2001 Passat 2.0l auto

Tropheus

Hi,

Looking for a bit of advice. My father-in-law has a 2001 2.0l petrol automatic Passat that he’s owned from new. It has 137k miles on it.

He’s 88 years old and his driving days are over. In the last year or so, it’s been mainly my wife and myself that drive him in it.

He’d like to hold on to it, but it’s difficult to justify the €900 insurance and €710 tax given that it gets very little use and is the third car in the house.

He’s toying with selling it and feels it’s worth well over €1,000. I think I’ve managed to convince him that it’s probably worth half that at best.

It’s driving well and there are no issues with the engine. However, over the last year, the gear box slips in top gear intermittently. From reading online and having read codes with VCDS, it seems to be the torque converter lock out clutch. Obviously, that's beyond economical repair. It’s still possible to drive it by dropping down manually into 3rd gear (it’s a 4 speed) when it starts slipping badly so hasn't been a major issue for us.

I’ve thought about selling it privately, but now is not a great time with Covid and I’m not sure I want the hassle given the chancers it would likely attract. I will fully disclose the gearbox problem, but at the same time, don’t want the hassle of someone coming back claiming it’s worse than they thought etc.

Any advice on other options would be appreciated.

Toyotafanboi

What's the question again?

Tropheus

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

What's the question again?

Sorry, it's a bit of a ramble. What is the easiest less hassle way of disposing of it?

kermitpwee

Tropheus wrote: »

Sorry, it's a bit of a ramble. What is the easiest less hassle way of disposing of it?

Easiest way is to scrap it, it's not worth a lot, I can't see anyone giving you 250 for it

Mjolnir

kermitpwee wrote: »

Easiest way is to scrap it, it's not worth a lot, I can't see anyone giving you 250 for it

20 years old, thirsty, auto, petrol, high tax, next to impossible for a lot of people to insure, and a gearbox problem.... I'd have to agree with ya 250 would be doing incredibly well.

Op himself has owned it since new so obviously has a love for it and attachment to it, but its worth scrap value, the car has literally nothing going for it and everything against it.

Scrap it and move on there's 0 on dd matching it for a good reason.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Unfortunately its a very undesirable car being an auto and more with a gearbox problem.

Given its very low value and the difficulty you may have selling it, I would personally just keep it considering the sentimental value your dad has with it and maybe take him out for a short drive in it every now and then. I know that it'll have no tax or NCT but your insurance should cover you to drive it and if you are unlucky enough to be stopped in it then you could explain that your dad has owned it from new and can no longer drive it himself and that you are just taking him for one last spin in it before its scrapped and then you'll most likely have to sell or scrap it.

Tropheus

Thanks for the responses. Yes agree re economy. It struggles to hit 30 mpg.

Would love to keep it just for him, but the economics don't make sense and he accepts that. If it was a matter of just taxing it and then driving it on my wife's or my insurance then we'd strongly consider it. However, my understanding is that a car has to have its own insurance and display an insurance disc accordingly.

colm_mcm

That depends on the insurance company.

selectamatic

Any policy underwritten by Axa or RSA doesn't require the car itself to have insurance. Your own driving of other cars extension is enough.