Comments: 1-15, 16-26
From the time I drove the car off the lot the ashtray lid did not shut properly, I will have it repaired next week. It should be covered by warranty.
For the price of $24,900, this car is handsome, feels solid, comfortable, and is very refined when compared to the Accord and the Camry. The car just looks and feels more expensive than it really is! The 2.0 turbo is quick and good on gas. With gas prices going up again I think this engine is an excellent choice with more power than most 6 cylinder engines I've tested. The leatherette seats look goodand feel good! They fooled my friends into thinking that they were real leather. I considered an Acura TL which I think is an excellent car except that it was several thousand dollars more. This car is very roomy. My 3 kids actually fit in the back seat with plenty of leg room for even my 6 footer friends. I miss my previous 2003 1.8T Jetta which was a joy to drive, but it lacked space. This car just feels and looks like a more expensive Audi. I think that once you become an owner of a Volkswagen you will discover as I did that these cars become like members of the family. It is really hard to part from them. I still have pictures of my jetta which I keep as if it were like one of my kids. I love Volkswagens and I really love my new 2006 Passat.
Please do keep us updated as the car gains mileage. I have always loved the Passats and I would love to see how reliable this new model is because my mother will be looking for a new car at the end of the year and this one is high on the list of considerations. I saw a new Passat the other day in Hilton Head for the first time and it was gorgeous.
Hate to dampen your enthusiam, but my 2004 Passat was a load of trouble. Problems with power steering, a.b.s. cylinder head gasket blowing and numerous small problems. Got it fixed under warranty and got rid of it. Own a rover 75 now a much superior vehicle. Covered 35000 trouble free miles I will not buy German again.
To the comment above: You must have owned a 1.8T model which is notoriously troublesome. I would not discriminate against all German cars because of a bad VW experience. I own a terrific BMW that has been utterly reliable and my family has owned two Mercedes that were excellent. We also owned a handful of VWs over the years, and they were a mixed bag. Most were very reliable, but one was particularly troublesome, and it was the newest!
To the comment above regarding reliability.
I have owned a total of 3 Passats, a 2000 GLX V6 sedan, a 2000 GLX V6 wagon and a 2003 W8 sedan. A close friend also had a 2002 V6 GLX sedan which she sold to my 81 year old mother. All the cars are automatics. All 4 Passats have been very reliable and trouble free.
I realize that a troublesome car is very irritating, but I would not trash VW because of one bad experience.
You obviously haven't been following VW's recent quality problems in the industry trades and consumer magazines. Recent Passats and Jettas (hell, the entire line... especially in the States) have been plagued with problems. Reliability is a joke lately. That's not to say VW's aren't well designed cars. The '06 Passat is absolutely rock solid in regards to styling and handling. The 2.0 turbo and 3.6 six cylinder are incredible. I'd hope this poster would keep us abreast of his situation as time goes on. Supposedly, VW made a major push to put these types of problems to rest.
In reply to both of the above correspondents.
In over forty years of motoring I have owned a number of cars, some British and some foreign.
Unfortunately my experience with German in particular has not been good. I owned Beetles, Golfs and a Jetta before I had the particularly troublesome 1.8t Passat.
Unfortunately none have been too reliable and the parts are very expensive.
Other German models I have owned are a 98 318iBMW
which had a faulty water pump, power steering pump failure at 50000 miles, distorted flywheel which caused clutch judder, and a leaking brake master cylinder.
I traded this in in 2003 for a newer 523 BMW. Big mistake as this car had an intermittant e.c.u.fault no-one could sort
out.It would run OK for around 50 miles at a time and then die. Leave it a few minutes and it would be alright. It would always seem to happen at the most inconvenient time. Then the alternator packed up. I was totally fed up so I went for the Passat. The rest of the story you know.
You may now understand why I am disillusioned with German cars. Over the years they have cost me a small fortune in spares etc not to mention the inconvenience. I could go into more detail, but time is at a premium.
I am pleased you have found your motors reliable, but for myself German ones are a no go now.
I have owned a Seat Toledo TDiSE since the end of 1999. The car has never given me a day's trouble. It has now done 121,000 miles and should do three to four times that mileage as it is a diesel. This car also has a fantastic number of extras which all still work. My Toledo was actually assembled in a VW factory in Belgium.
My other cars were all VWs, and with the exception of the second hand first one with which I was swindled, the other two gave me magnificent service.
Good entry.
I have a 2006 passat, previously owned 2 jetta's and a passat wagon. I think they're great. I totally agree on the comments above on reliability, and how volkswagens can be. but I don't really look for that in a volkswagen, I like the thrill in driving it with a powerful 4 cylinder, and how amazing the turbo is, it would match a 6 cylinder. I love it. if you want reliability, buy a honda or a toyota. I have a 98 accord, that won't die until it hits 200,000 miles. its going on 98,000 soon.
Can't understand your logic. Here in Britain you can get reliability and performance for much less than you pay for volkswagen.
My wife and I recently returned to the States after living a year in the country of Norway. We had a Skoda Octavia which is unavailable in the US. I am really hoping that the new Passat has addressed the issues of reliability since I believe them to be a superior car in it's style, performance and look. We are awaiting further info before making a decision and I appreciate the input that has been offered here.
I must say you guys seem to have lots of problems with the jettas in the american market, I live in the caribbean and ours are directly from German market... no problems so far...
I live in the U.K. where I believe all our German cars arrive direct from source, but unfortunately mine has not been very reliable.
Guys, in about 3 hours my new Passat 2.0T 2006 will arrive. I have made search on this car and see what I found, you can read yourself and read the high feedback about this car in Journal Sentinel.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=355315.
Been there, read it. Didn't impress or help me much though. Wish you all the best with yours.
Re: The source of many German cars in the UK: Much like Australia and NZ, the VW Golf, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C Class are sourced from South Africa and VW Jetta and Beetle are now sourced from Mexico (Though maybe Germany for the UK market Jetta? Not sure)