2006 Volkswagen Passat Value Edition 2.0T from North America - Comments

2006+ VWs bound for the U.S. are made in:

Passat - Germany

Touareg - Slovakia

Rabbit/GTI - Germany

Jetta - Mexico

New Beetle - Mexico

EOS - Portugal.

Also, as far as I know, all Jetta sedans are now built in Mexico, even those for the European market.

I own a 2006 VW Passat. Purchased it in May and love to drive it (when its not in the shop). First the engine light came on and needed some diaphragm replaced, then the Xenon headlights went out. It took 4 days and 3 visits to fix the problem. Then the airbag light came on. It was in the shop 8 days awaiting parts. The radio had to be replaced because of reception problems. Now when I am driving in the rain the windshield wipers go into delay mode when the vehicle is stopped... back to the shop again. I am definitely getting rid of this car before the warranty runs out.

I have to say that I do love Volkswagens. However I work on them all day long and they can be a pain in the... but. I hope that the new VW's will be better than the older ones or VW will not be around too much longer and we all will be upset.

I wish the V-6 Passat was cheaper. VW has always built a great V-6. That 3.6 is a rocket too. Too bad that the prices were too high and I bought a new 3 Series instead.

I am so happy that I found this site, as I have finally found others who feel my VW pain! I own a 2001 VW Jetta 1.8T and it was the best car in the world for the first year or so. It has all been downhill since then, especially after the warranty ran out. I am constantly taking it in for something; some minor (power window issues, arm rest breaking) and some, most quite major (battery constantly dying, engine over heating since I've had it, smell of exhaust when idling) just to name a couple without writing all day. I am currently looking for a new car and I am thinking about a 2007 Passat and I'm just wondering if I'm out of my mind to go the VW route again?!

Does anyone out there have any knowledge of the longevity

of turbo engines form VW. I like the 2007 Passat, but

I'm hesitant to buy a turbo because of concerns about engine

life. Will a turbo 4 cylinder go 200k + miles just like most regular 4 cylinder engines?

I'd opt for a V6. My wife owns a 1997 Audi A4 2.8 V6 that just turned 200K. The engine in this car has been flawless and runs like the day she bought it. I've heard a few negative comments on the 1.8T especially when comes to timing belts.

Good luck on VW products including Audi. I had an Audi A2 2.8 Quatro 2000 that burnt oil from day one, had brake problems, O2 problems, leather seat problems, airbag light problems, radio problems, hazard switch problems, other than that, it drove nice and the HID lights were also nice, thank God I bought an extended warranty, but boy was it a nightmare to own! Never again... Good luck.

Here's another review for the 2007 Passat. The editors gave it a 7.9/10 and consumers gave it an 8.3/10. Fairly highly rated compared to most car ratings on this site.

Expensive and unreliable is an understatement. For the past three months, my 2006 Passat Value Edition with approximately 10500 miles has been a nightmare of epic proportions. The vehicle was purchased in April 2006 and ran well for the first few thousand miles, but since the beginning of 2007 (again, remember that the mileage is very low and this owner drives with care because I considered this vehicle an enormous investment), the trips to the dealership have been so numerous that I've joked with them that I should simply bring a toothbrush, bedding, clothes and move in.

The problem I'm encountering now is a parking brake fault combined with the ABS warning system light that after reading several other web sites seems to be a consistent problem with the Passats. After two "switches" were replaced to no avail, an ABS module was replaced and the multiple steps to flush the brake system has still not corrected the problem. The technician at the dealership in NC where I do my business has multiple years of experience working on VWs and not only do I have faith that he is doing all he can, I feel for him. Good mechanic, good dealership, BAD product. The car has been in their possession for several days now and there is no telling when I'll get it back and if I do, will it be safe to drive?? Not taking that chance. Hiring a NC Lemon Law attorney and I want every penny I've invested in this vehicle returned so I can move on and purchase something reasonably more reliable.

My '06 Passat 2.0T has been great up until now...it's got just over 25,000 miles on it. After using (which I do very rarely) the Auto Hold function at a train crossing and then releasing it; I get to another stop sign and the car starts surging back and forth kind of like it's rocking. VERY strange plus the engine just sounded loud and uneven. When I began to drive or if I had it in PARK and just idling, it would not surge, and sounded fine. It's at the dealership being 'fixed'. They are telling me it was an Emissions Valve which is being replaced today. We'll see. I am worried about the future with this car now!!

I own an 2002 4 cyl Passat and a 2007 4 cyl Passat. The 02 has 65,000 and the 07 has just under 4,000 miles.

The 02 has had a variety of issues, which is surprising for a car with only 65K. The latest development is what I believe is a bad left front wheel bearing. It also has developed an oil leak (not coming from the pan). It's a great car to drive, feels very solid, "feels" safe. But after only a little over 5 years, it now looks and feels more like a car that is 10 years old. I know what a 10 year old car is like because my 98 Ford just died. It made it to 189,000 miles. I can't imaging my 02 Passat will ever come close to that.

The 07 seems to be a fine car. It includes just about every gee gaw in the world. But, if you have driven a Pre-06 Passat any amount of time, then driven a 06 or later Passat, you will see at once that the newest model is not even close to being as solid. (sounds like a contradiction to what I said above, I know). Do the math: sells for about same price as pre-06, plus the US Dollar has dropped about 30% against Euro (Passat is made in Germany). So... VW cut corners. It does not seem as quiet, the carpet does not seem like the same quality, the moon room is much smaller, etc.

That said, there are NO other cars on the market that (can) have 8 airbags (counting optional side rear bags, which I have) that you can drive out of the showroom new (with negotiation) for under $23,000.

LOST2TIME

Proud owner of a 2008 Passat sedan 2.0 turbo 6-speed manual.

Did I have problems with it? I did. Reverse light stopped working after only 7,000 miles. Dealer service proved to be competent... so far.

Am I getting rid of it ASAP? As long the brakes, engine, gearbox, suspension and the wheels don't fall off... No. I'm not getting rid of it... yet.

The Passat may not be the most reliable car on the road, but it sure is one of the nicest cars you can buy for less than 30 grand. Seriously, I would sacrifice a bit of "peace of mind" buying a Volkswagen instead of a Toyota.

I had a rental Camry 3.5 V6 for a week. Surely, the Camry was more powerful and probably would be more reliable in the long run, but driving a Camry is like being dead. You have no control over the car, the steering is way too overlight, the brakes cut in too early and the gearbox is never willing to let the engine run freely - Don't think for one moment, that because I drive an stick shift and I'm one of the close minded purists who hate automatics OK? I did try an automatic Passat 2.0T, it was very nice but I found the manual to be more enjoyable - I just hated the Camry's automatic gearbox, that's all.

Oh yes and not to mention that 268 Hp and FWD = HORRIFIC TORQUE STEER. Ah and there was a squeak sound from the driver's seat and rattles from the dashboard. Typical rental car foibles, perhaps?

The Camry is not bad it just isn’t for me, thanks.

Anyway, I still love my mocha brown Passat.

Would I recommend this car? Yes.

Seriously, go drive one and you will realize why people still buy VWs despite their recent appalling reliability record. Volkswagens do not drive like other mass market cars. They drive better and they offer luxury for an affordable price.

There's more to worry about a car than just reliability.

After following a brand new Passat for two miles last week, I almost rear ended it. Slammed on my brakes at the last second. It took me another half mile of following it to figure what was going on. Most of the time the brake lights worked, but about of quarter of time they didn't. This was a brand new car, only 20 days off the dealer lot according to the tags.

I really wish Volkswagen could get their act together because I hear they drive great, and I sure think they look great. But I've got two kids and I've got to consider other factors as more important.

If a Volkswagen Passat doesn't work, there is always the good old Subaru Legacy to save the day. Good looking, reasonably luxurious and sporty. Just like the Passat, except the Scooby is a whole lot more reliable than the Veedub.

I have a 2006 1.9 Passat (reg May 2005). Had some trouble with it. Clutch broke at 46 000km and a door bolt needed to be changed. VW fixed it for free.