splitting hairs- state your minor dislikes about the passat.

[BadWolf]

Lincoln you can fix the radio... Find someone with a VCDS cable and change the country code to Saudi Arabia or the UK. Radio will stay on

 

[tdiatlast]

That the lights stay on when the switch isn't in off/auto mode ... my last car (and current 2nd car) auto turns off the lights when you shut down. But it also gives you the option, if needed, to override by turning lights off then back to position after engine off.

I just know I'm going to kill the battery on this thing one rainy day.

Isn't this something you can control with the "convenience" settings in the MFI?

 

[czeetah]

Isn't this something you can control with the "convenience" settings in the MFI?

I don't know but when I pick up from the tint shop tomorrow it's #1 on the things to check

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Isn't this something you can control with the "convenience" settings in the MFI?

The MFI settings are only for coming home and leaving home functions. They don't control parking light behavior when the ignition is turned off. Volkswagens have always left the parking lights on if you leave the headlight switch on after turning off the ignition.

 

[cheoah]

The seats. They are ok,,but my BRM Jetta has nicer seats. Leather, with lots of adjustments. It drives better, so....

 

[Lincoln]

Thought of another one: reverse is geared too high/fast/whatever. What I mean is that if I let out the clutch in reverse, I go really fast, even up the slight incline of my driveway. And by really fast I mean faster than I would like to go in reverse when backing into a street. I wind up riding the clutch to keep speed down and watch for kids, cars, etc. Like the others, this is far from being a deal-breaker, but just something that I don't love.

 

[czeetah]

^^^ Ditto.

Sucks having to ride the clutch in reverse.

 

[JackMars]

After reading 29 pages of what we don't like I have nothing to add. Maybe we should start posting what we do like on B7 Passat. No... there is nothing I like. Maybe fuel efficiency and DSG gearbox. That's it! Hoping the 2016 model will have more likes than don's. Only if I can open my frozen door lock.

 

[Lincoln]

There is a page about cool features too: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=370873. It's more fun to gripe, but I think the vast majority of us are extremely pleased with the cars despite a handful of minor dislikes.

 

[donDavide]

After reading 29 pages of what we don't like I have nothing to add. Maybe we should start posting what we do like on B7 Passat. No... there is nothing I like. Maybe fuel efficiency and DSG gearbox. That's it! Hoping the 2016 model will have more likes than don's. Only if I can open my frozen door lock.

I liked the looks and the Woodgrain dash, as well as the crusing range.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Thought of another one: reverse is geared too high/fast/whatever. What I mean is that if I let out the clutch in reverse, I go really fast, even up the slight incline of my driveway. And by really fast I mean faster than I would like to go in reverse when backing into a street. I wind up riding the clutch to keep speed down and watch for kids, cars, etc. Like the others, this is far from being a deal-breaker, but just something that I don't love.

Reverse is very tall on the DSG, too. Makes for some pretty jerky backing up sometimes, especially up an incline.

 

[Rez1]

Here's mine.....I dont like the finishing on the paint job inside the trunk. Once you open the trunk and look at the left and right corner you will understand what I mean. At first, I thought the dealer was trying to get rid of a wrecked car! The finishing on my B5 was immaculate, so my expectation for this one was up there, too!

 

[TDICT]

Here's mine.....I dont like the finishing on the paint job inside the trunk. Once you open the trunk and look at the left and right corner you will understand what I mean. At first, I thought the dealer was trying to get rid of a wrecked car! The finishing on my B5 was immaculate, so my expectation for this one was up there, too!

Really, Paint inside the trunk! It's a VW not an Audi

 

[cheoah]

Well I get where you are coming from. The panels in my 06 Jetta seem far more,substantial. The trunk area might just be another reference point, the actual appearance of the trunk is of little concern to me. What I'm reading is that it is just evidence of cost cutting.


Sent from my iSomething using Tapatalk
Please forgive typos and commas

 

[r11]

Ok, 3rd year, pushing 60K miles (EGR replaced under wty). Only nice2have I can think of is auto-dimming mirrors. Phhhhhlease !

 

[jhinsc]

Here's mine.....I dont like the finishing on the paint job inside the trunk. Once you open the trunk and look at the left and right corner you will understand what I mean. At first, I thought the dealer was trying to get rid of a wrecked car! The finishing on my B5 was immaculate, so my expectation for this one was up there, too!

Hmmm, never looked THAT closely to the inside trunk lid, but it's got me curious so I now have to look! Geez, I should check the finish underneath the hood too!

 

[gwalter]

When raining, cracking the drivers window just a little bit gets your left arm, arm rest and window switches very wet

 

[Jbdesigns]

When raining, cracking the drivers window just a little bit gets your left arm, arm rest and window switches very wet

Agreed. It always gets in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JackMars]

November car sales numbers are out with Passat ranked #53 and dropping sales of -21.5% for November ( -12% YTD). Is anyone at VW reading this post or they are just waiting to see if Suzuki can sell more cars. With gasoline at $3.00 per gallon who needs TDI?

 

[donDavide]

November car sales numbers are out with Passat ranked #53 and dropping sales of -21.5% for November ( -12% YTD). Is anyone at VW reading this post or they are just waiting to see if Suzuki can sell more cars. With gasoline at $3.00 per gallon who needs TDI?

Because it will go back up.

 

[nord]

The answer about need is fairly simple...

Either of our Passats cost about 8 cents a mile when fuel costs $4.00 per gallon. (Actually both do better but I'm making this easy.) At $3.00 per gallon of fuel we'll see our cost drop to about 6 cents.

A gasser getting about 25 mpg will cost 16 cents per mile on $4.00 fuel and drop to 8 cents on $2.00 fuel. While not a huge difference at 2 cents the TDI still does better.

But the cost of fuel per mile is perhaps not the best gauge of why a TDI. Drive the gasser and drive the TDI. Tell me there's no appreciable difference. Hop into your gasser for an extended trip. Tell me it comes close to an 800 mile plus range.

And if none of the above matters? Buy a Suzuki if you can find one.

 

[phlfly]

November car sales numbers are out with Passat ranked #53 and dropping sales of -21.5% for November ( -12% YTD). Is anyone at VW reading this post or they are just waiting to see if Suzuki can sell more cars. With gasoline at $3.00 per gallon who needs TDI?

well this is a big US problem. I don't see any benefit to have gasoline car since the "new" diesel engines has about same performance as gas engines with little better mpg. If everyone has subconscious to save gas. Just look at his numbers :

US gas consumptions everyday is about 368,000,000 gal, let say 40% is everyday driving people to work and back home. So it's about 147,000,000 gal. So the diesel runs about 30% efficient than gasoline, that it equals to 44,000,000 gal saving per day or ~154 mil dollars per day saving or 44 cent per person per day (350 mil people)

 

[quattroginger]

agree nord however there is new technology coming out in gasser's 25 is low for new mid size sedans. isnt mazda claiming same mileage now as our tdi's but with gas? ford claims 25/37 with ecoboost fusion.

 

[nord]

Just remember that there's a big difference between "claimed" and actual. Just because a gasser returned 40 mpg once with the wind at its back going downhill in neutral doesn't mean 40 mpg in the real world. This despite EPA estimates.

The TDI on the other hand very seldom returns less than EPA estimates and usually beats them by a good margin. Again despite the EPA and all their facts and figures.

The biggest reasons I see for choosing a gasser are the lesser upfront costs and less maintenance being required. Basically an owner can fill the tank, turn the key, and drive without much thought to what's going on under the hood. That is, of course, until nothing happens when the key is turned. And let's face it, there are certain brands that run forever despite the abuse they take.

The TDI is more personal if you will. I'd never recommend the TDI to a habitually negligent owner who has no concept of maintenance. For that matter I wouldn't recommend to anyone unwilling to spend a lot of money at a shop or unable to perform basic maintenance on a TDI.

Then there comes something we really can't quantify. To some (maybe many) a car is simply a means of getting between points. It's a combination people mover, cafeteria, and trash bin. To others a car is something to be enjoyed and not abused. While I'm not in the camp of "loving" a hunk of metal, I think it fair to say that there's something about the TDI that draws me toward the diesel.

So... No cafeteria, no trash, and no drinks in our cars. We (family) all have TDI's and we perform our own maintenance. We do this not only because we have the facilities but because we want to. Maintenance is meticulous. In return we're rewarded with a car that gives back in driving pleasure and economy. VW and the TDI in particular isn't for everyone. It's more a vehicle made for a driver who appreciates and is willing to pay a premium in return for something we TDI owners feel is special.

Perhaps this is where VW marketing fails. It seems to me that VW fails to understand that their strength lies not in being a Honda or Toyota but in being a very Teutonic and different approach to transportation all the way from the most basic models right on up the line. The TDI being perhaps the most different.

I've driven the gas editions of Beetle, Jetta, and NMS. They're all nice cars. All seem pretty well built. The thing is that each is very little different from the offerings of other manufacturers. Why would anyone purchase one of the VW offerings when there's a Honda or some such store on virtually every corner and the nearest VW dealer is sixty miles distant?

Then there's the TDI. In my opinion the TDI is what makes the car. It makes an already nice car something special. Some appreciate and some don't.

 

[jck66]

Well said, nord, and I will comment that if I were to be shopping for a gasoline-powered car, VW would be pretty far down on my shopping list. The diesel engine has always been the reason I own VW's.

 

[Jbdesigns]

Nord said what I too feel. A gasser passat to me wouldn't be much different than the honda and I might get the honda instead. But as a TDI, and a manual to boot, it's really different to me. I get much much better than EPA mpg ratings. A honda just barely can get to the EPA values so on paper, the difference in mpg is pretty high. And the manual feels good to me and gives me more control over the car which I like.
I love the 800+ mile range on average. It coasts like no other car I've had and I like that the look is a bit different and german

But it isn't for any and everyone. It's not a short hop car, or forget about it until it makes a noise. It takes a gentle warm up and IMO, a fuel additive, expensive motor oil and a regular fuel filter change. So far for me it's ok.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk