stevebo

Does ayone out there have both cars? I am considering getting a 1.8T passat to add to my TL. My wife would dirve one and I the other TBD. If you had both cars I wonder what you think of the combo.

I like the TL quite a bit but do not really want two of the same.

Stillen_I30

I think the TL would look great sitting in the garage next to a new Audi A4 3.0. Nice cars...

PhiTL

For what it is worth my fiancee just got a 2002 Passat 1.8T and I have the TL. The two cars are very different, but both have their pros and cons.

Some of the few things that stick out on the Passat is the tremendous amount of headroom in the car. Also the interior space for the rear passengers is significantly larger than the TL. She got the 5spd so that adds to the driving experience as well.

The only thing is that since you might be used to the torque from the TL, the 4cyl 1.8T might seem a little slow off the line.

All in all, I am glad she got the Passat since I have mostly owned Honda/Acura so this is a nice change of pace.

I have a few pictures of the car that you may enjoy.

http://www.phiandrachel.com/pictures/01112002/

http://www.phiandrachel.com/pictures/Passat/

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Phi

Outlook

Did u driven the Passat at night??

samkws

passat 1.8T is more expensive if u add all the options togehter...

if so, i would buy the jetta 1.8T for a couple thousands less but with more atheletic characters

stevebo

outlook, actually driving it at night is what I like best. I am hooked on those purple dash lights!

Phi,
Thanks for the pics and advice. I drove the 1.8 and it does seem a little doggy until the revs build, but I read a poll of 1.8T owners who claimed to get 26-27 mpg typical. The best I have ever seen out of my TL is 24mpg. One question, how well does the AC work compared to the TL? I am in SOCAL and need a good AC.

I have alwways said that my only gripe with the TL is my hair rubbing on the roof.

steve

2001TL4KCdude

Set your seat height position all the way down. How tall are you?

Inspire

My bro has a 2000 A fo! I have always like the Bimmer 330, but I have just now changed my mind after I sat in his A fo fo the whole day.... it is nyzzz~ I mean the quattro just.. ! Banging!

Outlook

Well Steve, if u r comfortable with the dash illumination setup, then get the car. I personally was turned off by its qwerky color scheme. But to each, his own .

stevebo

I have not been in the new A-4. Based on th old A4, my feeling though is it is too small and expensive. I can get a passat for around $23.5K with the 1.8T , tip, and leather my only real option.

TommyBoiSxty9

man i loveeee VW's lighting.... that indigo blue is awesome... id rove a Jetta before i got my TL -- nice car, very solid feeling, but i was concerned about electrical problems... WTF is with the cup holder placement? and the back seat is CRAMPED

tl-kode16

The new Audi A4 1.8T V6 is going to be da' sh1t!

stevebo

I am a little over 6 feet. The seat is as low as it goes and I have the seat back kicked into the recline mode!

PhiTL

Stevebo- We got the car at the end December so we have yet to try the AC. My fiancee originally wanted the Jetta but when she drove the Passat she opted for that instead due to the size. Since had the car, I belive she has been getting pretty good MPG

samkws

don't ask me why...but the japanese cars are very gd at air conditioning...very cold and durable...better than euro cars by a lot

850EX

I dont think the new A4 1.8T is V6. It is just an I-4. When I drove it, I thought it was too heavy and big and I think the 1.8T engine is not enough power for such a beast. If you get a new A4, I would suggest getting the 3.0 if you need some power. Otherwise, I would prefer the old 1.8T A4's. Small and light.

SamirJP

I drove my 2000TL up to Pennsylvania, and from there I drove my Cousins new V6 Passat.

Passat's INTERIOR Was making me EXTREMELY Jealous.
THE TL Interior is FAR INferior in comparison. Volkswagon did an AWESOME Job with the interior of that car...The Gauges, Dash, Controls and STEREO were far better than the TL.

If you like the look of the Passat from the exterior go for it....

Personally I think the TL looks MUCH better and is MUCH more fun to drive than the odd looking Passat

Inspire

I know... comparing to our ride it is abit mo. but if you wanna compare it to bimmaz, they are hell lot worth buying. my option...

rickslick

My best friend has an 96 Jetta and his a/c blows snowballs. I think in the pass VW compressors die early.

tl-kode16

850EX, the A4 1.8T V6 isn't out yet, but they are supposed to be soon.

UTChE96

Same here. I considered the Passat. But its past history scared me off. Also, VWs 2 year bumper-to-bumper warranty is an embarrassment. I can get an extended warranty but it says a lot about how reliable the manufacturer expects the car to be.

stevebo

I am somewhat concerned about reliability too. Although, I wonder if their reputation is overblown. Or at least getting better. I do know that they now have a 4 year 50K mile warrenty standard.

Outlook

The is no 1.8 V6, but there is a 3.0 V6. And whats coming out is the S4 with a biturbo 250 hp 2.7 liter V6 (if it isn't already out. I lost interest when I got the TLS in december)...

Buddha_RENAMED

Just gave up a 2000 passat for a 2002 TL-S. I believe that there is no comparison in the driving experience or quality of a VW and an Acura. I disliked my VW very much as I became accustomed to the design of the car that originally sold me. First of all, VW quality is not even close to Japanese cars. My car had numerous problems with the engine that left me stranded 3 times because the car refused to start. I had issues with burning oil and cold starting (this is 2002 not the 60's). And though the interior appears to be very high quality, I had problem with trim peices falling apart from the glove box to the seats. And then there is the horrible customer service and maintainence that come with VW.
Also, in terms of driving VW builds some fairly soft, unresponsive suspensions that do not do justice to their German heritage...just look at what they have done to the GTI.
In my opinion Audi's are slightly better (we also own a 2001 A6), but for my 30 grand I would by a 4 year old BMW 5-series (own a 1999 528i) The BMW 5 series is the last of the truly teutonic cars, it is amazingly solid and the combination of ride and handling cant be beat. Our car has also been completely trouble free and feels brand new after 3 years. Just my 2cents (A little hostile towards VW)

Outlook

:wow: How many cars do u guys own???

UTChE96

Another thing, the customer service at the VW dealer was the worst I have ever experienced. The salesman wouldn't even let me take the car on the highway. Good grief. What kind of test drive was that.

stan kiang

I do have both cars and I think that they are both excellent cars. I currently have both a '99 TL and a '99 Passat GLX which were both bought brand new so I can give you the full scoop on both since they rolled off the showroom floor. The cars are a little different and both have different features which can be pros and cons depending on what it is you are looking for.

Beginning with the TL, we all know what some of the issues are with the TL and I will just mention the things that I dislike about the car. For starters, I think that the stock wheels and tires are way too narrow and the stock wheels could definitely use a little more grip considering the car is supposed to be a sport sedan. Also, I have a problem with the seats in the car as I feel the drivers seat isn't supportive enough for my back and the seat cushion is not long enough to support my legs. I'm only 5'11" and I aways feel a bit worn out after long drives (anyone else agree?). Finally, I think the new US built standard for acura TLs could be much improved. My TL has had plenty of rattles and squeeks and although they have been addressed through the warranty, they are quality issues that I didn't really imagine having before buying the car (given it's a Japanese car).

On a positive note, the car has not had any major problems yet and so far I have been pretty happy about having it. The power is still very strong and since I lowered it and put new rims on it, the car handles much better as well. I still think the car looks great and overall I think it stacks up very well against the competition.

Now the Passat, I must say that it is a very nice car. I was fortunate enought to get myself a GLX model, which is a top of the line V6 model. The inside of the car is very much like the A4 and very high quality. Personally, I like the indiglo illumination and I think the interior may be a little nicer than the TL's. I say that because in the Passat, you don't have those chincy features like fake wood on the dash and vinyl trim on the seats. Everything in there is real stuff including burlwood trim on the dash, doors, and shift knob as well as completely wrapped leather seats that are very supportive. The car also features heated seats, electronic climate, a nice stereo, and more headroom than the TL. As for the engine and tranny, you must drive it to believe it. On paper the HP and torque (190/200lbs)don't seem match those of the TL but I would swear that the Passat has more pull and seems to be equally as fast as the TL. And the tranny is silky smooth in both tip mode and auto while my TL's can be quite jerky, especially in tip mode.

My only knock on the Passat is the wheel/tire package that came on the car. When the car was stock it came with 15" rims with 195/65/15 tires which to me is completely unacceptable not only given the fact that it is supposed to be a sport sedan but also because it was the top of the line car offered by VW at the time. The car's handling capabilities were absolutely atrocious with that wheel/tire combo and I'm glad that they upgraded since then. I believe the new model comes with at least 16"s but I would personally opt for the 17"s. I upgraded to 225/45/17s. Quality wise, everything else has been ok and I have not had any reliability issues yet. I have had the door locks and the stereo serviced but nothing else too major.

Between the two cars, I think it is a pretty even match and I would recommend both cars. Individually, I would recommend the Passat if the car were meant to be used as more of a family sedan just because the car has more headroom, seems a little roomier, and looks a bit more conservative. I would recommend the TL if your primary goal is to have a sport sedan with room for others as a secondary purpose. Both are very sporty sedans and great values for the money. For the most part I would call it a tie but if I were to take in all the pros, cons, and various qualities of each car I would probably have to choose the VW. You just can't mistake German quality and it shows in the way the car drives, it's solid feel, solid powertrain, paint job, and most everything else.

Let me know if anyone has any questions.

rickslick

I agree with you on the seats in the TL. Thats the only thing I find wrong with my car. The seats could be more comfortable. The seat cushion is a little short and my knees normally ache when I get out of the car. I can take a long trip in my Pontiac Montana and not be tired when I get there but I can take short trips in my TL and because of the seat I feel fatigued. I am looking into possible trading this summer however I don't know what I want next. I am 5'7" and just can't get comfy.