Used 1996 Volkswagen Passat Consumer Reviews
Used Passat for sale
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Want Aggravation, buy a VW
RSamide, 09/19/2002
1996 Volkswagen Passat GLX V6 4dr Wagon
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This car is roomy, stable, and comfortable to drive. It is not reliable. It is expensive to maintain. We constantly have warning lights indicating problems the engine, brakes, or ABS. We have replaced the ignition switch twice, the secondary thermostat, the cruise control switch, the dashboard bulbs, the coil, recharged the AC, replaced hatch hardware, on and on and on. I will celebrate the day we sell this car and return to a reliable Honda or Subaru.
airlenny1
airlenny1, 02/19/2020
1996 Volkswagen Passat TDi 4dr Wagon
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I have had my 1996 Passat since 1996. Waited 2 years to get it as the big 3 lobbied to keep it out of the US. Now I see why. It has been the most dependable car I have ever had including my prior 1968 beetle that was really good. It now has 270K miles and runs like new. I have taken very good care of it and worked on it myself when it needed maintenance. I had to replace expected worn out parts. Most mechanics have trouble with this car so a tdi forum is recommended and very helpful. There are common simple problems like the N109 relay, intake manifold getting clogged and the ECU tubing cracking and leaking but all are very low cost to fix. Very expensive to have a mechanic attempt to diagnose these things as they don't know how to approach this car, thus the recommendation for a TDI forum as the combined knowledge there is amazing. Now you can also get the computer based vag-com diagnostic program the dealers have for under 100 dollars. Worth its weight in gold. I just finished a recent repair for low power and went from a 0-60 at 25 seconds back to the original 12 seconds. Still getting 46 mpg and runs very smooth. Will probably get another 150 K before selling it. Engineering on this car was really good for 1996.
1996 Volkswagen Passat for sale near you
0 of 0 listings
Sorry, there are no 1996 Volkswagen Passat vehicles for sale in our network.
See all 0 listingsIncredibly unreliable
nrs05, 12/10/2015
1996 Volkswagen Passat GLX V6 4dr Wagon
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Car drove great when running just like everyone says, tons of components (small, medium and large) fail just like everyone says. Instrument cluster failed, O2 sensor failed, all door and window mechanisms failed, wheel bearing failed, stereo failed, computer problems preventing inspection requiring resets that nobody (even the dealer) could manage to pull off, etc. etc. These cars have no re-sale value for a very good reason.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Terrible Car!
Mika, 12/22/2006
1996 Volkswagen Passat GLX V6 4dr Wagon
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is my second Volkswagen Passat. My first one was a '91 Passat which I loved. I decided to upgrade for the VR6. With 176 horsepower on tap on a much heavier car it wasn't going to win any races. This car has been a dismal experience, as the O2 sensors (in engine bay and under the fuel tank) have gone out, as well as the thermostat and automatic transmission. After thousands of dollars in repairs and countless man hours of doing the work myself, I have finally gotten rid of the beast.
Nice looking, but DON'T BUY
DA, 06/15/2005
1996 Volkswagen Passat GLX V6 4dr Wagon
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Since buying our Passat GLX wagon in early-2004, we've had nothing but problems. The front doors don't close in the winter, the driver's door won't open at all, the transmission skips, the check engine light is ALWAYS on, the temperature light stays on through the summer months, it leaks oil...I'll stop there. This is a GREAT looking car with good gas mileage, but I will never buy another Passat wagon.