Only Passat TDI of its kind???

G

glester

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Sep 20, 2019
Location
Seattle
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2013 Passat 6M
Ok, so about a month ago I purchased a 2013 Passat TDI 6M in Southern California. I believe that it may have been the only one for sale in the entire US of its kind. I understand that there are 2015 models with this config available and I'm not 100% clear on the difference in the 2015 vs the previous 2012-2014, but something must be different since the EPA only approved the fix for the 2015 year (for the 6 speed manual).

Anyway, I was able to figure out who the previous owner (only other owner) was and reached out to him. He told me that he didn't accept the VW buyback and had his lawyer work with VW. Turned out that the CEL came on after the dieselgate info came out but before there was a fix available. Anyway, he had it parked for some time (1.5 years or so) while he waited for VW to give him an offer that was "acceptable to him". Eventually, VW paid him off (I don't have the figure, but would guess it was a good number) AND told him he could not only keep the car, but they would fix the CEL at no cost to him.

Anyway I was confused how it had close to 140K miles if it sat for 1.5-2 years. He said he drove it 200 miles per day (to and from work) for a good amount of time and that it is almost all freeway miles.

So...I'm curious if you guys have seen any other 6M Passat TDIs out there (other than 2015). Seems that almost everybody sold them back to VW.
 
oilhammer

oilhammer

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outside St Louis, MO
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There are just too many to list....
There was nothing that "forced" anyone to sell them back, I have one customer that kept his too, so at least there is one other. ;) It has 250k miles on it so far, and aside from a turbo replacement early on, and a few DEF tank heater issues, it has not had any problems and still returns a consistent 46 MPGs for him.
 
G

glester

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Sep 20, 2019
Location
Seattle
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2013 Passat 6M
oilhammer said:
There was nothing that "forced" anyone to sell them back, I have one customer that kept his too, so at least there is one other. ;) It has 250k miles on it so far, and aside from a turbo replacement early on, and a few DEF tank heater issues, it has not had any problems and still returns a consistent 46 MPGs for him.
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Nice!
 
7

740GLE

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NH
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2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
6MT NMS were sold from 2012 thru 2014, there were way more rare than the DSG as
I think was only offered on S or SE stripper models. I'm just guessing but of all NMS TDIs sold the production rate of 6MT was less than 5%.

While many people who had the option of VW buying it back took them up on the option, there was no fix so VW isn't reselling any of them they most likely crushed em.

Only one still on the road didn't receive the standard compensation, and no extended warranty, also I'd be curious if CA would allow it to be registered, but alas your in Seatle, so moot point.

2015 6MT were also an option but those have an EPA fix and should be less rare.
 
G

glester

Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2019
Location
Seattle
TDI
2013 Passat 6M
740GLE said:
6MT NMS were sold from 2012 thru 2014, there were way more rare than the DSG as
I think was only offered on S or SE stripper models. I'm just guessing but of all NMS TDIs sold the production rate of 6MT was less than 5%.

While many people who had the option of VW buying it back took them up on the option, there was no fix so VW isn't reselling any of them they most likely crushed em.

Only one still on the road didn't receive the standard compensation, and no extended warranty, also I'd be curious if CA would allow it to be registered, but alas your in Seatle, so moot point.

2015 6MT were also an option but those have an EPA fix and should be less rare.
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Totally legal to register in CA. It had passed Smog when I bought it. The federal EPA emmisions standards are different than the state ones and there was apparently a fix for CA via some sort of ECU flash. I spoke with the original owner about it. Also reflected in the Carfax with failed emmisions and then a pass right after to coincide with his explanation.

Additionally, I overstated when I said "only Passat TDI of its kind" because I know of at least another that has the same year and config that replied to another post I had here. However, I suppose I was referring to the fact that you cannot find them for sale at all...anywhere. And the fact I got mine for under $5700...feel like I stole it.
 
7

740GLE

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2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
there was no Dieselgate flash (or recall) that was approved by EPA (nor CA) for the manual Passats. I think there were a few emissions recalls VW put out before dieselgate 2013/2014 that many CA owners had to have performed before CA would allow registration.

Seeing CA took the blood money for dieselgate, i'm sure they'll just turn a blind eye and just check it's up to date with VW emissions recalls (which it is).

Either way that's a killer deal for such a great ride.
 
J

jdyno718

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Sep 23, 2015
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Colorado
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2012 VW Passat SE Manual
So...I'm curious if you guys have seen any other 6M Passat TDIs out there (other than 2015). Seems that almost everybody sold them back to VW.[/QUOTE said:
Last October I managed to pick up a 2012 SE Passat Manual with 125k miles. It too was not bought back under dieselgate and was traded into the VW dealer. I suspect that the PO wanted to keep the car but it threw a CEL and he cleared it and traded it in. I suspect this because I bought the car and drove it home, CEL popped on... It ended up needing over $6k worth of parts and labor... DPF, EGR, intercoolers, battery, lots more... Anyways the dealership had my car for over 2 weeks before they offered to put me in a 2015 manaul. I said no way as the 2012's have the faux leather, DUAL CLIMATE control, and much nicer console/interior. I worked out a deal were they paid for the parts and I did the labor... cost them a little over $3k just for parts... YIKES.

Do the other model years, '13 and '14, have these same features?

anyways the car had a new turbo put in around 85K and now all these new parts I am happy as a clam.

I previously owned a the same car but in white, this one is silverish, was debating on keeping it until someone hit me, minor repairable damage but with the windfall from insurance plus the buyout, i couldn't pass it up. SOOOO glad to be back in an "un-fixed" tdi.
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G

glester

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Sep 20, 2019
Location
Seattle
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2013 Passat 6M
jdyno718 said:
Last October I managed to pick up a 2012 SE Passat Manual with 125k miles. It too was not bought back under dieselgate and was traded into the VW dealer. I suspect that the PO wanted to keep the car but it threw a CEL and he cleared it and traded it in. I suspect this because I bought the car and drove it home, CEL popped on... It ended up needing over $6k worth of parts and labor... DPF, EGR, intercoolers, battery, lots more... Anyways the dealership had my car for over 2 weeks before they offered to put me in a 2015 manaul. I said no way as the 2012's have the faux leather, DUAL CLIMATE control, and much nicer console/interior. I worked out a deal were they paid for the parts and I did the labor... cost them a little over $3k just for parts... YIKES.
Do the other model years, '13 and '14, have these same features?
anyways the car had a new turbo put in around 85K and now all these new parts I am happy as a clam.
I previously owned a the same car but in white, this one is silverish, was debating on keeping it until someone hit me, minor repairable damage but with the windfall from insurance plus the buyout, i couldn't pass it up. SOOOO glad to be back in an "un-fixed" tdi.
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My 2013 SE does not have dual climate control, but it has faux leather. Not sure about the nicer console/interior. I'm not familiar enough with the various trims and the changes over the years. The entertainment console is pretty basic and that seems just fine to me. The bluetooth works just fine and the touch is responsive enough. No backup camera or nav, but I hear the system with those features tend to be problematic anyway. The more simple the systems, the better for me. Less that can go wrong.

Also I'm planning to pull my DPF and blank my EGR with a flash here fairly soon. Fortunately I live in a state that doesn't do emissions tests on lightweight diesel vehicles. I'll report back after that is done.

But I'm a bit confused about your last paragraph. Somebody hit you recently in your 2nd Passat TDI and you took the insurance money and they took the car? Or you took the insurance money and kept the car? If you get rid of it, it'll be hard to find another one. They are a rare one for sure.
 
gforce1108

gforce1108

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04 Jetta GLS BEW, 14 Audi A7 V6 TDI, 13 Porsche Cayenne V6 TDI
After 4 years of ownership - the buyback offer on my 13 Passat SE 6M was $500 more than I paid new. That's why there aren't many around...
 
oilhammer

oilhammer

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outside St Louis, MO
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There are just too many to list....
You could offer me $500 more than I paid for my 2004 Passat new, and after 215k miles and 15 years, I still wouldn't sell it to you (or anyone else). :p
 
gforce1108

gforce1108

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oilhammer said:
You could offer me $500 more than I paid for my 2004 Passat new, and after 215k miles and 15 years, I still wouldn't sell it to you (or anyone else). :p
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I wasn't thrilled with the car. Too many rattles, brakes were delaminating within 20k miles, flat seats. I had "fixed" many of it's problems by replacing the suspension and the wheel/tire package and upgrading the poor lighting. MPGs were great though. It just never had the "soul" my 04 has, which I kept when the 13 was purchased.

The biggest reason - limitations to power adders. The 6M had less options and I've been seeing too many problems with failing syncros going SMF and slave cylinders. If it was a DSG car, I'd probably had the emissions fix done - take the money, and then build it up including a DSG tune.
 
oilhammer

oilhammer

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outside St Louis, MO
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There are just too many to list....
Shoot, I have bunches of customers with tune+deleted 6sp manual CR cars that have over a quarter million miles on them and the transmissions work like new. They are a BLAST to drive, too. Even the "mild no smoke" versions still haul ass. I would have kept my DSG 2010 had it been a manual, LOL. But I sold it (it too has been tuned+deleted and hauls ass though... and the sumbich displays a "57 MPG" at me the last time I had it in here :eek: ).

I do think the 6sp does not tolerate DMF to SMF conversions very well, though. I have never done one, but that seems to be the consensus. And they do seem to have some slave cylinder failures which require gearbox removal, but that is nothing "new". That transmission was in use long before the CR TDIs came around. I just did one of those on a 2003 NB turbo S. The "GTI" of NBs, with the 180hp 1.8t. :D Still made it to 200k miles, though, so not too shabby.
 
gforce1108

gforce1108

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oilhammer said:
I do think the 6sp does not tolerate DMF to SMF conversions very well, though. I have never done one, but that seems to be the consensus. And they do seem to have some slave cylinder failures which require gearbox removal, but that is nothing "new". That transmission was in use long before the CR TDIs came around. I just did one of those on a 2003 NB turbo S. The "GTI" of NBs, with the 180hp 1.8t. :D Still made it to 200k miles, though, so not too shabby.
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The SMF is a big problem. The syncros are not tolerating them like the old 5sp cars. The trans itself is OK but not the steel syncros. One of the NMS guys rebuilt his twice and ditched the SMF and went back DMF. There have been a bunch more people recently on the other forums wishing they never did a SMF after similar failures.

When I was researching power adders, I believe it was the CR170 based kit from tunemyeuro? - the manual trans cars were getting a lower tune since they couldn't hold the power. If I'm going to do it - it'll be all out.

I also just saw someone swap in a 5sp to a CR (from a dead DSG) so they could run a SMF.
 
G

glester

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Location
Seattle
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2013 Passat 6M
gforce1108 said:
The SMF is a big problem. The syncros are not tolerating them like the old 5sp cars. The trans itself is OK but not the steel syncros. One of the NMS guys rebuilt his twice and ditched the SMF and went back DMF. There have been a bunch more people recently on the other forums wishing they never did a SMF after similar failures.
When I was researching power adders, I believe it was the CR170 based kit from tunemyeuro? - the manual trans cars were getting a lower tune since they couldn't hold the power. If I'm going to do it - it'll be all out.
I also just saw someone swap in a 5sp to a CR (from a dead DSG) so they could run a SMF.
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Good to know about the SMF. I prefer it and was thinking of making the change when the time came but I'll stick with the SMF config. Not worth the potential problems.
 
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