[Accounting4Speed]

Has anyone taken a look at this yet? I was just breezing over some of the specs. Pretty good little number from VW.

- 280bhp 3.6L V6
- 600W 10 Speaker Stereo
- 4 Motion AWD
- Lots of other widgets
- Fully loaded under $40K

That's a pretty good deal considering all the stuff you get, I might have to go test drive one before my E90 gets here. My mother has a new C6 A6, and it's a fabulously made car. If this new Passat is up to par with that, I might have to change my order.

[coco]

Nice stats, but looks like poo But let us know how it drives versus the 330.

[325 Baller]

yea the 3 is like heaven compared to that. I was thinking about the A4 but got that idea outa my head quickly lol

[Nikki]

I haven't driven one, but I doubt it would be half as fun to drive as a 330i.
It seems overpriced.
It's slow.
I don't like the way it looks, especially the gaudy chrome piece.
It isn't any more reliable than the 330, it could even have more problems.
Now that I'm typing and thinking, I can't see any edge it has over the 330i.
More room?

[rad21]

Originally Posted by Accounting4Speed

Has anyone taken a look at this yet? I was just breezing over some of the specs. Pretty good little number from VW.

- 280bhp 3.6L V6
- 600W 10 Speaker Stereo
- 4 Motion AWD
- Lots of other widgets
- Fully loaded under $40K

That's a pretty good deal considering all the stuff you get, I might have to go test drive one before my E90 gets here. My mother has a new C6 A6, and it's a fabulously made car. If this new Passat is up to par with that, I might have to change my order.

I had a 2001.5 VW Passat for 4 years, never again. Service sucked, things like the homelink, armrest, trunk lock all broke,parts were never in stock the cam tensioner needed replacing after I "proved" to the service manager that it was a problem. The 330i blows away the Passat in handing, steering, braking and dynamics. Even if I have as many problems with my 3 series as I did with the Passat, I would take the BMW anyday. Not even in the same league IF you enjoy and appreciate a drivers car.

[JimKim]

the new passat 3.6, especially in 4motion guise, will be a heavy car, nearly 3700 pounds. regardless, vw is posting a time of 6.2 seconds to 60, which is by no means slow.

the car is a little pricey, but you'll get loads more equipment, power, and room than the 330i. that said, it'll make an excellent cruiser but will be no match for a 330i when it comes to outright handling and performance. but if you want a comfortable relaxed ride, the vw will be very very nice.

i signed up as a vw alpha driver, so vw is giving me a passat to drive for 24 hours. i'm really looking forward to seeing how this car performs, although it'll probably most likely be the 2.0t model.

i personally have issues with the styling, especially the front and rear overhangs. i guess that's what happens when you take a predominantly front drive platform and add in european pedestrian safety mandates.

-james
330CiC - sold...what to get next?

[Accounting4Speed]

Well, I am a little bias. My previous car was the 2002.5 Jetta 1.8t below. I guess I've got a soft spot for them.

[MIKEYMIKE]

Guy's who drive Jetta's are little wimps if you ask me.

[JBOO]

I don't really see the Passat as a competitor to the E90 or any BMW for that matter. I think it's a little more family oriented, like the German version of the Camry.

[Accounting4Speed]

Thanks for the compliment MikeyMike. Though, when you've got a Bilstein PSS-9 suspension and GIAC backing you up, the car does most of the talking. And it did it a couple of times to some G35's if I remember.

[underDAWG]

I wouldn't mind to get a 2006 Passat TDI when it comes out next year as a DD. But it is hard to compare the joy of driving a BMW. Whatever your choice is, I know it is the right one

uD

[Choon]

who cares if it has more horses..

all it matters is, that its a BMW

[Choon]

Originally Posted by Accounting4Speed

Well, I am a little bias. My previous car was the 2002.5 Jetta 1.8t below. I guess I've got a soft spot for them.

clean jetta there

[icedragon]

I chose BMW because in terms of reliability, according to J.D. Power and Associates, BMW and Porsche are the only European brands that rank in the top 10 of reliable car brands. Audi, Benz, and VW are in the BOTTOM 10. If you get a Passat, expect crap reliability.

[Petercat]

Originally Posted by JBOO

I don't really see the Passat as a competitor to the E90 or any BMW for that matter. I think it's a little more family oriented, like the German version of the Camry.

JBOO, this seems like a fair and accurate assessment.
The new Passat looks really good, as a family car. It by no means is near a competitor to the e90.
With the new updates, I'm sure there will be many happy VW owners looking at this upgrade.
I've owned a passat wagon in the past and currently own a Touareg (wife's cars). We have been extremely happy with the quality, durability and service. VW does have a good reputation.
With the new 280hp V6 and all the goodies, the car certainly does get your attention. I think the wife will either wait for the new wagon or 'til they put the 280 V6 into the Touareg.

[selm]

Originally Posted by icedragon

I chose BMW because in terms of reliability, according to J.D. Power and Associates, BMW and Porsche are the only European brands that rank in the top 10 of reliable car brands. Audi, Benz, and VW are in the BOTTOM 10. If you get a Passat, expect crap reliability.

I also have a 2004 Passat 1.8T and am concerned about reliability but so far have had great success (knock on wood). If I run into any problems I will sell it before the warranty is up.

[LEDZEP]

I traded my 2004 Passat W8 for my E90. No looking back! For awhile I did consider holding out for the B6, but honestly it is no comparison. Don't get me wrong, the Passat is a great car. VW service sucks though.

[bimmer4me]

What ever car you get, for the love of God, do NOT get a Passat!! I bought a brand new 2002 Passat and it had to be towed 3 times before it had 10,000 miles. The windshield would crack every few months because the body of the car would bend. The CD and radio would rarely work at the same time because of electrical problems. Oh yeah, the power windows had similiar electrical problems and it took over a year to get those fixed. And the DLRs would frequently only work when the headlights were on!! I'm have not completed my list, but you get the point.

PASSAT = POS
PASSAT = POS
PASSAT = POS

[AC]

Coming from a 2002 Passat, I must say that its the most reliable car I've ever bought. But maybe I'm just lucky, and most of issues other owners face just never happened to me.

Before I got the e90, I checked out the new B6 Passat hoping to save some money, but it just made my choice easier. For me, the e90 is the way to go. If you have kids, maybe the Passat is a more logical choice.

What I do miss about the Passat is the large trunk space and rear seat room. Other thing to note is the cost of service at VW dealerships, it's not cheap. In fact, I believe it's almost the same price as MB.

[theclay]

They're both good cars IMO. I just had my heart set on the BMW so when the new 3 came out I had to have it.
Let us know what your decision is.

Any friend of Ron Burgundy is a friend of mine.

[peakpro]

Originally Posted by Accounting4Speed

Has anyone taken a look at this yet? I was just breezing over some of the specs. Pretty good little number from VW.

- 280bhp 3.6L V6
- 600W 10 Speaker Stereo
- 4 Motion AWD
- Lots of other widgets
- Fully loaded under $40K

That's a pretty good deal considering all the stuff you get, I might have to go test drive one before my E90 gets here. My mother has a new C6 A6, and it's a fabulously made car. If this new Passat is up to par with that, I might have to change my order.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!




hate to be blunt but

you will regret it..

[rs]

The Passat will be a nice family car but it won't perform like the 330i. The choice depends on your driving style. If you want a BMW for image, go get the Passat, if you want the BMW for the handling and performance, stick with the 330i. The Passat is front wheel drive biased and will never have the same handling balance as a BMW.