1996 Volkswagen Passat

TDI Sedan

4 Cylinder 1.9 Liter Dies

Manual

WVWGG83A0TE070084

Clear

Diesel

Air Conditioning

I bought this in 9/09 and had to do a little work to it to get her running right. The car was purchased new in KY and spent most of its life there, and then was sold to the man I bought it from in Indianapolis. When I got it, it was lethargic and had very poor acceleration. The door locks didn't work, no trunk release inside the car, etc... I worked with a local mechanic who only works on TDI's and got almost everything straightened out. We replaced the turbo but it turned out not to be the problem. It was the Catalytic converter that was "plugged up," as they say here in East Tennessee. We cut it out, replaced it with a straight pipe and bam, she drives super nice now. Very quiet on the road. This is my 4th Passat TDI of this vintage (96/97). I never got 50 mpg's as I have on some others I've owned but she's a great runner. it has an aftermarket stereo which sounds good, and the door locking system works now. the only issue with the car is the driver's side window is going out. it still works fine but I never use it. It goes down OK but you have to help it back up and it clicks. This is super common for these cars-- don't know if it's the motor or the actuator. My guess is the motor is fine and the actuator is worn. Since I've had it, it's live in a heated and cooled garage and I don't smoke. I have a couple of keys for it and all the books (see the photo gallery for tons of photos). Tires are not new but are in great condition--maybe 40% wear? they are a matching set. I just did front brakes with new pads (rotors did not need turning). CC works fine and I had to put a new AC compressor in it about a year ago. Once you get the engine going and drive a few miles, you could hang meat in these things. Killer AC. I wish my new TDI had as good a system.... I have a clean title and no leans of any kind. Looking for a drama free cash sale as I'm not a dealer or a bank. Please do not ask me to end the auction early but feel free to post any questions you might have. I will post the reply publicly so all can see your questions and my answers. if you're thinking about flying to come and get it, the airport code here is TYS but there are no deals... BNA is nashville where Southwest flies, so that might be a better bet. I love these Vdub diesels!!! This one must have been garage kept as it's in good shape. Paint is not perfect, mind you--please examine the photos closely before asking questions about the paint. the bad: windshield has a rock mark on it.driver's side window needs workthe good: super awesome fuel economy in a full size carlow main. cost ( there are 26 parts in every gas engine to one in a diesel)I did all the filters and oil changes myself every 7500 mi. with the correct oil (5-40 full synthetic)/filters (mann)new AC compressor, battery, front brakes, decent tires, stereo sounds great, sunroof-no leaks! here are all the photos: http://pmrphoto.smugmug.com/Cars/1996-VW-Passat-TDI-GLS-92K/12113149_ERycM#860974776_V6nJLOn Jul-04-10 at 10:25:27 PDT, seller added the following information: NOTE: driver's side rear window is inoperable, so the rear left passenger window does not work... FYI-- missed stating this in the earlier description, sorry!!!On Jul-05-10 at 08:06:31 PDT, seller added the following information: Even though they look like aftermarket mag wheels, the wheels are the stock steelies with hubcaps. they look better in the photos than they do in person, to be honest. Also, ebay would not let me say that it has a CD player as it wasn't an option back in 96' but if you look at the photos, there is a very nice CD player with a removable face in the car. it sounds great! All the speakers are in good shape too and sound awesome. I am now listing my phone number here if anyone has any questions that I haven't covered in the description: eight six five - 607 - twentytwenty Someone's going to get a really nice ride tomorrow! thx, patOn Jul-07-10 at 05:25:41 PDT, seller added the following information: also, driver's side back window is inoperable. Pretty sure the driver's side window is the actuator and not the motor. Keep in mind this car spent all but one year of its life in KY and TN so it's not going to be prone to rust like cars coming out of the Northeast and Midwest, especially. Paint is original and still has good clear coat but for a few spots so it must have been garaged most of its life to look the way it does. wheels are steel with hubcaps, CD/MP3 player sounds really good with stock speakers--there is not cassette tape player anymore as it was removed in order to put the newer head unit in. Turbo was replaced with a new old stock unit. Last, I would drive this thing to Seattle right now--it's a car you can trust to drive daily or on a long trip.... -- reserve price and buy it now price have both been lowered. As long as you pay for the car in full at the end of the auction, I have a place to store it outside for as long as you need. -- Happy bidding!On Jul-07-10 at 20:38:52 PDT, seller added the following information: in the interest of providing as much information and disclosure as possible, here are all the questions and answers from the last auction: Q: So what kind of mileage have you gotten with this car? Will it pass a smog test without the catalytic converter? Thanks, DaveJul-01-10A: my best tank was 48.8 mpg. My longest run on one tank was 843 miles. I am venting the tank with each fillup and can often get as much as 19.8 gal into the car though it only has a 18.5 gal tank--must have fat fuel lines??? If you ran the speed limit, I'm sure you could hit 51 mpg but I don't. I usually run 73 in a 65 and 77 in a 70. As for the test, I am uncertain. they don't air test here in TN and I'm not sure they would test a diesel anyway... if you had to have one for your state, you can get a used one from a junk yard for around $200 or a new one here for a little over $400: http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/search/? Ntt=Catalytic%20ConverterQ: Hello,Have you replaced the timing belt? thanks daveJun-30-10A: timing belt and water pump were both replaced at 75K. This what was the former owner told me so when I got it home, I had my guy inspect the timing belt to be sure and he said it was like new. Water pump looked new so I knew that had been done also. In the process of trying to figure out why the car was so slow, he also removed it and put it back on thinking it might have been a timing issue but it wasn't...Q: Can you guarantee that the car only has 93k on it and the speedometer hasn't been changedJun-30-10A: I carfaxed it when I bought it and I'm confident that the miles are correct. I've had a few high miles TDI Passats and the way I've always been able to tell is the struts are usually cashed and the suspension is bad. This car is very tight, no bounce when you hit a dip in the road, and all the other components like brakes look good. The dirver's seat is also a tell-tale sign of wear and it's very firm. So, to answer you as honestly as possible, I think the miles are right on but I can't guarantee anything that has had two prior owners. I also ran the VIN at my dealer when I bought it and the miles were consistent with the carfax so I'm pretty confident on this. Hope this helps you! patrick