Thinking about buying - opinions?

R2point0

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2004
Location
Poolesville, MD
TDI
Passat, 2015, Silver; Passat, 1997, Blue
My experiment with non VW diesels is about to end, and I am thinking about buying a 2013 Passat SE with a 6 speed manual. The following is a history report on the one I'm considering:

Date/ Location/ Odometer/ Data Source/ Details


Unreported/ CT/ NA/ Independent Source/ VEHICLE MANUFACTURED AND SHIPPED TO DEALER

01/18/2013/ CT/ 18/ Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:033867156) (Leased Vehicle)

01/18/2013/ CT/ NA/ Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL (Leased Vehicle)

01/18/2013/ CT/ NA/ Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLED OR REGISTERED AS A RENTAL VEHICLE, OR PART OF A RENTAL FLEET

03/05/2013/ CT/ NA/ Independent Source/ VEHICLE MANUFACTURED AND SHIPPED TO DEALER

06/25/2013/ FEASTERVILLE TREVOSE, PA/ 10,000/ Fleet Management Corporation /COLLISION REPAIR PERFORMED

07/16/2014/ COLUMBUS, OH/ 34,800/ Fleet Management Corporation/ BODY SERVICE PERFORMED

10/10/2014/ HARTFORD, CT/ 41,275/ Fleet Management Corporation/ FUEL SYSTEM SERVICED, TIRES/WHEELS SERVICE PERFORMED,LUBE, OIL/FILTER CHANGED, EXHAUST SYSTEM SERVICE PERFORMED, BODY SERVICE PERFORMED

12/23/201/4 CT/ NA/ Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL (Leased Vehicle)

01/27/2015/ FEASTERVILLE TREVOSE, PA/ 49,337/ Fleet Management Corporation/ COLLISION REPAIR PERFORMED

02/10/2015/ CHICAGO, IL/ 50,243/ Fleet Management Corporation/ TIRES/WHEELS SERVICE PERFORMED,LUBE, OIL/FILTER CHANGED, EXHAUST SYSTEM SERVICE PERFORMED

02/25/2015/ CHESTER, CT/ 50,543/ Fleet Management Corporation/ VEHICLE SOLD BY FLEET MANAGEMENT CORPORATION


It looks like a rental car that's been in a couple of fender benders. The accidents don't show up in other areas of the report. I'm of mixed mind - not thrilled with the accidents, or the fact that it was likely driven pretty hard, but at least I know maintenance was done on it.

Opinions?
 
Last edited:

tdiatlast

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
TDI
2009 Sportwagen (boughtback); 2014 Passat TDI SEL (boughtback)
Nope...I wouldn't touch this one.
Services of any kind, unless closely monitored by CRTDI savvy personnel, are a crap shoot, with the emphasis on "crap".
For instance, "Exhaust system service performed". WHAT does THAT mean?????
There must be other used 2013s in your region that would be a better buy, even if you have to pay a bit more.
Just my opinion, of course.
 

R2point0

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2004
Location
Poolesville, MD
TDI
Passat, 2015, Silver; Passat, 1997, Blue
Yeah, good point. There are other 2013's, but few with manual trans - VW's auto trans reputation precedes itself.

As a follow up, what about 2012's? If I get one CPO or at least with a dealer service history, will the known issues (injection pump, heater core) be addressed?
 

mafrif

Veteran Member
Joined
May 23, 2009
Location
MN/ Iowa Border
TDI
2013 Passat TDI 6MT
What is the price on the unit? It would have to be 5k less then a privately owned car for me to think about it.
 

Lincoln

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2014
Location
Seattle, WA
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SE 6 Speed MT
Not a good deal at $18k. You can get a new 2015 for $23k based on what others are posting here, and should be able to find one with a clean record and no fleet usage for around that price. Unless you're in desperate need, wait for a better find.

As for 2012s, I'm not sure the higher failure rates are significant enough to be a big concern. If it's CPO and something goes wrong or you discover a problem (like heater core), you can have it taken care of at no cost. Obviously a 2013 for the same price is a better buy, but I wouldn't completely discount a 2012. Of course, I'm not an expert--just a guy who's read a lot of comments on this forum.

Great choice of car though, by the way. I've got the 2013 SE with MT and love it. So much fun to drive. I frequently get rentals (all makes/models) while travelling for work and am always happy to climb back into my car at the airport parking lot. So much better than the competition in so many ways.
 

skinnyb

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Location
Western, NC
TDI
2013 JSW TDI
I would definitely pass. I would never buy a TDI that has been in a fleet program and this one sounds like it has had the crap beaten out of it... I might consider it if they were only asking 10K or something like that but for 18K there are much better options..
 

R2point0

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2004
Location
Poolesville, MD
TDI
Passat, 2015, Silver; Passat, 1997, Blue

aja8888

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Location
Texas..RETIRED 12/31/17
TDI
Out of TDI's
I am staying away from dsg due to the horror stories. And schedule maintenance expenses that don't exist with a manual. I'm open to being convinced I'm wrong but VW's reputation with automatic transmissions sucks monkey balls.
That may be true with earlier automatics (MKIV, Passat BHW (ZF trans)), but the DSG is pretty robust, and not really an automatic. It's a dual clutch manual that shifts automatically.
 

R2point0

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2004
Location
Poolesville, MD
TDI
Passat, 2015, Silver; Passat, 1997, Blue
I understand the difference between the auto and DSG. But I'm just coming off owning a Liberty CRD, and I'm so gunshy on "innovation" right now the prospect of an enlarged left leg is actually attractive. And it definitely has maintenance requirements in excess of a manual, and which I can't perform.
 

R2point0

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2004
Location
Poolesville, MD
TDI
Passat, 2015, Silver; Passat, 1997, Blue
For the first time in my life I just bought a brand new car. 2015 Passat TDI SE 5 speed. $24k otd, including taxes tags, etc.

Dear God what have I done?
 

rustycat

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Location
seattle
TDI
2015 passat sel
For the first time in my life I just bought a brand new car. 2015 Passat TDI SE 5 speed. $24k otd, including taxes tags, etc.

Dear God what have I done?
Sounds like you got a very good deal, the happiness of a new car with warranty. At a price that was very attractive.
Congrats.
 

R2point0

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2004
Location
Poolesville, MD
TDI
Passat, 2015, Silver; Passat, 1997, Blue
Sounds like you got a very good deal, the happiness of a new car with warranty. At a price that was very attractive.
Congrats.
Thanks. It was a stretch, but when I saw what someone in this thread mentioned about the new ones I went on Truecar and saw new ones were not that far above what I was willing to pay for used. It's really the warranty that pushed me over the edge - the Jeep was nickel and dimeing me to death, and I want to be able to take it to my closes dealer and say "It's broke, fix it."
 

mafrif

Veteran Member
Joined
May 23, 2009
Location
MN/ Iowa Border
TDI
2013 Passat TDI 6MT
For the first time in my life I just bought a brand new car. 2015 Passat TDI SE 5 speed. $24k otd, including taxes tags, etc.

Dear God what have I done?
I don't know, but you better go back to the dealer to get your last gear. Just joking. I did the same thing after looking for used cars for a while, enjoy.
 

ezshift5

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2003
Location
West Coast
TDI
2013 JSW TDI (Enroute BB).......2017 Jetta 1.4 turbo 5M ....................
......sucks monkey balls?

I will reflect on that following a Crown Royal later this evening...................

It's a great (useful) forum............but



ez
 

R2point0

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2004
Location
Poolesville, MD
TDI
Passat, 2015, Silver; Passat, 1997, Blue
I don't know, but you better go back to the dealer to get your last gear. Just joking. I did the same thing after looking for used cars for a while, enjoy.
I may as well have left 6th at the dealer - I constantly forget it's there.
 

PeterV

TDIClub Enthusiast, HO5G Doyen & Zen Master
Joined
Aug 17, 2000
Location
So, NH.
TDI
2000 Jetta 5 sp.
We did the same with a new 2015 SE 6 spd. Passat are the only cars vw seems to deal with. JSW & GSW Are msrp around here. 24 k otd is about right.
 

White Passat

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2014
Location
Austin TX area
TDI
CPO 2013 Passat TDI SEL June 2012 build date Purchased 09/14/14
THAT'S GREAT! You bought a nice car. I have had zero issues with my 2013, despite having a DSG, turbo and everything else you hear about and 45K on the odometer. I have driven 20K miles since late September and really enjoy it. I think you got 3yrs/36K of maint on yours.
 

Pappa Grande

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 8, 2006
Location
NJ
TDI
2015 GSW S 6sp [was 2013 Passat TDI 6sp & was 2002 Golf]
Why is that? This suggests VW is having problems unloading the Passat. Its seems like a great deal can be had on the Passat, but not other TDI models. I can't figure it out.

We did the same with a new 2015 SE 6 spd. Passat are the only cars vw seems to deal with. JSW & GSW Are msrp around here. 24 k otd is about right.
 

nord

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2010
Location
Southern Tier NY
TDI
All turned back to VW. Now a 2017 Hundai Tuscon. Not a single squalk in 10k miles.
Passat...

Made here in the states. Less transportation costs. No crossing borders. A totally modern facility. Further, VW has taken measures to cut some corners while still producing a very nice car.

Passat is the "hidden gem" if you will. People really are unaware and VW hasn't done a lot about it. One problem because of this is getting non VW or non TDI folks to look at one. Folks tend to see Passat and think expensive. Then the lower trim levels available on some of the gasoline engined cars. Nice enough cars, but plain vanilla and nothing to set them apart from offerings from other manufacturers.

And speaking of trim levels here's another thing... The Passat offerings here in the US make little sense. This especially when Canadian cars come with choices we simply can't have. A SE MT TDI sans sunroof? I'm personally okay with it but a lot of folks would like the option. Thing is, they aren't okay with the DSG and that's what one gets when a sunroof is selected. Very strange!

And then the "take it or leave it" VoA ordering system. How is it that a customer can't have a car built especially for him or her? I could even live with limited options if at least my name was on the car from the time it was still a pile of sheet metal. VoA, however, appears uninterested in playing that game.

My conclusion? VoA wants to become the largest auto manufacturer in the world. VoA wants to capture a large share of the North American market. But even though VoA wants these things, VoA wants to play by a set of rules generally unheard of in North America.
 

R2point0

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2004
Location
Poolesville, MD
TDI
Passat, 2015, Silver; Passat, 1997, Blue
Passat...

Made here in the states. Less transportation costs. No crossing borders. A totally modern facility. Further, VW has taken measures to cut some corners while still producing a very nice car.

Passat is the "hidden gem" if you will. People really are unaware and VW hasn't done a lot about it. One problem because of this is getting non VW or non TDI folks to look at one. Folks tend to see Passat and think expensive. Then the lower trim levels available on some of the gasoline engined cars. Nice enough cars, but plain vanilla and nothing to set them apart from offerings from other manufacturers.

And speaking of trim levels here's another thing... The Passat offerings here in the US make little sense. This especially when Canadian cars come with choices we simply can't have. A SE MT TDI sans sunroof? I'm personally okay with it but a lot of folks would like the option. Thing is, they aren't okay with the DSG and that's what one gets when a sunroof is selected. Very strange!

And then the "take it or leave it" VoA ordering system. How is it that a customer can't have a car built especially for him or her? I could even live with limited options if at least my name was on the car from the time it was still a pile of sheet metal. VoA, however, appears uninterested in playing that game.

My conclusion? VoA wants to become the largest auto manufacturer in the world. VoA wants to capture a large share of the North American market. But even though VoA wants these things, VoA wants to play by a set of rules generally unheard of in North America.
VW has *always* had trouble with the mid-size market in the US, going all the way back to the Type 3. Lets do the litany:
Type 3 (Fastback, Squareback, Notchback)
Type 4 (411/412)
Dasher
Quantum
B3-B4 Passats

The B5 got a big boost because it was twinned to the Audi A4, but then VWAG decided to separate them again.

In the US VW means either "small" or "microbus." It's a hard reputation to shake, and VWoA never really has put in the effort needed to change it.
 
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