Fed up with noisy new Passat saloon

[MsCarolH]

Hi all, this is my first post and very new to this. I'm at the end of my tether with a noisy and very uncomfortable new 2.0 FSi SE Passat saloon (Sept 2007). All of the time it is more noisy than my old 1988 1.8T Sport which was almost 10 years old and some times the noise and vibration is unbearable, making me exhausted and even feeling ill!
It's been back to the dealer time and again and they keep saying that everything is OK, but when it starts vibrating at it's worst, it's like running along rumble strips, the vibration comes through the whole car. Other times there is a constant pulsating throb which seems to come from the engine, but is irrespective of engine speed. At idle it seems very quiet!!
Is this typical of the new Passat as I enjoyed the old one so much I assumed the new one would be even better, but it's terrible - except for the odd time that it runs smoothly and then I feel I must have been imagining it all.
Any ideas - or am I going insane??
A very dispirited female owner!

[Trapper]

Sorry to hear of your problems, I have only just ordered mine so I hope I don't get them.

Do not just give your car to the dealer and walk away, find a piece of road that always causes the problems and make an appointment with the service manager and take him and the car to said piece of road and show him what you mean. I once had a 406 with an odd noise and I nearly kidnapped the guy as the drive took so long but in the end the noise appeared and Peugeot sorted the problem.

You really have to push hard as its all to easy to say "It's okay Madam"

I have just got a 90% refund on a used 2.5 year old BMW 530D Tourer because of problems, just keep at it and you will succeed.

Good Luck.

[angus]

I don`t think you`re imagining it, my B6 Sport Estate is far louder than our B5.5 Sport, not engine noise, but the road noise is much worse.
Can`t say we have had any vibration problems, but numerous rattles, buzzes and groans from the interior plastics which are markedly inferior to the old model.
I`ve found that VW dealers vary from the very good to the absolutely appalling, it seems like you may have one towards the bottom end of the scale. If its not too inconvenient why not try another dealer, and if you get decent service reward them when it comes to changing?

[MsCarolH]

Thanks Trapper and Angus for the suggestions. I should have mentioned that the FSi is the petrol engine - you all probably know that anyway :Blush2:. I bought that as the old 1.8 20V T Sport was a fantastic engine. This one is rough and nasty by comparison and I wish now I'd bought the deisel version. Part of the noise comes from the engine - one service engineer, when I asked him to come out in the car for a drive, said "Oh, that's the normal noise of an FSi, it's the air valves (or something)". How can VW produce a car that has built-in engine noise?
But the rumbling, vibration and poor drive comes and goes - and I think it could also depend upon the road surface, but I've not yet been able to confirm that that's the case.
I can drive down the motorway for 100 miles. park up for a couple of hours and then drive back and the two journeys are as different as chalk and cheese as regards comfort and noise! Three times I've had engineers driving it and now they want it for a week.
Meanwhile I've expressed my anger and asked for a refund - living in hope maybe but Trapper's reply gives me heart.
Thanks again. Any other suggestions welcomed :1zhelp:

[MalcQV]

I own the B5.5, and TBH in some ways disappointed with that in regard to quality. Firstly I do not think it is bad at all, I do rather like it on the whole (though if you had asked me 12 months ago I would of paid you to take it away :D) but this is my first VW and I was always under the illusion :p that they were better than mainstream cars. Now I have only ever driven and been in my Passat apart from a Golf (a little of later) so am hardly an expert.

People here seem to think they are one up from Ford, Vauxhall etc, unfortunately I would dis-agree, they are only as good as IMHO (and my personal experience).

The VW Golf, that was a hire car in 2004, me and a few pals went from Manchester to London to see the MPH show. The car was a new 2.0FSI and if anything it was perfect. Certainly not noisy, quick and very well finished indeed. If I am honest when I was looking to replace my Accord it was the Golf that I hired that made me look at a Passat which was never in my list of cars.

So I now believe that the Passat B5.5 and B6 are not a patch on the Golf, the latter holds up the VW name IMO, whereas it seems VW don't give a monkey's about the Passat :mad:

[james_tiger_woo]

Road noise in my car was on the loud side up until a couple of days ago when I replaced my tyres. I'd read how much difference new tyres makes, but I didn't really believe how much difference there would be...

MsCarolH - Have you been out for a drive with an engineer? Sometimes they'll look at a car and deny a problem (like I'm having with the creaking suspension....) - Go for a drive and identify exactly where/when the problem is then drag an engineer or service manager for a drive on that same route.

Insist that you repeat the journey in one of their Passats to highlight the difference.

If they won't go for a drive with you, then try a different dealership.

Incidentally, have you had the wheel balancing checked? Go to somewhere like KwikFit and say that you're experiencing vibrating through the car and ask them to check the balancing on the wheels - one of the weights might have come off that balance the wheel (if they're even there). There's a slim chance the alignment might be out too, but you'd need a laser alignment check to check that.



Edit - just read your second post (sorry) and you say that you've been out with an engineer - as I've said, try a different dealership. And try driving one of theirs on the forecourt - Engine noise shouldn't be "standard".

[MsCarolH]

.... I was always under the illusion :p that they were better than mainstream cars.
..snip...

The VW Golf, that was a hire car in 2004, me and a few pals went from Manchester to London to see the MPH show. The car was a new 2.0FSI and if anything it was perfect. Certainly not noisy, quick and very well finished indeed. ..snip...

Hi MalcQV, thanks for the comments. I agree with the first part and had previously had nothing but praise for the VW, being prepared to spend "over the odds" for a quality and sold, safe, comfortable car!

I too have driven a Golf and agree that it is a good car. They tell me that the Golf and Passat have totally different chassis, the Golf still being an 'older' one but the new Passat is a new floor pan or chassis - seems they haven't got it right:(

I almost bought the new Mondeo but decided against it as it was a totally new car and possibly had 'bugs' - Oh the value of hindsight!!!

[MsCarolH]

Road noise in my car was on the loud side up until a couple of days ago when I replaced my tyres. ... snip ...

Insist that you repeat the journey in one of their Passats to highlight the difference.

If they won't go for a drive with you, then try a different dealership.

Incidentally, have you had the wheel balancing checked? Go to somewhere like KwikFit and say that you're experiencing vibrating through the car and ask them to check the balancing on the wheels - one of the weights might have come off that balance the wheel (if they're even there). There's a slim chance the alignment might be out too, but you'd need a laser alignment check to check that.


Edit - just read your second post (sorry) and you say that you've been out with an engineer - as I've said, try a different dealership. And try driving one of theirs on the forecourt - Engine noise shouldn't be "standard".

Hi James. thanks for the advice - some of it I've already tried. Car only has 5,000 miles on it so tyres are like new. I had already asked for the wheel balance to be checked. Problem is the noise comes and goes and I've just done a 40 mile trip each way up and down the M6 - the first couple of miles were fine, I stopped for half and hour and when I started again the 'bouncing' and rumbling started. The return journey was dreadful. I can't pin it down, it seems at times like the engine is literally throwing itself around in the front of the car, but when I stop and let the engine idle the noise dissapears, but not when I de-clutch and coast along at any speed in neutral. Tomorrow it could be smooth as silk again on the same road.

It's driving me totally insane :zx11:. They have agreed to take it in for 5 days next. I've also asked for a Passat loan car for comparison, but I guess it will be diesel! They have also offered to get second opinion from another dealer. So I can't complain at the dealer, but do wonder if they stil think it's all in my imagination!

Thanks again for all the responses.

[MsCarolH]

An update and question for all.

I've now had a brand-new 2.0 diesel SE B6 Passat for 4 days, while my own is being "examined" to get to the root of the problems of noise and vibration. Guess what, the new one does the same!! :confused:

I saw another thread on here asking if people were really happy with their Passat and it begs the question, "If many (or most) people are happy, what sort of rubbish did they drive beforehand?" I've driven many dozens of different cars over the past 38 years and never experienced anything like this Passat.

I've been out today and did a 7 or 8 mile each way journey on mixed roads. The outward journey was smooth and the car felt good, but after parking up for half and hour or so, and returning in the opposite direction, the car was bumpy and shaky all the way home. Only difference was going east instead of west! Same stretch of road. Now some people may drive the car and feel it's perfectly fine, but it's absolutely rubbish compared with my 1998 model Passat. How can VW claim in their add's the "Beautifully engineered Passat"?

Does no-one feel that the drive quality of this car is pathetic? Could it be aerodynamics as it is far worse in cross winds or head winds? I'm running out of options - please help :1zhelp:

Thanks, Carol

[Quatrelle]

Just to bring a bit of balance to this. I wanted a quiet, comfortable cruiser, and that is what my Passat is. There is some road noise, but this may well be the Bridgestone tyres, noted for their longevity but not necessarily for quiet running. Other than that it is fine. The diesel growls on acceleration but is quiet otherwise, and the car is not affected by crosswinds. The ride is not as comfortable (smooth) as our other car, a Laguna, but French cars, whatever their other failings, are softer sprung generally. That said, the Passat corners flatter, a result of the stiffer suspension no doubt. At 130kph it is virtually silent.

I had the usual buzzing from the glovebox area but I cured this with some PTFE spray. The rest of the car feels very solid. Yes, it has a few shortcomings but, as someone so cleverly said on here somewhere, I wasn't consulted at the design stage!

The car is a 140 saloon - I thought about an estate, but couldn't justify the extra cost and, ironically, in view of what others have said about estates, my wife reminded me that estates are generally noisier....

All the above is imo of course.

[Stuart W]

Have to agree with Quartelle here. There's definitely an issue with tyre noise at the rear when they've woren a bit, but other than that I think the tyre noise problem is just a symptom of the width of tyres used on modern cars and the fact that in general they're otherwise a lot quieter therefore this accentuates the tyre roar.

I've also had a few squeaks and rattles, and the worst of those have been sorted, and the others seem to come and go, but aren't overbearing. On good road surfaces at least, there's no real problem.

As for wind noise, there is a bit in mine, but I think that's mainly from the roof rails and to that extent I assume that the saloon suffers very little intrusion of this type; if particular cars have an issue then perhaps it's due to faulty door seals or suchlike.

It's often said that cars generally are so quiet these days that this accentuates rattles, wind noise, tyre roar etc, thus perhaps the car is actually very quiet and it's this that accentuates the problems that undoubtedly exist, but in reality there isn't much noise intrusion at all; it's certainly the case that in magazine reviews etc the Passat is usually measure as being the quietest in its class and several reviews have speciffically mentioned this.

Carol, what puzzles me about your problems is that you've driven at least two (?) Passats and in both cars the problems seem to be their some of the time but not at other times, which might be explained by one lemon, but not in two different cars surely?

[Quatrelle]

On the door seals issue, I'm sure I read somewhere that VW recommend spraying the seals with a lubricant, so I bought a dedicated spray and did mine.

Whether this helps them to sit better in the openings I don't know (I never noticed a noise problem prior to this), but it might be worth a try. Modern seals are very soft rubber, and could easily be distorted.

[MsCarolH]

<snip>

It's often said that cars generally are so quiet these days that this accentuates rattles, wind noise, tyre roar etc, thus perhaps the car is actually very quiet and it's this that accentuates the problems that undoubtedly exist, but in reality there isn't much noise intrusion at all; it's certainly the case that in magazine reviews etc the Passat is usually measure as being the quietest in its class and several reviews have speciffically mentioned this.

Carol, what puzzles me about your problems is that you've driven at least two (?) Passats and in both cars the problems seem to be their some of the time but not at other times, which might be explained by one lemon, but not in two different cars surely?

Thanks Stuart and Quatrelle for the comments. --AN APOLOGY-- I just realised that I've probably been misleading people slightly (I'm so cheesed off with the thing!). The problem is actually VIBRATION, which does produce some noise, but, on balance, the car is actually rather "quiet" (i.e. noise levels) to drive, even at high speed. But it is incredibly uncomfortable due to the vibration and shaking that is felt throughout the car, via the steering wheel and the seat.

It's been suggested that it may be wheel wobble but I've had that checked out and, even if it was that, it would be there all the time! One part of the journey can be smooth and quiet and then it starts the shaking and it can continue for days afterwards or just ease off again after an hour. The new vehicle yesterday was fine in one direction of the journey and dreadful on the return. It can be made worse by road surface, but that isn't the real cause.

I've now had enough and its GOING!!! I can't continue to drive and feel like I've been fighting the car the whole way! What makes me really annoyed is the engineers all say it seems like a "NORMAL" Passat.

Thanks again, Carol

[Astonm]

Quatrelle (sorry to hijack this thread) you said earlier that you "had the usual buzzing from the glovebox area but I cured this with some PTFE spray" can I ask were did you spray? and will this spray help all rattles and squeaks?

[Trapper]

I have been reading as much as I can about the new Passat Estate, any review in What Car or any mag mentioning the new Passat I bought it, in every review the harshest thing is that the boot is not as large as its rivals and that some of the plastics are a bit hard to the touch, in one review it came second to the Mondeo (What cars bench mark car and car of the year).

The test reported the Passat in 2nd place:
For. Fine ride and handling, comfortable cabin, strong residuals, good safety and security.
Against. Smallest boot, coarse engine, hard plastics.
Verdict. Bettered by Mondeo, but still a great all rounder. Roomy, comfortable and good to drive. It also states drive is sharp, strong performance, neat handling and comfy ride. refined cruiser. Wind road and engine noise are well suppressed.

Are we talking about the same car, something seems at odds here:confused:

[vince47]

MsCarolH
Whilst I cant pretend to know what your cars vibration problem is, my previous car was the same as yours, a 1.8T 20v passat. As you say whether a car is quiet/smooth or not depends upon what you have just driven. Hence this is my comparison between the two passats
My first ride in the new passat did make me think a window was slightly ajar such was the wind noise from cars passing. This doesnt apply in your case but I also had to allow for a bit of vibration at slow speeds having gone from petrol to a diesel and also some vibration through the clutch pedal. Yes there were also some rattles which never occurred in 8yrs of the earlier model. (glove box rattles mainly). However the above were slight and nothing like yours sounds. After a very short while I forgot how quiet the 1.8t was. However, my son has the 1.8t now and riding in it the other day made me think `wow, this is quiet.`
I got out of the 1.8t and straight into my car and yes its not so smooth and quiet. Yes the 1.8T was a great car, quiet and reliable, for me anyway.

[Quatrelle]

Quatrelle (sorry to hijack this thread) you said earlier that you "had the usual buzzing from the glovebox area but I cured this with some PTFE spray" can I ask were did you spray? and will this spray help all rattles and squeaks?I sprayed the glovebox lock, its hinges, retaining catches that hold it closed, and the same for the handbook's cubbyhole. Any excess can be wiped round the lip and onto the stops of the lid.

It's excellent for anywhere that two plastic surfaces that might come into contact. It's not a panacea for all rattles but I haven't had any buzzing from the glovebox since I did it - and I'm very conscious of the slightest unwanted noise.:(

[Quatrelle]

I have been reading as much as I can about the new Passat Estate, any review in What Car or any mag mentioning the new Passat I bought it, in every review the harshest thing is that the boot is not as large as its rivals and that some of the plastics are a bit hard to the touch, in one review it came second to the Mondeo (What cars bench mark car and car of the year).

The test reported the Passat in 2nd place:
For. Fine ride and handling, comfortable cabin, strong residuals, good safety and security.
Against. Smallest boot, coarse engine, hard plastics.
Verdict. Bettered by Mondeo, but still a great all rounder. Roomy, comfortable and good to drive. It also states drive is sharp, strong performance, neat handling and comfy ride. refined cruiser. Wind road and engine noise are well suppressed.

Are we talking about the same car, something seems at odds here:confused:Having never driven the Mondeo, I can't comment on its ability.

However, the main criterion when I went for the Passat was that I wanted a quiet cruiser. It was reported as the best in that respect (this was Dec. 2006 before the lastest Mondeo came out), and yes - 'refined cruiser. Wind road and engine noise are well suppressed' - exactly that.

I'd go along with the rest of that report (although the boot is easily big enough for me). Yes the engine is 'harsh' but only on acceleration, and I don't find it unpleasant. I have seen the 'hard' plastic described elsewhere as 'solid'.

I've had a couple of niggles with it, but sitting in almost absolute silence at an indicated 140kph.......:approve:

[MsCarolH]

Having never driven the Mondeo, I can't comment on its ability.

However, the main criterion when I went for the Passat was that I wanted a quiet cruiser. It was reported as the best in that respect (this was Dec. 2006 before the lastest Mondeo came out), and yes - 'refined cruiser. Wind road and engine noise are well suppressed' - exactly that.

I'd go along with the rest of that report (although the boot is easily big enough for me). Yes the engine is 'harsh' but only on acceleration, and I don't find it unpleasant. I have seen the 'hard' plastic described elsewhere as 'solid'.

I've had a couple of niggles with it, but sitting in almost absolute silence at an indicated 140kph.......:approve:

Hi again everyone and thanks for the continued contributions.
I've now had 3 different (new) B6 vehicles to try, my own and 2 diesel saloons. The worse case I have experienced in each of them has been on streches of 'concrete' roads, like the A50 east of Stoke, and the M42 north of the M40. Yesterday, back in my own car again, it shook like a 3 legged one humped camel on speed. Seriously, it seemed to pick up road surface oscillation and became like a vibrating board with a life of its own - terrible drive. Later on the M6 Toll it cruised along with a whisper, just like I think it should. But this is not just a rough road surface issue since parts of the M1 around Luton are like a dirt track and very rough - all I got was normal road rumbles and shakes, not oscillating vibration.

Another question and a thought - I checked the tyres after about 2 hour's driving and both nearside wheels were very warm, the front offside was slightly warm, but the rear offside was COLD. I wonder whether this problem is because the chasis is bent and the wheels are not correctly lined up or equally touching the road - any engineers out there??? It also gives credibility to the idea that it sometimes feels like the front nearside is bouncing up and down while it oscillates.

Add this to a road with a regular imperfection and the car would be out of control. So, the big question is - "Is the chasis or suspension of the B6 Passat far too flexible or liable to distortion?"

Carol

[sysop]

Road noise in my car was on the loud side up until a couple of days ago when I replaced my tyres. I'd read how much difference new tyres makes, but I didn't really believe how much difference there would be...



I agree; I changed to Michelin Primacy tyres at 25000kms, and the difference is most marked. Far less noise and better ride. (2007 TFSI Sportline with 17 inch)

[Touchofclass]

Ive always found my passat really quiet - but then ive always driven diesels(2 Boras before the passat). I know that concrete surfaced roads are notorious for noise as tarmac absorbs a lot of vibration but doesnt last as long.

:confused:

[MsCarolH]

Ive always found my passat really quiet - but then ive always driven diesels(2 Boras before the passat). I know that concrete surfaced roads are notorious for noise as tarmac absorbs a lot of vibration but doesnt last as long.

:confused:
OK - there are several different sources of noise in a car:
a) road noise, affected by choice of tyres, tyre pressure and quality of road surface, but I also think it is affected by the mechanics of the car and how it transmits that noise into the cabin. For me, the tyre noise if not a huge issue, and I have Dunlops on mine.
b) wind noise, purely an aerodynamics thing and, to be honest, it is minimal in the B6 Passat saloon - I drive an X-Type Jag the other day and I think there was slightly more wind noise in that (huge door mirrors!). The Passat (when running properly) can be a quiet car and so any mild wind noise tends to stand out. The new B6 has less wind noise than the older models.
c) engine noise. The new FSI petrol engine is TERRIBLE for engine noise, even one of the service managers at VW said it was a "tinny" engine with tappet like knocking. It's harsh on acceleration and almost as noisy as the diesel.
d) squeakes and rattles. I've not found many of them to be honest, although one loan car (S model, diesel engine) did have the squeaky dashboard sound coming from somewhere!
Then there's VIBRATION, which can manifest itself as noise, but is more felt that heard. That's the problem that is really bugging me!!! Plus the fact that it comes and goes and plus the fact that the car seems to "bounce" on one corner!!! Plus the fact that they can't find anything wrong. Latest statement from the dealer - "Well, it's just a characteristic of the car and you can't expect us to do anything when it's not broken!!!!"
Final insult was, at only 6 months old, I've only been offered 11k for it - a loss of around £9,000 in 6 months. DON'T buy Petrol Passats EVER!!!!!
Thoroughly angry and upset owner who can't wait to get rid of it, but may be stuck with no options!!!

[thegunit]

just got 140 highline estate diesel, the noisyest new car i've been in. the new common rail diesel has the same tappet type rattle that is intrusive esppecially with the window down. and pirelli tyres roar and whine on good road surfaces and rumble and crash on bad ones. wish i'd gone for the mondeo or new mazda 6

[Mav2006]

I just sold my Passat estate after 12 months of ownership. Dealers don't seem to like the pertrols, but I suppose I knew that. Now buying Golf GTI

[Trapper]

Picked up my Diesel 170 SEL Manual Estate on Tuesday, drove back from the Midlands so no real usage yet but so far so good, I found the car similar to my previous BMW 530d as regards to motorway noise, I have not yet noticed any dashboard rattles or suspension creaks etc.:D

Back to work this week then my wife and I are are touring next week so will then give it more of a testing, so I hope my first impressions are the same on our return.

[MsCarolH]

Well, I finally bit the bullet and returned my Passat to the dealer. Eventually got a compromise buy-back deal, but still lost about 4k in 8 months. I just couldn't stand the aggravation and discomfort on long journeys any more :zx11:
Did a search around, looking at new Mondeo, X-Type, and read reviews of many others. Having driven others I am firmly of the opinion that the Passat roadholding was (and is) superb, wind noise absolutely minimal, and the seat comfort is best in class.... if only they could have sorted the vibration. Will probably get an X-Type as relacement.
The dealer said that they believed what i was experiencing was "just a characteristic of the car" and the suspension on the SE was "more like a sport that tourer". They finally refused to accept that anything was wrong, so my conclusion is that all Passats are DESIGNED to rumble, shake and vibrate on certain road surfaces - but they corner well! OK if you're a young kid whizzing round corners!!!
As for the petrol, YES, I agree, they say there is NO market for them at all.
Be warned!
A very sorry tale and one of the biggest mistakes of my life! Carol

[MalcQV]

Glad you got some sort of closure. Me I won't be ever buy another Passat petrol or diesel I don't think ;)

[vdubdan]

Well, I finally bit the bullet and returned my Passat to the dealer. Eventually got a compromise buy-back deal, but still lost about 4k in 8 months. I just couldn't stand the aggravation and discomfort on long journeys any more :zx11:
Did a search around, looking at new Mondeo, X-Type, and read reviews of many others. Having driven others I am firmly of the opinion that the Passat roadholding was (and is) superb, wind noise absolutely minimal, and the seat comfort is best in class.... if only they could have sorted the vibration. Will probably get an X-Type as relacement.
The dealer said that they believed what i was experiencing was "just a characteristic of the car" and the suspension on the SE was "more like a sport that tourer". They finally refused to accept that anything was wrong, so my conclusion is that all Passats are DESIGNED to rumble, shake and vibrate on certain road surfaces - but they corner well! OK if you're a young kid whizzing round corners!!!
As for the petrol, YES, I agree, they say there is NO market for them at all.
Be warned!
A very sorry tale and one of the biggest mistakes of my life! Carol
hi carrol, just bought a 99 red eye 1.9 tdi ,pranged my A4 thought this would be good replacement but can t believe how it is over even tiny bumps

[drmartin]

Hi again everyone and thanks for the continued contributions.
I've now had 3 different (new) B6 vehicles to try, my own and 2 diesel saloons. The worse case I have experienced in each of them has been on streches of 'concrete' roads, like the A50 east of Stoke, and the M42 north of the M40. Yesterday, back in my own car again, it shook like a 3 legged one humped camel on speed. Seriously, it seemed to pick up road surface oscillation and became like a vibrating board with a life of its own - terrible drive. Later on the M6 Toll it cruised along with a whisper, just like I think it should. But this is not just a rough road surface issue since parts of the M1 around Luton are like a dirt track and very rough - all I got was normal road rumbles and shakes, not oscillating vibration.

Another question and a thought - I checked the tyres after about 2 hour's driving and both nearside wheels were very warm, the front offside was slightly warm, but the rear offside was COLD. I wonder whether this problem is because the chasis is bent and the wheels are not correctly lined up or equally touching the road - any engineers out there??? It also gives credibility to the idea that it sometimes feels like the front nearside is bouncing up and down while it oscillates.

Add this to a road with a regular imperfection and the car would be out of control. So, the big question is - "Is the chasis or suspension of the B6 Passat far too flexible or liable to distortion?"

Carol

When I had my Passat sport estate (B6) driving over the concrete road by the M42/M40 interchange (either direction) was so harsh your voice broke up when speaking! hate that road, not the car for the poor ride interestingly:o

[Isoproturon]

Just replaced my A4 Sport with a Passat Sport. Passat is far quieter than the Audi.

One thing occurred to me - did they check the dampers? Maybe a worn damper could have caused the vibration/tyre issues.

[MalcQV]

The Passat is quiet. Not as smooth as my previous Honda and the engine not as refined, the Honda 4's are silky smooth, but the Passat is quiet :beerchug:

[BenR]

Just taken my Volvo driving buddy for a long drive up the M6 and he was AMAZED at how quiet it was!

It's also brilliant at long motorway trips, smooth, steady, quiet and comfortable.

[PDL]

Did he not say how awful the seat in the passat was as i think they are the worst seats to sit in.

The passat B6 came 96th in the car survey for autoexpress. 1 being the best .

[ionic]

Hi Carol,

There must have been a fault with the car/cars you drove.

I have driven loads of makes & models over the past few years, inc a merc cls, bmw 530i, Audi A4, Golf tdi & bmw 335d & the passat compares favourably with them, the one that dwarfs everything being the cls, a stunning machine.

I seriously did my homework when I was looking for a car, I drove a Lexus is220d, new Mondeo, Avensis, plus others & in the price level the Passat was a much better drive than all of them, particularly for refinement.

I have never felt any vibration, apart from if the surface is poor, such as the bumpy sections approaching an island or such like.

Mine is a sport so the ride is firm, I expect some of the road surface holes etc to be noticable, but cornering is superb & the car is very flat even when loaded.

The Audi A4 & the 335 above were much harder riding & quite uncomfortable in comparison.

Its very poor that VW could not get to the bottom of the problem, I think they are letting themselves down badly with customer service.

[Dozz]

I picked up my 55 plate b6 yesterday it's a SE 140 DSG. I part x'd my B5.5 highline 130 manual. Having now had the chance to do back to back comparisons the b6 is a better car. The engine is quieter the seats are just as comfortable but it is firmer ride. I don't find it hard I just find it "tells" me a lot more about the road conditions. You can tell how much toughter (spelling?) the shell is over the old one. I did notice more road noise from the back wheels than the front. My rears are 50% worn and are the originals (Dunlop sport). The road handaling is far superior in feel than my old passat however I feel there would actually be very little in it if both are pushed hard. So in summary I find the new B6 is better but it's not by a great margin I just think they both get on with the job ust in slightly differnent ways. I have not noticed ant significant vibration between the two. Old car had 64k miles on it the new one has 32k.