Volkswagen Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 tdi 130hp high line

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Thu 11 Jun 2015 15:43
Volkswagen Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 tdi 130hp high line - maximusimo

Going to look at this car tomorrow and was wondering if there is anything in particular I would need to look out for?

143,000 miles and timing belt and water pump done recently. Says no problems with clutch and totally dry inside, I know some Passats had problems with wet back passenger footwells.

All advice appreciated.

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Thu 11 Jun 2015 15:51
Volkswagen Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 tdi 130hp high line - RobJP

You've already covered the biggies. The only thing I'd say is to see the invoice for the cambelt work, to make sure that the pump, rollers, etc were actually done.

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Thu 11 Jun 2015 17:07
Volkswagen Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 tdi 130hp high line - maximusimo

Yeah definitely will.

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Thu 11 Jun 2015 15:51
Volkswagen Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 tdi 130hp high line - gordonbennet

Might be the cynic in me but they are drawing attention to the fact that the carpets are dry, why, could be quite innocent but my antenna would be up, if it wasn't bone dry inside in June i'd be worried.

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Thu 11 Jun 2015 17:08
Volkswagen Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 tdi 130hp high line - maximusimo

I should probably have said, these were answers to questions I had asked - my 2000 Passat has the water problem so thats why I had asked it.

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Thu 11 Jun 2015 17:12
Volkswagen Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 tdi 130hp high line - gordonbennet

Ah fair enough.

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Thu 11 Jun 2015 17:16
Volkswagen Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 tdi 130hp high line - craig-pd130

Listen for any clonking sounds from the front suspension going over bumps. If you hear any, that's the ball joints gone, it's an MOT fail and replacement can be tricky and costly (although a recent poster over in the Technical forum claims that he can do them at a fraction of the cost of any other garage).

If it's still running sweetly (well, as sweetly as the PD130 motor ever does!) then chances are the correct spec oil has been used for most of its life.

The injectors might be getting a bit tired by now, see how it starts and drives. It should start easily and evenly, and perform briskly.

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Thu 11 Jun 2015 17:23
Volkswagen Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 tdi 130hp high line - maximusimo

I take it by "well, as sweetly as the PD130 motor ever does!" its a noisy motor?

I'll bear this in mind. If the car was driven shortly before I go to look at it it will probably start differently than 'from cold'?

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Thu 11 Jun 2015 18:15
Volkswagen Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 tdi 130hp high line - craig-pd130

I take it by "well, as sweetly as the PD130 motor ever does!" its a noisy motor?

I'll bear this in mind. If the car was driven shortly before I go to look at it it will probably start differently than 'from cold'?

It's a good grunty engine, but even its best friends would describe it as a little uncouth at best, and gruff at worst.

If the injectors are worn, cold starting will be OK-ish but hot starting will be lumpy and rattly.

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Mon 15 Jun 2015 10:04
Volkswagen Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 tdi 130hp high line - maximusimo

Everything was fine - very clean on outside and inside. No problems starting, windows did seem to go down ok but stopped nearly with a 'thud' and thought they drivers' regulator might be about to go.

It all went well until the test drive - started fine and seemed like clutch was ok but the drive was very 'boring' is the only way I can describe it. My 2000 1.9 tdi 90bhp seemed livelier. Just took a while to get going when changed gears.

Thanks anyway, the search for another one continues

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Mon 15 Jun 2015 12:25
Volkswagen Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 tdi 130hp high line - craig-pd130

Sounds like the cam timing was a little out following a cambelt change. Ideally the cam timing should be checked and adjusted after a belt change, because the timing is critical to the proper operation of the injectors on the PD motors, and in turn, has a substantial effect on the way the engine performs.

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Mon 15 Jun 2015 16:28
Volkswagen Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 tdi 130hp high line - corax

It all went well until the test drive - started fine and seemed like clutch was ok but the drive was very 'boring' is the only way I can describe it. My 2000 1.9 tdi 90bhp seemed livelier. Just took a while to get going when changed gears.

Must be something wrong. That engine is grunty and effortless. I drove a Highline 130 and it went like dirt off a shovel. It's fairly refined in a big body like the Passat.

The handling is nothing to write home about, but it was never designed as a sports car. It compensates by having a really good ride and seats.

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Mon 15 Jun 2015 16:50
Volkswagen Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 tdi 130hp high line - RobJP

I had the same engine in an Audi A6 estate - quite a large car, it must be said.

While it was never going to win any races, it was extraordinarily smooth and torquey, and even when fully laden would return 45-ish mpg.

The best I ever saw on a long trip involved filling up just outside Chester, driving to Plymouth, across to Barnstaple, and then heading back up north. Filled up at Telford services. All with four adults and a boot full of luggage and scuba gear !

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Thu 18 Jun 2015 13:04
Volkswagen Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 tdi 130hp high line - Steveieb

Need to check for rust on the front wing edges. Coomon fault which hJ puts down to water collecting at the edges.

But I love the torque that this engine produces. The modern 1.6 and 2.0 litre VAG engines seem to be built with fuel consumption in mind. Apart from the GT TD they all seem to stall unless you keep the revs up.

As Clarkson said in last Sunday's Times "If this is the result of a management sytem which monitors the throttle angle 1000 times a second bring back the throttle cable"

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Thu 18 Jun 2015 22:59
Volkswagen Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 tdi 130hp high line - oldtoffee

>>>>>Need to check for rust on the front wing edges. Coomon fault which hJ puts down to water collecting at the edges.

Common problem and a design issue with foam pads on the inside of the wing rubbing, there is a tech bulletin from VW USA showing how to fix. VW will pay for repairs if you squeeeze them doggedly.

Edited by oldtoffee on 18/06/2015 at 23:00

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