1996 Volkswagen Passat

I have purchased 4 of these cars through the years. German engineering can be tricky, but if you know a good mechanic and bought one of these that was well maintained, I'm convinced there's no better car on the road for performance, comfort, and just an enjoyable drive. I've owned both variants of this body style (B3 and B4 - some say B3-1/2) and let me tell you a 6'5" man can sit comfortably in the back seat. These were the longest of the large VW sedans (until the Toureg and Phaeton) and the back seat tells all. Unfortinately the sedans have a smaller trunk that some would like (me), but the power and handling characteristics of this car more than make up for it. I prefer the wagon version just because of the cavernous space when you fold the back seats down.

Also the TDI version (only made in '96) gets up to 48 MPG, mine is around 42.

well everything is going wrong with the vehicle, the transmission is on its last breath and the vehicle jerk hesitates to pick up speed and shuts off when you reverse the vehicle. I decided to buy the vehicle because it was listed in great condition with no mechanical problems which was completely bogus.

We purchased a '96 Passat TDI, site unseen except for the auction photos. We flew into Dallas, and the seller met us at the airport with the vehicle. We drove it straight home to Tennessee with no problems. Just lots of fun driving! And we only used a tank and a 1/4 of fuel! We owned one of these when they were new, and regreted selling it. If you want a fun, speedy car that looks good and gets a average of 45 mpg, this is it!

It is a great ride especially on the freeway. It drives better at 80 so I try to keep the speed down. I love the sunroof. I love that I have had it for 8 years and it has never not started and is dependable. I had all the belts changed and the oil on a regular basis, a couple sets of new tires and the body looks great. I did have to have a rebuilt transmission put in last year when it was 11 years old but I don't like car payments so I am happy. It gets about 22 miles to the gallon.

I have replaced the catalytic converter because it just wore out along with the water pump and the steering pump and belt. Other than that and regular maintenance ,a new bumper from people backing into me or ???, I am keeping it because it is such a great car. I don't know anyone else who had major problems with their newer versions either.

To be fair, they just don't make cars like they used to and I think most cars are kind of a pain in the rear to keep them in good working order. If I sold it I would ask $5000.

I have 3 sedans, always wanted a wagon. This one appeared to be in magnificent condition. It was not. The seller did not deliver rear seat headrests and the rear seat anchor was missing a bolt on one side. Also, the shifting is not smooth, in that 1st, 3rd and 4th are often hard to get into without an extra push or retry. Otherwise, I am very pleased, but the wagon price is high because of its rarity. This car appears to have oversized injectors in it, as it really FLIES when you step on it.