Road Tests: Long-Term Test

Introduction
Buying Experience
Engine Performance
Transmission and Clutch
Ride and Handling
Seats and Interior
Cupholders
Styling
Stereo
Summing Up
The Selling Experience
Problem History
Dealer Service Reviews
Consumer Commentary

Introduction
By now, most consumers have heard about the VW Passat that has been cleaning up at awards ceremonies for the past few years. The sedan won our 2002 Premium Family Sedan Comparison Test and our 2000 Family Sedan Comparison Test the year before that. But two years ago, before the fervor began, the editors at Edmunds.com came up with a new take on long-term testing. They decided to see how a used Passat — OK, pre-owned — would perform under VW's certified program.

Buying Experience
Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed went in search of a suitable candidate and found a silver 1999 Passat GLS with 19,000 miles on it for $19,775. For that price, we got a turbocharged, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine equipped with a five-speed manual. Optional features included black leather upholstery, heated seats, alloy wheels, a power sunroof and a dealer-installed trunk-mounted six-disc CD changer. The only aftermarket addition to our car was dark-tinted windows.

Volkswagen certifies clean used cars that are less than five years old and with less than 75,000 miles on the clock by putting them through a 112-point inspection of all major systems. If anything is found amiss, it is repaired or replaced, with the goal of bringing the vehicle as close to "as new" condition as possible. Then, a limited two-year/24,000-mile warranty is added to the mix that covers, among other things, the powertrain, electrical system and air conditioning. Finally, 24-hour roadside assistance is provided for two years to ensure added peace of mind.

Now, two years later, we have mostly praise for the Passat. We put it through its paces, taking family trips across the West, sprinting around Los Angeles, commuting through the rain and using it for a night on the town. It was much more than just a reliable steed; it awakened our senses to the pleasure of driving while appealing to our sensible side.

So here are the vital statistics: we drove the Passat for about 35,000 miles. It overheated once (the engine temperature sensor was replaced under warranty). It cost $1,444 in maintenance and parts (about $600 of which went toward tires). It averaged 25.1 miles per gallon while running on premium fuel. We got it for $19,000 and sold it to a friend for the under-market price of $13,560.

Engine Performance
One aspect of the Passat we were eager to evaluate was the 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine which rated at 150 horsepower with 155 pound-feet of torque (1,750 to 4,600 rpm). The consensus was that between the turbocharging and the highly refined quality of the power plant, the four-cylinder would be adequate, even enjoyable.

Erin Riches, road test editor, fell in love with the Passat V6 during a family sedan comparison test. Understandably she was anxious to compare the six to the four in our long-termer. The verdict on the 1.8 turbo with a manual? "After driving it," Riches noted, "I realized that if I ever purchase a Passat, there will be no need to spring for the V6, because the 1.8T offers plenty of power."

On the same subject, Editor in Chief Karl Brauer wrote: "I think it's very cool that, for once, the base engine in a given model is actually fully capable of propelling the car while not consistently reminding the driver that he or she bought the 'cheap' or 'base' model. The 1.8T in our Passat is no rocket, but it has enough authority to scoot through L.A. traffic and easily merge at freeway speeds. Careful gear selection and clutch operation can almost neutralize lag, and once the car's rolling it never feels slow."

Senior Road Test Editor Brent Romans, another writer to get several months' worth of seat time, was a big fan of the engine. "You know how Nissan touts the Maxima's V6 in ads as one of the world's 10 best engines according to Ward's Auto World? Well, the VW 1.8 turbo is one of the world's best four-cylinder engines according to 'Brent's World.' The low-end torque is what I love best. You don't expect a four-cylinder in a family sedan to have any grunt. But thanks to the quick-spooling turbo, the 155 pound-feet torque peak starts at 1,750 rpm and stays there until 4,600 rpm. Around town, I can maximize fuel economy by shifting early and using a wide throttle opening."

John DiPietro, another road test editor, commented, "[The Passat had] great power delivery characteristics for a small-displacement, turbocharged four, an engine architecture that usually results in a peaky power curve that's dead down low. This little jewel manages to produce plenty of grunt at low rpm (peak torque is reached at under 1,800 rpm) yet doesn't run out of breath as you wind it out."

Transmission and Clutch
One of the more talked about features of the Passat was the engagement of the clutch. When buying the Passat, Phil noticed that many of the used models he drove had a very high engagement point in the clutch. He concluded that this was indigenous to all Passats and was even told by a VW mechanic that, since the clutch is hydraulic, the engagement point can't be adjusted. However, many of our car's drivers felt that the clutch was worn and would need replacement. Over the two years of service the car provided, we never replaced the clutch and it didn't seem to get any worse.

Aside from that, the transmission drew mainly favorable reviews. One editor thought the clutch was the only weak spot in the drivetrain. He wrote: "The clutch, I believe, is worn. The pedal moves too far off of the floor before engagement begins, and then it engages too abruptly. So abruptly, in fact, that I found myself squealing the front tires several times when I first got into the car. The combination of turbo power and late clutch take-up made it tough to get a smooth launch from a dead stop at first. I immediately had my suspicions of clutch wear, but a quick trip in our LT Celica confirmed it when, by comparison, the Toyota's clutch was progressive and easily modulated. The situation is not dire, and if I owned the car I would probably continue to hold out for a while, but a new clutch would improve the car's drivability."

Another editor called the transmission's shifter "floppy and imprecise, exhibiting rubbery gear engagement." However, the same editor said that clutch take-up was easy to modulate, but advised "you've gotta be careful with revs or the front tires break loose."

Still another staffer wrote: "The clutch and shifter are exceptionally easy to use; although, I could certainly do without the 'last-minute' clutch engagement (by the time the pedal is this high, I want to be done with it already). I don't really like the feel of the shifter; the shifter doesn't feel heavy enough in your hand and seems loose and imprecise, not so much so that it's easy to pick the wrong gear, but to the extent that you're never sure exactly where you're going to put the shifter (i.e., you want third gear, so you push the floppy ball straight toward the center stack and somehow it goes in). While these issues are minor, they would be simple to revise and thereby enhance the rest of the package."

Ride and Handling
Much of the debate about our Passat's handling revolved around the firmness of the springs and shocks. Some drivers felt it was too soft for performance driving. Others felt it was a bit harsh at times. Then some others said it was too soft but later reversed their opinion. On balance, the comments indicated the VW was great for freeway driving but a bit loose in the twisties.

One editor wrote that the softly suspended Passat soaked up low-speed road irregularities "like Bounty does spilled coffee, but harsher bumps taken at speed shudder the cabin and give the driver the impression that a wheel may be loose."

Miles Cook, road test editor, wrote that the ride quality was perfect. But Senior Road Test Editor Brent Romans flatly contradicted him. "The suspension is in need of improvement — it's too soft for me. I realize this is a family sedan, but I think firmer springs and shocks wouldn't hurt ride quality much while drastically improving the handling response of this car."

Initially, Riches claimed she felt disconnected from the road. "I want a little more road feel and a little less cush under my tush." Ouch. But then later she wrote: "Despite my earlier misgivings, I've come to appreciate the Passat's suspension tuning. It's supposed to provide a smooth ride, supposed to keep your passengers happy. (And this is OK, since the Passat is a relatively large car — family sedan-size anyway — that will seat four quite comfortably.) But it is also fun to drive. The suspension is firm and responsive, particularly for a car this size — and there is no excess wallow. Steering response is excellent, and the wheel has optimal weighting."

John DiPietro, road test editor, chimed in with this entry: "The suspension calibrations strike an ideal balance between sporty handling and a plush ride." But Liz Kim, another road test editor, disagreed, observing that the struts were too flaccid during stops, with nose dive reverberating throughout the cabin for several seconds after braking.

Seats and Interior
The seats in the Passat were another controversial feature. Some editors were passionate in their dislike of the accommodations while others mainly opposed the rotary adjustment knob which was hard to reach.

The strongest opinion came from Brent after he returned from a two-day drive to Denver: "I HATED HATED HATED the front seats. They were, by far, the most uncomfortable seats I've ever sat in for a long-distance trip. They were too hard and not properly contoured. I had constant neck and upper back pain, and later, butt pain."

Ed felt that the seats were fine but, the adjustment could use an overhaul. "The rotary adjuster for the seat back is just awful. I nearly tore my watch off every time I had to jam my hand in between the seat and the door jamb to make an adjustment. How they came to the conclusion that this device was better than just a simple spring-loaded lever is beyond me."

Associate Editor Erin Mahoney scribbled, "The front seats aren't very comfortable; there's not enough contouring," and added that the "seats just need more support."

Another editor commented that the driver seat is comfortable, but somewhat flat with a shorter cushion than he'd like. More lateral support would also be nice, he noted.

Moving on to other interior features, Karl wrote that the interior materials were quite attractive. "I also appreciate the upscale touches like the articulating headrests, fat steering wheel rim and soft-touch plastic everywhere."

Editors universally lauded the gauge lights. One wrote: "The purple and red manages to be both cool-looking and effective (how often can you say that about a vehicle's interior design?). I don't tend to be a big believer in DRLs, but I found myself turning on the headlights for the slightest reason ('Hey, the sun just went behind a cloud, better flip on the lights') just to see the glowing red needles. Volkswagen claims this style of gauge lighting increases the cluster's visibility and thus the car's safety, meaning they are cool, functional, and safe."

One feature everyone liked was the "spin and set" sunroof dial, located properly above the driver on an overhead panel along with the dome lights. Just spin the dial around to the function you want the sunroof to perform, and it does the rest automatically. Closing the roof is just as simple; spin the dial and watch the Passat do its trick. One-touch up-down operation on the front window was another unexpected feature that everyone praised.

Cupholders
Yes, we are devoting a whole category just to cupholders. First of all, as cars get better, consumers become more concerned with smaller details. Furthermore, our long-termer's cupholders drew the wrath of just about everyone on the staff. One person called them "useless," another said they sucked and one editor observed that "when I shift into fifth, I punch my cup of coffee." The flimsy spring-loaded rack pops out of the dashboard, above the radio, blocking the power point.

A bright note was sounded when Volkswagen redesigned the Passat's cupholders in a 2001.5 freshening. Gone is the flimsy plastic shelf that deploys from the top of the center stack on our long-term car. VW switched to a BMW-like cupholder that conveniently resides in the center console and features spring-loaded tabs to hold drinks securely.

Styling
Redesigned for 1999, the Passat's looks were generally praised by the editors. Here are a few of their observations.

"The first impression any vehicle makes is associated with the look of the exterior design as you walk up to it for the first time," said Road Test Coordinator Neil Chirico. "I think the Passat is stylish, exhibiting an understated elegance."

Another area of exterior design that garnered some logbook entries pertained to the seven-spoke factory alloy wheels. Brent Romans commented by saying that our attractive Passat "would look even better with aftermarket wheels." Chirico also noted that the wheels don't seem to fit with the rest of the exterior design, but could not put his finger on exactly why. "Maybe they look too chunky against the smooth aerodynamic shell?"

Liz, a style cop of sorts, wrote: "Yes, the sleek, mellifluous lines of the VW were charming. I think the overall shape of the car looks like a Dove Bar." She especially liked the harmonious and unified look of the side windows that run along the profile of the car, a confluence of unbroken lines with no jarring or discordant edges. She's usually not a fan of the ubiquitous silver hue pervading the roadways, but the slightly pearly, milky sheen of our long-term vehicle earned her approval. She praised its monotone bumper, and surmised that, while the 2001.5 New Passat is a handsome car, it doesn't quite carry over the wave-smoothened sea-glass allure of the outgoing model.

Stereo
Scott Memmer, tech editor and avowed audiophile, wrote about the system in the 2000 Family Car Comparison Test, which he rated highly. He liked the system in our long-term vehicle a lot. However, there were a few problems he noticed, including the fact that the CD player in the trunk was very inconvenient.

For one, FM reception was poor. Second, Scott struggled to use the controls on the radio. The number six preset has a very flat, unresponsive feel to it due to a spilled soda. The overall appeal of the faceplate was less than ideal, he felt. The system sounded great, but the head unit needs to go back to User-Friendly School. Another editor also commented on the tiny radio buttons and complained that he had to take his eyes off the road too long to switch from FM to AM or to hit the oddly placed power button.

Summing Up
The Passat has transported our staff members around Southern California for over two years, inspiring our scribes to pen parting impressions about this car. Here are a few of their thoughts.

Phil, our consumer advice editor, tried to summarize his feelings during his last stint behind the Passat's wheel. "I often find myself surprised by the quality of the Passat's workmanship and the number of thoughtful features. In the Passat, my expectations are usually exceeded. In other cars, when I look below the surface, I am often disappointed by poor build and materials quality and the cost-cutting."

Erin was equally fond of the Passat and observed, "Other midsize sedans may be faster or cheaper, but none are as thoughtfully engineered or as thoughtfully furnished as this VW. I get the impression that VW's design team actually cared whether customers would enjoy driving and spending time in this car."

Another wag was moved to write: "This is a car that awakens dormant feelings of driving excitement. This is a car that makes you look for openings in traffic even if it won't really get you there sooner. This is a car that connects you with the road. This is a car that delivers both performance and economy. You are getting the thrill of a German driving experience without having to pay for the name. Unless you must have a three-pointed star or a blue and white propeller on the hood of your car, get a loaded Passat. You'll get fewer speeding tickets and avoid making pretentious friends."

Another budget-minded writer offered this opinion: "Basically, this is the type of car I would buy if I had to spend my own money. It's not very expensive, yet the interior materials, performance, ride quality, roominess and exterior styling make it feel like a premium automobile. In fact, an argument could be made that Audis are an exercise in redundancy (or even expensive redundancy) now that Volkswagen has upped the content of its models in the last few years."

Karl felt that the Passat is one of the better values on the market. In his words, "The Accord may be the best-selling car in America, with the Camry coming in a close second, but the Passat should be the benchmark sedan for Americans. I'm sure it would be if more people knew what they were missing. The lack of compromises when driving this vehicle, combined with its exceptional feature content and value, makes this the modern-day people's car."

Finally, one editor made this prediction: "If the clutch continues to hold up, and no additional rattles rear their ugly heads, our long-term Passat may go down as one of our all-time favorites."

The Selling Experience
Few cars have held their lines and their appeal as well as the Passat. And few have held their value as well, either. Checking the True Market Value (TMV®) of the Passat, we found it was worth about $15,300 at the time the lease expired in September 2002. Since it was leased for two years previously at a price of $19,775, theoretically, it would have cost only $4,475 (plus a multitude of fees) to drive the car for two fun-filled years.

We found we could buy the Passat for only $12,560. VW's financial arm was very easy to deal with and allowed us to purchase the car for that price and deal with the sales tax issue on our own. By the time we received the title, however, we became aware that the used car market was plummeting. When a friend stepped forward we went for a quick sale at $13,560, well below the market value. Therefore, it's somewhat unknown what the Passat would have brought on the open market.

Problem History
Scott had an overheating problem with the Passat this month. Scott started the car one morning at 6:00 a.m. — his usual departure time for commuting into the office — when he noticed a warning light on the dash. The light indicated a problem with the cooling system. Our technical editor let the car idle for a few minutes, checking the temperature gauge and other meters, and eventually the light went out. He drove the car without incident, making one stop on his way into the office. After the stop, the warning light came on again, but, as before, went off after a few minutes. Then, after driving several more miles, it blazed on with a vengeance, bells and whistles going off in the cabin like a Chernobyl rerun. Scott was able to admit the Passat at Santa Monica Volkswagen, right around the corner from our editorial offices, where it underwent open-hood surgery.

It was a minor procedure — a sensor that, according to the service writer, "tricked the car into thinking it was overheating."

Dealer Service Reviews
Santa Monica Volkswagen, Santa Monica, Calif.

25,000-mile service
Our editor reported on the first service visit on our pre-owned Passat: "I knew there was a VW dealership near our office, but I didn't know the phone number to schedule the service. I used the national VW Web site to locate the dealer and get the phone number. I called Santa Monica VW. It took a long time to reach the operator, and then the service department never answered the phone after about 15 rings. Not a good experience so far. Then I saw on the Web that Santa Monica VW had its own site. After clicking there, I saw that the dealership had an option to schedule service on-line. It sounded interesting, so I gave it a shot.

"The on-line form requested the basic stuff, such as the type of car, type of service needed and what day I would like to have it done. One issue I had was that the on-line form only allowed appointments to be scheduled at least one week out. If you want something sooner, you'll need to call, I guess. The VIN was an optional field. I requested that e-mail be my form of communication with the dealership. The dealership called back the next day. The woman calling from the dealership said she didn't have access to e-mail. Regardless, she confirmed my appointment and told me who my service advisor would be.

"I showed up at the dealership about one hour late for the appointment. I had to wait about 15 minutes to talk to my service advisor, as he was busy with other customers. Once in his office, the process of entering our Passat into the dealership's records was straightforward. It was actually pretty interesting. Even though our car had never been to this dealership before, the VW database had information about the car's service history from the original Capistrano dealership where we bought the car.

"I left the Passat and the service advisor said the car would be ready that afternoon. When he called that day, he informed me that the technician had noticed that the oil cooler's seal and gasket were leaking, and that they had been replaced under warranty. I picked up the Passat, and everything went smoothly. I think that the dealership might have caught on that I worked for Edmunds.com, though. The service manager called the next day just to make sure that everything went OK. That was very nice, but it seemed that he was being overly nice for something as simple as an oil change."

30,000-mile service
Liz Kim took the Passat in for service at the Santa Monica Volkswagen where a courteous service advisor processed the paperwork. She also asked them to look at the brakes, which sometimes squeal, as well as the clutch that seems worn out, as it engages only at the top of pedal travel. The service advisors concluded that all was as it should be, and performed the scheduled maintenance. They took their sweet time, though; the appointment was at 9:30 a.m., and she didn't receive a call until 5:45 p.m. By then she had gone home and the Passat had to be picked up the following day.

35,000-mile service
This time around, we didn't even need an appointment at Volkswagen of Santa Monica for its oil change and inspection service. But the oil-and-filter change was performed along with a filling of the washer fluid. The tire pressures were set and the oil-pan bolts were also retorqued. We were on our way out of the shop after three hours. The total cost for the service work was an impressively low $34.43. If a dealership experience is any more painless than that, we'd sure like to hear about it.

The only issue that concerned us a little bit this month was the chime that sounded along with the brake light coming on. According to the owner's manual, this meant the brake system master cylinder was low on brake fluid. We checked the reservoir and noted that it was at the "min" (minimum) level. Topping off the fluid to the full mark solved the issue and we were on our way.

40,000-mile service
Our editor reported that he began this visit by taking a look at the owner's manual to see what is and isn't listed for the car's service. We saw that the Passat would require the following at this juncture of its life: oil change and filter, tire rotation (if needed), replacement of air filter and spark plugs and an inspection (and adjustment if applicable) of the timing belt, exhaust system, brakes, drive shaft boots and V-belt. Lastly, the level of various vital fluids was checked, including coolant, manual transmission oil and power steering fluid.

During the inspection portion of the service, everything checked out fine. It was determined that the front brake pads were looking a bit thin (down to two millimeters!), so we OK'd a front brake job. When all was said and done, the total came to $341.83, not including tax, of which $202.39 was for the brake job.

Scrutinizing the bill, we saw that the dealership's technicians had determined that neither air filter replacement (our car has a washable aftermarket filter) nor tire rotation was needed. We also discovered that the spark plugs were nearly $9 each and that the brake pads cost an astounding $135.19! When we last checked, our Passat didn't have the exotic braking system featured on Porsche's new 911 GT2. Seems the car dealers have to make up for all those skinny deals done on the showroom floor somehow. As expected, the service personnel were cheerful and prompt.

45,000-mile service
The 45,000-mile service amounts to an oil change and a series of basic mechanical checks. Our editor received an e-mail confirmation of his appointment date and time, and arrived at the dealership at the appointed hour, having forgotten the name of the supervisor with whom the visit had been scheduled.

No worries, as no fewer than four service advisors approached him in the first five minutes he was on the service drive, asking if he'd been helped and if there was anything they could do.

Unfortunately, a bug in the on-line scheduling system kept our editor's name off the list of appointments for the day. Nevertheless, the staff made up for this snafu by promptly bringing the car into the service bay without an officially recorded appointment. An hour after dropping off the car, he received a call about the rear brakes, which had worn to 2mm of thickness. He ordered the brake job, and by noon (three hours laterr), the Passat was ready and waiting. They'd even washed it for him. The cashier had the paperwork handy when our editor arrived to pick up the car, processed the bill quickly, and the Passat appeared on the service drive at the same time he stepped out of the cashier's office. Of the service experience at Santa Monica Volkswagen, he wrote in the logbook: "This was the easiest, quickest and most enjoyable service experience I've had in a long time. Santa Monica VW will seemingly bend over backward to please the customer, and that makes me want to return time and time again. Wonderful service experience. I highly recommend this dealership." The cost for the oil change and rear brakes was $218.29.

50,000-mile service

Our VW's maintenance schedule is a bit unusual compared with those of other cars — it requires an oil change every 5,000 miles and an extensive battery of inspections and services every 12 months. Noting that the Passat had received its 12-month service in late August 2001, Erin Riches realized that only an oil change would be needed this time. Further, since the car's Michelin Pilots are only about 5,000 miles old, it wouldn't be necessary to rotate the tires, either.

We did have a couple of repair issues for our VW dealership to investigate, though: First, the right brake light hadn't worked since last November; having confirmed that the bulb is still good, editors were convinced that we had a wiring problem. Second, although our Passat's clutch has always engaged high in the pedal travel (likely due to a combination of design and clutch wear from the previous owner), some of us, like Senior Editor Christian Wardlaw, feel that it has started to engage later and later in the cycle, making it irritatingly easy to overwork the clutch on inclines — which can result in bouts of gear slippage. Erin hadn't found the clutch bothersome, but at Wardlaw's urging, she decided to have Santa Monica Volkswagen check this out.

Our road test editor called to make an appointment about a week in advance. When she arrived at the dealership, the service drive was crowded with blonde Golf and Jetta drivers and their cars, and it took Erin a few minutes to locate her assigned service advisor, J.D. She waited another five minutes while he finished up with another customer. He then greeted Erin pleasantly and carefully typed up the services she wanted. When our editor explained why only an oil change was necessary at this time, J.D. didn't pressure her to do more for the Passat.

As she was telling him that there might a wiring problem with the right brake light, J.D. pulled out a VW bulb and suggested that sometimes a bulb's metal contact point gets worn down (even when the bulb itself is still good), rendering a lighting element non-operational. At this point, Erin probably could have asked to him to cross that item off the service receipt and purchased new bulbs from the dealership's parts department. As it turned out, had she opted to do this, she would have saved $13.20 in labor charges — technicians did find worn contact points on two of the Passat's bulbs (they were only making intermittent contact with the wiring), and according to our service receipt, the bulbs retail for $2.46 in the parts department.

Since the VW dealership is located close to our office, Erin left the Passat in J.D.'s care and walked back to work. Later in the afternoon, J.D. called our editor with some interesting news. He wanted to know where we'd had our last oil change performed. It seems that someone had put the oil filter on so tight that when the technician pulled it off, the oil cooler came with it. This fiasco had necessitated the reinstallation of the oil cooler with a new seal, which cost $45. Erin assured J.D. that the Passat's last oil change had occurred at this dealership at the 45,000-mile interval. He seemed relieved and told her that this would probably be enough cause for the dealership to pick up the bill for the new oil seal (had this occurred at the hands of the Jiffy Lube staff, he said, we definitely would have been out of luck).

J.D. also gave Erin the lowdown on the clutch. A service technician had road tested the Passat, and while he hadn't gotten the clutch to slip (neither had Erin), he did agree that the clutch engagement was quite high in the pedal travel. Unfortunately, since the Passat has a hydraulic clutch, no adjustments can be made — you simply have to replace the whole thing. While J.D. didn't think it was necessary to have the repair done right now, he gave us a quote for the entire job in case we wanted it later — $1,075! Suffice it to say that our Passat will not be getting a new clutch before the end of the lease, and even if that weren't the case, we'd definitely shop around before forking over that much cash.

Within 15 minutes or so, Erin received another call from J.D., who told her that Santa Monica VW would indeed foot the bill for the new oil seal and that she could come pick up the Passat. When she arrived, she paid the bill for $44.71 and had to wait only a minute or so while the Passat was transported to the service drive. Overall, it was a positive service experience, given the reasonable charge for the oil change ($24.99) and the fast turnaround — in by 11:30 a.m., out by 4 p.m.

Consumer Commentary
"I purchased a '99 Passat variant five-speed nine months ago. I am smitten by its 'fun to drive' demeanor. I first saw the B5 platform in a spy shot in a 1997 European Car magazine, and I waited to find a used one off lease and dealer certified. I love the cargo space of the wagon, and its wolf in sheep's clothing performance." — Malcolm S. Freeman, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

"My wife and I bought new in February 1999 our '99 VW Passat GLS V6 automatic (Tiptronic). The options we selected were the sunroof package and a dealer-installed spoiler. It's been a very good car overall, and one we'd buy again — no regrets. Ultimately, saw it as an opportunity to own the essentials of an Audi A4/A6 at a VW price, and that's pretty much what we got. It is also a car that impresses others, although we didn't factor that in because we actually weren't sure at the time of purchase if others would like it or hate it. Its looks are unique (or were, before Nissan aped it with the new Altima) and the car has very usable space for people and cargo." — Matthew Miller, Houston, Texas

"We purchased our Passat in June of this year. Like your tester it has the turbo 1.8-liter engine, but we opted for the automatic to help with my wife's stop-and-go commute here in wonderful Chicago traffic. Options included in the car are the sunroof and alloy wheel package and six-disc changer (trunk mounted). Needless to say my wife fell in love when she first sat in it. I really did, too. I couldn't believe the quality and comfort. We test drove a brand-new 2002. But, I asked the salesman what they had on the lot in certified used Passats. He took me out to the lot and there it was, a 1999 model with only 8,900 miles on it. I couldn't believe the mileage. Got a Carfax report and it checked out. We purchased it the next day.

"The buying experience was superb overall. The salesman and sales manager treated my wife and me with class. We negotiated a fair price below TMV at $16,200. The overall time spent buying the car was about four hours. They needed time to prep the car and it was a Saturday.

"Thankfully the problems have been nothing major and have been covered by our certified used warranty. But it has been a lot of little things. Ranging from a blown radio antenna module, blown disc changer, brake light short circuit, new ignition cowl, broken power window switch, etc. Just a lot of annoying trips to the VW dealer with poor customer service. Almost every time we brought the car in for repair we had to bring it back again because either they didn't fix the problem properly or we had another problem. I have read that VWs have a lot of electrical problems. This has really made me nervous for when the warranty runs out. These cars are very expensive to repair and I unfortunately cannot work on them like I did with my 1982 Camaro Z28. They are just way too complicated, even for the dealer it seems like.

"Well, I'm hoping now all of the problems are done and I really can begin to enjoy the car even more." — Brandt Brown, Oak Park, Ill.

"I just wanted to let you know that I love my Passat Wagon. The only real problem I had was all the interior trim around the windows fell in on me in hot weather and, after numerous tries at self-repair, I had to pay an upholsterer to reaffix it. Other than that, the maintenance difficulties I've had were caused by the ineffectual dealers or oil change 'specialists' (who didn't know how to replace the skid plate properly, so I need a new one). The only thing I would change on the car is the gas mileage and need for premium grade gasoline. Overall, the car costs about twice as much to maintain and drive as my previous car, a Honda. The Passat Wagon is super comfortable, a great ride and my 90-pound Akita loves having the entire back of the vehicle to herself. Also, I've amazed friends as to the items I've managed to fit in the back — such as a huge antique oak school desk, patio furniture and a daybed. The cargo space is deceivingly large." — Jennifer Root, Los Angeles, Calif.

"I own a '99 Passat GLS wagon with the 1.8T and Tiptronic five-speed auto. I am a realtor and a parent and am in and out of the car several times every day. The Passat has about 70,000 miles on the odometer. One of the best things about the Passat is how nicely the interior has held up against abuse by clients and a three- and six-year-old. For the most part the black leather interior looks as good today as the day I drove the car home from the dealership. The silver exterior paint and trim still look excellent as well. When new, a client asked me if it was a Mercedes. I get compliments about the car's looks frequently, which I consider unusual for a station wagon.

"I prefer driving the car to my wife's Audi A6 2.8. It handles more crisply and the four-cylinder is peppier in city driving. I have been pleasantly surprised with this engine's performance — my previous car was a VW Corrado SLC with the VR6 (pre-kids).

"My main complaint is frustration with the local dealership here in Tulsa. There is only one dealer in Tulsa and only two dealers in the entire state. There is no option to try someone else for warranty work or parts. Sometimes the wait for an appointment for service is two weeks. I guess I should be used to it since this is my fourth VW." — Andrew G. Rhynes, Tulsa, Okla.

"I am the owner of a 1999 VW Passat with V6 and five-speed manual transmission. I've owned the car since new and currently have 48,250 miles on it. It has been a very reliable vehicle and the only required repairs (vacuum hose recall, water collecting in front turn signal, trunk light socket malfunction) have been handled under the warranty. It has met or exceeded all my expectations and handles (after a few suspension modifications: Bilstein Sport shocks, Neuspeed SofSport springs and rear anti-sway bar) like a far more expensive European sedan, no doubt due to its Audi bloodline. It's no BMW (as it is lacking rear-wheel drive) but it's a lot more than I expected from VW (or anyone else) at the price." — John Skvir, Westwood, Mass.

"We purchased our 1999 Satin Silver Passat in August of 1999 after driving a friend's A4. We liked the feel of the A4, but needed something with more room. After the break-in period, we installed Eibach springs, 17-inch wheels and an APR engine computer. With the Passat, there is room for four six-foot-plus passengers, and their luggage. Also, the rear seat is wide enough for two people and a baby seat. The 1.8T and five-speed Tiptronic automatic work flawlessly, and always offer enough power. The down side has been VW's poor service, which makes even simple service seem like an ordeal. We do not go to VW for service anymore, and will only go back if something major breaks which should be covered under the 10-year powertrain warranty. We now have 25,500 miles." — Glen Wofford and Mark Keen, Seattle, Wash. "

I bought mine ('99 GLS 1.8T) new in Sept. '98. It currently has 72,000 trouble-free miles. I bought the silver with black leather, lux, seat heaters and sunroof, from Fitzgerald VW in Annapolis, Md. I have added the six-CD changer and wheels/tires (Dunlop 215/55 ZR16s) from the Audi A6 2.7T sport package, bought from the AudiWorld Internet site. These wheels/tires are interchangeable with the Passat. I mounted Michelin 215/60R15 Michelin Arctic Alpine snow tires on the original VW alloys for winter wheels. At about 10,000 miles, I took the car to AutoThority for their "chip" and a K&N filter. With these changes, the car has performed brilliantly, is a ball to drive, and has been totally reliable for four years. I purchased a 100,000-mile exclusionary warranty from Masterguard when new, and am afraid it will go unused! The car is as tight and rattle-free as when I bought it. My other vehicle is a '98 Land Rover Discovery. Totally different driving experiences, but both please in their own way. The Passat still never fails to bring out a grin with the 190-plus hp from the chip and the high-performance Dunlops, yet is a competent family hauler around town or on long trips on the interstate. Loved the looks of this car since new, and still do!" — Jim Senior, Annapolis, Md.

"Overall, it's been a pleasing car to own, but there are a few minor areas that, were they changed, the car would be just a notch better. The most bothersome (and still in production on 2003 models) that several other VWs share, is the rearview mirror control on the driver side door. This little knob can so very easily be knocked right off, without even knowing it; and then when you want to replace it, you get the cost estimate from the dealer for over $200, parts and labor (most of it labor). Why? The door panel must be removed to replace a simple plastic knob. This is the most apparent flaw on an otherwise very good vehicle.

"The only other two things that stand out that have been somewhat bothersome are: one, that I must use a fuel injector cleaner about every 25,000 miles (yes, even using the recommended premium fuel) in order to keep the car running smoothly and to get rid of the 'service engine soon' light; and two, that the older style of cupholder (not used since the 2000 model, I believe) has allowed several spills into the radio/tape player (my CD player is the six-disc version mounted inside the trunk) and has subsequently ruined the reception, including a total loss of the AM band.

"Outside of these three things, what a car! I have just over 65,000 miles and my wife and I both look forward to our turn for 'Passat week' when driving to work!" — Ralph McKee, Arlington, Texas