2007 Volkswagen Passat TSI S 1.8 petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Good all round car

Faults:

Usual consumables; suspension, brakes, tyres, etc.

I done all the oil changes and looked after it well, no major problems. Some servicing and repairs were expensive though.

General Comments:

A good car to drive, the modern Passat is sharp in the handling department and acceleration from the 1.8 petrol is fantastic. Gear change feels good and I average 37 MPG.

Inside the car is a little dull, grey plastic everywhere, though it is an improvement on previous Passats. Being the basic S model, you only get electric windows in the front - a real pain when rear passengers forget to close the rear windows. Do yourself a favour and get the SE and above spec models for electrics all round.

On the outside the car looks great, very smart and business like in a nice dark blue with alloy wheels. I like the look of the car.

Overall I'd recommend the Passat to anyone - however most are diesels and I have heard they tend to be unreliable as the miles rise. So I'd recommend anyone considering a used Passat to check out the petrol models; a looked after one should not give too much trouble.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th October, 2017

2007 Volkswagen Passat 4 Motion 3.6L from North America

Summary:

Repairs outweigh the value

Faults:

Rear brakes, coil springs, shocks, struts, ignition coil, door handles, rainwater leaks.

General Comments:

While the repair items on this car were replaced at the normal interval, the costs are astronomical.

Because of the electronic parking brake, the rear brake job cost $2500!!!

To replace rear shocks and springs and front struts was another $1900.

The motors for the rear hatch are weak and are $500 each.

The transmission flush was $700.

There was an issue with rain water getting into the passenger compartment that caused the carpet to smell like mildew.

Three of the four doorhandles needed repair.

The repairs of the car exceed the current value. I'll never buy another VW.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 22nd June, 2016

23rd Jun 2016, 13:39

You're paying too much in repairs. Get a new place to have the work done.

23rd Jun 2016, 20:22

Transmission flush at $700 sounds right like an European car dealer quote.

On the other side, I've learned that any VW cars (no matter what the "I put 150000 miles on my Jetta without a single repair" VW fan boys will say) are more or less designed to last without (hopefully) major troubles no more than 100K miles. After this, several electronic parts among others start to fail, and as you just figured out, dealer prices are perfect to get you an instant 90s hair dress appearance.

In reply to 23rd Jun 2016, 20:22

23rd Jun 2016, 21:23

Yet another negative VW review from the USA. You guys get a really bad deal, quality control seems to suffer, remember, VW cars sold in USA are not European built last time I checked. Here in Europe, VWs (and most cars) will last well in excess of 100,000 without any trouble (not a VW fanboy, just a general observation), but I agree with the comments you are paying too much for repairs, try finding a (good) but cheaper garage.

In reply to 23rd Jun 2016, 21:23

29th Jun 2016, 22:04

The 2007 Passats sold in North America were assembled in Germany. The 2011 to present Passats sold in North America were/are assembled in the United States.

As for the original poster's comments, I would note that:

- We're talking about a car with 100,000 miles to 150,000 miles of use.

- Many of the service items noted appear to be maintenance as opposed to repairs.

- As alluded to by others, you should be able to find capable mechanics to perform these services at significantly lower prices.

- The usefulness of a car and its market value are two completely unrelated measures of a car's worth.

- While you may have (over)spent $5,000 to $6,000 on these service items, and these exceed the market value of the car, for $10,000 to $12,000 you have a special and superb vehicle in the Passat, particularly with the 3.6L and 4Motion. Enjoy it!