High mileage Passat - bad idea?

crótach

Folks, I'm hoping for a bit of advice here. I found a nice car in my price range, took it for a test drive and it looks and drives perfectly. I'm thinking of getting my local mechanic to look over it, but other than that I'm happy. The timing belt has been changed 6000 miles ago, which is the only major bit of work that I know these engines need to get done.

I'm just wondering if it's a ticking time bomb, not sure about Volkswagen diesel engines, I've heard they're really good and reliable, but the car has covered 140000 miles already, for a 2004 car it's quite a bit, hence the good price I'm getting.

Would I be able to get 2-3k euro for it in a year's time with 160000 miles on the clock? Are there any major problems these cars develop, how long can the engine last at all?

mondeo

crótach wrote: »

Folks, I'm hoping for a bit of advice here. I found a nice car in my price range, took it for a test drive and it looks and drives perfectly. I'm thinking of getting my local mechanic to look over it, but other than that I'm happy. The timing belt has been changed 6000 miles ago, which is the only major bit of work that I know these engines need to get done.

I'm just wondering if it's a ticking time bomb, not sure about Volkswagen diesel engines, I've heard they're really good and reliable, but the car has covered 140000 miles already, for a 2004 car it's quite a bit, hence the good price I'm getting.

Would I be able to get 2-3k euro for it in a year's time with 160000 miles on the clock? Are there any major problems these cars develop, how long can the engine last at all?

If it's a diesal then it will probably be fine, seen passats with higher mileage than that. It is high for a 2004 car, was it a company car?

EPM

You'll need a good service history firstly. High mileage will make it harder to sell. Price really depends on condition etc-it will be a 7 year old car next year. It all depends on the original price you pay if it's good value

HashSlinging

Buy away, just make sure its got a service history. However if you plan on selling in 12 months I would forget about it.

Cosmo K

At least, the milaege seems to be genuine, I'd buy it.

crótach

It's a UK import, brought into Ireland in 2008 with 110-115k miles on it (I had a look at the service book but I forgot), it had stamps every 20k miles.

The last service was done in Ireland and it's just a squibble on the log book, no stamp. I'm guessing the guy just brought it into a local mechanic, not the authorised dealer. The tensioner and timing belt are brand new, that can be seen. It was done some 6k miles ago.

I was planning on bringing it to an authorised garage for when I service it next. Will it cause me problems that it doesn't have a stamp for the last service, just some unidentifiable signature?

I'm paying 5k for it, which is way below the market price for a 2004 passat, but the mileage is also way higher than the market average. I'd be happy to get 2-3k for it if I was selling it in a year's time. I'm also worried will it need a complete engine rebuild at 200k or something? That would definitely put everybody off buying it after me.

EPM

If by market price you mean carzone et al asking prices remember they're asking prices. I wouldn't pay 5k for a pretty high mileage passat that has had imo too long a gap between services since day dot, has question marks over its last service and if I'm not mistaken should also have a mention of a waterpump with that timing belt kit

unkel

crótach wrote: »

I'm paying 5k for it

That's not unreasonable money given the service history is complete and the belt's been done recently. I presume it has a long NCT and is covered by warranty as well?

crótach wrote: »

I'd be happy to get 2-3k for it if I was selling it in a year's time

Why would you want to be selling it again in a years time and take a 60% depreciation hit in just one year?

Anyway, there are much better and nicer and newer cars out there that will cost you less than 3k in depreciation for just one year...

crótach

It's NCT'd until 01/2012, service history in UK is fine, the one service in Ireland must have been an indepentent or something, it's just a signature - but they did change the timing belt.

The reason for selling so soon - well, I hope I won't be here in 12 months, but I do need a car now. I'm looking for jobs abroad and as soon as something shows up I'll be gone like a bullet. I can live with 3k depreciation, and well the most I can lose on this one is 5k that I'm putting into it.

I had a look at cheaper bangers but they were just god awful cars breaking down before my very eyes. I do want it to get me from home to work with minimum hassle, not to be stranded at the side of M50 waiting for a tow truck

But I am open to suggestions, what did you have in mind Unkel?

darragh o meara

Ive had a passat with near 200,000 miles and once they are looked after and serviced when needed they will last forever.

However :

I know the car your looking at (not personally) but I seen it where you saw it on here and one or two things stick out to me as things I would thoroughly check out..

1. A lot of UK import passats have been clocked at some stage or another but the mileage does seem reasonable enough for the year so I could be completely wrong..

2. That car is coming up to its second timing belt change which is a pricey job to get done I would be getting it checked to make sure it was actually done, Its very easy to say it was done but I know a few people with Audi A4's they bought which apparantly had the belt done and subsequently let go prematurely causing severe damage to the engine turns out they were never done. You would be surprised what people will tell you to try sell you a car!!

3. On any Uk import I always check the service history by ringing the dealer where it was supposedly done. Any UK car Ive ever bought had full service history which included all reciepts etc to back up the stamps!! I know people who have bought fully stamped books from shadey characters outside the auctions. I would also check all the old MOT certs for the car as they back up the mileage on the car.

Having said that I would like to say that I have not seen nor do I personally know this car your looking at. I only seen it on adverts and saw you had an interest. Also any of above is in no way implying the car was clocked nor that the owner is lying about any work done. Im simply pointing out a few things to save somebody maybe being stung!!

If in doubt get a mechanic friend to check it out first.

unkel

cr&#243 wrote: »

The reason for selling so soon - well, I hope I won't be here in 12 months, but I do need a car now. I'm looking for jobs abroad and as soon as something shows up I'll be gone like a bullet. I can live with 3k depreciation, and well the most I can lose on this one is 5k that I'm putting into it.

I had a look at cheaper bangers but they were just god awful cars breaking down before my very eyes. I do want it to get me from home to work with minimum hassle, not to be stranded at the side of M50 waiting for a tow truck

I'd go the banger route myself

It's a buyers market out there. I'm confident you can get a reliable enough car with a years NCT for around a grand. Think late 90s petrol Honda Accord or Toyota Avensis / Corolla. Less likely to break down than a Passat diesel. Even if it would break down, get another one for a grand. Then when you're emigrating, just give it away for free. No hassle!

bazz26

Surely it would be cheaper to rent/lease a car for 12 months than to buy one for €5k and sell it for €2/3k a year or less later?

Other than that go down the bangernomic route.

partyatmygaff

Does it have to be a passat?

For €4000 you can get something like this.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Audi/A3/1.6i-Att/200953196374370/advert?channel=CARS

You can even haggle it down to about 3,500 if you tried. I doubt it would depreciate more than €500 if at all in 1 year with mileage as low as that.

Bonito

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Does it have to be a passat?

For €4000 you can get something like this.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Audi/A3/1.6i-Att/200953196374370/advert?channel=CARS

You can even haggle it down to about 3,500 if you tried. I doubt it would depreciate more than €500 if at all in 1 year with mileage as low as that.

That add cant be right??? Bargain and a half there if everything is genuine! :O

Juan Pablo

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Does it have to be a passat?

For €4000 you can get something like this.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Audi/A3/1.6i-Att/200953196374370/advert?channel=CARS

You can even haggle it down to about 3,500 if you tried. I doubt it would depreciate more than €500 if at all in 1 year with mileage as low as that.

The lack of phone number in that A3 ad would have me thinking scam tbh

kasper

the seller is probably in america the car in liverpool

bazz26

You will not buy a 04 Audi A3 for €4k, its a scan and a tired one at that but obviously it will still fool some people.

Idbatterim

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/3-Series/C.I.-Cou/200953196374369/advert?channel=CARS the audi seems about as legit as this!

I would not spend 5k. its hardly like a vw is a prestige car! for what exactly will you be using the car? YOu must be very blasse with money to not care about letting 2k atleast go up in smoke! and if you go have tosell quick, i doubt that car will to be honest!