Now looking at a 2012 Passat

[domano 68]

I almost pulled the trigger on a 2012 Jetta TDI manual but my wife got more involved in the mix and asked why are we not looking at the Passats?

Well, I don't know I told her. So I am now looking and have a few questions here. I have not driven or looked at a Passat TDI manual yet.

Any major issues with the 2012's? I know all about the Jetta HPFP, Intercooler icing, etc.

The Jetta interior and overall build seemed very cheap, especially the interior. How is the interrior quality and overall build quality on the Passat?

Why is the overall MPG rating higher on the Passat vs the Jetta? Is the Passat as peppy as the Jetta pick-up and acceleration wise?

I know the Passat uses DEF. Does it have a timing belt like the Jetta or does it have a timing chain? I assume timing belt since both engines are the 2.0 liter. I assume all the maintenance items are also the same then.

Thanks in advance for the input here. If anything I left off worth noting, please feel free to add in. Thank you.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

You might want to check availability on the manual transmission Passats. I know they've been difficult to find, and with rising fuel prices probably more so. I also heard this morning that they just added a 3rd shift to the plant in TN, so maybe that will help later on. They're hiring now, so it'll be a while before it will affect supply.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Read the threads in this forum... intercooler icing won't be a problem, HPFP is still too young to tell, but no failures so far.

Go with the Passat - more family friendly and better fuel economy than a Jetta.

 

[eatpasta]

I had to order mine and wait 4 months to get the stick but I couldn't drive the auto - I dont care how good it is and plus I doubt that tranny will make it 150k.

I was also disappointed with the build quality of the Jetta and my wife and I WANTED one. However the second we drove the new Passat - we knew. We have had ours for a few months now and loving it to pieces. It's the perfect car for us. There are a few little things that i Dont like about it but - thats character right?
The first thing I did was installed a Diesel Geek short shifter....the stock shift feel is... well less than desirable.

My real world fuel economy is pretty much what it says on the sticker. My wife does about 40 miles a day and averages around 40 mpg in LA traffic and a little highway. We did a recent weekend road trip that was about 90% highway and averaging between 80 and 90 mph the whole time it still got about 44. Im sure it could get much better mileage but I drive like a maniac so.....
Definitely go test drive the Passat.... if you even kind of liked the Jetta you'll love the AssAt

 

[angrynewyorker]

Passat interior is very nice and comfortable. Much nicer than the jetta. It gets better fuel economy because of the add blue. I have a tdi manual and the pick up is wonderful. I test drove a jetta the same day I did the passat and the passat seemed to be quicker. Idk if it actually is quicker but it feels like it is and feels much smoother. It does have a timing belt that needs replaced at 130000 miles. I would definately recommend the passat.

 

[domano 68]

I did not know these were built in Chatanooga. Do they offer plant tours?

Thanks for chiming in, please keep the info coming.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Not yet - that I know of.

 

[eatpasta]

I did not know these were built in Chatanooga.

The billion dollar plant? Its pretty cool....

http://youtu.be/clwZqni4a9U

http://youtu.be/5the3GccnP0

http://youtu.be/Ogz83DMcAzo

 

[edsiajb]

I did not know these were built in Chatanooga. Do they offer plant tours?

Thanks for chiming in, please keep the info coming.

Yes, they do. The offer tours on Tue. Wed. Thu. and Fri....I think at 9a and 12:30p. They have to be scheduled in advance...minimum age is 14...and there are other rules like long pants, closed in shoes, etc. They are heavily booked through April...May is looking good right now. I'm taking my wife on a date to Chattanooga and touring the factory.

I'll dig up the email address for scheduling the tour, and post back on this thread.

By the way, I took my wife and three teenage children to the Honda plant (Lincoln, AL) last week...I was fascinated!

 

[edsiajb]

OK...here's the double-top-secret email address for scheduling tours:

tours@vw.com

 

[TomB]

The Passat is a totally better experience than the Jetta, IMO.... I was debating going with the Jetta instead of waiting for the Passat and am so GLAD I waited.

The Passat gets BETTER MPG than the Jetta because the engine is tuned for performance and the emissions are cleaned up by the DEF. The Jetta must be detuned to meet the EPA requirements with higher EGR and other emissions controls.

The extra room of the Passat is awesome as well.

 

[eatpasta]

and the trunk is huge. many bodies will fit back there

 

[angrynewyorker]

and the trunk is huge. many bodies will fit back there

Best trunk ever.

 

[domano 68]

Does the TDI SE have fog lights and Sirus/XM?

Either way I guess its a Passat then. Thanks all for chiming in!!

 

[eatpasta]

Does the TDI SE have fog lights and Sirus/XM?

Either way I guess its a Passat then. Thanks all for chiming in!!

You cant get the TDI with the premium package if you want a stick. We wanted the stick so we HAD to get an SE..... not sure how that works. It comes with the Sat radio that lasts for about 3 months till you have to pay - no nav - no foglights. HOWEVER.... there is a DIY thread on Vortex where people have added the foglights (which I will be doing soon here....) for around $300.

but you can get the premium one and get nav foglights roof etc etc if you want.

 

[angrynewyorker]

If u don't get the manual u lose 3 miles per gallon. That's 55.5 miles per tank. Was enough for me to skip the nav and sunroof and just get the se tdi manual. Has Bluetooth, Sirius, and dual zone climate control. That's plenty good for me. Use turn by turn nav free on iPhone and never use sunroof on our golf, so for me I had to go manual.

 

[TomB]

If u don't get the manual u lose 3 miles per gallon. That's 55.5 miles per tank. Was enough for me to skip the nav and sunroof and just get the se tdi manual. Has Bluetooth, Sirius, and dual zone climate control. That's plenty good for me. Use turn by turn nav free on iPhone and never use sunroof on our golf, so for me I had to go manual.

Yeah but I wanted the sunroof, the keyless entry, the memory seats, the foglights, the upgraded nav/stereo and other features only on the SEL Premium including the 18" rims.

 

[angrynewyorker]

Well if that's what u want then get that. I drove the sel and the se and for me I don't need those things. All those things extra to me r things that will go bad eventually. First car I've had in yrs without fog lamps and I thought it would bother me but after having for a week I am just fine without them and again one less thing to go bad. To each his own go with what makes u happy.

 

[tdiatlast]

I agree that generic OEM foglights don't get much use. However, in the SEL, they also function as a directional beam while turning..more useful than I would have thought. Also, in reverse, they come on and give a very broad frontal vision...yeah, I know, I'm backing up, but if you're backing and turning, in the dark, it's nice to illuminate what your front end might encounter....probably not necessary in most urban areas, where there's plenty of night-time ambient light.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Similar to the old Saabs with reverse lights in the front corners... Surprisingly useful.

 

[AstroEng]

... However, in the SEL, they also function as a directional beam while turning..more useful than I would have thought. Also, in reverse, they come on and give a very broad frontal vision...

Ditto on the SE w/Nav. They're nice on dark city streets and add a little comfort on narrow rural highways (watching for deer and elk).

I wonder if after the initial high demand of a new product at a new plant winds down VW will start offering a bit more variety in the models. The current limited selection makes a lot of sense on the manufacturing side (allows them to over-produce), but I don't know that the Passat will continue to be as popular...

 

[eatpasta]

If u don't get the manual u lose 3 miles per gallon. That's 55.5 miles per tank. Was enough for me to skip the nav and sunroof and just get the se tdi manual. Has Bluetooth, Sirius, and dual zone climate control. That's plenty good for me. Use turn by turn nav free on iPhone and never use sunroof on our golf, so for me I had to go manual.

I was under the impression that the stick got slightly less fuel mileage than the auto...

 

[gergg]

I was under the impression that the stick got slightly less fuel mileage than the auto...

6M gets better mpg's

 

[edsiajb]

6M gets better mpg's

Yep, but that might depend on who is driving. There is no way my sister-in-law would get better mileage in a manual! She's never in the right gear....not even close.

 

[Dismayed]

The DSG get enough mileage for me.

 

[angrynewyorker]

No it gets 3 more miles per gallon 55.5 more per tank. Over the course of a year that's quite a few miles more than the dsg. Not to mention reliability issues of the dsg and an expensive service every 40000 miles.

 

[Turtherlips]

Not to stir the pot, since I was originally in the market for a 6M... However, the "expensive service" every 40k can be done by a guru for ~$250. Also, for what it's worth, I'm averaging 44 MPG with the DSG and 60 miles of highway driving at 80 mph every day. I'd be real curious how that would compare with a 6M on the same route. I doubt there would be a 55 mile per tank difference.

Ultimately, I wanted a sunroof, the foglights, the nav and the 18" wheels. If I could have gotten a 6M with those options, I would have.

 

[angrynewyorker]

Oh don't get me wrong if I could of gotten all the bells and whistles along with the manual I would have. But the manual was more important to me than the bells and whistles. My car is only a week old and has just 900 miles on it so giving you accurate fuel mileage numbers is not really possible yet. But I did take a 250 mile trip the other day all interstate and the instant mpg was showing 58 mpg constantly at 78 mph but I have not taken the same trip in a dsg. But my window sticker says 43 and yours says 40 and when VW claims the highest mileage with an asterisk saying with manual tranny so read into that what you want.

 

[angrynewyorker]

Not to stir the pot, since I was originally in the market for a 6M... However, the "expensive service" every 40k can be done by a guru for ~$250.

Don't know of any gurus in my area so I'd be stuck with the dealer or possible get a moron at a regular garage who would screw it up. I do know vw manuals are bullet proof. I don't know how long u plan to keep car or how many miles u r gonna put on it but 3 services by a guru = a nice new set of tires for me and a few bucks for fuel.

 

[Niner]

Nothing else drives like a proper manual. Sorry, that's just the way it is. Not hard to learn how to drive a manual. Turn the radio, ipod and cell phone off, listen to the engine, you'll know when to shift. And as everyone else has said, based on previous VW history with crap cracking or breaking, the less bells and whistles on the car, the less broken stuff to be pointed out to you when it comes time to liquidate it. I like the KISS principle on VW's.

Buy what makes you happy, but if you go manual, plan on it being a lot of hard work to find one that you want, unless you get lucky.