[chohan]

Originally Posted by rpunwani

Also took the VW extended warranty for 2 years; albeit at a crazy price. Thanks to all of you who recomemended to go for it.

Will keep you updated

How much did you shell out for extended warranty? I'm considering a deal on June 2012 passat highline done 18,000 kms.
It's in a sparkling condition. Do you think 17 lac is a good deal. I somehow feel it to be overpriced considering it's been discontinued. Do you think it's a good choice against a used BMW 3 series.

[rpunwani]

Originally Posted by chohan

How much did you shell out for extended warranty? I'm considering a deal on June 2012 passat highline done 18,000 kms.
It's in a sparkling condition. Do you think 17 lac is a good deal. I somehow feel it to be overpriced considering it's been discontinued. Do you think it's a good choice against a used BMW 3 series.

I shelled out 75K for the extended warranty for 2 more years. Please note that this warranty is from VW India and not from any dealer and has pan India coverage. Some VW dealers also offer similar extended warranties at a much lower price but leave out certain critical parts. Also the warranty is dealer/workshop specific - you cannot avail this from any other dealer.

IMHO the price is good considering the car is 2.5 years old. Check the service records before you finally decide. The BMW 3 series falls short on space, does not have cruise control. This ruled out the 3 series for me when I bought the Passat. The Highline is very good VFM, basically you get a E class comfort & features at C class price.

[fordfreak]

Originally Posted by chohan

How much did you shell out for extended warranty? I'm considering a deal on June 2012 passat highline done 18,000 kms.
It's in a sparkling condition. Do you think 17 lac is a good deal. I somehow feel it to be overpriced considering it's been discontinued. Do you think it's a good choice against a used BMW 3 series.

Sounds like a good deal. Do check the service history of the car before agreeing to the deal though. Walk away from the deal if you see things such as a major accident repair or a repair that has been carried out multiple times. Don't make a decision just on the exterior appearance of the car.

As rpunwani said, the Passat is really good VFM compared to the BMW or Mercedes. You get a lot more for your money (as long as you are not bothered about the brand).

Originally Posted by rpunwani

I shelled out 75K for the extended warranty for 2 more years.

75k for extended warranty!!! The new packages are ridiculous! I paid 13.5k for the same when I bought my car.

[rpunwani]

Originally Posted by fordfreak

75k for extended warranty!!! The new packages are ridiculous! I paid 13.5k for the same when I bought my car.

I had no choice as this is the VW published prices. When I bought the car VW did not have the extended warranty active for the Passat. They re-introduced it sometime late last year.

Expensive - yes; but peace of mind

[chohan]

Originally Posted by rpunwani

I shelled out 75K for the extended warranty for 2 more years. Please note that this warranty is from VW India and not from any dealer and has pan India coverage.

Good to know that. The seller is really bragging about the extended warranty that the car has so I wanted to know if this aspect is worth considering and cut him some slack during price negotiations. So 17 it is with comprehensive insurance for another six months and extended warranty coverage for another 18 months.

@ Fordfreak.
I have read your unlucky stint somewhere in the middle of your ownership. Glad it's all fine now. I just wanted to ask if the car as a product nullifies all that you have gone through in the past. Would you still back your choice of going for Passat.

[rpunwani]

Originally Posted by chohan

Good to know that. The seller is really bragging about the extended warranty that the car has so I wanted to know if this aspect is worth considering and cut him some slack during price negotiations. So 17 it is with comprehensive insurance for another six months and extended warranty coverage for another 18 months.

@ Fordfreak.
I have read your unlucky stint somewhere in the middle of your ownership. Glad it's all fine now. I just wanted to ask if the car as a product nullifies all that you have gone through in the past. Would you still back your choice of going for Passat.

A few of us have had niggling issues with the car, mostly related to ABS Sensors, not very effective AC, etc.

On the bright side, the fuel economy of the Passat is a revelation - I have managed to get an average of 21.6 km/l from Pune to Mumbai driving at max. 80 km/h. The Passat is very comfortable on long drives - have done 800+ kms in a day on 2 occasions and never felt bushed out at the end of the day. It also is feature laden and matches car above its price range (A6, E Class & 5 series).

Service costs are also not as high as the other 3 German brands.

Final choice is yours

[rpunwani]

Here's another update regarding the rear number plate LED light. I get an email from VW Downtown stating that the correct part has arrived. They also inform me that the price of the correct part is Rs. 3190/- and that of the non-LED fitting that they used is Rs.734.90; so I will have to pay the difference.

Should I pay the difference ?

[Rintu]

VW TDI Engine is famous for its Torque and mileage. As far as mileage goes, you keep reading that the TDI Passat keeps breaking mileage records again and again. I think it all started with the 2012 Passat.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/...pg-on-u-s-trip

Here in US its competition is mainly with Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Where it cannot match with the Japanese is in the area of reliability and service costs. Reliability issues are mostly on the "electrical" side like blown fuse, bulbs etc. The rise in service cost is attributed to the fact that it is time consuming (more labor costs) because the engine bay is crowded and that parts are not easily accessible.

I had test driven the 2014 Passat TDI and was impressed with its mileage. Rear legroom and boot space is awesome. The car is sturdy. Door closes with an assuring "thud". 2015 Passat, looks even better. Waiting to test drive one as soon as it arrives at the dealers.

[rpunwani]

I have got an average of 50 miles per gallon (21.6 km/l) driving from Pune to Mumbai. Considering traffic in Pune & Mumbai, the TDI fuel economy is great.

My sister drives a Toyota Prius Hybrid in the US and she gets an average of 50 MPG.

I agree that service costs may be a bit higher but with the Passat in India, you need to service the car once a year or 15,000 kms whatever comes first. The car has a lot of electronics & CAN for almost all the systems. Though failure rate is low, if there is a fault, the fault could affect more than one system. A few of us in this thread have experienced ABS Sensor faults. When this happened, a couple of other faults cropped up and some functions were disabled.

The engine/gearbox hardy needs to be touched so IMHO increased labour cost should not be a factor.

The 2015 Passat ups the ante and definitely puts it in the league with C Class/ 3 Series / A4, etc.

[fordfreak]

Originally Posted by chohan

@ Fordfreak.
I have read your unlucky stint somewhere in the middle of your ownership. Glad it's all fine now. I just wanted to ask if the car as a product nullifies all that you have gone through in the past. Would you still back your choice of going for Passat.

The only issue I have had with my car, was with the ABS Sensor (which recurred multiple times). The experience of dealing with the service center wasn't the best as well. I have no regrets buying the Passat and would do it again given the choice. After all the trouble a few months ago, the car is running brilliantly and I am enjoying it everyday as it should be done.

Volkswagen just needs to improve the overall service experience at the dealer's end. That would surely reduce the number of complaints the company receives by a significant extent.

Originally Posted by rpunwani

I have got an average of 50 miles per gallon (21.6 km/l) driving from Pune to Mumbai.

The 2015 Passat ups the ante and definitely puts it in the league with C Class/ 3 Series / A4, etc.

The fuel economy always brings a smile to my face as well. Though the average on my car has dipped a little. This should be back to normal soon since the 3rd service is due next month.

Any clue when the 2015 Passat is meant to be launched in India? Will consider it seriously as my next buy surely. I would rather pay 30-35 Lacs and get a lot more features than 45 Lacs just for a badge! Was seriously surprised by the pricing on the new C-Class!

[fordfreak]

Had the 3rd service (3-year / 45,000 km) completed last week. Was charged Rs.16,xxx for it. Odometer reading stands at 25,750 kms as of today. Had also requested them to lubricate the hinges on both rear doors as they were creaking and also to change a fused bulb in the high-mounted stop light.

All the jobs were carried out as ordered apart from the fused bulb replacement. The service adviser told me that the part was not in stock and had to be ordered from Germany. He said he would follow up with me once the part arrived (in 2 - 3 days), obviously no follow-up call or anything of that sort! Well done Volkswagen!

Though the service was carried out on time and the car was returned clean, one can clearly see the difference in service quality standards between Volkswagen and the likes of Toyota and Honda. I had sent both our Corollas for servicing and repairs (for the old one) last month, the service adviser would call me up everyday with updates regarding the progress. He also called me after both my cars had been returned and asked me if each problem had been solved. One the other hand, the chaps at Volkswagen don't bother once they receive the payment and the car has been returned.

On another note, I can't believe the car is already 3 years old! Feels like yesterday when I picked her up at the showroom. Apart from the 2 months of annoying issues I had, I have loved every moment with the car. She still shines like new.

And a Happy New Year to all bhp-ians! Wishing everyone loads of safe & happy miles!
Cheers,
fordfreak

[rpunwani]

Good to know that you had a better experience this time around with the servicing. VW seems to be making an effort to improve their service levels.

My dealer has always called after each visit to the service centre and this is followed up with a call from VW India. Needless to say, the dealer always tells me that VW India is going to call me and to state that my experience has been the best.

Happy New Year to all fellow BHPians too May all of us have peace, prosperity, happiness, health & many safe miles on the road

[fordfreak]

Sent my Passat to the authorized service center on the 4th of April, to have the water pump and centre tail light replaced (both jobs under extended warranty). I was promised to have the car returned by the 13th of April. Standard 'parts not in stock' reason was given for the long repair time.

Contacted them on the 13th to enquire about delivery time, only to be told that the parts still have not arrived! Neither did they give me a definite date, nor was I offered a loaner car.

I find it hard to believe that Volkswagen need to call for parts like the water pump & tail light all the way from Germany. I mean, do they not stock a single spare part for the Passat anymore?

Volkswagen cars are brilliant, but below-par service would definitely make me consider other brands. The Passat is the very first German car I bought. Uptil now we have mostly owned only Japanes brands (Honda, Toyota, Maruti). I am more than happy with the service I receive for my current Toyotas' and Honda.

[rpunwani]

Originally Posted by fordfreak

Sent my Passat to the authorized service center on the 4th of April, to have the water pump and centre tail light replaced (both jobs under extended warranty). I was promised to have the car returned by the 13th of April. Standard 'parts not in stock' reason was given for the long repair time.

Contacted them on the 13th to enquire about delivery time, only to be told that the parts still have not arrived! Neither did they give me a definite date, nor was I offered a loaner car.

I find it hard to believe that Volkswagen need to call for parts like the water pump & tail light all the way from Germany. I mean, do they not stock a single spare part for the Passat anymore?

Volkswagen cars are brilliant, but below-par service would definitely make me consider other brands. The Passat is the very first German car I bought. Uptil now we have mostly owned only Japanes brands (Honda, Toyota, Maruti). I am more than happy with the service I receive for my current Toyotas' and Honda.

Sorry to hear this. IMHO you should escalate this issue. Car manufacturers are supposed to stock spares for the life of the car (10 years at least). Also your car is under extended warranty like many other Passats around the country.

The engine is the same as that of the Jetta, so I don't see any excuse for the delay in getting the water pump for your car

[Akshay1234]

Originally Posted by fordfreak

Sent my Passat to the authorized service center on the 4th of April, to have the water pump and centre tail light replaced (both jobs under extended warranty). I was promised to have the car returned by the 13th of April. Standard 'parts not in stock' reason was given for the long repair time.

Contacted them on the 13th to enquire about delivery time, only to be told that the parts still have not arrived! Neither did they give me a definite date, nor was I offered a loaner car.

I find it hard to believe that Volkswagen need to call for parts like the water pump & tail light all the way from Germany. I mean, do they not stock a single spare part for the Passat anymore?

Volkswagen cars are brilliant, but below-par service would definitely make me consider other brands. The Passat is the very first German car I bought. Uptil now we have mostly owned only Japanes brands (Honda, Toyota, Maruti). I am more than happy with the service I receive for my current Toyotas' and Honda.

Same story with all VAG cars.

The parts will probably come from Chakan or Aurangabad, and not from Germany.

Do escalate it to the customer service.

Something definitely needs to be done about availability or parts in the VAG group in India. There are far too many cars off the road for weeks because of small issues.