Advice needed.... Vw passat v5 1999

[Billywizz74]

Hello everyone, ive been offered a manual 99 Passat estate v5 with 84000 miles. It has service history and mot until september. I have no experience of a 5cylinder vw is there anything i should look out for in particular. I know it will be a bit juicey, but its only a second vehicle for me and wont be driven too much so im not too bothered about that. Any advice would be much appreciated.

[Triumph Man]

1 2 3 PLENUM DRAINS! Check under the battery and brake servo for any leaves/crap etc, and get it out of there. One fix is to remove the bungs under the battery and servo. Water can flood the interior knocking out the "comfort control module", an electric box which controls e/w c/l e/m interior lights. Can be expensive and annoying to fix if it cacks up. There was IIRC a recall for the "Plenum drain", so check if it's been done.

Apart from that, water leaks generally (door seals, pollen filter housing etc) usual things like suspension knocks at the front, radiators go in the bottom corners so check here as well.

Apart from that, enjoy! Afraid I don't know much about the VR5 engine, apart from the fact it sounds brilliant!

[Changedmyname]

That's a rarity, a petrol passat.

[Billywizz74]

Thanks triumph man, do you know if it has isofix brackets for the babys seat?

[Super Slo Mo]

Don't think Passats of that era have Isofix. Mine didn't.

ETA: It wasn't widely used prior to the 2000's.

[Six Fiend]

Triumph Man said:

1 2 3 PLENUM DRAINS! Check under the battery and brake servo for any leaves/crap etc, and get it out of there. One fix is to remove the bungs under the battery and servo. Water can flood the interior knocking out the "comfort control module", an electric box which controls e/w c/l e/m interior lights. Can be expensive and annoying to fix if it cacks up. There was IIRC a recall for the "Plenum drain", so check if it's been done.

Apart from that, water leaks generally (door seals, pollen filter housing etc) usual things like suspension knocks at the front, radiators go in the bottom corners so check here as well.

Apart from that, enjoy! Afraid I don't know much about the VR5 engine, apart from the fact it sounds brilliant!

Totally spot on!

Kept the drains on mine but widened them a bit and polished the bulkhead.

Radiator went in bottom corner too

[Triumph Man]

Six Fiend said:

Totally spot on!

Kept the drains on mine but widened them a bit and polished the bulkhead.

Radiator went in bottom corner too

I only know all that because my first Passat seemed to have every problem a Passat could possibly have Including going out one day and discovering a plenum full of water .

Forgot to add, OP, test every single thing electrical. Press every button! if you can hook it up to a diagnostic, do it. Although this is not always possible.

[Six Fiend]

It was the first thing I did on mine. My mate didn't and his electrics did the most fabulous things, or lack of, after a very wet spell and an incident with a large puddle which ended up in his footwell

Second the advice to check absoutely every switch, button and fucntion!

[stusleeper]

as above.
pop the bonnet and check the battery tray for water.
feel the passenger footwell carpet for wet,if its wet,walk.
v5 should have a nice leather/suede interior.
and the vw dials when illuminated are sooo nice.
control arms can go,but there is a recall on those and i had all 8 done gratis at vw.

[Billywizz74]

Well i bought it but it needs a bit too much doing for me to have as a keeper, so im gonna sell it on. Its on ebay if anyone wants to have a look. Thanks for the advice guys.