1999 Volkswagen Passat review from Australia and New Zealand
"Beautiful, but mechanically terrible; to be avoided"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Suspected oil release pressure valve failure.
Valves bent ruining engine.
Electric window broke.
General comments?
Nice, prestigious looking car.
Mechanically it self destructed, losing us about $7000 overnight.
The car had done about 100,000kms and had a very good service record. We had it regularly serviced.
We took it in for a service because it was having trouble starting. The next day the engine was turning over, but would not start and then went dead.
The engine was found to have been completely ruined. No one could pinpoint what had happened, but the valves (?) had bent. It is suspected that the oil pressure relief valve had failed.
Recommended Reviews:
  | Well built quality vehicle, worth the price of admission |
| Costs a lot, but it's worth every penny you spend |
All 1999 Volkswagen Passat reviews
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2005 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2007 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8 turbo Automatic |
| Performance marks | |
| Reliability marks | |
| Comfort marks | |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 100000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 120000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Honda Civic |
| Date of Entry | 1st February, 2008 |