picking up my car on saturday but...

...I don't know a lot about cars. I was going to buy the TDI wagon at a dealer near me but from what I have been told, there aren'y many left. So now I am driving far to get one and the person that was going to go with me to inspect the car, cannot give up that much of their day.

So now I ask you all: What problems should I be looking for in the Passat GLS Wagon TDI?

I have been told to look at obvious things like dings and to drive it and feel how the acceleration and braking is(and I do know about the hesitation issue...hopefully vag-com will fix that). I don't know anything about engines or anything really technical about cars. If the dealer told me the flux capacitor was tip top, I would probably believe him.

What little things should it come with(like the trunk pull-cover thing)?

Is it a new or it's used car? If it is new, I don't think there is much to worry about IMO.

Hesitation from standstill when you floor it will not disappear even if you recode the tranny to sport mode. Just the sport mode has more adequate way of shifting compared to stock mode. But with a couple of thousand miles on the car you will get used to this issue.

Good luck with the new car and keep reading the forum - there is no better information source about our TDI's!

Read your manual from cover to cover. Make sure they give you a litre of 505.01 oil for topping off, and read Drivebywires' breakin suggestions.

I assume you mean that you are going to test drive it first, and then decide if you will buy it. It sounded like the deal is done...

Its just like buying any other new car. Test drive it and look it over. I assume you are getting a new one, so its under warranty. I don't know what kind of inspection you would be doing at a dealer. Certain characteristics of the Passat TDI are just inherent in the car. You should not plan on trying to remove them. Either be prepared to live with them or plan on a different type of car. The hesitation is one of them. If you don't think you can get used to the way it drives, don't plan on being able to change it. Acceleration is another one. It is pathetic relative to most other cars, except maybe a Yugo or Chevette. Even if you have it chipped it will still lag most other cars. Basically, what you see is what you get. I think it is a great car despite these characteristics. However, someone else might not.

...I do know about the hesitation issue...hopefully vag-com will fix that...

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Hope all you want but *nothing* will fix the hesitation issue or the bucking problems people are experiencing with this car. Why would anyone spend good money on a new 2005 Passat [a dinosaur by todays standards] knowing that problems like this exist. There are lots of better cars out there.

I'm sorry to be harsh but that's crazy thinking man, just crazy!

Some of the responders need to sell the cars they don't like and move on. The Passat is a great car. I own two '05 TDI Passats and they run great without any of the hesitation and shudder problems complainted about here. Second, the Passat is not an "old" design. In fact, the next generation Passat is more likely a "cost savings" project for VW than it is an improvement.

Some of the responders need to sell the cars they don't like and move on. The Passat is a great car. I own two '05 TDI Passats and they run great without any of the hesitation and shudder problems complainted about here. Second, the Passat is not an "old" design. In fact, the next generation Passat is more likely a "cost savings" project for VW than it is an improvement.

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Yeah, sure. Auto companies love spending a billion or more developing a new car just to save money. Sorry, by any reasonable automotive standards, this *is* an old car.

It's a piece of junk and I *am* moving on. I'm just doing my part to help unsuspecting people aviod getting stuck with a POS like this only to be told by the dealer that it is completely normal for this car to buck, hesitate, and shudder. Can you even imagine this is possible?

Oh, I really enjoy spending $460 per month to enjoy such fine automotive engineering like this.

And I seriously doubt that your car is completely free of problems. Remember, the dealer says this is all normal, not holy crap, this is a problem, we have to fix this!

Having owned 8 VWs over the years must at least indicate in some way that I have been loyal enough to keep going back to buy more, but the 2005 Passat I bought is by far the biggest dissapointment.

Two of 8 cars were '98 and '99 Passats and their transmissions also acted weird. I really thought that by 2005 (after an 8 year production run mind you) that they would have solved these problems but nope!

A great car indeed!

I give you 500.00 for that POS

I'll be generous, I'll even offer you $550 for your POS !

HMM--- I have never heard of any auto company spending "billions of dollars" designing new cars.
It costs $500 million to design a car/truck from scratch. It is significantly much less to bring a new car to fruition today because of the platform sharing, component assembly units (complete dashes, electrical units and powertrains) and then we have flexible manufacturing which means you have four or five different models built on one assembly line. Last but not least, Bratslava (Eastern Europe) is the new Detroit to companies like GM, Ford, Daimler, VW, BMW, Deere and Company and Case IH--where a high paying wage converted to U.S dollars is about $5.00 with some benefits. It is much cheaper to build a new car today as compared to 5 or 10 years ago.

Having worked extensively in this industry, I am all too familiar with the keys players and the R+D efforts coming out of Wolfsburg, Regensburg, Stuttgart (Weil Im Schonbuch) and Torrance.

I happen to love the "state of the art" diesel technology coming out of Germany and I only wish I could have access to a new 545 or C class Diesel here in the States. It is a very good and well engineered product. It is a crying shame the folks in Washington have turned their backs on this great technology. We have two 05 Passat TDI wagons running on B25 Bio-diesel and we absolutely love them. They are absolutely perfect cars for our needs and we have had zero problems with either car to date. Any issues we had worked themselves out in the first few months of ownership and during break in.

Perhaps you got a bad car, which does happen from time to time. Perhaps you want to whine and complain because of the $460.00 a month car payment. Sounds to me like you expect everything to be 100% perfect 100% of the time in your world.

BTW--You are not stuck with the car and we are tired of hearing about you isolated bad luck. You sound like the type of customer that no company could ever satisfy. It is a man made product with literally thousands of components outsourced from all over the globe. There is more technology in today's car than in the first manned spacecraft.

You have options---
1. You can sell the car.
2. You can trade the car.
3. You can pursue legal action against VW in your home
state. Your state has a lemon law for a reason.
4. Drive it and work out your concerns with the dealership and VW customer service.

If you are so displeased, you should trade it off on something else you like and quit bashing the product and the good people on this website. The TDI has absolutely incredible resale/trade value and you do have options!

Sorry to be so abrasive and sorry for the typos.

Coleman, is your first name Richard? Just a guess, but you seem like a Richard.

I actually expieriance very little shudder issues with my 05 sedan but have expierianced the "hesitation". You have to understand your dealing with a turbo and the only hesitation I've felt is if I try a jackrabbit start. Any car with a turbo will have some lag and it's just way more pronounced with a diesel. I'm an indapendant adjuster and do some lemon law cases for the BBB, depending on what trans shudder issues and how bad they are, you might actually have a gripe, all states have differant laws on how that's handled.

I actually expieriance very little shudder issues with my 05 sedan but have expierianced the "hesitation". You have to understand your dealing with a turbo and the only hesitation I've felt is if I try a jackrabbit start. Any car with a turbo will have some lag and it's just way more pronounced with a diesel. I'm an indapendant adjuster and do some lemon law cases for the BBB, depending on what trans shudder issues and how bad they are, you might actually have a gripe, all states have differant laws on how that's handled.

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OK, so why should you experience *any* shudder issues? You mean you are OK with this? Is this metioned in the owner manual?

I'm not complaining about the hesitation part, just the bucking. Other people in this forum are complaining about the hesitation. Some of them say their car practically stalls out if they attempt to accelerate rapidly from a stop. I do understand this is related to the turbo so I have no problem with this and have adapted to it. But I don't understand how the car pratically stalls out with some people. Bizarre.

I just can't seem to adapt to this bucking nonsense that some people don't seem to be concerned about. What's up with that?

Coleman, is your first name Richard? Just a guess, but you seem like a Richard.

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Funny, you seem like a Joe.

Coleman,

Let's put your complaints to rest, please. You have posted your car's problems, discussed its issues, and vented your spleen. Now let's please move on, as I don't think anyone on this site is going to have a potential purchase decision swayed by your comments, nor are any present owners going to sell their TDIs and get whatever you decide we should get.

I know next to nothing about cars and will never be a shade-tree mechanic. I may change my own oil and even (gasp) refill the washer fluid reservoir. I am learning, gradually, about my car, and I benefit from this site in many ways. Reading your rants is not one of them.

To everyone else,

Can we not please refrain from giving Mr. Coleman any more fuel for his fire? Perhaps if we ignore him...

Great guys...show the newbie the ugliness.

what's up, folks.
take it easy on Coleman, eh?
why all the vitriol against him?

Coleman is pointing out a real problem (bucking) with these cars. my dealer confirmed the problem on my 2005 B5, but said "all the passat TDIs do that". and apparently they do.

for Coleman , it's unacceptable, and i respect that. my car does it too but i bought the car *knowing* of the bucking problem up front. so it's actually acceptable to me. in particular, the "workarounds" are acceptable to me.
(run in a lower gear than the trans might otherwise select, and/or use sport-mode for the trans).

to unload/trade a new car, one usually has to take a financial beating. so a buyer can get stuck with a new car with a brutal "bug". that's a really lousy situation, made more lousy when dealers/manufacturer refuse to address the problem.

*anyone* considering a B5 TDI should be made aware of the bucking problem up front, at least those who happen upon this tdiclub forum.

btw, i think the "hesitation" when starting from a start is a whole different thing. i think they programmed the trans to do that, else the car would burn the tires due to all the low-end torque! i don't think it's turbo-lag causing that hesitation. but hey, i could be wrong, it would only be the 99th time today.

There are at least 2 documented cases of guys getting there Passat's bought back under the Lemon Laws because of this problem.....
I understand that the new A5 Jetta with the 6 Speed DSG also has the off the line lag.....
I am considering selling my Passat and buying a new Jetta but not because of the problems..... I just like some of the options that are included on the car.
Coleman do what you want you have been given your options here and I am sure you already knew them anyway.

wow...who would have thought I would start a flame war with such a simple question

I bought it and I love it

Good for you sleze...enjoy it.

It's the little engine that could...my last car was an Infiniti M45..impressive in many ways, but I am very happy with my TDI wagon now at 5000 miles. It rides and handles great, plenty peppy and will go 100 if you want to. I've been fortunate not to have any fit & finish problems. The transmission has not behaved badly. There is hesitation in some situations, but you can learn to anticipate it. For me there haven't been any false illusions about what this car is or can do. And, it can't be beat off the line!

wow...who would have thought I would start a flame war with such a simple question

I bought it and I love it

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Good deal. It was prudent of you to inquire about the possible issues in the car and to know them before buying. I researched before buying as well to get the same type of info. I am entirely satisfied with the Passat too based on my educated expectations.

...Acceleration is another one. It is pathetic...

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That's a little harsh isn't it?

On the hesitation issue, I'll only add that I don't think highly of VW for putting to market a car that has obvious problems. Just because "they all do it" (the one of the dealers favorite songs ) does not make it right!

Congrads on the new ride sleze, take good care and I hope you are happy with her!

Scott
p.s. I think he seems like a Gary .

Coleman,

Let's put your complaints to rest...


To everyone else,

Can we not please refrain from giving Mr. Coleman any more fuel for his fire? Perhaps if we ignore him...

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Why would a relative newbie suggest that "everyone else" ignore another member? The main purpose of these forums is to gain knowledge from, and help each other. Or maybe for some it's a place to discuss how wonderful our cars are. The latter seem to be personally insulted when a member points out a problem with our perfect cars. Do we need a separate category for B6 Passat Lovers Only? (Moderators would promptly delete any negative input)

Many of us want to get in and drive our cars, pull into a fueling station and fill up every now and then, take care of the normal maintenance and not worry about anything else. If we choose not to reprogram our trannys, drive more aggressively or mix up a chemical concoction at every fill-up just to make our cars run normally, the problem is not with us, but with VW.

I for one, was not willing to accept the bucking/stumbling/lag issues with a car that cost me over $34,000 CAD. From day 2 in my 04 Passat TDI I had all the issues. I was told to try different fuel, try additives, try driving differently, etc. After 10 months of fighting, VW took back my car and replaced it with a 2005. Why? Not because they're such nice people, but because they knew they had a problem that they could not fix, and I was not going to go away. I could have traded it in sooner and taken a huge loss. I could could have sold it privately to some unsuspecting buyer and taken a "not so huge" loss. But why should I or anyone else here? It's not our problem. It's Volkswagen's!

When members suggest ignoring each other so we go away, we'd be doing exactly what VW is doing to all of us. VW continues to lie to Passat TDI owners, saying they're unaware of the problems, or that it's normal. The more we accept it, and take this attitude amongst ourselves, the less likely it'll be that we ever see Volkswagen develop a solution.

If the hundreds? thousands? of TDI Club Passat owners worked together and started a phone/email publicity campaign about the issues that VW is trying to ignore, all along hoping their stonewall attitude will force the individual owner to accept the flaws and go away, then maybe we could wake them up and finally force them into action.

Coleman, I'd like to continue hearing about how your battle is going. Please keep posting. Others considering a future purchase need to know that these cars are not without problems and they will not get support from Volkswagen, if they still choose to take the plunge.

Now let's all play nice!

I think a few of us have already dealt with VW's customer relations department or better yet uncustomer relations dept.

VW has a great little Diesel motor and a nice solid vehicle body (doors, sheetmetal, fit and finish) and they also build a safe car.

I for one wish they (VW) would listen a bit more to their customers rather than their majority shareholder (German Government)and become a bit more consciencious about how their customers feel and what their customers want in a vehicle. In essence, they need to become more like Honda, Toyota or Nissan and less like GM and Ford.

...Acceleration is another one. It is pathetic...

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That's a little harsh isn't it?

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Probably it was. It is slow compared to most cars, but certainly fine for me given my expectations. I must have had a tough time in traffic that day or something However, I did want to make sure that the new guy making his purchase decision didn't have any false illusions about the car.

I have been gaining more confidence during tight traffic 'maneuvers' and find the power/trq quite adequate...

Maybe it's time to chip it!!! ???

Blue Camel,

I appreciate your comments; I read your thoughtful (and better-stated) version of what I was trying to say, and accept the "attitude course correction" (my words) you provided. User "eli" also said it better than I did, just a few comments above mine.

I don't want anyone to "go away" and I don't want anyone to be ignored. My '05 Passat may very well develop the bucking problem, too, and I'll benefit -- like everyone else -- if a solution ever becomes available. I was just trying to get a fellow TDIer into a more chilled-out mode in his posts. That's all.

Thanks.