[s-cars] VW Passat 2.8 Experience

[LL - NY]

I can chime in on my experience with my Mom's 2001.5 GLX 4mo Wagon (same
car, for the most part as an '03 I think some features change,
otherwise it's another post facelift (still B5) car. 2.8 V6 30V).

Beware, the car is of very low miles (Mom doesn't travel much, just local
driving) and it's been through a number of hits (one fairly severe) as Mom
also doesn't drive real well.

Overall, competent vehicle, pleasant enough of a drive. For spirited driving
if you're used to UrS thrust, well, it doesn't have it.  It has perfectly
adequate pull, but the very act of spirited driving highlights it's one
biggest flaw, Tiptronic.  In regular driving, it's fine, virtually
transparent. In spirited driving, it's slow to kickdown (even with manual
selection) fast to shift up, will not hold at redline and it's got a low rev
stall speed (for the weak low down torque, this works against getting a good
launch, say, like trying to get into heavy fast traffic from a side street).
Due to the pedal interlock, you can't LFB.

Problems (car has less than 30K miles), running wise, essentially none. Only
real problem is the stereo head unit, which has now the standard VAG issues,
(display winks out, first it was the backlight, now when the actual display
goes out) the only control that works is the power switch on the head unit
and the steering wheel controls. All other head unit controls go AWOL when
the display is out. You can sometimes restore the display (thus control) by
pressing on the face of the unit, but this obviously is not going to last
forever. The unit is a Typhoon, but doesn't have the CD changer out back.

Car has held up fairly well considering that Mom doesn't really care about
cars at all, and it's condition at any time kind of shows it. A good
cleaning would bring everything back (i.e. the materials, inside and out
hold up well except the exterior brightwork, which is getting the VAG
"milky" patina) except for the dents that have nothing to do with the car.
As a DD, it's nicer (I think) and a much better drive than say a similar
vintage Camry.  Still, it doesn't have quite the same verve as the UrS when
the roads get interesting. I guess the best word I can think of for it was
the first one I used...competent. And perhaps more reliable than a C4 car.
It IS much more dependent on diagnostics and system changes on VAG-COM.

My local friend has a 2003 1.8T 5sp 4mo Wagon (rare!) and the only real
issues he has had (car has well over 100K miles on it now) has been the door
locks, and brakes (although he has a dirt driveway. Mom's car is garaged).
BOTH cars suffer from the most irritating remote key controls on the planet.
It's like Forrest Gump's box of choclates. You press a button and ya never
know if it's gonna work. If it were me, and nothing of value was in the car,
I'd leave the damn thing unlocked...oh, you can't.  The stupid hatch will
lock anyway. It's like the car's remote and locking functions were designed
by and for...Americans.

HTH,
On Thu, Sep 9, 2010 at 12:16 AM, AaronT <atay101 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Sorry folks but another non scar question -
> Anybody have any direct experience with a 2003 VW passat 4Mo wagon (2.8v6)?
> Still looking for a reasonable replacement for my 95S6Avant....
> Which by the way has been rather trouble free lately - famous last words.
> Thanks
> Aaron
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