1998 Volkswagen Passat review from North America
"Poor mileage, poor reliability"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Several electrical issues (sensors, etc)
Main bearings disintegrated at 30k miles, requiring engine replacement.
General comments?
The car performs well enough, though the turbo-powered tiny 1.8 liter engine seems to function as an on-off switch and mileage is surprisingly poor for a 4 cylinder. Comfort and amenities are fine, though the fabric upholstery is difficult to keep clean and the soft rubber covering on most plastic pieces started to peel off almost immediately. The main issue was two of the four main bearings failing very prematurely. Had the extended warranty not covered it, it would have cost us $8000.
Recommended Reviews:
  | What will go wrong today? |
| Great on fuel, but not terribly comfortable with lots of repairs, just like a North American car |
All 1998 Volkswagen Passat reviews
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model Year | 1999 |
| First year of ownership | 2002 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8T Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8/10 |
| Reliability marks | 2/10 |
| Comfort marks | 6/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 4/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 3/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 20000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 70000 miles |
| Previous car | Porsche 914 |
| Date of Entry | 4th April, 2008 |