Need HONEST and Unbiased Opinions

[Bluegrass]

I am in dire need of a better car for my daughter and I. The Passat seemed attractive at first until I started reading about all the possible problems. I have already read several threads about consumer reports and other reviews. Seems most people on here really love the Passat and do not agree with CR. What I need is a very reliable car that I wont have to worry about breaking on me. I am a single father that goes to school and cant afford to make a bad decision on this. I have found a 2006 2.0T with 45,000 miles and they are willing to let it go for 8k. It is in very good shape and I really like the car. If I heard better things about it then I would not hesitate. The Ford Fusion however has gotten VERY good reviews and I honestly feel safer making that decision. Before I say no to the Passat I wanted to get some expert opinions on the reliability and possible engine issues. Thank you all in advance for your advice and understanding!

[jdiaz]

I wouldn't do it. You may have found the perfect car and it may run fine, but if something fails its a lot of money out of pocket and it doesn't sound like you need that sort of thing. Come back to VW when you can buy something newer and have the resources to address a mechanical or electrical failure.

Personally, I never spent less money on a vehicle than my Nissan trucks. Cheap insurance, decent power and economy with the four-cylinder+stick, and you can always sell fruit out of the back.

[rcracer]

No one living on a limited income should own a Passat. Between full synthetic oil changes and regularly scheduled maintenance, this car can put can you in the poor house quick. I think the Passat was created for well established adults. That said, I couldn't be happier with my 06 Passata 2.0T although I will be having "regular scheduled" maintenance done on mine soon.($1200 Timing belt + Water pump)



As much as it pains me to say this, the Focus would be the best choice for your daughter. GLTY!

[cruster]

This is not the car you're looking for. I love my Passat, but when my daughter goes off to college the last thing I'll be buying her is anything German. You could find a very nice Mazda3 for $8k - fun to drive, cheap to keep. Pass on the Passat.

[JohnJP27]

My B6 Passat has been good to me, but from personal experience I would go for something from a Japanese brand if reliability is your #1 concern (my wife and I have had six Hondas so far, and they've all been incredibly reliable and cheap to maintain). Plus, even regular maintenance is pricey on B6s as mentioned above. I also second the Mazda3 suggestion

[uwwsquirrel]

I would have to agree with the rest of the forum on this one. My wife loves her '07 Passat. I on the other hand have a love/hate relationship with that car (since I'm the one that's gotta fix it every time something goes wrong on it). I will say that it is a good car for the mechanically inclined provided you make all of the small investments that come with owning one of these cars - (topping the oil off every 1500 miles, purchasing a VAGCOM cable for diagnostics on every system in the car, full synthetic oil changes, 91 octane fuel, hours of research on this forum and youtube just to learn what the hell that warning light is that's popping up on the dash or loud dinging warning chimes, etc). These small investments are necessary if you want to save on dealership service costs - which BTW are absolutely ridiculous.

If it's something you can regularly stay on top of (and you WILL have to), the trade off is having an awesome car hands down - it's fast, handles great, gets awesome gas milage, and is everything you would want in a German car.

Just be warned though - the second you don't keep up on the maintenance with these cars, it'll break down on you and cost you a ton of $$$$ to fix.

If YOU aren't going to be the one driving it - I'd honestly go with the fusion.

[ATXDUB]

People don't buy VW's for reliability. It's usually a strange love affair. I highly doubt your young daughter would care or appreciate the driving experience. Buy a Honda.

[Bluegrass]

Thank you all for the input!! Just to clarify though, my daughter is only 4, lol. I am the one going to college and I work full time as well. I am on a limited income though. I loved the car when I drove it and it did impress me. I am a car enthusiast and would love a higher end car right now, but I have to do whats best for my family. Again, thank you all for your responses!!

[johnjohn4011]

I have only owned my 3.6 since October 21, 2012, and I've had my check engine light come on twice. I love everything about my Passat except its reliability.

[jddaigle]

I have only owned my 3.6 since October 21, 2012, and I've had my check engine light come on twice. I love everything about my Passat except its reliability.

It's likely your CELs were caused by the use of lower octane fuel.

Still, to the OP, regular maintenance on a Passat can be more expensive because they require high-quality synthetic fluids, and some procedures can be labor-intensive. Don't skimp on quality parts, or you'll pay for it over the long run. But if you have a good shop or like to DIY you can keep costs reasonable. I still don't know if I'd recommend a Passat to someone on a limited income though, you might want to get something a little cheaper to own until you can afford to put some money in savings for a maintenance fund.

[CO Passat Guy]

I've had my 01 B5 for 2 years now 1.8 and glad to report she still runs strong and all I've done is basic maint.

Sent from my ADR6400L using AutoGuide App

[FrankfurtRaleigh]

I own a 2008 Passat 2.0T and although I have not experienced any big issues with the car I agree with the majority of the posts here. I have read that especially the 2006 model year was problematic for the Passat so I would stay away from a 2006 2.0T.

As stated many times, the Passat is really a great car but if you are tight on budget it is too risky given that you will have potential costly repairs down the road. If you are really determined to get one, I would try to find a mid-2008 through 2010 model year 2.0T which do not have the FSI engine (timing belt) but the upgraded TSI engine (timing chain).

[munnarg]

I had the 2006 Passat and ended up trading it in a few months ago for a 2009 CC. It was fun to drive and own, and most of the known issues were fixed under warranty without question. You should check with the dealer to see what recalls have already been addressed on the car and what might be outstanding. That would give you a better idea of it's reliability after purchase.