2005 Volkswagen Passat SE from UK and Ireland - Comments

Nothing has gone wrong with this car. I have also owned a 1.9 TDi Sport version with the 'V' & 'R' spec, which was lovely to drive and own. The guy who mentioned the reliability of the Mercedes and the 'quality' it presented as opposed to the VW Passat might want to be cautious. Mercedes aren't the cars they used to be; there are a substantial number of websites to refer to in this regard. VW, meantime, have yet again built an excellent car, which has won all reviews. It's also better built than any Merc I've driven, and even the Polo is a better built car than a previous 230 CLK.

Great car; very nice drive, good power, great spec and very very safe.

You are quite correct of course that Mercedes are not the cars they used to be, but sadly in my experience, neither are VW's.

My B5 Passat (2002, 1.9 TDI 130 Sport 6-speed manual in Inky Blue with full leather) was a magnificent car to look at and to drive, but to own over 4 years and 80,000 miles was without a doubt the most frustrating and expensive experience of my life. I have owned other VW's, Fords, Renaults and Hondas, and not one of them has come close to the level of unreliability or frequent "common problems" as the Passat.

I was told a £1,000 clutch replacement after just 51,000 miles (severe judder and sharp action) was "common"

I was told the puddles in the footwell after heavy rain and the subsequent alarm ECU failure through water ingress was "a common fault".

I was told the increasingly gruff and clattery manner of the Pump Duse engine after 50,000 miles was "normal". We have an elderly Escort Turbo Diesel used for towing a boat, which has the roughest, noisest diesel engine known to man, and towards the end, I actually think the Passat was slightly noisier on tickover.

Only when the temperature gauge could no longer be relied upon as anything other than a source of entertainment (90° to 130° to 50° to stone cold in the space of 10 seconds, could the dealer find a fault (it had been slightly playing up for months before).

Nobody knew why it would wreck the inner edges of its front tyres after about 9,000 miles despite the geometry being declared "spot on" by three separate garages (this was a brand new, UK main dealer supplied car, not bought used or through a dodgy source).

The front suspension on these cars apparently "only lasts 70,000 miles" before you have to replace the bushes to cure the insane knocking and wandering that accompanies their demise. I was supposed to consider myself fortunate that I got 81,000 out of mine).

The only fault that seemed to genuinely surprise anyone was when the electric sunroof stuck open.

And this was a "cherished" car serviced exactly according to requirements at the local main VW agent. Not neglected or abused in the slightest.

All this overshadowed the relaxing interior, punch and 50 mpg from the engine, and the gorgeous, expensive looking details both inside and out.

All three main dealers tried were varying degrees of rude and expensive.

My last VW.