Info On Passats

[rivergames]

The g/f is looking for a car. Her price range is around $3k max. She is liking the passats. Are passats good cars or junk after 150K?

Anyone else recommend a good reliable car in the $3k price range?

 

[Anarchy Powerboats]

Really depends on the service history, if they have a solid history you should be fine, they are good cars. I prefer the diesel VW's myself.

 

[lakemadness]

IMO, if you're GF is in that price range she needs to stay with a honda or toyota. I wouldnt get into a $3K Passat and expect much reliability from it.

 

[westair]

IMO, if you're GF is in that price range she needs to stay with a honda or toyota. I wouldnt get into a $3K Passat and expect much reliability from it.

x2 Passat has a good resale so a 3k dollar one would probably be used up.

 

[rivergames]

Yea, we were going to look at this one tomorrow after work... Owner didn't seem like a typical bullshiter on the phone, but ya never know

I figured she can get the keys for $2,800

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/cto/3089013470.html

 

[koenig]

They are good cars and are popular so they have resale value. For $3k you'll mostly find cars from the 1990's.

 

[Run_em_Hard]

Has the timing belt / water pump been replaced? Don't see that in there.

 

[rivergames]

Has the timing belt / water pump been replaced? Don't see that in there.

I'm not sure. Just a rough guestimate... What do you think it would cost to replace a timing belt and water pump?

 

[YoPengo]

I may have a buddy looking to sell his... Let me text him...

 

[pronstar]

I think most VW's from that era have window-regulator issues.
There's a lot of youtube videos out about how to do the repair.

Other than that, I would definitely get the car checked out, and definitely see if you can get the maintenance records. German electrical systems in high-mile cars scare me, but if the mechanicals have been maintained properly then they should be pretty stout.

 

[rivergames]

I may have a buddy looking to sell his... Let me text him...

That would be great, thanks bud

 

[YoPengo]

I may have a buddy looking to sell his... Let me text him...

Scratch that... he is not ready to sell. :thumbsdown

 

[rivergames]

Scratch that... he is not ready to sell. :thumbsdown

bummer

 

[Tom Brown]

IMO, if you're GF is in that price range she needs to stay with a honda or toyota. I wouldnt get into a $3K Passat and expect much reliability from it.

I'm a VW fan and I wouldn't buy a $3K Passat.

 

[Tom Brown]

I'm not sure. Just a rough guestimate... What do you think it would cost to replace a timing belt and water pump?

$700

 

[SBjet]

You're looking at cars over 10 yrs old, and German parts are expensive. Honda and Toyota would be nice, but they are at premium with gas prices up.

 

[Cole Trickle]

Sounds serious...two girlfriend posts in a couple days

If your really inlove why not let her drive the ghetto pumpkin:champagne::skull

 

[25Elmn8r]

I would stay away from a $3000 Passat, especially with the 1.8 Turbo. I had 01 A4 with the 1.8, essentially the same motor. That motor has major issues with sludge buildup due to the turbo cokeing the oil when turned off hot. I lost the turbo at 110k miles. Audi wanted $3800 to fix it. I was able to do it for under $1000, but between that and the other issues that were always $1000+ to fix, I can't recommend the 1.8 turbo to anyone.

I would stick with a Honda in that price range. My 91 civic that I bought when it was about 1 year old, is still a daily driver in my family. The other few Honda's I had thruout the years were always reliable. My daily driver is now a Honda again.

 

[460]

You know, you could Be a good boyfriend/soon to be fianc? and help her buy a better car. Just saying

 

[HavasuHank]

Sounds serious...two girlfriend posts in a couple days

If your really inlove why not let her drive the ghetto pumpkin:champagne::skull

You know, you could Be a good boyfriend/soon to be fianc? and help her buy a better car. Just saying

It's only a matter of time.

 

[BarryMac]

My daughter had a Jetta with that motor, it was a pile at 70k miles, my galpal had an A4 with that motor, it was a pile at 90k.

I can tell you that both of the cars above were maintained. Oh and wait for the electrical issues to start happening. You'll kick yourself then your girl will kick your ass to the curb for letting her buy a pile o crap...

 

[vstdispatch]

dont buy a VW Andrew. I have heard alot of bad things from a friend of mine that is a mechanic.

 

[rivergames]

You know, you could Be a good boyfriend/soon to be fianc? and help her buy a better car. Just saying

Sounds serious...two girlfriend posts in a couple days

If your really inlove why not let her drive the ghetto pumpkin:champagne::skull

She wouldnt be able to afford nor her body would be able to handle my interest rates

 

[rivergames]

Ok so German Cars Sux


What else is a nice car/truck/suv for the $3K budget?

 

[Tom Brown]

Ok so German Cars Sux

German cars don't suck. They're built great, can last a long time, and parts can be cheap, particularly for some models.

... but you have to source parts from a poor country, like Portugal, to get parts cheap and mechanics are going to slaughter you on labor here.

For someone like me, who has two other vehicles and fixes everything myself, VWs are great. For someone like your girlfriend who isn't sure where the front of the car is, she would be better off with a Corolla or Civic.

 

[ArcadiaBrad]

Had a 97 Passat....biggest piece of S$*t ever with only 90k miles.....was so bad I could not in good conscience sell it to someone else...ended up doing the car donation thing.....

Stick with Honda/Toyota

 

[rivergames]

German cars don't suck. They're built great, can last a long time, and parts can be cheap, particularly for some models.

... but you have to source parts from a poor country, like Portugal, to get parts cheap and mechanics are going to slaughter you on labor here.

For someone like me, who has two other vehicles and fixes everything myself, VWs are great. For someone like your girlfriend who isn't sure where the front of the car is, she would be better off with a Corolla or Civic.

Word.

I really do not want to add another project to my list and have to work on her car :thumbsdown

 

[rivergames]

Don't ask me why, but she likes the old jeeps

something like this.... Any thoughts?

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/cto/3101947555.html

 

[Tom Brown]

Had a 97 Passat....biggest piece of S$*t ever with only 90k miles.....was so bad I could not in good conscience sell it to someone else...ended up doing the car donation thing.....

Stick with Honda/Toyota

I forgot to mention that. Some VWs aren't that great. That includes some Jettas and Golfs, too.

I consider the ALH series A3 chassis to be the best cars ever made, bar none. Meanwhile, you don't have to move very far on the model chart to find some pretty poor cars, for various reasons.

 

[pronstar]

It looks like she's hell-bent on you working on her car.

In that price range, and with your unwillingness to spend every waking hour wrenching on her car, you really need to look at a Japanese car.

 

[Cole Trickle]

Don't ask me why, but she likes the old jeeps

something like this.... Any thoughts?

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/cto/3101947555.html

I would rather drive that 2K jeep than a 4K VW:skull

Does it have the 4.0?

If it does they typically last forever and parts are cheap. If that was 4x4 it would be going for alot more $$$.

Honesty if your shopping in that price range your going to be working on and fixing shit

 

[rivergames]

I would rather drive that 2K jeep than a 4K VW:skull

Does it have the 4.0?

If it does they typically last forever and parts are cheap. If that was 4x4 it would be going for alot more $$$.

Honesty if your shopping in that price range your going to be working on and fixing shit

How about this one? Lots of miles, but it seams the guy has been replacing a bunch of parts

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/3099332472.html

 

[pronstar]

How about this one? Lots of miles, but it seams the guy has been replacing a bunch of parts

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/3099332472.html

Second owner of a Canadian car.
To me, that ad says "I wanted to keep it, but this car has issues that I can't seem to fix".

 

[rivergames]

Second owner of a Canadian car.
To me, that ad says "I wanted to keep it, but this car has issues that I can't seem to fix".

But he drives it all over California

 

[Tom Brown]

How about this one? Lots of miles, but it seams the guy has been replacing a bunch of parts

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/3099332472.html

It's almost certainly the 4 liter AMC engine. Those cars go forever.

The thing is, they don't go forever in a nice way. By now, it will have terrible oil leaks and quite a bit of blow-by. That's not to say it will conk out tomorrow, it won't, but if you life the hood or look underneath, you will see an oil slick that would blacken Prince William Sound.

Oh... and the power locks will be shot, unless he has just replaced them. In this case, they will work for a few months and then die again. lol!

 

[Cole Trickle]

How about this one? Lots of miles, but it seams the guy has been replacing a bunch of parts

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/3099332472.html

To give you an idea I bought my dad an 01 anniversary edition with 115K miles on it in good shape for $3200

No issues after a tune up and he has driven it to Parker and dumont offroading. My dad has $$$ and has owned alot of nice shit but loves his cherokee after I cleaned it up and put on the lift.

 

[Cole Trickle]

It's almost certainly the 4 liter AMC engine. Those cars go forever.

The thing is, they don't go forever in a nice way. By now, it will have terrible oil leaks and quite a bit of blow-by. That's not to say it will conk out tomorrow, it won't, but if you life the hood or look underneath, you will see an oil slick that would blacken Prince William Sound.

Oh... and the power locks will be shot, unless he has just replaced them. In this case, they will work for a few months and then die again. lol!

They do have some known electrical issues....lol

Alot of info for tips and tricks on the cherokee forums. When I got the jeep the driver window control would only open that window. God knows how long the previous owner driove around like that. I bypassed the window lock button and everything was golden in about 5 minutes

 

[rivergames]

Blazer?

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/3063236013.html

 

[Cole Trickle]

Blazer?

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/3063236013.html

Does this girl have a job?

What kind of girl are you setteling down with that drives a 15 y/o blazer?

I always pictured you with whiskey drinking strippers that drove convertible BMW's:skull

 

[rivergames]

Does this girl have a job?

What kind of girl are you setteling down with that drives a 15 y/o blazer?

I always pictured you with whiskey drinking strippers that drove convertible BMW's:skull

Hahaha "Setteling Down"

She sells skin care products. She is a whiskey drinker but not a stipper. I wouldn't date a stripper, only party and have my way with them. Strippers are nut jobs

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

I would tell her to look for a 99-2000 Camry or Accord. Afterall, you wouldn't want your "wife to be" left stranded somewhere.