Volkswagen Passat

Price Paid:  $28000.00 from Dubai, UAE (Al-Naboo

Year / Model Reviewed:
2008 Volkswagen Passat FSI 2.0

Summary:
I know it's too soon to write a review on a 3-week old car, but there are some time-independent matters regarding the car I can discuss.

The 2008 Passat is overall a good vehicle. It's comfortable, stable at high speeds (140 to 200 Km/h). The facelift from older models is significant and the car looks great now. Some argue that is too expensive compared to other good cars in its class, like Camry and Accord. But VW more than compensates you for the price difference of about $3,000. A sunroof is a standard feature (unlike in the Camry and Accord), the Passat is equipped with an MFD (Multi-Function Display) menu, which is operable from the steering wheel and from which you can control the "Convenience Features" of the car (unlike the Camry and the Accord). The headlights of the Passat are adaptable, which means they rotate left and right when you turn and there are also extra fog lights that light up when you turn left and right (unlike the Camry and the Accord). The Passat has a turbo engine (unlike the Camry and the Accord) and an "S" (sport) gear to get more out of your engine. I find the Passat to be a much sweeter ride than the Accord amd the Camry. Besides, don't you get sick of seeing zillions of Toyota's and Honda's everyday? Isn't it good sometimes to get a car just because you want to have something special and not a car that has been turned into taxis?!!

Strengths:
1) Smooth and confortable ride
2) Obscenely great handling
3) Standard features normally available on the full-option versions of other cars
4) Ample trunk space relative to the size of the car
5) Adaptable headlights, wide-angle bumper lights (for better view when turning during night driving)

Weaknesses:
1) Suspension a bit stiff (your spine takes a little part of the shock!)
2) Wood-pattern trimmings on the dashboard, steerin wheel and the shift knob does not match very well with the more sporty grey/black/chrom trimming of the rest of the interior.

Similar Products Used:
Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 2.00 votes

Price Paid:  $30000.00 from Berge VW

Year / Model Reviewed:
2007 passat wagon

Summary:
I bought my Passat in May of 2007, it has 5400 miles on it and it's been nothing but problems. I've had to bring it in to the dealership 4 times now to be repaired. I owned a Jetta before that and that vehicle also had issues. Against my better judgement I traded the Jetta in for the Passat and have been so regretful ever since. I would highly suggest to anyone that buys one of these cars, to really research it before you do it. Check out the dealership that you want to buy the car from also, on the BBB. It would probably be in your best interest to purchase the extended warranty on the vehicle also, that way your covered later on, if you purchased a car that ends up having a lot of issues. In the end, I will never buy another VW again, it's not worth all the time and energy I spend in the service department getting it fixed.

Strengths:
It's a nice looking car, VW customer relations is very easy to work with. It's got alot of great features.

Weaknesses:
The more features it has, the more can and will go wrong with it. Parts of the car just seem to break, almost like it's made out of cheap plastic. It's definitely not worth the price.

Similar Products Used:
2003 VW Jetta

Price Paid:  $20000.00 from power honda

Year / Model Reviewed:
2007 Honda Element

Summary:
Bought this car as my daily commuter car, i drive 100+ miles a day, at first,i didnt mind the road noise and choppy ride. six months later,I can not handle the road noise, wind noise, and engine noise, so, i undercoated the car with noise eliminator, it helps some,about 15% noise reduction. I added carpeting to further reduce road noise.
can not hear cellphone because of the road and engine noise.!!
when the car was put on the lift, there was no insulation at all underneath this SUV!!!! cheaply made SUV.

Strengths:
roominess, real utility vehicle, design,
nice interior and dashboard layout.

Weaknesses:
road noise, loud engine noise, wind noise, bumpy ride, poor gas mileage average city 18 mpg, small gas tank.

Similar Products Used:
mercedes c240, toyota sequoia

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
4.29 of 5, 7.00 votes

Price Paid:  $24000.00 from Jim Wynn

Year / Model Reviewed:
2006 Passat 2.0T

Summary:
My Audi was giving me all kinds of trouble so I decided to trade in. I test drove many cars. The worst being the Honda Civic (I was looking for better gas economy). I just couldn't stop yawning. And the saleswoman was about as arrogant as it gets. The last dealer I stopped at was VW. Have to say, I was treated better than I was at the Audi dealership. I drove the Passat and fell in love with it. Solid, powerful engine, comfortable and beautiful. I drove off in mine the next day.
VW hit the mark on this one. The sticker said 30 mpg highway but I'm averaging 34 to 38 mpg! And I can use regular gas. The Turbo engine is remarkably smooth and peppy. I've only had it for a month and a half but it's been an absolute pleasure to this point.

Strengths:
Handling, interior room, body integrity, comfortable seating, body style, conveniences, gas economy, engine has a lot of get-up-and-go, instrument cluster easy to read, trunk space, dealership.

Weaknesses:
Choppy ride over really bumpy roads, only option for satillite radio is Sirius(XM is much better).

Similar Products Used:
Audi A6
Cadillac SLS
BMW 325

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $29000.00 from Gossett Motor Cars M

Year / Model Reviewed:
2005 Passat 4-Motion 1.8T GLS

Summary:
I purchased a new Passat in 2005 and have driven the car over 60K miles since then. This was our first VW/Audi product since 1993. I previously owned a new 1975 VW Rabbit and 1988/1993 Audis, both new.

Prior to the 2005 Passat we owned 3 new Honda Accords and 2 new Honda CRVs.

The Passat is a return to the great handling of a German vehicle. While we don't have the weather to completely warrant the all-wheel-drive we travel to New England and other ski areas by car some trips.

The AWD is great on rain slick streets. Where the Honda CRV AWD would allow the front wheels to spin on a wet street just before the AWD would engage, the VW 4-Motion system does not. The control of traction is second to none. I previously owned 3 new Jeep Renegades and Wranglers, and have had a vast experience with 4 wheel drive.

The 1.8 turbo engine is adequate in town, but really provides a fun driving experience on the highway in excess of 80 MPH.

The best highway mileage was obtained recently on a 4K mile trip to New England and back. It was the first time that our mileage had exceeded 22 MPG on the highway. I keep meticulous records and the computer in the car and my calculations at fill-up were both the same.

Between Memphis and Charleston, West Virginia, the car attained 27 MPG. From Charleston to Washington and on to New Hampshire I recorded 24 MPG.

In town driving the car barely manages 20 MPG. Here in Memphis the local streets are continuous start/stop interspersed with three interstates that provide access to the entire area.

The comfort and support of the leather seats are great for my 6'2" 200 pound body. This is especially evident on our long trips, some days driving in excess of 600 miles.

I just replaced the 17" low profile tires at 57K miles. This is one of the two areas of the car that concern me. The low profile tires are rough on road imperfections.

The other problems are the electrical components. I am not accustomed to having maintenance problems with the 5 Honda vehicles. I drove as much as 90K miles on one CRV.

To date all four spark plug ignition coils have been replaced. Three were replaced under the 40K mile warranty. Also replaced was a brake light switch for the ABS system. One of the ignition coils split in two sections on our recent road trip.

We spent $314.00 in Newport Rhode Island at a VW dealer, service was great for our emergency, but all that they could determine for the money was a suspicion concerning the platinum brand of spark plugs that I had installed 17K miles earlier at the 40K mile recommended change point.

A parts house read the error code for me prior to stopping at the dealer and the codes indicated "multiple cylinder misfires".

Being quite frankly stuck-between-a-rock-and-hard place when the dealer mentioned to me and my wife that the plugs may be causing the problem, we agreed to have the four plugs replaced at a cost of the $314.00 which included the initial $89.95 charge for their diagnostic that revealed nothing.

I now have on of my spare tool sets in the trunk along with a 5" spark plug socket and an additional new ignition coil.

Two days later in the Pocono’s in New Jersey we awoke and the car was this time shaking from what was later determined by a very helpful Advanced Auto Parts manager as cylinder three misfire. The parts houses do not yet have the ignition coils for sale. Since I did not have my invoices from the previous dealer repairs, I located the local VW dealer and purchased two ignitions coils.

I then returned to the location of Advance Auto Parts and let the engine coil before proceeding to replace the coil.

When I attempted to remove the ignition coil it came apart and the base remained on the spark plug. Had it not been for the helpful people at the parts store I would have been in a quandary attempting to extract the coil from the 5" deep sparkplug hole in the head. I purchased a double hinged pair of needle nose pliers which allowed me to remove the other half of the part.

It is clear now that the ignition coil was the original problem that had previously cost me $314.00. Cylinder three was the only coil not previously replaced.

When we reached the Knoxville Tennessee area on I-40 the next new problem surfaced. After using the turn signal during a lane change, the clicking sound emitted from the signal unit continued on an almost continuous basis. We have endured this ever since.

I purchased a new hazard flasher/signal unit from my local dealer. The parts manager stated that VW must have a problem with he unit because he sells quite a few of the items.

Now the new unit is doing the same thing. There is no error displayed by the car. Another 2005 owner has the same problem.

I have also replaced the driver's side low beam lamp and passenger side fog lamp.

Strengths:
Seat comfort and suspension system.

Weaknesses:
Continuous electrical problems - gas mileage - must use 91 octane fuel or greater or performance suffers greatly - non-AWD version with same 1.8T engine uses unleaded regular 87 octane.

Location of oil filter allows oil to accumulate on engine block when filter is changed. The only two times that I allowed the dealer to change the oil they did not clean up the spilled oil and smells of the frying oil on the hot block permeated the interior of the car. This is a very difficult procedure to endure.

The oil filler area also accumulates road dust/particles and if it is not cleaned prior to opening the oil filler cap, these particles will definitely go into the engine.

Similar Products Used:
Audi / Honda