1998 - 2005 Volkswagen Passat Pre-Owned

It's said that Germans simply can't help themselves from over engineering everything. The best example of this was in late World War II, with Germany on the defensive, the Nazis unleashed the best tank of the war; the Tiger. Outfitted with (among other things) Maybach-built main bearings designed to last hundreds of thousands of miles, it was an incredibly well thought-out piece of machinery. Unfortunately, as a result they took forever and a day to build to such exacting tolerances, (as compared to the slap-it-together-as-quickly-as-possible American Sherman) only to be blown up a few months or even weeks later.

But it would appear to someone looking at '80s to '90s Teutonic products that they'd learned from such mistakes. An era populated with some of the worst BMWs, Mercedes', and Volkswagens to be had, hadn't quite ended when the all-new Passat, known internally as the B5 debuted in 1998. The "luxury" model above the Jetta was VW's largest car at the time, designed to be a more affordable alternative to the BMW 3-Series or Audi A4s of the time. And while it did offer exactly that in some ways, it failed in others.

Offered initially in two body styles (sedan and wagon) and three trim levels, GLS,GLS V6 and GLX models, the 1998 Passat was overall a larger car than the outgoing model. Borrowing much from sister company Audi's A4, the '98 Passat had a 3-inch longer wheelbase than the old model, which correlated into a 4-inch longer overall length. Powered by the same 1.8L turbocharged four-cylinder as the aforementioned entry-level Audi, the basic Passat GLS tried to carry over some of its sister brand's sportiness, and even had some success in doing so.

Boasting between 150 and 170 horsepower throughout its lifespan, the GLS proved popular, and opting for either the Porsche-developed Tiptronic 5-speed or the tradditional 5-speed manual gearbox kept the diminutive turbo engine on-boost and pulling hard.

Inside, the GLS was nicely appointed, coming standard with air conditioning, power windows and locks, plus an optional leather interior and sunroof. Model year 2000 saw the addition of previously optional power heated seats, as well as (oddly enough) windshield wiper nozzles; previously optional. Mid-year 2001 saw even more changes, with the nose updated on all models, and more chrome trim tacked on. Inside, a new gauge cluster also made the Passat seem just that much more Audi-like.

Finally, in 2003 the GLS was displaced at the bottom of the Passat food chain by an even more basic (and cheaper) GL model that was almost completely devoid of creature comforts, although it did receive a fuel-sipping diesel engine option in 2004, which delivered superb fuel economy via its 2.0L, 8-valve SOHC I-4 oil burner, plus a reasonable 134 horsepower and extraordinarily strong 247 lb-ft of torque, for quick acceleration.

Next in the Passat lineup was the GLS V6. Obviously, the largest difference here lay under the hood: replacing the 1.8L turbocharged four-cylinder of the GLS was a 2.8L DOHC V6. Much heartier than the urbanite 1.8L, the larger V6 upped power outputs to 190-200 horsepower, making the Passat a much more road-trip friendly vehicle (the turbo four gets buzzy quickly). Also, with more torque than the four, the V6 mated up much better with the Tiptronic transmission's fully automatic mode; where the turbo encountered problems staying on boost under high-load applications; like climbing hills.

With an identical option package to the less powerful car from the outset, the GLS V6's sole claim to fame was the motor, especially given it was the sole V6 sedan in the entry-level price segment that offered a manual gearbox. Add to that the same supple suspension shared with the base GLS and you had an extremely good family car on your hands (especially in wagon form!)

Capable of soaking up all but the biggest hits, the Passat rode like a Cadillac of yesteryear, only without the yacht-like steering and submarine dive during braking. Additionally, standard ABS, seat-mounted front-side airbags and low-speed traction control on all Passat models made sure that occupants were kept safe too; perhaps the most important feature of all, considering its family sedan aspirations.

Lastly was the GLX. Considered the luxury model in the lineup, the GLX sported the same V6 found in the GLS V6, and supplemented the sportier motor with a tauter suspension. Inside, it differentiated itself from lesser Passats courtesy of a list of flashy standard features such as a sunroof, leather interior and power seats. Moving it even more upscale, Volkswagen added a wooden shift knob in 2000, but ceased updates there, instead opting to pour resources in the short lived but nifty W8 engine, which would supercede the GLX for the Passat throne in 2002.

Named for its bizarre "W" shaped eight-cylinder configuration, the Passat W8 basically added two cylinders to the end of a narrow-angle V6. Supplying a more-than-ample 270 horsepower and273 foot pounds of torque, the 4.0L eight-cylinder made the W8 Passat the sports sedan contender VW had hoped to would have been when it first debuted. Zero to 60 mph sprints were in the 7-second realm (although VW claimed a 6.5), and confidently firm sports suspension made the W8 an excellent alternative to more expensive and mainstream brands and a real unique buy on the used market, although the engine's relative unpopularity will mean parts could be hard to find when manufacturer/dealer supplies run out. Finally, add to that already potent package the pairing of Volkswagen's 4Motion all-wheel drive, and Porsche's Tiptronic transmission or a six-speed manual gearbox, introduced in 2003, and the W8 became the media's darling, winning hearts and minds with its downright surprising performance and amazing utility. What other car makes you feel like WRC champion Sebastian Loeb while taking the kids to soccer?

With excellent powertrains, great interior space (exactly what you need in a family car), and pretty decent styling, it could be easy to say that the Passat was truly a value-priced alternative to more revered European sedans and wagons. Unfortunately, that would also be wrong. While the Passat did manage to capture much of the same European driving spirit as the entry-level offerings from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes, it fell down in terms of quality. That value price meant that the Passat's interior suffered, and while it was certainly comfortable, it wasn't necessarily comforting. Where the BMW, Audi, and Mercedes all sport high-quality materials and positive-feeling controls, the Passat's is a mass of drab, boring hard black plastic. Even the GLSand GLX's real wood trim seems lost in the sea of plastic.

To top it all off, that engineering excellence seen in the Tiger tank's main bearings never survived long enough to pass itself along to the Passat, and reliability is spotty. Such problems as loose speaker retention rivets in the door can cause the Passat to rattle, while windows on certain models have been known to distort and crack. And thanks to the problems being mostly sporadic, there's no real one gremlin in particular to look for when shopping around for a used Passat. You simply have to take your chances and roll the dice. This is mostly because electricals, like with all German cars, are suspect. Of course, shopping around at one of VW's competitors doesn't always alleviate such problems; the last few years of the 20th century were problematic for many automakers as they struggled to make new technologies dependable.

Of course, those reliability issues shouldn't necessarily turn you away from owning a Passat. The perfect graduation for someone that grew up behind the wheel of a Rabbit or GTI, this luxury Volkswagen offers many of the same thrills while still keeping both the spouse and kids happy. Additionally, with a reasonably large aftermarket parts supply, those who don't mind getting their hands dirty can do some fine tuning work with any model of Passat, be it the turbo 1.8L I-4, 2.8L V6 or 4.0L W8. Larger wheels, stickier tires, and racier suspension components are the most common modifications (as with any European car) although those more concerned with family matters may be relieved to hear that aftermarket DVD entertainment systems also exist for the Passat, and although they aren't cheap, will prevent the dreaded "are we there yet" utterance from rearing its cute but pesky little head.

Finally, there is the price. Traditionally, European imports have enjoyed good resale values, and the Passat isn't any different. The best and most desirable model, the W8, is still unattainable to many, while the GL and GLS models specifically have come down dramatically, making them excellent choices for a new family just starting out. With enough cargo area to carry golf clubs, groceries and hockey bags, the Passat and Passat Wagon offer something for everyone, be it A-B transportation, or something to do autobahn impressions in while flying down the freeway. And with Volkswagen's current marketing push making the brand more and more desirable, there's never been a better time to look into pre-owned People's Car ownership.

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