VW Passat (97, 98, 99, 00) - any good?

[nallac]

As in the title,

looking/thinking about getting the wifey a Passat.
Most within our price range $4-5k are 97,98ish the k's can vary between 140 to.. well,too much to buy. Most are around the 160-190 mark.
Either a 1.8T or 2.8? not sure yet,just need to find one we want,gotta spend my redundancy(well some of it) on some thing.

So what are they like?,any things to check/look for when test driving one.

Any horror storys?... wouldn't touch with a 40' barge pole etc?.

Any good storys?... opposite to above?

I know they can be pretty economical on the gogo juice.
A work mate had one(a few years back), loved it, but it was a low mileage example done under 100K, he paid $15k for it..



Or what about the Audi A4 of similar years?.................

[MisterD]

I had a '98 1.8T passat and a '00 A4 1.9TD Wagon but both brand new as company motors. I loved both to bits mind you, and they followed a 2.0 Bora (Jetta) which was great as well.

I never had any gripes about either motor in the time I drove them, they never skipped a beat. The Passat was a fantastic drive for single lane major roads, the in-gear acceleration in 2nd/3rd was brilliant for overtaking (which it did lots of on French N Roads with a boot full of vino). It could have done with a front splitter though, the steering got worryingly light at about 115-120mph

Being a rep, I did major mileage in both and even day-tripped the A4 from London to Edinburgh and back (800 miles / 1300 k's and 13 hrs+) I got out feeling human. It was totally planted at 90mph and felt like it could tool along at that speed all day...well in fact it pretty much did.

Disclaimer: My first car was a Mark II Golf 1.6GL (couldn't afford to insure the GTi) and I've been a VW/Audi fan ever since.Fark I loved the way that motor would cock the inside rear wheel round corners and give you a little squeak as it came down again

[scissorhands]

$1500 for a cambelt I believe!

Have to remove the whole front of the car I was told

Dont get a VW Polo of those years

[NZsarge]

Probably fine but as with any aged/moderate to higher milage euro vehicle i'd say don't buy it purely because of the fact that Japanese cars on average are more reliable and if anything goes wrong with it it'd most likely be exorbitant money to fix. Low milage younger Euros with a comprehensive and long warranty that's fine. I too am a big Audi/Vw fan but I would be reluctant to buy anything much over 5 years old, particularly if you were looking to hang on to it.
THE old man had an '08 VW Passat V6 bought with next to no k's on the clock, really nice to drive, live with etc.. Traded it on the latest VW V6 Passat CC, it's one hell of a swish car that one, stylish, economical if you drive it so, got a shit load of gadgets and it'll even parallel (steer) park itself! But had bought it with an extended 6 year unlimited milage warranty so it's cover 'till then, once that runs out I Hope he has the sense to drop it like a hot potato!

[avgas]

Volvo S80 would be my pick.
A majorly underrated car for the $5K you pay for one now.

Passats were gay up until about 05'

[rebel]

Good cars but do remember that they are over 10 years old so electronics will start to fail (as with any car), fuel pumps, afm, 02 sensors, etc etc. If you do end up with a Euro DO NOT buy (over priced) parts here, scope out ebay.co.uk and similar Euro based suppliers.
Another one to look at is the Volvo S70/V70/S80, very under rated cars and pretty strong. IMO Volvo make the best highway trucks in the world so that should say something.
I've recently bought a Peugeot 406 TDi for my mother, slow as fuck but can get over 1100km to 60 litres of diesel. These drive grouse and hold the road as good as a BMW. You may want to look into the later model 406 HDi, which can be had for around 6 grand. These will go forever with correct servicing.
Despite percieved brand prestige, remember these euros are Corollas, Civics, etc in Europe so I suppose we are hard done by. A lot of them are segment firsts in regards to bring innovative technology to the table, just compare any VW to its jappa or even euro alternative to see how far ahead VW really are, case in point the Golf.

[wysper]

Volvo S80 would be my pick.
A majorly underrated car for the $5K you pay for one now.

Passats were gay up until about 05'

yeah I would take one of those for 5k

[george formby]

I've got a 1.8 GT 1989, 260'000k's. Does not use oil, 7ltr /100k & goes like a cut cat. Cambelt etc cost me $300 at a local mechanics. Had to have brake cyclinders machined & new seals, $180, VW parts were $800 Rear gas struts from the States cost me $430 fitted.
A friend recently bought a Passat station wagon of similar vintage to what you are looking at. Still the same engine so it must be a good un & he really likes the car.

[jim.cox]

yeah I would take one of those for 5k

I probably should niot admit to it on a bikers' forum,

But we just picked up an ovloV V40 (1998 2.0T, 160k km) for a shade under 4 grand

[doc]

Or what about the Audi A4 of similar years?.................

Daughter got a 97 A4 couple of years ago for 10k done 35k beautiful car. Heavy on gas everything is oddball to fix. G'box died at 50k. They aren't good boxes, the g'box shop reckoned we would be back in another 50k.

She loves it tho ,
I think VW and Audi share the same motor and box .

[nallac]

$1500 for a cambelt I believe!

Have seen one on t/me saying that....
i'd do it myself...

Volvo S80 would be my pick.
A majorly underrated car for the $5K you pay for one now.

got a few on the watchlist already....wifey's not so keen on em

Good cars but do remember that they are over 10 years old so electronics will start to fail (as with any car), fuel pumps, afm, 02 sensors, etc etc. If you do end up with a Euro DO NOT buy (over priced) parts here, scope out ebay.co.uk and similar Euro based suppliers.
Another one to look at is the Volvo S70/V70/S80, very under rated cars and pretty strong. IMO Volvo make the best highway trucks in the world so that should say something.
I've recently bought a Peugeot 406 TDi for my mother, slow as fuck but can get over 1100km to 60 litres of diesel. These drive grouse and hold the road as good as a BMW. You may want to look into the later model 406 HDi, which can be had for around 6 grand. These will go forever with correct servicing.
.

I do realise that i buy a Euro it will most likely be more expensive to fix,and more likely to need it over a jappa...thems the breaks..i do ride a Buell after all...
so are well versed in fixing things and buying off the net over seas.

thought about a Pug..but everthing i've read about em is bad....well ,the older
highish miles ones we'd be looking at.

I probably should niot admit to it on a bikers' forum,

But we just picked up an ovloV V40 (1998 2.0T, 160k km) for a shade under 4 grand

Looking at em aswell, bloody nice cars for the money..
What sort of mileage do you get out of a tank?.Have you worked out the KPL?

Daughter got a 97 A4 couple of years ago for 10k done 35k beautiful car. Heavy on gas everything is oddball to fix. G'box died at 50k. They aren't good boxes, the g'box shop reckoned we would be back in another 50k.

She loves it tho ,
I think VW and Audi share the same motor and box .

Ouch sounds expensive....do you know what the damage$$$$ was?.

[piston broke]

what about a holden,
cheap as chips to buy and work on.
i've had my 93 v8 calais for 7 years now,
seriously i've done near 200k's,the only thing other than consumables has been a fuel pump (prob my fault for running it too low).
it is still goes sweetly.only 10-12l/100 k's .

[Edbear]

I had a '98 1.8T passat and a '00 A4 1.9TD Wagon but both brand new as company motors. I loved both to bits mind you, and they followed a 2.0 Bora (Jetta) which was great as well.

I never had any gripes about either motor in the time I drove them, they never skipped a beat. The Passat was a fantastic drive for single lane major roads, the in-gear acceleration in 2nd/3rd was brilliant for overtaking (which it did lots of on French N Roads with a boot full of vino). It could have done with a front splitter though, the steering got worryingly light at about 115-120mph

Being a rep, I did major mileage in both and even day-tripped the A4 from London to Edinburgh and back (800 miles / 1300 k's and 13 hrs+) I got out feeling human. It was totally planted at 90mph and felt like it could tool along at that speed all day...well in fact it pretty much did.

Disclaimer: My first car was a Mark II Golf 1.6GL (couldn't afford to insure the GTi) and I've been a VW/Audi fan ever since.Fark I loved the way that motor would cock the inside rear wheel round corners and give you a little squeak as it came down again

Daughter got a 97 A4 couple of years ago for 10k done 35k beautiful car. Heavy on gas everything is oddball to fix. G'box died at 50k. They aren't good boxes, the g'box shop reckoned we would be back in another 50k.

She loves it tho ,
I think VW and Audi share the same motor and box .

Audi A4 2.6V6 is a beautiful car to ride in! Mate had one and I was impressed with the build quality, comfort, ride and handling and the grunt is quite addictive. Hadn't heard about any gearbox issues, so I'd call an Audi dealer and chat to the workshop forman if I were looking at one.

If you ever need Euro parts, call Tim, (Classic Z), 09-424 0477.

[SMOKEU]

what about a holden,
cheap as chips to buy and work on.
i've had my 93 v8 calais for 7 years now,
seriously i've done near 200k's,the only thing other than consumables has been a fuel pump (prob my fault for running it too low).
it is still goes sweetly.only 10-12l/100 k's .

Do a skid for us.

[Indiana_Jones]

Sod a VW, this is what you want



-Indy