Passat

[four.rings@mcione.com]

dan_masi@mentorg.com (Dan Masi) wrote:

A friend of mine is looking at buying a new Passat, and she
asked me what the difference was between it and an A4 1.8T.
Besides "a few grand", "the potential of adding Quattro",
and "it's longer", I didn't know what else to say.  Especially
in response to the "why would I pay a few grand more for
essentially the same car with less rear-seat room?"

So, can any kind soul summarize the differences for me?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Just bought a Passat for a good friend of mine a fortnight ago.
In two weeks of comparing my '98 1.8T Audi and his '98 1.8T Passat I can state
the following:

1. It's definitely NOT an Audi. (Lotsa comments like "no $hit Sherlock" are duly
anticipated :-)

2. The rear suspension is not the same as Audi's, the Passat has torsion beams
in the back. All in all this car does not have the flat and stable ride and
cornering of an iron-on-the-board like my A4 does.

3. The Passat is _noticeably_ harsher on uneven pavement. Which is quite
surprising given it's stock ride height and suspension setting, and the
195/65/15 all-season rubber with tall sidewalls on 6x15" wheels.
My A4 is _a_lot_ more sivilised; mind you that's with the optional Sport package
(shorter and stiffer springs, stiffer gas shocks, bigger stabiliser bars) and on
the Z-rated rubber with stiff sidewalls in 225/50/16 size on 7.5x16" wheels.

4. The interior does not ooze class and refinement like that of Audi does. The
instrument cluster has only two gauges (the temp and the gas). The other two are
gone (the oil temp and the volt).

5. Power locks are electrical hence they operate with a loud "Wham!" rather than
with the signature Audi's vacuum soft and smooth sucking sound.

6. Quattro comes only with a V6 on the Passat for much more money. So in the
Passat, unlike in the Audi you can either have performance or traction but not
both.

7. The Passat does not have the automatic climate control of the A4.

Don't get me wrong, it is a _terrific_ car! For a $20k car that is.
One has to be nuts to chose a Camry or an Accord over a Passat.
But if one is looking for more class and refinement, and has about $6k more to
spend - the A4 is a sure answer.
Like the well known saying goes: if she has to ask, she probably should buy the
Passat.

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Igor Kessel
'89 200TQ -- 18psi (TAP)
'98 A4TQ -- mostly stock
Philadelphia, PA
USA
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Garage/8949/homepage.html
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