Faults:

Not much while I've had it, but according to the history, the DPF filter has been replaced and that was not cheap! And the flywheel and clutch also at great expense. Injectors were looked at as well at some point, but a vague description of work carried out.

General wear and tear - it's had all the oil changes and correct servicing bar, one miss according to the history logs.

General Comments:

Great car to drive, the 2.0 diesel engine pulls strong while doing a solid 50 MPG (but only on a long drive, around town expect 40 - something).

Interior is very nice and has a high quality feel even after more than ten years. Well laid out and comfortable. Electronic hand brake is a real pain to use - much preferred a lever!

One of the first of the new shape 2005 Passat's, improves on the already great previous car of the 90s and early 2000s. Very popular as a taxi and it's easy to see why - lots of space and good economy.

However, if recommending as a car to buy privately, I'd say go for a petrol one - although the year I've had it has been great and gave me no trouble, looking through its previous history, it has been a typical modern diesel car - with expensive repairs outweighing any advantage of fuel savings. You just don't get the problems this car has had with petrol models of the same type.

Only reason I bought this car in fact was because of the large amount of work it had already done to it, but let's face it, at over 10 years old and over 100K miles, I'll be moving on to another car soon. If I can afford a newer low mileage car it will definitely be petrol and possibly another Passat, as well it's a good car all things considered; just be aware of those diesel repair bills as the miles rise if you buy a diesel one of these.

Faults:

There is neither time nor space enough to detail everything that has gone wrong with this car, but suffice it to say, that I will NEVER own a VW again.

In the last 8 weeks alone, I have spent almost $2000 on this car, and they tell me that it will require another $1000 repair to replace the timing belt, even though it hasn't gone yet, because if it does go, it will cause "major problems". Perhaps they might have mentioned that BEFORE the warranty ran out 4 months ago.

If the warranty hadn't been in place that long, I would be out still more thousands of dollars.

Off the top of my head, I have had both air conditioning and heating problems, including the A/C quitting on the hottest week of the summer when I was on the road. They assured me it was fixed, but of course it wasn't, which resulted in me having another road trip in the sweltering heat with no A/C.

After taking it in numerous times for that problem, they finally decided that it was somehow tied to a faulty head gasket. On that occasion I was without my car for 2 weeks, and they tried to stick me with the bill, even though I had taken it in to have the problem fixed long before the warranty expired.

Finally they did agree to cover it under the warranty, but then shortly after, the check engine light went on, resulting in another $1100 repair.

Now the springs, shocks, and front axle have all gone. I just had it on the hoist a month ago getting new tires from them. One would have thought they might have done a quick check.

In any event, I will now be without my car for a further period of time, and will be on the hook for another $2000. I liked this car when I got it, and I have treated it very well. Unfortunately, it is just a piece of crap, and the VW service leaves me feeling violated.

I am really not difficult to please, but I would like a car I can actually drive once in a while.

And in case I haven't mentioned it, the problems that I've detailed here are just a fraction of the difficulties I have had with this thing.

I am going to buy a different car tomorrow. If VW came up and offered me a free car, I wouldn't take it.

General Comments:

NEVER buy a VW. Worst car I have EVER had.