Looking to buy '05 or '06 Passat, ??

Hi All, I got my money from VW & lokking to buy older Passat.
What is the average amount of miles before the BSm goes & needs to be replaced?
What is the usual $$ for replacement?
If a seller says it was done, how would I be able toi tell the difference?
Thanks

You'd be looking for an 04-05 tdi passat.. Not 06. I think some have gone up to 160k 180k and even more on the BSM. Some had trouble at 40-50k. I think it's difficult to tell for sure if a car has been deleted. If a car has a geared replacement BSM, then the pronounced chain noise from the front cover will be absent.

Passat TDI

You would be well advised to find a super clean 05 Passat chassis
And then replace all the defective stuff. In the end you will get exactly what you want and you will know exactly what work was done and what parts were replaced.

Are you good at turning a wrench or have deep pockets? If not, this is not a car for you.

imo000 said:

Are you good at turning a wrench or have deep pockets? If not, this is not a car for you.

Click to expand...

I second this sentiment.

I got what I thought was a nice clean 05 TDI. Car had 190k when I got it. Needed a cam, timing belt, tandem pump, and manual conversion or auto replaced. Then 4 months later all the brakes (rotor and pads) needed to be done. Add special tools etc and I stopped counting at around $8k, including purchase price. Car might on a good day be worth half that. I did most of the work myself except installing the manual which I got a deal on. Paid a neighbor $700 to do it for me. Oh and I still need the tie rod ends and control arms replaced and there is a humming noise from the left front wheel well. The auto door locks stopped working and the key FOB is dead.

Would I do it again? Maybe but I would have been more selective and this could have saved me thousands. I am a diesel enthusiast and so all my vehicles burn oil except my motorcycle. If that came in a diesel I would probably have it as well. Was it a good financial decision to buy this car? I could have saved money by pulling a couple grand out of the bank, roasting hot dogs over it and buying a Camry instead.

My advice: Take somebody that knows these vehicles with you to survey the car before you buy it. Asking the right questions does not always work. You have to know where to look and what you are looking at and its not always the same as what you are hearing from the seller.

looking to buy'05 or'06 Passat

I agree with all of the above comments.
First of all buy the nicest Tdi Passat (wagon preferably) that you can find. They're out there. Have it carefully checked out by someone competent. Verify as much as possible that the proper oil has been used and changed regularly. Check service records for brakes, suspension, cam belt replacement, fuel filter replacement etc.
If in doubt, have a knowledgeable mechanic check the condition of the cam.
If I remember correctly the BSM can be eliminated while the new manual gear box is being installed.
Don't bother with a new BSM or a geared BSM, just put in a simple oil pump. It's more than adequate.
Be sure that there are no corrosion issues as the 12yr VW warranty has now expired.
I pretty well bought the first wagon I found with a bad transmission. It had 200km and corrosion issues.
Thankfully VW Canada (reluctantly) agreed to replace two front fenders, new hood, new hatch, three new doors, repainted roof and rear quarters.
That work is done now but it required a lot of running around and even a trip to Small Claims Court. That's why I can't over emphasize finding a vehicle that is corrosion free.
After all is said and done I thoroughly enjoy my wagon. I've added a Malone 1.5 tune. I consider the vehicle 1/2 sports car, 1/2 tractor.
It has gobs of torque and there is no reason why it can't be my last vehicle.
I could tell you about how much nicer the Passat is over my recently purchased 911 SC, but that's another story.

I have an 05 that cam is going bad, has a loopy idle. 180k on it. black with gray leatherette interior. pm if any interest.

Thanks to all that responded, I think I'll look towards the Jetta instead.