Looking at buying 2nd hand 2003~ passat

[mitchell_84]

Hi i am new to this forum and here to ask questions about a passat im looking at buying

Can somebody please give me details please around how regular servicing is to be on the GP/SE models(aka 2003~) era Passats with the 2.8 v6 (i belive this is the vr6 golf engine and then is the basis for the 3.2 in the r32 golfs)

also, what are the common issues with them?

im looking at a few we a daily driver with 60-80k on the clock...for a 7 year old car thats around 11/12k a year in kms which is not all that much.. all have been very very well looked after and all seems to drive very well

love to be well informed around them before i put a deposit down (which i want to do in the next week or so - before easter)

this will be my 1st car - know insurance will be high (best price for BNE - rating 5 was 750 with shannons) - and now was told yesterday i am as i am moving to Sydney in 3 weeks for work

[mitchell_84]

Anybody?

Went and had a look at a 4motion one today

needs its 90k services which is MAJOR i beleive aswell as a few other things
an i get sokme thoughts on whether these are a good bye or to walk away

Most probabaly going to look at another FWD one some stage on the weekend

[Rocket36]

if they're a good bye doesn't that mean you're walking away?

[mitchell_84]

i meant buy - any details please will be much appreciated

[h100vw]

I don't recall anyone running a V6 Passat of that era on the forum. Look up Jimmy, for a pre-purchase and estimated servicing costs.

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newforum/upload/showthread.php?t=36964

Gavin

[mitchell_84]

spoke to jimmy, he gave me a few pointers and if i go further is prepared to have a look at the car before i outlay any capital

Anybiody know where i can get hold of the service schedules of what needs to be done on these and at what intervals?

read the logbook and it seems as if they are serviced every 15k or 1 years (whichever is firect i beleive) and there are different schedules pending what work needs to be done and what kms it has done

Thanks

Mitchell

[mitchell_84]

Just a quick question, anybody had any experience with the V5 engines that the passats have and able to give a quick review of the pros/cons of having one

[V6Passat]

Anybody?

Went and had a look at a 4motion one today

needs its 90k services which is MAJOR i beleive aswell as a few other things
an i get sokme thoughts on whether these are a good bye or to walk away

Most probabaly going to look at another FWD one some stage on the weekend

Dealer or private sale? In either case, see if you can get it done as part of the sale....

[tryingavw]

i meant buy - any details please will be much appreciated

Mitchell we all knew you meant that - its just some some are more pedantic than others ..... or trying to be funny

[Rocket36]

nothing wrong with having a sense of humour... even if it gets me laugh at more than laughed with I don't mind either way.

[mitchell_84]

Dealer or private sale? In either case, see if you can get it done as part of the sale....

Dealer sale - its on consignment

test drove it with my dad (its my first car) and it felt ok to me, few squeaks and that in it - want it looked by jmac before i put a single cent down on it incase its a dud

water pump was replaced late last year - trying to find out exact details to why that was the case - consignment guy is a little vague

have spoken to jmac about it and he has said that cam belts need to be done on v6's at around 90k, however the V5's need to be done at around 120 as they are a chain as opposed to a belt - the car is also in need of a 90k service (so looking at 800-1000 inc of the above - minus any issues jmac finds) aswell, rego is out, so another 600odd

i am seeing a few V5's come up for sale on the net, just curious to what the v5's are like - apart from being a cylinder short, its what i would refer to as a unsual engine spec being a v5 and not a v6/v6/i4,6

yet to test drive one as yet, but if i could get some reviews around reliability/performance and how much they drink, it would be greatfully appreciated

I am in the process of moving from Brisbane to Sydney and my job in sydeny requires me to have a car (grrrr, i would live without one if i could) so im adfter something that is relable, comforatble, somewhat elegant and can get me gfrom bne to syd and back without any real issues

[007]

Anybody?

Went and had a look at a 4motion one today

needs its 90k services which is MAJOR i beleive aswell as a few other things
an i get sokme thoughts on whether these are a good bye or to walk away

Most probabaly going to look at another FWD one some stage on the weekend

I've got a 2003 V6 SE and haven't had a problem with it. It had 30k on it when I bought it in 2006 and now has 141k. They are a quality car, but run premium unleaded and go through lots of it around town. I've never done any better than 10l/100k in town. The 4 Motion will be much harder on the juice. Fantastic on the freeway. Trips to Melbourne typically run a bit under 9l/100k with cruise set to a shade under 120. Service is expensive but one every 15k is not too hard to take. 90k service I think involves water pump and was well over a grand.
The only thing I'd change if I could would be to take out the lag in the transmission in full auto which I understand is a feature (not a bug).
No rattles, no squeaks, it rides beautifully and has tons of power and acceleration (after the bloody lag).

Sorry, also should have said to go for the upgrade model with the cruise control/stereo buttons on the steering wheel. Much easier than the stalk/panel. Also I was advised when looking to keep away from the V5's but I can't remember why.

[makedonia]

ive also got a 2003 Passat SE V6 , i got steering wheel controls etc
havent much problems with it , its done almost 190,000kms
only problems were the person i bought it from was servicing at so called " vw specialists " that wernt even servicing properly , i had to change my Brake Discs , Pads , but other then that the car is good

[mitchell_84]

I've got a 2003 V6 SE and haven't had a problem with it. It had 30k on it when I bought it in 2006 and now has 141k. They are a quality car, but run premium unleaded and go through lots of it around town. I've never done any better than 10l/100k in town. The 4 Motion will be much harder on the juice. Fantastic on the freeway. Trips to Melbourne typically run a bit under 9l/100k with cruise set to a shade under 120. Service is expensive but one every 15k is not too hard to take. 90k service I think involves water pump and was well over a grand.
The only thing I'd change if I could would be to take out the lag in the transmission in full auto which I understand is a feature (not a bug).
No rattles, no squeaks, it rides beautifully and has tons of power and acceleration (after the bloody lag).

Sorry, also should have said to go for the upgrade model with the cruise control/stereo buttons on the steering wheel. Much easier than the stalk/panel. Also I was advised when looking to keep away from the V5's but I can't remember why.

Thanks mate, so every 15k service/1 year is not bad for me as i don't plan on driving any more than that per year - can work a budget for around 400-800ish a service i guess (this will be a business car so get to claim part of it abck at tax time)

any chance you can scan the service schedules from the log book pleas - should be 2-3 service types

Thanks - Mitchell

[mitchell_84]

ive also got a 2003 Passat SE V6 , i got steering wheel controls etc
havent much problems with it , its done almost 190,000kms
only problems were the person i bought it from was servicing at so called " vw specialists " that wernt even servicing properly , i had to change my Brake Discs , Pads , but other then that the car is good

If i got i would plan on only having it services by a VW specialist who is known as being good

spoke to a mechanic i know and even he said that this sorta car would need specialists to look at aspects