Used 2000 Volkswagen Passat Consumer Reviews
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Pleasure to Drive
This platform of the Passat is based on the Audi A4 and utilizes the same Audi 1.8L T engine and 4-link suspension. The engine has great low end torque and top end speed. Matched to the 5-speed manual provides a great touring car. The fit-and-finish are typical German high-quality. Bought used w/ less than 16K miles in 2001 and have had zero problems (now at 34K miles). Great MPG for a high performance car (Note to Big 3: It can be done!). Comfortable front leather seats and interior. Monsoon Sound system is also a plus.
awesome car!!
awesome car fun to drive, very few problems but for 25,000 dollars well worth it
- GLX V6 SedanMSRP: $4,9951,661 mi away
- GLS 1.8T SedanMSRP: N/A177 mi away
Really nice
This is a great road car. I look for excuses to drive it on long trips. Seems like the faster you go the better the feel. A strong performer that doesn't need to downshift to climb some fairly steep hills. A car that goes this well really should stop well -- and this one does. The brakes have a really good feel to them. The ride is taunt and doesn't smooth all the bumps, but get real - this is a sports sedan. What you lose in smooth ride is more than compensated for by the handling.
LEMON
I purchased my 2000 Wagon less than a month ago. During that time it has been at the dealer twice for repairs. The O2 sensor and a hose went out less than 72hrs after I bought the car and McKenna VW in Costa Mesa, Ca. wanted to charge 500 dollars to repair the car. Even though it was under warranty McKenna said "I should take it to the dealer I bought the car." After getting the general manager involved I got the car fixed, but was told McKenna was "doing me a favor. VW has the worst customer service ever and I will NEVER buy a VW again. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY.
GLX AWD - What a ride
Overall the GLX has been a great car..I've used it on on long road trips to my short work commute...I enjoy driving it every time..great feel and definitely not a cheap feel..good solid German built auto..
This car is a monster
While I love to drive this car, it is a repair nightmare. The car has only 33,000 miles on it and I have already purchased a new clutch and timing belt. Not to mention the myriad spooky electrical problems and the fact that the "emissions workshop" light is almost always on no matter what I do. Run, don't walk, away from volkswagen. The car is truly unreliable, and the service is awful. (My car was completely dead and they wouldn't even look at it for 3 weeks!)
Great Car
This car has been a wonder. My husband and I both drive it with complete satisfaction. The handling is excellant and the gas mileage fair.. much better long distance than city. Our friends are amazed with the room in the back seats. Our dog loves the fold down seat in the back for her riding pleasure. Absolutely no problems starting in cold, driving in snow or storms. We have had nothing to fix this past year. Only routine checkups.
Love it
When I trade this car in, approx 2 yrs from now I will definitely buy a new VW Passat. This car is probably the best car I have owned. I traded in my 2002 Explorer for this car and do not regret it. Even though I loved my Explorer very much. I highly recommend this car to anyone. Incredible stereo system, very roomy back seat, large trunk. What else can I say excellent vehicle.
Problemed Passat
Fun car the drive and sporty. However, the Oil Pressure sensor has gone off 6+ times and they just keep replacing associated parts and have no answer for me. The O2 sensor has gone off 3 times in last three months. 20 day wait on replacement parts, that tells me alot about that problem. Am getting rid of VW and getting a Honda Odessey!!
No Better Car For The Money!
I have had this car for 3.5 year & 45,000 miles and have not had a single issue. I love the way it drives, the interior is nicer than most luxury cars, and the power is just right.
Couldn't Be Happier
No wonder Consumer Reports has picked this as the best car in its class for several years running. Quick as a Maxima, rated safer than a Volvo, quiet as a Camry, handles almost as well as a BMW and rides better. This is my first VW. I have owned Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, GM, Ford, and Chrysler. This car is the best.
EXTREMELY DISAPOINTED
I FELT IT URGENT TO DO A REVIEW ON THIS CAR. CONSUMER REPORTS RATED THIS MODEL YEAR BEST FAMILY CAR. ILL TELL YOU WHY WE WERE DISAPOINTED. CUP HOLDERS IN TERRIBLE SPOT, FUNNY SMELL FROM ENGINE THAT CANT BE EXPLAINED BY ANYONE, YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR DRAGGING ON THE GROUND, BLACK FABRIC INTERIOR A NIGHTMARE TO KEEP CLEAN, SMALL PIECES OF RUBBER AND PLASTIC LININGS FOR CONSOLE AND REAR CUPHOLDERS COMES OFF WHEN VACUUMED, CANT OPEN UP CUPHOLDER COMPARTMENT IF YOU SPILL SOMETHING. THE STEREO SYSTEM SOUND IS MUFFLED AND THE FUEL ECONOMY RATING IS NOT TRUTHFUL.
Used to love it
I bought my passat a year and a half ago and since have had to buy three sets of tires, a new airconditioner, a new power mirror motor, the computer says there is an emmision problem when none exists(making it impossible to pass the car in inspection), and now at only 70000 miles the head has cracked forcing oil into the radiator(without overheating). This doesn't seem normal on a car that has been regularly maintained and garage kept. A friend of mine has a 98 passat and has had over $6500 in repairs in the last year. I would expect much more from a car so close to the Audi A4. Don't buy a Passat unless you want to drive a rental every couple months.
Smooth and reliable
In the past 2 years the car has performed nearly flawlessly. The only warranty issues were a broken rear seat belt guide, and a dissembled rear ashtray. It starts and runs willingly, accelerates energetically and handles predictably and securely. On the highway it cruises very smoothly, and has exceeded 30 mpg on several occasions. The cruise control is the most accurate I have ever used.
Late Blooming LEMON
For 3 years, the Passat performed admirably, best car I'd had. Loved it 6 months ago, mechanical problems developed, valve and gaskets, replaced heater core,2 temperature sensors, clutch, rear brakes, coolant system, engine mount, tie rods, 4 tires,(3rd set of tires)hoses, and much more. My car has been in the garage for a month now, and it cannot be fixed by them or the 2 super expert techs who go to dealerships to deal with difficult problems. What to do?
I LOVE MY HELGE
I could not ask for a better car !!!!
Fine Car for Big Dogs.
This driver is over 6 feet tall and almost 300 lbs, and the Passat is the only smallish car I find comfortable. Interior dimensions are generous and headroom is still good with the power sunroof. Seats and seating position are perfect. Wierdest feature: Multi-function display on dash informs you in a teutonic way ("Refill washer fluid!!!"). Unexpected feature: Lock the car 3 times and the sunroof closes.
The Not so perfect Passat
Needed rear brakes at 30K miles. Needed vacuum hoses at 35K miles, and at 40K miles. Needed front O2 sensor at 40K miles. Needed heater core at 40K miles. Need I say more? Vehicle has 42K miles and looking to trade..............
I love my Passat!
This car has been dependable, comforatble and a pleasure to drive. There is PLENTY of room for back seat passengers, and the amount of cargo space is amazing. I have had to make several long distance temporary moves for my job. I can fit all of my essential housewares/clothes/belongings in my sedan with no problem!
spend your hard-earned money elsewhere
I couldn't be more disappointed in a car. It's been in the shop out of commission for a total of eight days in a two year period. In my previous ten years as a Nissan/Toyota owner, I was without a car a total of ZERO days! I regret my decision daily and am trying to sell as we speak.
Fun to Drive/Dog to Own
I love to drive this car. Unfortunately, I cannot relax in this car due to the problems that I have experienced. When I picked up the car, the sunroof did not work. The brake light on the spoiler shorted out in less than 1 year. With premium gas, still had a bad fuel injector at 22,000 miles. Went for my first post-service warranty oil change to find out that I was short over 2 quarts of oil in less than 5,000 miles and required an engine flush. Mechanic thought car had 100,000 miles, not 30,000. I have taken excellent care of this car - I now check my oil at nearly every gas fill - and I get the feeling that the engine could go at any time.
Ben's Review
This car is a sensible family car that gets good gas mileage and is also fun to drive. Except for the turbo lag which can be annoying, pick-up is good and handling is excellent.
octoberfest leftover
In less than one year I had 3 sensors replaced (gas,exhaust sensor,Ican't recallthe 3rd.)At just over one year the water pump broke a part & was replaced. Istill can't trust the gas sensor. Mirror came off cracking the windshield,It makes crinking noises everytime I go over a small speed bump (felt in gear shift(is starting to loosen up) & drivers side.Can't find out cause of this.It does start every am & is fun to drive.Lack of storage in passenger compartment.
Nice vehicle, poor reliability
I got this vehicle used, so part of the problem may be that the seller did'nt tell me anything. However, since I have had the vehicle, there have just been way too many repairs (tunk release, water leaks in the trunk, dead engine, unalighned frame, short circuited cd player). Anyway, I've had to pay for all of this because the car was out of warranty. While these arent the only problems, VW service is horrible. Ive come to them several times with problems, and they charge me but cant answer them, or fix something the wrong way, leading me to seak help from others.
GLX Wagon: A Benz in V-Dub clothing
We have thoroughly enjoyed our 2000 Passat GLX wagon from time we drove it off the lot. The satin silver exterior with black leather is stunning. With the exception of a ridiculous cupholder design, the vehicle is terrific in every detail. It features everything you love about high-end German cars but at a 30-something price: power, doors that close with a teutonic thunk, handling, fit/finish, etc. Will probably trade up to the W8 Passat AWD next......
Fun To Drive!
I had my Passat for 2 years and still love it! It handles well and has lots of room in the backseat and trunk area. I am a design student and have the need to carry a great deal of projects. Not a problem with the seats folded down! The only two issues that I have with the car is that I had to replace a tire on the car to the tune of $450.00. Just one tire! Also, if I had it to do over again, I would have spent the extra $2K and purchased the V6. The 4 cylinder is not responsive unless you're at higher speeds and the turbo kicks in.
VW PASSAT
I purchased my Passat with slightly less than 60000 miles. I have had it for a half a year with only one problem. The ignition coils needed to be replaced. It is a V6 and I thought only the 1.8T had problems with this. The only other problem I have had is keeping my girlfriend from borrowing it. This is a great car for someone who wants to step up from a boring Camry or Accord.
a foreign junk
this is a piece of foreign junk. Just drive it for not more than 24000 miles, got quite a few problems. Bad luck? don't think so. VW should do better job on its qulity and customer services.
Passat is mediocre
VW uses very low quality materials. Interior peices wear very fast (especially door handle coatings). Check engine light is always on. Tie rods and control arms, oil system, sensors, vacuum hoses are major problems you will likely encounter with this car.
Please pass on this car
Leased this vehicle in a pinch- and wish I had taken more time. Dealer played many games on financing and I should have walked then! Want out of my lease and despite all the folks raving over Passats I am weary. Would help if I could like a 2003- as the dealer is playing more games to incent me to stick with it. Burned once.....
Affordable German Luxury & Quality
I am amazed how much car VW offers for the money! The fit/finish and driving experience are worthy of a car twice as expensive and reliability has been first-rate. On top of that I get excellent mileage (32mpg in mixed driving) and comfort. I previously owned an A4 1.8TQ, but definitely feel the Passat is the better deal.
Great Car
I bought the Passat almost 2 years ago and now have 33000 trouble-free miles on it. Its a great value, essentially an Audi for thousands less. My wife won't admit it, but I think she likes driving it better than her BMW 528I.
Great all-around car
The Passat GLX is a great all-around car. It has excellent handling with the 16" wheels, and very good acceleration with the 2.8L V6. The GLX trim has luxury car amenities such as automatic temperature control, power seats, power moonroof, and heated seats. The car is extremely fun to drive, especially with the 5-speed manual. The build quality is also much better than the VW's of the past with virtually no defects in the almost two-years I've had the car.
Just Doesn't Get Any Better Than This
Wow...I just bought my '00 Passat GLS turbo sedan (moonroof, alloys) 2 weeks ago and I couldn't be any happier with it. The car got me 34mpg going from Ocean City, MD to central NJ! German engineering at its best!
THIS CAR SUCKS
1. 8 SEPERATE TRIPS TO THE DEALER FOR THE IGNITION COILS. 1 EA. FOR DIAGNOSTIC 1 EA FOR THE WORK TO BE DONE. 2. 2 TRIPS BOTH FOR VACUUM LINE PROBLEMS. 3. 3 TRIPS TO THE DEALER FOR A SECONDARY AIR PUMP PROBLEM 4. 2 TRIPS FOR AN EMISSIONS SENSOR THAT WAS PROBABLY RUINED BY THE NEXT PROBLEM. 5. NEEDED NEW ALL NEW PLUGS BECAUSE THEY WERE FOULED. YES, I USE THE CORRECT OCTANE, THANKS FOR ASKING. 6. ABOUT THREE WEEKS AFTER THE AIR PUMP WENT BAD, I HAD TO TAKE IT BACK AND HAVE THE COMBINATION VALVE REPLACED. 7. AND MY FAV THE UPSTREAM O2 SENSOR. I'VE HAD 3, YOU?
Great 'til the warranty ran out
This has been a great car to own. Mine was made in Germany, had had no problems until this year (2005) when I ran into the EMISSIONS WORKSHOP problem others have. Dealer wants $3000 to 5000 to fix it. BUT WAIT - my excellent mechanic has assured me that this is a well known design flaw (O2 sensors too close to catalytic converters), and that by moving them around (a couple hundred bucks), the problem goes away. You can also ignore the engine light until it is time to pass smog tests. ALSO, the Volkswagen dealership is just about the least customer friendly place I have ever dealth with - their focus is entirely on revenue, and they could care less what you think about them.
JUST TRY AND TAKE THIS CAR AWAY FROM ME!
I bought my 2000 VW Passat Turbo 5spd. in July of that same year--Satin Silver wth custom red (yes, RED) leather interior and upgraded GLX wheels. My other car was a BMW Z3, and others have included other BMWs, Hondas, Toyotas, etc. After one year of ownership, I decided that I liked the car so much that I installed Koni fully adjustable sport suspension, and wider, Toyo sport Proxes S-1 tires. My car is now comfortable, yet very tight, and handles like a dream. So much so that I replaced the Z3 with a Jeep, since I prefer the sport car feel of the Passat. I am getting 40 mpg on the highway, and about 26 mpg combined.
Smells of rubber
I loved this car. Told everyone to get one. Some did. Now I feel bad because it is a NIGHTMARE to have repaired. I feel like I am playing chance. Maybe they will find the problem, maybe they won't. There is always a HUGE labor bill and a car returned to me that still smells and misfires. There is a FEAR about taking the car to a non dealer, yet I feel that the dealer service is equally befuddled by the prolific problems with this car. Have a Sienna with 125k mi that has never needed anything except routine service. So far Passat - O 2 sensor, valve cover gaskets, check engine problems,pervasive oil leaks,broken seat, lame bumper, door sensor broke which triggered fuel pump/spark plug prob
Good car, expensive to maintain
This has been a great car for the most part of 50k miles. I have just had many little things fail that had to be resolved. As I was driving it home on the day I bought it, the check engine light came on. Took it back the next day for service, didn't see it for a week. New car smell was gone :( After that I had minor things like vanity mirror light go out, the rear door handle sticking, rear window not rolling down, and a starter. The lastest thing is my alarm system not beeping right, due to battery replacement by the dealer. I am proud to speak of German engineering despite its flaws.
Great for comfort and handling.
I bought this car as an alternative to a minivan b/c I was commuting. At the time I had one child and one on the way. It handles excellently and is very comfortable to sit in. You can fit a lot of stuff in the back and there's plenty of leg room in the back seat for the kids in their car seats. You can also comfortably fit 2 car seats and one adult in the back, or 3 car seats. Great acceleration even with the A/C on and low engine noise at any speed.
DO NOT BUY A VW
I loved this car for about the first 15K, and then the car started falling apart. I have 60K on it now, and I have already replaced all 4 air sensors and the catalytic converter. The interior lights go out sometimes and then randomly come back on. This car has been to the dealer on 11 occasions for the check engine light, and then they tell me nothing appears to be wrong. The VW customer service people are worthless, the service centers are full of idiots, and the car is completely unreliable. I do not enjoy paying $30K for a car only to be treated like a complete pee on. This is my first and last VW.
2000 Passat Wgn, Automatic w/Turbo
I love the vehicle however I was upset when very soon after my 'Certified Warranty' expired that I had an 'oil seal' leak and had to fork over $450.00 to have it repaired.
passat lemon
I have driven this car for two years, gives a superb drive, lots of room and easy to handle. I have had continual problems with the radiator, engine leaks, ball joints, rotors, and overall engine problems. Gas mileage is poor. Car is just unreliable.
Great car with major problems
We love this car, but we've had to replace the head gasket at 26K and the steering rack is shot in it = $2,000. We'll never buy a VW again.
Fun to Drive Passat
I had never owned a Volkswagen until the purchase of my 2000 Passat. This car has truly impressed me from the stunning interior to the sleek outer curves of the car. In comparison to my former car, (2001 Pontiac Grand Prix), it is a hands down favorite although i do miss the raw horsepower, when cruising at 80 mph i don't know the difference with the exception that i am getting a smoother and better handeling ride. I would advise everyone reading this to go out and test drive one today.
vw passat
This is a great wagon at 12 to 15 k less than bmw saab and volvo. Its a great value and fun to drive. I especially like the 4 wheel drive , heated seats and tiptronic transmission. Only problem is wind noise when sun roof is open.
Lots of Car for the Money
The first month i had this car I kept wondering why traffic was going so slow. When they pulled over and i went past, I'd look down and see I was going 100mph. This car is faster and handles as well as my BMW325. Spacious,comfortable,reliable and fast. A tremendous deal for 21K. Has 72K on it now and is still perfect.
Bluefrog reviewes the Passat
The most striking feature is how effortless the car is to drive. I am always confident that the car will go precisely where I want it to go. After 45,000 miles, I have had no problems, and even at 80 mph, I get 30+ mph.
Don't Buy this Car or from Dorschel VW!!
I have had nothing but problems w/ my 2000 V6 Passat. After a year of driving I had on and off Emission problems for a year...numerous O2 sensors replaced and finally the coil wire and a recall put an end to those. In total about 6 trips to the dealer for the repairs over a years time. This fall w/ 36K miles my timing belt and water pump fail resulting in a complete engine rebuild which took my dealer Dorschel VW of Rochester, NY 5 weeks to repair. Now 3 months later I have a coolant leak requiring the engine to be taken apart again to be diagnosed.
VW Certification is a Scam
The Passat is fun to drive, powerful, and it looks good, but I have had so many problems with the car. I bought it as a certified used vehicle but still I am having a lot of problems in the first two months that I have owned the car. The certified program of VW is a scam. Don't believe it. Get it checked by another mechanic. Make sure you know all the 112 points of (so called) inspection when you go to buy this car and ask for every one of them. It is your right. And it will make sure the dealer you are talking to actually did the work to certify the car. Mine did not.