Used 2003 Volkswagen Passat W8 4Motion AWD 4dr Sedan (4.0L 8cyl 5A) Consumer Reviews
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Thank god it's gone
Naomi, 12/29/2008
Volkswagen Passat W8 4Motion AWD 4dr Sedan (4.0L 8cyl 5A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
When I bought the car it had all the features and performance I was looking for along with great all weather traction. That was the good news. Over 6 years it would spend 1-2 months in the shop every year. Electrical problems, replaced fuel senders x2, fuel tank, engine coils, torque converter, cv joints, numerous other recalls and finally the dreaded cam adjusters failed at 43k. Quoted repair cost $8500, and happens to just about every w8. A quick fix is to try an oil flush like k&w, but it is a ticking time bomb of what's going to fail next. Worst reliability I have ever seen, and this holds for other w8 owners I spoke too. We all traded ours in for a more reliable car (just not a VW).
The best headache I've ever had
Alexandria, Decatur, GA, 04/25/2017
Volkswagen Passat W8 4Motion AWD 4dr Sedan (4.0L 8cyl 5A)
7 of 9 people found this review helpful
"C'mon, let me take this headache off of your hands," are the words that convinced me to give up my dream car of 13 years to a new owner 600 miles and 5 months into ownership. Yes, my near mint Passat W8, who earned the nickname, "German drama queen," was a headache but, to be fair, it was the best headache I'd ever had. To put it simply, this high performance machine will create an addict out of you. Everyone should experience a W8 at least once in their lifetime! What is there not to love about a collectible, very rare, and crazy fast exotic 8 cylinder Audi with a Bugatti engine hiding in the semi-luxurious body of a humble B5.5 Passat? To quote the previous owner who endured 10 years of ownership along with a new engine and torque converter after the car spent 1 year in the shop for electrical issues ($20k worth of warranty work), "Enjoy your W8 to the fullest now because when something goes wrong it will make you curse or empty your bank account." I truly enjoyed my W8 to the fullest. It was a fine example of German over-engineering. Something very special. Still, at the end of the day, when a leaking gas tank and dying alternator (among a few other insignificant issues) caused my car to spend more time sitting in my driveway than on the road, my W8 lived up to it's infamous reputation of being unreliable and extremely costly (at least $4,000) to repair with virtually no one who knows how to properly service them. I can't say that I wouldn't recommend the W8 as it is truly a fantastic car. However, only two types of dedicated people should buy it; the filthy rich and the everyday man who has enough mechanical expertise and experience with VW/Audi to bravely repair one of the most complex and wonderful cars known to man. Even then, only proceed with purchase if your W8 has had it's engine, torque converter, and gas tank replaced (if it wasn't replaced under recall, it will wear out later). If you can't afford the repairs or know how to repair this car yourself, perhaps you'd be better off with an Audi A6 4.2L.
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2003 Volkswagen Passat for sale near you
3 of 21 listings
- GLX 4Motion SedanMSRP: $4,924109 mi away
- GLX 4Motion WagonMSRP: $5,999230 mi away
- GLX 4Motion SedanMSRP: $2,599317 mi away
See all 21 listings
W8 is Great!
W8 Bob, 02/24/2006
Volkswagen Passat W8 4Motion AWD 4dr Sedan (4.0L 8cyl 5A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
This is a great car. It has a very solid feel. Mine is a black on black sedan w/sport package and Tiptronic. This is our 3rd Passat. The first 2 were 2000 GLX Tiptronics. It is very enjoyable to drive and has a wonderful motor. I can't believe VW has not found a home for this motor in another VW/Audi vehicle. It has great handling yet a reasonably compliant ride. The transmission is not the best in Drive as it has slow kick- down. Using manual mode solves problem and is lots of fun. It gets good gas mileage considering 8 cylinders and 4000 pounds. Better than my wife's '04 Audi A6 with the 3.0. I know because I drive both cars. It will average 26 to 27 MPG on highway if kept under 65 MPH. I can't get more than 23 to 24 with the Audi under the same conditions.
Great Car
Tom, 03/07/2007
Volkswagen Passat W8 4Motion AWD 4dr Sedan (4.0L 8cyl 5A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
The 2003 Volkswagen Passat rides and handles great. This one is a keeper.
M.T. Driver
country drivr, 01/10/2010
Volkswagen Passat W8 4Motion AWD 4dr Sedan (4.0L 8cyl 5A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This car is actually my mothers car n we drive n use it everyday. This car has been reliable to us for 4 years n still running strong.we love this car its fast n comfortable especially the W8 engine. I admit getting oil changes are alot but we've learned 2 do our own oil changes. Looked at other reviews n saw many complaints guess were lucky.