Volkswagen Passat 2005 and earlier

hoodornament

I know I know, cant I find anything better to spend my money on? hahahahaha, thanks anyway

outrun

Not sure if it can be installed after the fact, but I think my lucky stars that VW didn't put it into the GLS. I really don't like all those buttons to do simple things. The 3 rotary dials with A/C and recirc buttons are as simple, straight forward, and functional as one could wish far. The Climatronic looks like an ergonomic nightmare.

-Craig

hoodornament

What i like about the ECC is I presume you can set it to cool/heat the cabin to a specific temperature similar to what you would do in your house (70 degrees). Other than that, not sure what else it gives you ...

Thanks

vocus

You can do that, but I hear the controls are alot more frustrating to use on the Climatronic. Also, I think of it as just another thing to break down.

outrun

We have the "auto temp" feature in our '01 RX300, and NEVER use it. I know lots of cars have it. My '98 S70 T5 and '99 Acura TL had it. Never used it in those car, either.

Maybe it's just me, but I like controlling the speed of the fan myself and not waiting for a computer to blast me with air.

Plus the rotary dials in the Passat allow me more options for air flow direction.

-Craig

jimjim3

I am in the process of looking for a 2002 Passat GLS. Are there any rebates or factory-to-dealer incentives? I have heard about a $1,250 factory-to-dealer incentive but have not verified this. Thanks!

JJ

clscflm

Believe that next month will finally be ready to get my Passat GLS 1.8T; am hoping to get a 2002 with all the incentives possible. Problem is I'm rigid in color choice as well as manual tranny (plus lux/ leath/ and monsoon). Will I stand a real chance of getting what I want even in the wall to wall car kingdom of LA? Seeing that other people are already having difficulties getting their 2002 choice is making me nervous.

eyedocgirl

Hello, I am trading in my 2001 GLS passat 5speed V6 next month for a GLX, I was wondering if the W8 was worth the extra price? I am not too happy with the reported gas mileage of the W8, but if it drives alot better with more power I could live with it. Also, is the 4 motion option a good one, I live in San Antonio where it never snows/sleets. Any ideas on why there is not a 6 disc cd changer in dash? I know that's alot of questions but I have major car fever.

hoodornament

Thanks for the feedback, perhaps you are all right,

HO

vwnew

Hi all,

Just a quick novice question: I am considering the new '03 GL (I don't particularly need the sunroof). But I really would like to have the wheel locks that come with the GLS. Does anyone know if I can just have wheel locks installed on the steel wheels?

Thanks!

vocus

You can buy wheel locks from your dealership or from EBay Motors (http://www.ebaymotors.com). They are usually cheaper on EBay though. And yes, you can buy them for your steel wheels.

rayainsw

eyedocgirl –

The question you pose (“is W8 worth the price”) is clearly a very personal judgment call.

But, I decided that, for me, it was worth the (negotiated) asking price – so I will try to answer your questions.

(Further information can be found in my 3,000 mile update – I believe around post # 4008 on this forum.)

Gas mileage: So far, I have been in the 19 – 20 mpg range. This is in Atlanta area traffic. Not spectacular, and a bit lower than I had expected, based on my previous vehicle and a comparison of EPA mileage estimates. I need to further qualify these numbers by adding that I drive (now that the engine if broken in) much more for smiles per gallon than maximum gas mileage . . . And with a 21+ gallon tank, the range is reasonable. I have not taken an extended trip recently, and I believe that the highway mileage may improve over time. I understand that the W8 motor has extremely tight tolerances, and as the motor may ‘free up’ and deliver better mileage. Several VW and Audi owners have reported this.

Does it drive ‘a lot better’? Depends on what you are comparing it to, of course. I have driven a couple of V6 Passats. They are nice cars. I had a nearly new (showing only 150 miles or so when delivered to me) 1.8T Passat for a week while my car was in transit from port to the dealer. The 1.8T motor and the Tip trans. do not work together nearly as well as either the V6 or W8. I would not personally have even considered buying either the 1.8T or the V6 Passat, but the W8 delivers quite a different driving experience in many respects. And, for me, the difference justifies the price.

4Motion / AWD? Setting aside the general safety advantages associated with AWD, my view is that with 250+ lb. ft. of torque, I want either RWD or AWD. I do not want FWD. My experience has been that high torque and FWD do not result in a refined driving experience under (ahem) spirited cornering or acceleration. And the VW system works unobtrusively at all times. Yes, it adds weight and complexity, but again I believe that it is worth it.

Just my $.03 worth (adjusted for years of inflation) – YMMV!

Cheers,
- Ray
Who considers the W8 to be much like an Audi A6 4.2 – but MUCH less expensive . . .

vocus

I want to get the European headlight switch for my 2002 Jetta. I know http://www.parts4vws.com has the part, but they want $70 for it. I saw it for $40 somewhere before, but can't remember where. Any help? Thanks.

harrierguy

Does anyone know when the next model change is planned for the Passat?

I am interested in either a 2002 or 2003 Passat - I know the current "look" came out for 2001.5 model year, and was wondering how long it'll be before it'll start to look old.

txguy67

I just had my 1st service done (at the dealer) to the tune of $45. The service writer said the oil filter alone is $20 plus 6 1/2 quarts of oil...what's up with that? 02 GLX V6 5K miles.
JJR

mliong

From what I have garnered at www.VWVortex.com, the next refresh for the Passat is 2005/6 - where it will be completely redesigned.

Unlike the current platforms which share the same characteristic looks as the Jetta, the Passat will have a distinctly different look - so it won't be mistakenned for a Jetta! Hehehehe...

The 2001.5 was a mid-season styling refresh, as well as a "Service Pack" that addressed the littany of bugs introduced in the 1999 changeover.

The 2003's will now have the option of EPS (Electronic Stabilization Program) to assist "less experienced" or more "aggressive" drivers in keeping their cars under control.

With regards to a car "looking old", consider that styling is a relative issue. My coworkers taste in styles vary tremendously, but many of them say that the Passat stands out in style compared to many of the models today - including the Camry - and they meant that in a positive manner.

I styling is a big concern, you should either lease a car, or wait till the 2005 refresh - but there again, even that style too will get stale as time goes by.

I do not recommend buying newly redesigned cars - Especially VWs. The 1999 Passat redesign was plagued with problems across the board. The 2001.5 release addressed many of those problems.

Good luck!

mliong

$45 seems rather steep for an oil change. We pay about $25 or so for my wife's Jetta at our dealer - and that is for an oil-change, filter replacement AND a quick mechnical check....

wacka

THe 2003 are already on some lots at dealers around my area of DC Northern VA. Haven't gone down to see them or test drive them... yet

vocus

The VW dealer in MD that I go to charges $45 for an oil change on the 1.8T Jetta that I have. That's why I always go somewhere else and get it done.

Goodyear told me the oil filter on the 1.8T Jetta is $27 alone though. They charge me $31 for an oil change and tire rotation, because I have a discount card.

georgek44

They are less than $10 at my local dealer for my 2000 Passat 2000 1.8T.

Spark plugs are another story - the dealer charges almost $25 a piece, and blames VOA.

On the net, various NGK and Bosh plugs are avialable from around $4 to $9.

txguy67

The dealer I go to is a Mercedes, VW, Volvo, Infiniti, AND Acura combo. My J30 was only $30 a pop and they washed my car. Guess I'll have to find a private mechanic.
JJR

8u6hfd

Bosch Platinum...$1.99 per plug

It's not like Bosch supplies VW its spark plugs.

passatfamily

Hello all,

new to the board, and new to Passat ownership.

Purchased a 99 wagon for the bride about 6 weeks ago, and purchased a 99 sedan for me today.

What routine service have others had done at 40K? What price ranges?

thanks in advance,
PF

jimjim3

I am looking to purchase a 2002 Passat GLS. Refresh my memory on the location of the cup holders. I have noticed some comments on other boards about the poor location of the holders, and that condensation from the cups can short out equipment. Has this been fixed?? Thanks.

outrun

Vocus,

The one you saw for $40 was most likely a South American/African (I forget which) switch. It doesn't have the rear fog light function.

If you don't plan on using a rear fog light, then it's probably fine. I don't know where to find it as I got a EuroSwitch for $57. Not sure if this "supplier" still has them. Email me for a contact name.

-Craig

outrun

Just got my '02 Passat GLS 1.8T oil changed at Colonial VW in Westboro MA for $22.95 (coupon is available on vw.com). Normally it's $26.95. The V6 is more.

But they overfilled my oil. They used 4.2 quarts (max capacity) but didn't wait for ALL the old oil to drain. They should have used 3.9 quarts per the TSB that was released. Of course they don't admit to overfilling it (level reads max after running the engine, which I had to do to get there). After all the oil settles in the pan, the level hits above the 2nd bend.

Plus they use Valvoline 5w-30 instead of the recommended 5w-40.

I don't recommend them. I'll be doing my own oil changes from now on.

-Craig

8u6hfd

Impex Auto Parts (www.vwparts.com) was selling the Brazilian switch, which doesn't have the rear fog. That was $40.

I posted a link for the $57 one in the Accessories and Modifications thread.

pkradd

As of now they're completely made in Germany.

harrierguy

Thanks - I will go take a look this weekend - still trying to decide between Audi A4 or a Passat.

stephenbell

Looking to buy a 2002 or 2003 vw passat -- having a hard time deciding to get a gls 1.8t or glx w/o 4motion --

will most likely be buying automatic --

wondering what some of the pluses and minuses are from people that own the newer cars -- any input would be helpful

outrun

Drive both and see which one you like better.

Personally, I find the 1.8T to be a better choice. Almost the same power of the V6 (required on the GLX) with better economy and reliability. The 1.8T can only be had in GL/GLS trim. If you're into "modding", a $500 ECU chip can bring the power beyond the V6 while maintaining the same economy.

If you like some of the GLX goodies that aren't available on the GL/GLS (power seats, auto dimming mirrors, etc), then that'll make your choice easier.

I haven't driven either with an auto (mine is a 1.8T manual), so I can't comment on how each behaves.

I do love the 1.8T/manual combo though.

-Craig

numbercruncher

Does anyone have information on the effectiveness of the optional Electronic Stabilization? I have have heard that in some cars it is worth getting, but in others it does not make much difference.

sda

I called our local dealer to schedule a simple oil/filter change. I asked the service writer if they could pencil me in on a Thurs am, and she paused and gently laughed and replied, "I can't even get to the cars we have now, we're covered-up". So I asked when was the earliest I could bring the car in, and I was told 2 1/2 weeks later. Now I know they have the general summer rush in getting cars ready for vacations and servicing cars for students returning to school, but 2 1/2 weeks!? This is a service department that I have used for years and have been extremely happy with. For the first time I had to take our Passat and have the oil change done at a quick lube shop. To rub salt in the wound, they charge $10 extra to lower the splash shield so they could reach the drain plug and filter! I told their service writer that they would be $15 more expensive than VW ! (29.95 vs. $45) Ugh. Due to VWs new found popularity and apparent increase in demand for service, I surely will plan in advance next time. On August 17 our Passat will be 3 years old (33000 mi). It drives as if it was new. We couldn't be happier. Enjoy.

trlyka

I have a '99 Passat V6 with 96,000+ miles on it. I went to a local garage that specializes in VW's. I asked for an estimate on a timing belt and spark plugs. The timing belt would cost about $650. This includes the water pump. The plugs and wires would run about $200 give or take $50.

Does this sound like a reasonable estimate?

Has anyone had these items replaced? How much did you pay?

Thanks

8u6hfd

You can get a cheaper without the water pump. THe water pump is added to the estimate, besides more money, that in the event of a water pump failure or seal leakage...it requires the removal of the timing belt to do the pump.

trlyka

I believe it's a give in to replace the water pump along with the belt so you wouldn't need to pay for ripping off the front end again should it fail shortly after replacing just the belt. I would want to replace it at the same time. Besides, the water pump isn't the bulk of the cost. In this case, I believe you're paying for more labor then anything else.

frankie33

I am the proud owner of a year old 2002 Passat GLX, with a total mileage of 20,000. I have had my car serviced four times at North Point Volkswagen dealership, located in North Little Rock, AR.

With so many postings of unsatisfactory dealings with VW service departments, my experiences may come as a shock to some.

We live in North Central Arkansas, and the closest VW dealership is 140 miles south of us. It is just about a three hour drive, no inter-state highways, but because of the type of service provided by North Point VW, it is well worth the drive.

There is never a problem in setting up an appointment, at our convenience, and the professionalism and courtesy shown by their staff, makes our entire trip an enjoyable experience.

Besides regular oil changes & tire rotations, we have had two minor problems, a defective running light bulb, and fuel tank sensor. Both were taken care of immediately and professionally.

For those of you who have had a somewhat different type of experience, I know the feeling, I have been there. But there is always the exception, and in our case it is North Point VW.

rghessel

Hi All,

I've been torturing myself with a new car purchase. Without going into the dull details, I'm looking for a sedan...and, amongst other things, it has to have Navigation. (I have it on my current Lexus RX 300 and LOVE it so much I wont consider a car without it).

I've looked at the Lexus's (ES and IS), but design wise they are SOO borning to me. I love Audi, but their Nav system is primititve, without any LCD map screen (just a little arrow next to the speedometer that tells you when to turn). Surprisingly, the Audis sold in Europe have a regular, color screen-based system which is NOT offered in the US...

Does anyone know if VW is planning on offering Navigation in any of their Passat models?

vwguild

10 months you will have two to choose from...
Touareg & Phaeton...Go to www.VWVortex.com for all
the details...:)

stephenbell

how much power does that chip add to the 1.8 -- and are there any side effects or anything??

outrun

Depends on which one you get, but the "ballpark" figures are about 205 hp and 245 torque (up from 170/166).

Side effects? Yes. The VW service department will stick you with the bill if anything in the engine/drivetrain goes wrong while still under warranty.

-Craig

5speeder

Just had my first 5k mile service done on my '02 at West Side VW in Minneapolis. Charged $23+change. They did use 5W-30 instead of the recommended 5W-40. Not sure how big of a deal this is, but I was surpised that a VW dealer wouldn't follow the manufacturer's specs.

outrun

Here in the states, the only 5w-40 spec oil is synthetic. And VW doesn't want to give synthetic when offering $23 oil changes.

So they use 5w-30. Same thing happened to me at Colonial VW. And they overfilled it. And they refused to drain any out, stating it wasn't over filled. These "certified VW technicians" can't even read an oil dipstick.

Funny that the '03 Passat 1.8T manual states ONLY 5w-40 can be used, and 5w-30 can only be used to TOP OFF.

Typical VW service.

Needless to say, I'll be doing my own oil changes with Mobil1 0w-40 or Valvoline SynPower 5w-40.

-Craig

jsgnfwtx

Ref posting #4147. A good friend and I each took delivery of 2003 Passat Wagons two weeks ago. Love them. However, both do have flawed windshields - vertical waves across the entire windshield at 1.5 - 2 inch intervals. My VW service dept is forwarding this issue to their zone office. A quick check of other 02 and 03 Passats on the lot revealed that they too have flawed windshields. The replacement windshield the dealer had in stock was also flawed. I urge all Passat owners to carefully check their windshields. This appears to be a widespread flaw with at least the Passat. On frequent occasions the distortion in my windshield is a bother when stationary objects in my field of view suddenly jump. I plan to bring this to the attention of Consumers Reports and NHTSA and urger others to do so.

vwknight23

Hi,

I have a 99 passat V-6 with 35,000 miles and the check engine light comes on.

Has anyone have this kind of problem before and how did they solve it.

Thank you very much

caldriver

I took delivery of my 2003 GLX five days (and 160 miles) ago. So far, I totally love this car. However, I am getting about 10-13 mpg in the city. I live in San Francisco and make a lot of 5-10 mile trips, so I expect sub-par fuel efficiency, but this seems a little extreme. Even with the most old-lady style driving, I can't top 13 mpg. Will this improve as I break the car in? Is this what other people are getting in hilly cities? Thanks!

pkradd

You need at least 5 thousand miles before you can accurately determine fuel effiicency. The V6 is well known to not have great mileage. EPA ratings (sticker) are usually higher for ALL cars. This has been a fact ever since they started. Mileage should improve to around 15 to 18 for your car. I get about 22 mpg from my 1.8 Tip in city driving (with the air on). I live in south Florida.

5speeder

I don't have it in front of me, but I believe the manual for my '02 says to use 5W40, but 5W30 is ok as a substitute. I didn't realize 5W40 is only available as synthetic but your point about $23 oil change makes sense. I would've preferred the service guy to offer the synthetic even at the higher cost. Rather presumptious of them to just go ahead and use the substitute. I could see this happening if this was Quickylube or Ralph's gas station, but this is a VW dealer!

frapzoid

I've had my 02 Passat Wagon for nine months now and I know what you are talking about. However it doesn't even bother me. A lot of cars with that severe rake in the windshield have that type of distortion. Ever been in the cockpit of some exotic cars? Same type of thing. I don't even notice the "distortion" anymore and soon you won't either. It's just that your car is brand new and you notice every little thing. Just relax and enjoy the car.

frapzoid

Hey you guys got off easy... Mine cost $58.00 and they scratched my car too!!