Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hey All ~ I have a nephew who's looking at a '99 VW Passat Wagon. 80,000 miles. Looks clean. 1.8 Turbo with 5-speed. The guy wants $4200 for it. It does not have a salvage title.
What, if any, are the problems with those cars? Was the 1.8 Turbo a problem engine? Is he in line with his price?
The 1.8T is pretty solid, its the rest of the car that might be junk. Primarily electrical gremlins that will bug the crap out of you if you get unlucky.
Offhand, if the car is in excellent condition and does not have any "needs", A/C works, some documentation that correct oil for the turbo engine has been used, etc. the price sounds OK, bit high but OK.
You are enough of a wrench yourself that if you take a look at it you can "just tell" if it's that good or not.
Some of the VWs have the dreaded engine sludge issues with the 1.8T engine. This particular engine can also eat ignition coils regularly, and the timing belt needs to be changed much sooner than the 105k recommended in the manual. The engine needs high quality 5W40 synthetic oil as well. Other than that the usual VW/Audi issues can plague this car, with trim pieces that fall off, paint that wears off interior buttons, etc.
I know a couple of people who had signficiant issues with this engine in Audis and Passats. Conversely, I know of a GTI that has this engine and is still going strong, but it's exclusively maintained by the dealership, ahead of service intervals, and only uses VW/Audi's own oil that meets the technical service bulletin requirements on that engine, which I believe was revised in 2005, IIRC.
ETA: I think that the oil pump can be a good indicator of a problem with the vehicle, and the oil filter. So, if they are seriously considering a purchase, have it looked over carefully. Any sign of sludge, just walk away as it's an expensive fix, that's at least the asking price of the car.
All of the 1.8T's that I've seen in various VW/Audi vehicles have been mechanically solid. From my experience its been all the other stuff that sullied the cars.
I wouldn't touch a 1.8T with a 10 foot pole. If he is interested in wagons of that vintage I'd look into the V70 series, 1998-2000. Stay away from AWD. Solid drivertrain and more luxurious than a VW IMO.
Or get the diesel jetta wagon w/ a stick. VW's are pretty easy to work on as long as the powertrain remains viable (VW's also have awful auto trannies). The Mark IV's are a bit tougher but they are put together like legos.
Some of the VWs have the dreaded engine sludge issues with the 1.8T engine. This particular engine can also eat ignition coils regularly, and the timing belt needs to be changed much sooner than the 105k recommended in the manual. The engine needs high quality 5W40 synthetic oil as well. Other than that the usual VW/Audi issues can plague this car, with trim pieces that fall off, paint that wears off interior buttons, etc.
I know a couple of people who had signficiant issues with this engine in Audis and Passats. Conversely, I know of a GTI that has this engine and is still going strong, but it's exclusively maintained by the dealership, ahead of service intervals, and only uses VW/Audi's own oil that meets the technical service bulletin requirements on that engine, which I believe was revised in 2005, IIRC.
ETA: I think that the oil pump can be a good indicator of a problem with the vehicle, and the oil filter. So, if they are seriously considering a purchase, have it looked over carefully. Any sign of sludge, just walk away as it's an expensive fix, that's at least the asking price of the car.
I was looking into reliving the late teen years (okay, hang with me, I just turned 30 and the first car was a 69 Beetle) and plucking off a new Beetle diesel or convertible...that timing belt issue was the killer. $1000 timing belt job that many owners recommend be done every 60K miles or $3000+ for an engine.
I'll take a belt over a chain. My VW has a timing chain and the guide vanes are worn. Makes the chain "chatter". It's $200 in parts alone and you have to pull the motor.
Belts are a typical DIY job and they are around $30-$50, changed every 50-100k depending on the car.
I'll take a belt over a chain. My VW has a timing chain and the guide vanes are worn. Makes the chain "chatter". It's $200 in parts alone and you have to pull the motor.
Belts are a typical DIY job and they are around $30-$50, changed every 50-100k depending on the car.
Replacing the timing belt on my son's 2002 Jetta was a whale of a lot more difficult than doing so on my 97 Golf. Both 2.0 engines, but the front end is configured differently on them. In fact, you have to remove the front engine mount on the 2002 in order to replace the belt.
I don't know why they had to go and make a simple thing more complicated...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
