[s-cars] VW Passat 2.8 Experience

[LL - NY]

Maybe it's just Passats, since my buddie's Passat seems to be just as
recalcitrant. New batteries and the subsequent reset is all.

On Thu, Sep 9, 2010 at 11:03 AM, Taka Mizutani <t44tqtro at gmail.com> wrote:

> I wonder if you have issues with your keys- my mom's beetle has been fine
> and the old a4 never had any issue with the key.
>
> Did you try fresh batteries and resyncing the keys?
>
> On Sep 9, 2010 8:30 AM, "LL - NY" <larrycleung at gmail.com> wrote:
> > 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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