[Intruder]

Think it's time to retire the Passy

Been 10 years. There were some good times There were some rough ones. To this day people still say the car looks brand new but i've had it with the COOLANT LEAKS. I either gonna trade it in, sell it or even possibly just keep it as a second car. I simply cannot depend on this car as my main and only car anymore. Working on the car used to be fun but when it's the same thing over and over again i cant help but give up on the constant :wrench: I have long started going to shops for repairs but again, recurring issues pile up.

Seriously thinking about leaving Vw brand altogether but i love the feel and drive of VWs. Even test drove an Audi A4 Quatro the other day. Simply isnt the same.

Have any of you upgraded to B7s? What are the main issues to look out for? Are they as high maintenance as the B5.5?

And whats with the TSI and all these different models of the B7?

 

[Mtech]

Very few of todays cars require as much TLC as the b5/b5.5 passat. Even VW has engineered the newer stuff to be less trouble. Good deals right now on VW and if you stay in the brand, they might take pity on your 10yr old as a trade.

 

[Attofarad]

Yeah, I too have had several coolant leaks over the past couple of years on my 1.8T -- thermostat housing crack, coolant flange (twice -- indy the first time, I did it right the second time), heater hose, hose at front of engine to turbo, and now the heater core.

I hear what you are saying about over and over. I'm at 165k miles, and thinking about all the things that have been done, and will start needing to be done again; CCT, MAF, more leaks, motor mounts, control arms, shocks/struts. My previous car was kept 1 year too long -- did over $4k in repairs the last year.

The new Passats are about 8" longer than the B5. The Jetta is now nearly the size of the B5.

 

[Intruder]

Well im about to be at 210K miles.

I liked the Audi A4 at first but then test drove it and wasnt impressed much. Rather than spend the extra $8K for the unknown and id probably stick to VW since they are cheap while they hurt for sales

 

[slofizz]

same boat. i was looking at audi's too. but may leave vw/audi altogether. i most likely will keep car though.

 

[Emry]

My Passat is in a good shape after 15 years and 120K miles. But every morning I have the stress that it may not wake up.

I like to get an Accura RDX or Nissan Moreno but they are damn expensive. I like the engine reliability and low maintenance of the Japs but their interior is made of cheap plastic and won't last long. So it's a trade off. I'm still debating as what to do. all I want at this moment is to survive this winter.

 

[VAGguy]

Had a B7 NMS with TDI. Loaded. still, it felt hollow. A damn nice car with VW driving dynamics. Wife did not care for DSG and wheelspin due to only FWD and low end tq so went with a grand cherokee (we've owned a couple before. She came out of a B6 A4 quattro before that.

I bought a second Gen CC and have loved every minute since with 2.0T TSI and DSG. Still have the B5.5 though. Rarely gets driven. Needs some TLC before I make it a semi daily again.

 

[Mikey319]

Mine is going strong after 3 thousand dollars in work :lol: I feel like I will never be stranded with this beast even with it being 13 years old. It does only have 90 thousand miles though, so that's another factor I'm taking in to play. We have replaced prett much everything on this car.

I have never driven a new passat, but I definitely like the new 2016 with the face lift and new headlights. I would want to wait for the 2017 (if VW makes it that long which I'm sure it will) because that will probably have a bigger design change than the 2016 did. Good thing I can't afford one yet :lol:

 

[Intruder]

Had a B7 NMS with TDI. Loaded. still, it felt hollow. A damn nice car with VW driving dynamics. Wife did not care for DSG and wheelspin due to only FWD and low end tq so went with a grand cherokee (we've owned a couple before. She came out of a B6 A4 quattro before that.

I bought a second Gen CC and have loved every minute since with 2.0T TSI and DSG. Still have the B5.5 though. Rarely gets driven. Needs some TLC before I make it a semi daily again.

What is DSG?

Mine is going strong after 3 thousand dollars in work :lol: I feel like I will never be stranded with this beast even with it being 13 years old. It does only have 90 thousand miles though, so that's another factor I'm taking in to play. We have replaced prett much everything on this car.

I have never driven a new passat, but I definitely like the new 2016 with the face lift and new headlights. I would want to wait for the 2017 (if VW makes it that long which I'm sure it will) because that will probably have a bigger design change than the 2016 did. Good thing I can't afford one yet :lol:

If you spent $3K and als replaced everything before 90K miles then thats a horrible experience , my friend.

I'm at 206K miles right now and have replaced

Coolant phlange (3 times)
Coolant reservoir (twice)
Heater core
Fuel pump (twice)
Oil Pump
CV boots (4 or 5 times)
Water pump (twice and this is not counting the ones replaced when doing timing belt)
Breather hose

And this is in a span of 10 years and 206 thousand miles

 

[Electron Man]

I'm at 206K miles right now and have replaced...

Coolant phlange (3 times)
Sounds like you might've not yet found a shop with decent techs...who realize that short cuts can't be taken when replacing coolant nozzles on the cylinder head. By short cuts, I refer to not getting the head surface nearly "clean enough to eat off of" before installing the replacement nozzle. If not, your past experiences are the results...

Coolant reservoir (twice)
Non-dealer sourced reservoirs are well-known to be failure prone.

Fuel pump (twice)
Low fuel on one too many instances...in July or August?

CV boots (4 or 5 times)
For what you've paid, Raxles might've been a better choice...but it could've been the CV boot install given how much other work has been done.

Water pump (twice and this is not counting the ones replaced when doing timing belt)
Plastic impellers? Who knows when/if/whether the shop would've allowed you to supply a pump with a metal impeller(?), even if you had waived any install guarantee on part longevity.

Yeah, I'd certainly be more frustrated in owning one of these if I didn't do my own work.

 

[VAGguy]

What is DSG?


If you spent $3K and als replaced everything before 90K miles then thats a horrible experience , my friend.

I'm at 206K miles right now and have replaced

Coolant phlange (3 times)
Coolant reservoir (twice)
Heater core
Fuel pump (twice)
Oil Pump
CV boots (4 or 5 times)
Water pump (twice and this is not counting the ones replaced when doing timing belt)
Breather hose

And this is in a span of 10 years and 206 thousand miles

DSG is the Dual clutch transmission they are using now in most of the new models. No tq converter. Not as smooth on take off, because it's essentially an automated manual trans so very little parasitic loss in comparison to a normal auto.

 

[John_E]

In the US, the only wagon currently offered by VW/Audi is the Golf Sportwagen, which has 12 cu ft less cargo space than my B5 Passat wagon. The Volvo V60, Prius V, and BMW 3-series wagons likewise come up short in this department. My 2001 has always been garaged, and the (cloth -- yaa!) interior and the exterior paint are still in great shape, so if it were to develop a fatal engine or transmission problem, I would seriously contemplate spending $10K on an all-electric conversion, since, for us, the range per charge would not be a deal-killer. (We always rent a car for long road trips, so that any breakdowns enroute can be Hertz's problem, not ours.)

 

[Mikey319]

What is DSG?


If you spent $3K and als replaced everything before 90K miles then thats a horrible experience , my friend.

I'm at 206K miles right now and have replaced

Coolant phlange (3 times)
Coolant reservoir (twice)
Heater core
Fuel pump (twice)
Oil Pump
CV boots (4 or 5 times)
Water pump (twice and this is not counting the ones replaced when doing timing belt)
Breather hose

And this is in a span of 10 years and 206 thousand miles

It all failed at once unfortunately I am the fourth owner. the first two were very good with dealer maintenance, unfortunately, the third owner was not Me being the fourth owner brought it back to for the most part optimal running condition. I'm sure it needs a little bit more work, but nothing major or need of concern since I am not getting a check engine light anymore.

I have had done the timing belt, fan clutch and pulley, and water pump replaced

Alternator and serpentine belt replaced twice (one was refunded)

spark plugs at 80,000 before I bought the car thankfully.

both front axles

both flex pipes

air filter and fuel filter

oil change obviously lol

4 new tires

back brake pads put on

MAF Sensor and 1 oxygen sensor

it all fell apart so fast lol

 

[keithermadness]

2002 4 mo 127K. So far only maintenance, except for a speed sensor and power steering rack.

Hell I even have the stock windshield and CVs.

 

[Mikey319]

I have stock windshield. I would like a new one, it's hard to see when it's sunny from the micro holes from road debris :lol:

 

[Hirnbeiss]

DSG = Direkt
Schalt (shift)
Getriebe (transmission)

 

[zak99B5]

DSG = Direkt
Schalt (shift)
Getriebe (transmission)

Which is to say, an automated manual transmission. There are two clutches and two intermediate shafts with the gears on them. While you are in first taking off, second is already set to go on the second shaft, so the shift is almost instantaneous. And while you are in second, third is now ready to go back on that first shaft. Etc.

It can drive like an auto, and the gears can be selected manually. There is no torque converter, so you lose the traditional auto tranny's slop. But there also is no clutch pedal. I guess in slow parking lot driving it's not quite as smooth as a traditional auto.

 

[Intruder]

Well...

My mechanic found a hose that was peeing coolant all over the turbo thus causing the fumes. But he also found that my water pump was leaking (which i already suspected)

 

[pepsi71ocean]

I bought my vw and I started doing my own work on it. And now at 264,000 I just chipped it and it is my DD. But I also have a diesel truck as a back up. I do know your feeling however I have those days, but I just run around and buy parts for the vw and do it on PM' s when I can get the car down.

If I had to pay to fix things I would be broke by now. And even though I make more now then before, I have found that you need to do your own work because no one else will put the effort in to fix your stuff the right way. And that includes using the correct parts.

As a mechanic for 10 years who is self taught on diesels, gas and now learning on vw I have found that short cuts cost you more in the end. It sucks but that is what I have found.

 

[Intruder]

I bought my vw and I started doing my own work on it. And now at 264,000 I just chipped it and it is my DD. But I also have a diesel truck as a back up. I do know your feeling however I have those days, but I just run around and buy parts for the vw and do it on PM' s when I can get the car down.

If I had to pay to fix things I would be broke by now. And even though I make more now then before, I have found that you need to do your own work because no one else will put the effort in to fix your stuff the right way. And that includes using the correct parts.

As a mechanic for 10 years who is self taught on diesels, gas and now learning on vw I have found that short cuts cost you more in the end. It sucks but that is what I have found.

Oh i agree when it comes to doing things yourself.

Some things i have done myself. I have:

Oil changes
Replaced spark plugs
Replaced check valves
Replaced broken coolant tank
Replaced fuel filter

But im no mechanic. I leave the heavy lifting stuff such as timing belts and water pump and oil pump to the experts.