I'm in love with my hire car.

[un1corn]

Thanks to a recent altercation which wasn't my fault, my car is in for repair.

I was gifted a 2014 Passat diesel.

fk me it's amazing.

Dab radio (which is nice, but seems a bit hit and miss and cuts out a lot). Cd player, bluetooth connectivity, heated leather, 4x elec windows, climate control, auto wipers, start/stop tech, USB lead wired into the car for phone charging, SD card slot in the nav system, 43mpg at the moment (and i've been hammering it a bit), front and rear parking sensors etc etc, the list just goes on. The exterior is lovely, chrome bits all oer the place, good sized alloy wheels, indicators in the mirrors (with tiny little lights on the inside so you can see when they are flashing) and loads of other nice little touches.

And then there's the power. My lord, the power.

Im unsure if its the 138 or 177 bhp version but it just keeps on going. I've driven 320d's and they're all done by 3500rpm. This thing just keeps on going like a train. Im certain that for at least a very short sprint, it'd match a 325d and give a 330d an initial run for its money.

I've not looked at prices and so forth, but even with all the technology listed above, I bet it's not that different in price from a brand new bog standard 318/320d.

Why would anyone with half a brain cell even bother with merc/bmw/audi when a VW (and probably Skoda) offer so much more. Even with badge snobbery playing a huge part, i still cant see how anyone would be stupid enough to overlook this thing.

I hope they write mine off now...

[Jasandjules]

Don't know but I go to collect my new Passat Saturday, with parking sensors, sat nav, auto lights etc.. Oh, and something which scares me greatly, auto hold.....

[Crusoe]

drive a sports car and you will be blown away

[kambites]

Hmm, "powerful" isn't a term I'd use to describe a diesel Passat. Even the wife's Octavia would leave it for dead (albeit whilst using twice as much fuel).

[un1corn]

Jasandjules said:

Don't know but I go to collect my new Passat Saturday, with parking sensors, sat nav, auto lights etc.. Oh, and something which scares me greatly, auto hold.....

God yes i forgot auto-hold.

It's really great. Means you don't have to prat about with the handbrake all the times, and its good if like me, you dont like blinding people with brake lights.

For me, its the only and best solution to these idiots that insist on blinding you with bright LED brakelights these days.

kambites said:

Hmm, "powerful" isn't a term I'd use to describe a diesel Passat. Even the wife's Skoda would leave it for dead.

This is what I cant understand. I know on paper it's crap, but it feels like a delorean at 88mph. It feels so much better and quicker than my St220 did.

I suppose I need to try a proper fast diesel to appreciate diesel power.

[hman]

un1corn said:

a 2014 Passat diesel.

fk me it's amazing.

no, no you've lost me there.

If you said, uninspiring beige and vanilla then I would be with you though.

[V8forweekends]

un1corn said:

Why would anyone with half a brain cell even bother with merc/bmw/audi when a VW (and probably Skoda) offer so much more. Even with badge snobbery playing a huge part, i still cant see how anyone would be stupid enough to overlook this thing.

Favourable lease rates as company cars (BM especially), CO2 bands (I haven't checked this but BM are usually quite low for the type of car), badge snobbery, superior marketing, rear wheel drive snobbery, etc etc etc

[Jasandjules]

Crusoe said:

drive a sports car and you will be blown away

Me? I don't think my TVR is a shopping trolley

But that doesn't mean the Passat isn't good for what it is.

[loose cannon]

TAXI

[kambites]

un1corn said:

kambites said:

Hmm, "powerful" isn't a term I'd use to describe a diesel Passat. Even the wife's Skoda would leave it for dead.

This is what I cant understand. I know on paper it's crap, but it feels like a delorean at 88mph. It feels so much better and quicker than my St220 did.

I suppose I need to try a proper fast diesel to appreciate diesel power.

If you actually put it besides a 325d, I think you'd see it pull away. It may feel fast, that's more down to the shape of the torque curve than the actual performance, but it's really not.

I assume it's the same engined used in the diesel Octavia VRS? It's certainly a strong feeling engine but it's really not that quick, even in the much lighter Octavia.

[9mm]

[xRIEx]

un1corn said:

I was gifted a 2014 Passat diesel.

No you weren't, you were given a 2014 Passat diesel.

[un1corn]

ITT: People who paid over the bogs for a bottom spec C-Class

[Jayyylo]

passatlover said:

i forgot auto-hold.

It's really great. Means you don't have to prat about with the handbrake all the times, and its good if like me, you dont like blinding people with brake lights.

For me, its the only and best solution to these idiots that insist on blinding you with bright LED brakelights these days.

I'm pretty sure the rear brake lights stay on as auto hold works by keeping the last known (just before you stop) brake pressure applied on all 4 wheels. If it operated using the parking brake then it wouldn't put the rear brake lights on. Sorry, you have been driving around like one of those people.

[kambites]

Most old fashioned cars have the switch for the brake lights mounted on the pedal, not in the hydraulics. Not sure what auto-hold cars do though.

[Pixelpeep7r]

un1corn said:

Thanks to a recent altercation which wasn't my fault, my car is in for repair.

I was gifted a 2014 Passat diesel.

fk me it's amazing.

Dab radio (which is nice, but seems a bit hit and miss and cuts out a lot). Cd player, bluetooth connectivity, heated leather, 4x elec windows, climate control, auto wipers, start/stop tech, USB lead wired into the car for phone charging, SD card slot in the nav system, 43mpg at the moment (and i've been hammering it a bit), front and rear parking sensors etc etc, the list just goes on. The exterior is lovely, chrome bits all oer the place, good sized alloy wheels, indicators in the mirrors (with tiny little lights on the inside so you can see when they are flashing) and loads of other nice little touches.

And then there's the power. My lord, the power.

Im unsure if its the 138 or 177 bhp version but it just keeps on going. I've driven 320d's and they're all done by 3500rpm. This thing just keeps on going like a train. Im certain that for at least a very short sprint, it'd match a 325d and give a 330d an initial run for its money.

I've not looked at prices and so forth, but even with all the technology listed above, I bet it's not that different in price from a brand new bog standard 318/320d.

Why would anyone with half a brain cell even bother with merc/bmw/audi when a VW (and probably Skoda) offer so much more. Even with badge snobbery playing a huge part, i still cant see how anyone would be stupid enough to overlook this thing.

I hope they write mine off now...

Better be careful chap - they'll be slagging you off in the 'most cringeworthy' thread soon

[DeuxCentCinq]

[Benbay001]

Must be something seriously st thats in for repair then

[Jayyylo]

kambites said:

Most old fashioned cars have the switch for the brake lights mounted on the pedal, not in the hydraulics. Not sure what auto-hold cars do though.

It's possible that I'm being dim and you're correct. I had a hire car with auto hold and I'm sure I remember testing it to find out. If only someone here could help with a definitive answer.

[Robb F]

un1corn said:

ITT: People who get excited about slow diesel Passats