Should I avoid a passat

colly10

I'm looking to pick up a car and was planning on spending 8-10k.
I had my mind made up on a 08 passat. Some places highly reccommend it and others say its nothing but trouble.

So, do you think its a reliable car? Would an older a4 or skoda be more reliable or pretty much the same?

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

colly10 wrote: »

I'm looking to pick up a car and was planning on spending 8-10k.
I had my mind made up on a 08 passat. Some places highly reccommend it and others say its nothing but trouble.

So, do you think its a reliable car? Would an older a4 or skoda be more reliable or pretty much the same?

Are we talking Diesel or Petrol? If Diesel, the 1.9tdi is grand but the 2L is meant to give bother. Maybe that's why you're hearing both good and bad things.

colly10

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater wrote: »

Are we talking Diesel or Petrol? If Diesel, the 1.9tdi is grand but the 2L is meant to give bother. Maybe that's why you're hearing both good and bad things.

I was thinking of going for the 1.9 or 2L diesel. I know they changed to common rail in the middle of 08, should the PD be avoided?

Leonard Hofstadter

Avoid PD engines, CR is fine, and will be a LOT quicker than the 1.9. Passats are nice cars, though I prefer the Mondeo for its handling prowess. If you're not bothered by the handling, the Passat is still a tidy car to drive and is quieter and has a nicer interior than the Ford.

colly10

Is there any way to tell the CR from the PD?

toyotaavensis

electronic handbrakes giving trouble on them shows up here every month. Not cheap to fix.

bazz26

colly10 wrote: »

Is there any way to tell the CR from the PD?

Engine code. 2.0 CR TDi engine codes should begin with C. The older PD units began with B afaik.

The 1.9 PD TDi was phased out in 2008 and replaced by a lower powered version (110bhp) of the newer 2.0 CR TDi.

Leonard Hofstadter

toyotaavensis wrote: »

electronic handbrakes giving trouble on them shows up here every month. Not cheap to fix.

Only really affects the earliest models AFAIK. Wouldn't be worried about it in a 08 onwards car, definitely something to watch out for on 05 and 06 cars for sure, though.

McP2011

captainspeed wrote: »

Avoid PD engines, CR is fine, and will be a LOT quicker than the 1.9. Passats are nice cars, though I prefer the Mondeo for its handling prowess. If you're not bothered by the handling, the Passat is still a tidy car to drive and is quieter and has a nicer interior than the Ford.

Why do you say avoid the pd engines?? There one of the most reliable imo, but to under powered in the heavy passat body imo.

Passat can also give trouble with the steering lock mechanism and is a dear fix.

debabyjesus

captainspeed wrote: »

Avoid PD engines, CR is fine, and will be a LOT quicker than the 1.9. Passats are nice cars, though I prefer the Mondeo for its handling prowess. If you're not bothered by the handling, the Passat is still a tidy car to drive and is quieter and has a nicer interior than the Ford.

Id have pd every time. Great engine. Love the hum of a 1.9

R.O.R

No real issues with the Passat from MY07 - so late 2006 cars onwards.

2.0Tdi CR 110ps models are badged Bluemotion, and have a 5 speed box. The 140ps version was a 6 speed. The 110ps version replaced the 1.9Tdi (not really that much faster, but quieter and more effecient), before it was replaced by the 1.6Tdi.

Avoid the base model with no armrest and manual A/C, Comfortline, Sportline or ideally Highline are the ones to look for - but only the Irish Highline, which gets the Leather (or half leather) Sports Seats. UK imported Highlines have aftermarket leather over Comfortline seats, and that sags badly due to the seat design.

_Kaiser_

Just on the older PD 2.0 TDI (05-08)

The injector failure issues with these were common to all VAG cars using that engine (Skoda, Audi etc), but a recall was issued in both the UK and Ireland about 18 months/2 years ago, so any affected cars should have had that problem fixed.

I myself had a 06 car with this engine and while the injectors never died on me, VW did replace all of them free of charge under the recall.

As long as you make sure that it was done, there should be no reason not to go for an earlier car - as long as the rest checks out of course!

dr.fuzzenstein

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Just on the older PD 2.0 TDI (05-08)

The injector failure issues with these were common to all VAG cars using that engine (Skoda, Audi etc), but a recall was issued in both the UK and Ireland about 18 months/2 years ago, so any affected cars should have had that problem fixed.

I myself had a 06 car with this engine and while the injectors never died on me, VW did replace all of them free of charge under the recall.

As long as you make sure that it was done, there should be no reason not to go for an earlier car - as long as the rest checks out of course!

Aren't these the ones with the faulty chain drive to the oilpump?
If that goes, engine and turbo wrecked. Compared to that, the injector issue is a minor thing.

Tea 1000

debabyjesus wrote: »

Id have pd every time. Great engine. Love the hum of a 1.9

Hum? You mean clatter like a bag of spanners.
2 litre 140 CR is so far ahead of that 1.9 it isn't even funny. It's that or the 170 in the Passat, failing that one of the turbo petrols.
As said, avoid baseline and PD engines and you'll have a nice car!

JohnBoy26

Tea 1000 wrote: »

Hum? You mean clatter like a bag of spanners.
2 litre 140 CR is so far ahead of that 1.9 it isn't even funny. It's that or the 170 in the Passat, failing that one of the turbo petrols.
As said, avoid baseline and PD engines and you'll have a nice car!

Nothing wrong with the 1.9 tdi though. Yes it may be noisy but most models of this engine are very reliable.

The 2.0 CR engine is obviously a step up though, but they can suffer from dmf failure at relatively low mileage which is an expensive fix.

I know the 1.9 can give flywheel issues as well but its not on the same level as the 2.0CR though.

Truckermal

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Nothing wrong with the 1.9 tdi though. Yes it may be noisy but most models of this engine are very reliable.

The 2.0 CR engine is obviously a step up though, but they can suffer from dmf failure at relatively low mileage which is an expensive fix.

I know the 1.9 can give flywheel issues as well but its not on the same level as the 2.0CR though.

How do you come to that conclusion then?? DMF failure is possible on every modern diesel I have a CR model with 160K on the clock with no issues of any sort yet.

Tea 1000

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Nothing wrong with the 1.9 tdi though. Yes it may be noisy but most models of this engine are very reliable.

Reliable, yes, but you're talking about one of the most refined car in the D-Segment. It feels slow and unrefined with that engine. Kind of defeats the purpose of buying a Passat.
I'd be of the opinion that you either get a well minded low mileage (or relatively anyway) 2 litre 140 with plenty of history or just get something else entirely if it must be diesel.

gerryfitz

Hi---i was looking at buying a vw passat 2.0Lpetrol...only 60k miles with full service history...................its a 2003 model..........Ae they basically a good reliable car .....i was also looking at an avensis but i prefer the look of the passat......Any feed back appreciated ...Thanks ...Gey

Zane97

I had a 2.0 Cr 140 6 speed Highline last year. Brilliant car . There is a 2ltr 110 but it's a 5 speed and it's the same to tax as a 140

Nice heated leather . I bought a fiscon plus Bluetooth kit so had the enjoyment of my phonebook coming up on my computer between the rev and speedo and being able to make calls directly using the multifunction wheel

Colash

The 08 on 2.0tdi engine in the passat is alot more reliable than previous versions of the same unit . Vw has served me very well for years and years . And by vw I mean skoda and Audi also . The 1.9tdi unit is as solid as a rock and very reliable but it's a bit dated now . The revised 2.0tdi unit is alot better . And as for the trouble sum electronic hand brakes , well they are hit and miss . I've had 3 passat , all with electronic handbrakes and only one gave bother. But that was after 140k miles of driving . Go for your passat mate

Truckermal

gerryfitz wrote: »

Hi---i was looking at buying a vw passat 2.0Lpetrol...only 60k miles with full service history...................its a 2003 model..........Ae they basically a good reliable car .....i was also looking at an avensis but i prefer the look of the passat......Any feed back appreciated ...Thanks ...Gey

If you want a 2.0 petrol get something interesting like a 520 or a E200 not the above.