Older model Passat vs New Model Jetta

No thoughts here.

Thank you, gus.

Actually, JB, I am rather fond of the Passat and would consider widening my garage door.

I don't think the new Jetta is as big, nevermind bigger, than the last Passat. Look up the specs online for the size. Length, width, weight.

You really have to test drive them to find out, but a 2004 Passat is probably still a nicer driving car than a new Jetta.

Just remember VW's and Audis are not the most reliable cars, and aren't cheap to fix. Make sure you get an extended warranty on a used one.

I know you didn't ask for opinions on other cars, but used Infiniti G35's are a great buy right now. Friend of mine just picked up a 2003 with 33K for $21,000. Much better car than a VW.

I disagree!

I always would buy the new car and have the free warranty
for 50,000 miles and/or 48 months, whichever comes first.

A Jetta is not expensive in its maintenance, and a Infinity
is not that reliable and quite expensive (like all Japanese cars) when it comes to maintenance.

Here is a comparison for both cars (both new though)

Comparison

And here is a review of the 2003 Infinity G35, mainly aiming at people
in Slappy's position: single professional.



2003 Infinity G35

I sold used VW's, BMW's, Mercedes, Audis, and Japanese cars. Parts for a Jetta are just as expensive as parts for the BMW 3-series I owned. And the electrical on them constantly break. Check engine lights, power window motors, ect. So your maintenance costs can be pretty high.

You can buy a new car because of the warranty, but remember the depreciation, which is big on VW's. So if you buy a new loaded Jetta for $20K and change, a couple years later it's worth $12K. Remember to weigh that into consideration when buying new. You can still purchase a bumper-to-bumper warranty on a used car that's just like a new warranty.

My point with a G35, is it's more reliable than a VW, and for a low-mileage used one, you can spend the same money as a new Jetta, which is not as good a car. It's different though, it's a higher performance RWD car. Jettas are FWD and more economical.

The best is Toyota/Lexus and Honda/Acura. Nissan/Infinity is third, and the G35's have held up well. Not to mention it beat out the BMW 3-series in a Motortrend comparison, so to say it hasn't held up to it's expectations?

Back to the post though...I still say a low mileage used Passat with an extended warranty is a better buy. For the same money as the new Jetta, you could get a loaded V6, a higher-end car, and the initial depreciation hit has already taken place.

A year or two old Acura TSX is a nice car also. Probably in between the Jetta and Passat for size, FWD, good on gas, still a current design, and not very expensive.

Great info, thanks!

C_Jane, I used the compare link to look at the new Passat vs the old Passat and the new Jetta.

Slappy, yea the new Jetta is a bit wider than the old Passat, but both are slightly narrower than my Odyssey (69.3" vs 68.7" vs 70.6") The wheelbases and overall length are both shorter than the Odyssey too, so I could go with either. The new Passat is 71.7" wide and would still make it through the garage door, but with a new teenage driver, I'd rather go narrower than wider. A new teenage driver is another reason to consider going with a used car. Insurance will be less and I won't go ballistic over the first ding.

I like not spending $30,000 for a new Passat, but I don't necessarily want a prior design. I did that with the Odyssey in that the '97 was the last year for my model. It was old within months. From that standpoint I'll take a look at the Acura TSX as well. Thanks for the tip!

I've done the performance car route and our other car is an Audi TT ragtop so I'm looking for basic transportation that I'll let a 16 year old take out on the road.

Other ideas are welcome. She just got her learner's permit so I've got a bit before we're arguing over who gets which car.

The TSX is based on the Accord, but it's a little smaller. Has a high-performance 4-cyl, but still 200hp. And obviously a nicer interior than the Accord.

You can also check out the Honda Accord and Nissan Altima. Even though the current Altima is already 5 years old or so.

I suppose, there are some reasons why the Jetta hasn't been sold in Germany for ages - they are just now starting to import it again (from Mexico, where it is made). :wink:

This is what a UK paper (today's London Evening Standard) says about the new Jetta:

i owned a new 1992 passat for seven years /about 110,000 miles , it was a 2 liter/120 ps / automatic. while it was a really nice driver and well outfitted with all kinds of gadgets ; the automatic transmission was a stinker - after five years it started to act up, would sometimes only go into 3rd and reverse - that was fun !
i sunk a lot of money into trying to have it fixed, but eventually gave up.
shortly before i traded it (still managed to get $4,500 for it , i traded on a day when the transmission co-operated ! ) i met an old friend of mine in germany. he worked for VW as an engineer. when i complained to him, he responded : 'seven years ? who would ever keep a car that long; why don't you trade every four years ?'
we had 2 beetles, a diesel-rabbit and a jetta prior to the passat; all were very satisfactory and inexpensive to maintain.
i now have a a 1999 olds-intrigue (purchased new) and i'm very satisfied with it. still has the first battery after six canadian winters . the dealer had to re-paint the car after the first winter because "brake-dust' (from transport on the railways) had started to eat little holes into the paint , but have had no more paint problems.
aside from routine maintenance, i've not had any problems - knock wood !
i would probably stay away from VW-brand based upon personal experience. hbg

Thanks, Walter. I like 45mpg a lot. The roar at highway speeds isn't too exciting though.

hgb, thanks also. The only VW I ever owned was a '65 beetle in college and it was 10 years old at the time. I paid $500.00 for it and drove it for three years. I do tend to keep cars forever. The Odyssey is nine years old, bought new. Prior to that I drove a Mazda 626 Turbo for ages. Eight years is about my average and I would have bought something already, but I can't find anything I like. Mr B thinks I'm nuts, with all the choices out there why can't I find a car I want?

hamburger,

I've owned several VWs - gas and diesel.
Our current diesel is 1996 Passat TDI - diesel.
It has 255,000 miles on it. Still starts at 10 below zero ( left outdoors with no plug ins) No motor or transmission problems. Body - very little rust. Still gets 45mpg
at 70-80mph. Uses about a pint of oil in 3,000 miles.
I use 5-30W fully synthetic oil and have it changed about 8 to 9000 miles.

Would I recommend a VW? Of course! Especially one of the diesels. 45-50 mpg.






the

My Astra (1.9 ltr CDTI/150 horse power) is a bit better: 'official' combined figure 48.7 mpg; acceleration 0-60 miles: 8.3 sec; max speed: 129 mph.
(I did - as noticed by some A2K'ers - more (135 miles) and used less diesel all over :wink: )

J_B,

I like Slappy Doo Hoos comments on cars because they're always well informed and laid back. I also like disagreeing with him.

I think his comments on the Passat and Jetta are valid, except for the reliability issue. I subscribe to Consumers Reports, but do not believe their survey analysis is valid.

I never get tired of referring to my experience with VW's. The latest a 1996 Passat TDI(diesel) with 255,000 miles,
little rust, starts at 10 below without assistance. On my recommendation, two couples I know bought identical '05
Jetta TDI(diesel) station wagons. They are both very pleased at the starting ability, the handling, the mileage which is close to 50 mpg. One couple has 20,000 miles on their Jetta and the other has 60,000 miles. No problems with either.

Diesel engines have been developed, improved, and refined to such an extent that they are more probable to become the interim engine of the immediate future than other attempts. (the results, as yet unknown, involving battery replacement, etc.)

Here's the thing: VW's really are awesome cars. Engineering, quality of materials, and driving feel is all excellent in their respective classes. When I had my last BMW, a 2000 323ci while working at the dealer, I took home a 99-ish Jetta VR6 5-spd, and remember thinking it was 85% my BMW as far as driving feel. For a car that's $20K new vs. a $30K+, that was pretty impressive. I've always felt the Jetta didn't really have competition in it's price range in that regard.

Yes, you can have good luck with them. And the 2.0 4-cyl. they've used in the past was a rock solid engine. And in a diesel, you're going to be able to pile on a lot of miles.

However, I've seen the downfalls of the VW's. It's not so much the engine and tranny, it's all the little things that go. Power windows, emissions controls, heating, ect. Some of them can be serious horror stories. I sold some of them that kept coming back. And the main reason some vehicles depreciate faster than others is reliability. VW's don't hold their values very well, except for certain models, like a loaded GTI VR6, which can be a rare used car.

Another sign for reliability issues, that the general public doesn't really see: extended warranty costs. As a dealer, you're selling the warranty through a third party company. The highest warranty cost brands? Audi, Hummer, Land Rover, Jaguar, and VW. VW wasn't quite as high as the others in the list, but it was much higher than domestic and Japanese nameplates.

And remember every new design means more electronics, more computers, more technology. Unfortunately, these are the things VW hasn't gotten down as well as Honda, Toyota, and Nissan.

But one thing I used to tell people: that's the price you pay for driving one. If you feel you get that much more enjoyment out of driving a Jetta vs. an Altima(and yes, they're that more fun), then maybe the higher ownership cost is worth it.

Given that I tend to keep cars forever, reliability is more important that resale value. I've been spotting Acuras on the road this weekend and I think I'll add it to my test drive list. I read a comparison of Acura vs the Accord over the weekend and many folks that the Accord a better value which it might be, but nondescript is too kind for the Accord. I don't want flashy but I don't want invisible either.

Mr B works with someone who drives an Acura TL and loves it. I might have to start spending time researching Acuras

I didn't even mention the TL, just because it's more $$ than the Jettas, but used they're a great value, too. You're paying for more engine, nicer styling/interior, and more features over the Accord.

They're just great cars overall. You really can't go wrong with them. Excellent driving cars, reliable, nice interiors, and quick.

If your daughter is like most teen drivers, she's going to speed around. The TL isn't a slow car, so keep that in mind.

Slappy, I've got a 2004 RL sitting in my garage. Seems like a great car. Probably too big, too much car for my daughter, but it looks like a good candidate for my next car. It a last year design, which I don't like, but it's $23,000 with 32,000 miles compared to $45,000 two years ago when it was new. Something good when the body styles change, the later year old style values are pretty good.

Anyway, it fits in my garage, it's still under warranty, and it's loaded. Whatdoyathink?

He also has a 2000 TL with 70,000 for $13,000. Nice little car, but I fit in the RL better. On the 'good idea for the daughter' list was a 2004 Toyota Coralla with cloth seats and didn't float my boat at all, but was more of what I had in mind for a 16 year old - 36,000 miles, also $13,000.

I guess I better decide who the primary driver of the next car will be and decide if I'm buying my next car that she might drive or if I'm staying in the Odyssey and she'll be driving the new one more.....