VW Passat

[richardt]

I recently took delivery of a new highline estate TDi 130 and was looking forward to it, with the alleged german build quality and generally good reports.

I have to say that it is far from being as good as I expected:

the interior is not as 'screwed together and squeak free' as I would have hoped

i have a small knock coming from the front driver side suspension / steering, which only happens once after it has been stood for a while [going into the dealer tomorrow for them to say 'we don't know sir']

there is a fairly continuous metallic rattle / bearing noise coming from the oily bits when travelling at about 20-30 mph when you are not under acceleration.

the dash lights flicker occassionally, i switched the radio off the other day and it kept going!

Am I unlucky? I am seriously thinking about getting rid of it again as I hate little niggly things like that.

What makes it worse is that when i took it to the dealer last week 'Michael Schumacher' took it for a spin and couldn't hear a thing! [nothing to do with the driving then!]

Phew, got that off my chest, but it is in the dealer again tomorrow, so more rants on Friday?

Richard.

[mg511]

VW build quality is a myth, just look at any JD Power survey. This is pretty standard for a VAG product.

[Ian Lewis]

Buy a Skoda.

I'm on to my 4th.
I keep them for 12 months travel 45,000 miles.
Get a good trade in,

Best of all. NO PROBLEMS! AT ALL

Tell a lie! The offside washer was once set too high!

Just bought a Superb 2.5TDI-fantastic.

Ian

[Nicholas Blair]

Loads of Passats on fleet and no problems I have to say.

You may just be unlucky - hand it back.

[nonegreen]

mg511 said:

VW build quality is a myth, just look at any JD Power survey. This is pretty standard for a VAG product.

Hmmm interesting what would you suggest is superior build?

Nissan?
Toyota?

possibly, but who else?

[door]

nonegreen said:

mg511 said: VW build quality is a myth, just look at any JD Power survey. This is pretty standard for a VAG product. Hmmm interesting what would you suggest is superior build? Nissan? Toyota? possibly, but who else?

Not Nissan mate,

Audi Skoda....Lexus ...Volvo..sorry list ends. Thats sad!

[jap-car]

door said:

nonegreen said: mg511 said: VW build quality is a myth, just look at any JD Power survey. This is pretty standard for a VAG product. Hmmm interesting what would you suggest is superior build? Nissan? Toyota? possibly, but who else? Not Nissan mate, Audi Skoda....Lexus ...Volvo..sorry list ends. Thats sad!

Sunday's Top Gear said that 7 of the top 10 in the latest survey were Jap ie Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Lexus, Subaru. This is generally the case in these surveys.

2nd in the survey was a Jaguar.

[Yugguy]

Merc had sh1te build quality through most of the 90s, but all german marques still sell well in the uk through this perceived build quality image.

[richardt]

I had a Tdi 130 Audi A3 before replacing it with this current piece of german 'junk?' and the whole experience was a dream, dealer was the dogs wotsits etc. certainly worth the bit extra dosh.

I needed something bigger this time, and couldn't really stretch to the A4 estate [big bucks with a similar spec], so plumped for what I thought was going to be a good substitute.

If only I had money...........

[toppstuff]

nonegreen said:

mg511 said: VW build quality is a myth, just look at any JD Power survey. This is pretty standard for a VAG product. Hmmm interesting what would you suggest is superior build? Nissan? Toyota? possibly, but who else?

VW build quality is indeed a myth. Not only is this backed up by JD Power, but also by my brother who happens to work for one of the largest fleet management companies in the UK.

The VW = quality myth equally applies to Audi. Both brands are no better than average, middle of the scale for reliability and dealer service. By all accounts VW score poorly where the car has a problem and the apparent weakness in the dealers abilities to sort it out.

Skoda score better.

Better still are Toyota. Honda are pretty well the same. Cannot go wrong with either. Subaru are also excellent, but the sample is lower because they don't sell in the same numbers.

[XM5er]

I wouldn't go so far as to say that VW build quality is mythical, historic maybe. The VWs I had in the past were bullit proof however, the wifes Mk4 Golf TDi has had more than its fair share of problems. The biggest being a leaky bulkhead which resulted in a pool of water in the rear footwell. Handles like a plate of sick too.

Also my Uncle has a Mk4 Golf which has had endless electrical problems (for example, hitting the door plipper to lock and set the alarm resulted in all 4 windows coming down at once).

[dinkel]

jap-car said:

Sunday's Top Gear said that 7 of the top 10 in the latest survey were Jap ie Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Lexus, Subaru.

I have quite a few friends / neighboors / family driving in lease / company cars. All who drive a Jap have no problems at all and are content about it.
My Golf is shite: 5x to the garage in 10 months!!! That's as much as I saw a garage with the '95 Civic in, well you can calculate . . . apart from service, tires etc off course . . .

I drove a '02 Passat in a driving-course: I preferred the 406 / Avensis etc . . . rattles are common in every VW I drove. They don't bother me.

[door]

Sorry lads but my Audi is great.

I do agree about the Merc comment, gf's dad got a brand new one and the armrest phone holder assembly didn't work. So I guess it was not correctly PDI'd. When I took delivery of my new VW 8years ago there were several things broke or not working correctly.

I do agree with Tonker. The dealers are probably the biggest trouble owning any car.

[edc]

I have a 1997 SEAT Ibiza. Major problems include the rear washer pipe coming off - 1 zip tie to fix (same as mk2 Golf); heatshield on exhaust coming loose - weld at service; and err, that's it. If you pay a premium then you expect something in return. If you don't then as in my case you simply get a cheaper car but seemingly better built to boot.

[andyparrott]

toppstuff said:

The VW = quality myth equally applies to Audi. Both brands are no better than average, middle of the scale for reliability and dealer service.

Hasn't been my experience over the last 2 years of owning an A4. Build quality on mine is pretty impressive. Local dealer has been fantastic. In fact the only problem I have had is when one of their ramps failed and they needed to keep my car overnight. But that was ok because I just kept their A3. It does seem to have an appetite for Coils however, but again I just take it to the dealer (without an appointment) and they fix it while I wait. Which I think is pretty impressive.

We also have a Nissan and a Subaru which are both well built, but with poorer quality materials (those that you can see anyway). Nissan is great and costs peanuts to run. Subaru doesn't cost peanuts to run.