New Owner Questions

bubba_pa · Sep 22, 2005

And I thought the folks with the Cummins Turbo Diesel were obsessed! This site looks great with tons of info. I'm looking forward to learning. We have just purchased a 2003, V6, 4Motion, GLX with 19,000. After driving several other cars this one was the right one. Seems very tight. With 2 years/30,000+ on the warranty we couldn't pass it up. Now for the questions. I plan on doing my own routine service work, oil/tire rotation etc. and am mechanically inclined. I'm running 450 hp on a stock 180 hp truck so can turn wrenches (although the truck has room to work on) and it wasn't plug-n-play. I did not buy the car from a dealer, would it be best to run it past a dealer for the first service and inspection and then go from there? I'm also lost on which oil, I will use a synthetic, not sure which one. Looking more at Mobil (don't want to start an oil war). Which oil filters should I avoid/use? Also, what repair manuals are you all using for the 03? I like the Haynes manuals but they only go through 02. Any and all suggestions for what to check/watch for will be appreciated. I'm going to drive it stock for the Winter and then maybe start BOMBing. Thanks for help. Sorry for long post.

Paul

greyvariant · Sep 22, 2005

Taking it at the dealer would be a good idea, they usually have a 12 point free inspection http://www.vw.com/spweb/pages/spweb/serv_offer.jsp.

Mobile 1 0W40 is the oil is use for my 1.8T, the V6s oil requirements are not as stringent as the 1.8Ts. You can get parts including OEM VW filters from www.ecstuning.com Also see http://www.vw.com/spweb/pages/spweb/serv_maint_part.jsp

Bentley is the best manual and as many diagrams and info on the Passat. The Passat uses certain particular types of fluids, check first before you buy, most especially the differential fluids for the 4Motion. You would find that performance parts from the V6 are little and expensive, unlike the 1.8T.

At 19000 miles your next service will be an oil change, to save some $ bring your own oil and/ or your own VW filter. VW oil changes can be expensive.

There are some interior mods that are inexpensive and you can do in under 30min. Two such ones are the W8 Sunroof lighted panel and the chrome armrest cover plate.

Good luck! Your GLX has many bells and whistles some you will soon discover. Remember that the weight of the 4Motion reduces the 0-60 time and eats into the mpgs. Do a search here for the Passats unique features some hidden.

GreenCar · Sep 22, 2005

Welcome aboard! There's a number of us here from Wisconsin.

If you're in the Milwaukee area, I suggest Concours on Silver Spring for service.

bubba_pa · Sep 22, 2005

GV:

Thanks for links. They look great. I'm about 35 miles from a participating dealer so will take them up on the check. How do the dealerships react when you bring in parts/fluids? Receptive vs ??? Greencar - I'm on the West coast of Wisconsin, South of Eau Claire, but thanks for the tip if I'm ever in Milwaukee. This looks like an exceptionally informative site. Now to find those hidden features!

greyvariant · Sep 23, 2005

They should not have anything to say if you bring in your own parts. Once they are OEM. I bring in my own oil and pay just $21 for labor and filter. Do you know that all the interior soft touch parts are covered under the bumper to bumper warranty? They are many things that are covered that they won'r reveal to you. But if you tell them they will change them. The headlight bulbs are covered but not the brake lights, so are the rotors but not the pads. Have fun, a V6 4Motion car in GLX trim is fun and very luxurious. I find the old B5.5s feel more luxurious than the new Passats.

Use the search button to find the threads on the hidden features. Your manual reavels most of them. One of them concerns the 3rd sunvisor. At night when you want to have the front map lights on without the light creating glare in the mirror, pull down the 3rd visor, it will now block the glare. Do you know your 2 front visors are extendable? And the 200 watt Monsoon is speed sensitive? You have to set the volume control on it. One important thing is after you adjust your outside mirrors, keep the knob in either the L or R position, not in the defrost position (center position). If you keep it there it means that your mirrors are being heated, keeping it there will burn out the heating elements. The GLX mirrors are also power foldable and will dip down when the car is set in Reverse.

Have Fun!

New Owner Questions

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