Prospective VW owner!

[woodencupboard]

I've had Vws before, Mk2 Polo, Mk3 Golf, VW Caddy, all ooooooooold VW steel!
Looking to maybe get back into the brand with a B8 Passat as one last ICE powered hurrah before in say 5 years time a hybrid or EV is the only real option.

Hi, and thanks!

[Lucas_R]

Hi and welcome. The B8 Passat is a popular and solid option to consider. The wagons in particular are a nice looking car and its a shame you dont see more of them on the roads (damn SUV's and utes!!).

Are you thinking a petrol or diesel model? Normal Passat or Alltrack model?

[woodencupboard]

I made a thread in the B8 forum that went off the rails a bit! Can VW Dealer share service records of car?

But essentially a Diesel wagon, with LED headlights, Leather Massage Seats, and flexible on other specs.
I'd really like an Alltrack, but might settle on a TDI Highline. As would rarely use the AWD function, but like the slightly higher ride height.

[Lucas_R]

Have you owned a modern diesel car before? And do you do the right kind of driving for a diesel (regular 30+ minute drives at speed). If not, then you may want to do some research on modern diesels and possibly reconsider. All of the emissions laws have made modern diesels a bit of a pain in the butt too be honest, and if you don't drive them in the right conditions you will have issues.

Diesel particulate filters = problematic + expensive
Adblue systems = problematic + expensive
EGR systems = problematic + expensive

If you regularly drive on the moorway then you will be fine. But if you spend 80% of your time pottering around the suburb then I would strongly suggest getting a petrol version instead of a diesel.

Diesel engines need to get hot and stay hot (which is why I mentioned regular 30+ mintute drives) to achieve the fuel economy figures they quote, and to allow all of the emissions equipment to work as they were designed.

[woodencupboard]

Appreciate the response.
I last had a Peugeot HDi it was a 2001 l, loved it, no dpf, no adblue, and I deleted the egr on it and had an ECU tune in it too, was great. Old style diesel grunt.

I understand the modern diesel issues, my commute is 35kms of the M1 twice a day cruising at 110, in theory perfect diesel conditions.

I was more inclined to the diesel because of the 'stronger' DSG, but I can see the arguements the petrol might be cheaper.

I know DSG and VW is a hot topic, surely a DSG from 2016 isn't still the kind of potential grenade the older ones were?

[Lucas_R]

35km twice a day on the freeway is good conditions for a diesel. So many people buy diesels purely because of the fuel economy benefits without any thought or research into whether their driving style and commute is suitable for a diesel engine - so just wanted to make you aware just incase you were not aware.

If you are potentially cross shopping petrol vs diesel Passat B8's then they both have the exact same DSG transmission (DQ250 6 speed wet clutch). I believe the only exception is the lower spec petrol Passats (132TSI with 1.8L turbo) which have the weaker (and flawed design in my opinion) DQ200 7 speed dry clutch transmission.

The wet clutch design used in the more powerful versions of all VW models are a much better design, and generally very strong and reliable if serviced regularly (servicing every 4 years / 60,000km).

[woodencupboard]

Great thanks!

I thought dq200 dry 7spd for the low tier petrols (avoid)

Dq250 wet 6spd for the diesels (ok)

And 206tsi gets the better ok box too, and alltracks get the ok box also?

[Hillbilly]

I had a B7 Passat TDI and never used it unless as Lucas says was going for more than 30mins as it takes nearly 10 mins to get really up to temp. Used wifes car for the messages.

Example of how diesels go best was the Merc buses I used to drive. Bring it in at 8pm and take it out at 5.30 am and engine was still warm and the one i drove had done over 800,000km with hardly a spanner on it. I think it did over the million without anything on the engine letting go. Different technology I know but the idea is still the same.

[Lucas_R]

Sorry - i just revised my previous comment. I thought the Passats (2016 onwards) used the 7 speed DQ381 transmission.....but it turns out that they actually use the older DQ250 6 speed transmission.

The DQ250 is very reliable (moreso than the DQ381 honestly) and has been around since the early 2000's when DSG's first came onto the mass market.

- So avoid the 132TSI (also the 140TSI but these are super rare) as it has the crappy DQ200 7 speed dry clutch gearbox.
- The 140TDI and the 206TSI both share the DQ250 6 speed wet clutch transmission and are a solid choice.

The Alltrack's are mechanically identical - so have the better DQ250 gearbox. But looks like the Alltrack was only available with the diesel engine from 2015-2018 which are the year models you are looking at. Newer ones are now available with the petrol engine.

[gerhard]

I remember back in 2008 when I got my GTI, one of the guys in our informal "Golf Club" took his GTI motor out to beef it up to insane HP. I saw the DQ250 DSG box out of the car - it was as big as the Muncie box I had years before behind a 327 Chev. Apart from the mechatrinics in min which had a forced recall replacement, the mechanical part never gave trouble. Changed much faster than my new DQ381 too.