HJs VW Passat alltrack review | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

Sun 26 Feb 2012 13:42

HJs VW Passat alltrack review - SteveLee

Do you think if this was a review of a British car which had suffered horrendous reliability issues the fact might have been mentioned in the review? Given the problems the 2.0PD has suffered do you think it deserves the phrase "There are just two models to choose from, both fitted with the trusty 2.0 TDI engine." Do you think a review of a Rover car would have had the phrase "There are just two models to choose from, both fitted with the trusty K-Series engine"? The Germans can do no wrong in the eyes of the biased motoring press and we wonder why we haven't got a domestic mass-manufacturer to speak of!

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Sun 26 Feb 2012 14:04

HJs VW Passat alltrack review - Pat L

Yes, that reference to the 'trusty' 2.0TDi engine seemed strange to me as well. Maybe the new one is better. I have posted here a few years ago about my experiences with my Passat 2.0TDi PD 140, which has had TWO replacement engines under warranty. The current (i.e. 3rd) engine has now done 47k (car now on 70k) so fingers crossed! First engine lasted 9k miles, its replacement lasted 14k.

BUT it's a great engine in terms of performance and economy, especially since I had it remapped a year ago!

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Sun 26 Feb 2012 14:18

HJs VW Passat alltrack review - gordonbennet

The Germans can do no wrong in the eyes of the biased motoring press and we wonder why we haven't got a domestic mass-manufacturer to speak of!

Now imagine what could be done with any other subject matter, EU for example but any subject you care to choose, when the media wish to indoctrinate/brainwash people who believe the written word is gospel.

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Sun 26 Feb 2012 14:56

HJs VW Passat alltrack review - unthrottled

Given the problems the 2.0PD has suffered do you think it deserves the phrase "There are just two models to choose from, both fitted with the trusty 2.0 TDI engine.

A similar analogy would be: If Peter murders Ben, should we hang Paul for the crime?

The current engine is not the troublesome 2.0 PD engine, so why should it be tarred with the same brush?

A particular side effect with forums is that they give a false sense of the prevalence of problems. So we see much angst about DPFs, DMFs, timing belts etc much of which is unwarranted.

The British motor industry simply produced too many duff cars for it to survive. It's no good making excuses about how a design was a curate's egg, brilliant in places but let down by flawed execution or that the management was weak, or that there wasn't enough money for R & D because these problems affect every company.

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Sun 26 Feb 2012 21:01

HJs VW Passat alltrack review - SteveLee

The current engine is not the troublesome 2.0 PD engine, so why should it be tarred with the same brush?

Because that's how reputations are/should be formed, VW have made some awfully unreliable cars in the last 5 years - yet the press sells the brand as being trusty and dependable. People still lust after Mercs when the cars they made for a decade (~1995-2005) should have seen them go bust they were so bad.

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Mon 27 Feb 2012 10:57

HJs VW Passat alltrack review - ChannelZ

Given the problems the 2.0PD has suffered do you think it deserves the phrase "There are just two models to choose from, both fitted with the trusty 2.0 TDI engine."

The new model isn't fitted with the PD, brainiac. Why are you talking about an engine that they stopped making more than 4 years ago?

Where's the problems with the 2.0TDI CR? It's as good as any other modern diesel.

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Mon 27 Feb 2012 13:21

HJs VW Passat alltrack review - Roly93

Given the problems the 2.0PD has suffered do you think it deserves the phrase "There are just two models to choose from, both fitted with the trusty 2.0 TDI engine."

The new model isn't fitted with the PD, brainiac. Why are you talking about an engine that they stopped making more than 4 years ago?

Where's the problems with the 2.0TDI CR? It's as good as any other modern diesel.

Almost all of the problems with the 2.0 PD engine was a design fault in early engines fitted to Golfs Passats and Audis, where the oilpump drive smashed part of the engine casing. Not good I know but this was rectified after about 2005. The 2.0 CR engine is in fact the same block as the later 2.0 PD engines only with a different head due to the unit-injectors not being in there any more. The other problem was the Siemens injectors used mainly on the 170BHP models. All history now.

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Mon 27 Feb 2012 22:00

HJs VW Passat alltrack review - balleballe

I dont think there have been any massive problems with the new 2.0 CR unit; so I dont understand why you're so upset?

I so agree that VAG reliability is pretty average - but it's all about public perception. Their cars used to be very reliable and robust, so they built a name for themselves. People still buy them based on their 'reputation' over the last decade or two, and not the last 5 years.

People still buy them because they are loyal to the brand

People still buy them because of the 'status' over a non German car

If they carry on the way they're going - then their reputation will be seen as somewhat different in a decade or so, IMO. But to be brutally honest; I dont care either way.

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Mon 27 Feb 2012 22:29

HJs VW Passat alltrack review - SteveLee

If it's a relatively new engine (which it is) then it isn't "trusty" if it's the older engine then it most definitely is not "trusty". I'm sick of pro-German press bias, the VAG group have got away with murder recently and have treated their customers like ****, it took years of pressure for them to take the Siemens injector issue seriously even though they knew very well there was a major (potentially fatal) problem which could leave you stranded in the outside lane of a motorway. Thousands of customers are out of pocket due to cambelt failures which VW wormed their way out of until they finally took responsibility (not) by altering the service intervals, which they should have funded, because you bought a car in good faith that it only needed a belt change every 80K miles not 30K or whatever they changed it to. Shoddy customer service to go with their shoddy engineering. "Trusty" my a**e.

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Mon 27 Feb 2012 23:08

HJs VW Passat alltrack review - unthrottled

It's an engine whose basic architecture is well established, and which the problematic components appear to have been altered or changed. That should bode well for a reliable engine.

The 'pro-German' bias accusation is meritless. Journalists cooed over the Ford Focus (average reliability) and every copy-cat offering from Hyundai. I don't find your jingoistic union jack waving sentimentality any less unappealing than any other national stereotype (German dynamics, Japanese reliability, French unreliability etc.)

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 09:50

HJs VW Passat alltrack review - ChannelZ

I think VW's reliability has fallen recently, because the public won't buy cars like the Mk4 Golf VW were selling in the mid 90s, that had a 60hp engine from the 80's with windy windows, no aircon, and 14" wheels with 80 profile tyres and 4-speed box.

People realised the Mk4 Golf was expensive and under-specced, so bought Mk1 Focus and Mk4 Astras in droves, where they got electric windows, aircon, and modern engines that were 100hp.

So, VW had to put aircon, electric windows, and all that other jazz in, and suddenly reliability declined as they were just another euro box using the same parts as everyone else.

My aunt had a 1983 Passat estate until very recently, and replaced it when it finally died about 4 years ago. She replaced it with a new Polo, and the Polo has broken more in the 4 years than the Passat did in the 20+ years she had it.

Just my take on it...

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Thu 1 Mar 2012 08:40

HJs VW Passat alltrack review - xtrailman

I agree, two people i worked with were big VW fans, changing for a golf or polo, every three years.

Then quality problems started to show, poor paint, poor reliability, constant visits to the garage.

Both moved on to Skoda, same group i know, but less problems, and cheaper.

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 22:34

HJs VW Passat alltrack review - SteveLee

It not just engine problems the last Passat was a nightmare of a car suffering from a myriad of problems.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 18:05

HJs VW Passat alltrack review - Tonto1

I recently attended a market research event for VW (similar to another one mentioned elsewhere on here). The people running the event wanted feedback on areas such as brand loyalty and what made VW 'special'.

Almost without exception, all the current and ex-VW owners said they liked their cars but:

A) had suffered reliability issues. Some of the issues seemed very minor to me - but it still shocked owners that had only stuck with the brand as they had previously owned super reliable VW's for years.

B) Found the dealers to be generally unhelpful in getting anything fixed.

It was interesting that a lot of their customers said their next car would be an Audi or a Skoda! So VAG get to keep customers, but the core VW brand suffers.

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