Volkswagen Passat 2005 and earlier

lhinde · May 2001

Hi. Long time lurker, first time poster. I've found the Edmunds forums to be a great source of information, so first, let me say thanks for letting me eavesdrop.

My first cars were Beetles, a 60 and then a 73. I've driven two Toyotas and a Subaru since then.

I'm shopping now and have narrowed down my choices to an Acura TL and a Passat. I'm leaning towards the Passat because it's less boring and has more room in the back seat.

That said, I'm kind of astounded at the shoddy quality that people just sort of put up with here and on the Vortext forums. ("I love my car even though I've had to take it in twelve times, the sunroof doesn't close and my dog fell out of the back yesterday.")

My Subaru has 80K miles and I've done nothing but regular service. No repairs. We have a 91 Toyota with 210K miles and we just did some clutch work worth about $1k and that was the first thing.

I understand that generally on the web people are negative, but I've found the Edmunds forums to be more balanced. I wish there was some independent source for reliability information.

dpr5 · May 2001

I bought my Passat for what seems to be the Politically Correct reasons on this forum. But what right other than some self proclaimed elitism does anyone think they have righteous and overbearing knowledge to tell anyone what are the right and wrong reasons or set of priorities to buy a car (or anything else for that matter)? The time we are most likely to make a poor buying decision is when we buy according to someone else's priorities that don't match our own. That is a recipe for regrets.

By the way, I love my 1.5 GLX 5 speed... so far.

car_nut1 · May 2001

What is meant by "soft glass"? Does this imply distortion?

inky · May 2001

Passat is recommended by them and their polling indicates that reliability is good. I like it
INKY

Sporin · May 2001

"The time we are most likely to make a poor buying decision is when we buy according to someone else's priorities that don't match our own. That is a recipe for regrets." --dpr

Smart words. It's very petty to ridicule someone for choosing proven reliability over a percieved, better driving experieince.

Many VW owners seem to think that unflappable reliability and a good driving experience are mutually exclused. As long as they buy into that, VW doesn't have any reason to tighten up their quality control... no reason at all.

Why can't VW do it both was???

carguy5000 · May 2001

....Folks, this whole reliability issue is so overblown in these forums! I do not think most know what true reliability issues are. I cannot even begin to look back at some of the "reliability" issues that I have dealt with in the past with vehicles that I have owned.
As I have mentioned, I have been fortunate enough to own most of the Passats competition in the '90's and based my decision to buy the Passat on the pros and cons of those ownership experiences. My "spouting" is not based on what I have read, or what friends tell me, it is based on actual ownership, a credential that I truly believe very few have.
The Accord is a fine product, believe me it is not perfect either. Anyone aware of the "chronic" sunroof rattle in the 1998 EX Accord that their is no fix for? Sure the dealer is able to "grease it" every time it is in for service but that is the best they can do. It is just one of those things.
I think people are looking too closely at this whole issue, face it cars break.

venanzik · May 2001

I don't think the reliability issue is "overblown", and yes, maybe we don't know what "true reliability issues" are but people don't like having their cars in the shop. I feel most of us realize cars are not perfect, but still think there is a valid reason to scrutinize over reliability issues. How many people stayed clear of hyundai in the early days and sometimes even now (not a fair comparison but it makes the point). So keep posting your passat ownership reliability issues. I also read WV made some 2000+ changes to the new passat. besides cosmetic, have any been made to increase its reliability?. (Sporin thanks for the web link) thanks all

carguy5000 · May 2001

WHAT RELIABILITY ISSUES ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? We have had the car for 9 months and it has been in the shop once. How can you possibly deem that unreliable?
My fathers '00 S-Class has been in the shop more times than that in the same time period. Should we label that unreliable too?
No one in the S-Class forum is whining about reliability issues there.
What I am saying is half the stuff that you read about reliability is bull [non-permissible content removed]. Don't believe it.

venanzik · May 2001

As for what reliability issues am talking about.. well hats why I posted to hear from people. I want to see it there is a commonality among problems. And does 9 months ownership and one trip to the shop on a brand new car sound good? Maybe I was lucky but my 11 year old honda accord with 128K miles has been to the shop twice for new exhaust due to rust (numerous oil changes and new timing belt, brakes, tires, hoses.. all routine). He if you own a passat and it has been great, I would like to hear that too.

jrct9454 · May 2001

Yes, as a matter of fact, the latest S-Class has been a royal pain in the bottom for both dealers and owners, and is hardly a benchmark for reliability or build quality in any part of the marketplace, much less the elite top it occupies.

The numbers don't lie: in the class that is occupied by the Passat, Camry, Accord, etc., VW owners are more likely to have to deal with some service or parts issue than the Toyota/Honda group. How important that is to you is strictly up to you - but the volume of traffic on the internet boards doesn't make [or fail to make] this point. Powers, CU, and other independent data sources all agree on this issue. These online chats are invaluable for experience-sharing, but they represent too small a sample to attack or defend any given make or model of car.

carguy5000 · May 2001

I agree with you regarding the size of these boards being a relivant sample size. Also, those with a genuine interest in automobiles are usually the ones posting on these boards with relative frequency. As a result, you tend not to hear from the typical Camry or Accord owner and the "relative" problems that they experience due to their lack of interest in this general topic.

btw...Where on the planet did you get your info on the S-Class?????

venanzik · May 2001

I agree this is a small sample size, but gathering data from all sources (whether believing them or not) makes more educated consumers.

carguy5000 · May 2001

Case in point: The '98 Accord EX mentioned above belongs to a member of my family. I spent some time with the car a few months ago, during this time I noticed the sunroof problem that I mentioned, so I looked into it further. The dealer told me what I wrote. Honda has a "grease fix" for the problem.
Heres the point. If someone contacted my family member that owns the car, she would state, with enthusiasm mind you "I love my Honda!!!" with absolutely NO mention of this chronic rattle.
If this was my car, my reaction would be much different, I really could not deal with the problem or their solution.
Thats the issue. Car people tend to offer more praise and be much more unforgiving when problems occur than John Q. Public tends to be when driving their cookie cutter appliance back and forth to work everyday.

bmwagonmaster · May 2001

Sorry my first message didn't make it. But in spite of my name, my OTHER car is a Passat (like the bumper sticker says...). It's a 2000 GLS 1.8.
The only problem was a power steering leak that was caused by the mechanic during a routine maintenance. Otherwise, the car is as tight, quiet, and rattle-free as the day I bought it a year ago. This is an interesting discussion on car reliability. Hope my experience helps.

gundamneo · May 2001

sorry to change the subject, but I have a really important question. I'm seriously considering buying a passat within a month or so, and wanted to know if there are any hidden charges I should be aware of? Like charges for keys, clear coat, metallic paint, or any other bs the dealer might make up. And also, how much is the extended warranty. I would really appreciate your answers. Thanks in advance.

malik71829 · May 2001

hey gundamneo, I got my 4 yr, 60k warranty for 546.00 with a 50.00 deductible. they wanted 850.00, but I talked them down. hope this helps.

gundamneo · May 2001

Thanks for the info. Sounds like a reasonable price.

dle01 · May 2001

There has been much discussion lately about the Passat's reliability, and whether or not to buy a Passat vs an Accord, Camry, or Acura. I thought I would share my experience.

My wife and I own a 2000 Passat GLS V6, 5 speed that currently has just under 20k on the odometer. The car has been absolutely trouble free, and after driving it for 1.5 years (including 2 3000+ mi round trips to Florida) I can say that it is an OUTSTANDING automobile. It is comfortable to ride in, exhilerating to drive, has tons of room, great handling, and gets excellent milage for a V6 (30 mpg on our recent FL trip, cruising @ 85-90mph in heavy traffic - no cruise control).

I highly recommend the Passat to all those who enjoy driving and great cars. I am confident enough in the car to recommend it to even my closest friends, and guess what. . . some of my friends have bought Passats after seeing and driving ours. We now know 3 couples who now have Passat V6s, and none of them have reported any problems either. All love the cars.

These message boards are filled with stories of issues and problems (that's what they are here for). The messages here should not be taken as a representative sample.

Any car can have problems. I bought my previous car, a Subaru Legacy, in large part because I bought into the "myth" of legendary Subaru reliability. I was just out of grad school, and traded my Taurus SHO (high performance, but high maintenance) in for a much less exciting but "more reliable" car. I wanted to get 10 years and 150k out of the Subie with minimum expense on my part. To make a long story short, upwards of 80k the car suffered a number of failures, including a nasty oil leak that couldn't be ignored and was expensive to fix. Then at 91k the transmission blew, and I traded the car. I figure if I get at least 90k out of the Passat I'm ahead. The 10/100 powertrain warranty is a comfort.

So for all of you folks out there sitting on the fence, I say go out and buy a Passat if you enjoy driving. If you are not that interested in the quality of the driving experience and care more about a reputation for reliability, buy an Accord or Camry. If you never want to pay for a repair, buy a Hyundai Sonata. The bottom line is you should buy what meets your needs and what appeals to you.

georgek44 · May 2001

Just two small problems early on: the sliding panel under the sunroof jammed within the first few days, the result of a guide pin dislodged when the plastic protector was removed at the port pep site, and a rubber body plug that fell out at around 20K, causing a slight increase in road noise. Both were easy warranty fixes.

I've put on 30K+ miles in less than eight months with absolutely no other problems.

Another thing worth noting is that all cars have improved in build quality and reliability in recent years. Even Chrysler and Hyundai products today probably are as reliable as Toyota and Honda were ten years ago. Moreover, the gap between the most reliable cars and the rest has narrowed significantly.

Statistically, the Passat is not as reliable as a Camry or Accord. In reality this may mean that 3% of Passat will have major troubles as opposed to 2.5% of Camry and Accords and 2.75% of Subaru, the other wagon I looked at seriously.

I was happy to assume this small additional risk after test driving several mid-size wagons. The Passat is so much more pleasant to drive than the Outback, Taurus or (shudder) Large Saturn that the choice was very easy to make.

georgek44 · May 2001

Something appears to be wrong with this site's spell checker. Despite my choosing "from text box" it changed "prep" to "pep" and removed most plural "s's".

asadorian · May 2001

The clutch on my Passat 1.8T wore out at 15,000 miles and cost $1900 to replace. It exhibited the same problems that Edmunds has reported on its 1999 long-term test Passat, and just like Edmunds, the dealer told me that the clutch was fine. At my two year service, which occurred at 15,000 miles, I told the dealer that the clutch is definitely slipping. The dealer got back to me to say that I burned out the clutch, and VW wouldn't pay for it. The new clutch performs so much better than the old one ever did, even when it was new, that I know the original clutch was defective from the start.

In its June issue Car and Driver reported that it replaced the clutch on its 1.8T Beetle at almost 29,000 miles. It went on to say that "we're aware of two other magazines' 1.8T New Beetles that burned up clutches in less than 15,000 miles. We have to wonder if the drivetrain needs a little beefing up to handle the turbo engine." Car and Driver uncovered the problem with the Mazda Miata engine that lead Mazda to offer to buy back all of the 2001 Miatas sold. I wonder if it has uncovered a major problem with the 1.8T manual transmission clutch. I wouldn't be surprised if Edmunds discovers that it has to replace the clutch on its Passat sometime during its test period.

roninjouten · May 2001

I'd be mighty upset with any problem on a car under 3 years old. I don't care if it's a lose guide on a sunroof or the window makes a funny noise when going down on balmy days. Maybe I expect too much, but at this point, 2001, a car should have zero defects for at least 50k miles. Some people find one problem in the first 10k miles to be acceptable. I'd be freaked out, viewing it as a harbinger for future problems. If the car has an issue at 10k, I can only imagine who unbearable it will be at 100k or 150k!

esboz · May 2001

gundamneo, I was pleasantly surprised that after reading all of the "Beware of Hidden Charges" info on every car buying info website, that there was absolutely no attempt by my VW dealer to tack on additional charges.

Edmunds records the destination charge in their price breakdowns as well as all the options. Other than those prices the only other thing on my invoice was TTL and state sales tax (which in Texas was plenty!!!).

mlrtyme · May 2001

They are hot cars around here (Portland Oregon). Some of the dealerships don't have any in stock. I got a couple of quotes via e-mail and then went into the closest dealership to ask them to beat the quotes I'd received. On the window sticker, it had an Adjusted Market Value markup of $2000. Ha ha ha! Yeah, right. Anyway, they did indeed beat my best quote by $750 plus I got a CD changer. So I drove away happy.

It's a Silverstone Grey GLX Sedan 4-Motion with grey leather. I love it!

Extended warranty - they offered me a 7 year 75,000 mile warranty for $1550. I said I'd think about it.

slummyj · May 2001

I've been reading the posts about the Passat reliability. I have a '99 GLX. It has been in to the dealer for a few problems and is going in next week. I haven't found the problems to be any more signifigant or in any greater number than our other cars, except the dealer service is so bad that it makes the problems seem worse. I think that if a dealer can fix the problem the first time, they will have a satisfied customer. When you have to bring the car in two, three, four times for the same problem, you sometimes get to the point that you start blaming the car as much as the dealer. This is Burnsville VW, in Burnsville (Minneapolis) MN.
It is too bad how a dealer can get you to the point that you would not buy the brand again. The other local dealer, West Side VW, is really not much better.

gundamneo · May 2001

Thanks for the info esboz. I hope the local VW dealer here in Jersey City is as honest as the one you went to. Now about vehicle reliability. I own a camry right now, but will buy a Passat, or an A4 within a month. My '93 camry has 125,000 miles on it, and for the 2 years that I've owned it it's been trouble-free. All I've changed are one light bulb, the trans. filter, and brake pads, that's all. The reason why Toyotas and Hondas couse fewer headaches is because they make the best electronic systems on any cars. The electronic system controls just about everything. A light bulb lasts about 5-7 years on a Toyota or Honda, just ask someone who has one. But even those two have a major problem that shows itself after 7 years or so, rust. Just look closely at any 7+ yr old Honda or Toyota and you'll find rust somewhere, mine has some, but I covered it. So a Toyota or Honda might not give you little problems, but a new paint job costs over $1500 here in NJ, so rust is a major problem. VW has a 12 yr rust and a 10 yr pwr train warranty. That's the two must expensive things to fix right there. That's why I'm buying a Passat or Audi A4.

inosent · May 2001

I have been reading the posts about reliability. I am in the market for a Passat. I have a toyota now. If someone were to ask me about the reliability of my toyota I would say that the engine is good, but I have had to have the door motors, door panels, some interior pieces fixed, etc. SO it depends on the luck of the draw with any car.

rickrover · May 2001

My 2000 GLS 1.8t manual has been totally trouble free in 15,000 miles. My clutch is fine, VW clutches are designed to engage toward the top of the pedal travel - Anyone who needs a clutch at 15k is definately abusing it. I wouldn't even begin to judge clutch life by car magazines long term test vehicles - these cars have multiple uncaring drivers - that all think they are Mario Andretti.

ser1 · May 2001

I just leased my second Passat:
2001 GLS 1.8T, auto, Ink Blue, tan leather pack, Lux pack, Monsoon radio, CD player

I previously had a '98 Passat GLS and the only option I had was a moonroof. I got all the above on the 2001 for just $15 more a month than what I was paying for my '98!I have been looking for months at other cars and, for the money, the Passat is still hard to beat.
There has been a lot of talk about reliability lately and here is my experience. When I first got my '98 I had a bad rear door lock that caused a problem w/ my alarm. The dealer quickly replaced it and I didn't have another problem until almost 3 yrs later. That final problem dealt w/ the Control Arms. They went bad and needed to be replaced. The car was driveable but made a lot of noise going over bumps, such as speed bumps, or turning at slow speeds. Needless to say that cost me almost $300 in labor to fix them (they didn't charge me for the parts). The only other fault I found w/ the car was the breaks tended to be noisy. I had them checked and they tuned out to be normal. They said the squeaky breaks are caused by the semi-metallic pads. My friend has a '99 and doesn't seem to have that problem so it must be something VW resolved/changed.
Overall, I was extremely happy w/ my '98 and I didn't hesitate to consider a VW again as my lease neared it's end. There were a lot more positives w/ the car than the negatives which is the main reason I returned.
I pick it up on Wed and I can't wait. I am expecting another enjoyable 39 months w/ my new car. Who knows, 39 months from now maybe I will end up in a new Colorado...

asadorian · May 2001

Rickrover,

You sound like one of the "seldom right but never in doubt" types. I've been driving manual transmission cars for nearly 40 years and never had a clutch wear out until I had the Passat. Now tell me how I abused the clutch. The problem was not that the clutch was a short throw design but that the clutch never engaged smoothly. The new clutch operates fine, which I believe confirms that something was wrong with the original clutch. Read Edmund's discussion of the clutch in its long-term test. Edmund's said the clutch felt like it was worn out, and its drivers didn't have a chance to abuse the clutch.

The drivers at the car mags probably treat all their cars to the same driving styles. The clutches on most cars seem to hold up to these "uncaring" drivers; the clutches on the VW's apparently don't seem to hold up as well.

rgreenfield1 · May 2001

I've noticed many posts refer to their Passat B4 or B5. Can someone explain what is meant by B4 or B5.

Thanks

vwpassat2001 · May 2001

The new passat has an antenna, right in the middle of the car roof. It looks very ungainly, and does anyone know whether they are removable ?

I felt GLX is the same as GLS, with all the options included. I thought, I'll buy a fully loaded 2001.5 GLS V6. Is it the same as GLX V6..Any suggestions ?

Also, does anyone know of a good VW dealer in the Chicago/Schaumburg area in Illinois?

Thanks..

vwguild · May 2001

The B4 & B5 designations refer to 4th or 5th generations of the frames
of the Passat...The same designations apply to the Jetta/Bora frames...the
most recent being A4 adopted in the 1999 remodel.

The Antenna placement on ALL VWs is based on common sense...highest point
on the car, and away from the engine...Is it removable or movable? Clarification
here would be good, due to the fact that I gather you do not like it's present
location.

I regret that you had such a disappointing test drive experience that you were
not made aware of the differences between the GLS & GLX. The GLX Flagship VW
offers the owner 8 Position Bilateral PowerSeating with 3 Different Person/Position
Memory that also controls the mirror positions both Port & Starboard, as well as a
collapsible option...and a Back-up feature as well. The GLX owner also gets to enjoy
Climatronic AirConditioning, and for Performance 16" Wheels & Tires are Standard, as
opposed to the GLS which only offers 15".

Contact Greg Stoll @ Larry Roasch VW, 11845 Southwest Highway in Palos Heights, IL.
708-448-6750

1691rl · May 2001

Does anyone have a frequent back-seat Passat passenger who is 5'8" or taller? What level of comfort (or discomfort) does your passenger experience? I'm considering purchasing the Passat and need rear-leg room for a growing boy. Yikes! How does the space compare to that in the rear seat of the old Volvo 240 sedan (ugly design, fantastic leg room)?

malik71829 · May 2001

i've been reading the posts at vwvortex.com and l lot of passat owners use the honda s2000 antenna. it works for them and is much shorter than the passat's. it' cost about 20.00 from what i've read.

kmackie · May 2001

Sorry, I am new around here for posting, but wondering the pros/cons of the two engine options...

Recently, I read in Road & Track or Automobile or Motor Trend that they wondered why anyone would get the V6 over the 1.8L. Personally, I know that the 1.8 gets better gas mileage, 10 HP less than the V6, weighs less, etc... But not being a "car guy", I am not sure if of the benefits of the V6 other than it probably will wear better and is easier to fix (from a mechanics point of view according to a mechanic I know).

Any advice would be appreciated...

Thanks.

KRM

car_nut1 · May 2001

On Sat. I picked up my new Passat 2001.5 GLX w/auto; this car replaced my 350 mile "old" 2001.5 GLX w/auto. I didn't like the pine green/beige color of the first car. Anyhow what I've noticed is that the "new" car seems to be finished better. On the green car powerlocks sounded loud, made a distinct thump when locked. New car power locks are silent, sounds like a vacuum system. Also, stalks for the signals and wipers have a much better feel; more like Lexus going through butter. I thought the fit and finish on the green car was excellent; but the indigo blue is even better. On this car you can hardly tell where the trunk opens, it appears seamless. Distortion in the windshield of both cars. Less noticeable in the new one. My question: the green car came from the factory in Emden, Germany; new car from Mosel Germany. Could this change the quality of the cars? Upon looking around my dealers showroom and cars waiting to be preped, all cars from Mosel had better fit and finish, at least from a visual standpoint. I'd also like to mention that my pine green car had a very poor ride, unlike my initial test drive. Brought back to service after first 100 miles, turned out that protective caps on shocks had not been removed. Service mgr. told me quite a few cars get to customers without caps being removed. Service double checks at time of first oil change and then caps will be removed. Was told no damage to car, just very uncomfortable ride. Are these things common? P S I love my car. And the dealer and service are great.

sdareddy · May 2001

I am using 99 Passat, I have 32,000 miles on it. still the engine runs smoothly. I would like to know at what frequency I have to get my Wheel alignment regularly.

dle01 · May 2001

We have a 2000 GLS with the V6 and 5 speed. In 2000, the 1.8 was only 150hp; the new ones are much closer in hp to the V6. Although I have never driven one, most comments you will read about the 1.8 are positive.

With that said, my wife and I love the V6. I think what you will find is that the performance of both engines will be roughly equal. The 1.8 is probably more "sporty" around town, and will get better mileage in city driving. The V6 will be smoother, quieter, and is most likely the better engine for extended high speed highway cruising. On a recent 2500mile road trip our V6 got over 30mpg cruising at 85-90, which I think is exceptional milage.

Test drive them both, and see which one you like, and whether the V6 is worth the extra money to you. I've heard of many people who are choosing the 1.8 because the differences are so slight.

g20eng · May 2001

In response to 1691rl, I am 6-feet tall and test-drove the Passat. Because of my height I pulled the driver's seat almost all the way back, then proceeded to jump into the backseat, right behind the driver's side, to determine comfort/discomfort. My legs NEVER touched the back of the driver's seat, there was lots of room to spare. The only complaint I'd have, was that the seat is a little short, so that half of my thighs touch the seat, the other half does not. I am also 4 inches taller than your boy, though.

g20eng

Sporin · May 2001

Same here. I carry adult passengers a lot and they always comment on how much room there is in the back.

I have the same problem with the short front seat cussion. No thigh support. I've become used to it, but still wish it were better.

vwpassat2001 · May 2001

Thanks for the suggestions VWguild. I asked about the antenna, because I feel it lools like something is sticking out from the top of the car, and I find it very irritating, and I also feel the whole look of the car is lost because of that.

I talked to the dealer, and he says there is no way, I could move the postion of the antenna. I know it sounds foolish, but now, I'm rethinking the whole passat buying process just beacuse of the antenna !!!

pkradd · May 2001

Well, I like the position of the antenna. It's distinctive and makes the car easily recognizable as a VW It's similar to some aircraft. Making a decision on whether to purchase the Passat based on such a minor thing as the location of the antenna is, well, a bit eccentric in my opinion. (No offense). It seems to me that you don't really want to buy the car and are looking for an excuse not to. No car is perfect. I don't like the fact that the headlights don't turn off automatically when you exit the car. You must manually turn them off. It is an inconvenience but it didn't stop me from purchasing the car. I guess this is what makes the world go round!

yaob · May 2001

During my test drive of 2001.5 1.8T passat (automatic),
I noticed that the motor was running at around 1500-1800
rpm at the speed of 70mph. At that point, the turbo would
have not kicked in yet. So the car is very quite.

Sporin · May 2001

pkradd,
I agree completely. It's funny how many manufacturers are "copying" VW's FUBA antenna. Example... the new Mazda Protege 5, Honda S2000, etc.

yaob,
Are you sure about that RPM? That is a DRASTIC difference from the previous cars.

My '99 1.8T, 150hp, runs at 2900-3000rpms at 70-75mph in 5th gear (manual). It always has me wishing fo r a 6th gear on long trips... or a taller 5th.

ishi · May 2001

How do you decipher the VIN number on a 20001.5 Passat?

geojody2001 · May 2001

Re: my post #1099 above with the wiper fluid... When I asked the service manager why it smells ammonia-ish on the inside of the car (with all the windows up) when I use the wipers to clean my windshield, he stated that the drain for the wiper fluid was right next to the air intake for the vehicle.

He even stated this is a known VW problem and that they are making pot-pourri smelling cleaning fluid just to remedy this problem...

Does this sound like a line of BS or what?

Sporin · May 2001

pot-pourri????? BS! :-)

There is a pink washer fluid that came in my car that smells decent, almost fruity. The blue stuff I always use smells like Windex (amonia) though and I do get a wiff of it when I wash the windshield.

geojody2001 · May 2001

re: 1149

he he! Thought so...

peregoy · May 2001

Any suggestions on Passat 195/65-15 replacement tires? I currently have the OEM Michelin Energy MXV4's. Their near the end of their life at 25K. They've been OK, but I would like something a little stiffer in cornering and better in snow. I don't have the budget for summer and winter tires. But, I do live in Washington, DC area where we get enough slippery winter weather and we visit Western PA frequently, so a good all-season is a must. The Tire Rack popular replacements are Yokohama, Continental, Michelin and Dunlop.

Volkswagen Passat 2005 and earlier

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