Silent turbo?

I've owned my 1996 Passat TDI now for 2+ years so I'm relatively familiar with the operation of the car to this point of my ownership My question is this, why don't I hear the turbo whine/spool when I accelerate? This is my first TDI but I've driven others and the engine performance of my car seems on par with these other TDI's so I don't suspect anything is wrong with the turbo. Should I be concerned? The car has close to 235,000 miles on the clock and is my daily commuter. What a great machine it is! Thanks in advance! Pete

If it's a bone stock car, i.e. stock exhaust, the turbo is muted by the engine. I can almost hear mine with a new cat and a 2.5" exhaust with an Aero muffler. If you're behind me it can be heard.

Yep, it's bone stock alright...thanks for the reply!

I was going to ask them same thing. My B4 is at 223K and I can really only hear the turbo spool at around 1,800-2,000 RPM and up. My dads ALH TDI which is also stock seems to have a more audible turbo spool at lower RPM's.

p.s. I heard if you do a cat straight pipe it brings the turbo noise to life. I'll be doing this closer to summer since my muffler is done at the end suit case.