TheSamba.com :: View topic - New Passat owner 2000 Wagon is it imported from Germany?

Wed Sep 14, 2011 10:29 pm

Hello,

I am a die hard Vanagon guy but needed to get a different kind of car for my wife. I purchased a 2000 Passat Wagon today that came with a story.
He said it was brought over from Germany and is different from the normal imported to USA vehicles. It has a 20V 1.8 Turbo engine. The speedo maxes out at 160 mph.
Seems legit to me and it goes like mad.
The other thing I need help with is value for insurance. I don't suspect it books out at the same value a normal import does.

Thank you,

David

Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:32 am

camerahunter wrote: Hello,
He said it was brought over from Germany and is different from the normal imported to USA vehicles. It has a 20V 1.8 Turbo engine. The speedo maxes out at 160 mph.

If it were a German spec car, it would have a speedo that shows 260km/h and the rear hatch would have a plate recess long and skinny enough for a German license plate. The door and bumper moldings would also most likely be black textured and not painted. I am guessing that the guy was completely blowing smoke up your ass. Start removing interior panels and you will find Hecho in Mexico on just about everything. I hope you didn't pay too much.

Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:53 am

zuhaelter_82 wrote: If it were a German spec car, it would have a speedo that shows 260km/h and the rear hatch would have a plate recess long and skinny enough for a German license plate. The door and bumper moldings would also most likely be black textured and not painted. I am guessing that the guy was completely blowing smoke up your ass. Start removing interior panels and you will find Hecho in Mexico on just about everything. I hope you didn't pay too much.

I agree with you on all points, except the Mexican parts thing.....if memory serves correctly, from day one the Passats have all been made in Germany(unlike the Golfs & Jettas). The first digit of the VIN should be 'W,' which denotes Germany.

Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:04 am

plasticman1432 wrote:
I agree with you on all points, except the Mexican parts thing.....if memory serves correctly, from day one the Passats have all been made in Germany(unlike the Golfs & Jettas). The first digit of the VIN should be 'W,' which denotes Germany.

Emden Germany to be exact... I still believe that some parts are made in Mexico. I will have to go home and tear some interior panels out of the wife's B5 to confirm this. :wink:

Thu Sep 15, 2011 2:26 pm

Passats have always been made in Germany, now the exception to that is the new 2012 Passat is US built for the North American market.

The Golf is currently german production (wolfsburg), the Jetta is from mexico, the Eos I think is assembled in Spain, and parts for these cars come from all over the world.

The 11th digit of the vin is the assembly plant. Not all Passats are made in Emden, but I don't have my chart handy listing the plants at the moment.

A 1.8t can be a great engine, just make sure to keep up on the oil changes, and use synthetic oil. The cat is bolted to the turbo, and they are both under the hood, so there is a ton of heat right next to the block.

Thu Sep 15, 2011 9:43 pm

I appreciate the responses so far. We are not exactly educated in a car this new. We have been driving an 85 Vanagon for 15 years. This thing is a bit complicated.

The speedo does indeed go up to 260 kph. It drives like a race car.
It would be nice to know for sure if it's a car that was brought over from Germany and if there is any difference between the two markets.

Are the ones sold in Germany any different from the cars sold here in USA?

The back door hatch does not have a long cut out for a European license plate. Bumpers are painted the same color as the car.
The paint color is pearl green.

Thank you,

David

Fri Sep 16, 2011 8:39 am

camerahunter wrote:
The speedo does indeed go up to 260 kph.

Let me reiterate... There would only be kp/h and no mph

It would look like this

73sports wrote: The new 2012 Passat is US built for the North American market.

I just ordered the SE in manual trans but it will take 3-4 months to get. I guess the factory hasn't made any of that package in manual.

Fri Sep 16, 2011 2:23 pm

So far we have gotten the 2 showroom cars, and just the other day, 2 more to sell. The all have been automatic so far. I'm just glad there is a manual option in a Passat again, we haven't had one since 07 or 08 (CC excluded).

Fri Sep 16, 2011 5:39 pm

73sports wrote: So far we have gotten the 2 showroom cars, and just the other day, 2 more to sell. The all have been automatic so far. I'm just glad there is a manual option in a Passat again, we haven't had one since 07 or 08 (CC excluded).

wtf, over.

Sat Sep 17, 2011 8:20 pm

Great car! Remember a few points and your 1.8t will live forever. Timing belts!!! Yours origionaly came with an 80k belt but most all replacements will be 100k units. Buy the full kit from a reputable seller like german auto parts and it will come with all the timing rollers, water pump and misc crap. Water pump impellers were plastic on these and they like to fall off, causing the engine to overheat. You'll see a good deal of advertisers state "metal impeller" indicating a better than stock unit.

The passat 1.8t has a four quart oil pan. The design of the cradle didn't allow for anything bigger and that's why it's smaller than the transverse mounted cousin that the jetta's and golf's had. You absolutely must use good quality oil and keep the maintenence up. The oil runs hot in these and will coke up. It's a common issue but not a problem if you use synthetic and still keep a short interval (@4k changes).

My B5.5 Manwagen has just hit 97k and I'm about to toss my GAP timing kit on it (@$250.0) It is the most impressive vw I've ever owned. Bitchin' stereo...tons of bells and wistles and can beat the pants off 90% of street driven cars around here. I find the 80-120mph roll on most impressive. I might try for more when I find some high mile warranteed v, or z rated tires-do they even make a speed rated tire that's good for 80,000 miles?

Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:23 am

zuhaelter_82 wrote: camerahunter wrote: Hello,
He said it was brought over from Germany and is different from the normal imported to USA vehicles. It has a 20V 1.8 Turbo engine. The speedo maxes out at 160 mph.

If it were a German spec car, it would have a speedo that shows 260km/h and the rear hatch would have a plate recess long and skinny enough for a German license plate. The door and bumper moldings would also most likely be black textured and not painted. I am guessing that the guy was completely blowing smoke up your ass. Start removing interior panels and you will find Hecho in Mexico on just about everything. I hope you didn't pay too much.

Nope, All US passats were manufactured in Europe. All passat speedos go to 160 mph. my W8 is 180mph , I've SEEN 168 mph on GPS... ;)

I've never found "Hecho en" on a single part on either of my Passats. Both my 00 and my 03 were assembled in Emden, Germany. The 20V turbo 1.8T was the standard base engine in all US passats. Y2k was rated at 150hp. A trip through to the APR catalog and a 94 octane chip will get you a VERRRY nice 205 HP that totally transforms the car, and with a few minor mods will get you around 220. I dynoed at 212 to the wheels on mine. Oh, and the APR chip also removes the electronic 118 mph speed limitation.

x20 on the synthetic oil and you will have no problems. I went min 10K on changes running exclusively Amsoil and had no sludge problems what so ever. Same experience with our 03 Audi cabrio. Unfortunately, i went about 10K over the non existant recommended 100K timing belt interval and learned what happens when you break a TB in a 1.8T. She met her eternal resting place in 1/10. My W8 is still like butta.

Thu Sep 22, 2011 8:48 pm

I heard nothing but horror stories about the w8. When I shopped for my wagon I saw as many dead w8's as 1.8t's. I suppose it's all in how you keep them up but the 10k oil change interval sounds like you're asking for trouble. Pull your dipstick and I'm sure you'll see the gritty start to coking. The 1.8t won't hold up at all with that neglect....amsoil or not.

Fri Sep 23, 2011 9:54 am

HeidelbergJohn4.0 wrote:

Nope, All US passats were manufactured in Europe.

Thank you for reestablishing what has already been discussed and resolved...

Fri Sep 30, 2011 7:31 pm

chazz79 wrote: I heard nothing but horror stories about the w8. When I shopped for my wagon I saw as many dead w8's as 1.8t's. I suppose it's all in how you keep them up but the 10k oil change interval sounds like you're asking for trouble. Pull your dipstick and I'm sure you'll see the gritty start to coking. The 1.8t won't hold up at all with that neglect....amsoil or not.

sure, but we only hear the negative stories.... Mine has been flawless except for a my climatronic crapping at 25K which was replaced under warranty of course. My most recent oil change last week was still transparent at 128K miles. I have only used Amsoil and MAN filters since day 1. Like you said, it's all in how you take care of it.