Passat 06 1.6 FSI Comfort

sReq | uTeK

Hi guys chances are I'll be picking up one of these in the next week and am just looking for anyones opinion on them.

I'll give you some background, I'm coming from a 03 Opel corsa 1.0,I've heard that the engine is a little sluggish on the 1.6 but how bad could it be compared to a Corsa also it seems pretty quick here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bQPud71p2w

Well quick enough for me.

I've just recently had a little boy, so my main reason for upgrading is his safety, I drive to work 5 minute commute and maybe 200k up the country once a month, my max mileage a year would be 8-10k.

Is there anything I should know, car i'll be getting has a full service history 50k miles.

Any feedback appreciated

Stallingrad

Based on your usage it seems like a good choice. I've heard bad stories of Passats of that vintage (mostly steering/handbrake) but I also have a family member who has a 2007 and bar a failed coil has not had a days trouble.

Link to the car in question?

sReq | uTeK

I don't have a picture of the car in question as of yet, but I've just heard very very bad things in terms of speed, overtaking and how sluggish it is.

I do occasionally overtake and would like to do so without dying

_Kaiser_

The B6 Passat is a very big heavy car for an engine that size. I have the same car/year but with a 2.0 TDI engine in it and its far far better.

You're right to be thinking petrol with that mileage but I think you would want to be looking at one with a bit more power behind it.

sReq | uTeK

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

The B6 Passat is a very big heavy car for an engine that size. I have the same car/year but with a 2.0 TDI engine in it and its far far better.

You're right to be thinking petrol with that mileage but I think you would want to be looking at one with a bit more power behind it.

Thanks for that Kaiser, would you say stay away? I'm getting it for about 6.5 with a 6 month warranty 50k miles on the clock, would I be better off putting the extra money towards a better car?

_Kaiser_

sReq | uTeK wrote: »

Thanks for that Kaiser, would you say stay away? I'm getting it for about 6.5 with a 6 month warranty 50k miles on the clock, would I be better off putting the extra money towards a better car?

Well there's nothing wrong with the car itself if you're getting a good one. As you know, it's big, comfortable, plenty of rear leg room and boot space and it was one of the safest in its class at the time... but the engine size would bother me - maybe not so much around town, but if you do any open-road driving on N/M roads where overtaking is a regular thing you need to do, you want to be confident you can complete the manoeuvre rapidly.

But if it was me I'd at least test drive a bigger 2.0 petrol version or the 1.9/2.0 TDI versions first.. but bear in mind that diesels are meant to be driven and with your mileage it could cause expensive problems.

Price wise that seems a bit high to me and the mileage seems very low for a 7 year old car, but then I'm comparing against diesel versions which would have a lot higher mileage. Check out the history in full.. ring the garages that serviced it etc.

sebastianlieken

Hey, I've got a '08 Golf with that 1.6fsi engine and it's actually grand. The last car I was driving before it was an '08 Leon with a 2.0TDI. Given that they are identical cars underneath, the difference in performance (for comparitive reasons) is purley down to engine.

1.6FSI = 115BHP / 155Nm
2.0TDI = 134BHP / 320Nm

Obviously being a petrol, the torque values are well cut in half so overtaking isn't a mater of "yep, that gap is big enough" like it was in the Leon.

However, I honestly dont think it's a strangled engine either. There's enough output from the 1.6FSI to be nippy (with a relativly lighter golf), it's very responsive in city type driving, and it's quite efficient aswell overall.

Now I know the passat will be heavier, but it's not a tank in comparrison. Infact, it's only 153kg heavier so although performance will be lower than my golf, I still reckon you'll have enough - you are buying the car to upgrade on your sons safety afterall.

Also, the gearbox has a 6th gear which is perfect for motorway driving, it's very comfy on the open road. You'll be getting about the same mpg as me on long drives and that is roughly 5.42l /100km for motorway drives.

oh crap, i just noticed it's home time :pac:

Dr.Rieux

I have an 07 one and changed from driving an 07 1.1 Getz and compared to that there was a noticeable power difference. I've been consistently getting 7.4 - 7.6 l/100km out of mine. That's living and working in athlone mid week and back up to Dublin most weekends.

3k revs in 6th is about 105kph (on the speedo, haven't checked with any form of GPS). Staying at that speed I can hit 40MPG plus and do so if I'm in no rush and listening to some decent music. But to be honest that's rare enough so the figures above would be my usual driving at an indicated 125-130kph.

Mine suited me as a nice comfortable car and was insurable. My renewal just there was 650 for a 23 year old male with 1 years no claims.

Reliability wise I've had the air bag light on twice which was just two dirty connections which were quick fixes (brought to George Dalton) and the hand brake button stopped working which again George sorted for very reasonable money. In approx 20k kms since I've gotten it including an oil service from Foster Motors, a full service from George, 4 Bridgestone tyres, the aforementioned airbag light and hand brake button and finally a replacement indicator on the wing mirror after someone kicked mine in its cost me about 800.

All in all I'm very happy with mine. And things like the cruise control are nice, and I find the drivers seat very very good

C4Kid

Just a week ago I picked up a 1.6 FSI Golf, coming from the 1.4 mk4 the 115BHP is certainly adequate IMO in the Golf anyways as I probably wouldn't justify a diesel.

Having 6 gears makes it reasonable enough on petrol compared to the 1.4 I had. Haven't any problems yet anyway:)

sReq | uTeK

Thanks for all the responses guys been really informative. I'm going to take it for a rest drive up and around the m50 just to see what it's like. Ill let ye know next Tuesday how it went.

bazz26

If you can stretch your budget to a 1.4 Tsi then you will be buying a better car. The 1.4 is turbo charged and has 122bhp as opposed to the 1.6 FSi with 115bhp. 1.4 litre is alot more nippier than the 1.6 litre it replaced.

sebastianlieken

Dr.Rieux wrote: »

I have an 07 one and I've been consistently getting 7.4 - 7.6 l/100km out of mine.

3k revs in 6th is about 105kph

Mine suited me as a nice comfortable car and was insurable. My renewal just there was 650 for a 23 year old male with 1 years no claims.

I really would have thought your fuel economy would have been similar to mine. Yeah you're heavier but vehical weight is pretty negligable when maintaining speed and i'd have thought the passat shape to be more aerodynamic.

3k revs in 6th for me is about 115kph. strange.

anywho, that's a great quote you got! here's hoping mine does something similar in september when i've got a years no claims!

bazz26 wrote: »

If you can stretch your budget to a 1.4 Tsi then you will be buying a better car. The 1.4 is turbo charged and has 122bhp as opposed to the 1.6 FSi with 115bhp. 1.4 litre is alot more nippier than the 1.6 litre it replaced.

I'm not sure about this, but didn't the earlier 1.4 Tsi engines (pre 2011) have quite a few issues? The new versions seem to have ironed out the kinks but they're also in the newer cars only which make them more expensive.

The 1.4TSI only gives you an extra 5bhp, but it gives you a nice lump which is 50Nm more torque which is what you want. Either way, I still think the 1.6FSI is grand.

also, one more thing for the OP, check the engine code on the car. It's a three letter code like "BLF" or something (you can find the sticker in the boot under the trim, or on the engine itself). *some* 1.6FSI engines have timing chains, and some have timing belts. obviously you'll want to know this for future services. If it's a timing chain - some engines have problems with the tensioners. The way to check for this is start the engine from cold and listen. Is there a clanky metalic chain sound or a smooth chain sound.Just worth checking in my opinion.

bazz26

sebastianlieken wrote: »

I'm not sure about this, but didn't the earlier 1.4 Tsi engines (pre 2011) have quite a few issues? The new versions seem to have ironed out the kinks but they're also in the newer cars only which make them more expensive.

The 1.4TSI only gives you an extra 5bhp, but it gives you a nice lump which is 50Nm more torque which is what you want. Either way, I still think the 1.6FSI is grand.

also, one more thing for the OP, check the engine code on the car. It's a three letter code like "BLF" or something (you can find the sticker in the boot under the trim, or on the engine itself). *some* 1.6FSI engines have timing chains, and some have timing belts. obviously you'll want to know this for future services. If it's a timing chain - some engines have problems with the tensioners. The way to check for this is start the engine from cold and listen. Is there a clanky metalic chain sound or a smooth chain sound.Just worth checking in my opinion.

The only 1.4 TSi engines with problems were the turbo/supercharged 140bhp and 170bhp versions which were never available in the Passat at least in Ireland anyway. The 1.4 TSi 122bhp doesn't have a supercharger. 1.6 FSi engine was not without it's problems either, it was quickly replaced by the 1.4 TSi, it only had a production life of about 4 or 5 years which in VW terms is very short.