Just bought a B5.5 Passat 1.8T estate
Discussion
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Big news! It's all change for the Madman fleet. I've done a complete clear-out of my existing rolling stock. The 1997 Honda Odyssey (AKA Honda Shuttle to you lot) is gone. The Cadillac Catera (which I rebadged as a Vauxhall Omega) is gone. Even the old Volvo 740 Turbo lawn ornament is gone. The slate has been wiped clean.
Both the Odyssey and the Catera had developed issues which, although repairable, were really not worth the money, the time, nor the effort to put right. I won't bore you with all the gory details but suffice to say I felt the time was right for a complete change. Besides, I was getting bored and wanted something different, anyway. That "something different" turned out to be a 2003 Volkswagen Passat GL 1.8T estate in Silverstone Grey Metallic.
So there you have it. I have to say I'm really impressed with it so far. I've heard some of these 1.8T Passats have had oil sludge issues and made it a point to check for this. My trusted long-time mechanic (with plenty of Volkswagen experience, I might add) has looked it over and given it a clean bill of health. Nevertheless, I've already done a full synthetic oil change, just for peace of mind. I paid $5,500 plus tax and registration (secondhand cars in the US cost much more than in Blighty) and the dealership I bought it from was very courteous and professional.
Cracking workhorses these, my FIL has an old B5 110 TDi that just goes on and on with very little trouble.
Worth poking the grommets from the plenum chamber drains, they can clog up and literally turn the interior of the car into a swimming pool, poor design I have first hand experience of
Worth poking the grommets from the plenum chamber drains, they can clog up and literally turn the interior of the car into a swimming pool, poor design I have first hand experience of
oo yankee spec. Nice cars these, I once a Passat tdi which was a frankly brilliant car. It was comfy, nothing ever went wrong with it, it was quick enough and was frugal. Now sold to someone who told me they were going to lower it 
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I always wonder why the US cars rarely got climatronic on the B5.5s whereas here it was standard.
.I always wonder why the US cars rarely got climatronic on the B5.5s whereas here it was standard.
Nice car,
Check the drain holes in the scuttle panel under the servo, battery and pollen filter or I think that's the place for them from memory.
There should be about 3 of them in the scuttle area that get blocked up with leaves and water which can then overflow into the cabin and that can lead to some serious electrical gremlins.
The drainage points have rubber bungs in which have been redesigned from time to time but still get blocked the best thing to do is bin them or that's what I've done with mine and the scuttle panel area now drains away lovely on mine (audi b5)
It will only take 10 minutes to remove them and if you look it up on google there will be how to guides.
The tell tale sign is damp carpets in the passenger footwell but being that your steering wheel is on the wrong side I should say drivers side
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Check the drain holes in the scuttle panel under the servo, battery and pollen filter or I think that's the place for them from memory.
There should be about 3 of them in the scuttle area that get blocked up with leaves and water which can then overflow into the cabin and that can lead to some serious electrical gremlins.
The drainage points have rubber bungs in which have been redesigned from time to time but still get blocked the best thing to do is bin them or that's what I've done with mine and the scuttle panel area now drains away lovely on mine (audi b5)
It will only take 10 minutes to remove them and if you look it up on google there will be how to guides.
The tell tale sign is damp carpets in the passenger footwell but being that your steering wheel is on the wrong side I should say drivers side
.Edited by Vince70 on Friday 6th September 08:30
Triumph Man said:
oo yankee spec. Nice cars these, I once a Passat tdi which was a frankly brilliant car. It was comfy, nothing ever went wrong with it, it was quick enough and was frugal. Now sold to someone who told me they were going to lower it .
I always wonder why the US cars rarely got climatronic on the B5.5s whereas here it was standard.
This was undoubtedly a cost-cutting move on the part of Volkswagen, considering the Dollar-to-Euro exchange rate was killing us at the time. 1.8T models came in either GL or GLS trim. The 2.8 V6 could be had in either GLS or GLX guise and you had to opt for the GLX to get Climatronic. The W8 was also available and I've recently seen both a saloon and an estate selling for roughly the same money I paid for my GL 1.8T. I guess that monster engine frightens away too may punters? .I always wonder why the US cars rarely got climatronic on the B5.5s whereas here it was standard.
Oh, the 134 horsepower 2.0 turbo diesel was briefly available in 45 states during 2004. Since it ran afoul of California's stricter emission standards, it couldn't be sold there or in the other four states that have adopted California's standards. Thanks to a loyal and hardcore VW diesel fan base over here, prices for these still remain insanely high due to their rarity.
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