just bought a Passat W8 - with manual tranny

beepbeep · 11:52 PM

Our ordinary car was totalled so we needed a car ASAP. So I went down town to buy a "safest bet" you can do in Sweden: a Volvo V70. I found decent one in classifieds so we went on a lengthy drive to pick it up. Unfortunately, car was not as specified and owner did not appear honest.
So back we went. Driving home, my friend (who was to help me drive the car home) found an add for Passat W8 manual 6-speed in what appears to be nice condition. It was just around the corner and we were kind of irritated of driving so far for nothing so we decided to check it out. It was getting late and seller was about to go asleep but agreed to let us see the car. Car sounded nice, had Recaro sport leather seats, full service records, full tank of fuel (!), pulled fine so I bought it...

Wife not impressed! Instead of coming home with grocery-getter in form of slushbox Volvo V70 2.5 I came home with "unicorn" manual 6-speed 4.0L W8 4-wheel drive VW Passat saloon.
It is approximately as fast and drives like my old Audi UrS4, but power delivery is "now" and there is a plus of having airbags, traction control and 10 years of development compared to Audi C4. Also, a flat-cranked V8 made from two VR4's sounds great.

I wonder if I am going to regret this.,..

On the flip side, it seems that I own one of three(?) manual W8's in the whole country.

herr_oberst · 03-02-2016, 06:53 AM

Could You Go $7,200 For This Rare 2003 VW Passat W8?

onewhippedpuppy · 03-02-2016, 06:59 AM

Glutton for punishment!!! But it sounds like a great find, congrats.

beepbeep · 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Could You Go $7,200 For This Rare 2003 VW Passat W8?

Hmm....mine is a sedan, has nicer interior (black/gray Recaro-branded sports seats) and factory GPS/entertainment system (best 2003 could offer

. It also paid 2/3:rds of price of one in the link...At least I was not totally fooled, was I?

Just did the oil change...9 quarts! At least the tranny should be trouble free (clutch was changed recently).
Front brake discs are 200$ a piece...ouch!

herr_oberst · 03-02-2016, 07:12 AM

I think the engine blocks on the W8 are fascinating.

Steve Carlton · 03-02-2016, 07:33 AM

Make the Passat your car and get your wife a V70 still?

MysticLlama · 03-02-2016, 09:31 AM

I believe those have the same cam-advance solenoid sticktion issue that Cayennes have, but since the actuators are on the back of the motor the whole thing has to come out to change them and it's a big giant deal.

Moral of the story, change the oil at least 2x as often as the service interval with good oil so that they don't get gummed up, and drive hard enough that the cam actuators have to do some work.

beepbeep · 03-02-2016, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticLlama

I believe those have the same cam-advance solenoid sticktion issue that Cayennes have, but since the actuators are on the back of the motor the whole thing has to come out to change them and it's a big giant deal.

Moral of the story, change the oil at least 2x as often as the service interval with good oil so that they don't get gummed up, and drive hard enough that the cam actuators have to do some work.

I heard that as well. This one comes with indication that those have been worked on at the dealer so they are hopefully new. Oil intervals are rather horrible, something like 2000 miles with "top up" in-between. I am planning to change every 7000 miles.

I heard that sticky cam phasing actuators can be "shocked" loose by applying 12V to them briefly...

Embraer · Embraer's Garage

My buddy bought a Fiat 500 abarth new. He drove a w8 passat with the manual tranny. 90k miles on it. He's clueless on car stuff. The dealer gave him $1500 trade in credit for it, and he took it. When he told me....I said "man! Why didn't you call me!!"

quaz · quaz's Garage

Just learn to ignore this and you will love the car.

MysticLlama · 03-02-2016, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beepbeep

I heard that as well. This one comes with indication that those have been worked on at the dealer so they are hopefully new. Oil intervals are rather horrible, something like 2000 miles with "top up" in-between. I am planning to change every 7000 miles.

I heard that sticky cam phasing actuators can be "shocked" loose by applying 12V to them briefly...

They can be, a drill battery works pretty well, a small 9v doesn't usually have quite the amperage. You can feel them moving and it's very obvious when they get unstuck. It just gets old doing it a couple times a week to keep it idling properly, that's why not letting it get to that point is important.

scottmandue · 03-02-2016, 03:20 PM

I know nothing but that car sounds like a lot of fun!
I remember being intrigued when they first came out (who doesn't love the idea of a W8?)

... most of the auto mags panned them saying no one would pay that kind of $$$ for a VW.

Steve Carlton · 03-02-2016, 03:54 PM

The VW Phaeton was on the same chassis as a Bentley, right?

impactbumper · 03-02-2016, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

The VW Phaeton was on the same chassis as a Bentley, right?

only 2005-06 models were built in Dresden like the Flying Spur of the same era irrc.

afterburn 549 · 03-02-2016, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Embraer

My buddy bought a Fiat 500 abarth new. He drove a w8 passat with the manual tranny. 90k miles on it. He's clueless on car stuff. The dealer gave him $1500 trade in credit for it, and he took it. When he told me....I said "man! Why didn't you call me!!"

The Fiats have been ruined by the Ivory tower idiots. Even so he should have got a little more..
The Fiat is the most genuine POS made.
Even so it could have been ok had its own mother not abandoned it .
My own car has been in the shop over 45 days once 28 continuous days !
It has been towed 3 times.
Perhaps your friend was just finally done with it?
I am getting to the point..............

herr_oberst · 03-02-2016, 06:55 PM

Slight diversion. The W motors are just so cool that I went to the YouTube channel and found this vid of some Veyron engine assembly.

Sorry for the hijack, but it seemed like the thread has taken a new Italian themed turn, so here we go...

afterburn 549 · 03-02-2016, 07:00 PM

Way Kool !
Thanx !

Embraer · Embraer's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

The Fiats have been ruined by the Ivory tower idiots. Even so he should have got a little more..
The Fiat is the most genuine POS made.
Even so it could have been ok had its own mother not abandoned it .
My own car has been in the shop over 45 days once 28 continuous days !
It has been towed 3 times.
Perhaps your friend was just finally done with it?
I am getting to the point..............

He traded the w8 in for the fiat. He hasn't had an issue with his abarth. Sorry you got a bad one. I just turned 100k miles on my 500 sport. Bought it the week they came out in 2011. My car was next to both of jay Leno's Prima ediziones at the downtown la dealership on Figueroa. The only non original item on my car, besides the engine oil, is the airbag cover on the steering wheel. That melted under desert heat in the Mojave, and was replaced under warranty. Couldn't be happier with mine

afterburn 549 · 03-02-2016, 07:32 PM

67000 miles on mine
Shifter cables have broken twice.
Tire monitor system never has worked longer than a couple days
Drivers window inop
Seat belts will not retract
All the wheel bearings have been replaced
Rear brakes keep seizing. ( seized calipers.) 4th set.
Drivers door handle fell off.
Shall I go on? LOL
Plus it's not an Italian car.being made in Mexico....
Whats worse is the dealer will not look at the car.
"Fiat Cares" does not care.
In 3 years the value has plummeted to less than 20 % of new !

Embraer · Embraer's Garage

Yep, I made one big payment when I bought mine. Considered it a disposable car, and have been pleasantly (and lucky) surprised at mine. Sorry for the headache you've had