VW Passat Wagons (GL, GLS, GLX & W8)

vwguild · June 2001

No Problem...

rersk · June 2001

Hi,

Sorry to be late in replying but I haven't checked the board recently. At the risk of inundating
my nice VW dealer with more business than he can handle...here goes. I've bought two
VW's (camper and a GLX wagon) from this dealer, and, while I haven't used them for service,
cause I live 125 miles away, they've been absolutely great on price and delivery. The dealer
is Montesi VW in North Haven, CT and my salesman has been Brian Nesdale on both
purchases, but their whole team is good. I never haggled. When I got the camper there were
just two on the East Coast, they gave me a good offer and I said I'd take it. For the GLX I had
haggled extensively with my local dealer until we arrived at a fair price of $28K for the GLX and
$9K for my '96 Passat sedan in trade. Only problem was my local dealer couldn't get the GLX,
so I called Brian at Montesi and asked Brian if he could match the deal. He said yes without
even seeing my trade, and in a couple of days had located a silver reflex GLX with black leather.
I called my first Passat (a TDI) "The Green Machine" but I call this one "The Silver Bullet". With
the 5 speed manual tranny it's just a pure pleasure to drive.

ajacat · June 2001

We have really enjoyed our Passat test drives, but our mechanic tells us to avoid VWs and Audis because as they age they develop electrical problems. (He told of his former boss's wife's Audi station wagon door literally bursting into flames as she was sitting in the car one day)

Has anyone experienced any electrical problems with the Passat yet? Say, one bought after '99? We want to keep this next car a long time and like how the Passat feels but also feel leery of what awaits down the road. I'm thinking he may be basing his opinion on the old Passats, back in the mid 90s?

TIA,
ajacat

glxwagon4mo · June 2001

'00 GLX 4 Motion - none at about 12,000 mi/ 1 year
Still a joy to drive !

George

vwguild · June 2001

That is the most incredible story I ever heard...Ask him where they retired to with the
proceeds from the lawsuit...it must have been a HUGE settlement...

Seriously...electrical problems may have been a problem in the 80s, but this now,
a great deal has changed in the past 20 years...

car4us3 · June 2001

We just left a downpayment on a 2001 6 speed manual GLX and my dealer called me back and said he couldn't get the car. He thinks we should wait for the 2002 which he says will be arriving by the end of july( he'll give the same deal we negotiated plus any difference in pricing), with a 4 yr 50,000 warrenty. Since I just sold my Saab 900 convertible, and I'm driving a borrowed car I can't wait much longer than August. Is all this believable? Any chance this guy is stringing me along? (we are hoping for a 6 speed manual GLX, antracite with beige interior).
?VWguild

maulana · June 2001

thanks for the suggestion!

maulana

vwguild · June 2001

We do not have a 6 Speed Transmission available in the US!!!! There
is speculation that we may have that available next year with the W8,
but not within the next couple of months...

Scroll back a few posts, 20+, for current availability on this wagon...

car4us3 · June 2001

VWguild, sorry I miss wrote, we meant 5 speed (with rev)

vwguild · June 2001

He will have to order this car for you...We are building '02s now...it will not
come to him magically...

ajacat · June 2001

Thanks for your reply. So you don't know of long term electrical reliability probs with the Passats from '99 or later?

That's good news. Helps our decision process.

Best,
ajacat
p.s. You know, I think I'll ask if they filed a lawsuit, or what else happened in the aftermath--our mechanic's a very ethical person (VERY ethical) and I just don't think he'd lie. There was even nothing at stake for him. Just wouldn't make sense.

hiwaysanity · June 2001

and sometimes people will attribute problems with a particular car model/year to the entire nameplate. The '99+ Passat (nee Audi) is a whole different animal from the earlier version. I would not expect specific problems to continue.

It may have other re-occuring problems, but that remains to be seen.

loomandzoom · June 2001

Hi,
I'm considering purchasing my first VW and wanted to know if anyone has any experience with Colonial VW or Patrick VW.

Thanks

hiwaysanity · June 2001

The Internet manager (Dan something) was very helpful, and provided the first quote I got on the Passat. Actually, that's where I test drove the car. Their price was fair, about $900 over invoice.

Ultimately I ended up buying from their sister store in wellesley, where I had a horrid sales experience. If I hadn't gotten angry, and dug in to fight Wellesley for the $600 over invoice they quoted (and reneged on), I would have bought from Colonial.

rersk · June 2001

The tales of VW electrical problems goes all the way back to the 60's and 70's. VW vans
did have the occasional electrical mystery problem. Some of these were due to the long
run of wiring between the rear engine compartment and the instrument panel/steering wheel. My '96 Passat TDI had a dramatic electric problem in the first 3000 miles. The wiring harness between the alternator and battery was too light, and the cable heated up and broke, stopping us dead on the NY State Thruway
After owning five VW's during the last twenty years, my impression is that the newer models are extremely reliable electricaly and mechanicaly. Mechanics tend to be conservative people with long memories. Most of the cars they see are several years old, so it takes them a while to revise their opinions.

mikeg61 · June 2001

Colonial failed to get me a quote when I tried to get one over the net. Patrick was OK, but they didn't have what I wanted at the time. I ended up at Quirk, since my wife's parents are close. I got a V-6 GLS Tiptronic in Reflex Silver for $490 over invoice.

jager31 · June 2001

mikeg61

Did the invoice price you used include the $500 destination charge or is that in addition to the $490?
Sounds like you got a deal.

ajacat · June 2001

thanks, didn't see your replies until just now. The detail and the historical separation does help. I haven't asked our mechanic about the details/aftermath yet, but I plan to. Maybe we'll be able to consider that beautiful V6 after all...:)

Best,
ajacat

nofeer · June 2001

My wife and i are looking for a family vehicle after jan 02. looking at highlander, volvo, passat and maybe audi wagon. we have to trade her yellow turbo bug which has been bullet proof except for a bad horn and a defective battery. service from local area is great. what do you think. I heard they will make a long wheel base passat is that true? any changes for the 02 passat?

texahoo · June 2001

After thorough research, my wife and I have concluded that the Pas sat wagon is the car for us. And I know exactly how I want it---5 speed GAS 1.8T w/ prey leather package and luxury package in either indigo, anthracite or quicksilver. Except for color (and things like Home link and the Monsoon system), I'm not flexible. I'm about to spend $25K on a car I'll spend over 3000 hours in, so I'm willing to to to some extra trouble to get what I want.

Understanding that there are no 5 speed 2001.5s to be had and that the 2002s are not available yet, I called the largest WV dealer in the Houston area to see if I could order/request a 2002 the way I want it---might as well go and get in line, right? Well, the guy I spoke to---reportedly a sales manager---said he could not "order" one for me yet and he didn't know when he would be able to. That seems silly to me. Why can't he submit my request now? Is this sales guy just full of it? Should I call another dealer? VWGuild, your input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

mikeg61 · June 2001

The $490 over included the destination charge. These guys do everything by volume. I got there at 7:30 on Monday night, was out the door by 8:30 and picked up the car at 6:00 the next day.

mauislick · June 2001

why don't nip it in the bud and have VWGUILD do your deal for you.....he's ordering custom made cars right and left and getting them delivered all over the place.....save yourself the headache
I know I've been waiting OVER A YEAR TO GET WHAT I WANT !!!!! My dealer is proficiant but Hawaii is a small market so we don't get much priortiy.....VWGUILD knows the system....has connections in the systems and is getting the job done......believe me your dealer will give you the run around.......check out vwvortex.....GUILd has ordered 2002's already .........

vwguild · June 2001

Would you be shocked if I told you that there are 2002s in the Port of Houston tonight?

Edmund's protocal does not allow me to say anything about what I do or where...

almostgaveup · June 2001

After searching and haggling for about a month, I fianlly got my GLS V6 Silver w/ Gray leather interior (3.5% over invoice). Thanks for all the info on this board!

Had just about given up hope and was looking at the Subaru website when one of my dealers (I communicated with 8) called back and was finally willing to deal.

If you can't wait for an '02 (the broken ac in my '89 Civic obliterated my resolve) there are
lots of wagons out there if you're interested in 4MO (in my mind not needed for the D.C. area) especially at Koon's in Marlow Heights or a 5-speed manual (GLS's galore at Darcars in College Park). Tons of black leather interiors in all varieties in MD. Slim pickings of any kind in Northern VA. None I know of anywhere w/in 40 miles if you want a silver or gray GLX w/ a beige or gray interior. Expect to walk out of a dealership at least once (probably three times) and lose out on a few cars if you want to approach TMV.

cricri1 · June 2001

I live in Austin and sent out several internet requests for quotes on what I wanted to dealerships in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and more. The San Antonio dealership give me an incredible deal ($24,424.00 for a manual transmission, luxury package, leather package, monsoon and home link) and has reserved one of those 2002's sitting in the port of Houston for me, and this was a couple of weeks ago. I even got the color I wanted (Fresco green w/ gray leather). No price increase over the 2001.5's. I have the serial number, and expect to get the car in mid-July!

linnie49 · June 2001

We're looking for the 2002 Passat 4Motion Wagon in Fresco Green with Gray or Black leather interior. Any info on where they could be secured now? Any idea when they might be arriving in Pittsburgh, PA? We have a '98 Cabrio that we LOVE and want to add to our WV "stable" with the Passat wagon. Have toyed with the Volvo V70 but can't find out much about their reliability. Heard they are VERY expensive to repair.....

raybear · June 2001

VERY short supply.

texahoo · June 2001

Hey, Cricri1, that's incredible! Can you give me the name of your dealer and salesman in San Antonio? I'd love to give them some more business, particularly if they can do the deal over the internet and arrange delivery to me in Houston. By the way, does the $24,424 you mentioned include everything (e.g., destination charge, taxes, registration, etc.)? Thanks!

davidfoster · June 2001

loomandzoom -- I bought at Patrick, and the experience was ok. Not horrible, not great. Fair price. Drop me a line at dfoster@broadbase.com if you want details.

car4us3 · June 2001

VWguild, Do you know when 2002's will be in port at Newark/Trenton? Any idea on the MRSP for a 5 speed GLX wagon?

vwguild · June 2001

should remain the same as existing .5 pricing...There are 02s in Port today,
but I understand that Delaware is full and ships are off-loading in Boston.

02s will be released after July 1, the date the New Warranty becomes effective...

cricri1 · June 2001

Hi texahoo--no, the price doesn't include sales tax or the various sundry fees. That would be great, but would put the car well under invoice. The quote would include destination charges, though.

I dealt entirely through the internet with Ancira VW & KIA, who has a pretty good "word of mouth" reputation for service relative to other choices here in Central Texas. I'm not sure if they would charge extra for delivery back to Houston or not--the drive to San Antonio isn't a big deal from Austin, so I'm just driving on over. The price is more than worth any extra effort.

John P. Weil, Jr has been my "internet sales consultant" and has been very pleasant to work with--he certainly has been the most direct and helpful sales rep in response to my requests. And he always had his facts straight relative to the casual misinformation I got from our local dealer. The web site is:

<http://www.ancira.com/volkswagen>

I would like to point out that the car isn't in my garage yet, so the sales experience is far from over. Thus far though, I have found this to be a very satisfying way to deal. I will keep you informed as things progress.

I really appreciate this board in educating me to knowing a line of bull when I hear one! What a great asset this has been--thanks to all who post here!

And thanks to Edmunds.com for helping me to know a good price when I see one.

texahoo · June 2001

Thanks, Cricir1!! I will e-mail John and see if he'd like to make me the same deal!

By the way, word on the VWVortex message board is that VW will make the rumored warranty changes official on Tuesday, June 26th. Let's keep our fingers crossed for good news!

sistbl · June 2001

texahoo,
How do I get to the the VWVortex board?

vwguild · June 2001

www.vwvortex.com
*Forums*
*Volkswagen*
*Passat(B5)

ibmainer · June 2001

I will be buying a new car and would like to consider the Passat GLX which comes with the 6 cylinder engine. Everything I read says these engines have to have premium gas. I love the car but I don't want to be forced to use only premium gas with prices the way they are. Can anyone shed some light for me?

hiwaysanity · June 2001

My wife has the same concern about premium gas. Premium gas is about $.20/gallon more than regular. That's about $2.50 more per fill up - not that much unless you drive a lot.

My V6 runs fine, with no pinging, on 89 octane mid-range. Every 2nd or third tank I use premium just keep the octane level in the tank above 90 or so (I fill up at above 1/4 tamk, so there's always some left to mix with.) Mid-range gas drops the extra cost to maybe a buck a tank or a little more.

If the cost of gas is really that important, why not buy a car with better mileage, like an Accord? Because you want the performance and handling of the Passat, right? So if you're willing to spend the extra $4,000 on the car, the extra $375 for premium gas becomes a small expense. Personally, I just can't get excited about it.

:-)

evergreen · June 2001

I have a '97 Passat GLX wagon with standard transmission. It shifts just fine but today I noticed when I gave it a little gas, the tach reved up a few hundred RPM which tells me something is slipping. It doesn't slip on startup though, just when I am cruising and I give it some gas. If it were an automatic, I would suspect I was low on fluid. Any ideas?

hiwaysanity · June 2001

It's not the same transmission as the new ones (Tiptronic.) But it may be normal. Many automatic transmissions will allow the engine to idle down a bit during low/no-load periods, for fuel economy. If you step on the gas then, it would have to spool back up to drive speed. Also, on many electronic automatics the torque converter locks up above a preset speed (40-45), making a mechanical connection between engine and wheels. This "lock-up" will drop the RPM a bit, again for fuel economy. When you call for power to accelerate, the "lock-up" drops out, which requires the engine to speed up a bit. Listen for the lock-up; sometimes you can hear it. It sounds like a fourth shift, as if the 4-speed is shifting into 5th.

kcc3 · June 2001

Does anyone know what the warranty changes will be for the 2002 Passat? I am under the impression that the B2B warranty will be increased. Will the 100K drive train warranty or any of the other warranties be reduced to make up for the increase in the B2B?

I will probably purchase a new Passat wagon in the near future. If they are reducing the "important" drive train warranty to compensate for the improved B2B, I will probably go with a 2001.5.

Any information would be appreciated.

Thank you.

hiwaysanity · June 2001

4 yr/50k miles BTB, with no free service, and a shorter (unlimited/60k miles?) power train warranty.

But I reda that here. Need someone who knows, like vwguild, to give the correct numbers.

mauislick · June 2001

FROM A LETTER TO ALL VW DEALERS: "This is the new warranty you will be able to offer your customers - on each and every Volkswagen model - beginning with the arrival of the first 2002 model year vehicles in just a few weeks":
4 yr / 50,000 mi bumper to bumper coverage
5 yr / 60,000 mi transferable power train coverage
4 yr / 50,000 mi roadside assistance

so there it is.

hiwaysanity · June 2001

Did they mention the free service?

vwguild · June 2001

Free Scheduled Maintenance has been deleted from the program....

hiwaysanity · June 2001

Thanks. I'm not sure, but I think I kinda like my 2000 warranty better.

mauislick · June 2001

I love it! I ve been reading about the disatifacation of the current VW warranty for a year especially on vwvortex..........
they finally change it now no one likes it!!!
seems those 4 free oil changes and 100,000 miles on the power train were more important than people thought.
I am happy with the new warranty myself, thank you VW for getting up to speed.

tianc · June 2001

After being fed up with the limited availability of passat wagon in California (Bay Area), I am thinking about trying my luck elsewhere. I am not sure if there is any restrictions on such purchase? Also, I test drove the passat a couple of times, the only problem I have is that the cupholder for rear seat is actual hidden in the fold-down armrest in the middle of the seat! So, if you have three people in the back seat, all of them will have to hold their cups by themselves... interesting design, indeed....

vwguild · June 2001

this new Warranty package is the result of a myriad of complaints about
the old Warranty offering as Slick has explained...We are also dealing with
a Huge number of Conquest customers...those Honda, Toyota, BMW, MBZ,
and Nissan folks that are accustomed to a warranty configured in this manner.
Actually, this new Warranty not only meets, but exceeds ALL of the above in one
way or another...

And, you can Always go ahead and extend out 84 Months/ 100,000 with the
VW Masterguard Warranty...

herbie2023 · June 2001

I've read back a few posts and haven't found anyone confirming a rumor that the '02 Passats will ship with an optional CD Player only head unit (no tape deck).

Is this just a rumor? Thanks

vwguild · June 2001

will be a *Running Change* beginning week #32/#33...

VW Passat Wagons (GL, GLS, GLX & W8)

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