VW Passat TDI

arjay1 · October 2004

For what it's worth, St. Charles Nissan/VW in St. Charles, MO lists that they have 20 Passat TDI's in stock. This was in their ad on Sunday, 10/3. St. Charles is a suburb west of St. Louis, MO.

yleralec · October 2004

I just purchased a passat GLS TDI last week (16 in alloy wheels). The door tag says 36 psi on the front tires and 44 psi on the rear tires. Is this correct or a typo. Normally, I'd expect the front tires, where the weight is, to require the higher pressure. If the door tags are correct, can anyone explain why this would be?

Kirstie_H · October 2004

thanks, arjay - do you remember what sort of pricing was advertised?

kirstie_h
Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host

atf · October 2004

I have an 05 TDI Passat and the owners manual
says 3.6Liters or 3.8 quarts.
Hope this helps..

sebring95 · October 2004

There has been quite a bit of confusion about this, particularly because it's been published at several different amounts (nothing new for VW!!). It appears to be narrowed down to either 3.6L or 4.0L as being the correct amount. Some VW technical documents are listing 4.8L, but that's wrong for sure. Based on what I've seen, the 4.0L number is correct. Best bet however, is to go with 3.6L and see what it looks like on the dipstick. Top-off as necessary.

More importantly than the amount, make sure you're using the right TYPE of oil:)

garland · October 2004

atf Thanks for info. Is the 3.6 liters with a filter change.? Thank you, grb

tomz · October 2004

I'm trying to locate a 2005 Passat Wagon TDI in Virginia to no avail. I'm wondering if anyone has seen one advertised anywhere in the mid Atlantic region.

wisp · October 2004

Hello---I am in the PNW, and seeking a more fuel efficient car than the Volvo 850 turbo wagon I am driving now. I am at 23 mpg for city driving at this stage, and sometimes putting on 50 miles per day schlepping kids around town. Knowing gas prices are going up, I am doing some research.

Have looked into the Civic Hybrid a bit, which gets great reviews and mileage, but I am not used to a sedan's size.

The Passat TDI wagon has some benefits--bigger size, safety issues, decent looks. So--sadly I have found my lovely volvo is worth only a whopping $9K I think, so it would be some serious money out of pocket to get a TDI.

$12K buys a lot of fuel for my present car--bird in the hand and all that. Would I be stupid to think about a diesel VW at this stage?

I am in the process of a divorce (husband had a midlife crisis)--so I need something reliable, and obviously something that is going to be better MPG wise than what I have.

I do mainly city stop and go driving, though would like to have decent road car for those long summer trips.

Can one purchase a manual TDI wagon used? Do you all think that VW would be stupid enough to stop manufacture on these vehicles? For those of you who own these cars, are you finding them well made and getting the 40+ mpg you expected?

I am not after AWD...I live in snow country, but would run snowtires on the car--I am your basic slow soccer mom who's game is to eek the best mileage out of every drive.

So---is this the car for me to think about buying?

Thanks so much

cosmo · October 2004

I too live in the PNW, and my greatest disappointment in owning a Passat TDI wagon is that diesel fuel is sometimes more expensive than premium gasoline around here. Go figure. During my 10 weeks of ownership, I have averaged 28 mpg in city-only driving, 34 mpg in mixed city and secondary highway driving (75/25), and 38 mpg on a 300+ mile trip driving 65-75 mph over and back via Snoqualmie Pass. Of course, with only 2,500 miles on my TDI, it is not fully broken in yet. You will have to decide if the difference in fuel mileage justifies the economics for making the switch.

As for a used TDI wagon with a manual transmission, you may have a problem finding a '96 or a '97 for sale. They are few and far between, and their owners seem far more loyal and committed than your husband is.

I believe the TDI wagon would fulfill or exceed your other requirements. And, what the hey! Maybe a little Therapy for Divorced Individuals (TDI) is just what you need to get through your husband's crisis.

houstonken · October 2004

I think any purely economic analysis would tell you to keep the Volvo. The increase in fuel savings would not even begin to offset car payments.

My Passat TDI wagon is less than a week old. I also have a Volvo 940 sedan. The TDI wagon is almost a foot SHORTER than the 940 sedan. The TDI is not a big wagon.

The used TDI wagons are priced very aggressively and aren't as fun to drive as the new ones.

Keep the Volvo.

dudleyr · October 2004

If you decide not to keep the Volvo, you might want to take a look at a Jetta wagon. It is not as expensive as the Passat, gets better mileage, has an available manual tranny (reducing cost and improving mileage even further) which you expressed interest in, and is more widely available. It does have a smaller rear seat though, so if your kids are 6' tall they will be cramped. My 3 kids fit fine in the back of a 2 door Integra, so for me even the Jetta would have a huge back seat.

dolphin · October 2004

Finalizing my order on a 2005 Passat TDI GLS Wagon. Does anyone have any opinion on the improved ride or looks that the 17 inch wheels give? Full-boat on options and will get it for 1/2-way between invoice and sticker...

brown4 · October 2004

alexandria vw, alexandria virginia.
They have a stonhenge gray tdi wagon

mrjette · October 2004

I just got an '05 Passat TDi. The rear floor mats have holes for the oval anchors, but no pegs on which to place them. Were they missed on this car, or have they stopped putting the pegs in the back (front is fine).

Thanks,

krzyss · October 2004

Why are you putting 300K and resale in one sentence ?
How many miles do you drive per year ?
Even with 15K per year you are looking for 20 years of usage.

Krzys

krzyss · October 2004

did you check half or full load ?

Krzys

arjay1 · October 2004

The rear floor area does not have the pegs to hold the floor mats down like the front floor area.
Go back to the dealer on this one. They are supposed to put the rear mats down with a plastic screw that goes into the carpet. For some reason the dealers often forget to do this and leave the mats loose.
If you go back to the dealer they should just give you the four screws to put in. It is simple, just place the mats in position and put the screws through the two rear holes and thread them into the carpet.

yleralec · October 2004

Mine too. I guess you can add that to the typos in the user manual. I'd say that the screws (mentioned in another post are an attempt to cover up an oversight. If I have to chose between holes in a carpet and gravity, I'll go with gravity.

yleralec · October 2004

What kind of oil usage can we expect on these cars. At 1200 miles, I am down about 1/4. Is this normal? Does it change after the break in period?

jimlockey · October 2004

My dealer did not put the screws in for my rear mats on purpose, and after talking to him. I'm not using the screws. I have the screws to use and the dealer said he would be glad to add them any time.

Kirstie_H · October 2004

A reporter hopes to talk with some new car owners who have considered buying Volkswagens but ended up buying something else.
Please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com with a few words about your experience and your daytime contact info by Monday, November 1, 2004.

gagrice · October 2004

OK ... so where is PNW ????

Welcome to the forum,
I believe that is the Pacific North West. I looked into getting a Passat wagon with TDI and manual. It looks like they are only importing the auto-TDI.

Kirstie_H · November 2004

Sorry, no buying & selling in the forums.

dostski · November 2004

I am considering buying a new Passat TDI. Does anyone know if I would have any problems if I wanted to ship this to Europe later on, let's say a few years from now (I am not worried about the legal/customs side, mostly from a mechanical side, e.g. would the engine have any problems running for a long time on the Diesel sold accross Europe, or would I have to expect some major modifications to the car for it to drive smooth and safe in Europe.

Kirstie_H · November 2004

I'm not an expert, but it does depend on which country you're moving to - if it's a left-lane country like England, you're going to need some serious modifications to be allowed to register it an drive it there. Otherwise, I know of no other issues.

kirstie_h
Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host

jrct9454 · November 2004

The car will run better on EU diesel that it will on the junk we have to put in the tank. As noted above, beyond the issue of driving in the UK, everywhere else in the EU the car will be more than fine.

pusterracing · November 2004

"Why are you putting 300K and resale in one sentence ?
How many miles do you drive per year ?"

I bought my Jetta TDI in April with 10 miles on it, it is now Novemeber, I have 24,200 miles on it and still 5 months left in the "year", so I do see 300K as reasonable.

weebil1 · November 2004

I have the '04 model. Same thing. Cost cutting measure???

capikirk · November 2004

Hello , i'm a european driver , and i have a 4 year old Passat TDI Sport sedan (6 speed manual transmission) , and the only thing i can say about it, is that the car makes no more noise than it did when it was new, and continues making me feel excited on mountain roads with it's impressive torque. I recomend this car for everyone who needs to be all day on the road. I've tested other state-of-the-art diesel cars like Peugeot or Citroen HDI's or Renault and Ford TDCI's but the Passat is better with a great diference.

Geetings from Spain

Kirstie_H · November 2004

Welcome to the forums! Thanks so much for dropping in from Spain.

If you are on the road a lot, how does the Passat TDI comfort compare to the other state-of-the-art diesels?

todd53 · November 2004

I am having a problem with my 04 Passat TDI. Intermittently over the past few days, the engine would not turn over on the first (and sometimes second) attempt to crank it. Then, when it did crank, a cloud of black would come from the exhaust. Once started, the car runs fine. We actually drove a few hundred miles with no problems whatsoever. I have filled the tank and the problem persists, so I doubt bad diesel is to blame. The car only has 14,000 miles and has been properly maintained. Does anyone know what the problem might be? With my luck, the car will behave flawlessly at the VW dealer. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

capikirk · November 2004

Well , the engine is more noisy than common-rail diesel engines , in fact , the Renault Laguna DCI with 120hp is less noisy and produces a lot less vibrations , almost all cars i tested with common-rail diesel engines have the same behavior (Peugeot 407 HDI , or Alfa Romeo 156 JTD) , but they don't have something that WV TDI has , Power sensation , when you try to pass another car with one of those other cars ,even if you push the car to it's limits , you never feel a great acceleration , but with the WV TDI you always feel like if you were driving a more powerfull car instead of a simply 2 litters diesel. So i can say that the Passat TDI isn't the most comfortable sedan in Europe , in fact the common-rail cars are almost as comfortable as a gas car (that's one of the reasons , because 60 per cent of sedans sold in Europe are diesels), but with TDI engines from WV/Audi you have some sensations than other cars can't provide and they score the best mpg compared to the other diesel.

Kirstie_H · November 2004

You might try visiting our Maintenance & Repair board and posting your problem in an existing topic. It doesn't sound vehicle-specific, so you may get more feedback there than from other owners.

tdechill · November 2004

hi, I just purchased an '04 GLS 4Motion and have noticed the same thing and I don't know what to do. The dealer had no answer, neither did VW of America. They suggested I call Continental Tires. Have you gotten an answer yet? Thanks

yleralec · November 2004

It looks like my passat tdi is going to use about one quart per 2000 miles. Is this normal? It seems hi to me. Has anyone found a source of oil besides the VW dealer?

garland · November 2004

For VW 505.01 oil call 1 800 430 6252... I received great service and cost was very good.I bought 12 liters. GRB

jrct9454 · November 2004

Your oil consumption is within the range that VW considers acceptable. How "normal" that is, is another matter. No matter how concerned you are, absent something obvious [a leak, for example], the dealer is likely to be unsympathetic, knowing that VW will not reimburse them for doing anything about it.

The key is that it should not get "worse" over time; carefully monitor it during the warranty period, so if things start to go downhill, you can get something done. It would be smart to mention it at the next service interval, just to make sure that the dealer gets your concern on the record [make sure it is recorded somewhere on the service writeup, and keep a copy].

fitzy2 · November 2004

Has anyone purchased this vehicle??? Consumer reports have looked at it but they do not have enough history on reliability etc. I live in NY and am not sure if 'Diesels' are permitted here or not......if gas prices stay the way they are every car manufacturer will need to come up with a diesel version...like in Europe.....
Thanks for info.

jrct9454 · November 2004

You can't buy the car in any state that conforms to California emissions standards. That includes NY.

Reliability is similar to the other Passat models, to the extent that they've been out there awhile: average to poor, depending on the year, the options, and the drivetrain. The real issue with all VWs is the dealer body, and its notorious incompetence; some dealers are marvelous [I know of a couple that fit in that category], but many more are just plain awful.

I have lots of seat time in a 1.8 Turbo gasoline Passat, and have driven the diesel, and I would take the TDI every time if given the chance. Prices are a big issue, however - there are dealer incentives on the gasoline Passats that don't apply to the TDI, so real-world transaction prices heavily favor the gasoline cars.

dieselbreath · November 2004

RE: "Reliability is similar to the other Passat models, to the extent that they've been out there awhile: average to poor," ... excuse me?

The only Passat problem is coils on the 1.8T engine.
Even with Consumer Reports blatant bias towards anything from Japan, they currently rate the Passat #2. If it weren't for the coils it would probably have ranked #1.

The chance of coil failure on the TDI is pretty low since there are no ignition coils, putting its reliability above the "average" Passat.

Thus, a Passat TDI ranks about as good as anything.

You are right that the problem is with dealers ... but not with the cars.

jrct9454 · November 2004

...beyond the coil problems. I won't argue with VW enthusiasts about this. The numbers are out there, and most VWs score average or below on reliability surveys.

That doesn't mean the car isn't virtuous. I think the Passat TDI is a fine piece of work, and if I were in the market to spend $24-27k, it would be a serious contender for my money. But I also think your eyes have to be wide open on this - I bought an '02 C240 [our 14th MB] with the full knowledge that the W203 C-Class was a reliability disaster when it was introduced. Our car has had two minor issues, both dealt with competently by the dealer. For me, everything depends on the ability of the dealer you intend to use - you don't need a bulletproof car if you can count on issues being dealt with promptly and competently.

My best friend's Passat is the one I experience regularly, and at 60k miles he has had no serious problems...but he and I both agree that the local dealer here [Vancouver WA] doesn't exactly inspire confidence if he needed anything seriously done. And anecdotal evidence [from both the Edmunds boards and other VW bulletin boards] suggests they are still having problem communicating with dealers and getting parts to service providers in a timely fashion.

Anyway, it's my opinion, and that's all, that this is a car you buy in spite of its reputation for problems, not because it has fewer than average.

harlequin1971 · November 2004

if you look deeper at the reliability stats, it usually amounts to the best cars having just under 2 service issues in the first 3 years and the WORST having just over 4.

VWs are not the worst...in fact, they are about mid-pack.

So, in the world of averages, that equates to the average consumer having 1 extra trip to the dealer in the first three years of ownership.

That is the big deal about reliability?

I think a more telling statistic is the rate and total number of lemon law cars that are chronic problem cars - ie built so poorly and serviced so poorly that they just are not capable of being a reliable car.

VW has its share of reliability issues, but it is not like buying the best (Toyota/Honda) is a safe bet and a VW is a risky one...any car has risk.

We are talking very small differences for the average consumer.

I drive a Hyundai and have had a couple of issues, but nothing major. The worst was a loose cable in the clutch pedal that prevented the ignition switch from activating (ie couldn't turn the car on) and it was fixed during a day-long drop off to get the oil changed...

The other problems are minor, mostly cosmetic and OEM issues (bad battery and radio malfunctioning)...in all, I have had five stops to the dealer to fix these problems.

Hyundais must really suck! Five trips in under three years! Find me a lawyer!!!

Come on. My car is solid, fun to drive, and is showing no signs of slowing down as it hits 30k. The only worry I had was that Hyundai seems to have a higher number of lemons than other makers. Having owned a Saab lemon in my past...I was weary, but my car has been solid and I like it.

Drive what you like. Life is too short to drive a less exciting car because you worry about making an extra trip to the dealer.

jrct9454 · November 2004

Drive what you like. Life is too short to drive a less exciting car because you worry about making an extra trip to the dealer.

...IF the dealer involved can solve the problem.

harlequin1971 · November 2004

...to put up with bad dealers as well.

It has certainly lessened my enthusiasm to look at Saabs after some window shopping at the Saab dealer in Phoenix...yuck!

I wouldn't trust those guys with your money, let alone mine.

Actually, a Jetta or Passat TDI is in the running for the next car...but I have resigned myself to wait for the 2006 model releases to look over the Sonata/Solstice/Mustang Convertible options. Meantime, if I saw a great deal on an used SLK, I would be in that for the next 24 months...no problem.

Harlequin - CCB (Chronic Car Buyer)

dudleyr · November 2004

My fathers Passat has nearly 130,000 miles ('00 1.8t wagon manual tranny) and he has had no problems to speak of, just routine maintenance. Even that has been minimal - he replaced the brakes around 100k. Clutch and everything else is still original.

I would expect the lower revving diesel with little to no electrical components to be even more reliable.

map2 · December 2004

Yes I have 12k on the car, getting a average of 36 miles to the gallon. 80 highway 20 town. No problems todate. run don't walk and get a "VW"

champ203 · December 2004

just turned 11,000 on ours (5 months old) Passat TDI with no service issues. Average 36 city/highway with 40+ on most highway only tanks. High mileage so far has been 44.7 on a lazy 60 mph highway stint. We love our Passat, and we seem to have a very competent dealer as well (Augusta, GA)

Peace,
Don

tschwantes · December 2004

For those who may be interested in purchasing a Passat TDI, I just wanted to relay some pricing information based upon my recent purchase. We purchased a 2005 Passat GLS TDI for about $400 over invoice. During the research leading up to our purchase we had 2 additional offers at invoice price and another at $500 over invoice. We purchased from a local dealer with a service department that has a very good reputation, so we were willing to pay a little more. Although dealers have apparently not given much for discounts from MSRP, they now seem to be willing to do so.

jrct9454 · December 2004

This would be a more useful piece of information if you told us where you live...?

tschwantes · December 2004

Yeah, I guess it would...sorry. We live in Northeastern Wisconsin (Green Bay area). Most of the best offers came from the Milwaukee area.

VW Passat TDI

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