Used 2004 Volkswagen Passat Diesel Consumer Reviews
Used Passat for sale
I've lost faith
Peter, 03/06/2005
2004 Volkswagen Passat GLS TDI Fwd 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 5A)
5 of 7 people found this review helpful
I bought this car in July of 2004. The car was great until the winter came and it got cold. When it got below -20 C the car would not start. VW had such confidence it would start at this and colder temperatures that at the time it did not make a block heater for the car. Big mistake. The car was unreliable and has left me stranded several days in a row when it was cold and would not start. I since got rid of it and bought a Subaru. I will never buy a diesel car again in an area where it gets below - 20 C. This car is for only 3 seasons and not four. I have since read that VW has had numerous complaints about cold temperature starting problems.There now is a recall in effect for the fuel pump.
Very impressive car!
HAZER, 07/29/2004
2004 Volkswagen Passat GLS TDI Fwd 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 5A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Have 2100 miles on it. Excellent low end torque/power--it glides effortlessly over mountain passes. Great mileage. Avg so far 41 mpg hwy @ 80 mph w/air on. Car handles really well. Passengers don't believe it is only a $27,000 car. So far, I'm convinced you would have a hard time finding a better combination of comfort, power, class and economy in the under 30k price range. If the reliability is good, this will be a tough car to beat.
2004 Volkswagen Passat for sale near you
Showing 3 of 18 listings
- GLS 1.8T SedanMSRP: $5,9991 mi away
- GLS 1.8T SedanMSRP: $6,477179 mi away
- GLS 1.8T WagonMSRP: $5,577179 mi away
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The Perfect Car!
Don, 06/29/2005
2004 Volkswagen Passat GLS TDI Fwd 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 5A)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
After 1 Year of heavy driving I now believe I have the best car I have ever owned. Great fit and finish, great fuel economy, quiet and powerful. I researched this car using Edmunds and the reviews sold me. However, I wanted to wait a year and 30,000 miles to rate my experience with the car. Reviews that complain about it being underpowered and expensive to maintain must be mistaken. This car drives like the day I bought it: and I live in the hottest part of the South. 40 MPG around town w/AC on Max! 48 Hiway! 500+ miles on a tank of fuel. Finding diesel no problem in SouthEast. Won't trade this puppy for years to come!
My first car
Cooper Church, 09/19/2017
updated 09/28/2020
2004 Volkswagen Passat GL TDI Fwd 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 5A)
3 of 5 people found this review helpful
I got this car with 120,000 miles on it, with the original clutch from my neighbor. I needed massive work in the past few months, a new exhaust, motor mounts, shocks, and battery. I learned that they are safe, and can be dangerous to other vehicles. The car has been a money pit from hell in the year I have owned it, with over 2,000 dollars in repairs, and can't stay out of the shop more than a month. The cars electricals act up, and likes to shudder when at high speed, the plastic creeks, but other than that the car is reasonably quiet. My big issue is the repair costs, VW only uses OEM parts, and my exhaust cost 1,500 to replace, and the motors mounts, around 300. In October of 2017 the car died at 125k when the engine ate the fly wheel and blew 4 cylinders out of eight.
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Most problematic VW I've owned
waterwish, 02/11/2011
2004 Volkswagen Passat GLS TDI Fwd 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 5A)
7 of 15 people found this review helpful
This is my 4th VW. I had two '87 Jettas (one was replaced after having been totaled), and a 1999 Passat wagon that I bought used. The '99 was the BEST, lowest maintenance car that I have ever owned. I bought the 2004 Passat Wagon because they were offering 0% interest. I thought I was doing right to get a brand new car for a lower payment. I regret it now. In 2010, I spent close to $3,000 on this car for crazy repairs, along with other repairs that were under warranty or recalls, but still required the inconvenience of taking it in. Right now it is in the shop again to the tune of $1,000. I've filed a claim with VW Customer Care. It's a lemon!