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

[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) 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......