B4 Passat Tdi. Do they really live up to the myth?

Jimmy Garlic · 13-05-2016 12:34AM #1

A granduncle of mine recently passed away and I was left a few things from his estate including a 1996 VW Passat Tdi. It only has 59000 on the clock, which are genuine. There isn't really much wrong with it apart the brakes which are now stone useless, and the driver side window which has a mind of its own. My question is would it be worth keeping it and using it? Are they as good as barstool mechanics I have come across say they are?

skibum · 13-05-2016 01:23AM

Some lads on www.autostadt.ie have B4 passat's, should get some good info there.
Personally I love that shape, especially the estate, if the body is on good shape you should have a great car.

166man · 13-05-2016 06:54AM

Hate to say it as it sounds a cool car but I think you may struggle to insure it these days, with the way things have gone.

_Brian · 13-05-2016 07:02AM

Mothball her and you would have a nice Classic in a few years.
Otherwise I don't think insurance companies will welcome you to insure it as a mainstream motor for yourself. Pity but that's where we are.

jimgoose · 13-05-2016 08:03AM

_Brian wrote: »

Mothball her and you would have a nice Classic in a few years.
Otherwise I don't think insurance companies will welcome you to insure it as a mainstream motor for yourself. Pity but that's where we are.

Having said that, some of them are aggressively chasing new business. Bank of Ireland for example, are brokering for Royal and Sun Alliance these days and are giving half-decent quotes. AXA are usually worth a phone call as well.

Jesus. · 13-05-2016 11:38AM

This might be sacrilege but wouldn't a diesel of that vintage be very slow?

gctest50 · 13-05-2016 11:45AM

Nissan are doing € 4000 scrappage until the end of the month afaik

skibum · 13-05-2016 11:46AM

Jesus. wrote: »

This might be sacrilege but wouldn't a diesel of that vintage be very slow?

If it has the 1z TDI, it has 90bhp with plenty of torque, while it won't set the world on fire, it does the job. I had that engine in a mk3 golf (I know the Passat is heavier) and it was great. Had it remapped to approx 110bhp, great car, miss it.

gctest50 · 13-05-2016 11:51AM

Utrecht ban old diesels - done with traffic cameras - 90 euro fine

http://www.nltimes.nl/2016/01/22/court-utrecht-allowed-to-ban-old-polluting-cars-from-city-center/

& anywhere there's €€€ to be made the SIMI were sure to go

Gael23 · 13-05-2016 11:55AM

Seems a shame to scrap it, they were the best out there at the time. I do know someone that had one and the Fuel tank corroded but the car would have been well used. A modern day bus would accelerate faster too.

hoodie6029 · 13-05-2016 03:37PM

If you insure it as a second car you might get a classic policy on it as it 20 years old.

dodzy · 13-05-2016 03:58PM

hoodie6029 wrote: »

If you insure it as a second car you might get a classic policy on it as it 20 years old.

30yrs for a classic?

hoodie6029 · 13-05-2016 04:16PM

30 for the lower tax rate alright. Most of the classic insurers will give you a policy on a 20 year old car, if it's a second car.

B4 Passat Tdi. Do they really live up to the myth?

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