Problem is those B5.5 Passats are a good car, and hard to replace .... I had one for over 5 years!
I've run a 2008 Mondeo 2.0 TDCI estate for over 3 years from new, and am now on my second Volvo V60 diesel. All have been company cars with the manufacturer's warranty from new.
The Mondeo had no DPF problems at all, despite the fact that my driving involves lots of journeys of less than 5 miles - but it wasn't economical, it averaged 42.5mpg at the pump.
I really, really like the Volvo V60 -- in my opinion, a brilliant mix of performance, economy and practicality -- but my first one did have a DPF sensor fail at around 30,000 miles. It was fixed under warranty, but it did take the main dealer 3 attempts (and about 7 days total in their workshop) to accurately diagnose the problem and trace it to the dodgy sensor.
If you're planning to run a car from new, at least you're protected by the 3-year warranty. After that you could get an aftermarket warranty that covers the DPF and sensors for peace of mind: some do cover this.
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