Used 2001 Volkswagen Passat Sedan Consumer Reviews
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Great car
I bought my passat in 2008 with 140,000 miles on it. It was at a used car lot and I liked everything about it. The exterior/interior were in great shape and after the test drive i was sold. I drive 106 round trip miles per day to work so I needed a car that was good on gas and the passat fit the bill. As of today I have over 250,000 miles on the passat and drives like the day I purchased it. I have had to put minor repairs as well as regular scheduled maint. (oil changes,battery,headlight,wiper relay) but you will have this with any car. Do yourself a favor-do not get repairs done at a dealership. With any car they will charge you 3x more then what a good local mechanic would.
looks can be deceiving...
Bought this car with 100K mile on it. car looked good. ran fine. the little 1.8 turbo engine really runs good. great handling at high speeds. now for the cons... after about two months the ignition coil packs started going out one by one. have replaced some twice. then its the crank position sensor. then the exhaust. next was the windshield. no dings in it but is just cracked for no ryme or reason. when i first saw the car it was love at first sight but that didnt last long... expensive repairs that never stop.
- GLS 1.8T WagonMSRP: $5,500505 mi away
- GLX V6 WagonMSRP: $5,500636 mi away
- GLS 1.8T WagonMSRP: $3,9901,755 mi away
Leaving is a bitter sweet emotion
Traded in 1 01 Malibu, for an 01 Passat. I'm from the UK, and driven a new VW Polo..no problems, and loved the build quality. 64K at purchase, and no problems for a year. Then a CEL..which I ignored..found out to be a MAF sensor, then coil ignitor issues(recall), tie end rods, vacuum hoses, oil cooler went at 120K, and had to flush entire system. With premium fuel, expensive oil changes, brakes, annual coolant flushes, the constant worry of a blown head gasket or turbo failure was not far off. Excellent when new, but get sell after 5 years and don't look back. I was on first name terms with all the mechanics at the local garage. Do NOT buy a used Passat, simple advice.
Drives above 250,000 mils
Not only Forbes rank VW 1.8 Turbo 2001.5 New Passat as one of the top 10 makes and models that can drive reliably above 250,000 miles, but my owner experience point in this directions. This year model is the only one in the VW Passat history that the power train was built entirely on the Audi platform. While the chassis was extended from A4 and is shorter than A6, Passat the engine and transmission are one of the best power train Audi built ahead of its time. Many experts, not the jealous German auto-haters in America, called 1.8L turbo engine with torque and acceleration that beats smaller V6 engines - engineering Marvel. The Best Audi powertrain built my Passat keep going strongly, and adding mileage with flying colors. For 127,000 miles driven understandably I needed to replace only wear and tear parts like twice the battery, front headlights, the alternator and of course - the belt, water pump and some other. This small turbo engine has remarkable performance and gas mileage and requires premium gasoline. The optimal economic speed is reaching 70 mpg and above when on cruise control achieved long trip average gas consumption of 34-35 mpg. On steep and long Altamon pass off Hwy 580 the driver need to only press a bit the accelerator engaging the turbo kick and this Passat/Audi engine takes you on the ride passing all vehicles in a short distance. This is how powerful is this engine marvel is. Drive handling is much better than competing Toyotas, Hondas, Mazdas and other mid-size sedans. 1.8Turbo Passat is much better performing car than the previous I own mid size cars from the most popular makes.
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It's a shame
It let me down. I've maintained this car well. Babied it, in fact. Did all of the proper fluid changes, including brake and coolant flushes, rotated tires, etc. But it still began to require expensive repairs around 70,000 miles. Brake pads only lasted around 30K. The exterior and interior held up well. The leather seats are soft and durable without much care and conditioning. The car handles great, does good in the snow, but oil leaks and coolant problems ruined an otherwise great experience. I would've kept buying VW products if they could just hold together to 100,000 miles without expensive repairs. Sadly, they can't. Nice car, just don't keep it much past the warranty.
Reliable
I love this car. It's such a gem of a car. If you simply take care of it, change the oil (full synthetic) every 3,000 miles (it does gum up fast in this car, unfortunately. Just don't go over 3,000 without changing it), put premium gas in it, and generally just take care of it and it will last you forever. I bought mine at 171,000 miles from an owner who took great care of it and it drives like it's brand new! Yes, repairing a VW is generally more expensive, but you get what you pay for and you fix it far less often. I'm confident I will take this car to 250,000 miles easily. It is so reliable. I wouldn't hesitate for one second to recommend this vehicle to anyone!
Great car
I have a 2001 Passat with over 211,000 miles on it and I will keep it for another 211,000. This is a great car, no problems German engineering is terrific. I take care of my cars. I have read some of the other reviews on this site and all I can say is this. When people write in all caps with exclamation points they are usually crazy drama queens and flying off the handle is common place for them. They are led around like puppies by their emotions or they are young kids that don't understand many things about life but believe they know it all. They haven't come to the age of understanding what real problems are and everything is a major inconvenience because they lack the patience to endure.
Crappy car
Car drives great! BUT.. Things keep breaking due to poor quality parts!!! For instance, I was forced to replace two window regulators that broke in half although one window was never used... the regulator just broke for no reason... And for that reason, I will never purchase another VW. Their parts are either cheap, badly made or don't fit. If the car was well built, it would be a gem.. Thanks to the **** parts, VWs are ****!!
Good when it works
Puchased 1/08 w/ 79k & it now has 140k. I bought it randomly at a car auction and loved it for the first 20k. From then on I have spent $2k on stuff breaking and $1k on routine maintenance like the timing belt. From 100k to 130k I have replaced a lot of sensors, tie rod ends, bearings etc.... I've gotten 10k trouble free miles since then, yeah! With this car you have to be vigilant about oil changes and don't skimp. It is a great highway cruiser and I average 30mpg. The drivers seat is still firm and most of the interior is holding up except for some paint peeling. All in all it's an ok car, the reliability is the deal breaker for me. I'll be buying a Japanese car next.
Lots of "Wow"
7,000 miles. Tiptronic trans is great for heavy traffic and freeway ramps. All materials and assembly are 1st class. Test drive it at night: the lighting is "wow". It eats up the interstate-great chasis/ride/handling!
Nice toy for people who have the time and money
If you have other cars, time and/or money to tinker, and want a nice and occasionally practical enthusiast's vehicle, the Passat 2.8 5-speed might fit the bill. As reliable daily transportation, not so much. Had issues with the cam tensioners, and I can see online that this is a frequent VW/Audi problem. Other problems with body hardware (back door not opening, trunk not closing, cornering light falling out), electrical, brakes, suspension, etc. It's great when it's great, but that's rarely the case. Actually, it's a very nice ride on the open road, but a beast in heavy city traffic. Next time, I'd sooner get a Mazda 3/6, or even a BMW 3-series for a small to mid-size sedan with a little sportiness. I will say that there is an active community that supports these B5 Passats, with online chat groups, and there are specialty shops that understand these cars and don't charge dealer prices. Just got quoted $800 for a clutch locally, and I hear of dealers charging several thousand for the same repair. Just no reason for it. If you buy a Passat used from a dealer, get the best warranty you can afford. You will need it, and soon! When checking the classifieds, it seems all of these have had a good deal of work done, and still have some issues, never being 100%, but still lasting quite a few miles, sometimes upwards of 250K. They sell in a tight range, not much more for relatively good shape vs. a fixer with potential. I'd say get it checked out first, but the average local mechanic is afraid of these cars, and for good reason.
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Niiiiice
This is the best car all round. My friends wish I would let them drive it. Not only is it fast, but I raced my friend's Porsche boxster and won (not by much, but I won). The Safety is top- notch, I crashed my old passat and didnt even get a scratch. The control and handeling is awesome--very predictable.
NICE STYLE, POOR SUBSTANCE
this is a nice looking car and at almost 10 years old doesn't look old or have a dated style to it. But it definitely has its share of problems. Most are problems that vw is aware of and has not corrected...oil leaks that fill the cabin with smoke, bad coil packs, oil sludge, check engine malfunctions...and it ain't cheap to fix! I tried so hard to buy a Mustang or a Honda for my wife, but she insisted she wanted a Passat...she gets very quiet when we have to take it to the shop every month. You pay too much for that cool style with repair bills...
Won't make this mistake again
After researching many AWD vehicles, including SUVs, I bought a Volkswagen Passat AWD GLX because of the handling and many options that you get for the money. Well, you get what you pay for. As soon as I got my car, I brought it in three times for warped rotors and was told by VW each time that there was nothing wrong. Literally, as soon as the warranty was up, VW agreed that my rotors were warped and charged me $700 to fix them. When I called the main VW office, they didnt want to hear about the unfair treatment that I received. Then one year and $1,200 later, my ignition coil needed to be replaced. Now another year later, I have another hefty bill to pay for the car's throttle body & catalytic converter to be replaced.
Piece of Saat
If you love emptying your wallet, buy one today! Timing belt busted at 72K miles doing 20 mph, caused $2500 in damage. Class action suit only included 2000 yr model. Now at 99K, been in the shop 7X this year. Airbag fault code, ball joints, brakes, trunk lock failure, intermittent power lock issues, A/C probs, oil leaks, etc, etc.. Stay very far away from this early 2000 models, they are indeed a Piece of Saat!
Love Hate Relationship
This car has been back to the dealer more times than I want to admit. It's cost me too much money to keep: replaced the catalytic converters, ignition coil, coolant sensor, radiator hoses deteriorated. I don't understand why a 3.5 year old car has this many problems. I thought I was buying a car that would last. Moving on to a more reliable vehicle.
What a lemon
The VW Passat has more trouble than I have ever had with a car before. The issues with oil sludging and all the repair costs make me want to run back to a Japanese maker. I will never buy a VW again.
Terrific car but expensive to fix
We love this car. It is so comfortable, secure, tremendous dexterity, tight driving circle, and compares really well in performane and looks and comfort to our friends more expensive BMW's. Have had 9 years, bought new, mid-year, i.e. new model. It was perfect for about 50,000 miles and then things started happening. I just replaced the water pump; the really bad thing is there is no warning that it is going to fail soon... I could have fixed before starting big road trip. But, we may well buy another Passat; they just feel so good to drive and you feel safe. Thinking this time of a lease so as not to keep an older car that we need to worry about.
Love this car
Bought this car in 2003, only a couple years old and already had 66k on the odometer. 7 years and 120k later, this car is starting to show its age, but it's still quick, agile, and very comfortable. even at over 180k, the engine feels great. like any german car, it requires a little more tlc. change the timing belt when you're supposed to, and don't freak out everytime the check engine light comes on. i may have just gotten a good one, but the only major repairs i've had have been in the last 30k miles or so. ABS controller, tie rods, shocks. like most cars at its age, it's becoming to expensive to maintain, so i'll be trading it in. i guarantee i will cry, this has been a great car.
mixed feelings due to repair costs
I love my expennsive car. I hate to pay my repair bills :-) Dont buy it if your friend is not a mechanic ....hahahaha Love to drive! Peter from clearwater
Will Never Buy Another VW
We bought this car because it was a Consumer Reports best buy. We've had had so many repairs I can't remember them all (oxygen sensors, coils replaced, air flow meter, and more) and the check engine light stays on constantly. Right now the anti-lock braking system sensor is bad, but it will cost nearly $1,000 to replace, so I drive around with the dash lighting up and blinking like a Christmas tree. We spent over $3,000 in a space of 2 months last year. When parts fail they are *very* expensive to replace - even using a local garage instead of the dealership. Interior: the coating is peeling off the interior plastic surfaces, the armrest latch broke, and the cup holders are flimsy.
Steal of a car! Audi in VW clothing...
We bought our 01 Passat GLX 4Motion this past January and LOVE IT! What a solid car, even with 110000 on it. We purchased it from a reputable dealer who inspected it and serviced it before we bought it. They replaced the belt, water pump, and brakes... the car needed nothing else! It's a dream to drive in all weather. Looking forward to putting the next 150k on it!
Decent
Good car. Well-built. It loses its value quickly.
Love it
Had our Passat for 13 yrs - never had major problems - looking for a new one
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Poor Engine - Terrible warrantee
I have had this car for 6 years and did the oil change as required. I gave this car to my daughter for college in Maryland last month. She called one night and said that a light was on saying not to drive the car. At 11 PMt, I guess I was supposed to tell her to start walking along the side of the road. (I was thinking rape,or abduction.)I told her to to drive to the nearest gas station and get oil to see if the problem went away. It did not. We had the car towed to the VW dealership in Dover,Delaware. There was a warranty extension on the engine due to many oil sludge problems ruining the engine. Since she drove to the nearest gas station to be safe, they voided the warranty!!!
Excellent Car for New Married Couple
This car is Excellent! We drove to the coast twice, Tennesse mountains once, 14 hours to Texas twice, and St. Louis once. This has been our luxury car. I have parked side by side to a 323i BMW, and the Passat has better ergonomics, design, layout, and comfort. Everywhere I go people ask me about the car. They want to sit in the drivers seat and take off! This 1.8T 2001.5 Sedan has serious POWER! I raced my grandma's Lincoln sedan and beat the snot out of her in the quarter mile. I have had the car up to 126mph without any quivering. Handling on the road - superb! I get 28.6mpg combined (city&hwy). I would recommend anyone to get this Volkswagen!
Great
It is a fun car to drive. Beautiful lights on the dashboard, especiallly the blue color. Great sport suspension. Great gas mileage and performance. Almost 200 hp with an 2.8l engine. Have had the car since 2005 and never broke down. Perfect interior and perfect exterior.
Amazing car, but...
I love everything about this car except that I am getting SUV milage during the winter, and the interior is somewhat smaller than my 1994 GLX. Milage is in the 13 to 17 MPG range, even with light driving. My '94 was in the 18 to 20 MPG range on average, and my "99 GLX gets around 21.
Drivers Wanted Indeed!
I L-O-V-E this car. High end torque- great for passing on the highway. Truly a great car to own. Have the five speed- provides a great amount of control. Great combination of feeling substantial and safe on the road, but still can actually FEEL the road. Absolutely ZERO complaints. Actually- I have one- my husband has "stolen" my car b/c he "says" his car is about to run out of miles on its lease. Can't wait till we get rid of that car and I get mine back. We are considering replacing his car with... a Passat station wagon (for the dogs).
"Terrible Car"
i bought this car used with 125000 miles on it.The troubles started 2 days after i bought it. First the right cv axle and rigt after i replaced it, the left one went out. There is also a bad oil leak that i cant figure out where it is coming from. I also hear a whining noise when i turn my steering wheel to the left.. This car has just been a nightmare after just three weeks of owning it.
Better than expected
I expected alot when I bought my Passat and it has exceeded my expectations. It has been a blast to drive with the 5 speed and I get 30+ mpg when driving on the highway. The ride is great as it provides a smooth ride (since it is a family sedan after all) yet when you want some handling, its pretty good.
Do not buy this car!
I bought my Passat about a year ago and I honestly say it is one of the worst cars I have ever owned. I bought it to replace and aging Dodge Dakota I was driving...which was a much better vehicle. These cars are plagued with all sorts of electrical problems such as interior lights not working, connections breaking in the doors, etc. The side windows have scratch marks from rolling them down...I have to clean out the felt liners about once a month to prevent this. The heater is dismal and can only keep the vehicle warm above 30 degrees. Maintenance is expensive, timing belt cost about $1,000 dollars to replace, and my mechanic says I must use full synthetic oil. Will never another VW.
Handle with care
Solid feel, great seats, excellent dashboard lights, likes to run like a horse. Has an impressive look. The V6 is a better engine than the Turbo and gets the same gas mileage. Fun to drive. Unfortunately the car must be meticulously looked after. Control arms damage easily, electrical nuisances, check engine light goes on if gas cap is not tight, rotors are prone to warping. Poor cup holders, premium gas. Only 45000 miles.
fun to drive pain to fix
I love driving this car. It is stylish sporty for a sedan. Great leather interior. it is SO comfortable. However this car is haunted by electrical problems in the dashboard for many years.
Do your research before buying!
Have to say I was pretty disappointed with this car. It caught my eye right away with its European design characteristics, but I have found that this is one of only a few highlights of driving this car. My Passat has been plagued with electrical problems, from a finicky headlight control switch to internal shorts in the heated seat switches that drain the battery, both which have high repair costs due to diagnostics and labor. Also have had 4 O2 sensors go out, with the replacement parts alone costing $160+. Have also had issues with coolant temp sensors and problems with front end alignment, not too mention a couple rounds of recalls. I really expected more from German engineering.
What a Nightmare
everything that has happened to all the reviews posted here has happened to ours. the engine finally gave out leaving my daughter stranded with two kids while the son is in Iraq. this has been the worst car i have ever bought in 30 years. The Worst!!!! they really need to do a recall on the whole car. thanks for nothing VW
VW Moving Up The Benchmark
The new 2002 Volkwagen Passat pushes up the benchmark for all mid-sized sedans. The interior of this car could be found in the 7 series BMW or some other upscale luxury car. Fit and Finish are above reproach. Materials are top notch and the design is very pleasing to the eyes. Especially the biege leather option. The only failings I can find are the rear windows don't roll all the way down and also do not have the auto-up and auto-down as the front windows have. Xxterior is flawless on mine. Downside is exterior design. A6 is prettier. Engine compartment of V6 models must be seen. Neatest underhood I've seen. A little pricey, but worth it.
THE WORST LEMON EVER
I bought this car 4 years old and I can't remember the exact amount of miles then, it has about 110,000 now. Everything that could go wrong went wrong luckily I had an extended warranty. I always loved VWs but this car has turned me off to them completely. From now on I'm sticking with Toyotas or Subarus.
German Value
This is my wifes car.The new style Passat looks great. It's been trouble free. Quality is excellent for a car in this price range. I love the interior blue lighting at night and every button in the car lights up. Smooth and roomy with good power, I did expect better gas mileage than 21 1/2 mixed driving.
Worst Car I've owned. personally.
Bought the car after wrecking my BMW. The electronic rumors are true about VW's. So many sensors breaking and problems with the car. Had to take out fuse for the horn because it would honk uncontrollably. O2 sensor went out soon after I bought it. Broke down on the highway only after 6 months of owning it because the electronic systems all failed. Plain interior but not a bad looking car. I could have just got unlucky and bought a bad one though.
More than just Electronic problems
While I enjoyed my vehicle in the beginning, the car has dissappointed me in terms of reliability. It was a fun car to drive, but a combination of nagging problems and an uncaring dealership in hayward has compounded the problem. My initial problems covered by my lousy 2 year 24K warranty were: busted trunk latch, 2 busted headlights. Now, after my warranty has expired, my radio is completely dead. Close to 300bucks. 50bucks for the dealer to tell me it was broke. I can feel my power steering going out, my brakes will make a funny sound when I turn and brake, and engine will make rattling sounds that I've never heard before. Wish me luck.
Great Performer
The New Passat has been a dream to drive, it's really a great family car, and with the 5speed, gives you sportslike performance. We're buying a 2002 to join our 2001!
VW New Passat GLS V6
good car; far more interesting and attractive than Accord, Camry, Hyundai. Probably just as good as Audi A4, but less expensive.
Nice car
The car drives well, plenty of performance and handling. Well designed and built solid, all of the whistles and bells come standard.
Best Money Can Buy
Having owned 2 older VW in the past I can say, that the new ones a greatly improved machines. They comprise a perfect combination of style, performance, reliability and value. You have the agility and fun of a German autobahn cruiser without having to pay through the nose for maintenance and repairs. Reliability is excellent!
Love it
1st German car I have had, will never go back!
Better than anything in it's class.
This car simply blows away anything in it's class in terms of quality and drivability. It is an absoulte dream to own. Sure, it is a bit of a premium compared to other cars, but it is worth every penny. And as for "higher end cars" near it's class, still no comparison. The Passat is a classy car that is fun to drive. I have had no real problems with my Passat, and I have no intentions of parting with it anytime soon. And when I do, chances are it will be another Passat.
Great car
Great car very reliable and fun to drive
Great Car
Great Car--Fun, Safe, and good for a family.
VW Passat GLX
Exceptional choice, fun to drive, well built, just look at the number of copies for style.