Used 2001 Volkswagen Passat Consumer Reviews
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It will take your money and leave you stranded
Chuck D, 11/13/2020
2001 Volkswagen Passat New GLX V6 4dr Sedan (2.8L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
These cars are FAST - well-equipped, comfortable and have a nice ride....but, with each water pump replacement (because the design of the motor equates to spoiled coolant, every 60,000 miles) you have to replace the timing belt. The housing for the air filter, doesn't seal, so you're going to have a lot of dirt in the air cleaner. The struts & tie rods, steering....brakes, all those things last less-so, than other major brands. Do yourself a favor and stay WAY away from VW - because my VW Mechanic in Hillsboro, Oregon said the older ones were made better than the new ones.......so THAT is scary. Sure, an '01 Passat is going to be cheap, and it comes with leather, a sunroof, power seats, remote entry and a fast V6 automatic - but you WILL regret the purchase. Go get a Gen 8 Accord V6.
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2001 wagon, 5 speed man. trans. 4cil. turbo, wh/gr
R. Nypaver, 07/26/2021
2001 Volkswagen Passat GLS 1.8T 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Her name is little bird. Made in Germany, waited months to arrive. I love this car. .Goes to the best mechanic in town once a year to drive and fix everything likely to need fixing until another year is past. Has never broken down. Repeat, has never broken down. I WILL say that one day this year (2021) I went to start the car and the dash lot up with “problem/problem”. Worried until I read the manual and discovered that the battery in the key had died. I had no idea the car would tell me that…..
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2001 Volkswagen Passat for sale near you
Showing 3 of 4 listings
- GLS 1.8T WagonMSRP: $5,500498 mi away
- GLX V6 WagonMSRP: $5,500674 mi away
- GLS 1.8T WagonMSRP: $3,9902,205 mi away
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B5 Passat wagon: best-sized, best-configured car
John E, 09/23/2021
updated 07/22/2024
2001 Volkswagen Passat GLS 1.8T 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Our B5 generation Passat wagon remains the best car we have ever owned. Reliability reduces our rating from 5 stars to 4, but with proper care and maintenance and selection of vital fluids, these can provide years of great service. Cargo volume and rear/side visibility are unmatched, and road manners/handling are superior to those of an SUV or even a crossover. There is a good reason that station wagons built on sport sedan platforms remain so popular in Europe, and it is regrettable that they struggle to maintain a toehold in the North American market. Update March 2023: For the second time in its history, passing California smog test took a bit of work. In 2016 the ABS module prevented the smog station from scanning the engine control unit. A used replacement ABS module for well under $100 fixed the problem. This year the secondary air injection system, which gives it the ULEV emissions rating by forcing fresh air into the catalytic converter during warmup, failed because of a small $70 vacuum control solenoid tucked under the intake manifold. Again, owning VCDS scanning software from Ross-Tech, along with my helpful pals at PassatWorld.com, saved me a lot of time and money. It passed inspection easily after I replaced the part and cleared all of the emission readiness monitors in a 10-mile drive that included a couple of 45-55mph stretches and some idling. Update: 21 years old and still going strong, serving us well. The ceiling headliner is propped up with handy spiral push pins designed for the application, but otherwise it looks great. The clean, simple interior and external styling have aged well, as have the cloth seats. Still the best car we have ever owned. UPDATE: The car is now 23 years old (built in Emden, Germany in September 2020), and is starting to show its age. Repairs this year have been inexpensive DIYs ($60 secondary air injection solenoid valve, $30 combi valve, $6 plastic window regulator clip, $7 cooling system o-ring), but labor costs would have run into a few hundred dollars if I had not done the work myself. I do not expect to own it past the 25-year mark, solely for age-related deterioration of rubber and plastic parts and eventual concerns about being stranded with a breakdown. Otherwise, I would have kept it indefinitely. UPDATE: This is simply the best-sized, best-configured car ever offered on the North American market. It provides the versatility and cargo handling of an SUV and the road manners and driving experience of the sport sedan on which it is built. My wife and I bought it new in January 2001, and I currently still plan to keep as long as practicable. The only downsides are acceleration, which is not bad, but could be a bit better, and reliability. Fortunately, I am active in the PassatWorld discussion website, and advice from fellow members has saved me a lot of time and money over the years. I have never had a serious problem, and the engine and transmission have been solid, but rubber and electrical parts are showing their age. Some of my fellow B5/B5.5 Passat owners write about their "love-hate" relationships with their cars. Almost 24 years after purchase, I still consider this car a "keeper."
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The worst second-hand car.
IvanSS, 11/27/2023
2001 Volkswagen Passat New GLS V6 4dr Wagon (2.8L 6cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My old Passat from 2001, a V6 2.8, was one of my first cars. While I get that a 2001 car in the 2020s can have issues due to its age, this one was a real headache. Seriously, even though it was fun with its manual transmission, it fell apart at the slightest problem. I spent a month and a half with the car just to change suspension parts. And let me tell you, it's still costly to maintain, the parts are tough to find, and when you do find them, they're expensive. Definitely wouldn't recommend it.
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Where can I start
Tomy, 09/03/2002
2001 Volkswagen Passat GLS V6 4Motion AWD 4dr Sedan (2.8L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 4 people found this review helpful
This car realy dissapointed me deeply. So much could be better.
I will never buy a vw again
No More VWs, 02/05/2010
2001 Volkswagen Passat GLX V6 4dr Sedan (2.8L 6cyl 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Got this car at around 18,000 miles and had no problems until 50,000 - right after it was no longer under warranty. Since, I have had the back breaks replaced three times in four years while barely driving it, the front breaks replaced, the rotors replaced, four oil leaks in 6 months, couple coolant leaks, broken keys, seat belt doesn't retract, lights in dashboard starting to fade, two different belts replaced, the whole thing groans when I get into the car, wheels squeak... I am at the mechanics so often they give me a hug when they see me! I'm sure there were more repairs but I've lost track. Bought this car bc of great reputation but too many friends have since had VW lemons. Never again.
Love-hate relationship
glxauto, 03/05/2010
2001 Volkswagen Passat GLX V6 4dr Wagon (2.8L 6cyl 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
I chose the Passat wagon over the A6 wagon, because the Passat's ride is superior and it has more interior space. In an attempt to protect myself against the VW's poor reliability reputation, I bought a certified pre-owned Passat *and* an extended warranty. Looking back, that was a smart move. However, now that all the warranties have expired, the Passat is breaking down with a vengeance. Every visit to the mechanic costs an arm and a leg, with the most recent visit (alternator + battery) costing me $1500! And it is only March! I am sad the Passat and I have to part ways now, because it is truly a safe and comfortable car. But I love my wallet more.
horrible car...dont buy
david, 03/03/2010
2001 Volkswagen Passat New GLS V6 4dr Sedan (2.8L 6cyl 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
never owned a worse car in my life!! Leaks oil, coolant, and transmission fluid. Buying American made cars from now on!!
SUV/minivan alternative
Texas Greg, 09/17/2002
2001 Volkswagen Passat New GLS 1.8T 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is my wife's car but I wish it were mine. I love driving it on weekends. I bought this car because I think its the safest car for the money. It has side airbags and head curtains standard plus ABS and traction control. It scored very well in crash tests (best in class). We (4 of us) drove this car from Dallas to Toronto and it performed flawlessly. Very smooth and comfortable. I drove 8 hours per day but did not feel tired at the end of the day. I was amazed at what we packed into the back of this wagon AND still could use the privacy screen.
New 2001 VW Passat
bp1020, 11/18/2002
2001 Volkswagen Passat New GLS 1.8T 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Great car with no problems for the first 18 months. Drives and rides great. Plenty of power without the extra cost of the V6. I have the leather package, but without power seats. Seats are still very ajustable and comfortable. I drive 4 plus hours in the car on a regular basis and find it to be very comfortable.
Read the Fine Print!
Guil_4D, 09/29/2003
2001 Volkswagen Passat GLS 1.8T 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Pay close attention to VW's warranty and document all of your service visits (maitain complete records of all scheduled and non- scheduled maintenance). My failure to do so taught me an expensive lesson. At 39,000 miles my wagon's cam shaft siezed. VW voided the powertrain warranty because I was unable to provide documentation of 30K and 35K service. Factory rebuilt engines cost $6,100 installed. OUCH!
YOUR 1.8T ENGINE WILL FAIL !!!!
Do Not Buy This Car!, 11/10/2004
2001 Volkswagen Passat GLS 1.8T 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Look Out! VW is misleading customers by extending the internal engine warranty by 8 Years, Unlimited Mileage. They have notified customers of an oil sludge issue in August 2004. What do you know...my car is currently in the dealership with this exact issue at 63,000-miles and VW will not honor the warranty because my oil changes did not occur exactly at the 5,000-mile intervals. If you want a car that sits in the dealership a lot and will cost $$ in repairs (this repair is running $2500) then this is the car for you. VW is passing an engineering flaw in the 1.8t engine over to customers, by telling customers that it is normal for a vehicle's engine to fail.
Service to Death!
Marj, 01/12/2006
2001 Volkswagen Passat New GLS 1.8T 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Let me start by saying I love my Passat, but my husband hates it (he's a loyal Toyota fan). I dig the performance drive. I can overlook little things, but the number of times I have taken this car to the shop is insane! Repairs range between $300 and $1,500 each, even the little things. I never use anything but synthetic for oil changes, which are $50. Last week the power door lock on the driver's door stopped working, its a $400 repair. I also need tie rods and an alignment. I am considering ditching this fun to drive wagon for a vanilla vehicle. Can VW say low maintenance?
Passat - A Good Vehicle
Paul, 08/10/2006
2001 Volkswagen Passat New GLS V6 4Motion AWD 4dr Sedan (2.8L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
This was my first sports sedan and after four years of owership, I consider the Passatto be a very good choice. The car performs well in all weather conditions in upstate NY and is fun to drive. Its reliability has been significantly better than the new GM vehicles I have purchased in the past. With more hp and the value of a VW (vs. BMW, Volvo, etc.), I would strongly consider buying another the next time I buy.
Used Passat Purchase
mike meltzer, 10/17/2006
2001 Volkswagen Passat GLS V6 4Motion AWD 4dr Sedan (2.8L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
This car is a certified used vehicle and so far has been excellent in handling and ride. The seats could be more plush though.
Fun and Reliable
vandal, 10/24/2006
2001 Volkswagen Passat GLX V6 4Motion AWD 4dr Sedan (2.8L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
What a great car! It is smooth, roomy, and has plenty of torque. It is well appointed. The interior craftsmanship is top notch. It is easy to get comfortable in any seat, which makes it great for long trips. It is 5 years old and its still as tight and rattle free as when it was brand new. The exterior is a cinch to care for. It handles well in all weather conditions, I've blown by other chain equipped cars on broken snow floor. This is absolutely the most reliable car I've ever owned.