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Comments
Ask to see the tech bulletin. What can it hurt? I don't have a W8, but the needle pretty much jumps right to the full mark on my 1.8T, after refueling and restarting the car (I always pull the key - don't want my baby 'jacked while my back is turned).
Why are you going to fight if all it takes is removing the key from the ignition? I can see it if you did that and the fuel gauge still failed to properly register immediately after refueling. Did I misread your post in that you did remove the key and it still takes several hours to register?
I am looking for cargo mats that fit the GLX wagon and have not been able to find any specificly for the Passat. I need something to put down for my big brown lab! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I've been very happy with the WeatherTech cargo liner in our wagon. Good fit, looks sharp, and is easy to keep clean. Vacuum it, or pull it out and hose it off. Periodic applications of 303 Aerospace Protectant helps keep it looking new.
http://www.weathertech.com/store/vehsearch.asp?item_group_id=1&am- p;make_id=54&year_no=2003&veh_id=674&veh_opt_choice_i- d=12
Others have gone with a product that will also cover the back of the seats when they are folded down. I can't remember the name of it but perhaps someone else will chime in.
VW also has a couple of options available. Sorry, I tried to give you the url from VW's site but it seems to be down at the moment.
I bought he Monster Mat cargo mat for my Passat W8 Wagon right at the dealer. VW direct has several options. Actually, I don't recommend this mat for your dog. Go with something rubber, for sure. VW offers a fitted rubber mat, as does WeatherTech (as posted #1607).
Thanks again!
It has a more plastic feel to it. But don't let that dissuade you...it fits very well and seems very durable (although we don't have dogs). I got ours just before vacation and it saved me a ton of "post-vacation" clean up time. I just took the dustbuster to it and vacuumed up the beach sand. A damp paper towel completed the clean-up! Looked like new. I gotta say, if the thing were made of the same material as the floor mats, it would weigh a ton and would be difficult to install and remove. Probably make accessing the spare more difficult, too.
Thanks,
- Bobby
'normal'. A few other friends have the same car and do not have this problem. One time the dealer said there was a crack in the transmission mount/bracket & they pulled it out
and fixed it. No difference. I'm convinced I
just got a bad one. Mine has 56k miles so far and I'm thinking of getting rid of it, I just
worried something major is wrong with it.
Am I getting ripped off, or good deal??
Now with that said....have you done your research? and is it a deal you can live with?
if so it's a great deal......if you don't like that price dont' buy it.......VW and all the other make cars to sell for profit..... they deprciate faster that computer equip....so cars at any rate are like women and gambling they cost you money you'll never get back
The next dilemma is whether to drop another $2k on the 100k ml. warranty.. it's quickly resembling a "gambling on women" scenario.
VW = 12 month "adjustments warrenty"
4 yr/50 or 60
power train 4 yr
I may be wrong on the exact miles but is is one of the best in the industry...keep the 2k and invest it......
http://www.mats4less.com/19vwpawacaca.html
in that it doesn't have the piece that covers the seats when they're folded down (wish it did). At any rate, it looks and works great. We haul two Corgis around so it's very durable in that regard.
My advice would be to stick with the Subuaru. The 1.8T FWD with the traction control system option handles well in the snow. But you won't be happy with the acceleration - especially if you get 4 motion with that engine. There is no replacement for displacement - and the low torque of the 1.8T won't work well AWD - it is marginal on just the FWD. If you work the throttle hard to get into the turbo band - your fuel economy will drop a lot. Also - while the Passat Wagon has lots cargo space - you'll find that when you use it (and have VW mudflaps installed - which make sense for snow/slop) the rear flaps will hit the pavement frequently.
I'll disagree with jkilo on the 1.8T's acceleration with FWD...but he's probably right about the 1.8T with 4Motion...base Audis use that combo and they aren't known for the off-the-line speed.
Personally, I simply run my 1.8T in the snow with the OEM Michelins. Is it bullet-proof? No. Adequate? I'd say "yes." But then, my approach to winter is if the roads are too bad, I'll just wait an hour for the plow to come through.
PS: I've got the wagon and have had the cargo filled with luggage without ever scraping my mudflaps. YMMV.
I have a FWD GLS. Live in mountainous Northeast Pennsylvania. We had a very snowy winter. Never missed work. I live at 1800 ft above sea level and went down to the valley and back without any problem. That includes in 3 decent size storms. This car is great in snow. I ran the OEM Contis too! Next year will try some snow tires as the Contis will be a bit older and more worn by then. Like the more lighter weight of the GLS and better gas mileage.
Also, was cold here the other day and the car would not start. Dealer had it towed in, would not start for them. Got the car back and they lay the blame on me saying I am pushing the gas pedal on startup. Come on man, I am NOT doing that to an EFI engine. Seems that want to blame me and not try and fix the car. Looks to me that if they are not able to pull any "codes' then they are not able to fix the car. Any help on that issue either would be appreciated.
Side note, one disadvantage of the design of this forum is that there are too few topics. It would be easier to get help on specific problems if there were more (and therefore smaller) topic areas. Just my opinion.
Thanks for the information. Did they say why it would act stupid in the cold only? My local dealer is a parts changer and if there is no code, then there is nothing wrong..... I may have to shop around for another dealer.
Thanks and my quest for to fix the car continues....
The first one is my car and has 139Mkm on it. Knock on wood, it has required no major work since the warranty ran out at 80km. The second is my wife's car and has had cert. warranty up to 120km but we were using it steadily since we took ownership at 80km.
At present there seems to have been several oil leaks recently, which have been fixed but one remains, and some moisture cleaned out of the coil pack housings (its presence unwarranted). The oil burning off of the engine block is polluting the air in the cabin, such that the heater must be turned off when the car is not moving.
I love driving the passat and find its creature comfort, roominess, and economy difficult to find in other cars in equivalent classes. But I am concerned about the cost of maintaining this car over the next few years (at least three if I were to keep it).
I would love to hear from others in my situation. Anyone out there also doing the long haul with their 1999 passats?
The sedan has 73K miles on it, and up until last year, it had not required much in the way of repair. Last year, we spent a small fortune replacing the motor mounts and the transmission mounts as well as the axles (due to rotten CV boots). The car still isn't quite right, and just last year, we had an oil leak fixed that was, thankfully, covered by the 10 year powertrain warranty. VW had the car for 23 days. They fixed the leak quickly, but then they had problems with a cam tensioner and could not get it fixed. They gave us a rental car during the repair, so I was not upset, and in the end, they got it working.
However, the throttle body is no longer being recognized by the computer, and that's a $600 repair. We've held off on that for the time being, so the car idles rough, but runs fine. We still have a shimmy that's related to some sort of suspension problem, and we're getting all of that looked at as soon as we have the time to get it into the shop.
I figure even if it costs $1500 to get it fixed, it's still better than having a $400 car note...provided we don't have to spend $1500 every month on it. I like the car, but these will be our last Passats... they are just too expensive to maintain in the long term IMHO. Others may disagree, but having to pay $700 for brakes every two years is ridiculous.
The wagon has been doing OK. It has 17K miles. The only problem it has right now is a vibration during braking - I believe the rotors are slightly warped, but we haven't had it in to have it looked at. It's not covered by the warranty though.
Good luck with your Passats. I imagine they can last a long time - but they do need some TLC.
The W8 looks great on paper, but it seems like you need an Act of Congress to get one (and unfortunately to afford one). Barry--bhottle--how'd you do it? Aside from waiting for 3 months, was there a hassle?
I do note, however, that the 1.8t MT is going to be available with 4motion as a "delayed option." And they're more affordable for the masses. Excited, I inquired at my dealership; sadly, they could not tell me what delayed really means. My experience with VW (I own a '99 NB GLS 1.8t 5-speed) is that it will be later rather than sooner--see the 2005 Passat board. Anyone have any information on this model?
All of which leads me to my real question: has anyone done a "fly and buy" deal to Europe? You know, fly over, buy for example the VW Passat W8 Wagon in the 6-speed and ship it back. I hear MT's are much easier to get across the pond. Plusses and minuses? Is there a separate board for this?
Zman
There is a bit of good news along these lines: at least one such Passat (2004 1.8t wagon / 5 speed manual / AWD) has been delivered in the Boston, MA area this month.
I have ordered one that is scheduled for build this week and arrival here late Feb / early March.
Zman
Is the 1.8T auto capable of handling it? I've also heard they're noisy at higher speeds and suffer from turbo lag. What's your experience? Also, is the AWD worth it? We live in Michigan where snow is a factor, especially right now! Thanks.
Zman
Are you reading printed specs somewhere, or just based on your sitting in the cars? If the latter, was the seat fully in the "down" position? The seats have a pretty wide range of motion in the "up and down" direction.
I can't imagine that the driveshaft to the rear would take away front headroom. they've already got that monster hump in the floor to accommodate that.
We had a Quantum 10 years ago and loved it until it started costing us $300 every two months for repairs. Finally just couldn't afford to keep fixing it, so got rid of it. I don't want to get into that same boat again. Any advice? Thanks a million in advance.
Every car brand has lemons. I owned a 2002 Honda Civic EX Sedan. 100% reliable right? That's what I thought when I bought the Civic only to have 11 repairs in the first 4 months of ownership. 16 months later I traded it in for my Passat which has been near perfect.
So even the most reliable brands have lemons. Go with what you enjoy driving and for peace of mind, buy the extended warranty (I didn't but don't regret it).
good luck!
Carrie
~2003 VW Passat GLS, 1.8T, Candy White, Beige Leather.
HELP!