Volkswagen Passat 2006+

turtle911

Turns out that they had to bring an engineer in to look at the problem. They had to order some parts from Germany. They're telling me it's going to be a week to ten days before the parts come in to the dealership. Apparently there is some problems with the computer not communicating with the air bags. Not only is the enging light coming on, but other lights such as the air bag are coming on now. They say this is the first time this has happened.... :sick:

turtle911

Yes, they did give me a value edition to drive. It has hubcaps, no sunroof, no satellite, no steering wheel controls, no heated seats, etc.

jefferyg

Sorry bout your luck on the engine light thing. Sounds like your car has a faulty "brain".

I can't believe they actually had a value edition. They probably got it just for a loaner. I can't imagine anyone wanting one with the hubcaps - they are putrid and ruin the looks of the car.

rwatson

Hope I can word this right, as I just got up and the first few mg's of caffine and nocotine are showing an effect. And no, I don't want to sound like I'm giving you an "It could be worse" story.

You are kinda lucky (well lucky for someone who has their new car stuck in the VWoA black hole) as they have given you a loaner. The three dealerships I've experienced wouldn't even do that for you. You instead had to rent a car from a rental and have VWoA reimburse the cost. VWoA claims it has something to do with State laws and insurance and....... You get the flick. I bet your value edition with the hubcaps has an auto transmission, hugh?

Are you going to try and dump it back off on them? I would. I also love it when their training kicks in: "We've never seen that happen before."

Sorry to say, but I think your car is the Anti Christ. You need to dump it on them, try to get another and mark it with the sign of the beast, so nobody else buys it, like me.

ike3

The same 2.0T engine in the 06 Jetta has it with the automatic. Does anyone here know if the new 06 Passat has DSG? If not, any ideas as to when it might be introduced? Or, is it on a higher
trim level on Passat?

markcincinnati

Tiptronic only, at this time, no DSG.

More's the pity.

priggly

Could this be a :lemon:?

Yes, it is very possible it is a :lemon:.

VW is not at the bottom of the reliability ratings for nothing.

(I never noticed this before but that lemon emoticon sure does look like a VW "New" Beetle, doesn't it?!)

ckelly14

I test drove the new 3.6 VR6 Passat two days ago. There is no question after driving both the Passat and the Audi A4 recently that the Passat is no longer the "just a little bit less rich" man's A4. This is not necessarily a compliment. There is a significant difference between the two at this point, some good, some bad...

As a family man that needs to fit a car seat in the back, the increased room is a welcome addition in the Passat compared to my current 2000 A4 1.8T. The interior with the burled wood upgrade is a "night and day" change vs the monotonous fake metal on the Passat 2.0 version. The seats are similar to the Audi's- i.e. comfortable but not very "sporty" or bolstered". The trunk on the Passat is excellent.

Although the VR6 was very powerful, I came away very unimpressed. The FWD version is the only one currently available, and the VR6 completely overwhelmed this car. The engine toe-in was very abrupt and led to quite a herky-jerky ride. I "spun" the front tires much more than I every would want to at 38 years of age. The VR6 did have a very nice "growl" when pushed hard.

Overall, I would opt for the 2.0 T in the Passat if it could be similarly equipped as the 3.6. But here's my biggest gripe- It can't! I can't even order what I would consider "given" in a car- a fully powered driver's seat or auto-dimming rear view mirror- without ordering the VR6. I agree that the Passat currently has two personalities. At it's most loaded, it's a "poor man's" A6 (although this is a significant drop-off we're talking about). In the 2.0 T, it's a very good alternative to the Camry or Accord. In no way is the Passat and A4 comparable at this time.

I'll test drive the Passat with the 4 Motion when it comes out to see if the extra bulk and the 4 wheels smooths-out the big engine, but I'm back to looking at the A4. I wanted to a little closer to the dealer (Audi- 35 minutes, VW 5 minutes) as my Audi needs a little work from time-to-time but the extra drive for a guaranteed loaner may be worth it.

Finally, the new haldex system is a full-time FWD system that only switches to the rear wheel if there is slip. I'm no sure how this will effect performance. My take is that the Passat is trying to mature into a legitimate family vehicle, but it is taking away from the old "Farfegnuten" image. Good luck VW in trying to compete with Toyota and Honda!!

ckelly14

Forgot to post this link....
Passat sales flat

jefferyg

I come at this from the other angle. I also would like to drive the 3.6 with 4-Motion, but realistically I can't afford it, or an Audi, BMW, Mercedes, etc. I'm a former Honda driver who recently bought the 2.0T. And as I have previously said, the Passat simply gives you more for about the same money as the Accord or Camry, AND it is a lot more fun to drive - even with the Tiptronic.

I admit, I wish my car had a few more features that are only available on the 3.6, such as fog lamps and full power seats with memory function. But who knows, by 07 these may be available on the 2.0T. But even as it stands, our car is IMO quite a bit more "refined" than either Accord or Camry. The other thing I've noticed is that our black Passat turns heads. My wife drives it to work each day and people regularly ask her about the car. Can you really say that for the Accord or Camry?

One thing I was wondering about - did you have the ESP switched off when you drove the car? I know I'm giving up 80 horses and about 70 lbs of torque to the 3.6, but with the ESP on, our car is not jittery at all, torque steer is minimal, and I've not experienced any tire squeal. Switch off the ESP and the ride gets much more interesting.

ivan_99

And…remember the Passat with the 2.0T makes more hp AND more torque (at a lower rpm too) than the 2006 Camry…plus gets better mileage.

A few years ago I purchased an Accord over a Passat because the Honda dealer did 2K better for my trade in. I should have privately sold my trade-in and purchased the Passat. I had “Passat” envy every time I drove by one. I have since sold the Accord (not as reliable as my old A6).

A few of those “features” I could actually do without. Unless you share your car with somebody…power seats…mirrors, are really a waste. I think the Passat’s 4 wheel disc brakes are a much better feature over drums in the back of the I4 Accord (with a minimalists list of features/options)

dino001

Isn't Camry regular fuel, as opposed to premium Passat?

ivan_99

Correct.

rwatson

My take?
Who knows? Who cares?

jefferyg

Yes, but I did the math and if your car gets 30 mpg on the highway, at today's gas prices the extra 20 cents to buy premium costs you less than a half cent per mile more than buying regular. As a matter of fact, at today's prices you ought to experiment with higher octane fuel. An increase of 2 mpg is more than enough to pay the difference.

turtle911

You are correct in labeling my car the Anti Christ. Shame on me for buying a car that had the engine light on.

turtle911

My salesperson asked me the other day if I was familiar with the lemon law....too funny.

ivan_99

Do you mean when you were taking possession, or at a later date?

I think in most states they are required to inform you of the Lemon Laws when you take possession.

pier

I am seriously considering an 06 Passat VE because it has everything I want out of the Passat with the exception of the lack alloy wheels and the OE brand of tires. The VE comes with Goodyear Eagle LS-2. On my (former) 04 Nissan Quest, the 99H version of these tires resulted in a buyback. Many other Quest owners have the same problem - I have been lucky to get out of my lease agreement.

Here's my question: what is more cost effective? Paying the extra $2K for the 2.0T Standard Edition or getting the dealer to trade in the tires for Michelins and selling me 16" alloys on a VE? If the upgrade is not an option, how do I convince a dealer who usually does not want to go the extra mile (most VW dealerships) to do that?

jefferyg

The price difference between a VE and a standard 2.0T is only about 1 grand. That $1000 gets you the alloy wheels, chrome trim on the doors, partial power driver seat, and more choices in exterior and interior colors. I'd say go with the 2.0T.

jefferyg

I talked to my brother who sells VWs in Memphis tonight. I told him a lot of people are wondering about Passats with a 6M. He said they have one in stock but a guy is supposed to be picking it up tomorrow.

dtd07

Take a look at this web site, 4 great videos-just head to the last page.

http://www.vw.ca/vwca/newpassat_main/0,2541,50,00.html

pier

I took your advice. I went ahead and bought a Deep Black/Pure Beige leatherette 2.0T (standard edition) with Package 1 and additional rear airbags. I told the sales manager I was not willing to pay for the extra stuff except for the alloys as the stripped-down 2.0T standard edition model cost $25,590 MSRP). I was offered $26,200 if I took the one with extra stuff that had a sticker price of $27,565. That seemed reasonable so I did. As a bonus, the sales manager agreed to swap the Goodyear Eagle LT-2 tires for Michelins. (I have a lemon law issue with that tire brand on my former Quest).

The VE is a nice car however it seems a pity to get that far and NOT drive it on lighter (therefore more economical/performance enhancing) and aesthetically appealing and alloys. The electric lumbar control is also worth the extra expense.

I am really happy with this car (not being used to the level of luxury coming from an 03 VW Golf LS TDI coupe). I was going to buy an 06 Jetta TDI but the price difference and True Cost To Own (thanks Edmunds.com) made it feasible to get a larger, more luxurious (and possible better made car - Mexico vs Germany).

newvwowner

Just purchased the 06 Passat 2.0T w/ Option Pkg 2 1 month ago. 1st VW ( or any German car for that matter) I've ever owned after an assortment of Toyotas, Mazdas, Nissans, and even Infiniti. Travel about 60 miles a day on a combination of winding backroads and interstates. My MPG experience echos voicenyc - using 89-93 octane depending on current gas prices - so I'm pretty satisfied so far.

jefferyg

Sounds like you got the 2.0T with package 1. If so, good choice. Your's sounds almost identical to ours except we got the black interior and we also have the heated seats. I love the sirius satellite radio. I'm listening to it online right now.

turtle911

At a later date

pier

Just a side note:

When the sales person went through the hand over procedure, he was unable to pull the rear armrest down. The technical staff had gone home by then, so there was no-one to ask. Thinking it was a defect, he booked me to come in the next day to repair the problem. Very embarrassing.

When I got home with the car, I noticed that there was a lever inside the trunk around the locatiion of the rear armrest (where the pass-through door is located). I pulled on it and the indicator on the lever went from red to black. Bingo!! The armrest worked.

I tried looking up the reason for this lock (because you can already lock the pass-through door) but the manual does not seem to indicate its purpose. Anyone else know?

rwatson

My guess is to keep little kids from messing with it when you don't want them to. They do have a way of messing with things.

jefferyg

I'll have to ask my brother about this when I talk to him again. But the kid thing sounds good. I have a five and a seven-year-old and I wish our car had five-point seatbelts like racecars to keep them planted where you want them.

I also wonder if the lock may be to prevent it from moving while it's being shipped.

rwatson

Works for me. I guess I'll just have to get one and play with it too.

stickguy

Just decided today to put the Passat on my check out list (actually, the ad in the paper with a real attractive lease offer did it!). Anyway, I was planning to call tomorrow to investigate what the offer is on (which model), and in poking around, it seems that you can't get a monroof on a 6 speed manual 2.0T?

Yes, I know that you probably won't find themanual either, put occasionally one does pop up, and you can get lucky if it is the loss leader they are advertising, and they happen to have a few just to stay legal!

Anyway, I can't imagine VW has become idiotic enough to require Tip if you want a moonroof, which might as well be standard in a Euro car in the class and price range. And if you can't get a manual w/roof, at least I will save a trip to the dealer.

rwatson

Stickguy, I feel your pain. I've spent the past couple months on this forum ranting about the same thing. To further bust your bubble, I don't think you can lease the manual either. I wish you could.

dino001

Yep, Transmission [non-permissible content removed] rule.

stickguy

one more shopper with a checkbook burning a hole in his pocket that won't be stopping at the VW dealer. Probably safer that way!

Although a Jetta with this drivetrain might be tasty (what is that, a GTI?). The local dealer is advertising major discounts/cheap lease deals on the new Jetta.

picard12

Do past model the 4motion passat have mechanical problems? I read about it on carreviews.com forum. What's the difference between Haldex and 4motion system?

I am sceptical of VW passat reliability compare to Honda accord?

ckelly14

You may want to look at the Jetta. The Jetta with the 2.0T is either the Jetta 2.0T (the "luxury model") or the GLI (the sport model with blacked-out grill). The GTI is the wagon thingey, the TDI is the turbo-diesel. VW alphabet soup!

You can indeed stock up the Jetta 2.0T with xenons, wood trim, full-powered seat, moonroof, etc, which you cannot do on the Passat 2.0T. Smart, VW...

ckelly14

The 4motion Passat of the past was the same as the Quattro system on the Audi- 50/50 front/rear split with changes on wheel slippage. Haldex is 100% front-wheel drive with power to the rear wheels only with slippage.

I am also very afraid of the 1st year reliability of the new Passat, which is one of many things that is keeping me away. There is no comparison between the Honda and VW reliability. However, I will still be making a final decision when the 3.6 4Mo is available in Spring. As I posted above, however, I may check out the Jetta.

feilo

I know this subject has ben touched before... but perhaps someone has an update ?
I just called 5 dealers in Chicago area and the answer varied from "will start shipping in November" to "maybe in February"...

Does anyone know if VW is planning to ship 2.0T Passats w/ Manuall at all ?
and and if so when ?

I've been waiting few months now... and I'm about to just give up and go with either A4 or Saab 9-3...

Also, are there any other Passat related forums out there ?

I believe if you want a manual, you can always order one. As for other Passat forums, you can Google "Passat Forum" and see what in the world pops up....

turtle911

I dropped my car off yesterday for the engine light problem. When I was at the front desk, the service person informed me that there was 4 recalls noted on the Passat. Has anyone else been informed on the 4 recalls. They told me the car would be ready in three hours. 24 hrs later and I haven't heard from them........

krzyss

24H in service during warranty asks for very good treatment.

Krzys

jonb05

hey i just took mine in today also the recalls are to check the fuel line to see if it leaks also transmission line and to re route the cable for the hood release. all the recalls were JUST CHECKS. the reason y your check motor light was on was probably due to the gas cap not being tight at least that was the problem with mine.

rwatson

My engine light has come on a couple times too (2004 wagon, 1.8T) and the guy at the service dept always asks if it acts okay. When I say "yes" he always tells me to make sure the cap is on tight, and cautions that I may have bad gas and to just drive it for a few days. Always goes off a few days later and leaves no code in the computer. No problem. I just hope we don't go through another coil SNAFU with this engine.

wmquan

The Passat got the "Good+Best Pick" scores in both the front and side impact tests conducted by the IIHS. Not many vehicles have this distinction.

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=588

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=600

The new Crash-Active head restraints also got an "Acceptable" score in the IIHS rear collision test. Decent score and a huge improvement on the previous Passat. Just too bad they couldn't get the top score.

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/head_volkswagen.html

rwatson

You all know I've been hovering around on this board for the past couple months, just circling this car. My delema is that I'm 100 miles from the nearest VW dealer. I'm very happy with the reliability of my 04 Passat wagon (but I'm bored tearless with tiptronic/1.8t)but a little nervous about this being the first model year. Should I be so bold as to try it? Have I lost my mind? You know I've been harping about the lack of manual XMSN in the available cars, and I now assume they are probably on their way now. So it's time for me to either "put up or shut up." Any thoughts?

cllaw

Hi Turtle911

Sorry to heard that you having problem with your Passat... I just wondering what is the end result of the repair... Are you up and running or the passat still with the service department? By the way, is anyone notice any problem with their passat so far. I got mine a few weeks back and I'm loving it until this week, the car start nozzling a long time before it start... the winter is coming... I hope it won't die on me...

Thanks

Alex

cllaw

Hi Jon05

Could you please let me know where did you find out the recall information? I'm a newbie on the forum and I just recently bought a Passat hoping that it will be less trouble on myside. If you can point me somewhere that will be great

Thanks

Alex :confuse:

roberte1

Congrats on the Passat !!!! VW customer service should have all the answers on recalls ( they call them service campains ) FYI make sure you use 91+ Oct in your car if not the engine light may come on . I found that Shell gas with V-power works best .
VW Customer Service # (800)428-4034

roberte1

I strongly recommend going out to your nearest dealer and driveing the New 3.6 VR6 Passat . By far it's the best Passat ever !!!! I can't wait for the 4-MO to come out .

wmquan

Why not wait an extra year? It's never a good idea to get the first year of any vehicle (even Hondas and Toyotas have teething problems in their first model year). Especially with a VW.

Plus by year two, VW might adjust the option mix somewhat, and discounts should be better.

cllaw

Thanks a lot roberte1: Yea.. I had been using 93 from Shell V-Power (this is probably the only gas I used since I drive). By the way, do you experience a prolong start up time once you leave your 06 Passat overnight? Recently, I notice that my Passat a long time to start up. It might just because the weather is colder now, but I wonder if any other Passat owner has the same thing

Thanks

Alex