Opinions - Volkswagon Passat

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Opinions - Volkswagon Passat

Posted: 5/14/2001 7:18:56 AM EDT

I have a '96 VW Passat with 52,000 miles on it. I am thinking of selling it because I feel like if I wait too much longer, its value will start dropping at a higher rate. I think right now is the optimum selling time because of its age and mileage. Any opinions? Also, does anyone have any experience with these cars with higher mileage/age?

Thanks.

Posted: 5/14/2001 7:44:20 AM EDT

[#1]

What do you want to know about the Passat? What model...GLS/GLX/TDI? The resale or trade in value depends on the model/engine/trans. I service two Passats at my shop regularly and have worked on many others. The car seems to hold up extremely well at higher milage, especially the 2.8 v6, providing you take care of the routine maintenance. These are higher quality Volkswagons as compared to the poorly engineered 80's VW's.

Posted: 5/14/2001 10:50:57 AM EDT

[#2]

It's a Passat GLX. The thing I'm most concerned with is minor but costly problems. A friend of mine's instrumentation stopped working at 40k and the part alone was $600. Also, how long should clutch cables last? Mine is in the shop right now with a broken cable (I think). Thanks.

Posted: 5/14/2001 10:57:38 AM EDT

[#3]

Like most Mercedes, Volkswagen last for ever but the nick nack you to death.Parts are expensive.I think you could get at least twice the mileage without any major problems.Assumoing you have good upkeep.I have a 190E with a lot of miles no problem with the drivetrain but little things add up.

Posted: 5/14/2001 11:07:49 AM EDT

[#4]

I'm thinking of trading it in for a GMC Sierra, but I'm having a really hard time deciding if that's a good idea. I just want to get the maximum trade in for my VW, so that's what I'm trying to figure out. AAAHHHH!!

Posted: 5/14/2001 11:13:20 AM EDT

[#5]

Time to head for Consumers Reports reliability guides before you make a $$,$$$ mistake.

Posted: 5/14/2001 11:59:48 AM EDT

[#6]

I have never owned one but they are good looking cars.[:D]
Lynn

Posted: 5/14/2001 1:14:31 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:

It's a Passat GLX. The thing I'm most concerned with is minor but costly problems. A friend of mine's instrumentation stopped working at 40k and the part alone was $600. Also, how long should clutch cables last? Mine is in the shop right now with a broken cable (I think). Thanks.

View Quote

As far as clutch cables on VW's are concerned, from experience they tend to go bad sooner than most cars. This has been one of the weak points with the VW manual tranny for as far back as I can remember. I thought that VW addressed this problem, but I have had a few late model VW clutch cables go prematurely. Did your clutch pedal get heavy or feel like it was binding on you? Have you ever had to change the clutch/pressure plate since you bought the car? 52,000 miles is good for a '96 when it comes to trade in value. The '96 GLX 2.8L-V6/5speed is currently getting between $9,000-$9,700 for an excellent condition example with the most common features. The same car is getting retail quotes of $12,600-$13,600 after fully prepped for resale by the dealer. The Sierra is a great machine and I fully understand your situation. The replacement parts for VW's are a little on the expensive side and many are only available through the dealers parts dept. Hope this helps you.

Posted: 5/14/2001 1:23:23 PM EDT

[#8]

Armalite Fan,what year is your baby Benz? The parts can get annoying but fortunately there's a pretty big network of aftermarket parts. Some parts (the radiator in particular) are better then OEM. I've got 201,700 miles on my '86.

Posted: 5/14/2001 2:22:55 PM EDT

[#9]

sell! Parts are a nightmare(body), also new vw's are made in mexico not euro.

Posted: 5/14/2001 2:32:57 PM EDT

[#10]

Theyre nice cars. I was going to buy a new one in 98, but I wanted the TDI with a 5 speed. The dealer kept saying "it'll be out soon" but they never built one.
Optioned up, it's almost as much $$$ as the M/B C 230. So I started looking at them. Very nice, and at the time about $31000.
I ended up with a 98 Dodge diesel pickup. I'm not disappointed. 20+ MPG. Gobs of torque.
I also had an MB 190D. It had 1/4 million+ miles on it when I sold it. 80 MPH and 45 MPG. I miss it.
Eric

Posted: 5/14/2001 2:37:28 PM EDT

[#11]

Passats are nice cars, but VWs reliability still leaves something to be desired. And its not just a 1980's VW problem, it still exists. When something does break, its usually extremely expensive to repair, and VW dealers overall dont have the best reputation for customer service. OTOH, the older a car gets, the slower it depreciates. The minute you drive the car off the "new car" lot, it depreciates something like 20%. IMO, you should sell it. The mileage is at about the point where you will start having problems with that car. I remember Car&Driver doing a long-term test on your generation of Passats with poor results. They also just did a long-term on the new Beetle, and it's still been expensive to maintain.

American full-size trucks are pretty good vehicles. I think you'd be satisfied with the Sierra. If you want something less heavy duty, more urban use, you might want to look at the Toyota Tundra. HTH

Posted: 5/14/2001 11:28:21 PM EDT

[#12]

They make a good shootin car.

Posted: 5/15/2001 6:35:05 AM EDT

[#13]

Why not get smart and buy a Honda? German cars cost too much to repair and why people even buy German cars is beyond me. They all suck! They are all over-rated and way over-priced. And...they all seem to attract people who drive like idiots....especially BMWs. Get a Honda and you will never buy another make of car. That's a guarantee.....!!

Posted: 5/15/2001 7:44:25 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
They make a good shootin car.

View Quote

AMEN Brotha!! Why would you want one of those chickiemobiles? Get a gashog SUV and put a gunrack in it. Step away from the cappuccino!

Posted: 5/15/2001 8:08:02 AM EDT

[#15]

I'd trade the Passat off (or better yet, sell)...and pronto! High School graduation is coming up soon, so this is the PERFECT time to unload it. This car is very popular with NSYNC/Backstreet Boy types.

It probably looks pretty good at this stage, but if you hold it another year??!! And that would be very uncool to the people who buy this type of car.

DaMan

Posted: 5/15/2001 8:20:03 AM EDT

[#16]

Get a Toyota,

I have '82 truck (250K), '94 celica (100K), '98 sienna (45K)

No problems to report. Obviously the truck has had a few parts, but Jimmy Carter was president when I got her (nicknamed "ole beige"). But no major engine work, just peripheral stuff. The celica has never needed anything, still on the same brake pads!

Turning Japanese

Posted: 5/15/2001 9:43:06 AM EDT

[#17]

You got an '82 Toyota when Jimmy Carter was president?

He must have been president of your local Toyota dealership. [:D]

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Opinions - Volkswagon Passat

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