2013 and earlier Volkswagen Passat Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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Comments

  • sr241sr241 Member Posts: 3
    Hello All,

    Could you all please help me out. I am looking at purchasing getting 2004 Passat GLS at $22,000. No other options such as leather, esp, etc. The dealer is giving me this price with the 1.9%APR for 60 months. Is this a good price/deal??

    Thanks
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    That is a fairy good price. That is about $900 below invoice. I was just given $21,900 for a '04 GLS automatic. Is your a auto or 5 speed? If that quote is for a manual, then you could get them a little lower. But that appears to be GOOD DEAL.
  • sr241sr241 Member Posts: 3
    That quote is for an automatic.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    Sounds good to me. Do you currently own a VW?
  • sr241sr241 Member Posts: 3
    No. I don't own one currently. This would be my first VW purchase.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    The reason for that question is that VW offers $1,000 owner loyalty rebates.
  • oldboyoldboy Member Posts: 59
    Edmunds has finally listed the TDI among the Passat new cars. They show the TMV as identical to MSRP. VW dealer incentive for the GLS gasser is $2000, but only $750 for the GLS TDI. Evidently because of short supply and high demand, dealers are demanding MSRP for TDIs.

    List prices for the TDI are only $205 above the Automatic gasser. However people are reporting being able to get the gassers about $3000 below MSRP (or $1000 below Invoice). This means that the true premium for a TDI Passat is about $3000! I was planning to get a TDI, but not if I have to pay that much for it. Maybe in another year...

    Any comments about this situation?
  • bigdveedubgirlbigdveedubgirl Member Posts: 402
    The great thing about VW is even at MSRP, because of the small mark-up between cost and retail you are not getting "taken to the cleaners". Take advantage of the fuel savings now. If you finance through VW Credit and a family member has a VW (any year make or model) you have the 1000 cash back. That brings the price of the TDI less than a 1000 above cost. I drove a car down to a friend from Houston from 20 miles north of Dallas on less than half a tank. If you are currently driving a gas guzzling SUV, Waiting a year will cost you more money in the end (especially if this SUV is out of warranty and you have to make major repairs.) I am just as excited about the TDI Passat as I was when the Touareg came out. The are fun to drive, comfortable, quiet, and when you see "miles to empty:610" on your MFI you cant help but to smile! Good luck on your quest.

    P.S All TDIs that are in the pipline now are all that is left for the 2004 model year. TDIs are only produced 2 times a year
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    Unfortunately, the $1,000 owner loyalty rebate expired 6/30/04. I am sure it will appear again soon.
  • vdubdudevdubdude Member Posts: 9
    Did you get anymore info on this? I am looking to get a similar passat in Berkeley. Trying to figure out if I should move quickly or wait a little longer.
  • claffeebaclaffeeba Member Posts: 5
    Pricing 4motion passat gls 1.8t in Philly area - any advice? Preliminary offer from dealer was $1000 under msrp and 0% financing. This still seems quite high given other postings (non-4motion). Not interested in any other options. Thanks.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    I believe you can do MUCH better than $1,000 under MSRP. I didn't get a 4 Motion, but I got $1,000 below INVOICE. The 4Motion may not offer as much negotiating room than a regular 4 motion.

    Good Luck.
  • dfmarcusdfmarcus Member Posts: 12
    I got mine for $5500 below MSRP, though that can't be combined with th 0% APR.
  • SylviaSylvia Member Posts: 1,636
    A newspaper reporter is hoping to talk with people today, July 7, 2004, who waited to buy a vehicle in hopes generous incentives would come back...and is now reaping the benefits. Please respond asap, no later than Tuesday, July 7, 2004 to jfallon@edmunds.com with your daytime phone number and a line or two about your automotive experience and plans.

    Thanks,
    Jeannine Fallon
    PR Director
    Edmunds.com
  • taft4taft4 Member Posts: 57
    Today's Chicago Tribune had an article on rebates in the auto industry, noting the new increased rebates by the big three. But in that same article they made reference to VW in the following statement: "Volkswagen still does not offer rebates but recently instituted zero-percent financing for up to 60 months on most models."

    The article also went on to say: "Volkswagen, one of the last holdouts against incentives, is saddled with an aging lineup and dealers pressed the company for sales promotions like zero-percent, which runs through July 31. Sales are down 13 percent this year on top of a 10.5 percent decline last. year."

    Maybe the articles about their poor reliability are part of the reason for their sales decline.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    There are VW rebates. If you currently own a VW you will receive $1,000 rebate. Also, dealers get a $2,000 manufacturer to dealer rebate. If one knows this going into a VW dealer, they can use this to get the best deal. At this time, there are not direct rebates to customers. I bet though that if VW sales continue to decline, we may see additional discounts.
  • samacohensamacohen Member Posts: 3
    I was offered Cad $7,400 off the MSRP on a brand new 03 Passat loaded with all the options. There are only 120KM on the car. Is it a good buy ?

    I noticed that there are some differences between the 03 and 04 models but it is no big deal to me taking into consideration the huge discount.

    Does anybody know how much the manufacturer rebate to the dealer in this case ?
  • lewshellewshel Member Posts: 37
    We got a 2004 V6 GLX 4 motion for $29,616 using
    $1,000 loyalty and $500 other discounts at local MA. dealer.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    I would love to provide my opinion, but I am not good at translating Cad currently.......or mileage for taht matter.
  • cadrewcadrew Member Posts: 10
    I just got a 2004 Passat GLS with auto for $21200 and 1.9% financing for 60 months. No leather, but I felt like it was a good deal. The car has the blinker lights on the side mirrors, and I like that feature. I am in CA, and the guy at VW said that 0% was not available for 60 months. Don't know if that was true, or true for the price I paid.
  • maruskamaruska Member Posts: 9
    Last week I was quoted $21,900 for the velour or leatherette, and was told that I could get the 1.9% for 60 months as well (I believe they have the 0% on the Passats for 36 months). Did you buy or lease? I was supposed to buy this car this past weekend but decided to wait. The VW Passat is a nice model car, but I've been reading about problem experiences of some owners and that gets me a little nervous (since I am buying and not leasing). Still love the car. I am in New York but the dealer is located in New Jersey. Wish you good luck with the car.
  • cadrewcadrew Member Posts: 10
    That seems like a decent price. VW is really trying to make some deals right now. I have the velour in anthracite, which is basically dark grey, and it looks good. I have had the car 2 days, so I can't judge it right now, but it feels great. Some turbo lag, of course, but hopefully it will decrease as it gets broken in. The quality seems ok, and with 4/50,000 warranty, I wouldn't sweat it too much, unless of course, you drive 20k or more per year. If you are near 10-12k miles per year, you should be relatively fine. If you want to absolutely, positively, have the most problem free car, you may want to check out Toyota or Honda. Have you checked out the Accord, Camry, Avalon(bit more), Acura TSX(bit more expensive), maybe Maxima too? I also have a 2003 Accord LX sedan, and other than squeaky brakes(which were fixed by Honda), the car is great. I have the faux wood add on, and it makes the car seem way more luxurious. It was $18600. Definitely drive a few cars, though. Good luck. Oh, and I bought my car, 60 months at 1.9%

    p.s. - The leatherette looks great, but ask the dealer if it might crack after a few years.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    Sounds like you got a great deal!! I also agree with your assessment on the Passat. Hondas and Toyotas are more reliable, but, in my opinion, don't offer the driving experience VW's do.

    In your short period of owning your Passat, have you experienced any rattles or problems?
  • samacohensamacohen Member Posts: 3
    The sale price before taxes is US20300 which is US5,400 off the MSRP. The car is loaded with leather and luxury packages, ESP and side curtain. I believe profit margin/mark up is lower in Canada. That's why they don't offer a lot of incentives. The only offer now is 3.9% for financing.
    Mileage on the car is only 75 so it's insignificant. Anyway it is brand new and has never been registered. I offered 19,500 but so far the dealer did not respond. What's you opinion ?
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    That sounds like a great price. Even more so, since you got the luxury package and leather. Enjoy!!!
  • cadrewcadrew Member Posts: 10
    Of course, it has been only 4 days now, but the Passat has been nice so far. I have driven an Audi A4, and the feel is similar. There are no funny sounds or anything, and I love the car... so far. I like that the warranty is 4/50k. I will write a review on the car after a month or so.
    My deal was great, although it wasn't totally on my bargaining ability or dealer willingness. I saw an ad in the LA Times for Passat GLS auto for $18995, and called the dealer to hold one for me. When I got down there, they said that the Times made an error, and the price was actually for a Jetta GLS wagon, not Passat. So, they gave me a good price on a Passat, which I accepted. I saw a few ads this past weekend, so I agree with everyone who says this is a great time to buy a VW. They really are nice cars, and look great at night, with the blue and red dash lights.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    The really unfortunate thing it even with all the incentives VW sales are still plummeting. So, if your interested in purchasing a VW, now is a GREAT time.
  • maruskamaruska Member Posts: 9
    Hondas are great. I have a 1986 Honda that I bought when it was four years old (which I kept in good shape all these years). Love it and it breaks my heart that it's time for goodbyes (can you tell that I am a woman?). As you can tell, it's very old in years and lately it's been giving me a lot of problems (overheating and this past June transmission (original transmission) is stalling). Still running but afraid to go too far with it, in case it decides to die on me. Have checked out the Hondas, Toyotas, Madzas but the 2004 VW GLS Passat is on the back of my mind. Test drove the Passat a couple of weeks ago, but it felt heavy or should I say "different" from a Honda. Will test drive the 2004 Honda Accord and Civic within the week to see how they feel. The car that I buy will be only for personal use and not business and will only put about 8-12K miles a year (maybe less). Also, I've been reading about turbo lag on the VW Passat which you also mention. I don't mean to sound ignorant but what is this? How can you tell? And thanks for suggesting that I ask about the leatherette if it cracks over the years.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    It sounds like you have gotten good use from your Honda!! Your selection of new car choices sounds pretty good. I would recommend driving all of them and choosing the one that best suits your needs.

    I have had my '04 Passat GLS 1.8t for about 3 weeks and 600 miles. The Turbo lag is noticeable. Have you driven a Turbo passat yet? When you do drive one you will see what everyone is talking about as far as the lag goes. In a normally aspirated vehicle, when you press the gas down you get an immediate response and move forward. In a car that incorporates a turbo, you will get a lag/pause when the gas pedal is depressed. It will be a slight (1-2 seconds at most) hesitation until the turbo spools. This does take some getting used to. Once the turbo kicks in you will feel a surge of power. My wife drove my Passat for the first time and asked why the car paused. I explained it was the turbo lag. Also, their will be a slight whine or high pitch sound, that is the turbo spooling. I have heard that several folks actually enjoy the sound.

    Leatherette: I have leatherette in my passat and love it. I would like leather, but for $0 increase in price leatherette was a good option. With one child another on the way, leathertte offers the cleaning ability I need. Everyone that has seen my car says that the "leather" seats look great. They are all surprised when I tell them they are not leather. VW has done a great job with these seats.

    Bottom line: The Japanese cars WILL be more reliable and probably cheaper to maintain. But, the VW will offer a more driver oriented experience. Drive 'em all and get what you like. Good Luck!!!
  • SylviaSylvia Member Posts: 1,636
    A reporter is interested in hearing from anyone who really exhaustively debated between this car and a competitor, weighed all the pros and cons,
    etc. Please respond to sbreckenridge@hearst.com or jfallon@edmunds.com with a few details and your contact information no later than Wednesday, July 21, 2004.

    Thanks for your consideration.

    Jeannine Fallon
    PR Director
    Edmunds.com
  • mitchandmurraymitchandmurray Member Posts: 4
    I have some questions regarding the "Driver's Option" financing:

    1. The VW website claims that it is the best of both worlds (lease and buying). If so, what's the catch? I am sure there is something that is obvious, but I am not seeing, and is not explained on the website?

    2. The web site says it is based on a "finance contract". Is that contract any different from the lease contract?

    3. Do you get tied to the contract as you would in a lease? i.e you cannot break a lease once signed without paying huge fees. Or, in this case you are free to sell the car if you want to in the middle of the contract?

    3. Has any one here tried that option? What are your thoughts? Would you recommend it to others?

    Mucho thanks,
    Mitch&Murray
    from Downtown
  • cadrewcadrew Member Posts: 10
    Don't be fooled by the wording. This is a lease, with an option to buy, basically.

    Seriously, if you have good credit right now, you'd be crazy not to buy with the incentives that VW is offering right now.

    After your "finance term" or whatever you want to call it, you don't own squat. You can either buy the car, finance the car, or return it, the same things you would do on a regular lease. I have a new Passat, for about a week now, and so far so good.
  • mitchandmurraymitchandmurray Member Posts: 4
    cadrew,

    Thanks for the reply. After my posting here I did a search on this site and found out that too many people have asked this question, but there are very few convincing answers.

    Anbody else has other thoughts to offer?

    Thanks,
    Mitch&Murray
  • spektrespektre Member Posts: 80
    In certain states, eg. Massachusetts, you pay sales tax on top of your lease payments. The Driver's Option plan eliminates this particular tax, although you still pay sales tax on the purchase price or portion of it.

    Anyone who's bought from Quirk in Braintree, MA - how was your trade-in experience there, if you had one?
  • dfmarcusdfmarcus Member Posts: 12
    I traded in my 01 Camry at Quirk. Make sure to do your homework. They lowballed me at first. I told them how much cars like mine were listed for on various web sites and they were crazy to only offer what they did. They came back with a very good offer - well over blue book.
  • sactosacto Member Posts: 2
    Where in California are you? I am looking for the same car, and I'm located in Northern California.
  • cadrewcadrew Member Posts: 10
    Howdy, Sacto. I am in So Cal. My deal was great, but like I posted above, they were cool about the error in the newspaper. My suggestion is that you wake up on a Friday morning, really really early. Buy every paper you can, and look for the loss leader deals, and be early at the dealership. I believe that right now is a good time to buy a VW, and you can go and make an offer of, say, $21500. Find out what your credit score is first, then when you get to the dealer, say, "My credit score is ---, what is the best interest rate you can give me?" Then, once you have an interest rate, offer the $21500, and put a cap on it, like $21999. Do not waver one bit on that top price, and they will cave, at least they will if they are relatively big and can afford to make such a deal. Having ads from other VW places while shopping will help you too. Good luck!!
  • chrisbgoodchrisbgood Member Posts: 77
    Pick it up on Monday

    My trade -- mid 17's to low 18's for my 2003 mini cooper, indi blue, all three packages (cold weather, premium, sport) -- a great ride but small for me -- 20,800 miles. I currently owe 15,155.22

    The car: New 2004 Passat 4motion, 1.8t, Tiptronic, Cold Weather package, Telemetrics, dealer added wood trim package (hoping I don't regret that -- it was on the car). Black with anthracite interior. The list price 28 and change.

    The deal:

    Out the door at 22,306 out of me (payoff of Mini is included, of course). Contract is signed, pick up the car on Monday.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    congrats on your new Passat!
  • vwcuriousvwcurious Member Posts: 1
    I'm wondering if anyone has taken advantage of the zero percent financing offer or has had a hard time getting zero percent financing on their new Volkwagen. Is it too good to be true?
  • chrisbgoodchrisbgood Member Posts: 77
    I didn't even bother (it's only for 36 months)... and the alternative (about 3k dealer cash) made me happier.

    Financed through the credit union and I'm done.
  • lewshellewshel Member Posts: 37
    We bought a Passat GLX 4Motion using the 0% financing for 36 mos to finance 18,000 of the purchase price. We figured that our own money in savings was generating much more. We got $1,000 in VW loyalty and $500 in dealer cash. The price was $29,000 before taxes and included a set of VW roof bars and a set of Monster mats.
  • gooddeal1gooddeal1 Member Posts: 1
    Got a quote of 24,888 before taxes/lic/doc

    Leather with wood option
    Cold weather package
    4Motion

    That's 1,619 below invoice.

    Can I do better?
  • hates_crookshates_crooks Member Posts: 8
    I am from Indiana and would like to know where and what is a great price to purchase a V6 4-Motion or W8 Passat. I went Dreyer and Reinbold in Greenwood and had the most upsetting car-buying experience of my life. Stay clear of this group. Thanks.
  • bjbird2bjbird2 Member Posts: 647
    Go to Tom Wood VW in Carmel or Speedway VW. I had good experiences at both these dealers.
    Check Edmunds new car prices to see what a current good deal would be.
  • hates_crookshates_crooks Member Posts: 8
    Thanks for the reply..Tom Wood is the next closest to my location next to going to Ohio. Many people in this forum are getting their Passats for $1500 to $2000 under invoice. Hope I can get a deal like that.
  • houstonkenhoustonken Member Posts: 28
    Has anyone recently priced the difference is gasoline Passats vs. diesel passats. I'm thinking about both the sedan and wagon.

    IN Houston the dealerships are advertising gasoline Passat GLs for $19,995. In just some preliminary calls to dealers, they are claiming to get sticker or damn close to sticker on the diesels $24,000 plus.
  • li9li9 Member Posts: 1
    I just signed the paper with deposit(in MA, Quick WV) and pick up on this Thursday:
                                                Passat GLS Auto 1.8T, $24,455
    Cold weather package $325
    ESP $280
    Emission: $150
    Leatherette $0
    Destination charge $575
    ---------------------------------------
    Listing price: $25,785

    Paid: $22000 + $1100 (tax) + $299 (doc fee)+ $29 (inspection) + $86 (Reg fee) = $23514

    Tell me it is a good deal?!! Thanks.
    -Harry
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    Sounds like you got a good deal. I bought/leased my '04 Passat GLS Auto for $21,900.
  • diann1diann1 Member Posts: 1
    dfw dealer offering 27,250 for 04 glx passet plus
    ttl...should i be able to get a better deal since
    the 2005 are coming out now....
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