Informed opinion please on VW Passat 1.8T 1998

Hi - if anyone has good knowledge of these (and I don't meanthe usual Euro-bashers who hate European cars even though they've never had one) I'd be grateful for some informed advice onany common issues they have. I have heard the Golfs give transmission trouble, not sure if these ones do also! The one I am looking at has done 180k, regularly serviced. cam belt recently replaced. Thanks guys.

Genuine issues with passat/audi of that age taken from warranty claim book
1)if tensioner not replaced with cambelt-- tensioner surface collapses
2)window regulators die
3)air conditioning dies
4) "random" issues with abs -abs light comes on. -usually traced to replacement abs sensor wire needed.
5)oil dipstick tube falls to bits
6) engine oil vent hose "elbow" collapses.
7) not an issue exactly but front disks are worn out between every60 and 100k

all fairly common stuff and in moist cases the parts are readilly available

I guess the "owner" will know a lot more about his car than a mechanic that works on it when it gives problems, right!

Well there you go silkycat.the two usual 'euro bashers' (well VW/Audi bashers anyway) were the first to bite, despite your request that they didn't. I don't accept that any of the issues kasbanz raises is peculiar to the VW you're looking at. In fact I've never heard of most of those problems, and I've had various Audis for 15 years and still have 2. Similiar mechanicals to VW eh.! Factory discs are soft and EBC rotors and pads are an improvement, but OEM discs don't warp and carry on like a lot of other cars. Anyway irrelevant comment at the distance the VW you're looking at has travelled. If there was a problem it wouldn't have a WOF.
You can bet that if the cambelt was changed the tensioner will have been changed too, but that's easily checked against service records. It's only an ignorant cowboy-type mechanic that would take a shortcut there. Don't be put off by 180000kms. My daughter's Audi has done 186000kms and drives beautifully. 'Awesome' she calls it. I've owned one of those 1.8T and they are a great motor.

Mechanics who work on the occasional VW in between all sorts of Jap crap can't be relied upon to have anything except just another opinion. The key to the car you're looking at, as with anything, is 'regularly serviced'. You didn't say if it's manual or auto.!

hmm emotional response rather than factualgram--ohh good onya.
My response was as a result of digging out my warranty book going back 10 years and finding genuine issues with the a4/passat that apeared in the book more thn three times--But hey don't let the facts get in the way of a good story

Kazbanz gave the op exactly what he was after a honest opinion of what someone might of experienced. And what may be common faults. Just because kazbanz didn't give a glowing response on the vehicle dosnt mean that hes wrong with his statements. Also dosnt mean there a bad vehicle, just that they have some issues like all vehicles on the road.

That's rather condescending of you.I didn't accuse you of getting your facts wrong.sounds as tho you get all the dungas thru your yard. As I said.I've never heard of most of those problems. Your attitude is well known. I presented an owner's perspective.

Who said he was wrong.! Read again what I said.'I don't accept that any of the issues kasbanz raises is peculiar to the VW you're looking at. In fact I've never heard of most of those problems'. And that's a fact.

You did actually bother READINGthe op's request didn't you! rather than a titrade -read what they asked.
"Hi I'd be grateful for some informed advice on any common issues they have."
The issues I noted were in response to that exact question.
They were factual, drawn from my warranty claim book.
Not one word was opinion and I made it clear that MOST of the faulty parts are readilly available.
That in itself says something loud and clear that I did not dwell on. .

I have one for sale by coincidence. Ive owned 2 in my time. The Air con can fail and is an expensive fix. I would ensure that is working correctly. My indicator regulator failed on my previous one ($20 off here for a secondhand replacement, plugged straight in). The dipstick plastic guide falls to bits but is hardly an issue ($18 new replacement).
But overall, they are a fantastic car. We have just purchased a 2002 ford mondeo and the VW is certainly built better,highly quality interior etc.

Also, if the transmission does go bang, we can presume the car is a write off. But, i just saw a s/h 5 speed transmission sell on here for $500.

There is heaps and heaps on info on the net on these cars.

And the one i have has no faults at all. Kinda thinking about putting the Mondeo on here for sale.

Yeah whatever. OP is probably more interested in your comments that 'in moist cases the parts are readilly available' and 'MOST of the faulty parts are readilly available'.Care to enlighten the OP as to what parts she is going to have trouble obtaining.!

gram.height wise, are you really short!

There ya go.all fixed

Must be jazz's Aunty (o:

No, are you.! My turn to guess.black vinyl lounge suite and a fridge full of Lion Red.!

If there is one thing Kaz is an expert on its moist places and having parts available, just ask him how many kids he has. That's one beauty of a Freudian slip Old Fruit, I always wondered if you were a closet VW fan.

Anyhow. back to the matter at hand.

OP, Gram has pretty much hit the nail on the head. Tensioners collapsing and the likes can happen to any car if the timing belt service is not completed properly. Same thing with waterpumps etc not being changed when due, I have seen them give out just as often on Toyota's. These sorts of parts are often made by the same manufacturer for Toyota and VW anyway.

So. you need to weed out the problems that can happen to any car and are a result of poor maintenance from those that might be VW specific and perhaps due to a design or manufacture issue.

The great news with the VW is there are very very few design issues.

* Plastic waterpump impellors breaking, this was an issue but really only if you exceeded the replacement interval. If you are looking at one that still has an original its not been maintained well. New plastic impellors are a different compound nowadays and last just fine.

* Air con there is one valve that is a pig to get to if it seizes. So just buy one that has functioning air con and use it regularly to keep things in working order. (in other words run it a bit in winter too)

* Transmission, this is the expensive part to fix on any automatic car and always the most important thing to check on a car of that age. If regularly serviced properly these last well. The problems you hear about are almost entirely due to lack of service. Some transmission manufacturers of the time seemed to think they could seal a transmission for "life". This didn't work, service is essential. BTW the least durable "sealed for life" transmissions VW/Audi used were the ones made by Aisin which is partly owned by Toyota. Those same transmissions are used in some Japanese cars and break just as often. But again, service them and they last.

Overall, they are an excellent vehicle. That 1.8T engine is a real cracker giving great economy/power/reliability. Its easy enough to service and very reliable. There is no great nasty problem that those vehicles are prone to or any serious design flaws.

Pretty much like any car of the age, just take your time, get one that has been well serviced, bring anything that needs doing up to date and continue to service it. Do that and you will more than likely have an excellent run. Bear in mind though it is a 14 year old vehicle and all 14 year old vehicles will more than likey have the odd niggle now and then. The VW is realistically no more likely to have problems than any other similar vehicle of the age, parts are reasonably priced and they are good to work on, that's all that matters really.

Happy Motoring.

Oh and BTW, gram is a great bloke who knows his VW's, he walks the talk first hand. I tend to get a bit snippy about that stuff too now and again. It comes from this board being frequented by a handful of trolls (who oddly havn't turned up yet in this thread) who just deliberately bag anything European.

Wow - that is all fantastic info, thank you all so much. And on the strength of it, I am going to bid on the one I'm looking at, and hopefully get it. And thanks for the skirmishes too - always amusing!
Cheers guys

The 1.8T engine can be 'chipped' to give quite a bit more power without any other modification than the computer re-programme. Another plus for this car.

Window regulators seems to be a common prob with VW.
I had a 1998 VW Polo tht I had to replace window regs on both sides.
$180 a sideand thats not including labour.did it myself.

thats $360 in parts when only a bit of plastic needed replacing yet they sell you the whole regulators or nothing.

If anything major goes wrong with an oldish VW heap like that it will cost more to fix than the heap is worth.

hey good luck -It would be great if you could keep us in the loop how you get on in the next few months of ownership should you win the car

Thats a great idea. You are bound to find a few bits that need attention on a car that old and we can point you in the best direction to get any bits you may need as cheap as possible. For example on ebay you can get complete Passat window reglator repair kits for about NZ $20 delivered.

Don't forget to check the car out well before handing over the ping. Ask about the waterpump and tensioners being changed. Likewise ask about servicing on the transmission. Check the condition of the engine oil etc and all the usual stuff you would on a car that old.

Be prepared and have budget ready to bring anything up to date that needs it. Once everything is up to date and as it should be chances are you will have an excellent run out of it.

Also, if its not running the proper VW coolant get it changed over to that straight away.

Best of luck, they are a lovely machine!

Thanks again - I will stay in touch if I get it. And yes, I'll be wanting to get it at a price that will allow me to fix the sorts of things that go wrong with most cars that age. Cheers