2001 Volkswagen Passat GLS review from North America

At one year of age, the headlights blew out one after the other in less than 48 hours. My dealer said it wasn't covered. It was, actually. Luckily, I went to another dealer before paying for this repair, and didn't have to pay anything.

Ignition Coils!! You've probably seen this repeatedly, and I must say it was a frustrating experience. I think VW has gotten the message by now (3/15/03), because one month after making me pay a "diagnostic" fee before replacing the ignition coil "free of charge", I got an apology letter and a promise to reimburse me fully. I've submitted the paperwork and am waiting for a check.

As for the other three coils, several dealers gave me the runaround, but the good guys who fixed my headlights managed to sell me three more, which I installed myself (takes 5 minutes). VW of America again agreed to reimburse me for the parts, but I have to go back to the dealer to verify the installation.

The driver's seat track is getting a little sloppy, but I'm a heavy guy.

Dash rattles seem localized mainly to the radio area, but this has been the single most disappointing part of the car on a daily basis. It is worse in the cold, and almost non-existent in Summer.

LOVE driving this car. When I go back into my old car (Buick Riviera, which is still in my family), it seems positively primitive by comparison.

Gas Mileage-Great. Big bonus in the long run.

Brakes have NEVER given me any trouble in over 40,000 miles of mixed driving.

My advice for potential buyers: Find a dealer in a non-urban area. Here in metro NY, everyone thinks they're doing you a favor. The only good dealer I found is the one in my home town, which limits me to weekends and/or requires borrowing another car.