2004 Volkswagen Passat Good or Bad car? (vehicle, Japanese, best, chip)
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I bought a 98 Passat 1.8T (5speed) at an auction in NC about 8-9 years ago. It needed a few things to run well, and got it running well in no time.
Here's my take on things, if it can help:
They're not as solid as a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry of the same year. They're more interesting to drive than the others, especially with the 1.8T engine with the 5 speed.
My main issue with VWs is the interior parts that are cheap (to me). Whennew, one will get a sense of better quality than its competitors and the fit and finish can get your attention. Give it a few years. They don't always seem to age as well. Their plastics/interior parts aren't the greatest (always a broken cup holder, door handle or button breaking or coming off/loose) The interior design does look better than the Camry and Accord, and road manners are pretty good for daily drivers, considering you have good shocks and the bushings are still intact.
Other issues are constant sensor/electrical issues (engine heat/brittle plastics etc). If you tinker on your own cars, fine. If you're relying on a mechanic for everything, I'd say reconsider. On a scale of 0-10, I'd give the used Passat a 6 at best. They're ok cars, just nothing to drool over, from my experience.
I'd low ball the dealer to something like $6500 max. These cars sell, just not as fast as the Japanese competition. So the dealer may be willing to give you a deal. Give it a try (Speaking of Lowballing the dealer). You have nothing to lose. If you can get an extended warranty for it, get it!!
Honestly, I would pass, since 2004 was the last year of the 1.8T engine, that has known sludge issues. VW has extended the warranty on that engine because of the issue, but at eight-years old, the warranty would have run out, or is running out. Aside from that, there were ignition coil issues with that engine, and a few other problems that were general VW issues, not 1.8T engine issues. Someone who worked with me had one, and it was a known factor that if they were late, it was a Passat-related issue. Headlights were another problem, with one or the other being out at any given time, and I do recall a slick spot in their parking spot in the garage from continued leaks. It was also a time consuming process to deal with the dealership, and the attitude that there was nothing wrong with their car, despite maintenance and repair bills that would top a BMW. Granted, that vehicle may have been a lemon, with the additional failures, but the ignition coil issues and engine sludge issues are well documented.
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I bought a 98 Passat 1.8T (5speed) at an auction in NC about 8-9 years ago. It needed a few things to run well, and got it running well in no time.
Here's my take on things, if it can help:
They're not as solid as a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry of the same year. They're more interesting to drive than the others, especially with the 1.8T engine with the 5 speed.
My main issue with VWs is the interior parts that are cheap (to me). Whennew, one will get a sense of better quality than its competitors and the fit and finish can get your attention. Give it a few years. They don't always seem to age as well. Their plastics/interior parts aren't the greatest (always a broken cup holder, door handle or button breaking or coming off/loose) The interior design does look better than the Camry and Accord, and road manners are pretty good for daily drivers, considering you have good shocks and the bushings are still intact.
Other issues are constant sensor/electrical issues (engine heat/brittle plastics etc). If you tinker on your own cars, fine. If you're relying on a mechanic for everything, I'd say reconsider. On a scale of 0-10, I'd give the used Passat a 6 at best. They're ok cars, just nothing to drool over, from my experience.
I'd low ball the dealer to something like $6500 max. These cars sell, just not as fast as the Japanese competition. So the dealer may be willing to give you a deal. Give it a try (Speaking of Lowballing the dealer). You have nothing to lose. If you can get an extended warranty for it, get it!!
I do tinker on my own cars. Yeah that was y impression of the car. It wasn't great but it wasn't bad either. The only reason why I got the car at 8,100 is because I received an employee discount of only 800$. I'm a technician at a Nissan dealership under the same company (Crowley). If this is true they have been treating me like crap.
Honestly, I would pass, since 2004 was the last year of the 1.8T engine, that has known sludge issues. VW has extended the warranty on that engine because of the issue, but at eight-years old, the warranty would have run out, or is running out. Aside from that, there were ignition coil issues with that engine, and a few other problems that were general VW issues, not 1.8T engine issues. Someone who worked with me had one, and it was a known factor that if they were late, it was a Passat-related issue. Headlights were another problem, with one or the other being out at any given time, and I do recall a slick spot in their parking spot in the garage from continued leaks. It was also a time consuming process to deal with the dealership, and the attitude that there was nothing wrong with their car, despite maintenance and repair bills that would top a BMW. Granted, that vehicle may have been a lemon, with the additional failures, but the ignition coil issues and engine sludge issues are well documented.
This is not the first time I heard about it. Thankyou guys for the input. My decision is made and I will look for something else.
it was a known factor that if they were late, it was a Passat-related issue.
LOL...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Veyron
I do tinker on my own cars. Yeah that was y impression of the car. It wasn't great but it wasn't bad either. The only reason why I got the car at 8,100 is because I received an employee discount of only 800$. I'm a technician at a Nissan dealership under the same company (Crowley). If this is true they have been treating me like crap.
If you tinker on your own cars, that's a big plus. It wont annoy you as much, plus you get discounts for parts (since you're a tech there). If you got a 5 speed, even better.
Check out the VW vortex forum. They're pretty big, and you can get plenty of help there. Good Luck!
If you tinker on your own cars, that's a big plus. It wont annoy you as much, plus you get discounts for parts (since you're a tech there). If you got a 5 speed, even better.
Check out the VW vortex forum. They're pretty big, and you can get plenty of help there. Good Luck!
I had a 2002 1.8T. Bought it used with 28k on the clock and had the oil pump replaced due to sludge at 35k miles (under warranty). It got synthetic after that until I traded it in at 62k miles.
Looks pimp with a drop and 18" wheels. Also chipped it to get it over 200hp but still had a lot of turbo lag.
It is more fun to drive than the "boring" commuter cars, but the "excitement" doesn't stop there. Repairs are more frequent and more pricey than most other cars. When it comes down to a used car, the previous maintenance history is also important, so an abused Camry/Accord would still be much worse than a babied Passat.
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