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Hi there , my mother really likes the VW Passat and would like to purchase one . VW has a repuation for not being reliable , but maybe the Passat is actually a good car that is very realiable despite VW's tarnished reputation . Does anyone own a Passat out there or have ever owned one ? Is it a good car or should my mother think about something else ? Give your comments . She really would like to get a new vehicle soon .
Last edited by Nashcash23; 10-13-2007 at 05:48 PM..
I could give you my perspective from being a shop owner working on VW's now and then for the last few decades ... which isn't very favorable for this series of car lately .... but then, I think you'll get a better idea of how these cars are faring in the marketplace by picking up a copy of Consumer Reports Auto Annual and checking out their rating and reports.
the 2001 new beetle I had was awful (brakes, tires, battery, lights etc. all went out right at the 2 year mark which also was the end of the crappy warranty).. I would personally never get one again. Japanese cars are going to be a much better option IMO
It seems to me when VW started going away from the rear mounted air cooled Flat Fours; that is when things started getting bad back in the 1970's. Remember the Dasher and the Rabbit?
Porsche kept their air cooled engine much longer and when they were finally 'forced' to go was water cooled motors, at least the 911/Boxster kept their Flat Six out back.
The modern Porsches are quite a machine from what I have heard
It had better be a reliable car for your mother's sake. Any auto can be a pretty good one (built as designed and on a good day) or a factory lemon. If it's a good car, stuff is still going to wear out and/or need routine maintenance.
Now, when your mom goes to get the car maintained/worked on, she'd better bust open the piggy-bank because these parts arent going to be too cheap. For example, go to your local dealer or parts store and price a set of brake pads for it or an alternator. Then compare the prices you get to say a 99 Honda Accord.
I rented a Volvo not long ago and it was a great car to drive. It was fast and handled really well. I wouldn't want to have to take that car to Grease Monkey, however.
My dad has a name for German cars; Hitler's Revenge. And people wonder where I get my mischieviousness from.
I have a vw jetta tdi and love it. There is so little maintenance on it and it always runs nice. The gas milege ; 42 mpg is wonderful.
I woudl love a passat but they dont make it in diesel so I amy go to a toyota hybrid instead.
Oh by the way, I had a volvo and while I loved the car, I hated the fact that it was very high maintenance and thats why I got rid of it
I've had an 02 Passat since Oct 01 and have to say eventhough I've had very low milage I'd rate it as a reliable car. Mainly I'd say it has very nice handling [much better than the Japanese cars - I have a 04 Acura TL that I've owned]. When it was new Consumers rated it #1 for family sedans. The current model isn't as highly rated. Mine has 6 airbags which is common now, but not when new.
Before I was mechanically savvy with cars, my rule for purchase was find a good honest non-dealership mechanic and buy the type of car that he was best known for working on. Or at least find a dealership you trust.
What's difficult these days is that the new car systems are so complicated. More electronics and gadgetry, most of which is entirely unnecessary. I don't want a living room on wheels. So my cars are used, simpler in design and in the long run, less expensive to maintain. I even prefer crankup windows. I like Hondas and Acuras of the 92-95 vintage. If I needed a wagon, it would be a '93 Volvo 240 wagon. Sure they may need a little work to initially refurbish, but even with that, they would all be well under $7500 in total cost. I see no need to pay $20+ for a daily driver.
The only other thing with VW's is that when I drive around town, I always see younger or new VW's and Audi's with even brightness brake and tail lights, or with a light burnt out entirely. This indicates to me that the cars have wiring issues. I notice these exterior lighting issues because every time I notice this, I suddenly worry if perhaps one of my cars' lights could be burnt out also. But... I haven't had to replace a light in my Hondas for many years.
I have never found a car warranty to be all that helpful as the much higher price of the car more that counteracts the perception of having "free" coverage. At least make sure your dealership offers its service customers free loaner cars. And even then, even if a needed to rent a car (which I never have) renting would still be cheaper than buying a new car and have a "free" dealership loaner car.
So find a good mechanic first for your mother.
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02 passat
