Good cars but old tech and even in Sport trim they are massively dull and not sporty apart from a nice set of seats.

The R Line showed promise but underneath its just an S spec car with xenons, bodykit, 18's and dark glass. The regular Passat seats are just horrible and big holes in the spec for what is an expensive car.

The alltrak is well and good but I cant help feeling that if youre looking to spend that sort of money on a car of that sort an A4/A6 Allroad would be a better bet, the A6 particularly so. I know they are more expensive and dont want to have that VFM argument but a pumped up Passat just doesnt really do it for me.

Edited 17 January, 201412 yr by pipsyp

Good cars but old tech and even in Sport trim they are massively dull and not sporty apart from a nice set of seats.

The R Line showed promise but underneath its just an S spec car with xenons, bodykit, 18's and dark glass. The regular Passat seats are just horrible and big holes in the spec for what is an expensive car.

The alltrak is well and good but I cant help feeling that if youre looking to spend that sort of money on a car of that sort an A4/A6 Allroad would be a better bet, the A6 particularly so. I know they are more expensive and dont want to have that VFM argument but a pumped up Passat just doesnt really do it for me.

I can vouch for the A6 Allroad - lovely car, beautifully built, pretty capable and rather lively with the 245 diesel engine. Expensive list price but big discounts make them more affordable than you might think, though fuel consumption is not great despite what the quoted figures hint at. 

From memory the Octy II 4x4 has a clearance of 164mm underneath the Scout 180mm

 

Current Octy III is 140mm for the standard set-up and 154mm with the raised ride height and stone guard option.

 

The Passat has always been in my mind a benchmark car, particularly in Combi form but IMHO it is showing it's age now and if buying new the more up-to-date Octy III seems to make more sense, albeit the cabin finish might not be quite up to VW's best.

 

Also feel the latest 150 motor in the Octy is up with the older generation 170 engines in the performance stakes.

 

 

TP

According to the brochure, A Mk3 Octavia estate is 1,465mm high and the 4x4 is 1,495mm - 30mm higher.

Yet  the ground clearance is 140mm for the estate and 139mm for the 4x4 - 1mm (!) less.  So on the Mk3 presumably somethig is sticking out below the 4x4 which is absent from the 2WD estate.

I had assumed that much the same applied to the Mk2 but according to the Mk2 (Facelift) brochure which I have just unearhted (dated 2012) the estate has 140mm ground clearance and the 4x4 has 163mm - 23mm more.  Oddly, the brochure gives just one height figure - 1,468mm - which presumably only applies to the 2WD estatate, so I don't know how high the 4x4 is and whether the difference in ride height is the same as the increase in ground clearance, or greater.

If the pre-facelift is similar, then lucky me, having just bought a 2007 4x4 - I've got more ground clearance than I thought!

Edited 17 January, 201412 yr by Stuarted

Good cars but old tech and even in Sport trim they are massively dull and not sporty apart from a nice set of seats.

The R Line showed promise but underneath its just an S spec car with xenons, bodykit, 18's and dark glass. The regular Passat seats are just horrible and big holes in the spec for what is an expensive car.

The alltrak is well and good but I cant help feeling that if youre looking to spend that sort of money on a car of that sort an A4/A6 Allroad would be a better bet, the A6 particularly so. I know they are more expensive and dont want to have that VFM argument but a pumped up Passat just doesnt really do it for me.

r-line and Sport trim are dropped and replaced by these new Executive And Executive Style spec. The Exec Style spec comes with electric heated Vienna leather seats, dual climate, dab, mdi, sat nav, -15 mm sports suspension, 18-inch ‘Kansas’ alloys, bi-xenon headlights, front fog lights, and tinted rear glass for less than £22,000. You can then go mad with the options... Dynaudio, panoramic roof, rear camera, heated front screen, tpms, park assist, massage function for the front seats, heating for the rear ones etc etc... For the sum of around £25k Given the fact we really want it for long legged, boot loaded euro jaunts, I think it'd be pretty ideal for us.

According to the brochure, A Mk3 Octavia estate is 1,465mm high and the 4x4 is 1,495mm - 30mm higher.

Yet  the ground clearance is 140mm for the estate and 139mm for the 4x4 - 1mm (!) less.  So on the Mk3 presumably somethig is sticking out below the 4x4 which is absent from the 2WD estate.

I had assumed that much the same applied to the Mk2 but according to the Mk2 (Facelift) brochure which I have just unearhted (dated 2012) the estate has 140mm ground clearance and the 4x4 has 163mm - 23mm more.  Oddly, the brochure gives just one height figure - 1,468mm - which presumably only applies to the 2WD estatate, so I don't know how high the 4x4 is and whether the difference in ride height is the same as the increase in ground clearance, or greater.

If the pre-facelift is similar, then lucky me, having just bought a 2007 4x4 - I've got more ground clearance than I thought!

 

The SUK brochure (Oct 2013) which states the 1,495mm height for the 4x4, does not match the information given in the latest November 13 owners handbook, which states the following;

 

2wd Combi standard suspension = 1465mm

 

2wd Combi rough road suspension = 1480mm

 

4x4 Combi standard suspension = 1465mm with 15" wheels and 1463mm with 16" wheels

 

4x4 Combi rough road suspension = 1480mm with 15" wheels and 1478mm with 16" wheels

 

Ground clearance;

 

2wd Combi standard suspension = 140mm

 

2wd Combi rough road suspension = 155mm

 

4x4 Combi standard suspension = 139mm

 

4x4 Combi rough road suspension = 154mm

 

 

Odd mind that there is 1mm difference in height over clearance :wonder: 

 

But I think the Skoda Auto handbook data is more accurate then SUK's

 

 

Oh I'm sure all MkII 4x4 had the same set-up regard suspension on the 4x4, so you get around 9mm more clearance than on the new model with the raised ride height and 23mm over the standard car.

 

 

TP

I'm a little confused, the current Passat is surely not an Octavia competitor?

 

It's the next size up, albeit still Golf based, longer wheelbase & longer overall than an Octy 3, but still smaller than a Superb, which I would have thought was the obvious Skoda to compare it with.

 

 

Confused, as always, DC. 

 

I'm a little confused, the current Passat is surely not an Octavia competitor?

 

It's the next size up, albeit still Golf based, longer wheelbase & longer overall than an Octy 3, but still smaller than a Superb, which I would have thought was the obvious Skoda to compare it with.

 

 

Confused, as always, DC.

I've done the comparison with the Superb already. my conclusion was that the Passat simply offers 'more' (ie more equipment for less money even including options that aren't even available on the Superb and better quality in important areas to me ie real nappa leather climate/massage seats compared to the rather plastic Superb ones) and I was comparing it to the top spec L&K Superb 170 estate. Refinement and ride were also preferable on the Passat. So then I went full circle and ended up back at the new Octavia which now isn't miles away from the current Superb in size and actually nearer to the Passat! The Passat also offers some similarities to the newer platform Octy ie running costs; all that 177ps, fully loaded VW family bus comes with a co2 rating of 120kg so £30 annual tax - try getting that on a 170tdi Superb!

I've done the comparison with the Superb already. my conclusion was that the Passat simply offers 'more' (ie more equipment for less money even including options that aren't even available on the Superb and better quality in important areas to me ie real nappa leather climate/massage seats compared to the rather plastic Superb ones) and I was comparing it to the top spec L&K Superb 170 estate. Refinement and ride were also preferable on the Passat. So then I went full circle and ended up back at the new Octavia which now isn't miles away from the current Superb in size and actually nearer to the Passat! The Passat also offers some similarities to the newer platform Octy ie running costs; all that 177ps, fully loaded VW family bus comes with a co2 rating of 120kg so £30 annual tax - try getting that on a 170tdi Superb!

Fairy nuff........

 

I can't imagine that any VW dealer that I've met would be too happy supply &/or service a new Passat at the discounted prices that you've been quoting, but it's your choice & your pennies. I'm surprised that any Passat is well equipped as standard, the only brochure that I have indicates that many of the goodies are cost options compared with the equivalent Superb, & the Superb's longer wheelbase does ensure that there is more legroom + a potentially better ride.

 

FWIW I/we don't really care too much about CO2 ratings & road tax since we are retired therefore annual total mileage is quite low at approx 12k, & is currently shared between three vehicles. Both our Skoda's cost £220 PA to tax, quite cheap really, especially when compared with my  V6 Mondeo runabout @ £475 PA..............

 

BIK is, of course of no interest to us either, but driving pleasure is, so we don't need / want to own a 4-cylinder diesel, 'cos we do like the responsive & reasonably economical  TSi's + my little V6 is also quite fun to drive, & listen to.. 

 

Horses & courses, as they say, if the Passat meets your specific needs then you'll probably enjoy it.

As for us, we probably won't replace my Superb with a FL, (no 2.0L TSi option any more) nor an Octy3 vRS. (Too small inside even as an estate & the perceived quality just isn't quite there yet.)

We're not too sure what to choose next (probably going to wait until spring of 2015) but we will be very interested in the next generation Mondeo, or one of the 5 cyl. diesel Volvos, maybe even the next generation Passat & Superb.

 

Anyway, whatever you choose I hope that you like it, you only live once & you might as well enjoy it!

 

 

Cheers DC & SWMBO

Fairy nuff........

 

I can't imagine that any VW dealer that I've met would be too happy supply &/or service a new Passat at the discounted prices that you've been quoting, but it's your choice & your pennies. I'm surprised that any Passat is well equipped as standard, the only brochure that I have indicates that many of the goodies are cost options compared with the equivalent Superb, & the Superb's longer wheelbase does ensure that there is more legroom + a potentially better ride.

 

FWIW I/we don't really care too much about CO2 ratings & road tax since we are retired therefore annual total mileage is quite low at approx 12k, & is currently shared between three vehicles. Both our Skoda's cost £220 PA to tax, quite cheap really, especially when compared with my  V6 Mondeo runabout @ £475 PA..............

 

BIK is, of course of no interest to us either, but driving pleasure is, so we don't need / want to own a 4-cylinder diesel, 'cos we do like the responsive & reasonably economical  TSi's + my little V6 is also quite fun to drive, & listen to.. 

 

Horses & courses, as they say, if the Passat meets your specific needs then you'll probably enjoy it.

As for us, we probably won't replace my Superb with a FL, (no 2.0L TSi option any more) nor an Octy3 vRS. (Too small inside even as an estate & the perceived quality just isn't quite there yet.)

We're not too sure what to choose next (probably going to wait until spring of 2015) but we will be very interested in the next generation Mondeo, or one of the 5 cyl. diesel Volvos, maybe even the next generation Passat & Superb.

 

Anyway, whatever you choose I hope that you like it, you only live once & you might as well enjoy it!

 

 

Cheers DC & SWMBO

Three dealers have so far quoted prices that almost get to the drivethedeal discount prices mentioned in my posts so getting the prices certainly isn't an issue. Servicing doesn't cause any issue, it can't, it's a uk dealer supplied car so I don't really understand that point. My only real issue is that I have a good local Skoda dealer (where I've always taken my discounted Skodas too) that is spot on in every respect, even helping with issues outside of warranty... The local VW dealers have a somewhat hit and miss reputation. Regarding equipment levels, I'm guessing your brochure doesn't include the rather well specced Executive and Executive Style trim models that were launched a fortnight ago. Interior materials quality is better on the Passat, the Dynaudio setup leaves the Skoda Superb/Yeti factory premium audio setup for dead and the boot capacity is 603 litres - very similar to both the Octy 3 and Superb in real terms and thats one of our primary requirements. For me, the Octavia is big enough and does have the perceived quality up to an adequate level, hence why I'm comparing the Passat to it still.

If I did low mileage and had multiple cars (which I do) then I'd be even MORE inclined to buy one with low co2/tax! One of the cars is already £30 tax for 12 months. Far nicer than the £220 I pay for the Yeti for example. Again, I don't necessarily want a four cylinder diesel either but I currently own a small lightweight hatch and a 330bhp awd car for 'fun'. The Passat would be superior to both (and more suited compared to my old Octavia 2 litre TSi) for the long European driving holidays we do each year. More economical also which is a bonus when looking at between 2,500 - 6,500 miles per trip. I'm certainly keeping a close eye on the Passat pricing an I'd have issues owning one.