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VW Passat TDI vs VW Jetta TDI

46 messages,  Last post on Dec 19, 2011 at 8:22 AM

You are in the Volkswagen Passat Forum.

What is this discussion about? Volkswagen Passat, Volkswagen Jetta, Sedan, Wagon

Messages Page 5 of 6

#35 of 46 Re: bye bye vw passat 2012 [talkcineman] by fatboy22

Sep 11, 2011 (6:58 pm)

Replying to: talkcineman (Jul 21, 2011 9:38 pm)
There is a HUGE difference between Jetta and Passat.
Please note: 2012 vw jetta is a really good car based on a price.Unfortunatelly quality of materials and lack of independent rear suspention (except in GLI model) brings this car on the same level of quality as Toyota,Honda etc.... The biggest advantage is 140 hp diesel engine that is proven to a fantastic option for this car. The engine is being used in Audi lineup in Europe for years and without any problems.
On the other hand, 2012 Passat has kept vw quality all around (and inside).
If you are not speed freak get a TDI passat Highline with every option for around 33k. 236lb of torque and average 6 Liters on 100 kilometers is a hybrid teritory without tons of bateries waiting to fry you....

#36 of 46 2012 Passat vs Jetta? by pramoda1

Sep 20, 2011 (12:15 pm)

Huge difference between the Jetta and the Passat? Please share the specifics.
 
They have the exact same TDI drivetrain. The dealer and several online reviews said the Passat was much, much larger, but the actual specs say there is slightly under a foot difference in length and in person they looked the same size. I've read that the Passat has a nicer suspension and in person I noticed that the Passat has the nicer dashboard material (which is nice, but that's not an surface you have a lot of regular contact with). I didn't check out the other interior materials (and of course those vary between the trims), but they overall interior look was generally the same.
 
Overall, the differences seemed minor to a casual observer like myself, and I am curious to hear more from someone who knows these cars well.

#37 of 46 Re: Bought a new tranny [vw_hear_us] by option31

Oct 13, 2011 (9:25 am)

Replying to: vw_hear_us (Aug 17, 2011 11:58 am)
Yea, well they are either liars, don't care for repeat business or have no clue what a financial nightmare the 05 Passat is. ( they know because you can bet your last dollar they track this stuff ) Replaced the transmission 70k and now AFTER HAVING dealer replace it is going out again at 144k. Never did like auto transmissions especially on a diesel. the torque is too much IMO and I'll bet they throw the gasser tranny on to save a buck.
 
Have had over 10k in warranty work on this POC and now 3-4k more and this is on me ! Turbo ( yea that one they had no turbo in the states so they had to fly in from Germany ) , A/C system 85k, at 105k rack and pinion, power steering pump, premature failure of original cv joint 25k. Have NEVER had a tranny go out in 35 years of driving and two fail on this gem.
 
The whole 36k warranty is a joke, IF you're building car the basic drivetrain should last 100k before the first wrench is put on it. Otherwise no incentive to use more than twist ties off old bread sacks and rubber bands for tranny.
 
You have to wonder if after the Iron Curtain collapsed if they did not hire on a bunch of Yugo engineers. NAW Yugo trannys lasted longer.

#38 of 46 Leaky head gasket... by talkcineman

Oct 13, 2011 (3:56 pm)

I've become the crank customer at my local VW dealer, mostly because I waited since January for the 2012 Passat TDI to arrive this summer (!) in a stick shift with sunroof and other upscale amenities. When it turned out VW isn't building that configuration--manual tranny means downscale not upscale to them--I posted that here.
 
I stopped in at the local VW dealership the other day to see if they'd taken delivery on a new manual TDI yet (oh what the hell) and to see what used inventory they had. No stick Passats in sight. After they thought I'd left, I overheard the sales guy regaling his sales manager with tales of having survived a chance meeting with Sasquatch, aka me.
 
The appeal of VW has been that it offers the solid engineering of its upper brand lines of Audi and Porsche at a price not driven beyond value. But every post online seems to warn you away from VW, not just the new Jetta and Passat as dumbed down Nissans, but the entire product line as being a sinkhole at mile 36,001.
 
Becoming the punchline for the sales team at the local VW dealership, however, makes me want to forget the blogosohere warnings and march right out to buy one from a competing VW dealership. Take that, dumb bastids. Guess I'll resist the temptation to buy VW and instead buy a car--actually I'm in the market for two--from another product line. God knows, there are enough dealers looking to sell cars.
 
When did the VW vibe--what people say about the car, the public interface with its customers, the vibe--turn so negative?

#39 of 46 Re: Leaky head gasket... [talkcineman] by snowman66

Oct 19, 2011 (7:54 am)

Replying to: talkcineman (Oct 13, 2011 3:56 pm)
I've been trying to get a high end TDI passat too and am running into the same crap from my dealership. I ordered an automatic in mid-September and was told 6-8 weeks. Now they are saying it could be the end of December but can't give me any sort of solid date. Their attitude is pretty bad as well. Take it or leave it. This is why I stopped buying VWs 10 years ago. I recently totalled my V6 Accord and thought I'd give VW another shot. The TDI Passat seems great but if the VW dealers are going to have an attitude about it then they can go ***** themselves. Now I need to find an alternative in the same price range...low 30s. I'm not keen on getting another Accord and there's nothing like the TDI Passat out there. I guess the VW dealers figure they hold all of the cards now. Any suggestions? And what's the problem with the Chattanooga VW factory?...they are way behind on production and from what I've heard, only running at 50% capacity.

#40 of 46 Re: Leaky head gasket... [snowman66] by astroman05

Oct 19, 2011 (12:45 pm)

Replying to: snowman66 (Oct 19, 2011 7:54 am)
It's not just Chattanooga. I ordered a TDI Jetta SportWagen (built in Mexico) in late August, still no build date or assurance that it will come in before December. My sales guy said 6-8 weeks too, although the sales manager said at the time that might be a little optimistic. Perhaps that recent recall slowed things down on TDIs.

#41 of 46 TDI w/stick by xlthim

Oct 28, 2011 (8:37 am)

I just got interested in a Passat when I saw mpg ratings.
What kind of maintenance expectations am I looking at if I chose a TDI with a stick?
I currently drive a Sonata with 100k warranty. VW only backs their cars for 36k???
Diesels last forever, but what about VW's diesels?
Manual transmissions normally don't ever break, but clutches need replacing. What is the life of a clutch with this combination?
This tank in the trunk that needs to be refilled every 15k - what is it and how much to fill it back up?
 
tks

#42 of 46 Re: Bought a new tranny [vw_hear_us] by mjg5

Nov 16, 2011 (5:15 pm)

Replying to: vw_hear_us (Aug 17, 2011 11:58 am)
How did you make out? My 2005 VW TDI Transmission just failed and I was quoted $6K to put a new transmission in it. Did you get any satisfaction or reimbursment though VW? I love this car but can't decide to fix or not.

#43 of 46 Re: Bought a new tranny [mjg5] by option31

Nov 17, 2011 (5:40 am)

Replying to: mjg5 (Nov 16, 2011 5:15 pm)
Had a friend change the fluid and that seems to have helped - at least buys me some time. I would go to somebody - anybody but VW. They bend you over the barrel on EVERYTHING. For instance my Passat needed new serpentine belt tensioner replaced. VW $540.00 just for the pulley and install! plus belt. Had local mechanic replace it $250.00 with belt. 6k seems like 2k too much - my first replacement fall 2010 was 4k VW and it was under extended warranty.
Wanted to trade the car in but VW dealer does not want it- no surprise they know whats wrong with it. Wanted to get 2012 Passat TDI with manual transmission but without decent trade in I'll just patch this thing together. Love the TDI but not VW and would NEVER buy another auto transmission any on a diesel. They cannot take the torque. I also have 2000 Jetta manual 48+ MPG. Too bad VW hired the Yugo engineers to design their auto transmissions.

#44 of 46 Does VW really want to build a wider customer base? by talkcineman

Nov 17, 2011 (7:59 am)

Good luck getting a stick on a 2012 TDI.
 
I've been trying to find one to test drive and buy since they introduced the 2012s. There are none available in the NY market. What does that tell you? It's not a priority for VW.
 
In the interim, I've bought a car for myself (non VW), and am looking for a car for my spouse. However, I've become pretty disenchanted with a number of aspects of VW, the track record of their cars, the company and its poor performance and warranty profile, and at least one of the dealers.
 
It looks like it's all pretty cavalier at this company. And from what I read above... I'm even more persuaded that VW is a risky investment.

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