Passat W8 are they any good?

[johnnybegood]

As per the title guys I have seen one in my life time.

Over to you

[al1991]

I wish I knew.

All I know is that I want one.

[Urban Sports]

Very thirsty
Not particularly quick
Dull to drive
Nice enough noise

[HellDiver]

Good?

Heavy on fuel, understeer like a bh due to the weight of the engine, burn oil, holy st expensive servicing. Useless unless you plan on doing 90mph everywhere due to the gearing. We've still a few on fleet, and they're all pups, always have been, always will be.

You're better off with a 1.8T - as useful on UK roads, and use half the fuel of the W8.

[johnnybegood]

So why did VAG make them was it an expirement?

[Rabbo]

Having owned one, I am one of the few able to give you an honest appraisal, rather than regurgitate the vitriol gleaned from elsehere on PH. Yes, it was thirsty (non more so than my E39 M5) and a bit barge-like, however...

It sounded like a Merlin-engined Spitfire on full chat
It was kitted out with everything you could ask for (Xenons, heated electric memory leather, solar sunroof, climate, great stereo, folding auto dip mirrors etc)
It was superbly comfortable
It was built like nothing I've ever owned before or since (like a tank)
It has more than enough grunt to show up 95% of cars on the roads

The best thing about it was the stealth looks and the confused looks on white van man as you roared by in your [to him] 1.9 TDI S, until he saw the quad exhausts...

Forget pub-talk bragging about 'only' 275bhp, crap handling etc. - the car had a whole heap of character and I loved it. Sadly written off after I had owned it for only 8 months... I'd have another in a heartbeat.

[Urban Sports]

johnnybegood said:

So why did VAG make them was it an expirement?

I think they used it as a test bed for the W engine that was going into some of the other cars.

[simoid]

johnnybegood said:

So why did VAG make them was it an expirement?

Because, (apparently!) very few people buy the largest engined family saloon cars as that's a bit vulgar (eg 3 litre Xantias & 406s, Passat W8s). These big engined cars make the 2.0 litre engines seem more sensible, so they sell more of the 'medium sized' engines.

If they didn't make the 3.0 engines, more people may pick the 1.8s over 2.0, as they, perhaps subconsciously, don't want the largest engine in the range.

I can't remember where I read that, but it caught my imagination at the time and I suppose it makes sense!

[Urban Sports]

Rabbo said:

Having owned one, I am one of the few able to give you an honest appraisal, rather than regurgitate the vitriol gleaned from elsehere on PH.

Or you just have a different opinion?

[dvs_dave]

johnnybegood said:

So why did VAG make them was it an expirement?

I suppose it helped with the development of the W12 and W16's used in top level VAG brands. There was even talk of them slotting the W8 into the Golf IV platform.

VW at the time made all sorts of interstingly engined vehicles. For instance, did you know that the top engine for the the VW Tuoareg was not the V10TDI, but was in fact the W12? Talk about a Q-car!

[M5 Russ]

Rabbo said:

Having owned one, I am one of the few able to give you an honest appraisal, rather than regurgitate the vitriol gleaned from elsehere on PH. Yes, it was thirsty (non more so than my E39 M5) and a bit barge-like, however...

It sounded like a Merlin-engined Spitfire on full chat
It was kitted out with everything you could ask for (Xenons, heated electric memory leather, solar sunroof, climate, great stereo, folding auto dip mirrors etc)
It was superbly comfortable
It was built like nothing I've ever owned before or since (like a tank)
It has more than enough grunt to show up 95% of cars on the roads

The best thing about it was the stealth looks and the confused looks on white van man as you roared by in your [to him] 1.9 TDI S, until he saw the quad exhausts...

Forget pub-talk bragging about 'only' 275bhp, crap handling etc. - the car had a whole heap of character and I loved it. Sadly written off after I had owned it for only 8 months... I'd have another in a heartbeat.

Nice to read a decent review of one. I was considering one of these instead of the M5 but a lack of good reviews at the time went against it. I would love hear the Merlin sound as the only car I have heard to sound like that is the Merc SLR.
The other reviewer said a 1.9TDi will do it just as well. I don't believe that for 1 second.
That's like saying I should trade my m5 for a 520. Yeah right

Edited by M5 Russ on Monday 15th August 16:18

[T84]

Good god they sound amazing though!

[johnnybegood]

looking for one now god they are hard to come by.

[Synchromesh]

johnnybegood said:

So why did VAG make them was it an expirement?

Probably to appease the markets who have a preference for 8-pots.

[Synchromesh]

By the way we've had this thread (or similar) a few times:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=57&...

[Robbo101]

A(nother) vanity project from Ferdinand Piech perhaps ? He did (does ?) like his flagship models - Phaeton anyone ?

[carlingofblack]

Funnily enough, I seriously considered an estate variant. Only thing that put me off was horror stories surrounding engine failure if 5000 mile oil changes were not carried out. A bit... Er.... high maintenance!

[tali1]

£260 road tax ain't too bad.
W8 is the most intresting and rarest Passat - but an ultra niche product -iirc @265 sold in UK- still see quite a few for sale - all seem to have W8 plates.
Personally the V8 i would have is a Lexus LS400.

[k-ink]

Unreliable crap. Avoid like the plague.

[Urban Sports]

k-ink said:

Unreliable crap. Avoid like the plague.

Don't sit on the fence