Considering a 2012 Passat.

[scrambld]

Hi! Looking at a new to me 2012 Passat TDi SE 6spd. at approx. 75k what maintenance am I looking at right off the bat....T-belt is at what interval? Coming off a 2006 BRM Jetta which has been fantastic! TIA....

 

[jrm]

Do a oil change cabin filters and greese the sunroof slides if you have one. T belt is at 130K if its not oil soaked from a seal leak.

 

[scrambld]

jrm, thanks for the T-belt info. No sunroof.....unfortunately

Yes, I should have specified that filters and oil change would be done.

Now, speaking of oil. I have been using Shell Rotella 5/40 in my '06 BRM for over 150k, recent cam change and the cam/lifters actually were not that bad. Car was purchased in '09 with 56k on it and I now have 230k. Can I continue the Rotella practice in the newer TDi?

PS. I will be spending some time in this section (VW Passat Family (NMS and B7) TDIs (2012+) vs. spending time in the A5 sections to learn as much as I can and not "need" to ask questions. Thanks again.

 

[nord]

As to oil there's "can" and "should". Can you use oil other than that meeting VW specs? Yes! Should you is another story. It involves not so much engine protection as it does little things like your DPF and actually the entire exhaust system. The correct oils are formulated to be compatible with very expensive exhaust components. Don't skimp or substitute.

Given recent experiences I'd check for worn out coolant. Look in the reservoir and hope to see a vivid pink fluid. Unfortunately I have the feeling that you'll find coolant with an orange tint. See my post on an easy way to purge old coolant. Unless you enjoy changing clogged heater cores and the like this is not optional. A couple of gallons of distilled water and a jug of VW spec coolant and all will be well.

Purchase a full filter kit from one of the trusted vendors here. Your cabin filter will almost certainly be disgusting and is prone to be neglected at recommended service intervals. Air (intake), fuel, and oil filters are usually fine but the expense of being sure offsets the minor cost of proactive replacement.

Brake fluid is another area which is sadly neglected. Unless you're 100% sure the fluid has been changed, then bite the bullet and purge the old stuff out.

While the car is up on the rack you may as well do a complete inspection of the underside. Don't forget to check the CV boots for cracks or leaks. Further, make sure the belly pan is properly secured.

The Passat is a very nice vehicle as you're probably aware. Unfortunately it's not a Honda or Toyota by some standards as the Passat will not tolerate deferred maintenance. Given the proper attention your Passat will return many miles of highly pleasurable driving and you'll be happy that she is what she is.

 

[RuneTDI]

consumer reports listed the 12 Passat (new model?) as a car prone to more than average repairs. I just bought a 13. have a 97 going up for sale. love my 13. my bil has a 12 tdi Passat with 75k miles with no issues and he drives his stuff hard. my 2 cents. good luck

 

[MichaelSNU]

Hi! Looking at a new to me 2012 Passat TDi SE 6spd. at approx. 75k what maintenance am I looking at right off the bat....T-belt is at what interval? Coming off a 2006 BRM Jetta which has been fantastic! TIA....

Why not wait for the resolution of the scandal. What if the fix involves new components and a decrease in HP, torque, and MPG. At least at that time you can make determination as to whether you want the TDI.

 

[scrambld]

Why not wait for the resolution of the scandal. What if the fix involves new components and a decrease in HP, torque, and MPG. At least at that time you can make determination as to whether you want the TDI.

Yes and no.....? Unsure of what, if anything, the scandal resolution will be? I would like to get one that has not been "fixed" as I really don't want those decreases....and it'll never go back to a dealer

I do have plans for "upgrades" along the way....similar to my '06 (turbo/tune/clutch)...been eyeing the Malone/Buzzken upgrade (I think it was the collaboration between those two?).

 

[dropnosky]

Bought a 12 passat last sept one week prior to scandal. Great car, nows a good time to buy, i wouldnt hesistate since its a 6-speed manual. We went with a dsg for the wife. Value is low now and its still a quality product. We owe way more on the loan than we could currently buy one right now which sucks, but you can take advantage of that and have a great car for a good price.

Only problems weve had so far is an intermittant bad bulb light, a bad tire pressure sensor, and the wiper motor/assembly failed over the winter. Free the wipers up from ice and snow, they dont seem to be very tolerant of any extra weight

Ours has about 55k on it now

 

[jrm]

I mirror the above comments except around here they are now very "rare" and hard to find the prices are still north of 15K for 12-14 model years. I offered a guy 14K for a 2015 that had 40,000 miles and he wouldn't budge below 16,999 and walked away from me while other sales reps just smoked in a group and laughed. The car sold a few days later

 

[dropnosky]

I mirror the above comments except around here they are now very "rare" and hard to find the prices are still north of 15K for 12-14 model years. I offered a guy 14K for a 2015 that had 40,000 miles and he wouldn't budge below 16,999 and walked away from me while other sales reps just smoked in a group and laughed. The car sold a few days later

Thats still a decent hit on value. Consider i bought a 2012 for 19k 6 months ago with 40k and thought it a good deal.

6 months later you can get a 3 year newer model with the same mileage for 2k less. Now is a great time for vw diesel shopping

 

[RuneTDI]

paid 14,750 for my 2013 sel premium, dsg, 41k miles, clean. 2 weeks ago

 

[FordGuy100]

Right now is prime time to buy a CR TDI. I jumped and bought a JSW. Dont fret about it not having a sunroof, that's one less thing to go wrong.

 

[scrambld]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I agree that now the time is ripe for TDi picking! And I also agree that the manuals seem to be a rare breed around here too, seems like the sales are geared (no pun intended) to the put it in "D" and go forward and "R" to go backward type of drivers. Myself, I like to feel connected or involved in my driving pleasures.