Steering rack replaced at 79000 miles.
Wiper motor replaced at 80000 miles.
Dashboard failure and drivers air bag replaced at 85000 miles.
Central locking stopped working and drivers door handle fell off at 88000 miles.
Rear wheel bearings replaced at 112000 miles.
When I purchased the car I got a years warranty, and after all that went wrong with it in the first year I was ready to sell it. But it had depreciated so much I couldn't afford to change it.
That said, in the last year nothing much has gone wrong.
The interior is indestructible, the seats are comfy, and the heater is the best I've ever known in a car.
Performance is OK, fuel consumption is never any better than 40 MPG.
The TDi would have been a better buy.
The only thing I do regret about buying this car is that it's not an estate, they hold their value so much better.
I own a 1995 Passat Um-welt TD Estate or Station Wagon depending on where you are in the world. This was a downgrading from a MK3 Golf VR6 as we were expecting a child and basically the costs were going to be too much! I must say I am a Volkswagen man to the end I love them!I have owned a MK1 Golf GTI and a Clipper Cabriolet. The Passat has been very reliable apart from rear struts and brake pipes having to be replaced. Oh and a new alternator. On a recent holiday we clocked up 765 miles on a full tank which is not bad considering our huge fuel price here in little old England! It was a £1 a litre at the time!I love this car and must say it has a huge load capacity. I believe it is one of the best cheaper family cars money can buy. With regular servicing it still performs well. It is underpowered at 75bhp, but never fails to impress at the distance between fill ups. I have had problems with locks on cold winter days where the doors don't shut, but WD40 sorted that out. So there you have it, as a family workhorse I would highly recommend this vehicle. They don't build them like they used to!
My garage keeps a couple of Passat's as courtesy cars; 250K miles plus, and they are petrol cars. They drive OK too!
Just a follow up to my previous comments. I forgot to mention the vehicle has just covered 165000 miles and hasn't missed a beat! It is not the best handling estate by far, but with only 75bhp you don't tend to drive it like a rally car! I would certainly consider having a newer Passat estate, maybe a 2001 model onwards next. But I seriously doubt I would be so calm about throwing all the usual garden rubbish and grass cuttings in the boot!!
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