VW Passat B5.5 PD 130
Discussion
Just picked up one of these as a courtesy car as mine is having some work done.
On the 51 plate and 163k up but what a machine it is.
The 1.9 PD130 tdi engine is very gutsy, much more so than i'd have imagined. Frugal, too. Saw 45mpg @ 80-85. Really genuinely impressed, supremely comfortable too.
A lot of car for shed money if anyone is considering a winter hack. Gargantuan boot, to boot!
On the 51 plate and 163k up but what a machine it is.
The 1.9 PD130 tdi engine is very gutsy, much more so than i'd have imagined. Frugal, too. Saw 45mpg @ 80-85. Really genuinely impressed, supremely comfortable too.
A lot of car for shed money if anyone is considering a winter hack. Gargantuan boot, to boot!
Shhh...
These are a best kept secret. It is always normally old Saabs and Volvos that get mentioned when these Passats are better.
Same chassis, suspension, engines, gearboxes, brakes as the Audi A6 of that era but without the badge stigma.
I've been shedding one for quite a while except rather than shedding properly as per the thread title, I'm doing the exact wrong things and spending far too much on it. Anyway thread here...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
These are a best kept secret. It is always normally old Saabs and Volvos that get mentioned when these Passats are better.
Same chassis, suspension, engines, gearboxes, brakes as the Audi A6 of that era but without the badge stigma.
I've been shedding one for quite a while except rather than shedding properly as per the thread title, I'm doing the exact wrong things and spending far too much on it. Anyway thread here...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I have an Octavia tdi 130.
Had the camblet done, 2 oil changes, fuel filter change, air filter and coolant change and the engine pays me back by being faultless. I removed the under tray and it is loud, but the engine really goes and with a mild remap keep up with warm cars. Probably one of the best engine out there really, just enough technologically and old school reliability. Done 20k and now at 170k and runs fine.
After a nuclear war only cockroaches and these engines will survive.
Had the camblet done, 2 oil changes, fuel filter change, air filter and coolant change and the engine pays me back by being faultless. I removed the under tray and it is loud, but the engine really goes and with a mild remap keep up with warm cars. Probably one of the best engine out there really, just enough technologically and old school reliability. Done 20k and now at 170k and runs fine.
After a nuclear war only cockroaches and these engines will survive.
MOBB said:
Pd130 is probably my favourite derv engine
Wallop, change gear, wallop etc
You can keep your smooth revvy diesels thank you
I agree. I'm on my second diesel car now.Wallop, change gear, wallop etc
You can keep your smooth revvy diesels thank you
First was a PD Bora, and it had glugs of creamy torque on tap. I now have a 2.0 Passat Alltrack and the performance is rubbish in comparison, the engine feels strangled and it's supposed to be 190bhp.
My first experience of these was back in about '05 when I jumped in the W-reg Passat of a friend of a friend and we headed to Les Houches for a group snowboarding holiday. Not long after we got off the chunnel he asked me to take over and I immediately gelled with it.
A couple of years later I bought a Bora TDI 130 at auction. It replaced a Mk3 VR6 but it felt just as quick and was obviously a lot more frugal! Alas, it was only ever bought to make a bit of pocket money so it had to go and a 206 Dturbo replaced it. That car served me well, but not in the same league!
These days I'm in a Tiguan 150. Great motors.
A couple of years later I bought a Bora TDI 130 at auction. It replaced a Mk3 VR6 but it felt just as quick and was obviously a lot more frugal! Alas, it was only ever bought to make a bit of pocket money so it had to go and a 206 Dturbo replaced it. That car served me well, but not in the same league!
These days I'm in a Tiguan 150. Great motors.
B5 and 5.5s are awesome cars. I don't think anyone has built a mainstream car so nicely before or since. The quality and ergonomics were outstanding.
They're best with a 1.8T, though. They hit 60 in under 8 seconds and still manage to turn in mid 30s mpg. Highly amusing if you get one in SE 'pensioner spec' with plastic wheel trims.
They're best with a 1.8T, though. They hit 60 in under 8 seconds and still manage to turn in mid 30s mpg. Highly amusing if you get one in SE 'pensioner spec' with plastic wheel trims.
I bought one as my first car. It was similiarly priced to comparable Octavias with the apparently bomb proof 1.9 Tdi, better spec and more room as standard for tall drivers.
This was 7 years ago and I just can't bring myself to sell it. It never let me down, no ruinous faults appeared, apart from a gearbox whine which was fixed for a whopping 300 € in Poland driven there on it's own power. I swapped to a V6 TDI gearbox with longer gearing and a remap, now it's almost perfect. Now on 160k miles and after a major service feels ready for the next 160k.
Negative points: Refinement, it is a bit rough on idle when cold, and there are some minor faults that have to be rectified on early models. Doesn't drift well .
Won't change it for something newer anytime soon, maybe for a Phaeton just out of curiosity.
This was 7 years ago and I just can't bring myself to sell it. It never let me down, no ruinous faults appeared, apart from a gearbox whine which was fixed for a whopping 300 € in Poland driven there on it's own power. I swapped to a V6 TDI gearbox with longer gearing and a remap, now it's almost perfect. Now on 160k miles and after a major service feels ready for the next 160k.
Negative points: Refinement, it is a bit rough on idle when cold, and there are some minor faults that have to be rectified on early models. Doesn't drift well .
Won't change it for something newer anytime soon, maybe for a Phaeton just out of curiosity.
Our six fingered cousins over the Atlantic will probably not agree, but I think these represent the high watermark of VAG cars. Everything they've made since is noticeably flimsier and more "value engineered".
The 1.9PD feels miles faster than it is because of it's tiny, peaky powerband. Humans are sensitive to the rate of change of acceleration, not the rate of acceleration itself, so these sorts of engines feel dead exciting while actually being really very slow.
The 1.9PD feels miles faster than it is because of it's tiny, peaky powerband. Humans are sensitive to the rate of change of acceleration, not the rate of acceleration itself, so these sorts of engines feel dead exciting while actually being really very slow.
colin_p said:
Shhh...
These are a best kept secret. It is always normally old Saabs and Volvos that get mentioned when these Passats are better.
Having owned a VW Passat and now a Volvo S60 of pretty much the same age I couldn't disagree more.These are a best kept secret. It is always normally old Saabs and Volvos that get mentioned when these Passats are better.
My Passat had FSH and treated well with mainly motorway miles but it has been the only car ever to let me down at the side of the road with turbo failure and diesel runaway. It also rusted so badly it required 2 new wings and a new boot lid at the cost of £2800 (admittedly VW paid for most of this). It also suffered gearbox failure due to a knackered bearing, the interior trim gradually broke/fell to bits. I had numerous electrical faults such as the central locking failing, electric window regulators etc as well as the windows themselves falling in the doors. There's actually so much I can't remember it all.
As said before the engine itself seemed reasonably reliable but it had a horrible power band and a gruff horrible sound to it.
It did have very good fuel economy though!
Having been completely put off any VAG stuff I went with some recommendations on this site and bought an S60 for less money than an equivalent Passat. It is in a different league. The engine is smoother with a nice off beat sound, it's done the same miles as the Passat and been 100% reliable apart from an ABS sensor.
The seats are superb and the sound system is awesome and it is the most comfortable car I have ever owned for so little money. There is also no rust, it feels much better engineered than the Passat.
The main downsides are the turning circle is awful and the fuel economy is not as good as the Passat although still perfectly acceptable.
dme12 said:
so these sorts of engines feel dead exciting while actually being really very slow.
I wouldn't say they are dead exciting or really slow. 130bhp standard they are not fast but this engine loves a remap and then it makes it brisk. Puts a lot of more expensive cars to shame, as well as being very solid.Edited by The Spruce goose on Friday 13th January 02:00
dme123 said:
Our six fingered cousins over the Atlantic will probably not agree, but I think these represent the high watermark of VAG cars. Everything they've made since is noticeably flimsier and more "value engineered".
The 1.9PD feels miles faster than it is because of it's tiny, peaky powerband. Humans are sensitive to the rate of change of acceleration, not the rate of acceleration itself, so these sorts of engines feel dead exciting while actually being really very slow.
Thanks. I really might have to get myself a PD for commuting. Put a grin on my face in the way no diesel has done before! Agreed it's not quick, but the peakiness definitely keeps the illusion going. Effortless is the word i'd use. Actually going to be sad handing this back in a couple of days time.The 1.9PD feels miles faster than it is because of it's tiny, peaky powerband. Humans are sensitive to the rate of change of acceleration, not the rate of acceleration itself, so these sorts of engines feel dead exciting while actually being really very slow.
Edited by j4ck100 on Thursday 12th January 22:15
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