Have decided to return current Passat when the final payment is due in 2 months time, and replace it with a new model Passat. I am currently in the process of speccing it up, and was wondering if anyone could tell me just what the benefit of paying £185 for "sports" suspension would be. The suspension is apparantly lowered by 15mm.
My current Passat is a Sport model, so it has the lowered suspension. Couldn't spot the difference on the test drive.
Should I go for the wooden interior, or is that tacky. Haven't seen it in the flesh, as it were, and hard to tell from pictures whether it would make me look like an old man!
Help!
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When I was chosing my last Passat I asked salesman about adding the sports suspension. He advised against it on basis that I would enjoy it but my passengers would n't.
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That would explain why my passengers haven't enjoyed driving with me over the past 3 years. :)
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If the Passat Sports set up is a harsh as the one on the Audi avoid! As for the wood interior the Audi A3 SE comes with Vavona as standard (very light similar to Beech) which looks terrible, I swapped for darker walnut effect which was free and it looks much better, especially with a black interior. An alternative was aluminium finish which was also free, but I noticed on demo cars that it appeared to scrtch very easily - now born out by the fact that one of my aluminium door handles has acquired a nice scratch.
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Previous Passat Sport handled better than other models though still nowhere near class best. The new Passat is another story however and is supposed to be fairly good to drive in std form.
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Agree with HJ re Audis. Just had a lift home in a mates 2004 A4 with sports suspension on 235/40 tyres and can safely say that I've never been in a car that was as uncomfortable. And that includes my old 1994 Fiesta, a model not exactly renowned for its supple ride.
Ben
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Suspension setup would be one thing I'd be totally selfish about, because (seeing as how I value handling much more than ride comfort) I don't want to spend a lot of money on a car only for my enjoyment of it to be compromised, especially when it's usually just me behind the wheel. I am a very gentle driver when I need to be, e.g. when carrying someone infirm, but generally I prefer to make progress and enjoy the ride. Any passengers who complain can go forth and multiply - and continue on foot!
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andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmm, doughnuts ...
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P,
don't forget that going for Sports spec gets you more than just the sports suspension. I've got the old shape Passat Sport and the seats are the best I've ever had.
It's a bit of a balancing act plus what I believe has now become known as "man maths". Going up a notch may be more economical than shelling out for the individual extras.
Nice problem to have.
John
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Would like the diesel SEL, but it's not going to be out when I need to replace the current car.
Have loved the 2.0 Sport that I am getting rid of. Best car I have ever had. Am going for an SE this time, and am speccing it up.
I'll forego the sports suspension and upgrade the sound system instead.
Thanks for your comments. Might get the time to dip back into the backroom sometime soon, if my work load decreases!
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In my experience so called sports suspension usually ruins the ride of an otherwise ok car. Granted the old shape Passat was a bit soft on the handling side, but this made it better on the motorway.
Given that they have supposedly sharpened up the handling on the new Passat, I would say dont risk the sports suspension.
I used to have a Saab 93 Vector Sports Saloon, and the sports suspension made it bob around like a cork on anything but perfectly flat motorway !
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Precisely the reason I did not buy one. And there is no way of getting the higher profile tyres on the Vector model without actually going out and buying a new set of rims from the Linear model.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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