2018 Passat has a small but powerful engine
What you need to know:
- On average, normal service for the Volkswagen Passat will cost Shs350,000. This will involve changing the engine oil, oil and air filters and a few other checks or replacements, depending on the current condition of the vehicle. This may be twice a year if it is not your daily car.
According to autoevolution.com, the Passat is one of the large saloon family cars manufactured by German auto manufacturer, Volkswagen. The name Passat is derived from the German word, “Trade wind” which inspired the shape of the car.
Ronnie William Kyazze, who owns a Volkswagen Passat, says it is more of an on-road car that ought to be driven on urban roads. This is because it has low ground clearance that could subject crucial underneath car parts such as the oil sump and other vital car components to damage. It should, however, be able to handle most rural conditions as well, if driven carefully, he says.
Kyazze’s Passat, silver in colour, is a 2001 turbo charged front wheel drive model that runs on an 1800cc petrol engine and has a speed limit of 260km/hour. It is a five door and five seater saloon car that covers approximately 11 kilometres using one litre of fuel. Its full tank carries 60 litres of fuel.
On the road, this particular variant picks up faster than the non-turbo guises of the same from the onset of acceleration. It is a fast car that does not struggle to compete with any car if you need to move fast. It is comparable or even faster than many Sport Utility Vehicles, especially those with V6 engines, even with its small engine.
Service and maintenance
Like some German brands, Kyazze says the Passat is one of the cars where less skilled and inexperienced mechanics tend to go wrong during service and maintenance. He says although a number of motorists love this car, it is easy to take it to the wrong garage.
“If taken to the wrong garage and the wrong repairs are carried out, the car’s functionality will start failing straight away, especially if you use the wrong engine oil and automatic transmission fluid (ATF) for the gearbox. To be on the safe side, look for a garage that you are sure has mechanics who know how to handle this car,” Kyazze advises.
“Pay special attention to the ATF and engine oil specs as prescribed by the manufacturer, and the electrical system of the car. There should be no guesswork,” he adds.
On average, normal service for the Volkswagen Passat will cost Shs350,000. This will involve changing the engine oil, oil and air filters and a few other checks or replacements, depending on the current condition of the vehicle. This may be twice a year if it is not your daily car.
By and large, the Passat is a reliable comfortable car if well taken care of. It will serve you a lifetime if you fit the right parts and give it a good dose of timely service. Kyazze notes that with high grade synthetic oil, you will drive a minimum of 10,000 kilometres per service while keeping the engine in perfect running condition by the next service date.
Safety features
Like many European manufactured cars, the Volkswagen Passat comes with airbags located on each of its doors, in the steering wheel and the dashboard. Its doors and trunk locks have an anti-hijack feature embedded in the locking and opening sequence for the safety of the driver. This means the doors cannot be opened from the onset of pulling the door handle, but after a short while.
According to vwofmidlandodessa.com, as early as its original design, the 2018 VW Passat was built with safety in mind. This is evident with the inclusion of a safety cage on the body of the car, as well as the Intelligent Crash Response System (ICRS), which deploys the airbags in the event of a collision.
In addition, the ICRS can also activate the hazard lights, unlock the doors, and turn off the fuel pump. Furthermore, the aforementioned safety cage helps to absorb crash energy towards the front and rear of the vehicle, rather than in the middle where the driver and passengers would be.
Downside
One downside to the VW Passat is the aluminium oil sump that, if damaged, will end your journey. It takes quite some resources and time to have the oil sump fixed because aluminium is not like steel, a metal element used in some oil sumps that can be welded or fixed by the roadside.
The other downside is a plastic coolant junction that most VW owners wonder why it had to be made plastic and not metallic. Normally, it has tendency to break during repairs and if not detected early can cause overheating issues.
