1999 Volkswagen Passat Sport Estate review from UK and Ireland

Flat battery. The main dealer astonishingly did not seem to know what the correct replacement battery should be. The one they initially tried to install would not fit in the battery bay.

There's a multi disc CD player nicely tucked away behind a panel in the boot, but it can sometimes be reluctant to play some discs for no apparent reason, although it seems worse in the winter - a moisture/condensation problem I suspect.

Otherwise no problems, and everything still works as new!

I was amazed at how quick this car is, given that it is a large, presumably quite heavy car and only has a 1.8 litre engine. I expected it to be a little sluggish - not a bit of it! The turbo helps of course.

This car makes an excellent motorway cruiser, with a roomy if a little dull cabin, comfortable and well equipped with an excellent air con system.

It will still power away long after you have broken the speed limit, and the all-round disc brakes will stop you in a hurry if you need to.

The car does tend to wallow a little on twisty roads, and the suspension could be a little firmer given that the car is after all a "sports" model, but it goes where you point it and doesn't flinch.

It feels safe and solid too, the large doors with their high sills offering a hefty "clunk" rather than the usual tinny rattle when closed.

The load space on this estate car is enormous even before folding the split rear seats down; the roller blind style load cover and twin load area 12v power sockets are nice touches.

Under the luggage area You get a "proper" alloy spare wheel too, not one of those thin use-once "get me home" jobs.

This car spent the first three years of it's life as a rep's car, but absolutely everything still works and works like new. I've had this car for nearly a year now and I love it to bits - not the cheapest to run, but the best car I have ever owned, and by some considerable distance.