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Has anyone here had any experience with Volkswagen Passats or Nissan Sentras? Better yet, has anyone here actually owned one? I'm considering purchasing one or the other, but I'm still trying to figure out which one is better. Any imput would be GREATLY appreciated.
Posts: 786 | Registered: Jun 2003
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Sorry, I have no experience with Passats, but my fiance' likes her Jetta. I would go for a Volkwagon over a Nissan when considering resale value.
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I just sold my 1993 Sentra this weekend. My wife bought it for a steal, new, and it has served us well ever since. It had no frills at all, but was eminently reliable. It hardly ever had any problems. I don't know how different the '93 model is from newer ones, but if they're at all similar I would heartily recommend them.
Posts: 1652 | Registered: Aug 2003
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I almost bought a Passat. A friend of mine who is, quite simply, the most brilliant auto-mechanic I've ever known, talked me out of it. There were some vehicle specific reasons why he didn't like it, but one that was a bit broader was the fact that it was a turbo charged car with ~100K miles on it. The turbo bits apparently aren't as long lived as one might hope, and according to my friend don't generally last much beyond 100K miles. Unfortunately, when they go they can do a fair amount of damage, so repairing them can be a fairly expensive proposition. Now, if this is a new Passat you're considering, this may not be such an issue. The Passat is definitely a gorgeous car, and lots of fun to drive. It was with great disappointment that I took my friend's advice (although I'm really enjoying the much lower milage 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer I bought in the Passat's place).
Are you considering new or used cars?
Either way, check Consumer Reports. Also, if it's used, get a carfax report on the vehicle.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Passats are nice....I might get one, myself. They're a lot of fun to drive, and Volkswagens seem to last forever.
Posts: 9057 | Registered: Nov 2000
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I'm about to buy a 2001 Golf for 13,000. It has 40 thousand miles on it. My sister has a Golf. Hers is great.
Not all Passats are turbocharged. Do you know what a turbocharger is and why it it bad for the engine?
Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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Sentras are usually pretty reliable & economical, in my experience. Nissans are relatively inexpensive to repair, as well.
Posts: 1431 | Registered: Aug 2003
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Because we like our Sentra so much, when it came time to buy a minivan we went to look at the new Nissan Quest. It's horrible. But I still like the Sentra.
Posts: 1652 | Registered: Aug 2003
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I just don't like them. I don't think they're very nice on the inside. I don't like they're style, and I'm not a big fan of their trucks. But that's just me.
Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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*shrug* I guess I'm a big fan of reliablility, and every Toyota I've owned or driven has been great. They just don't break! Heh. I'd buy a Toyota over a Nissan (I own a Toyota at the moment) but Nissans are also very reliable.
I guess it's probably a different market over here though, seeing as we don't have many of the cars you guys do; also keeping in mind that I'm a student. Posts: 1431 | Registered: Aug 2003
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I have a friend who drives a pretty new Passat, and loves it. It's a sweet car. I know nothing about long term maintenance problems, however.
I drive a 1995 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 pickup, and I adore it. It's reliable, I can do the basic maintenance on it myself... although it was a bit of a headache to change the starter motor when it went last winter, very poorly positioned.
But the reason I bought it was when I was looking for a small truck, I tried out the Ford Ranger, the Chevy S10, whatever the Nissan truck was, and a couple of others... and they were all sized for larger people. (*coughmencough*) I certainly could drive them, but it wasn't comfortable. I'm female, my arms are shorter then a man of the same height. In the other trucks I had to reach for the shift, or to turn on the heat or radio. In the Tacoma everything is placed just perfectly for me, and the seat is more comfy, too. So if there are any other women out there looking for a small truck, I highly recommend you give Toyota a try. </plug>
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Passat owner here. What model / year? If you're talking new, I'd stick with a V6 Accord or Maxima. (Not that buying a new car is ever a good idea...)
If you're talking used, it depends on a lot of things. Early B5's had some electrical issues, for instance, as did the very first 1.8T's. The TDIs are rare but indestructible of course, the VR6 solid but merely average unless you get a good price.
Posts: 1839 | Registered: May 1999
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If it's a new car, choose Passat over Sentra. If it's older, still choose the Passat. Sentras suck. Well, unless you're all into building a blingmobile.
Not that I like VW too much (sorry Starla ).
Posts: 779 | Registered: Dec 2003
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I just don't like it when people think Toyota's are these awesome off-road vehicles. Other than that, I think their cars are at least marginally reliable. My sister drives a Corolla.
I like Subraru's quite a bit. They last forever. They're not the most stylish around around, I'll grant you that. Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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Check out Consumer Reports latest auto issue. They have never steered me wrong. They have data on the reliability of every car model sold, I think. An excellent guide to buying anything expensive.
Posts: 2843 | Registered: A Long Time Ago!
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I think they're both fine cars. I think the "Passat" is much more expensive than the Nissan in Germany. Lots of cabs are Passats over there -- whatever that means.
Posts: 1045 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Probably because Volkswagen is a German company. Why do you think the majority of cabs in the United States are Ford Crown Victoria's?
Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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quote:Do you know what a turbocharger is and why it it bad for the engine?
The turbocharger isn't bad for the engine, it's just that it doesn't last for as many miles, and when it goes, it's expensive to fix. If you're asking because you want more information, I can talk to my friend and get a more detailed and technical explanation. Want me to?
quote:Other than that, I think their cars are at least marginally reliable.
Marginally reliable? Toyotas are staggeringly reliable. My family has owned quite a few Toyotas over the years, and none of them have ever had any major problems. My father is still driving the '77 Corolla that he bought new, and it's never had anything major go wrong with it. How many cars can you say that about? The evidence isn't just anecdotal though; take a look at Consumer Reports statistics; they back up the claim of Toyota reliability.
I was incredibly nervous, buying my Lancer, because there wasn't enough data for Consumer Reports to issue a verdict on the car's reliability. So far, though, it hasn't given me any trouble.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Do you live in an area with emissions tests? If so, spend a day observing how many 10 year old VWs you see vs. how many 10 y/o Nissans. Maybe they have improved in recent years, but around here (Portland, OR) a lot of VWs fail emissions testing long before other makes. They may be shiny and cool, but you'll end up spending a lot to keep it on the road legally.
Posts: 173 | Registered: Jun 2002
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Thanks to all for the replies/useful info. I am currently looking at a 95 Passat with a 5-speed and a 2.8 liter VR6 (77k miles); and a 96 Nissan Sentra with an automatic transmission and 92K miles. Both are in good condition, and I can get both for about the same price ($3500--about $1500 under the Kelly Blue Book price for both models.) I'm just looking for something that will last me another 50-60K miles without costing an arm and a leg in repairs.
Edit: I live in VA, home of 3 major NASCAR tracks and about 50 smaller ones; needless to say, emissions testing isn't all that strict.
[ April 15, 2004, 10:39 AM: Message edited by: Brian J. Hill ]
Posts: 786 | Registered: Jun 2003
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They are both nice cars. '95 was the first year of the B4 but I don't recall anything glaringly wrong (might need to WD-40 the doors in the winter). The V6 and manual are a combo that will be fun while still getting similar mileage to the Sentra's 4-banger. 77K? Make absolutely sure the timing belt was changed.
Posts: 1839 | Registered: May 1999
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quote:Do you live in an area with emissions tests? If so, spend a day observing how many 10 year old VWs you see vs. how many 10 y/o Nissans. Maybe they have improved in recent years, but around here (Portland, OR) a lot of VWs fail emissions testing long before other makes. They may be shiny and cool, but you'll end up spending a lot to keep it on the road legally.
Its funny that you should bring that up. My initial thought upon reading the first post of this thread was on how many more elderly VW's I know that old Nissans.
Posts: 9 | Registered: May 2002
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quote: If you're asking because you want more information, I can talk to my friend and get a more detailed and technical explanation. Want me to?
No, I know what they are, what they do, and why they shorten engine life. I wanted to know why you were advising somebody on something you don't know much about.
And about the "marginally reliable" comment, if you read more carefully, I said at least marginally reliable. I'm not insulting anybody's car here.
[ April 15, 2004, 10:49 PM: Message edited by: Nick ]
Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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quote:No, I know what they are, what they do, and why they shorten engine life. I wanted to know why you were advising somebody on something you don't know much about.
Because I trust implicitly the source of my information, and thought that what I had to say might be relevant. Did I offend you in some way?
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Best way to get the low-down on a car? Go to the local independent mechanics. Ask them their opinion on X cars.They'll usually tell you if they see a lot of them and for what as a normal 'routine' for them. For example: Chrysler cars with the 2.2 litre engine. The most common repair I did onb them was head gaskets. Almost EVERY one I worked on (when I was a professional mechanic) was to replace the head gasket and associative repairs (valve jobs, planing heads etc)
Posts: 986 | Registered: Jul 2001
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If you do so, go to a VW mechanic / enthusiast. A general shop won't have as good of a representative sample, and their knowledge is more likely to be confined to what's in the Bentley. (BTW, you ARE taking the cars themselves to a mechanic, right?!) It's also a good idea to lurk on VWVortex and [insert Nissan site] to pick up the general knowledge found there; post specific questions if you like.
Posts: 1839 | Registered: May 1999
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