Volkswagen Passat 2006+

jimd4 · February 2006

Well as someone who is on my second Audi A6 I agree. The dealer service is perfect down to gettting new wiper blades when your windshield is dirty. Purchase of the car covers every thing except new tires and balance/alignment for 48 months and 50K miles. My dealer brings the loaner car to my office and leaves it and takes my Audi for service. I have had very good reliability with both A6s in spite of all the horror stories you read on the web.

Of course for this and all the other things that are so great about Audi A6 you pay about $18+grand more than Passat or RAV$. The new A6 Avant which is a little bigger than the RAV4 has an MSRP about $50K. The RAV V6 looks like a bargin to me. So does the 2006 Passat 2.0T wagon at $200 less than invoice at Fritzmall with a 48mo warranty.

PS My daughter has a Passat Wagon with 50K miles on the 4cyl turbo motor and it has been very good except for the
problem with the ignition coils that was a pain but covered under warranty.

My wife is very low maintenance with good performance so I have not considered trading her after 43 years....:)

georgek · February 2006

I think their car tests have gotten better over the years; they now factor in handling, sportiness and luxury as well as more utilitarian things.

My impression of the new Passat pretty much agrees with theirs. It is larger and still fun to drive, but less refined and noisier than my 2000 GLS. The interior now has a lot of cheap plastic and that old Detroit "loosely-fitted look" is apparent in things such as the flimsy and rattling dashboard trim.

I also find it hard to accept that VW won't provide basic amenities like power seats and dual-zone heat and AC except on the top of the line. Even a $17K stripper Mazda 6 has power seats. It's also fun to drive, albeit with a cheap and nasty interior.

markcincinnati · February 2006

I can certainly agree with you on the quality of the dealers.

My guess, and that is all that it is, is that "we folks" generally buy cars that we in some way or another "fall in love with."

Our purchases are fundamentally emotional.

The receptionist at my company bought a Saturn. From the day I met her until the 2+ years that it took her to get the Saturn she spoke of the Saturn as one speaks of a romantic interest.

I thought there would have been better ways to spend her money. I never ever said that. Instead, I tried to find out what it was about the Saturn that attracted her.

Nothing, I assume anyway, in CR would have changed her mind. That is the spirit of my remarks.

With over two dozen Audis since 1977 in our garage (and 2 BMW's and 1 Jetta and 2 Quantums) I am "hooked" on the driving experience the Germans provide.

If anything, our 1988 325ix (not a typo) should have turned us off on BMW's since the maintenance requirements were bank-breaking ($100 oil changes in 1988?); but, the German feel trumps almost all else.

Perhaps the Audi quattro at $995 down and $369/mo too is a deal as it includes maintenance and the VW does not and is not the 4Motion version.

Sorry about going over the top. . .

Just opinions here, mostly, just opinions.

And IMHO, folks will buy or not buy Passats for emotional not factual reasons.

As usual, I remain of the opinion, that I could be wrong.

:shades:

vwdriver2 · February 2006

Has anyone been able to use the convenience option of being able to close the windows and sunroof using the remote? I have tried with no success. On the menu screen, I make sure that either all, or driver windows is chosen, but still...nothing...

rayainsw · February 2006

Disclaimer:

I have no hope that I will change anyones view of Consumer Reports.

1  CR is certainly not my (only) autobuying guide. (Has anyone here actually advocated that?) Yet I read their commentary on every car I expect to be remotely interested in for several reasons.

1A  CR is unique in that they do buy their cars  as we do. There is thus no possibility that any Manufacturer personnel have expended any special attention, to insure that (at least) the cars provided are the best possible examples.

1B  They keep the cars they buy much longer than any magazine has one for a normal test. Months vs. a week to 10 days, typically. (Except for the occasional long term test some publications undertake.) And that allows insight well beyond the 3 or 4 test drives I am typically able to take (in any 1 particular model) before an automobile purchase.

1C - "acceptable, adequate and ample" are terms I see as appropriate for some of the (largely utilitarian) aspects of most sedans, in my view. Some utilitarian aspects of sedans are of interest to me.

1D  I usually see some different aspects after reading their reviews.

2  CR certainly does not pick my cars. And anyone that simply looked at their Quick Picks next to their Ratings Table on the page before the individual model reviews - and bought a $15K plus vehicle based solely on that, would likely not be very satisfied  unless, of course, their priorities and biases happened to line up exactly with CRs. Possible, I suppose.

3  I do read other, more car-centric monthly journals - regularly. [[ OK  religiously. ]]

4  When R&T, for example, surveys car owners about (among other things) reliability & dependability aspects, they typically utilize a sample size of 100 or so. And they publish very few such surveys. My ** guess ** is that they have done 20 or 30 over many years  so maybe 5,000 to (at absolute most) 10,000 total surveys all together. They are potentially useful if they happen to pick a car you are interested in, but CRs reliability survey ** last year ** included responses from over a million owners. This is by far the largest and most detailed database of such information that I am aware of. (At least that is available to the public. VW, GM and other manufacturers likely have much additional such data that they will ** never ** share with the public.)

Some criticize the sample since it comes from CR subscribers. Well, I dont get this either. Where else could they (or anyone) reasonably be expected to gather such data from? And JDPowers 1 number for example (in many cases) for an entire brand provides limited usefulness, at least to me. Though they do also provide some other interesting data.

So  I read the CR reviews and I take whats of value (to me) and move on.

I have much the same approach to things like Digital Cameras. When I changed over from 35mm to Digital a couple of years ago, I read numerous on line resources as well as monthly (traditional) publications, but also read the CR articles.

I see a camera, for example, as a somewhat similar mix of practical \ quantifiable aspects and highly personal attributes  like how it fits in your hand, how the controls feel to you, what it weighs (if you are going to carry it around your neck for long periods) etc., etc. I am, for example, highly interested very specifically in the quality of prints I am able to produce on my Canon i9900 photo printer  at the largest size, since I produce such 13 x 19 prints of my digital pictures regularly. Something few probably do with their digital pictures, where 4x6 or 5x7 or even an occasional 8x10\8x12 is far more common and those results more critical to most. Point being, everyone has at least a slightly different set of requirements and order for their priorities.

Although a bit off topic, the relevance I see here is that I have a very specific set of attributes I require & desire in a car. And few reviews address every one. And I still need to hold 1 in my hands to judge several aspects critical to me. In the car realm, even a very thorough test drive is unlikely to allow me to judge how well (for example) the seat will support me over 2 to 6+ hours of driving in a day. And I do this sort of driving regularly.

Now for many, clearly, car purchase has a large (perhaps even dominant) emotional component. The size of this component varies across a wide range for different individuals in different circumstances and with different desires and requirements from a vehicle. There is not one correct size for this component for all buyers.

The issues MarkCincinnati had several years back with repeated brake repairs and component replacements (documented here in Edmunds) would certainly have turned me off the brand  at least for quite a while. Yet the emotional (passion?) aspect of the Audi driving experience is undeniable [ I have driven several Audis, and owned 2, though not recently. ] . . for those susceptible to emotion in such circumstances. Many are simply not. A vehicle, for many, is far more an appliance than an entertainment device. Or, put differently, it seems to me that some number of utilitarian aspects must be deemed at least adequate (whatever that means to them) before entertaining aspects can be seriously considered.

And, yes, I drove an AWD Passat (2002 W8) for approx. 23,000 miles. A car CR never even tested. Interesting vehicle.

Anyway  CR has their place, for me, and I continue to read their reviews and factor their recommendations  as I deem appropriate  for me. Not that they are above criticism. I see them as just another resource. I just do not understand some of the criticisms.

Likely means I am the dense one . .
- Ray
But very happy with my current ride  and CR would ** not ** recommend it . .

jefferyg · February 2006

Because, unlike most people I know, I am going to make sure that it is serviced as it is supposed to be. I will keep it clean. I will not abuse my car by running over curbs and such. I could go on and on.

My point is that reliability (in my honest and humble opinion) is as much or more a factor of the driver/owner than it is of the car. How else can you explain how some cars give their owners years of trouble free service while another with the identical car swears he bought a lemon? Sure you do occasionally find a dud, but it is not as common as many claim.

markcincinnati · February 2006

The W8 had tempted me more than once -- especially when it came out with a full on ground effects package, wheels and a stick shift.

Then what happened to it?

Love to hear your experiences with your W8.

The brake issue really did test me -- 9 sets of rotors!

Thank you Audi/VW of America for working it out -- my current A6 C6 3.2 quattro has the best brakes of any car ever (@ 14K miles, we'll see.)

At the time (2000 A6 4.2 and 2001 A6 4.2) there was NO better bargain than a VW/Audi of America car -- if you wanted THAT kind of performance.

I felt the W8 "was a bargain" and should have made a dent in the A4. I mean, at the time, it was possible to spend money on an A4 1.8T with plenty of options or get a Passat W8 -- and THEN VW discounted the heck out of the W8.

I never could figure out why they stopped marketing it -- I had seen two ads for the W8. Folks who drove them said they were impressive. At full MSRP (never sold at that from what I can tell) of $40,000 there were no other European cars that could come close to the level of performance. As the cars sat on lots the discounts went to 25% off MSRP.

Yawn was the apparent reaction.

My Audi dealer has been a godsend considering what WAS (and hopefully remains) a period of time of spotty products from the VW/Audi group.

The products (at least the Audis) have gotten darn near bullet proof (some Japanese car fans would no doubt disagree) -- the dealers, I am led to believe are better but still spotty. The VW dealers are at what level on the scale of 1 - 10?

Something must not be connecting what with the virtual giveaway prices on Passats these days.

If one were to drive an Accord, Camry and Passat back to back to back (similarly equipped) over the IDENTICAL test drive loop, would the certain German driving feel no longer be able to be picked up on?

I have test driven back to back an Audi A4 quattro and a Passat 4Motion -- the Passat's lack of available stick shift when the Audi for similar money @ MSRP and LOWER money on a lease could be had with a stick (plus free maint) sealed the deal. But at that time, they both felt very er, Germanic, in the best sense of the word.

Have Honda and Toyota managed to cook up this same sensation? For, if they have, apparently, it would seem to be heading down the path of making VW a tough sell and a tough message to market.

Otherwise, if the "joy of driving" is still clearly superior in the VW's, is it just the dealers that are in some respects making the brand almost "irrelevant?"

One by one my VW driving buddies are moving to other (usually German) cars -- Audis and BMW's mostly. One of the folks I work with has a 2004 Passat V6 and, thus far, loves it (stick shift.) He traded a Mitsubishi in on it and other than his concern that the Passat is a "little UNDER tired" grins from ear to ear as he drives that Passat like the Meatloaf album.

The question stands, how was the W8? :shades:

dino001 · February 2006

When was W8 available with manual transmission, ever? :confuse:

jodar96 · February 2006

I just test drove an 06 Passat manual. I was impressed with the way it drove, its handling and its fit and finish. I don't understand why VW forces you to buy automatic to let you get the sunroof option ... It does not make sense. In Jetta, you can get sunroof with manual. I think I will hold out for 07 Camry or until VW offers sunroof with manual whichever comes first. For a manual with heated seats with MSRP of 24750, the dealer says $23000. I think $1700 off sticker is not a whole lot of break. Is it? This price is supposedly my VW supplier discount.

As much as I like the new Passat, I am always concerned about VW reliability. Right now, I have a 96 Camry XLE V-6. In almost 10 years, it has been exceptionally reliable. The only thing I ever did for the car was to have the timing belt replaced at Toyota dealer for $145. the rest has been regular maintenance.

Joe

shipo · February 2006

My younger brother has an AWD W8 Passat Wagon with a manual transmission. He tells me that there were less than fifty wagons imported with the W8. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

dino001 · February 2006

This is really odd, since GLX V6 4-motion was available with auto only. W8 was also 4-motion so logically it would be also auto only - apparently not.

I remember that vividly - Passat was on my short list, but it fell off it because all transmission-[non-permissible content removed] attitude (not available either at all or at local dealerships - not even one). I never came across mentioning manual W8 on their website or anywhere else.

That auto-only attitude really bothers me. Everybody tries to convince me that it is "what people want" (which of course means I'm a freak). I somehow think it is more what manufacturers and dealers want people to think that they want. But how can they want something else, if it is not really there?

"You want a wagon with manual... what? nobody wants a wagon with manual - trust me, I know better, I have sold cars for last 10 years... We could order one for you, but you wait for 90-120 days and we don't really know if it will come, and here we have couple of autos - take another look, you get couple grand off the sticker..."

markcincinnati · February 2006

My local VW dealer had a white W8 that had "factory" BBS wheels, a rear deck spoiler and chin spoiler, sport suspension and a stick shift. The interior was a light grey leather and the seats appeared to be bolstered.

This and one or two other W8's sat so long, so untest-driven that the rotors turned completely orange and the windshields had so much grime on them you could write your name with your finger easily.

The initial W8's were tiptronics -- the performance option, was, as I recall "no extra charge" but the VW logoed BBS wheels were extra charge as well as the aero treatment.

The cars looked cool and probably "went like stink" (what ever that means.) But they did not sell well at all.

At the exact moment in time I would've been tempted my allroad was not close enough to lease end to make it worthwhile, but damn if they didn't discount the W8 big time!"

:shades:

P.S. the fact that this great configuration was virtually unknown is an indication of VW's "refusal" to market this car.

Now, as we all know, the W8 is gone.

"A five-speed Tiptronic transmission is standard on the W8, but you can buy an optional 6 speed manual transmission which comes with a Sport Package with 17 inch tires and alloy wheels, and a sport suspension."

bjbird2 · February 2006

When I was expressing some interest in the W-8 to my local VW mechanic, he mentioned a problem with the oil seals. I never did get into the details of the problem, and I have never heard it mentioned anywhere else. After he said that, I kind of lost interest in the W-8, and started lusting after the Phaeton, which has also virtually disappeared.

jimd4 · February 2006

I drove the 2007 Passat Wagon 2.0T tonight with sport package 1, no leather. Very nice. Smooth, quiet, good performance with Tiptronic 6 auto and wide 2.0T torque band.
Could use 17" wheels and better tires I would say. Interior very "Audi like" in terms of gauges and lighting of things. Not as much luxury as Audi but funtionaly nice. Real trip computer like Audi that is very funtional and esy to use.
I drive A6 Audi now but new price is steep for 2006. 50K for A6 Avant.

Styling is subjective but looks good and clean. Prices are great but reliability is hard to judge.

Waiting to drive V6 RAV4.

rayainsw · February 2006

I am scheduled to test drive 1 (or 2) Passat 3.6s Saturday AM.

Questions:
Any personal experiences with the hesitation I have seen attributed to the DBW and \ or Tiptronic?
Any suggestions about exactly what circumstances typically trigger this event?
Is it only in S mode?

Any one driven (own?) any 06+ Passat with the 18 wheel \ tire package?

 18" ALLOY WHEELS -inc: P235/40R18 all-season tires (REQ: Equipment Pkg #1 Sport or Pkg #2 Sport) *Start Of Production 45/05* Code: PSM $353.00 $400.00

Any other suggestions of specific things to look for?

Thanks,
- Ray
Very interested in the acceleration feel of this V6, based on the C+D test numbers reported . . .

markcincinnati · February 2006

Audi and BMW's (and Porsche's for that matter) something tronic transmissions are hell-bent to upshift early and dowshift late when used in "D" mode. If you are, as I suspect most of us are, drivers who do not fully and completely every single time come to a complete stop when coming to intersections and traffic control devices, you will (you cannot avoid it) experience tip or step lag since the transmission will be at least one gear higher than you would be in were you driving a stick shift.

The engine is, IMHO, in these cars in "D" under such circumstances barely above the RPM's require to stop the "lugging of the engine." Even with the relatively high HP and torque of the current Audi/BMW/Porsche/VW engines, left to its own devices, these something tronic transmissions will be moving forward at a relatively slow road speed in second or third gear and when the driver commands acceleration the transmission's software will determine if you "were kidding" or not. While the transmission and engine are debating what you asked for, there is a (generally) under one second delay.

The issue is there is a delay from "asking" for power to getting it.

"Tip lag" -- yes. Programmed to do this -- yes.

Difficult to understand why -- big time.

Why people actually demand these transmission AND pay MORE for them -- incomprehensible (I have one, takes one to know one.)

It is mitigated by placing the lever in "S" mode which delays upshifts and hurries along downshifts -- therefore keeping the engine's revs up, up into the optimum torque range. "D" is, as my wife calls it, "old man's mode."

It is so difficult to understand why the downshifts, at least, can't be made to come earlier even if the upshifts come too quickly.

If this car is available with a stick shift, I would asked to be paid to take the tip, were it me.

On the other hand, having the 6 speed tip, as I do, I would tell you, unless you demand a responsive transmission on a regular basis, the 6 speed tip is about the best auto transmission I have ever driven.

If you test drive -- try it in "S" mode for a long long test drive.

jimd4 · February 2006

So tell us your conclsions after driving v6.

jimd4 · February 2006

The www.fitzmall.com site shows several wagons in stock and selliing for around invoice. Most are pretty well equipped.

jimd4 · February 2006

Well I am on my second A6 2.7T with Tiptronic and have very rarely seen anything like what you describe. Now that you describe it I did see something like it when test driving a new Passat wagon with the 2.0T wagon thursday. Was slowing down from 40 or so and floored it at about 5 MPH. Slight delay and then engine went to high RPM as it went to first gear I guess and then took off! It was in normal mode.

markcincinnati · February 2006

You have described the "normal" the way it was programmed to operate, a.k.a, tip-lag.

I had two A6 4.2's a 2000 and a 2001. The tip lag was able (by me) to be induced. However, I became trained by the transmission (I adapted to it and until it was brought to my attention, I found it sometimes annoying, but not much else.)

In those cars, tip/manual mode was for gears 2 - 5; and, in my experience, it was the reluctance to downshift to first gear at slow speeds (while in "D") followed by the further depression of my right foot, followed by the rapid downshift (after my initial throttle push had seemingly gone unanswered) to first gear, the racing of the engine to high RPM's and the "lunge" or lurch forward that happened subsequently that was, "tip-lag."

Some folks called it DBW lag.

The 6 speed tiptronic has improved things a lot.

6 speeds rather than 5

- control is available from 1st - 6th gears at all acceptable speeds (you still can't shift to a low gear if doing so would require the engine to rev above red line, DOH!)

"S" mode that seems to want to upshift to higher gears at higher engine speeds (which keeps the engine at a "more responsive" RPM range) and will downshift to lower gears at higher rpms and higher road speeds which serves to essentially rid the hapless driver from the "slow, lag, lunge and lurch syndrome" of yore. There is a "cost" to using "S" mode -- it actually feels more like a manual transmission being driven by a pretty well experienced manual driver -- this means that the shifts are more "solid" both up and down. They can, in "S" mode, be felt somewhat, whereas in "D" mode the transmission does its best to be silky smooth so as not to spill your latte.

In "S" mode the decision process the transmission seems to go through is to consider that you "might" want to punch-it therefore if you are driving on a flat straight road you may wonder why the car is still in third gear whereas in "D" it probably would already be in fifth and ready for the final upshift to sixth before the "S" mode is ready for fourth.

The transmission is smart, but it only imitates "intuition."

Tip lag remains -- lots of folks, apparently the majority, don't care or don't notice or have become so used to it they think this is the way things are. Until they drive a stick or a DSG (or BMW's SMG) that is.

Then these smarter than you are transmissions just seem kinda dumb.

Yet, with all this as the backdrop -- they are in Audi and VW at this moment, the best they have ever been.

Just don't drive an S4 or RS6 or S8 or. . .well you get the idea, for those cars got the "special programmers" to write the algorithms for their transmissions.

xando05 · February 2006

Goodbye G35 Coupe, hello Passat. I just ordered a brand new wagon from a dealer in southern california. $750 above invoice. The manager couldn't calculate an accurate lease price on the car I ordered because he said the numbers will change between now and the time the car arrives at the dealer. So with that in mind he crunched some numbers based on an in stock sedan lease with a wagon price tag. See how this sounds:

36 months/15,000 mile per year

MSRP: $ 41,530.00
Cap.Cost: $ 39,233.00
Cap Reduction: $ 8,584.54
Tax on Credit: $ 668.79
Bank Fee: $ 575.00
Total Cap: $ 39,808.00
Net Cap: $ 31,223.46
Residual: $ 22,426.20
Total Depreciation: $ 8,797
Money Factor: .00200
Down Payment: $10,000.00
C/D: 0.35
My credit score is 740.
Monthly payment: $378.92

What do you think of these numbers? Should my monthly payment be lower? I know with a 10K or 12K mileage lease I can get lower payments.

markcincinnati · February 2006

If you are leasing this car putting ANY money down makes no sense. If you have this much "free cash" why not put it in a mutual fund and use it to make monthly payments?

Or, finance the car, build some equity -- if that is even possible.

The beauty of a lease is to minimze out of pocket cash and pay for the actual use of the car rather than the illusion of buying a depreciating asset.

Buy what appreciates, rent what depreciates -- and do not put an up front down payment on something you are renting -- go for a larger payment or go for a less expensive vehicle.

On the other hand, it is, after all, your money -- do with it as you like. What the rest of us think should be immaterial.

I don't understand putting money down on a leased car, however, no matter what.

Just one guy's opinion. :shades:

ivan_99 · February 2006

Buy what appreciates, rent what depreciates -- and do not put an up front down payment on something you are renting -- go for a larger payment or go for a less expensive vehicle

Agreed, it really makes no sense putting money down once you thoroughly think it through.

The amount down, from my unscientific observations, seems to be about one year worth of lease payments; so if it is $250 a month its usually ~2K down, $450 a month ~ 4k down.

Years ago (college lets say) when I rented an apartment if they said I could pay an extra years worth of rent upfront so I could pay less per month I would have thought they were crazy (cuts into the beer money).

Or...if your favorite spot for lunch asks if you want to pay an extra years worth of lunch so next time you come in itll be a little cheaper.

Im with youId rather have the money in my pocket and have a slightly higher monthly payment.

dino001 · February 2006

Totally concure. "Low payment" mentality is still too much present. Unlike loans, where money down actually reduces both principal and finance charge portions of the payments, in lease it does nothing to finance charge. Thus, money down on the lease is like giving a no-interest loan to the bank. Plus, if the car gets totalled next day there is no way in hell the bank is going to give it back. If the down is really large, they may have to, but it will be a small fraction.

georgek · February 2006

My wife and I have spent much of the past two days test driving Passat and SAAB wagons. The new Passat wagon is a disappointment on several levels.

Although a bit larger and quicker, it is less refined, less comfortable and much noisier than my 2000 GLS 1.8T wagon. The interior materials are cheap looking compared to my 2000, and the same irritants about lack of power seats and similar niceties on the 4 cylinder continue. It also is much more expensive.

The 2006 SAAB 9-3 wagon was cramped and harsh-riding, but the 2006 9-5 wagon is larger, quieter, more refined, better equipped, quicker and handles better through twisty roads and S curves than the 2007 Passat wagon. With European delivery it costs about the same as a 2.0 Passat with Pkg 2, but adds a 2.3 260 hp turbo 4, power everything and dealers that are customer friendly.

Good-bye VW, hello SAAB.

jimd4 · February 2006

How does total price delivered in USA with European pick up compare to USA purchase? You can buy an US EPA compliant car ?

georgek · February 2006

I do not yet have all the option and accessory prices, but the "base" price for Trollhattan delivery of a US spec 9-5 wagon is $3880 less than U.S. MSRP, and SAAB gives the buyer $2000 travel to defray travel expenses. Return shipping from Goteborg and clearing customs is included in the price.

Prices are even lower if you qualify for a military or diplomatic discount, and brings the base price to about what I have been quoted for a Passat with pkg 2 and 17" wheels.

SAAB's web site has all this information.

georgek · February 2006

I'm not sure how those lines got there, and cannot figure-out how to remove them.

jimd4 · February 2006

Well by the end of this year GM, which owns SAAB, could be bankrupt. Or worse yet, will have dumped SAAB to pay part of the bills and then go bankrupt. That cannot be good for SAAB service or resale.

They could sell SAAB to China and then you would hae SAABsuey?
Not a pretty thought for me

ncstewart · February 2006

I haven't driven the Saab wagon (and even though it is not American-engineered, I want nothing to do with anything remotely *associated* with GM after seeing that ultra-stupid HUMMER commercial aired during the Super Bowl).

However, I did stop by a nearby VW dealer today specifically to see one of the two Passat 2.0 wagons that appeared this week (there were none last week). They weren't busy (presumably because it was only 10 degrees F outside this morning) so a salesman offered to let me take a test drive.

I currently own a 2004 Explorer V8 which I am looking forward to trading....and I could not believe the "go" on this 4-cylinder vehicle. I love the look and love the features...although I think I'll head toward the 3.6L when the time comes to get the "goodies"...only because there's a limit to options available on the 2.0 (no "coming home" feature, for example).

I'm a little discouraged that I end up in the $40K MSRP range to build the car I want, but I'm hooked. The Passat Wagon is definitely a contender.

dino001 · February 2006

And VW is in such great shape? Don't kid yourself! It has been in trouble for quite a while. No surprise if you consider that government partially owns them (Lower Saxony Land to be exact) and last year entire profit was brought by their smallest division - Audi.

I understand one can like one car more or one company, but I would not be putting VAG as a poster child of profitability/good corporate governance/good organization when comparing with GM. In fact, VAG is exactly Germany's GM.

georgek · February 2006

There are very few cars you can buy with the assurance the the manufacturer will be around in a few years. Toyota, Honda and possibly Hyundai come to mind.

Also, things can change rapidly. After being bailed out by your tax dollars and mine, Chrysler was bought by Daimler Benz, then one of the most profitable car companies. Last year it was the Chrysler division that drove profits.

In the meantime, I want a midsize wagon that is roomy, fun to drive and does not cost $50-60K. That pretty much narrows it down to VW, SAAB, Mazda and Subaru.

The Subaru GT and Outback XT are cramped and have little front seat leg room. The numbers may look good, but I'm 5'9" and can't stretch out in the passenger seat; my slim 6' wife must ride with her knees in the air. (Her Volvo XC70 is roomy and very comfortable, but it would be a stretch to call it fun to drive, ditto the regular V70. The Mazda 6 and the Jaguar X Type(Ford Mondeo)looked appealing to me until I looked up the IHS crash tests.

That leaves the Passat and the SAAB 9-5. It astounds me that VW would introduce a new Passat that is cruder, noisier and cheaper-looking inside than the last one. Even though the 9-5 is an aging design, the 2006 update has kept it competitive, IMO. Priced closer to the 2.0T but with the luxury goodies of the 3.6 it made more sense to me than buying another Passat.

I love my 2000GLS. It has been reliable, fun to drive and very practical, but at 170K it is time for it to go.

jpi2 · February 2006

Greetings everyone,
Just wanted to drop a note to inform you all of my recent impressions of my '06 VW Passat 3.6 with Luxury Package 2. They are as follows (there is NO particular significant offer):
1. The brake and gas pedals are a bit too close.
2. The fact the headlight washer must always be activated when I use the windshield washer is a bit too much...in consuming windshield fluid.
3. There is a bit of a lag or "gap" between a complete stop and acceleration, especially when you are coasting to a stop sign then press the gas pedal.
4. The car could use another trip meter...I had two trip meters on my previous car ('02 Mazda Protege5) before a someone neglected to yield before taking a left turn (into me).
5. The floor mats (4) that came along with the car keeps wrinkling up and can become a hazard (it surprises me to see something so cheap and "flimsy" on a car of this caliper, but at least it matches the car's carpeting.
6. The arm rest on which all the window controls and outside side mirrors are on seems unstable...hoping it won't fall off in a few years.
7. The fuel sticker on the fuel door is in German...but I managed to make out that the car requires Premium fuel...I think. It states "91" but we here in Maryland don't have that. Any suggestions and recommendation from other '06 Passat 3.6 would be useful.
8. The car could use a "cool" ventilation feature to supplement its heated seat feature... like the IS 250 AWD I tested.
9. The ability to do more with the controls on the steering wheel. For example, changing from FM1 to FM2 without going through the entire option line and also the adjusting of the climate control.)
10. Have the entire interior driver information and console areas be in blue lighting, instead of the two (blue and red). Why if the Germans through their research found that blue is better for the eyes in night time driving, combine the two colors? To make it 50% better?
11. The location and placement of the battery and the fuse box is in the trunk. Why?
12. The low air in the tire monitor should indicate which of the four tires is low. Not just low and then up to the driver to find the low tire.

Well, that's all for now during my 1,350 miles of this new Passat. Please feel free to reply with suggestions, recommendations, and other inputs. Thanks for you time!

pat · February 2006

Look below the post box and you'll see an icon "~~ABC~~". I think you must have hit that accidentally. ~~This is what is does when you use it.~~

To remove them, you would have needed to edit your post and remove the codes at the beginning and the end of the mark through lines.

No worries - we can read it!!

boodah · February 2006

For one to have so many concerns, didn't you take the majority of them into consideration BEFORE you purchased your Passat? I mean, you did take a test drive and go over the specs right?

jimd4 · February 2006

As a long time Audi owner here..........keep dreaming

americanyon · February 2006

I called VW and get different answers on what kind of oil does my '06 Passat comes with. They all give me different answers. I dont' know if I should use standard oil sae 5-40w, synth blend 5-40 or full syn 5-40. Does anyone know what is the required oil for the 2.05T Passat.

shipo · February 2006

"Does anyone know what is the required oil for the 2.05T Passat."

The ONLY oils that you can use in your Turbocharged 2.0 Passat are ones that meet the VW 502.00/505.00/503.01 specifications for oil. Period, full stop, the end. While I'm sure that there are others out there on the market, the only two that I'm aware of are the Mobil-1 0W-40 (and only the 0W-40), and the German Castrol Syntech 0W-30 (and only the 0W-30 that says "Made in Germany" on the label). Those oils are fully synthetic and meet virtually every new car oil spec from every major manufacturer (some exotics like the BMW M3 are among the few exceptions).

Said another way, if you don't use a fully synthetic oil that meets the VW oil specs, count on either a turbo replacement (from bearing failure due to oil coking) and/or a complete engine replacement (due to engine sludging).

If anybody tells you different, don't walk, run away as fast as you can.

Best Regards,
Shipo

krzyss · February 2006

1.8T sludge fiasco did not teach some people anything.

Krzys

markcincinnati · February 2006

Castrol 0W 30 OR better. Full Syn.

And ONLY VW oil filters or a filter that VW will, without a doubt, not question.

We're talkin' thousand and thousands here.

I guess the dealers must be sooo poor -- were I to acquire a new VW, I would ONLY use the dealer for my in warranty period service.

My gosh, the requirements for the first 50,000 miles with respect to oil changes are, relatively speaking, minimal.

Why chinzt out.

Of course, if you want to change the oil more frequently -- well at least buy the parts from the dealer and keep the receipt and even if you are a DIY, document, document, document that you did it, when, at what mileage, etc, and keep all the stuff that you don't have done at the dealer with all the service records period.

I am a big believer in filters and fluids -- but I think I am now a bigger believer in documentation.

My experience with Audi and VW engines has been that they are strong engines -- and that it is a great idea to exceed the requirements at least with respect to the chemicals you use (and that includes oil.)

Name brand filters? Well, maybe -- I have read too many tales about using a NAME BRAND filter and finding that it didn't make it through the oil change cycle and, well, tough love.

VW products at least the oil filter do cost a little more than a name brand jobbie at Wal-Mart.

Worth it, worth it worth it.

600kgolfgt · February 2006

Amen, brother - as an owner of two 1.8Ts (well maintained, no sludging issues), I couldn't have said it better myself... :shades:

carync · February 2006

Have a new Passat with premium package 1, my answer would be:
1.Test Drive?
2.Test Drive?
3.I agree--other posts said the Sport mode eliminates this
4.Test Drive?
5.Who cares? I bought custom mats
6.I disagree
7.91 octane is freely available in North Carolina
8.Cool ventilation I have only experienced in the MB S500, a different price point from Germany
9. Use the buttons on the dash
10. Test Drive--my 2002 Passat GLX had this--I like it
11. Are you going to be working on your battery or fuse box? I could care less where they put it
12. You mean that ehrn the low tire pressure monitor lights up--it doesn't tell you where the low pressure tire is on the schematic of the car? IF that's true I agree--so one valid complaint out of 12!
I love my new Passat 3.6--better than the 2002 GLX by far.

jefferyg · February 2006

Why chinzt out.

Because I'm chintzy (or however you spell it). I just got my first oil change and talk about sticker shock! :surprise: I've never paid $92 for an oil change before. The filter alone which is a cartridge type filter on the 2.0T is $15 at the dealership. Furthermore, the car requires SIX, 6, SEIS quarts of liquid gold. But what really ticks me off is that I paid all that money and the dealer didn't even do so much as vacuum out my car. :mad:

But enough of my ranting. The good news is that after the second oil change it goes to a 10,000 mile interval, so in the long run it's not really that much more expensive than most other cars. But I do imagine that I will at least check into purchasing the oil and filter and paying my friend to change it at his shop rather than taking it back to the dealership. If it saves me $20 then it's worth it. I will save the paperwork he gives me and get him to stamp the service log. If it doesn't save me at least that much then I suppose I'll let the dealer keep stickin it to me.

Now back to my ranting - All of these dealers, quickie lubes, AND Wal-Mart are gouging people on oil changes. I could change oil in four cars in an hour in my driveway, charge less than any of them and still make money at it.

jefferyg · February 2006

Oh, and I forgot...

Mark, you are right about the oil. Use anything but the specified full synthetic and you void your warranty.

jimd4 · February 2006

Your taking a tremendous risk to save $50 every 10k miles. If you blow your turbo it is a $10,000 bill and if VW decides to play hard ball you can take all the receipts from your friends oil changes and use them to wipe your eyes as you cry while you sign up for a car loan to pay for the engine repair.

jimd4 · February 2006

If your looking for a new Passat wagon, www.fitzmall.com has 60 of them in stock selling for $200-to $500 under invoice.

markcincinnati · February 2006

I say what I am about to say using an old saying, not in any way an epithet: the phrase "penny wise and pound foolish" leapt to my pea brain when I read your comment about saving $20.

No, saving money is NOT foolish. However, changing the oil in a Passat (or BMW, Audi or Mercedes, etc.) can involve somewhat to a lot more work than simply unscrewing a drain plug, letting it drain, putting the plug back in, replacing the filter and filling it up with oil.

In my last "pre-Passat" a 1986 Quantum, you actually had to apparently remove an entire panel under the front end -- replete with many mounting hardware bits and so on.

It was a far more time consuming and, shall we say, "delicate" process than on some American cars of yore.

This doesn't make it right, but my wife bought a BMW 325ix (that is what they were called then) in 1988. Oil changes on this car were $100 and had to be done, as I recall every 3,000 miles. My last non Audi Advantaged Audi car was a 1987 5000CS turbo quattro. The fluid change expenses in that car spawned the phrase "breathtakingly expensive."

$92 for an oil change -- and you apparently are thinking a savings of $20 would justify letting someone other than an authorized VW service center do this. So $72 is OK and $92 is not? Average it over the miles between changes and I promise it is a non significant cost.

The cost, however, of ANY push-back should you have ANY kind of issue that ought to be covered by the warranty will make that twenty dollars seem so paltry, you wouldn't even bend over to pick it up off the street.

There is almost a natural tendency for car dealers to think "buyers are liars" (and yes I know the inverse is also true.) Yet, if you have any issue and they can't pull up your service records they will certainly be scrutinized by VWoA -- the VWoA claims adjuster under such circumstances will NOT be your advocate.

And, if you can change oil as you say and make a profit at it, people will beat a path to your, er, bay. :surprise:

doctorw · February 2006

I've been looking for a new passat sedan and the best price I have been offered is from Boston Volkswagen, $33,900 for a 3.6L 4motion with luxury 1 and nav, or $34,400 for sport package 1 and nav. This is my first VW and I was wondering if anyone had dealt with this dealership before and what their impression were. Some online reviews of the dealer are horrible, but the sample size is very small.

Thanks for your help.

rayainsw · February 2006

OK  I am very confused by something I just read in the Passat Specs .pdf file available from VW.COM.

It shows the 3.6 specs for the FWD version as:
WT: 3576
Final Drive: 3.453
0  60: 6.6 sec.

For the 3.6 AWD:

WT: 3829 (sounds reasonable)
Final Drive: 3.453 (same)
0  60: 6.2 sec.

Now thats almost a half second quicker. For a vehicle with the same engine, the same trans., the same final drive  and heavier, by over 250 pounds.

Does this seem weird to anyone else?

Now, I have yet to re-schedule my test drive, but is it possible that the FWD is actually so traction limited (has such an over-abundance of low speed TQ) that the AWD version would launch sufficiently harder \ quicker as to result in that sort of difference?

Anyone driven both, back to back?

On clear, dry pavement, with the car pointed straight ahead, is the FWD version prone to spin the tires?

Thanks,
- Ray
Sooooo confused . .

jefferyg · February 2006

My friend is a certified Mechanic, licensed, bonded the whole nine yards. He regularly services other European makes, so I trust his abilities. He can document as much as needed. I will use the oil and filter I'm supposed to use, so if it dies, NO, I will not be paying to have it fixed. Besides all that, I live 80 miles from the nearest VW dealer. I have to plan my trips to get it serviced, so I'm still willing to take my chances with David.

Volkswagen Passat 2006+

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