PSA: Do not buy a '90-'94 VW Passat

[Lifer]

Originally posted by: AnyMal
Don't buy VW. Period.

yes, u don't have to get specific when u want to bash VW. they all suck, some worse than others.

 

[thomsbrain]

i'm glad you're just now figuring this out. too bad it had to be the hard way.

 

[TekDemon]

Originally posted by: Lifer

Originally posted by: AnyMal
Don't buy VW. Period.

yes, u don't have to get specific when u want to bash VW. they all suck, some worse than others.

Heh I tell people this all the time but they don't listen...

For that matter, most Audi's(I noticed someone actually recommended a used A4 as a good choice in one of those used car threads) are pretty much on a similar level of suck due to the fact that VW owns Audi and there is extensive part sharing. Essentially the A4 IS a Passat so any Passat problems you're likely to see in the A4 too...

As for the OP:
Any electrical problems yet? I know VW electrical systems are probably the worst in the industry...

As for the tranny, don't bother with trying to swap it to a manual transmission. The cost would be astronomical, even if you managed to pull it off. It'd probably be cheaper just to go buy a decent and reliable car.
I'm gonna go with the usual Honda Accord/Toyota Camry recommendation. Yes they're not the most interesting cars in the world, but they don't have unbelievably good devaluation because they suck.

From person experience a 1989 Honda Accord lasted our family a good 13 years, and it didn't even really die in the end after the engine overheat, it just didn't run as well. And the ONLY reason the engine overheated is cuz my dad decided that the car was a POS and figured that actually taking care of it(read: refilling the coolant) wasn't neccessary. Uhh yeah.

All in all, if the coolant had actually been filled up properly the car probably would still be around our house today. Probably the car is still in running condition somewhere out there though...it just ran rougher after being repaired, but was still drivable and all.

So, I'm giving used accords my "this car is insanely reliable" stamp of approval =)

 

[Doggiedog]

Triumph, correct me if I'm wrong but in your past posts I thought you said you have never had any problems with the VWs or Audis you have owned. A busted transmission sounds like a significant problem to me.

 

[Triumph]

Originally posted by: TekDemon

Originally posted by: Lifer

Originally posted by: AnyMal
Don't buy VW. Period.

yes, u don't have to get specific when u want to bash VW. they all suck, some worse than others.

Heh I tell people this all the time but they don't listen...

For that matter, most Audi's(I noticed someone actually recommended a used A4 as a good choice in one of those used car threads) are pretty much on a similar level of suck due to the fact that VW owns Audi and there is extensive part sharing. Essentially the A4 IS a Passat so any Passat problems you're likely to see in the A4 too...

Maybe you should add a caveat on there: The Passat has good reliability so therefore the A4 must have good reliability too! 😛

Never mind the fact that the difference between the A4 Passat and the Passat in this thread is about 2 model generations...

Originally posted by: Doggiedog
Triumph, correct me if I'm wrong but in your past posts I thought you said you have never had any problems with the VWs or Audis you have owned. A busted transmission sounds like a significant problem to me.

I have admitted that that Passat was the one lemon VW/Audi that has been in my VW-ownin' family. The rest have all been great: 1 1985, 3 1986's, 2 1996's, 1 1997, 1 2000, and 1 2001. I specifically remember calling the 91 Passat a lemon in at least 1 thread.