An update

[Bloater]

Chaps,

Well the car finally got returned to me after 2 days in the garage, with nothing fixed (except 1 ) after a list of warranty work. To summarise:

1) Creaking front suspension - Forgot to look at it. Doh! car is back in the garage tomorrow lunchtime for test drive with a technician.

2) Growling steering when turning the wheel left - No fault found, BUT play in the steering column - To be fixed under warranty.

3) Climate control that fails after 20 mins - No fault found, but symptons are the same as a failing evaporator sensor - Will replace under warranty.

4) Excessive smoke emissions - Requires new intercooler oil seals, and fuel filter is blocked. Interesting as its only ever had Shell or BP diesel in it. Fuel filter changed under fixed cost maintenance plan.

5) Tyre wear issues - Fixed cost maintenance would not authorise 4 wheel alignment (£148.50) as tyres are wearing evenly. I rang them and chatted to a friendly chap who quoted that 7000 miles from this car in Milton Keynes is ok. No issues if I keep wearing them out. Delearship has never heard of anyone getting in excess of 20,000 miles from front tyres of a Passat, so well done to those that have.

So the car is returning to the garage on the 3rd March, for another 2 days, hopefully to get these parts fitted and for me to enjoy my last weeks with the car.

I am looking forward to viewing a new A4 on the weekend of the 23rd Feb, and rid myself of this hopeless piece of engineering. If the A4 is not reachable, then I will go back to VW, in the hope I get a decent one next time, like so many seem to have. I have until September to change, so will wait for the spec revision in April, whatever that may be.

I welcome comments, and apologies for the long post, but it also help others with issues.

Bloater:beerchug:

[Stuart W]

Delearship has never heard of anyone getting in excess of 20,000 miles from front tyres of a Passat, so well done to those that have.



Well I got 27,000 out of the original Dunlops, and the replacement Firestone Firehawks (£100 each) have done around 23,000 so far and should achieve a similar mileage.

In fact there was still a bit of useable tread on the nearside Dunlop, so if I'd rotated them I might have gotten 30,000 out of them.

Since I don't do a lot of motorway driving I suspect that a canny driver who does a lot of open road motoring should get 35,000 easy.

Not saying this has any significance for Bloater's particular problem, but I can't believe the dealership's more general comment.

Mind you, I suspect that they won't have seen the drivers with the longer lasting tyres yet.

[Quatrelle]

Thanks for the (long:approve:) follow-up Bloater.

1 and 2 are known issues with the Passat - new front suspension bushes and a new steering rack cure those. At least the garage is accepting the faults and doing the warranty work.

What worries me is that I don't do a great mileage - I'm retired and we have an old Laguna which we keep for towing a trailer and short trips - and I can see all the problems which have been noted on these posts arising when the car is out of guarantee. I'm sure I heard the front suspension creak last week...

Otherwise, I'm well pleased with my 140 (16" wheels) and the only problem is a constantly recurring airbag warning light (they're replacing a side airbag next week - we'll see).

Best of luck with whatever way you decide to go.

[james_tiger_woo]

You've reminded me to get my creaking suspension looked at....

[iaint]

Bloater and JTW

Remember to print out the rather long "Creaking fron suspension" thread from this forum before you take your car in. It certainly worked for me being able to show the garage that it is an issue, even though the garage claimed they couldn't hear the creak.

It may be the difference in getting it sorted.

Cheers
Iain

[james_tiger_woo]

Will do - I keep forgetting though as I'm fed up taking my car in to VW dealers now....

[Bloater]

Thanks Iain, I will also mention it. Also I too am fed up was well James, but hopefully not much longer with the car.

More to follow.

Bloater

[james_tiger_woo]

I love the car, hate going back in to the dealers though....

[Bloater]

Back to the garage earlier, test drive with a technician and more parts on order. It is either the rear cassette bushes, or the top mounts, they will hopefully order both. Common fault apparently.

Also note that as a result of a new steering column, they will also be replacing the customer convenience unit, so have to take both keys with me. Ho hum.

[JBlues]

It's not at all good. I've been in a similar situation for the last 2.5 years with various ongoing issues. It's reached the point now that the car is about 90% right so I'm leaving it that way until I git rid in September.

My obvious choice when I change would have been to go for a Passat Estate but I am shying away from this and seriously looking at a Ford S-Max with it's new 2.2 TDCi 175PS engine.

There was a spec changed announed on Tuesday this week I think. VW have dropped the SE model Passat and re-labelled it Highline with about £2k worth of kit for an extra £250 over the SE price. Two crap engine choices though!

Check out the 'new' VW website which is has been put together about as well as my Passat......

[Quatrelle]

It's not at all good. I've been in a similar situation for the last 2.5 years with various ongoing issues.You must have bought one of the very first B6s. I always avoided buying a 'new' model so, for example, I'd be wary of the 'new' Mondeo. Trouble is, you hang on for too long and end up buying something that's just about to be replaced :(

[Stuart W]

There was a spec changed announed on Tuesday this week I think. VW have dropped the SE model Passat and re-labelled it Highline with about £2k worth of kit for an extra £250 over the SE price. Two crap engine choices though!

Check out the 'new' VW website which is has been put together about as well as my Passat......

I don't like the new site either, and the graphics don't do the Passat any favours IMO.

But it looks like there's just been spec changes to the car rather than any kind of facelift.

The Highline has 17" wheels but the SEL only 16"??

[Bloater]

I hope that's not the only spec change. I drive a Sport and enjoy having the automatic everything, and the dual zone climate (when it works)

As far as I can see the only thing the highline has on it, is leather and new wheels. I would never pay extra to have leather in a car, and would also miss the other toys from the Sport. Also I note that the highline has the new 2.0TDI, the common rail one that is appearing in the new A4. Its supposed to be 143 bhp, but quoted as 140 again in the info.

I also downloaded the Passat brochure on Wednesday evening, and guess what - No highline model, Doh!

Here's hoping there is some more to announce in terms of spec. Stuart - I believe the facelift is next year, April time or something someone said.

Cheers

[Stuart W]

According to an article I read there's also heated seats and a multi-function steering wheel as well as the leather and 17" wheels:approve:

[Bloater]

You almost sold it to me there Stuart - Almost.

Heated seats would be good for a cold country, but I live in the UK, and do not need a toasted backside when it barely gets below freezing. Multi function steering wheel is useful, but hey the volume control on the radio's not far away:Blush: - No laws preventing that yet is there, must check.

Oh well, looks like my time with the Passat is slowly running down, may come back for the next model, at least they could offer something useful like Bluetooth, even my wife's £12,000 Seat has that built in - That was a special edition, with integrated bluetooth, and rear parking sensors, useful items.

I wonder who decides what extras to include on a special edition. Perhaps they have a surplus of cow hide in the factory. Surely with the UK and many EU countries, now preventing the use of handheld mobiles, wouldn't an intergrated bluetooth, with numbers loaded to the car, like the Seat, be more useful to everyone.

Ho hum.
:beerchug:

Cheers

[james_tiger_woo]

My leather seats are heated (well, optionally) :D

You can get integrated bluetooth, but you can get a parrot kit for about £90 which I think might just be cheaper and the parrot kit works through the speakers with a wired mic - worth every penny :D

[Stuart W]

You almost sold it to me there Stuart - Almost.


I think there's a set of carpet mats thrown in as well. That's the clincher, surely?:p

[james_tiger_woo]

Mind the 'flaps though - mine drag over ever speed bump....

[JBlues]

I hope that's not the only spec change. I drive a Sport and enjoy having the automatic everything, and the dual zone climate (when it works)

As far as I can see the only thing the highline has on it, is leather and new wheels. I would never pay extra to have leather in a car, and would also miss the other toys from the Sport. Also I note that the highline has the new 2.0TDI, the common rail one that is appearing in the new A4. Its supposed to be 143 bhp, but quoted as 140 again in the info.
Cheers

I'm fairly sure the facelift comes in next year. This is spec revision is only on the SE model (now Highline). It basically renders ordering a Sport or SEL fairly pointless on a £ for £ basis. Like you say though there are parts to the Sport spec that I would miss. The new Common Rail Diesel going into the Passat is supposed to be a like for like power swap with 140 PS (138 bhp)! Quite how Audi have got it as a 143 PS with 144 co2 I'm not sure. Just wish Audi would bring the Avant forward 6 months....I don't want another saloon!

[Bloater]

Well the car finally went back in yesterday to have the list of work done, from the first post.

They claim to have replaced the steering column, and convenience unit, had to leave both keys. They have also replaced the cassette bushed and sorted the evaporator sensor for the climate control. Also replaced the intercooler seals, which were leaking, which hopefully will reduce the smoke levels.

Unfortunately the creaking suspension is as bad as ever, don't they test drive:zx11:, or believe the printouts from this forum telling them what's wrong with it.

Anyway, my A4 B8 is on order, so VW can shove it basically. They have had more than enough attempts to fix this car, 4 or 5 for the suspension alone. I hope I get a quality phone call following this work, because once again, the dealership will get 1's across the board. Bit like last time after my service, obviously made no difference, didn't even get the promised call back.

Best of luck to you all with your Passat's. Its a shame because I enjoyed driving the car, but too many mechanical quality issues, and duff dealer support for me. I only hope that paying slightly more for the Audi will result in better quality and care, even though its part of the same group.

Bloater

[SteadyFreddy]

Bloater, will you tell us how you get on? It would be nice to think that the grass in greener on the rather expensive Audi lawn :D