Drive...But Be Prepared for Some Trouble

I own this vehicle.  Let me tell you this, I am a die hard VW fan ever since my 1975 Bus graced the newly-paved asphalt of my dad's driveway in Southern California.  I have kept abreast of VW's developments since then, at least superficially, and have owned three others.  The latest inmy "collection" is a 2008 Passat Turbo and, let me tell you, it's a nice car.  I won't go into the specifics of the vehicle that are readily available at http://www.vw.com or a slew of websites, so I'll give you my initial impressions.

Exterior: Nice lines, sporty without looking like a race car.  Several paint combinations allow the potential buyer to fit his or her personality nicely and you will not tire of looking at this car.  Personally, I am not a huge fan of the black "vinyl" borders along the bottom (sides, rear, front) as these tend to pick up salt, dirt, and rock chips easier than paint and are much more difficult to clean and protect.  Debris doesn't simply wipe off as it would on, let's say, the painted hood or door panel - It'll take a bit more work.

Interior:  (Seats) I chose the leather(ette) black surfaces and I like the look.  The perforated seating surfaces add a classy touch.  (Controls) Nothing to write home about here and it seems like just about everything is a VW upgrade.  You won't get a compass without paying for it, for example.  The blue/red light combo is easily visible at night and I love the way most, if not all, of the buttons (windows, gas door...) are illuminated as well.  (Windows)  This may seem like an odd observation, but I notice that, on a sunny day, there is a ton of bright, HOT sunlight that permeates to the driver and passengers.  I have two other cars that, perhaps by design, perhaps by angles and rudimentary physics, don't "cook" the occupants quite as much.  Yesterday, I was driving in Chicago - It was a frigid 10 degrees Fahrenheit.  It was also sunny.  I only had the heat set to 68 and the combination of this plus the sunlight was enough to make me strip down to a t-shirt - No kidding!  Not a deal-breaker, but somthing to consider.

Issues I have Experienced:  Here's where the issues and "trouble" part comes into play, at least in my experience.  I have owned this vehicle for 13 months and it's got just a hair over 10K miles on the odometer.  So far, it's been back to VW for the following problems:

1.  Horn Failed
2.  A seal broke away from the car
3.  2 Fuses
4.  A headlamp failed (burnt out)
5.  One recall that, unfortunately, I can't recall

Now you may say "These are MINOR issues!"  Maybe.  Actually, yes, they are and I would agree.  But take this into consideration; each of these "minor" issues will require you to make a service appointment and, while potentially free of charge and under warranty, will take a large chunk out of your day.   I realize that this facet of ownership is dealer-sensitive, but just be prepared to spend some time at the dealer.  While I am more than capable of changing a headlamp's bulb, my dealer specifically and in no uncertain terms told me that if I, yes I! tried to replace them myself I would void the warranty.  Can you imagine?  But, I acquiesced and made the appointment.

Another selling point, at least in my experience, was the fact that oil changes, requiring ONLY synthetic oils and lubricants, are needed a more-reasonable 10K miles rather than industry-advertised 3,000.  Some part of that claim is true; most of t is NOT!  You see, my car alerts me, annoyingly, every 5K miles that a SERVICE is DUE!  That means oil change.  I brought it in, and waited 3 hours until this basic service was performed, but needed to ask the question: "My salesman insisted that my oil didn't need changing but every 10,000 miles."  Know what they told me?  A service advisor said..."Not here.  That's what VW would recommend under the most ideal of conditions."  I asked what these ideal conditions were. Garage kept?  Moderate temperatures, perhaps?  Nope.  "No wind, dust, cold..."  You get the picture.  I laughed and said, "OK, but the manual clearly states 10,000 so I really don't have to...right?"  He responded, "Sure.  But you'll get much less life from the car."  Now, granted, this may just be my dealer's shoddy service - But it's worth a mention.

Overall, the car runs smoothly, drives well, and provides a nice balance of sportiness (thanks to its trip-tronic transmission) and class.  It's quick off the block and sails straight and effortlessly down the freeway...Just keep the little things in mind before you shell out the cash for a new one.