The daily - 2003 Passat 1.9 SE TDI 130
Discussion
Hi all,
Thought I'd show you my daily drive (at the moment my only drive). I know it's a boring Passat and not really anything Pistonhead worthy, but surely part of being a petrolhead is not necessarily what you drive, but how you drive it and the times you have in it.
I bought the car last february because I desperately needed a car due to my old Passat effectively giving up on life. I could have had a new Corsa on finance, as seems to be the trend at the moment, but I decided against it
. Since then I've pretty much done everything and been everywhere in it. No European roadtrip as yet though, Hopefully soon! I've even done the dirty in the back of it. You get more space in the back of a Passat than a Saxo
When it's clean and polished (as it is now) it does look smart, in fact I've found it instrumental in impressing girls who know nothing about cars! Which is unusual, given that it is a Passat.
The handling is a mixture of understeer and comedy, a longitudinally mounted tractor engine and Front Wheel Drive really don't help matters. I enjoy keeping up with drivers of other more accomplished machinery through the bends. However while their cars keep composed, the good old Passat is wallowing all over the place with its 65 section tyres and grandad spec suspension. In fact, I know it's childish, but I enjoy seeing their brakelights illuminate while my right foot remains firmly on the right pedal.
I even let my mother borrow it sometimes. She rang me up terrified that she had caused a crash because in her words 'I accelerated hard away from a junction, looked in the mirror, and saw smoke behind me. Then a few minutes later an ambulance went by the other way!' No mum, it's a diesel, it does that.
Over the past year, including general servicing and tyres, I have spent about £700 on maintenance, including a cambelt, and thermostat that needed doing. Unlike most Passats, I have never had any problems with the plenum drains flooding, or random warning lights *touch wood* However, there is a leak from the near side rear door after really heavy rain, which is either the seal or the inner door panel.
It's ideal really, all I wanted was something reasonably nice to drive to work in, which is economical. At my age, insurance costs kept me out of the V6 tdi and 525Ds etc, so in my opinion this is a good compromise.
I'm sure you are all aware what a diesel Passat looks like, but here are some pics anyway.
The day when I picked it up once I got it back home.
The most pleased I have ever been to see it, at the end of the BHF Bath to Bournemouth charity bikeride (anyone else here take part?)
At the top of Zig Zag hill (bloody tourists held me up again!)
And finally, nicely cleaned, polished, and looking smart outside work
ETA: current mileage is 108,000. Not a patch on Talbot Buxomly I'm afraid
Thought I'd show you my daily drive (at the moment my only drive). I know it's a boring Passat and not really anything Pistonhead worthy, but surely part of being a petrolhead is not necessarily what you drive, but how you drive it and the times you have in it.
I bought the car last february because I desperately needed a car due to my old Passat effectively giving up on life. I could have had a new Corsa on finance, as seems to be the trend at the moment, but I decided against it
. Since then I've pretty much done everything and been everywhere in it. No European roadtrip as yet though, Hopefully soon! I've even done the dirty in the back of it. You get more space in the back of a Passat than a Saxo When it's clean and polished (as it is now) it does look smart, in fact I've found it instrumental in impressing girls who know nothing about cars! Which is unusual, given that it is a Passat.
The handling is a mixture of understeer and comedy, a longitudinally mounted tractor engine and Front Wheel Drive really don't help matters. I enjoy keeping up with drivers of other more accomplished machinery through the bends. However while their cars keep composed, the good old Passat is wallowing all over the place with its 65 section tyres and grandad spec suspension. In fact, I know it's childish, but I enjoy seeing their brakelights illuminate while my right foot remains firmly on the right pedal.
I even let my mother borrow it sometimes. She rang me up terrified that she had caused a crash because in her words 'I accelerated hard away from a junction, looked in the mirror, and saw smoke behind me. Then a few minutes later an ambulance went by the other way!' No mum, it's a diesel, it does that.
Over the past year, including general servicing and tyres, I have spent about £700 on maintenance, including a cambelt, and thermostat that needed doing. Unlike most Passats, I have never had any problems with the plenum drains flooding, or random warning lights *touch wood* However, there is a leak from the near side rear door after really heavy rain, which is either the seal or the inner door panel.
It's ideal really, all I wanted was something reasonably nice to drive to work in, which is economical. At my age, insurance costs kept me out of the V6 tdi and 525Ds etc, so in my opinion this is a good compromise.
I'm sure you are all aware what a diesel Passat looks like, but here are some pics anyway.
The day when I picked it up once I got it back home.
The most pleased I have ever been to see it, at the end of the BHF Bath to Bournemouth charity bikeride (anyone else here take part?)
At the top of Zig Zag hill (bloody tourists held me up again!)
And finally, nicely cleaned, polished, and looking smart outside work
ETA: current mileage is 108,000. Not a patch on Talbot Buxomly I'm afraid
Edited by Triumph Man on Saturday 26th May 08:12
Had a blue one a couple of years back, really good practical car. I've had some really nice high performance estates over the last 7-8 years, including a 5 cylinder S6 Audi, a C43 AMG Merc, v6 24v versions of Mondeo, Laguna and 406, an early VR6 Passat and 540i and 330d Touring Beemers, and while the Passat wasn't not the fastest or most exciting it was the most reliable, the most economical, the most practical(except for the 540 which is obviously bigger) and had a decent turn of speed in a straight line. Worst was the mondeo - truly appalling car!
BorkFactor said:
Excellent write up 
Looks clean though, and these things go on forever. A mate's Dad had one that he used when he worked as a taxi driver and he took it to over 200k on routine servicing alone. It was an automatic too, even that didn't go wrong!
Hope it continues to treat you well
Thank you Looks clean though, and these things go on forever. A mate's Dad had one that he used when he worked as a taxi driver and he took it to over 200k on routine servicing alone. It was an automatic too, even that didn't go wrong!
Hope it continues to treat you well
I thought as it's such a boring car, I ought to give it a good write up .It seems to be treating me well, hopefully get it over the 200k mark!
I see I'm quite a contrast to someone below me's Passat! I'm 20, it should be the other way around No modifications on mine to pretty much every mod on his. I won't comment on his thread to piss on his bonfire, but I'm afraid I don't really like some of the modifications. Sorry OP of that thread.
No modifications on mine to pretty much every mod on his. I won't comment on his thread to piss on his bonfire, but I'm afraid I don't really like some of the modifications. Sorry OP of that thread.Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff