Just Purchased: 1996 Passat TDI!!!

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twigmama

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Location
VA, USA
TDI
Passat, 1996, Inky Blue
Here he is! I've only had it 2 weeks and i'm still getting used to the stick shift, but so far i'm loving it! Just found a set of hubcaps too. (I know the tires look kind of naked at the moment..)

150K but had engine replaced by VW at 70K.
Not sure what kind of milage i'm getting exactly, but i filled it up when i left upstate NY and still had 6 gallons when i got to southwest Virginia!

Let me know what you think!








My 150 year old blue ridge mountain home in the background (closing on tuesday!)


With Frank Dog. Anyone know how to child-lock the passenger window? I'm so afraid he's going to roll the window up on his head when he's hanging out the window! (He always puts his feet up on the control!)
 
dieseldorf

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
Nice. Those wheels look like someone upgraded to 15"....enjoy and make certain the new wheel covers will fit.
All B4 Passat TDis were equipped with 14" wheels.
 
R

Rammstein

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 3, 2002
Location
Québec city baby, Canada
TDI
Golf 92 D
Nice B4!

The timing belt musht have been changed not long ago (each 60k miles).

To lock the rear windows, push the button in between the rear window buttons on the central console, that should do it.
 
T

twigmama

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Location
VA, USA
TDI
Passat, 1996, Inky Blue
The timing belt was changed at 120K, so i've got a little bit left on it.

Frank likes to ride in the front, but i suppose i could make him hang out the window in the back till i construct some sort of cover for the front passenger control.


`suzie
 
T

twigmama

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Location
VA, USA
TDI
Passat, 1996, Inky Blue
I thought that too, but they're not. I found out the hubcaps for the 14 inch actually measure 15 1/2 inches in diameter. Kind of confusing. The tires do read 14 though...

 
Jetter_Sprinta

Jetter_Sprinta

Veteran Member - TDIClub Contributor
Joined
Nov 7, 2002
Location
Boston, Massachusetts
TDI
2 Peeps sharing 1 UseYerName//an array of cars
Well, looks pretty good, both the car and the house! As far as the window, it's a B4 Passat, it won't be long before it's not working
!
 
dieseldorf

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
twigmama, the only point I'll make, since I can't judge from your pictures:

This is not an OE Passat wheel and they appear to be the 15" wheel that many others have fitted to the B4 Passat...I believe they're from the Corrado.





This is a 14" OE Passat wheel:




Note the number of holes on each wheel. Do you have mix 'n' match wheels on the car?
 
dieseldorf

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
Rammy, there is a 4 bolt 15" Corrado wheel that other folks have fitted to the B4 with much success.

(Am I the only one that recongizes she is showing us two different wheels? One from a 4 cyl B4 and the other from another car.. Did I take too many stupid pills this AM
)
 
V

VWWV

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2003
Location
Florida and WV
TDI
passat 96, candy white
DD, Looks to me that at least the passenger rear might be a Corrado wheel? She'll know soon enough because the OE wheel covers won't fit. The wheel pic is a B4 wheel and it looks like it might have been curbed? Those steelies bend too easily and can produce a bad ride. I've been there. OE B4 wheels are a challenge to find. Major tire/wheel companies don't have them. Got mine from a salvage company.
 
T

twigmama

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Location
VA, USA
TDI
Passat, 1996, Inky Blue
Wow... I don't know how i failed to noticed this, but my back left wheel is different from the other three. Its funny because yesterday i went to take a photo as it was getting dark and went for the first one i got to...the back left. Here's another shot of the other wheel.. (they're the same size, so it should still be a fit for the hubcap right?)

 
dieseldorf

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
mama, I think you need to take inventory of what size wheels and tires are on all 4 corners...



(perhaps the seller will send you the missing 14" wheels
The OE tire size is 195/60 -14 )
 
V

VWWV

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2003
Location
Florida and WV
TDI
passat 96, candy white
"mountain" Mama, As Dieseldorf said, if the wheelcovers you bought are Original Equipment, they won't fit the Corrado wheels. Notice the little holes in the one wheel? Those are for the little lugs on the wheel covers. The Corrado wheels don't have those little holes. IIRC, the Corrados used the small center caps to cover the lugs? (no offense re: the "mountainmama" jibe. I'm a hillbilly from not too far from where you will be) Good Luck
 
T

twigmama

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Location
VA, USA
TDI
Passat, 1996, Inky Blue
I haven't actually paid for the wheelcovers yet. I'll probably just buy one?
Do you know what hubcaps will fit the other wheels?
No offense taken with the mountainmama bit, in fact- i'm actually a yankee!
I take it as a compliment.
 
V

VWWV

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2003
Location
Florida and WV
TDI
passat 96, candy white
The Corrado wheels use a small center cover as opposed to the large full wheel covers used for OE B4 wheels. I have Corrado wheels on an older Jetta and the covers are about 8 inches in diameter. I believe you will find it easier to find a Corrado wheel to replace the one B4 wheel and then you can search E Bay, ads here, or VW Vortex for the wheel covers so you can look sharp. I have seen posts that advise of people installing Corrado wheels on their Passats and they tell of painting the wheels silver. The ones I have on my Jetta are painted silver. Let us know the results of your efforts to make your baby whole. Suggest you accept the invitation extended by RC to attend a GTG. You will not be disappointed, I'm confident. Every TDI owner I've ever met has been especially helpful. (must have something to do with breathing those fumes?)
 
dieseldorf

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
VWWV, those may not be Corrado wheels if all the tires are 14". They may or may not be VW wheels. I can't be certain and mama is only feeding us tiny tidbits of info (it's another one of these vague and mysterious forum puzzles where we're given a new clue every day
to digest...)

Mama, you can't fit 14" tires on 15" wheels and vice versa.

I see two (2) of these 16-hole mystery wheels on the passenger side of the car...what's doin' on the opposite side?

Prior to purchasing any wheels covers, you need to sort out what you're working with and how you are going to resolve the mix 'n' match situation, mama.


You need to end up with 4 wheels with similar offset that belong on a FWD car.
 
T

twigmama

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Location
VA, USA
TDI
Passat, 1996, Inky Blue
Sorry Dorf- I'm not purposely witholding information from you. If i need to mix and match my wheel covers, i guess i will. It'll give the car character and it would be better than no covers at all, right?

Mama, you can't fit 14" tires on 15" wheels and vice versa.
Click to expand...
I don't have 15" wheels. (note: the 14" wheel measures 15" from edge to edge and 14" at the "bead". The VW hubcaps for the 96 actually measure at 15 1/2 inches. I was initially very confused by this measurement...)

I have three of the 16-hole mystery wheels and one original...

I don't see why there would be a problem with the mix and match if everything is measuring the same? (except that maybe one of my wheel covers will be...not like the others.)

I think the best thing for me to do is go to a salvage place and see what i can find...
 
dieseldorf

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
Sorry Dorf- I'm not purposely witholding information from you. If i need to mix and match my wheel covers, i guess i will. It'll give the car character and it would be better than no covers at all, right?

Mama, you can't fit 14" tires on 15" wheels and vice versa.
Click to expand...
I don't have 15" wheels. (note: the 14" wheel measures 15" from edge to edge and 14" at the "bead". The VW hubcaps for the 96 actually measure at 15 1/2 inches. I was initially very confused by this measurement...)

I have three of the 16-hole mystery wheels and one original...

I don't see why there would be a problem with the mix and match if everything is measuring the same? (except that maybe one of my wheel covers will be...not like the others.)
Click to expand...

mama, there are two potential, lingering issues. You need to see what the offset is of the mystery wheels. You should not mix 'n' offsets unless you can restrict them to just one axle...for Frank's safety and your own.

The OE 14" Passat wheel will have a marking near the center bore that reads "ET 38". That indicates and offset of 38mm. You should read the marking on the mystery wheels and let us know what's happening...you may find the missing link (size, P/N, offset, etc.) stamped right on the mystery wheels. (It would probably be OK and easier to get a 4th mystery wheel.)


You will have a perpetual headache with the wheel covers...you'll be chasing them across the highway and down into ditches when they go shooting off. This may be more of a nuisance than you might imagine.
 
V

VWWV

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2003
Location
Florida and WV
TDI
passat 96, candy white
Dieseldorf: good advice re: anti-mixNmatch. The wheels on my 90 Jetta GL are 14 inch and they are similar to the Corrado wheels. I am not near my Jetta at this time so I can't check numbers. I hope Twigmama accepts the invitation to the GTG and that she takes a notebook with her. Maybe somebody near her will step up and help her out? GTG experiences are invaluable and one can meet the nicest people.
 
dieseldorf

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
The OEM covers that clips in the middle are the best IMO.
Click to expand...
Rammy, I agree 110%...the Passat wheel cover and the integrated fastening system is 2nd to none. We still have all our original wheel covers after 167k miles.
 
dieseldorf

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
I checked the wheels briefly on my way to lunch. All four say "ET 38" ...
Click to expand...
Cool, at least you don't have to worry about that. I'm still not sure what to tell you on wheel covers....you'll need 1 Passat OE wheel cover and three of another style that will fit the mystery wheels.
 
T

twigmama

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Location
VA, USA
TDI
Passat, 1996, Inky Blue
I think i'll go to a salvage place and see if i can find something. I'm sure someone out there can name my mystery wheel. I haven't had much luck finding the Passat OE covers on ebay, but perhaps it might be easier in the real world...
 
dieseldorf

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
mama, come on....all 4 cylinder B4 cars will have the 14" wheels.

I'd hook up with that fellow...you can always sell the three you don't need and turn a small profit on the deal.
 
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