[bigman]

Originally Posted by sbasak

Where as most Toyotas & Nissans plying as taxis go strong even after 400,000+ miles!

As you can see here, many UK buyers are not happy about Passat's reliability

Volkswagen Passat Saloon Reader Reviews - What Car?

Sure are especially the Avensis which is cheap to buy, maintain and as you say can go 400K miles without any major engine overhaul. However they are stereotyped as paki-stani cars.

Are they any worse than pre 2005 BMW diesels. They had bit of a bad reputation.

[diffsoft]

Originally Posted by GTO

I just wanted to put a headsup for anyone considering the Passat. DON'T!

This is extremely useful information GTO, you can't get it anywhere - least of all in Car Mags! Thanks.

I was hoping VW will get their reliability act better than their sister Skoda; looks like they will have their own learning curve!

Cheers,

[narry]

Originally Posted by GTO

Guys,

VWs Passat is turning out to be one of the most problematic cars sold in India. Of the several ownership reviews received by us, only 4 cars (or 13.xx%) have NOT had a major problem. The following common issues have been reported frequently:

- DSG Gearbox failure
- Blown Turbo charger
- Excessive oil consumption : To the tune of a liter every 1,500 - 2,000 kms.
- Refusing to start. No noise, no cranking...nothing.
- Fuel pump failure.
- E-Parking brake failure : intermittently, it simply doesn't disengage!

VWs reliability record is outrageous for a premium car costing over 25 lakhs! This is so reminiscent of the erstwhile C180.

I just wanted to put a headsup for anyone considering the Passat. DON'T!

hi
for me this is not suprising this normaly happen to german tecnology when they try to make things out of germany
in germany there quality is perfect
but when they try to built car out of europe they face this problems
this also i see happening in china

narry

[madan80]

...you can't get it anywhere - least of all in Car Mags!

looks like the car mags seem to have an explanation for everything - DSG Failure "due to shifting from AT->MT at high RPM",
excessive oil consumption - due to driving style...
and i am sure there are more.

at the bottom of it, if one is paying 25L for a vehicle, it should have been tested for these things, for which I am sure they are... but then why the failure?

Of the 30 people polled, 17 would have said that they have problems, and 13 without problems, which is a very abysmal satisfaction rate.

[rangaraj]

Originally Posted by GTO

Guys,

VWs Passat is turning out to be one of the most problematic cars sold in India. Of the several ownership reviews received by us, only 4 cars (or 13.xx%) have NOT had a major problem. The following common issues have been reported frequently:

- DSG Gearbox failure
- Blown Turbo charger
- Excessive oil consumption : To the tune of a liter every 1,500 - 2,000 kms.
- Refusing to start. No noise, no cranking...nothing.
- Fuel pump failure.
- E-Parking brake failure : intermittently, it simply doesn't disengage!

That would total up to close to 6-7L!

Is the DSG box common with the Jetta/Laura? One could expect the same - i remember reading 4L was the cost of a DSG replacement.

I recently saw a leading jeweller from Bangalore standing next to his stranded Passat on the intermediate ring road, and having a heated conversation with the help centre (obviously). Not seen that kind of breakdowns of relatively new cars in other brands - especially when they are priced at 25L+!

[.anshuman]

With almost all the Passats in the warranty today in india,owners real frustration will be out when they will be asked to pay for the repairs of the gizmos.

[anachronix]

Originally Posted by GTO

Guys,

VWs Passat is turning out to be one of the most problematic cars sold in India. Of the several ownership reviews received by us, only 4 cars (or 13.xx%) have NOT had a major problem. The following common issues have been reported frequently:

- DSG Gearbox failure
- Blown Turbo charger
- Excessive oil consumption : To the tune of a liter every 1,500 - 2,000 kms.
- Refusing to start. No noise, no cranking...nothing.
- Fuel pump failure.
- E-Parking brake failure : intermittently, it simply doesn't disengage!

VWs reliability record is outrageous for a premium car costing over 25 lakhs! This is so reminiscent of the erstwhile C180.

I just wanted to put a headsup for anyone considering the Passat. DON'T!

Got similar impressions about the VW Jetta in US from my friend. He bought the car and eventually got rid of it in a couple of months.

[GTO - Touring]

Originally Posted by narry

hi
in germany there quality is perfect
but when they try to built car out of europe they face this problems
this also i see happening in china

narry

Interesting viewpoint.

Originally Posted by madan80

at the bottom of it, if one is paying 25L for a vehicle, it should have been tested for these things, for which I am sure they are... but then why the failure?

That's precisely the reason why high-end German cars turn me off as much as they turn me on. I am a big fan of their solid construction, impeccable dynamics and overall levels of safety / luxury. But the dismal reliability record of VW (and some other Germans) is inexcusable!! Heck, there isn't a justification for a 30 - 50 lakh rupee car to break down in the first year, when a 5 lakh rupee Swift or a 20 lakh rupee Accord see over a lac kms without the need for roadside assistance.

This is precisely the reason why I respect Honda + Toyota as much as I do Mercedes & BMW. There is intrinsic appeal in a car that can unfailingly perform the way that it is supposed to, over 10 years of service. It's all about precision-building and extreme quality-control.

Originally Posted by rangaraj

I recently saw a leading jeweller from Bangalore standing next to his stranded Passat on the intermediate ring road, and having a heated conversation with the help centre (obviously).

Coincidence : I am spending a couple of days at the holiday home and noticed a white MH01 Passat in the same complex. Poor chap has been at odds end with VW over a malfunctioning air-con. This on a car with 5,000 kms!

Originally Posted by .anshuman

With almost all the Passats in the warranty today in india,owners real frustration will be out when they will be asked to pay for the repairs of the gizmos.

Well said. That's when it will truly bite.

[goacom]

I am an owner of the current Passat B6 and was an owner of the previous model (B5) as well. I have a 2.0T gasoline engine with the B6. Not too sure if it is sold in India. I live in the US.

I cant comment on DSG as it is not offered here. There are two versions of the 2.0T. The older version had a timing belt while the newer one has a chain. None have had turbo issues, though the older one did have high oil consumption (did not impact engine reliability though).

So far, I've had no issues with my B6. My B5 was pretty reliable too, but I tend to take good care of my cars. You should check out forums such as passatworld.com and vwvortex.com for tips on how to take care of your car. Generally, the feedback is that since 2007, Passat's have made tremendous improvements in reliability in the US.

Make no mistake about it, VW's are costlier to maintain than a Honda or Toyota. In exchange, VW's are much more pleasurable to drive than these cars and have superior interiors as well. It all depends on what you want from your cars.

Originally Posted by GTO

Guys,

VWs Passat is turning out to be one of the most problematic cars sold in India. Of the several ownership reviews received by us, only 4 cars (or 13.xx%) have NOT had a major problem. The following common issues have been reported frequently:

- DSG Gearbox failure
- Blown Turbo charger
- Excessive oil consumption : To the tune of a liter every 1,500 - 2,000 kms.
- Refusing to start. No noise, no cranking...nothing.
- Fuel pump failure.
- E-Parking brake failure : intermittently, it simply doesn't disengage!

VWs reliability record is outrageous for a premium car costing over 25 lakhs! This is so reminiscent of the erstwhile C180.

I just wanted to put a headsup for anyone considering the Passat. DON'T!

[Sowmya]

Will VW stop selling this car for time being for selling faulty car ? Or they will replace parts/car free of cost ? Will they revoke this model ?
I Know if this is India where Consumer Law is very Pathetic

[goacom]

I dont think this is very accurate for it implies that Germans and their technology are somehow exclusive (master race anyone?).

VW's plant in Puebla, Mexico is as good any the plant in Germany. The Jetta that is sold in the US is made there, while the Passat is imported from Germany (made at its Wolfsburg and Emden plants). However, the 2005-2006 Passat B6s had a terrible reliability record in the US. The same can be said about the Toureg that is made in Europe. It too has a terrible reliability record in the US.

Originally Posted by narry

hi
for me this is not suprising this normaly happen to german tecnology when they try to make things out of germany
in germany there quality is perfect
but when they try to built car out of europe they face this problems
this also i see happening in china

narry

[v10]

No problems as yet.... even though the way i drive it...

[backrub]

This is unacceptable. For a car having the price in range of 25 L, this is totally unacceptable. If the issues are being reported from too many customers they should hold the production and restart it only after sorting out all the issues.

As of now this is cheating customers. And majorly because of the issue with gearbox and engine oil consumption. The reducing Oil consumption is not at all a good sign and it is a serious reliability issue.

[bigman]

Originally Posted by backrub

This is unacceptable. For a car having the price in range of 25 L, this is totally unacceptable. If the issues are being reported from too many customers they should hold the production and restart it only after sorting out all the issues.

As of now this is cheating customers. And majorly because of the issue with gearbox and engine oil consumption. The reducing Oil consumption is not at all a good sign and it is a serious reliability issue.

I guess if they continue like that they will not last long in the Indian market.

[ajmat]

DSG Gearbox failure

My guess that it is the dust and heat factor

- Blown Turbo charger

A known VW problem
- Excessive oil consumption : To the tune of a liter every 1,500 - 2,000 kms.

Another known VW problem but it stops after 10000km - if only VW bothered to tell us

- Refusing to start. No noise, no cranking...nothing.
- Fuel pump failure.

Shocking

- E-Parking brake failure : intermittently, it simply doesn't disengage!

Why have Mercedes chucked the SBC and gone back to conventional brakes!


The Passats with the TDi engines are very reliable. Remember the new fangled CRDi engine, high rail pressures, tighter tolerances and built to a costt - something has to give!