Faults:

Turbo has a problem.

Water leaks into foot wells.

Interior door panels have fabric coming away.

Paint pealed off the bonnet

'Computer' display in instrument cluster intermittently fails.

Arm rest has broken so lid falls off.

Rear window wiper starts and stops while trying to wipe.

Electric mirror switch joystick broke off.

Dip stick broke.

Rear window washer isn't squirting.

General Comments:

I was given this car free and feel I paid too much. I realise it is a 16 year old car, but is in great condition otherwise, and I am not rough or negligent with cars - quite the opposite.

I like classic cars and have owned many, so expect things to go wrong when cars get past a certain age and I even enjoy fixing them, but the build quality of VWs is appalling in my opinion. My parents had a 2000 Golf wagon that randomly wouldn't start from time to time, leaked, had the joystick mirror break etc, and my brother had a Golf 2.0 hatch when fairly new that had endless problems as well.

They are nice cars to drive and feel solid, but that's about all I would say for them. Go look at VW forums or Youtube and see all the problems with them people are trying to solve. VW = the new British Leyland (and their workers aren't even on strike).

Avoid like the plague, I'm sick of fixing it!

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

Best car I've ever owned, considering that I only paid 500 euro for it, and now I have had it 2 years with over 200k on it, and nothing has gone wrong with it. That must say something about the older shape B5 Passats.

I have heard people saying ohh you should have purchased a Honda or a Toyota, they're much better, but all I can say to them is these Passats are much better than the older Toyotas of that time; they have a better quality interior, and the old 1.9 TDI engine is by far the most reliable engine Volkswagen ever made; to this day it's bulletproof.

I service it every 5k, and it's still going like a dream, and for a car with such high miles, it drives like new. All it needed to pass the NCT was tyres and that was it.

If you are reading this and are thinking of getting a Passat, just get one and service it, and it will last longer that almost any car on the road today.

Faults:

My late brother bought it new. Sold to me at 80K after all of the dealer service and a little local VW specialist service was completed. Superbly maintained.

Car was and is immaculate. CEL has been on for years, faulty EBS, means nothing as most should know. I feel like I need front shocks/alignment, and it will be my first repair in 50K plus.

The 5-speed manual is tight and very responsive. The 150-HP motor is really great. I get 30 to 34.5 MPG all the time. I never step on the motor, but I am sure that it will do 110 or more if I ever asked.

I was concerned about the sludge related failures with the Passats of this era, but with regular oil changes there has never been a hint. I think hints were not part of that... I changed to Mobil 1 in 2010, when I got the car, and all is well.

NYC roads have led me to believe that some new front shocks may be in order.

The CEL ABS phony alert is really the only issue, and it is bogus.

My non sludger is a Godsend. A great VW, Canadian made, but just GREAT.