VRT - B7 Passat - Buy with or DIY Later

GTE

Hey all,

After a series of test drives, I am quite set on getting a 2012-2013 Passat from the UK in the coming weeks.

I have a question on the VRT front with respect to extras.

Parking sensors were initially a must on the spec list for cars until I found that it is very easy to DIY a rear reversing camera into the car, as long as the car has the right headunit.

I have also found that installing OEM bi-xenon headlights is not a huge task for the keen DIYer and eBay OEM items often include everything that is needed.

I would like leather seats, but I am open to either swapping them out or getting them re-trimmed in Ireland.

So, for me that is three fairly doable upgrades to the car which could take place after the VRT stage. I could pickup a Sport model with the wheels I really like and upgrade the rest at a later date.

Non DIYable
The only items of spec I would want is the 170hp diesel, though I am open to a remap of the 140

The only items of spec I would really like is the DSG gearbox, though my mind is not fully made up here

The only item of spec I would be quite pleased to have are heated seats.

Out of those three; I only know that the DSG causes a bump in the VRT costs due to the emissions, which boards users here pointed out to me (thanks).

The Question

Would I be better off money wise to get a UK Sport or UK Highline model and upgrade the lights, rear camera and leather in Ireland as opposed to finding a model with those (or most) of those items and getting hit on VRT for them? There would be an additional purchase cost and VRT cost for these items.

Would 2,500 euro be a conservative costing for sourcing OEM Xenons and rear camera while getting someone to do leather interior? The price may have to include a "proper" version of Vag Com as I doubt my VCDS-Lite will do the bells and whistles needed.

Once that price can be established, roughly, then the impact of the additional purchase cost and VRT surprises can be compared.

Thanks for any advice.

Atlantic Dawn

If the car is 4 years old or more there's no extra VRT on the extras. If it was me I would pick up a car in the UK with all the extras on it as standard rather than risk butchering a car to add them later on.

tossy

My advice is hold out for the car you want with there spec you want, a well spec'd passat with bi Xenons and DSG are not a common car sure (even in the Uk) but the are not so rare as to play the waiting game.

As an side if you need any help with coding give me a shout any time it'll save you a few quid on paying out for VCDS.

coolbeans

You'd wanna budget more for the leather interior. Could easily cost two grand on its own and even then it might just be pleather. Trimmed out a double cab Hilux a few years back and it wasn't cheap.

GTE

Thanks to Atlantic Dawn for that; I should have copped about the 4 year no extra charge for extra spec. That is very interesting.

Tossy, thanks also. I am fine with the waiting game for a while, at least. I am hopeful that what I want comes up. Thanks also for the VCDS offer. I may make use of that!

The rear camera install is not a bad job at all. The Xenon one seems to only really need an extra couple of wires run through the firewall, and if it is anything like the MK4 Golf in the sense that there is a dedicated cable pipe which I can make use of, then coupled with OEM ballasts, I should be okay in terms of fitting those.

That said, I will have a look around. The auction market is showing up some nice models, but the spec is fairly static. I would be confident that I could get a good example for good money, before any dealers add their profit, and if needs be, upgrade some things and still come away good on the money spent front; I think anyway, that is the main reason for this thread.

GustavoFring

There's a lot more to the xenon's than than a couple of wires. Asides from that, the cost of the bits is likely to be more than the additional VRT.

steveshort

Id avoid getting a 170 and get a 140'and remap.
Ours is a 170 and my wife is struggling to get insurance for less then 1k. I can only assume it due to the car, as she has 10+ ncb and licence.
As regards the dsg go for it , way better the manual worth the extra cash.
Xenons are gonnna be expensive to retro fit properly as u need to fit auto leveling and headlight washing .
I think all highline and sport come with seat heating.

bazz26

Xenon headlights need to be auto levelling and you also need a headlight washer system for them to pass the NCT.

GTE

Thanks for the replies.

The insurance thing is a good point. Im due to do the rounds with companies next week to see what is what, 140 vs 140 remapped vs 170 etc.

I figure the DSG will only cost me about 100 on extra fuel per year plus extra tax costs which I feel is worth it.

The other extras vary a lot in the UK; the odd Sport and Highline model with heated seats and very few in my 9700GBP range with leather. Not impossible though :-)

steveshort

We where the same last year when looking for my wifes passat,we wanted an auto with leather and sub 160000 kms.
In the end wecomprised on the leather, but the hslf leather is fine and to be honest nicerthen leather on cold mornings

landmarkjohn

steveshort wrote: »

Id avoid getting a 170 and get a 140'and remap.
Ours is a 170 and my wife is struggling to get insurance for less then 1k. I can only assume it due to the car, as she has 10+ ncb and licence.

According to a guy on the radio an undeclared remap is grounds for a non payout by insurance company if car is stolen recovered. This guy had a newish BMW stolen, recovered.

colm_mcm

Yep, the insurance is the elephant in the room.

millington

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

If the car is 4 years old or more there's no extra VRT on the extras. If it was me I would pick up a car in the UK with all the extras on it as standard rather than risk butchering a car to add them later on.

Is this new? I VRTd a 1990 Sierra 6 years ago and got charged more because it had leather and a few bits. Same story with a 2007 Golf in 2013 because it had a handsfree kit!

I definitely wouldn't be on for getting the interior retrimmed. It's very very hard to find anyone to do a good job and even then you don't know how it will last. Also, when it comes to resale, a lot of buyers will notice it's different to the OEM interior and it might put them off.

darragh o meara

bbk wrote: »

Hey all,

After a series of test drives, I am quite set on getting a 2012-2013 Passat from the UK in the coming weeks.

I have a question on the VRT front with respect to extras.

Parking sensors were initially a must on the spec list for cars until I found that it is very easy to DIY a rear reversing camera into the car, as long as the car has the right headunit.

I have also found that installing OEM bi-xenon headlights is not a huge task for the keen DIYer and eBay OEM items often include everything that is needed.

I would like leather seats, but I am open to either swapping them out or getting them re-trimmed in Ireland.

So, for me that is three fairly doable upgrades to the car which could take place after the VRT stage. I could pickup a Sport model with the wheels I really like and upgrade the rest at a later date.

Non DIYable
The only items of spec I would want is the 170hp diesel, though I am open to a remap of the 140

The only items of spec I would really like is the DSG gearbox, though my mind is not fully made up here

The only item of spec I would be quite pleased to have are heated seats.

Out of those three; I only know that the DSG causes a bump in the VRT costs due to the emissions, which boards users here pointed out to me (thanks).

The Question

Would I be better off money wise to get a UK Sport or UK Highline model and upgrade the lights, rear camera and leather in Ireland as opposed to finding a model with those (or most) of those items and getting hit on VRT for them? There would be an additional purchase cost and VRT cost for these items.

Would 2,500 euro be a conservative costing for sourcing OEM Xenons and rear camera while getting someone to do leather interior? The price may have to include a "proper" version of Vag Com as I doubt my VCDS-Lite will do the bells and whistles needed.

Once that price can be established, roughly, then the impact of the additional purchase cost and VRT surprises can be compared.

Thanks for any advice.

Reversing sensors can be retrofitted but a lot of UK cars will have them as standard or at least try find one with them.

Leather in a B7 as I found recently wasn't a widespread option, a lot of the high lines didn't even have it surprisingly enough.. The food news is that it's probably the easiest retrofit but can be costly to find a decent interior, last time I enquired 800-1200 euros was the going rate. Wiring the heated seats isn't too big of a job bit you do need to change the heating control panel to do so as your previous one won't have the switches.

Reversing camera kits are a little harder to fit in the sense that you'll be removing a lot of trim from the back to front to put in the wiring. You'll also need a certain head unit for it to work plus I believe you need a steering angle sensor connection too. Kits are available online that have the camera behind the badge which are quite cool.

Bi-xenon if going the OEM route is a while different ball game. From reading the guides online it's not worth the hassle. Getting them to work properly requires a heap of control units, wiring,sensors and head light washers. 2500 would probably just about get you the parts for this job alone. Plus if your headlights are big xenon then they will have LED drls fitted with require you to also have rear LED clusters fitted too..


BYW I know someone who retrofitted oem bi Xenons to a B6 passat using parts from a scrapped car. Took him ages to get them to work properly. But when his car was back at the.main dealers for a recall they updated the software on his car and it deleted all the headlight data along with the other retrofits he had carries out. Cost him a few quid to get it right again...

My advice is find one within your budget with what you want already fitted. It'll save a lot of hassle in the future believe me I know..