How to buy a Volkswagen Passat B6 correctly: what’s good for a German…. Weaknesses and disadvantages of the Volkswagen Passat B6 Engines - which engine to choose for the Passat B6

Volkswagen Passat has established itself in the minds of Russian people as one of the pillars of the business class.

And there were reasons for this: the cars of the B3-B4 series at one time made a revolution. Simple, reliable, extremely comfortable and durable, they still run across the vast expanses of Russia. But subsequent generations became different. First of all, they became more complex, and the B5 generation turned out to be made on the Audi platform with a longitudinal arrangement of the power unit and multi-link suspensions front and rear.

Technical features

But the topic of this article is the next generation, the sixth. It seems much closer to the classic B3/B4 models. There is the same transverse engine and “multi-link” - only at the rear, and exactly the same as on the VW Golf V, because these cars are made on the same platform, and in general are structurally similar in many ways. But there is no point in comparing them in appearance and feel.

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In the photo: VW Passat B3, B4, B5

Passat is a step higher, and this is felt in everything: in the size of the interior, quality of finishing, number of options, basic equipment and in the choice of engine and gearbox options. And of course, the Passat B6 has become one of the most popular cars in its class, despite the presence of traditional strong competitors in the form of Ford Mondeo and premium brands. And the secret of success seems to be known. With a price only slightly higher than that of its classmates, in terms of driving performance, ergonomics, comfort and level of equipment, it was closer to premium cars, which practical Germans really appreciated. And buyers were also offered an excellent selection of diesel engines, with a very lively character, and engines running on bioethanol, E85 fuel and compressed natural gas. Everything was great about this car: super-progressive automatic transmissions, equally modern engines, and reviews from journalists and owners about excellent comfort and handling were also true. The overall feeling of quality of the car was high, and used examples are often tempting to purchase. But the devil is in the details, and progress is paid at a high price, in this case, the reliability of power units and automatic transmissions.

On the picture: VW Passat B6

Breakdowns and operational problems

Engines

A real joy for owners are diesel engines, especially the older 1.9 TDI with a conventional injection pump and the average power 2.0 with pump injectors and common-rail with a power of 140 hp. With such engines, the car does not offer racing dynamics, but it is not slow moving either, reliability is noticeably higher than that of gasoline engines, and fuel consumption is ridiculous. The 1.6 turbodiesel is practically never found here, but it doesn’t deserve much negativity, but the most powerful 170-horsepower diesel engine of the BMR series turned out to be much more capricious than the younger versions; problems with fuel equipment and turbines are much more common on it. It has an adjustable nozzle apparatus, and any undetected error is more likely to lead to failure of the piston group, yet the degree of boost is very decent. An engine of the same power with common rail fuel injection is somewhat more reliable due to less capricious fuel equipment, but the turbine is the same.

Transmission

Confused yet? If you buy a VW, you will get used to it, in different years there are different configurations and different engines, often even by the VIN number you cannot understand what was installed on the car. Moreover, often the owner does not know what kind of box he has until it breaks. Fortunately, after many years, almost all DSG boxes received software updates, clutch units and mechatronics, and even changed the base oil to mineral oil last year; synthetics were blamed for destroying the wiring in mechatronics. And as a result, even the seven-speed DSG has become relatively inexpensive to maintain, but still avoid the “seven-speed” if possible. By the way, on the Passat B7, which is essentially a restyling product of the B6 generation, automatic transmissions are again only DSG. Choosing a car with a manual transmission allows you to look into the future with optimism, but you just need to remember that all chain motors really don’t like putting it “in gear” instead of the parking brake - this can damage the engine. And the price of a dual-mass flywheel can be unpleasantly surprising - the cost of the original part can exceed half a thousand dollars, and repairs will cost four times less.

Chassis

Electrics

Body and interior

At all times, Volkswagen cars have been among the best and most popular in the world. Their most important advantage is high reliability and true German build quality. However, not everyone can afford to buy a brand new Passat. That is why car enthusiasts in Russia, and probably in many other countries around the world, are showing a tangible interest in the used car market, where sedans and station wagons (petrol and diesel) Volkswagen Passat B6 with mileage are quoted quite well, just like its predecessor Volkswagen Passat B5.

Short story

The most striking innovations that manufacturers have introduced into the design can be seen when comparing the sixth version with the fifth. The new Passat B6 model was presented to the general public at the beginning of 2005. It replaced the already outdated fifth series of the popular brand. Manufacturers of the new car presented their consumers with the capabilities of the new model. Compared to the previous version, the Passat B6 body has new, more modern lines. Manufacturers pleased us with a wide range of engines and a comfortable interior. The sixth series of the model was produced until 2010.

The new Volkswagen Passat B6 did not disappoint its fans this time either; following the fifth series, the car broke sales records all over the world. More than two million cars were produced at Volkswagen factories in just five years. This indicates the great popularity of the WV Passat B6 model among car enthusiasts. But these numbers are understandable. After all, the products of the German concern are of high quality. Cars are designed for a wide range of consumers and therefore not only satisfy all the basic needs of motorists, but also meet all established safety requirements. Undoubtedly, buyers are also attracted by the appearance of the car. Clarity and precision of lines is what distinguishes the exterior of the Passat models.

Innovations

In 2009, manufacturers decided to update their model using light cosmetic restyling. In the same year, a new sports model, the Passat B6 R36, was released. Here is a list of modifications: lowered ground clearance; sports tuning; engine that has a power of 300 hp. With.; optional double clutch gearbox.

Reliable body

A special feature of the Volkswagen Passat is that the body, whether of older generations or newer ones, is durable and has very high corrosion resistance. Of course, galvanization is used here. You rarely see rust on the body, which means that the paintwork is also very strong. The only thing that can show age over time is the radiator grille, made of chrome, as well as moldings; they especially age if the car is often driven on salty roads in winter.

There are many sedan and station wagon cars on the market. Station wagons make up about 40%; they are easy to transport thanks to a large trunk of 1,731 liters if you lower the rear row of seats. The price for station wagons is about the same as for sedans.

Internal electrical

Although externally the car is made to the proper level, inside the electrician can create some difficulties for its owners after several years of operation. For example, after about 6 years, heated seats and their electrical adjustment, door locks and other little things may fail. It happens that The turning mechanism on the headlights gets stuck, which is why the adaptive headlights will simply shine at one point. But if the electronic steering wheel lock malfunctions, which locks the steering wheel and refuses to unlock it, then you will have to change the entire unit, the price of which is 450 euros.

When buying a used Passat, you need to carefully check the climate control; if it has any glitches, or the temperature is not displayed accurately, then you may soon have to change the air duct dampers, each of which costs about 100 euros. These flaps are located inside the front panel of the servos. After 80 thousand kilometers, the heater motors may begin to squeak; by the way, they were usually replaced under warranty. Cars of early years suffered from the fact that their compressor was extremely unreliable and required replacement, and this was minus 500 euros from the personal budget.

EnginesPassat B6

The choice of engines for the B6 is excellent and wide . Manufacturers have stocked up quite a large number of engines for the Passat, and each of the variations is familiar to ordinary people from the VW Golf, but the priorities here are set completely differently. And all this because the car is 140-220 kg heavier than the Golf.

The 1.6 engine with a power of 102 hp turned out to be not very popular for the B6. This is due to the fact that the dynamics of a heavy station wagon clearly fall short even to the usual comfortable level. And the only thing that helps such a car is its low cost and cheap repair work. This model requires heavier and more powerful motors .

The popularity of the car was not at all overshadowed by the rapid identification of shortcomings in current engines. For example, the optimal naturally aspirated 2.0 FSI engine could become capricious and not start during light frosts, and also did not please its owners at all with its considerable lubricant consumption and not the most reliable fuel equipment. And the 1.4 TSI engine, which at first glance seemed very economical and powerful, turned out to be quite problematic and complex, having a not very reliable chain, turbocharging system and fuel equipment. The rather weak 1.6 FSI, fortunately, is not found in Russia, since its dynamics are no better than those of the 1.6 with eight valves.

More reliable motors forPassat B6

Reliable and powerful 1.8 engines “saved” the reputation TSI and 2.0 TSI . They turned out to be the strongest and most trouble-free. It is these mechanisms that have gained the greatest popularity on the Russian car market among all other modifications. Unfortunately, even the V-shaped 3.6 FSI and 3.2 FSI could not please us with the absence of problems. The problems are basically the same as with the above motors. 3.6 FSI can also upset you with other problems that relate to the mechanical part. It is also necessary to take into account that station wagons with these engines are purchased on the condition that they will be used for fast driving with an appropriate degree of wear.

The most positive news after test drives was brought to experts and buyers by diesel engines, for example, 1.9 TDI, which has a power of 140 hp. With such engines, the car cannot please with racing dynamics, but at the same time this car cannot be considered a slow-moving one. Also, such an “engine” has very low fuel consumption and much higher reliability than its gasoline counterparts.

It’s a pity that you can’t buy a 1.6 turbodiesel in Russia, since it hasn’t earned any more or less negative reviews. But the most serious and powerful diesel engine from the BMR series, which has 170 hp, unfortunately, was a little disappointing, because it has problems with the turbine and fuel equipment. This engine has an adjustable nozzle apparatus, in which any undetected error can lead to breakdown of the piston group - after all, there is a very high degree of boost here.

Transmission FeaturesB6

Boxes DSGs were very unpleasant surprises . The appearance of the Passat B6 dates back to 2005, since then this model has become the first to use DSG-7 engines. And they installed the box on the less popular 1.4 and 1.8 TSI engines. And then the result did not take long to arrive.

Those drivers who became owners of the first Passats went through all the “circles of hell” with such problems as replacing assembled gearboxes and replacing clutches. The first DSG parts were quite simple and unreliable, despite the fact that they received quite flattering positive reviews about themselves in the press, where they noted their smoothness and excellent dynamics. In traffic jams, these boxes irritated with their jerking, and drivers also did not have much joy from regular breakdowns of the clutch and other components.

But it’s good that by that time the six-speed DSG, which had an oil-bath clutch, was perfectly tuned and did not cause serious problems for its owners. But even here there was a fly in the ointment - software failures and problems with the mechatronics unit were able to give this box an unflattering reputation. Such robots were previously installed on station wagons that had two-liter engines, as well as on diesel engines.

Volkswagen specialists quickly corrected their own mistakes. And a conventional six-speed hydromechanical automatic was born, which actually had no flaws.

Interior.

If we put aside all the emotions associated with Volkswagen as a prestigious car, then the B6 appears as something average in its segment, with the exception of space, a spacious trunk and high quality interior finishing. The interior looks good even after 200,000 km.

The trunk is simply huge - 565 liters.

The equipment, although rich, does not go far beyond the standards accepted in the class. Already in the basic Trendline configuration, the Passat has 10 airbags, climate control, while the Highline has leather seats with Alcantara and a more advanced Climatronic climate control system. There are often examples with an RNS satellite navigation system and a multifunctional steering wheel.

The overall level of comfort is good, but there are better offers on the market, such as the Citroen C5. And if someone wants a car with plenty of space in the second row, then they can choose the Ford Mondeo or Skoda Superb. Unfortunately, the issue of prestige of owning a Passat B6 also affects the price of the car, raising the bar too high.

DISADVANTAGES OF USED VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT B6, REVIEWS:

• The first and most important disadvantage is that the market average price is inflated, as for a used car. Yes, this is business class, yes it is real German, but still not new...
• Problems with electronics (radio tape recorder, engine start button, electric handbrake, air conditioning controls, etc.).
• Slight rust in chipped areas.
• The slightly raised rear makes parking difficult, especially if you've never driven a bulky sedan or station wagon before.
• Problems with the timing belt, hydraulic tensioners and intake system corrugations.
• Expensive body and interior parts.
• Rapid failure of silent blocks (especially in the front).
• High pressure pump failure.

ADVANTAGES OF THE CAR:

• The car is practically not subject to corrosion; body parts are changed only after the most difficult operating conditions of the sedan.
• Security is high. At one time it received 5/5 stars from Euro NCAP.
• The finishing materials are top notch, because this is German business class.
• Comfortable seats, excellent lateral support, wide range of adjustment.
• A huge selection of power plants, from diesels to turbocharged aspirated ones.
• A big plus is the availability of models with all-wheel drive.
• High controllability and stability on the road.
• Rich equipment.
• Durable rear suspension.

How much does the sixth model cost?

In Russia, a Passat B6 Trendline car with a 1.4-liter power unit can be purchased for 400,000 rubles. A complete assembly with a powerful engine and all-wheel drive option on the Russian market will cost around 1,300,000 rubles. These are prices for 2013. The price difference between the Passat B6 sedan and station wagon is about $15,000. That is, the basic model with the required minimum will cost $26,000, and the most expensive configuration will cost the buyer $33,000. A very good price for a good and high-quality station wagon. Along with the technical characteristics, it is the cost that makes the model so popular among car owners.

Conclusion.

One thing undoubtedly unites B5 and B6 - a huge number of offers on the market, which, however, does not make it easier to choose a worthwhile copy. In the case of B6, things are even worse. When purchasing a cheaper B5, no one expects its excellent condition. When buying an expensive B6, car enthusiasts believe that they are buying a younger car, which means it shouldn’t cause any trouble. But there are often cases when in reality the B6 has already covered more than 200-300 thousand km, and the seller simply prepared it very well for sale. This is especially true for cars from Europe: many of them worked in cheap taxis, but after a whole arsenal of magical rejuvenation methods they began to look like fresh copies.

Test drive: Video

Produced in Germany, India, Angola, Ukraine, China and Malaysia.

The Volkswagen Group A5 PQ46 platform is shared with Audi A3 (8P), Audi TT (8J), Volkswagen Touran (1T), Volkswagen Caddy (2K), SEAT Altea (5P), Volkswagen Golf V (1K), Skoda Octavia (1Z), Volkswagen Golf Plus (5M), SEAT Toledo (5P), Volkswagen Jetta (1K), SEAT Leon (1P), Volkswagen Tiguan (5N), Volkswagen Scirocco (1K8), Volkswagen Golf VI (5K), Skoda Yeti (5L), Volkswagen Jetta (1K), Audi Q3 (8U), Volkswagen Beetle(A5).

Body

The body is highly resistant to corrosion. The chrome trim on the radiator grille and moldings is peeling off.

The interior is well preserved and does not creak.

The plastic of the headlights quickly becomes cloudy.

Electrics

The electrics of the rear marktronics and the number plate lighting on the fifth door in the station wagon version are faulty.

After 5-6 years of operation they failheated or electrically adjusted seats, electric parking brakes, door and trunk locks malfunction, diodes in the rear lights burn out.

At 100k km the rotary module sensor failsadaptive headlights and they turn into regular ones.

They refuse servo drives for air duct dampers located in the front panel ($130 each). The climate control fan motors howl at 70-80 t.km.

On cars manufactured in 2005-2006, the air conditioning compressor fails ($650).

Engine

The engine has a 1.8 TFSI after 100 thousand km the noise of a stretched timing chain may appear ($260). If a malfunction occurs, the chain may jump and the cylinder head will need to be replaced ($2000 for an empty head and $4000 for a head with valves).

With a mileage of about 90 thousand km, the water pump of the cooling system ($200), which comes complete with a thermostat and temperature sensor, may leak.

Then they wear outdamper bushings in the intake manifold, which come complete with the manifold ($550), and the turbocharger control solenoid valve fails.

If low-quality oil is used, the valve will fail by 100-120 thousand kmcrankcase ventilation system, which will cause the crankshaft oil seal to leak. In addition, the oil pump pressure relief valve will jam, causing the low oil pressure lamp on the instrument panel to light up.

The engine consumes oil at high speeds up to 1.5 l/1000 km.

On Volkswagen Passat B 6 with 2.0 TFSI after 100-150 thousand km, oil consumption may increase to 0.7-1 l/1000 km. Treated by replacementoil separator in the crankcase ventilation system ($180) or valve stem seals ($450). Piston rings wear out less often ($100). But these actions do not guarantee a reduction in consumption.

The ignition coils ($45 each) and the injection system injectors ($150 each) fail.

After 45 thousand km, you need to monitor the condition of the timing belt. Replacing the cylinder head in case of a break will cost $2100-4200.

For Volkswagen Passat B 6 , produced in 2005-2008, after 150 thousand km, the drive cam of the intake camshaft is worn down by the injection pump drive rod, due to which the efficiency of the injection pump decreases and the shaft has to be changed ($650).

Engines 1.6 FSI and 2.0 FSI with direct fuel injection are characterized by poor starting in winter,hard and noisy work.

You can make starting easier by using a clean high pressure fuel pump mesh in the tank. The manufacturer changes the filter together with the pump ($300), but you can change the filter separately ($100). In addition, it is worth removing and cleaning the fuel injectors every 30-50 thousand km ($300).

On engines The FSI ignition system does not tolerate short trips in winter, long periods of engine idling and tight driving. In such conditions, spark plugs ($30) last 10-12 thousand km. Following the spark plugs, the ignition coil will fail.

At 2.0 FSI, jumps in idle speed up to 2000 rpm and engine stalling occur due to failures of the exhaust gas recirculation system valve ($180).

As a result, the most reliable engine is the 1.6 (102 hp) with distributed fuel injection, but it is rare and its dynamics are insufficient for a large car.

Diesel engines are quite reliable. Especially the CBA and CBB series, which have been installed since 2008. On them, the fuel injection pump may fail due to low-quality fuel ($1800). By 100 thousand km, the injector seals will wear out ($20).

Diesels 1.9 and 2.0 with 8 valves have expensive pump injectors ($900 apiece).

Diesel enginesseries BMA, BKP, BMR were equipped with piezoelectric pump injectors ($800 apiece), which have weak wiring, due to which the injector connector melts and the engine begins to trip, and which last about 50 thousand km.

For diesel engines 2.0, on cars before 2008) wears out by 180-200 t.kmhexagonal oil pump drive shaft. The low oil pressure light will come on and the engine may be destroyed.

By 150 thousand km, a dull knock may occur in the rear wall of the engine, indicating wear of the dual-mass flywheel ($550). If a malfunction occurs, the flywheel, when destroyed by debris, will damage the starter ($500), clutch ($400), and gearbox housing ($650-800).

Transmission

The 4Motion all-wheel drive system with a Haldex coupling can easily operate from 250 thousand km, provided the oil is changed every 60 thousand km.

Inner CV joints ($90) are left without lubrication due to hard boots and loose clamps.

Manual transmissions are reliable. By 70-80 thousand km the oil seals may leak. On cars manufactured before 2008, shaft bearings are very sensitive to oil level.

Automatic transmission6 Tiptronic TF-60SN (or 09 according to classification V AG), developed jointly with Aisin, is prone to overheating, which causes the bearings and valve control unit to fail.

By 60-80 thousand km, shocks may appear when switching due to a malfunction in the valve body. Replacement will cost $1,400 and repairs will cost $500.

On DSG6 Borg Warner DQ250 with clutches operating in oil, the valve control unit - mechatronics - fails. Shocks in first gears will appear with a mileage of 20 thousand km and a new mechatronics will cost $2,300.

DSG6 was installed on diesel 2.0, gasoline VR 6 3.2, TFSI 1.4 and 1.8.

Oil in DSG6 is changed every 60 thousand km and is very expensive ($220 for 7 liters).

On DSG7 DQ200 with dry clutches Luk The mechatronics also fails, which will cost $2800. In addition, the clutches fail. Kicking while driving is a widespread phenomenon. Under warranty, the control units were reflashed, clutches ($1500) and entire gearboxes ($9500) were changed, but after 40-50 thousand km everything happened again.

ModernizedDSG7 with an improved control unit and stronger clutches appeared at the end of 2010. But in the summer of 2012, the manufacturer extended the warranty on the DSG7 to 5 years or 150 thousand km.

Chassis

Cars were delivered to Russia with a package for bad roads, which included increased ground clearance, stiffer springs and shock absorbers.

There is play between the front aluminum subframe and the steel side members due to electrochemical corrosion. Backlash is eliminated by tightening the bolts.

In the front suspension, silent blocks of levers last 20-30 thousand km on cars manufactured before 2008. Later they were strengthened and the resource increased to 100 thousand km.

By 100 thousand km, stabilizer struts ($30 each), steering tips, front shock absorbers ($180 each) and their upper supports wear out.

By 130-150 thousand km, the silent blocks of the rear levers wear out. Replacing them can be complicated by rotten eccentric bolts.

By 100-120 thousand km, the front suspension with aluminum arms will require a rebuild.

The manufacturer replaces the stabilizer bushings together with the stabilizer ($200), but you can choose a non-original one.

Control mechanisms

Crashes Electronic steering column lock ELV and locks the steering wheel. Fixed by replacing the block for $550.

By 100-120 thousand km the steering mechanism will wear out ZF or APA ($1100-1600).

Other

There are cars from the USA. They have a softer suspension, different bumpers, instrument readout, optics and radio frequency.

Engines were installed on American cars2.0 TFSI and 3.6 VR6, and the gearbox is only DSG6.

As a result, the best choice would be a diesel car with a manual transmission produced after 2008.

The Volkswagen Passat B6 is not sold in the showrooms of official Volkswagen dealers.

Technical characteristics of Volkswagen Passat B6

Modifications of Volkswagen Passat B6

Volkswagen Passat B6 1.4 TSI MT

Volkswagen Passat B6 1.4 TSI DSG

Volkswagen Passat B6 1.6MT

Volkswagen Passat B6 1.8 TSI MT 152 Hp

Volkswagen Passat B6 1.8 TSI DSG 152 Hp

Volkswagen Passat B6 1.8 TSI MT 160 Hp

Volkswagen Passat B6 1.8 TSI DSG 160 Hp

Volkswagen Passat B6 1.9 TDI MT

Volkswagen Passat B6 2.0 FSI MT

Volkswagen Passat B6 2.0 FSI DSG

Volkswagen Passat B6 2.0 FSI 4Motion MT

Volkswagen Passat B6 2.0 TSI DSG

Volkswagen Passat B6 2.0 TDI MT

Volkswagen Passat B6 2.0 TDI DSG

Volkswagen Passat B6 3.2 4Motion DSG

Odnoklassniki Volkswagen Passat B6 price

Unfortunately, this model has no classmates...

Reviews from Volkswagen Passat B6 owners

Volkswagen Passat B6, 2005

The car was purchased from an official dealer, I don’t remember the price, and everything changed a long time ago, before the default. There were no accidents, scratched, of course, tinted in circles. But there were two very unpleasant moments during operation. In 25 degree frost, I had to take my daughter to school, about 6 km, I started the Volkswagen Passat B6 and was surprised - the tachometer speed did not warm up and the engine was running like in summer, about 700 revolutions, I sat my daughter down and as soon as I started I felt the smell of burnt wiring in the cabin, I decided not to jam it and take my daughter to school. We were late. Then I didn’t turn off the car and drove straight home to the parking lot. I realized that the starter was finished. I turned it off and called a tow truck, they went through how much I paid - I don’t remember either, but the breakdown ruined all my plans, I walked to work, walked to pick up my child, the service center said that the relay was stuck, original spare parts for the Volkswagen Passat B6 are also not cheap, made to order, model it was new. It hasn't been in use for a year, dealers refused to replace it under warranty, such as Moscow frosts and all that. In the second year of operation, the Volkswagen Passat B6 began to make noise in the front part of the engine, in the place of the generator. I went for diagnostics, they “sentenced” the air conditioning compressor, opened it, the entire cavity was in the shells, again, not an insured event, like I drove without freon, in short, there was no point in “butting heads” with them, I took a contract compressor and decided to sell the car, too “ raw”, in my opinion. And so, in general, for fans of “Germans”, I like the appearance of the Volkswagen Passat B6. The chassis is “explosive”, it doesn’t “swallow” our roads, the ground clearance is low, it hit hard several times, especially on the Tula highway. The interior is decent, well-made, the assembly is also good, there are also few complaints about handling, the instruments are readable, only the red backlight affects the eyes. Safety is top notch - lots of pillows, curtains. The music is good, but only CD, The car is not for everyone.

Advantages : beautiful. Large salon. Good handling.

Flaws : low ground clearance. Expensive spare parts. Chassis settings for Bavarian roads.

Arthur, Lyubertsy

Volkswagen Passat B6, 2008

Owned a Volkswagen Passat B6 2FSI 6 automatic transmission, not DSG, for 5 years. Mileage 133 thousand km. What can I say - dynamics, handling, turning angle when turning, rotating xenon. The “autohold” function is very necessary; you don’t have to keep your foot on the brake when stopping, for example, uphill at a traffic light. The quality of finishing materials in the Volkswagen Passat B6 is at the best level, the “Japanese” are clearly losing, I drove them all, with exceptions. I believe that the Passat is the best in its class for the money. But not everything is as good as it seems. In severe frosts (-25) the Passat refused to start. What I didn’t do. I had to put it in a brick garage, the problem went away, but this is a big minus for the car. For 2-2.5 years of ownership, nothing broke, only scheduled maintenance. The interior is really big, the trunk is huge, there were “crickets” in the front panel from time to time, especially in winter. Then a whistle appeared under the hood; it was missing when cold; it turned out that the membrane was on the valve cover, not separately, only assembled. The xenon on the right headlight has burned out. To change, you need to remove the headlight. The engine and gearbox of the Volkswagen Passat B6 worked perfectly, on the chassis I changed all the silent blocks of all the levers, all the CV joints, the front stabilizer links, the rear wheel bearing is only assembled, I buy German spare parts, but not original ones. Now the seat belt is beeping, as if I am not fastened, I have to not fasten it, because the beeping does not go away. Put it up for sale and sold it (cheaper). On a good highway I accelerated the Volkswagen Passat B6 to 215 km/h. I think that this is not the limit. It holds the road perfectly, the brakes are just perfect, it accelerates faster with the tiptronic, you just don’t need to shift, it shifts itself when necessary. Find out how it starts in cold weather, or buy a 1.8 turbo, there are no problems with it, but it eats oil, unlike a 2-liter one.

Advantages : High-tech. Controllability. Dynamics.

Flaws : a damp engine is not for our frosts. Weak automatic transmission.

Alexander, Moscow

Volkswagen Passat B6, 2006

The previous car was a Ford Mondeo 2000, 2.5 V6 170 hp. Manual transmission, drove about 80 thousand on it and sold it with a mileage of 220,000 km. I decided to upgrade, took a Volkswagen Passat B6, I really liked the look, there weren’t many of them in Minsk then, or rather a lot, but not as much as now. I don’t really like diesel, and the only affordable gasoline cars were naturally aspirated ones from Europe with low mileage. I immediately liked the car, when I got in, I felt that it was mine, everything was convenient, everything was at hand, everything was as it should be, it went fast, the consumption was reasonable - 7 liters on the highway. If you don’t drive more than 100, and 11-12 liters in the city, in winter in the city it’s a liter and a half more. The handling of the car is ideal, the steering wheel is very sharp and informative, the Volkswagen Passat B6 holds the road well, you can drive on the highway at 160 km/h without straining, there are no problems with overtaking, the automatic transmission is very fast, it immediately drops a gear if there is not enough traction for another one, overtaking for pleasure. After the manual transmission, I couldn’t get used to the automatic for a long time, but it’s still not ideal, you can feel the shifts and the sharpness of the transmission of dynamics is blurred. In short, after more than two years I still haven’t gotten used to it, my next car will be a manual one, and it’s boring with an automatic - there aren’t many traffic jams in Minsk, so an automatic is not so relevant. The sound insulation of the interior is decent, but I wouldn’t call it ideal, at the level of the same “Mondeo”, the suspension is the same, rather quite stiff and a little rattling, the “disease” is a rattling steering rack, I changed the stabilizer links and the outer CV joint boot twice, nothing else in the car It didn’t break, I only changed “consumables”.

Advantages : beautiful car. Good review. Comfortable fit. Quite comfortable ride over long distances, the back does not get tired.

Flaws : a lot of crickets and squeaks in the cabin. A harsh suspension coupled with a rattling steering rack.

Roman, Minsk

The first sixth-generation VW Passat was born in 2005, and for several years, until 2010, it was produced in station wagon and sedan formats, which had their own name - Variant. These cars were produced in their homeland, and first of all, this indicates that the car’s build quality is the highest, and it is this factor that should rehabilitate the fifth generation of Passat cars, which was not so successful.

The advantages of cars of this model range undoubtedly include quite rich and varied equipment from a functional point of view . The cars also have a very soft ride and a modernized convertible interior. The disadvantages include not the most ideal visibility in the cabin. This is due to the fact that the rear view mirror on the right is slightly smaller in size than the left. Another disadvantage of the cars was, oddly enough, the low level of reliability of individual mechanisms and components.

The car interior is very spacious and roomy. It is equipped with quite comfortable and comfortable seats and high-quality finishing materials. However, experts do not recommend dealing with light tones of upholstery material. Even if you do not look at the fact that some drivers refrain from smoking in the car, then all the same, dirt and dust that penetrate into the cabin from the outside will quickly deprive the interior of all its presentability.

But there is one point that significantly smooths out all the disadvantages of the car. This is its high degree of corrosion resistance, which is ensured by the use of two layers of galvanization of the entire surface of the body. Another very pleasing feature is the spacious trunk, which is equipped with an anti-friction floor.

The good and bad of Volkswagen Passat B6 engines

Turbodiesel engines for the Volkswagen Passat B6 are the most economical and reliable among all engines that were created for cars of this generation . One of the most trouble-free engines is the 1.9 TDI, which has a power of 106 hp. However, it should be noted that this engine is also the least powerful among all power units for the VW Passat B6.

For any of the engines, there is a period for passing a technical inspection, which is fixed within the framework of 15,000 km. After passing this distance, it is necessary to change the oil, fuel filter and other small components. By the way, if you look at the average of all the engines in the VW Passat B6 model range, then we can say that the engines are generally durable and very reliable. The components and mechanisms are made of durable materials that have a very high degree of wear resistance.

Scheduled technical inspection for these vehicles is by no means a cheap pleasure. The whole problem is that the engine under the hood is placed longitudinally, and this creates certain inconveniences during repair work with the fuel equipment and the engine itself. In order to change the timing belt on this car, it is necessary to disassemble virtually the entire front part, which makes the cost of the service even higher.

Engine 2.0 TDI

This engine can safely be called the most unsuccessful among all in the line, and at the same time the most powerful . Its power is 170 hp. This motor truly has

pathological tendency to coking of pump injectors. Their resource is about 90,000 km. The beginning of this “disease” is manifested in the appearance of extraneous knocks, and then they refuse to function in cold weather. The engine’s power also decreases, and this is ensured by the fact that the air flow sensor, which cannot boast of a high degree of reliability, gradually fails.

Power units for the Passat B6, which are equipped with a Common Rail system, are much less problematic. However, despite this, they also need to be diagnosed in a timely manner in order to avoid all sorts of problems. Such diagnostics must be carried out every 30,000 km. These engines lose power due to carbon deposits forming on the piezo injectors. These problems are typical for those cars that have as their owner a person who likes to drive at high speeds. Previously, these engines were also famous for such breakdowns as malfunctions of particulate filters. In our country, this problem is solved quite quickly and easily - by removing the filters and immediately reprogramming the control unit taking into account the new parameters.

Electrical problems

Unfortunately, in cars Volkswagen Passat B6, namely in electrical equipment there are quite a lot of problem areas . This applies to a variety of sensors, due to malfunctions of which problems with starting the engine quite often arise. Such problems are solved by diagnosing the engine and carrying out an operation to eliminate the identified problems. Also very short-lived are the turn signal relays and door lock switches.

In terms of lighting, both inside and outside the car, inconvenience will always be created by plastic caps from the front optics. After a certain time, these parts begin to sandblast, as a result of which the illumination of the road surface significantly deteriorates.

In general, in other respects we can say that the electrical equipment of Passat B6 cars is quite powerful. This is a significant advantage compared to the previous generation of Volkswagen cars, whose owners actually immediately after purchase had to change all the light bulbs in the car for more powerful ones.

Vehicle transmission and chassis

Mechanical transmission of cars Passat The B6 is very, very reliable, which, unfortunately, cannot be said about the automatic transmission. . Tiptronic automatic transmission is running out of service life

after 150,000 km. This figure is very, very small for a car of such a high class. This transmission is equipped with a robotic DSG, in retaliation for such a low resource. Well, the clutch life on this box is also a small figure - only 90,000 km.

The car suspension in general can be called quite reliable, especially the front suspension. This degree of reliability applies to all components and parts, with the exception of the front hinges and silent blocks of the transverse arm. For Russian roads, unfortunately, these parts turned out to be rather weak. Ball joints also have low durability. There are absolutely no complaints about all other parts and suspension units. Any minor troubles that occur with the suspension can always be eliminated by car owners who have at least a little experience in carrying out repair work, if they have the materials and parts.

The brake system also has some problems . This primarily concerns the fragility and low service life of brake pads and discs. Their critical wear can always be diagnosed - all you need to do is hear a nasty grinding and squeaking noise when braking. If we consider the chassis of the car, the most important object of criticism here is the angles of the rear wheels. They are very sensitive to attempts to cross curbs. This means that those who like to park on sidewalks will have to go to the service station much more often to carry out wheel alignment repairs.

Other car problems and general conclusion

In the steering, you definitely need to pay attention to the rod ends, which are also very weak for Russian operating conditions . The luggage compartment lid and niches under the moldings cannot withstand de-icing agents for a long time, and, as a result, suffer serious damage after the winter season. Cars built before 2007 also have weak lower door moldings. These parts are glued and during repair work on the doors you will have to remove them and purchase new ones.

In general, despite the seemingly large number of identified shortcomings in Passat B6 cars, they can still be considered much more attractive and reliable than cars of the previous generation. Quite developed functionality and rich equipment make the owners of this car forget about all the shortcomings. Moreover, the car has excellent driving dynamics, and while driving, all the problems described above certainly do not occur to anyone. And therefore this car is popular not only in its homeland, but also here in Russia!