Former B6 (hopefully soon) B7 owner!

[JBRecording]

Hey everyone - it's been a while since I'd posted on here (namely since I had to turn in my B6 a few years ago since the lease was done) and I'm finding that I miss it greatly. I'd been driving an '09 Subaru Impreza 2.5i Premium (5-spd manual, wanted to try my hand at stick) and I miss the thrill of my old 4Motion B6. I'm planning to get a new Passat, but had some questions and hopefully I can pick a few of your brains before I make the move... I'd rather ask actual drivers than sales people. Thanks in advance. I remember being active on these forums when I had my B6, I'd love to be active once again with my B7 once it's in my eager hands!

a) I know they come with "keyless go", meaning you don't have to use the key to start the engine or unlock/lock the doors... how has this been working for you? Can you still use the key if you want to? Is there still a keyhole on the steering column to start the engine "the old way" ? I'm kind of weirded out by the idea of being able to unlock my car if they key is simply "close by" - how close is close enough? If it's parked outside my apartment, and they key is in my pocket while I'm inside, is that close enough for someone to be able to get in and drive off, even if it's only a few feet or so? If any of you watch "Top Gear" I'm reminded of the episode where the three guys were in the USA, and Jeremy drove Hammond's charger out into the middle of the street and parked it there while the others were sitting inside a diner having lunch, all the while the key being in Hammond's pocket. If someone did that to me, and my Passat... so not funny.

b) 3 engines, such a tough choice! 2.5 vs v6 vs Diesel... I know the Diesel's big selling point is fuel economy, and I'm very interested in that, but is it fun to drive? Is the 9.1 seconds 0-60 sluggish? Does it feel dull? I realize to best answer this I have to go drive it to know for myself, but I doubt a salesman is going to agree to my asking "Hi, I'd like to get a new Passat but I don't know which engine I want. Can I drive all three?" - Maybe he'll say "Sure" but I don't know. I'd rather at least narrow it down to two at the most. My Impreza has a supposed 0-60 of around 8.5 seconds, and that feels somewhat sluggish to me, and I feel like I'd want something a little bit peppier, but the 2.5 and Diesel both have 0-60's quoted at 9 seconds or more, so they might wind up feeling slower than the car I currently drive now, unless I get the V6, but there goes any benefit to my gas mileage. Is the Diesel quick enough for getting onto the highway, and have adequate passing power? Does it give that satisfaction when you hit the gas, or does it feel like a dulled-out "green machine" sacrificing the driving thrill for saving MPG's?

c) Any hope of getting a manual gearbox in something higher than the base trim level? I'm really bummed that one has to sacrifice the finer things (Navigation, Sunroof) just to have a manual instead of a flappy-paddle gearbox. Then again, to you manual enthusiasts out there, is the DSG a worthwhile replacement? Is it just as good, or perhaps better?

d) Fender audio system - as an audio guy, I've heard of Harmon Kardon, Bose, etc... but Fender??? How is it?? Fender makes guitars and amps...does the audio system sound harsh and distorted? Good balance/blend? Stylistically I listen to everything from Pop/Top 40 to Dance music - in my current car I've upgraded the head unit and added an 8" JL sub, which gives me a great sound for using stock speakers in my Subaru... In my B6 I left the sound system stock and was pretty happy with it. How does the Fender stack up? The only complaints I've heard were that the UI on the head unit is a bit sluggish, but that's not a huge deal. What are your experiences?

e) Someone told me (who has an older TDI Gulf) there is some kind of Carbon flushing maintenance I have to get done costing $1200 or so that has to be done every few years... if I had the TDI one - is this true? Maintenance costs between the TDI and gas ones, much different?

Sorry for the length of my post... I want to be sure I have all of my homework done before I go in to get one.

Thanks so much for your help!!

[capclassicv2]

Ok, I'll try my best to get you your answers.

Keyless go, KESSY, is only on the SEL Premium trim lines. I have it, and every now and then it's iffy in my pocket. Maybe my pockets are too thick. But when I have it in my hand it works maybe 95% of the time. The other 5% usually just requires me to back up, wait a few seconds and try again. The sensors for KESSY ONLY work when you're near the car. For example, you no one can open it if the key is in your house. There is no keyhole in the steering column but their are hidden door locks that are plated off on the outside handles. If your fob battery dies, and the car can not read it, you can put it up to the plate on the steering column and it will sense it and allow you to start the car. And the door keyholes are for locking/arming and unlocking/disarming.

This is the range here.


No SEL's come in manual. Only 2.5L S/SE (both base) and TDI SE (also base). Which means no manual and any options (sunroof, nav, premium audio).

Fender, in my opinion, is great! They worked with Panasonic and they did a good job. But that is also only on SEL trims and I think 3.6 SE with sun/nav trims. The only unit that is sluggish is the RNS-510, which is the high end unit in SEL trims. The other units, though having different issues, respond a lot better.

The three engines basically have their own strengths. The 2.5L is a simple, proven tough engine, and with a standard auto, won't have that dreaded 40K DSG service. The TDI is for economy, mainly highway but city is not bad either. And the 3.6 is power, pure and simple. The downsides are, the 2.5L only gets okay mileage. The TDI doesn't have a lot of high end passing power. And the 3.6 is expensive in comparison and takes the most gas.

I can't comment on the TDI maintenance, since I've never owned one. I"m sure someone else here can help out.

[bborland]

Any salesman worth a damn will let you drive every car on the lot if it means you get the info you want but good luck finding a TDI Passat sitting on any lot. If you do, let me know. I'm waiting for one to materialize.

[Kyosho]

a)The KESSY only comes with SEL Premium, and I have it, and have had no problems with it. It doesn't allow you to lock yourself out of your car. You have to literally approach the car and near the door that you want to open, to open it. If you are just a few feet away, it will not unlock. The drivers door has a hidden door lock, just incase your battery dies in the key fob. And when the battery in key fob is dead, and you want to start, you just hold it close to where the key-hole would originally be in the steering column, and it will start. But you CANNOT steal the car if the keys are in your home...trust me, I tried it to make sure...lol

b) If I were you, I would personally go out and test drive each one of the different engine options. I have a TDI SEL, and I love it. It does not feel sluggish at all, and at times, surprises me on how much power it actually has. And I get great fuel economy in city and highway. I get like 30-40 city driving, and 40-50 hwy driving. It is very impressive, and is great! I highly recommend the TDI, but you should try it out for yourself and see what you think.

c) From what I hear, the manual only comes on S/SE models. But the DSG is not that bad, but manual is much more fun to drive.

d)The Fender Audio System is GREAT! I really like it, and enjoy it very much. There is no distortion, and the quality is very good. The RNS-510 can be a bit sluggish at times, but it is not a big deal at all. VW actually has an update to fix it a bit.

e) I have not heard of that maintenance that you have mentioned. First time that I heard of "Carbon flushing maintenance." It may have been for only the old models, but I am not too sure, b/c this is my first diesel car, let alone first VW.

Hope I answered most of your questions, any others, just ask!
~Kyosho

[JBRecording]

Thanks so so much for all of the great Information! Please feel free to keep it coming!

Cap, what is the dreaded 40k DSG service you alluded to?

[capclassicv2]

This is one of the threads were it was discussed that I pulled up.

LINK

[xjdaddy]

I have a SE which has a regular VW key and it is a TDI DSG with sunroof. I really like it. The road manners are impeccable and passing power is a huge plus as is the life average of close to 43mpg over 15k miles so far. The DSG has taken a little bit of getting used to but it is really nice overall. The 40k service for the DSG is a little pricey but I plan to do it myself ($120 in parts only).


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[JBRecording]

I'm starting to think I'm going to want the V6 just based on the specs alone, lol I am looking forward to driving the three different engines o experience them for myself...

Anyone with the V6 what kind of actual gas mileage have you been getting?