3.0 TDi

Perhaps the ultimate Volkswagen !

The goal was to build the ultimate car. This was the dream of the then VW board Chairman Ferdinand Piech and in many ways he may have succeeded. Having said this the example I purchased has not been without problems. The car most certainly has understated elegance and I must say that I enjoy every single journey I take - there is a real sense of inverted snobbery and of course there is the rarity value (people always take a second look not knowing exactly what VW model it is but they know it is not run of the mill). Much is made of the fact that the car is built by workers wearing white gloves in a factory with glass walls and parquet flooring but I would gladly do without this false glamour in exchange for sublime quality and a good dealer network - the existing UK dealers are simply not up to the task. My main issue has been reoccuring paint problems in particular on the bottom edges and corners of all four doors. The problems have been addressed in and out of warranty with one door being completely replaced and returned to Germany for examination. The vehicle has covered only 43,000 miles but I have had a major problem, recently, with the power assisted steering - of course out of warranty and thus very expensive (the warranty is only for 3 years unlike say Kia and Hyundai manufacturers who clearly have confidence in their product). Maintenance costs are of course high and depreciation atmospheric. Having said all this the 'feel good factor' is immense. In my opinion the car makes the most sense at the introductory level ie the 3.0 TDi. If VW wish to continue their experiment in the luxury car segment then I feel they need to seriously consider what they do with their dealer network. For me the Passat CC is perhaps just a little too close to the Phaeton and this may be it's ultimate downfall.

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