Passat?

**doubleE** · 01-29-2004, 01:08 PM

I’m looking to replace my wife’s car with a Passat. I can only afford used. I’m thinking about ’98 or’99. How are they for reliability and maintenance? Does anyone have one or know a little about them? Any info would be nice.

**Pinner** · 01-29-2004, 01:11 PM

TECH TALK, JONG.

/stand-in for phUnk

**Xover** · 01-29-2004, 01:12 PM

pssst? what's dat?

**Cornholio** · 01-29-2004, 01:16 PM

I just went through this, and found extremely poor reports about reliability for both the Jetta and the Passat. Turned me off enough that I got something else.

PM me and I'll give you my Consumer Reports username and password.

**Tical** · 01-29-2004, 01:19 PM

subaru...

**skiergirl** · 01-29-2004, 01:19 PM

Check out edmunds.com. You may be able to find a full road test and even a long term test of the car. I bought a new car yesterday and it came down to a 2001.5 Passat or a Subaru. Both used.

From my research, I heard a lot more about people having issues with Passats, but you also have to take into account they've been around a lot longer than the WRX. If you go into the Edmunds discussion boards there is a lot of information there. I think there is even a very large thread about problems with the cars.

I based my final decision on a few things, but a main player is that I've heard and read of a lot of people having issues with VW-America. I also was always leaning harder toward a subaru, so I wasn't surprised that I ended up with it.

Good luck. Sorry, I'm not very helpful... They are pretty smoove cars.

**stompinlines** · 01-29-2004, 01:27 PM

Phaeton

**tuffy109** · 01-29-2004, 01:30 PM

Originally posted by stompinlines
Phaeton

saw one the other day. looked nice.

i've had my jetta almost a year and a half and haven't had a problem yet, but i've heard of people having problems with their passats.

**funkendrenchman** · 01-29-2004, 01:38 PM

Originally posted by stompinlines
Phaeton

70 grandish?

**truth** · 01-29-2004, 01:40 PM

www.vwvortex.com

**bagtagley** · 01-29-2004, 01:41 PM

Avoid the 2.0 litre like the plague.

That is all.

**doubleE** · 01-29-2004, 01:42 PM

Cornholio thanks for the hookup. That will help very much. Skiergirl thanks for the info that will help as well.

Pinner-sorry I know it should go in tech talk, but I got all of this great info here so fast (thanks guys). I’ll post something relevant in tech talk to begin my repentance. Does the Rev. hear confessions?

**truth** · 01-29-2004, 01:44 PM

Originally posted by doubleE

Pinner-sorry I know it should go in tech talk, but I got all of this great info here so fast (thanks guys). I’ll post something relevant in tech talk to begin my repentance. Does the Rev. hear confessions?

Screw it, Pinner's a dick.

**The AD** · 01-29-2004, 01:48 PM

Anyone else intrigued by the new Mazda3?
http://fp.images.autos.msn.com/meris...y/c445102a.jpg

Sort of a "boy racer" look, but I like it. It has some pretty good looking performance numbers for a car under $20k.

My wife is looking for a new car and has considered the Jetta and Passat. I'll be watching this thread for opinions. I'm definitely a little concerned about the reliability.

**Pinner** · 01-29-2004, 01:51 PM

Originally posted by truth
Screw it, Pinner's a dick.

A really, really, REALLY big dick.

Wanna see it?

**UTdave** · 01-29-2004, 01:57 PM

check out these links. they helped me out when I was looking for a car for mrs UTdave.used car buying tips
consumer guide
Consumer Guide tends to err on the side of overstating the qualities of cars. The Passat is made in Germany and is considered more reliable than the Jetta but it is still not as reliable as some other cars out there.

edit: and make sure you run a Carfax report on a car before you buy it. it can frequently help you avoid a lemon or otherwise undesirable car and also help to negotiate a lower price if you know a car has been at the dealer a while.

**Vinman** · 01-29-2004, 02:07 PM

Just bought a Subie Outback last week for the wife. She loves it. All wheel drive and pretty good on relaibility.

**The AD** · 01-29-2004, 02:16 PM

Originally posted by Vinman
Just bought a Subie Outback last week for the wife. She loves it. All wheel drive and pretty good on relaibility.

New or used? What model? I've tossed Subaru as a suggestion to my wife, but she isn't biting. Can't get past that station wagon stigma

**scoober** · 01-29-2004, 02:17 PM

Originally posted by The AD
Anyone else intrigued by the new Mazda3?
http://fp.images.autos.msn.com/meris...y/c445102a.jpg

Sort of a "boy racer" look, but I like it. It has some pretty good looking performance numbers for a car under $20k.

My wife is looking for a new car and has considered the Jetta and Passat. I'll be watching this thread for opinions. I'm definitely a little concerned about the reliability.

I would venture to say that the Mazda3 wagon is probably one of the best deals out there right now for a small, non-performance but sporty car. Its built off of Ford's new small car platform which was developed in conjunction with Volvo. The Mazda3 will have extremely similar underpinnings to the new Volvo S40/V50.

The exterior styling may leave a little to be desired. I actually liked the previous Mazda Protoge5's looks better. That was boy racer... the new 3 is moving towards "girl racer".

Someone also mentioned something about the WRX not being around very long. Not in the US as we all know. The new WRX is based on a long evolution line of the first Impreza's so the technology is all very tried and true. I wouldn't let its relative US model year newness scare you away.

That all being said, my dad was looking at a Passat (new even), and while I don't have anything specific to add, he found the same poor results and reviews that Cornholio did.

The Phaeton, whatever happened to "the peoples car"?

**Tippster** · 01-29-2004, 02:19 PM

Originally posted by truth
www.vwvortex.com

Jesusfuckin'christ. I want one!!
http://vortex3.rely.net/gallery/gene...scaled_600.jpg

**The AD** · 01-29-2004, 02:23 PM

Originally posted by scoober
The exterior styling may leave a little to be desired. I actually liked the previous Mazda Protoge5's looks better. That was boy racer... the new 3 is moving towards "girl racer".

Ouch. I don't think it's that girlie.

The VW Vortex: what the hell? Tell me that's a Hot Wheels and not an actual vehicle

**scoober** · 01-29-2004, 02:27 PM

Originally posted by The AD
Ouch. I don't think it's that girlie.

The VW Vortex: what the hell? Tell me that's a Hot Wheels and not an actual vehicle

No not to bad actually. Just not enough straight/hard lines on the car for me. Really soft looking.

**Tical** · 01-29-2004, 02:30 PM

Originally posted by skiergirl
Check out edmunds.com. You may be able to find a full road test and even a long term test of the car. I bought a new car yesterday and it came down to a 2001.5 Passat or a Subaru. Both used.

From my research, I heard a lot more about people having issues with Passats, but you also have to take into account they've been around a lot longer than the WRX. If you go into the Edmunds discussion boards there is a lot of information there. I think there is even a very large thread about problems with the cars.

I based my final decision on a few things, but a main player is that I've heard and read of a lot of people having issues with VW-America. I also was always leaning harder toward a subaru, so I wasn't surprised that I ended up with it.

Good luck. Sorry, I'm not very helpful... They are pretty smoove cars.

I cant believe you were even comparing a WRX to a Passat... Its more like WRX,EVO,STI or S4...