fee). Edmunds was $24,076 or so at the time. TTL extra.

So far, I couldn't be happier with it. Compared to the '96 Honda Accord (4 cyl, auto) that I previously was driving, it's smooth as butter, quick, very refined, and superbly engineered.

Let's see. I'll start with the 1.8T engine. I beauty. For a small 4 cylinder, it's very smooth and quiet. Mated to a 5 speed, it's happy to rev right up to red line. While there is a slight turbo lag, from 2k rpms and on it pulls very well (surprisingly well from low rpms for such a small engine). I hear that with a chip, the turbo lags is less noticable, pulls much stronger, and even nets BETTER gas mileage. (Can be had for $300-$500, depending on brand)

Economy so far has netted me about 26.5mpg in mixed city/highway (this includes the break-in period which nets lower mpg that usual). I consistenly get 30mpg+ on the highway crusing at 80mph. Driving "normally" in the city, I get about 25mpg. Spirited driving nets about 21mpg.

I'm not very happy with the gearing of 5th gear though. At 80mph, it's turning around 3400rpm. While this is great for passing power (very easy to go from 80 to 100), I'm sure we could squeak even more mileage out this engine if it was turning less than 3k rpm at that speed.

The suspension is wonderful. Taken from the previous Audi A4, it soaks up bumps much better than the Accord, yet delivers good road feel and very good handling. It's true the car tends to lean while cornering hard (softer tuned than Audi), it's not in an uncontrolable fashion. Very confidence inspiring. Add larger rims and lower the suspension, and you have a bonifide street racer.

Interior ergonomics of the 2001.5+ models is great. They moved the cup holders away from the radio and into the center console (where they belong). All the buttons have a great tactile feel to them, with just the right about of "spring". Moonroof control is wonderful (again, pulled from the Audi parts bin).

The seats (leather in my case) could use a little more thigh support (ie. longer lower cushion), but I'm getting used to it. I hear the cloth seats are lint magnets.

Unfortunately, they don't offer power seats in the GLS (only model which the 1.8T can be had). The manual controls do allow the perfect seating position (entire seat up/down, seat back forward/back, entire seat forward/back), but the dials they use assume one is a contorsionist.

The headlights, while look really high tech, don't throw much light. I just ordered some Phillips VisionPlus H7's to replace both low and high beam bulbs. They're supposed to throw 50% more light, which people have reports fix the mediocre headlight performance.

The Monsoon stereo is one of the better "stock" systems on the market (at least in this price range). Don't count on good radio performance (it truly sucks). But CD performance is very, very good. While there is no dedicated "sub woofer" (such as those 8", 10", or 12" in size), the bass is very tight and does reach pretty low. My friend spent about $1500 on a system in his '99 Accord Coupe (nothing fancy). He was very impressed with the Monsoon system. I had a $4000 system installed in a previous car. While the Monsoon doesn't match up to that system, it just shows what I'm accustomed to. And I still like it.

Probably the greating benefit of the Passat (and VW in general) is the availability of mods. From engine chips, to suspension enhancements, to sunglass holders, to a more functional headlight switch (Euroswitch), to exhausts. There's even a HID headlight conversion kit available.

I couldn't be happier with it (so far). I only have 2800 or so miles on mine (3 months), so time will tell if it holds up.

My wife doesn't like the Passat much. She perfers the "transport machines" such as the Honda Accord, or her Lexus RX300. She doesn't like the "purposeful" interiors the Germans use. But she was impressed with the interior at night. Everything, and I mean everything, lights up. Looks like an F16 fighter jet.

Funny that Motor Trend mentioned that Honda is going to use many German ideas in the new Accord since "VW/Audi is the leader in interior ergonomics".

Buy it. You won't regret it.

-Craig

amoorenpls

Thanks for your review, I appreciate you taking the time. Now I really want one.

silvercrown

Thanks for sharing your Passat ownership experiences in such detail. It sounds so positive, you do encourage one to run out get one. Is this part of the "get it or regret it" philosophy? :-)

I have greatly admired the Passat for the past couple of years. What's holding me back is primarily financial plus I'm still a little leery of its reliability, both in the short and long-term aspects of ownership. VWs in general seem to be prone to electrical problems and other minor annoyances more so than some other vehicles. But reviews like yours make me think that I'm being paranoid about the reliability of the Passat based on some of the horror stories that I've read here and on other forums.

Well enough of that, I actually had a question for you. What do you mean by "transport machines" and "purposeful interior that Germans use"? I feel that the interior is one of the best features of the Passat and is tops in this class. But maybe you mean something else and I'm just not following you.

Thanks again.

outrun

I have only had my '02 Passat for 3 months and driven 2800 miles. I think ANY vehicle (even a domestic) would prove to be reliable in this time frame. But the MY2000+ Passats are generally considered much more reliable than previous VWs. The 1998's had some first year glitches, and the 99's still had faulty control arms. Even current models have their problems (some report squeaks and rattles). The Passat isn't perfect, but neither is BMW, MB, or even Lexus.

The Accord and Camry are "passenger" cars. Meaning, they are great for basic transportation - people movers. They are reliable as all heck, will get you from point A to point B in comfort, they won't offend anyone, they're safe. But they're boring. They don't posses a soul. They don't inspire true driving. They are plain vanilla (especially the Camry). A passenger will probably enjoy the ride more than the driver.

The Passat is a "drivers" car. It's a great car to commute in. It's pretty reliable, but probably, on average, not as reliable as a normally bullit-proof Honda or Toyota. But they're actually fun to drive (and more safe than a Camry and Accord to boot). A driver enjoyes the ride more than a passenger. And, for the most part, things are positioned to let the driver concentrate on the road. This is why I LOVE the Passat interior and my wife hates it. To her, it's mundane. It's plain. It's "purposeful". Designed to not confuse the driver, but at the same time, it doesn't entertain the passengers.

Her '01 RX300 with Nav is full of buttons, switches, gizmos, color screen, etc. It's fun to play with, and the Nav actually does come in useful.

Again, Honda is going to be using interior styling cues from VW/Audi in its next Accord to try and "grow a soul". If Honda can make a drive that inspires the driver like a Passat, and still maintain its reliability. Look out.

-Craig

vocus

I wouldn't worry about Honda. A couple of people have seen the spy photos of the Accord, and said it looks like a Buick that someone left on the stove too long. All melted looking in the back. Yuck.

markcincinnati

And, wow -- what great reading. The passion for the cars is clearly evident. I hired an intern from a local college (Miami University, Oxford Oh) and he has a very nice 2001 Jetta with the leather interior, 6 cylinder engine, manual transmission and a very nice aftermarket Pioneer sound system, nice wheels, etc. I got to ride in in the other day -- color me impressed. Reminded me of a BMW my wife had some years back.

All the talk about the Passat W8 still makes me wish my local dealer had one for a test drive.

I read that the Audi S4 will be in the US pretty soon -- with a V8. I wonder how the Passat W8 with manual and sport package will fare -- price weighted of course -- when compared with the S4. And, my guess is that the S4 will be perhaps $10K more than the Sport W8 Passat.

I would expect the Audi to be a better handling car if for no other reason than it will be shorter and lighter -- but ten grand is a lot for potential that we can rarely use here in River City.

Thanks to everyone for their entertaining and informative writings -- only disturbing note was the post concernng bad dealer service. My Audi dealer has me spoiled, in this regard.

caw103

Good point about the extensive modifications available to the passat. I believe Vocus was the one who suggested chipping to me several months ago. So thanks vocus. My wife however probably curses the day I found clubb5.

caw103

You can read endless posts about this and that falling apart on just about every car model as well as people saying they've never had a problem. Overall my impression is that the Passat is not the most reliable but somewhat above average.

To start I'll say my 99MY with 23K miles has suffered the following. Serviced for stereo under warranty, a rattle in the sunroof control that disappeared on its own, seat squeaks (settled for WD40 since it was out of warranty) and an inability to start. It's the last one that really scared me. I turned on the car and moved it out of my garage onto the driveway and parked. It had electric power, would crank but would not turn over. Tow guy couldn't figure it out towed it to the dealer after hours. The next day it of course started up for them and they could find nothing wrong. I've seen posts about this non-starting on other vehicles besides the passat after extremely short trips. Fortunately this hasn't repeated itself. All in all it's not as trouble free as previous 95 camry but it's also not nearly as bad as the 92 sable.

jake101

I went looking to buy a 2002 Passat and the one I wanted(color, options,etc) was bought out from under me. So I thought it wouldn't hurt to look at a 2003 in the same color and options I desired. This is what they came back to me with.

Selling Price - $25,599
+ttl and a 199.00 Doc fee (does this sound high)

He kept saying he could only go as low as 1000 over invoice. I said that I knew what his holdback was and the invoice price and that I would go as high as 25,000 although I would rather go to 24,700. With his holdback he still makes almost 900.00. Does this sound fair and was I right in walking away? Thanks for the help

Jake101

steveiowa

My 2001 Passat just turned over 25,000 miles...we commute about 50 miles a day. We have not had a single problem with it . Not ONE. None. Zip. Zero. Nada. It's a 4 Mo with the luxury package. I love that car as much as the day I drove it off the lot...unfortunately, my wife STILL wants to drive it all the time.

We took a long car vacation last week...put on about 1200 miles in 5 days...she fell asleep while I was driving and I got it up to 100+ on the superslab....it runs soooooo good at that speed, she never knew the difference.

I'm already looking forward to my NEXT Passat!

flattire1

Before you get a flat tire, check out your Passat trunk. Reading other posts, I have heard this is a common problem. Driving my 2001.5/9,500 miles Passat home from work (6:00pm), I hear a clicking from my tire, sounded like a nail. Sure enough I go flat a few miles down the road. Frustrating, but life goes on. So I pull over and get all ready to mount the spare. It's then that I notice Passat's have an odd shaped "anti-theft" lug nut on each wheel that requires a special adapter. According to the manual, this adapter should be in the pouch. I dump out a bunch of cheap tools and find no adapter. So now I have a flat, and I can't change it out. So I call the sales person, and he says to "flatten out" the pouch, it should be in there, if you can't find it, the vehicle must be towed. The problem grows worse. Now I must tow the vehicle, fine. I call VW roadside assistance and 90 minutes later a flatbed truck arrives. I watch the driver wrap some chains around the wheels and winch the car up onto the bed. I follow the driver to the dealership (15 miles away) and watch him unload it. When he was all done (9:30pm), he looked under the front tires with a flashlight. I thought this as odd, but ignored it. The next day service calls and start off by saying they found the adapter with the jack. I said this was IMPOSSIBLE and look forward to seeing where it was. He then mentions, oh, and whatever you ran over broke your REAR brake line. It will cost $350 to replace. What? This was a routine FRONT flat, and I didn't run anything over. Then there's a long pause, I say well then the tow must have caused this and VW roadside assistance set that up. He replies, "You'll have to take it up with the tow company". By now I was ticked. So I left my sales person a message to see if he could help, no response. I fax a letter and voice mail to the new car sales manager, no response. Finally I fax a letter and voice mail the owner of the dealership. He asks me if I bottomed out the car, and that the adapter WAS in the car, and "we'll have to see if VW will eat the brake line but I'm not sure the tow caused this, but maybe it did, I don't know". Really ticked by now, I called VW customer care. A day later they sent out a VW field rep to inspect the damage. I didn't want to miss this, so I take off work to attend the inspection as well. On the inside of the wheel, some scratches lined up with the broken brake line. The rep agreed a tow chain probably caused the damage and pursued AAA for the costs. There's absolutely no other damage that would have even suggested I ran anything over or bottomed out the car! Just some dirt which I could not explain since the car was washed the day before. Anyways, finally things worked out. When all was said and done, I asked to see where the adapter was. It was in a little pocket within the pouch. Could I have missed it? I'll never know, but I'm 99.99% sure I tore the pouch apart before even considering a tow. When I got the car back, the arm rest and inside door panel had nice noticeable mechanic dirt spots. The wonderful new car scent was replaced by a strong odor of probably brake fluid. The wheel with the plugged tire now has a few small scratches. Who knows what else they did to it. With this experience, I think I'll toss out my free oil changes and take this $20,000 item to someone I can trust and knows what service means. I was in the market for a new Jetta but would never consider giving this dealer another penny.

vwguild

You might want to take a second look at Edmund's
advice about *Holdback*...

This is only a bargaining chip for truly distressed merchandise, and the car that you are seeking , by no means, falls into that category...
A Neon, a Stratus, but certainly not any Volkswagen product.

vwguild

You probably would have been better served just
calling *Roadside Assistance/AAA* and having
them do the "Flat Tire Service"...They should
all have *keys*...

Don't have a clue why you were advised to tow the car...

VWOA provides you with RoadSide Assistance as a free benefit...once again, a not so great delivery...For that I am sorry...

merckx

There is absolutely NO reason to only get $600 off the list price of a Passat-NONE. And I find it impossible to believe that there isn't another VW dealer cloce by willing to give you a reasonable discount.

pkradd

I just returned from a month's stay in Montreal on business (and some pleasure). Had a brand new Camry at my disposal. Good car, certainly much better than my '98. But it still wasn't as fun to drive as my 2001.5 Passat 1.8T. Upon returning, I took it out of the garage and got it washed and shined. Looks as it did the day I picked it up last year. The only problem has been the pause and then lurching situation when making a turn while stopping at an intersection. However, that happened during the first few months and hasn't occured since. Perhaps the computer has leaned my habits or maybe I'm taking my foot off the brake fully before hitting the accelerator? I'll have to remember that. I've also used Premium and am somewhat amused by people wanting to use regular. In the scheme of things the extra few bucks a tankfull will guarantee top performance. Only the dealers seem to say Regular is OK. Is this just a selling tactic?

Anway, the car is as good as the day I drove it home. No mechanical, electrical or other problems so far.

trlyka

I wouldn't call it OCD. Compare it to someone who just got done changing the oil on your car and comes over to you and uses your shirt as his napkin for cleaning his hands.

Because I don't want dirt and grease on my things, this means I have OCD?

Hmmmmmm that's interesting.

Thanks Doc

P.S. I don't go to bed and think about my car.

brucec35

I've always liked the Passat, and when we're in the market for another car in a few years we will probably take a good look at older used Passats then(our driving requirements will go from 20,000 mi/year to only about 5,000).

The 4 cylinder turbo with modest equipment is a nice value, but as a well equipped version (GLX?) it gets uncomfortably close in price to cars that seem to do a little more and are perhaps more reliable. A great example of this is the new Infiniti G35 w/ leather and sport pkg. At about the same price, you get
1. MUCH more power (0-60mph in 6.2 seconds!)
2. Comparable or greater spaciousness
3. Decently smooth ride
4. Better sportier handling w/ Performance tires on 17" wheels
5. Infiniti reliability (VW does have the typical German car problems)
6. Infiniti luxury dealers have a better rep.
7. 70K powertrain warranty vs. 50K VW, I believe

The area where the Passat definitely has an edge is the much better looking interior. It may be better looking too, but IMO only when equipped with nice aftermarket 17" wheels and wider tires for a more aggressive look. Safety seems comparable, though we won't know till tests are done on the G35.

I see the Passat as an upgraded, Germanic, Camry/Accord class car. At about $25,000 it seems superior enough to warrant the price premium, but at $31,000 I'm not so sure.

brucec35

Your experience with VW "service" sounds familiar, and it's why we almost bought a new Passat last year and instead opted for a used BMW. The vibes given off at the dealership just weren't impressive. The last straw was when I drove over to check the cars out one afternoon and they didn't have parking for customers availalble, the spots were all filled with new cars. I drove around and finally found one spot, but 3 mechanics were there taking a break and just glared at me when I motioned that I wanted to park there. I'd seen enough, and just drove off.

Their dealerships seem more suited to their customary $18,000 cars they sold than the new Passats, which rise into the $30K's. BMW's can be a pain too, and they're not cheap, but at least their dealers always gave us quality service.

No car is perfect, but if you're gonna have a car that requires freqent visits for small problems (like vw's, audis, BMW's do) you'd better like your dealership. My dad's jack collapsed when changing a tire on his lexus, and did body damage to the car. They fixed the damage, and didn't try to pin the blame on him. That's the kind of thing that's hard to put a value on.

Again, I think a Passat makes more sense as a $15,000 used car than as a $31,000 near-lux. You don't expect quite as much out of them at that price, and you can take it anywhere for service, so the the dealership quality isn't a big factor. I've owned two BMW 540's in recent years, and I think that people have to realize that there is no such thing as a German economy car. They always have a few more problems and require more time and money to own. They're worth it if you value their unique qualities, but if you just want a cushy car with a good stereo, there are others out there that are more pleasant to deal with.

agh15

Does anyone know why volkswagen doesnt offer a navigation system in passat like they do in europe, and when they will offer it here.

truevalue

Well, it took over four days of spare time but I just finished reading all previous posts. I'm visiting as a 2 VW owner, 95 Passat & 97 Jetta. Both are too fresh to need replacement but do want to stay "current" with present product platforms. Have worked in Auto repair over 20 years so can sorrily agree that VOA needs to step up to the plate and help dealerships improve customer service (5 years as a VW Service Advisor). Good balance to my time in VWVortex. Hello!

vwguild

Welcome Aboard!!!Enjoy!!!

steveiowa

Yanno...when I was looking for a car last fall (which resulted in my purchase of a Passat), I WANTED to test drive an Infiniti. But guess what? Iowa's second largest city doesn't HAVE an Infiniti dealer. I know this is Iowa, but c'mon! I would have had to drive 75 miles to the nearest Infiniti dealer just to TEST one...let alone service, etc.

The VW dealer network gets bashed a good deal here (I'm VERY happy with Carousel Motors in Iowa City), but at least they HAVE a network.

Plus I wanted all-wheel drive which Infiniti doesn't offer (I don't think).

trlyka

You said "I've always liked the Passat". Right there that should tell you something. I know that if I got any other car then what I really like, then I would probably regret it as I drive down the road noticing every car that was the same as the one I really wanted but didn't get. I can see if the car had a horrible reputation, but the Passat doesn't. You are already comparing it to another car which says something. Although this board does have some nice things to say about Passats, these boards are rarely a place to look for the positive side of things. People like to complain/share and get sympathy/feedback and this is where they go for it. I guess it depends on your passion for a vehicle, but I know that my first instinct almost never steers me wrong and I won't have regrets if I listen to it.

There are a lot of cars out there that are way over priced for what they have to offer, but I don't feel that the Passat is one of them.

What I've done is ask an owner of the car I'm looking at how they like it. It makes the car more real to you when you see an owner driving the car you want give you his/her opinion rather then hearing the dealer tell you how great the car is.

I will say though that this board has some tear jerker stories of how great the car is, so maybe that's enough for you.

I own one and I love it!

Good luck

senel1

I'm new to this board so I apologize if I am covering old ground. I just bought a 2002 Passat 1.8T with manual transmission. So far, I love it! How important is it to bring the car in for service every 5000 miles as suggested in the owners manual (and encouraged by the dealer). I know the first 5000 mile service is important on a new car, but after that can I just take it to a generic oil change place? Any thoughts?

8u6hfd

The 5w40 oil as recommended in the owner's manual is only available in synthetic form, available at the dealership or a parts store that has Halvoline synthetic oil.

richmond4

I'm having trouble deciding between the 4cyl turbo and the 6 cyl GLS. I can definitely tell the difference between the two, but does one really need 'all the power' that comes with the 6-cyl engine?

pkradd

Depends on your driving habits and location. I live in South Florida, don't floor the car to be first at the next light, use the highways on ocassion and find my 2001.5 1.8T with tip to be just fine... better than my previous '98 Camry 4 c ylinder auto. The 6 is smoother in acceleration but makes the car a little heavier and gets poorer mileage and doesn't handle as well as the 4. Either way you'll get a car that is fun to drive, well-built and a great buy. Good luck and let us know what you finally purchase.