New B6 Passat Owner - a few questions?

[b3nb123]

I've been looking for a new car for a while, toyed with spending £5k on something quite flash, then I'd change my mind and think perhaps I should buy a banger to get me around! (If we're all out as a family then we're always out in the wife's SUV, my car is exclusively to get me to work.

I went a bit spontanious last night, found a '55 Passat on autotrader that was 8 miles away, within an hour or so I was the owner! It's a 2.0 TDI 140 Estate.
I'm impressed with the comfort of the drive, standard seats have to say are really comfy! However it's a base model, so it doesn't even have electric windows in the back (though thankfully in the front it does!)
The previous owners had dealt with the injector recall, the handbrake switch has been replaced, and most recently the unit for the driver's door catch has been replaced too. So a few of the common problems dealt with I believe?

I've just bought a centre console with armrest and sliding-lid cubby hole to replace the standard one, when sitting driving any distance you do notice the lack of armrest, and the random nooks and crannies for storage etc in the centre look really cheap and scruffy. Other than that the finish on the dash (black, almost carbon look) actually look pretty decent for base-spec

A few things about it though:

• The sound is only coming out of the passenger side front speaker, not the drivers' side. I guess this wasn't put back correctly after the door lever repair. But damn does it sound terrible!!! I've ordered a cheap set of components to replace the speakers with, not trying to win any soundoffs, but hopefully will be an improvement! Or do people think that the poor sound would be produced by the headunit? I was thinking it's most likely the speakers rather than the HU that would would be the let down here, would I be right?

I've read that aftermarket HUs need adapters to behave correctly, and I read a forum post about an RCD 520 being a good replacement that would fit right in? Certainly for the £90 they cost on ebay it seems a swish looking headunit. Would it plug right in without any coding etc? Any other recommendations? I really prefer my cars to have OEM looking stereos anyway, any other models that would give me aux in (any that would give me phone connectivity?)

• Seems like there's no rear speakers at all! Thrre's not even a fader option in the settings of the stereo. Would the wiring be likely to be there if I took the door cards off? Wondering if I should add some speakers and if the option could be brought back to the menu via vagcom.
Also, if I bought a steering wheel with controls would the wiring be there for that? I ask because a FIAT I had ages ago I remember had cruise control all wired in and just lacked the control stick on the lesser models!!
Otherwise I may run a wire myelf. Even if nobody rides in the back, rear speakers make a big difference to the sound in the front.

• The bonnet is so stiff th lever breaks off when you try and open it! We had it open once, but it took a fiddle! It seems judging by the shut-lines that the bonnet is sitting a little high at the windscreen/hinge edge. Or is this usually how they look at this point? I'm wondering if the bonnet has been subject to a repair at some point and fitted badly, or if the stiff bonnet release is due to something else, trapped cable, catch needing lubricating etc.

• Does this car have a DPF? How long would it last usually before needing a replacement?

• The timing belt was replaced at 60,000 miles for some reason (That's early, isn't it?) How long should they go before needing changing again?

• Is there a simple way to an an aux-inpu to the stereo? This looks cheap: here but surely wouldn't just plug in and work? Or would it?? I'd love to know

Thanks in advance for the help! I'm looking forward to driving this car loads. I must admit, in base spec it doesn't excite me as much as other cars I may have been looking at, but for the money I paid it's certainly really surprised me in how nice it is to drive, it's huge, and the fuel economy seems amazing!

[Gazwould]

Fix the infamous oil pump .

[b3nb123]

I think I heard about that. Is it a big job? Garage or DIY?

[JMR1]

For the oilpump and other items on your list, plenty of posts here on the forum.....for the bonnet problem, seems like it was damaged at some time, and badly re-fitted. To get it right, try the following:
Open the bonnet, and remove the front grille. Then remove the striker pin. If it is the non-removable type striker pin, then remove the lock ( its set in the top panel.) Then close down the bonnet. if its all square and even on either side ( same gap between the front wings on either side ) and square along the panel under the windscreen, then you are starting from a good place.....if not, however, you could be facing crash damage repairs badly done. With a measuring tape, measure diagonally from a point on the windscreen panel, out to a point on the front locking panel ( the two rubber buffers on the locking panel, one on either side ) will give near enough accurate measurements for comparison purposes.If these measurements are the same, then all your problems are down to re-setting the bonnet correctly.
Set the two rubber buffers so that the bonnet sits evenly on them, same height as the wings.
Then replace the bonnet lock in the top panel. At this point, check the pull cable. It should open the lock easily, and the lock should lock easily. Check by inserting a screwdriver into the lock to "Trip" it, then pull the release cable to open it again. All these movements should require little pressure on either the lock or the release cable.
To set and adjust the lock, place a strip of masking tape over the lock, and mark the striker with some tippex or paint, then lower the bonnet down until you can feel it hitting the masking tape. Lift the bonnet up, and by the marks on the masking tape, you will be able to see which way the lock needs to be moved so that the striker is hitting it dead centre.
Next lower the striker pin to the max, and push down the bonnet so it locks. At this stage, because the striker is extended to the last, the bonnet can move up and down, so you will have to adjust the height of the striker to get it just right. Too loose, the bonnet will vibrate and rattle, too tight, and it will take too much pressure for the cable to release it. For finer adjustment, you can raise and lower the rubber buffers on the locking panel. Hope that this helps.

[b3nb123]

Thanks JMR1, that's a great guide, I'll check it when I have a chance!

[Teflon]

Beware RCD510 units on EBay and check carefully, read the small print. Many of them are ex Chinese so you don't get RDS radio and some other UK stuff.

.

[b3nb123]

Thanks for the tip, I'll keep an eye out.
I'm in two minds actually about changing the stereo. Yes this RCD300 looks a bit basic, the dull grey screen etc, but actually i mainly listen to the radio, occasionally my phone's music, so the main reason to upgrade was aux-in. On my last car I added aux with a wired FM modulator that sat in-line on the aerial connection. Because it's wired in the sound is crystal clear. So for £20 I'm just going to add that for the time being I think.

Today I realised the CD is stuck in the tray! There's a two-button technique, (I think it's the top button (1st) of the left side and the bottom button (3rd) on the right side, may be vice versa) that forces the CD to eject if the eject button doesn't work, but all that does is whir, clunk and say 'CD error'

Doesn't actually bother me at all, I can't remember the last time I used a CD! Once I've got my FM modulator, and have replaced/fixed the speakers in the car I'll be happy I think.

Anyone know if the wiring would be waiting i the rear doors if the car didn't come with rear speakers?

[RichardSEL]

The wiring for rear speakers will not be there. The flat pins on the plug at the back of the radio will not be there either