No. I probably would not buy Audi either.

Back in 98, B5 1.8T was a nice alternative to Camry, Accord or Maxima.
I still enjoy driving the B5 today.

I am planning to replace the car next year. Maybe even with one of the three I mentioned above.

 

I'd buy another one in a heartbeat. I bought my 99 B5 used and my 04.5 B5.5 new and I had some typical things on the 99 come up but nothing, and I mean NOTHING, on the 04.5.


I haven't looked to see if the Galant is truly safer in a side impact than a Galant, which I find hard to believe, but I knw for a FACT that the Galant isn't any more reliable. Mitsubishi has been lying about reliability and safety for YEARS.

 

It would be hard to say. If VW improved their customer service, then maybe. But most likely, I'd buy BWM next time around. I love the M3 or M5.

 

I have a 99 GLS V6 5 Spd.
absolutely, I'd buy another.

 

It would be hard to say. If VW improved their customer service, then maybe. But most likely, I'd buy BWM next time around. I love the M3 or M5.

what is a BWM??? oke: oke: oke:

 

I think instead of worry how the passat will hold in a side impact crash, you should worry how your driving skills are

anyways, i would buy a passat again if the newer models prove to be more relaiable

 

If I wanted a sedan, I would take a hard look at Honda Accord or Toyota Camry, but when each of these otherwise exemplary companies discontinued its wagons several years ago, I struck it from my shopping list. After 5-1/2 years and 35k mi / 55k km of suburban "severe service" driving, I am still very happy with my 2001 Passat wagon, but having cam seals and vacuum hoses fail at the 4-year mark and a CV boot tear at the 5-year mark admittedly does not inspire confidence. (Does VW use good material in ANY of its rubber parts?) To its credit, much-maligned VWoA did cover my cam seal fisasco, without trying to use my DIY oil changes as a warranty exit strategy.

To answer the original question, I plan to keep my Passat another decade. However, if I needed to replace it right now, I would consider a B5.5 wagon with impeccable service records. I would avoid the B6 at least until the first-year bugs are worked out, and even then, I dislike the new gimmicks, such as the electronic parking brake and the completely keyless entry, the new size (too big; the B5/B5.5 was spot-on perfect), and the new styling (too bad; the Bauhaus simplicity of the exterior lines was part of the B5's original appeal to my artist wife).

 

i'd consider it, but since the b6 doesn't have dsg (at least not the us-spec), then it's a no-go.

 

what is a BWM??? oke: oke: oke:

I guess you've never had a typo, pokey. And I would hope you could decipher what I really meant anyway.oke: oke: oke:

BMW

 

If VW improved their customer service........., .

The very fact that VW has not and will not improve CS is one of the reasons I would not buy another VW. The other, terrible component quality, ie. electronics and suspension.

 

You bought a car with high milage - what did you expect?
Not to mention Mitsubishi is crap, though the EVO VIII and IX get good marks performance wise.

 

To get mine, you would have to pry my cold dead fingers from the steering wheel.

 

id buy another passat again... but not a used one, or atleast a used one with over 40k miles.

I bought mine at 63k miles... which I later figured out was a time when things need to be replaced. However, it seems like after i replace a bunch of things, the car will be also like new again... respectivly.

plus, working on the car and diagnosing some issues is a learning experience and can be fun. (though the fun of diagnosing vaccum leaks if long gone...)

 

In spite of the fact that my '98 has been a repair-whore, I'd still say yes. Knowing what I know now, I would still buy this car again. For the money it's been a whole lot more car than any Camry, Accord or Legacy. Almost every car I've ridden since buying my B5 in '01 has felt downright cheap compared to it. The one exception was an A4, which just proves my point!

That said, I have gotten a bit sick of having to learn how to fix so many different things, the piss-poor service I have gotten from VW stealerships, and all the weird quirks (oil filter that's hard to change, "maintenance free" transmission fluid that's not actually maintenance free, keys that are hard to duplicate...) As much as I love working on cars, I'll consider buying something at least a bit lower-maintenance next time round. Maybe I'll save up for a Lexus.

 

Oh hell yes. I got mine for $6900 with 63k. It was either this or shitass civics or sentras. I wouldn't change anything except I'd skip class on January 20th, 2006.

 

I almost got a Honda Accord 2 1/2 years ago but I bought my Passat with about 46k on the dash. Plus its the first car I ever bought, I'll buy another one in a heartbeat!

 

Hey Sal29,

do they gots a 178 mph chip for dat sweet ryde galant so u can beat up on dem Z06's? yo.. on the salt flats of course, right.

oke:

 

Id definatly keep mine, I have big big plans for this car over the next year. I already have a g2 charger, coilovers and schmidts come this winter. Right now being that its a 00 and it does need some prevenative matinence and stuff, im focusing on that. Ive only ever owned vws, and Ill probably stick with them ( or someother vag related auto):beer:

 

would (did) and would again.

'02 variant - totalled @ 50K
'00 variant - purchased w/ 66K about 1 year later

i think my next one will be the most recent MY i could afford before the B6, depending on when i need a new(er) car. demanding a wagon certainly narrows the field, and i doubt i'd buy one if i were looking for a sedan.

a.s.

 

There is no doubt Passat provides excellent "value", afterall I kept my B5 for 8 years despite numerous mechanical problems & customer services issues.

Last year, when it was time to replace our other car (94 Mazda MX6), we considered a B6 long & hard, but decided to get a new Acura TSX.

Perhaps if I was "handy" enough to do the service on my own (as many people on this board) I would consider getting a new Passat again.

I just hope that my B5 will eventually end up with a B5 enthusiast because he/she will also inherit a vag-com cable & bentley manual.

 

I bought my 2002 Passat 1.8T with 77K plus miles on it in late August 2004 for $12,995, about 14.5k after interest.
If I was buying a car today instead of 2004, I'd have bought a used 2005 Mitsubishi Galant instead. It's because the Galant is actually even safer, and far far more reliable. It's much uglier than the Passat though, but beggers can't be chooser. The really safe reliable cars like the Lexus ES 300, Saab 9-3, and Acura TSX were way out of my range even with tons of miles used.
I was going to get a Volvo S80, but my dad didn't agree to cosign on it, so I ended up getting the Passat. I just wish the B 5.5 Passat had just a bit more protection in side impacts. The Passat's still safer than 99% of cars out there, but the reliability is HORRIBLE even though it's supposed to be average.
I've spent THOUSANDS on it in just less than 2 years.

Actually the Passat was rated as being the 3rd safest sedan out of the 2000-2002 data compiled by number of fatalities by each new car of those years. The study ranked the MB E320, 4Runner, and Passat as 1,2,3. This includes single, multiple, and rollover crashes. The reason why this is more important than lab tests is because it tends to imply that with all the safety features within a car, the driver and all its interactions that the Passat handled exemptionally well. I'll link when I get a chance to the article. It's very extensive and I think done by the IIHS based on real life data and fataility data from these accidents per "million miles driven or registered" or something like that.

 

In short version: in a heartbeat.

 

Yes, I was aware of that, but one of the major reasons for that must have been that it was one of the few cars that had STANDARD side impact airbag head protection for both rows, and side impact torso protection for the front row.
The B5 and B5.5 are EXCELLENT in front crashes no doubt, they they're only 4 stars in side impacts. Now many more cars have standard side impact protection. The 2005 Galant is an excellent performer if you look at the IIHS and NHTSA crash tests. I would put it ahead off the B5 and B5.5 especially in side impacts. That being said, the B5.5 is still one of the safest cars on the road, it's just that they're making more safe cars since that data was released.

Actually the Passat was rated as being the 3rd safest sedan out of the 2000-2002 data compiled by number of fatalities by each new car of those years. The study ranked the MB E320, 4Runner, and Passat as 1,2,3. This includes single, multiple, and rollover crashes. The reason why this is more important than lab tests is because it tends to imply that with all the safety features within a car, the driver and all its interactions that the Passat handled exemptionally well. I'll link when I get a chance to the article. It's very extensive and I think done by the IIHS based on real life data and fataility data from these accidents per "million miles driven or registered" or something like that.

 

Hey Sal29,

do they gots a 178 mph chip for dat sweet ryde galant so u can beat up on dem Z06's? yo.. on the salt flats of course, right.

oke:

lol i remember that thread:lol:

sal29... for someone who is obsest safty(this thread) you sure talk a lot about passats beating z06's and top speed runs(everything else you ever posted) doesnt make any senseoke:

you bought a european car... its just as reliable as anything else if you take care of it, sure it costs a little more to maintain..deal with it:hmmm: iv spent THOUSANDS on mine in 8 months.. whats ur point? gotta pay to play.

and YES id buy another passat:thumbup: they are great cars.

 

I kinda miss my Passat... it had a lot of character.

I don't miss the looming threat of "timing belt... coilpacks... suspension... oh god, not my ABS module..."