1990 Volkswagen Passat GL review from UK and Ireland

Slight water leak in offside rear door frame.

Radio needed re-coding due to flat battery.

New exhausts every 2 years or so.

Periodic replacement of batteries, tyres etc.

This car came as a company car and was bought outright in 1993.

The 2 litre engine had decent amounts of grunt, while being strikingly economical. The (useful) trip computer commonly indicated MPG figures of 40-45 MPG on motorway journeys.

GL trim quite 'disparate'. Included trip computer and nice seatcloth, but manual windows, no sunroof or A-C. Much better looking externally than the CL.

The passenger cabin was very comfortable for four, but 5 was rather a squeeze. The car is narrower than an Audi 100 or similar.

VW main dealers vary; our local one is rude and unhelpful. Find a specialist and you won't waste your money.

The car never left me stranded at all, travelling all over the UK and N. Europe. This contrast with other horror stories I have heard about other contemporary Passats, esp. GTs.

The solidity of Passats is wonderful. Doors and boot all closed with a good 'thunk'. Parts could be quite expensive, like ~£120 for an electric wing mirror. Hence why ours was glued together...

At time of sale (2001) the bodywork was in near-perfect condition without a hint of corrosion. It is not rare to see F-reg cars of this type looking in a brand new condition. Just compare with a similarly aged Cavalier or Sierra.

It was only sold because it was a saloon and we wanted to upgrade to an estate. It proved reasonably hard to sell; the wagons are always in higher demand. Therefore, if you want a used car bargain, a 1990 Passat saloon will do the trick. Just make sure that it has been well looked after witha good reliability record