Used 2004 Volkswagen Passat Sedan Consumer Reviews
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Don't believe all the myths about these cars!!!
William, 05/14/2016
2004 Volkswagen Passat GLX 4Motion AWD 4dr Sedan (2.8L 6cyl 5A)
33 of 35 people found this review helpful
I have driven American cars my entire life, and almost bought another one after my accident in a 2006 Chevy Malibu. To the Chevy's credit, it was comfortable and had great gas mileage, but it was definitely not safe enough, and there were compromises in other areas. Some of which included build quality, performance, design, etc. After a lot of research about these car, and my son being a huge German car fan, I decided to test drive this car on the roads I'm accustomed to and in the way I drive. The performance is excellent, and the ride is very capable and tuned for comfort. After looking at about 15 different cars (foreign and domestic), this was definitely the best and safest car for the money. For years I have heard of so many horror stories about these cars, mostly about parts and reliability and things like that. I have had no trouble so far. This car does require some knowledge and willingness to learn, and simple maintenance is easy to do and is relatively cheap (like replacing a cabin air filter in a few minutes with a $12.00 aftermarket part). Only if you go to the dealer for absolutely everything will you see the money piling up. I would recommend doing simple things like that yourself. But really, no major problems whatsoever. Just as reliable as American cars. I was lucky to find this car, as it is a high trim car with the better engine and features. It was a one owner car, and was obviously well taken care of for the 67,000 original miles. My one big complaint about this car is the gas mileage which is about 20-24 in mixed driving. Although it says in the owners manual that you can run it on regular gas (not E85), I use the middle-grade one and my car runs perfectly. Otherwise, it's a great looking, comfortable, and fun car that I hope to enjoy for many miles to come.
- Safety
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- Reliability
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My first car
lanczer, 11/13/2011
2004 Volkswagen Passat GLS 1.8T Fwd 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
19 of 21 people found this review helpful
My Father has owned 7 VWs in his lifetime. When it was time for me to get my licence my dad gave me his passat. I got it with 170,000 miles on it and absolutely no problems. This car was bought new and driven everywhere. I have driven many cars and this was by far my favorite. Its a Luxury Experience with superb handling and performance for its size. Only a short year after getting the car i was hit by a drunk driver. i was driven of the road, went airborne, and ended up in the woods. All of the airbags went off and i was able to walk away completely unscathed. The care was totaled but needless to say this car saved my life. Just yesterday i bought another one. I cant live without my VW.
2004 Volkswagen Passat for sale near you
Showing 3 of 19 listings
- GLX 4Motion SedanMSRP: $4,995470 mi away
- GLS 1.8T SedanMSRP: $4,500545 mi away
- GLS 1.8T SedanMSRP: $5,488605 mi away
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Smooth and understated
Frank Denver, 04/24/2010
2004 Volkswagen Passat W8 4Motion AWD 4dr Sedan (4.0L 8cyl 5A)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
Bought my W8 used after a failed Infiniti trannny from mountain driving in Colorado. After 52,000, it has been my best car to date (Lexus, Infiniti, Subaru). The W8 matched to the auto tranny is as smooth as you get. The handling is refined and very solid. With snow tires, I've had no problems even in the mountains west of Denver. There have been no mechanical issues and my overall cost of ownership has been lower than expected. 22mpg mostly highway running between 80-85mph. I get tons of compliments on this car's BBS rims and the overall look.
I Still LOVE This Car
thevelvetelvis, 03/31/2012
2004 Volkswagen Passat GLX 4Motion AWD 4dr Sedan (2.8L 6cyl 5A)
11 of 12 people found this review helpful
I bought my 2004 passat GLX 4motion slightly used with less than 9,000 miles on it. I lived in North Idaho for 11 years and this little car handled everything the weather threw at it. Now I'm in Florida and I still love my car. I'm At 65,000 miles and It has had no problems at all. Zero. I always do the routine maintenance and It still runs amazingly well. I have always had Japanese cars with their very good repair record but loved the way this little car handled so I bought it, always thinking if it becomes a problem, I'll sell it and move on. When it's time to replace this car I'll get another German car. I just love the way they handle. It's sick, but I do love this car.
You need to know what you are getting into
roznstyle, 01/13/2012
2004 Volkswagen Passat GL 1.8T Fwd 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
19 of 22 people found this review helpful
I think a lot of people buy a VW are unaware that maintenance and adherence to manufacturer recommendations are KEY to keeping a VW on the road. I've owned my 2004 passast for 8 years and it still looks brand new after over 111K miles. A VW is not a honda where you put gas in it and change the oil every so often. you need to pay attention to using mid grade or higher fuel EVERY time. Synthetic oil, EVERY time. New Plugs every 40K per the manual, and on and on and on. YES there is a lot more in owning a VW than your run of the mill car but if you treat it right it will last for a long time. If you can handle a meticulous maintenance schedule then buy a VW but if you can't DO NOT BUY!!!!