2004 Volkswagen Phaeton

Sedan

6.0L 12 cyl.

5-spd. auto

WVWAH63D448006938

Clear

Gas

We are proud to offer this very rare and extremely nice example of a 2004 VW Phaeton V8 sedan ... This Phaeton is in exceptionally nice condition inside and out, has always been well serviced and is very well optioned (see description below for a list of all options). These Phaetons are AWD full time, very quick, handle very well, are whisper quiet inside, have exceptional build quality and get very good fuel economy for a large luxury car - 22+ mpg on the highway! Around 3,000 were built from 2004-2006, and fewer and fewer can be found with mileage under 100,000. The body is in exceptional condition with no dents, dings or scuffs, and the glass, carpet, leather, headliner, seats, etc. all literally look new. I am an extremely picky person and this is one of the few cars I've ever had that I can say you literally don't need to do anything to it. It doesn't need tires, a service, any spare keys, NAV DVD's, floormats - nothing. It's priced at the upper end of the market but I have no reservations representing it as one of the top 3 or 4 Phaetons available for purchase in the US. It's tough to find a driven pre-owned vehicle that is this well cared for & clean. It is finished in Luna blue met. over Anthracite leather, has a 6-spd. automatic trans and has 96,250 original miles. It will be very tough to price shop this Phaeton or compare it with anything else because of the mileage, rarity and condition. Don't miss your chance to buy this fabulous auto for 75% off of new MSRP. Bid with confidence - we have been a member of eBay since November 1998 and we have a 100% feedback rating!! We do have a complete collection of photographs that document every aspect of this vehicle, so please request them! And be sure to mail us if you have any questions! Please also keep in mind that this vehicle is being advertised via other retail venues, so we reserve the right to cancel this auction at any time and without notice. God bless and good luck in bidding! Additional Details: (VIN: WVWAF63D148010144), luna blue met. / anthracite leather, 96,250 miles, electronically controlled 6-spd. ZF 6HP26A tiptronic automatic trans., built 12/2003, in-service date of 04/30/2004 with 64 miles, sold new in O'Fallon, IL, longitudinally mounted 4.2L DOHC 40-valve V8 engine, 335 hp. @ 6,500 rpm., 317 ft-lbs. torque @ 3,500 rpm., high pressure alloy cylinder block and heads, twin-spark, variable valve / camshaft timing, multi-port fuel injection, bore x stroke: 84.5 mm x 93.0 mm, 11.0:1 compression ratio, driver-adaptive electronic 5-speed Tiptronic allows driver to manually downshift and allow upshifts, display in instrument cluster indicates selected gear range and mode, speed sensitive rack and pinion power steering, Torsen- based 4Motion permanent all-wheel drive, independent 4-link front suspension with stabilizer bar and air springs, independent trapezoidal wishbone rear suspension with stabilizer bar and air springs, Interactive front and rear suspension with auto leveling and electronic damping controls, height adjustable suspension, speed sensitive Servetronic power steering, mechanical center limited slip differential, electronic traction control via ABS and engine management, ESP electronic stability program, four-wheel independent suspension - 4-link front and trapezoidal link fully independent rear with coil springs, gas pressurized shocks and stabilizer bars, 4-wheel power-assisted 4-wheel vented disc brakes with ABS, Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Brake Assist (senses emergency braking via the speed at which the driver presses the brake pedal, and immediately applies maximum available power boost, potentially reducing the overall stopping distance by eliminating the delay caused by a common human tendency not to brake hard enough, soon enough), driver and front passenger are each provided with an occupant sensing dual-stage deployment front air bag, a head and chest protecting side airbag and a 3-point seat belt with an emergency tensioning device (ETD) and belt force limiter, each rear passenger is provided with a head and chest protecting side airbag, rear headrest and a 3-point seat belt with ETD & belt force limiter, two height adjustable active head restraints on front seats, height adjustable head restraints on rear seats, dual front 14-way power heated seats with lumbar support and dual 3-position seat memory (which includes ext. mirror and steering wheel memory for the driver), key dependent memory settings include steering wheel, mirror and seat settings plus climate control and radio settings, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, dusk sensor and heated headlamp washers, touch turn signals flash three times with one touch of turn-signal lever (for simple lane-changing), auto-dimming electrochromatic interior rear view and exterior driver's side mirrors, dual heated power folding ext. mirrors with integrated turn signals and linked to driver's seat memory, aerodynamic bumpers & side sills with integrated projector beam fog lamps, infrared-reflective glass helps reduce radiant heat penetration, Options: heated and ventilated front & rear seats, dual rear climate control panel, pass-thru ski sack, tire pressure monitoring, clear high-impact polycarbonate headlight lenses with projector beam bi-Xenon headlights with separate lower grille driving lights, automatic intermittent windshield wipers with rain sensor and heated washer reservoir, power tilt / sliding sunroof, dash mounted air vents with automatic wood trim covering feature, front seat center armrests & rear seat center armrest with trunk access, HomeLink 3-button garage door opener & coming home device, auto dimming interior and exterior mirrors, Premium audio / NAV package (10-speaker BOSE premium sound with subwoofer, RDS & 6CD changer, full color touchscreen CD-based NAV and telephone system), genuine Chestnut wood interior trim incl. the beltline, ambient cabin lighting, night-time security illuminated entry system, analog dash with digital driver information center (reporting average speed, average fuel consumption, instantaneous fuel consumption and range for remaining fuel), ext. temp gauge and clock, digital display for odometer and gear/mode selection, multifunction display can be scrolled via steering-wheel and stalk controls to operate and display various menus and vehicle features: odometer and resett- able trip meter, maintenance system, tire pressure, engine oil-level, radio station or CD player/CD changer, trip computer (elapsed time, fuel consumption, distance to empty, vehicle reminder and malfunction messages and more), locking remote trunk and fuel filler door, dual zone auto climate control with carbon pollen filters and CFC-free air conditioning, cruise control, power windows with express up/down feature, power adjustable steering wheel, center console cupholders with self-hiding feature, power rear sunshade with manual rear side window shades, all mats, cargo nets and footrests, dual illuminated vanity mirrors with magnification feature and overhead front and rear reading lights, SmartKey remote central locking system with factory alarm and engine immobilizer (2 keys and 2 remotes), 23.8 gallon fuel tank, EPA mileage estimates: (16 mpg city / 22 mpg highway), 5,194 lbs. curb weight, 12-spoke aluminium rims, Hankook Ventus ST tires including the spare tire (255/50-17) with Tread Depth Measurements: DF: 8/32, PF: 8/32, DR: 8/32, PR: 8/32 (10/32 is new tire tread depth), complete tool kit and full size spare, checks out with VW North America, clean AutoCheck report, 4 owners since new. In the United States market 1,433 Phaetons were sold in 2004, and 820 were sold in 2005, with the remaining few produced and sold in 2006 - with a total US production of under 2,400 cars. Of these, approximately 300 were 6.0L W12's, and only about 50 were of the 4-passenger configuration. This vehicle is a phenomenal driving sedan, and shares the same platform as the Bentley Continental GT / Bentley Flying Spur / Audi A8L. Comes with all books & manuals, service records show a recent full & complete 80K service incl. new tire pressure sensors, new tires (including the spare), all fluids and filters, new timing belt, water pump and all accessories, spark plugs and ignition coils (a $5,000 service bill), all recalls and services performed, no known or detectable paintwork, leather and carpeting excellent, no evidence of being smoked in, aftermarket warranty and financing options available, one of the nicest examples of a VW Phaeton on the market, a set of charcoal finished 17" Borbet LV5 rims are also available for this car, new MSRP of approx. $75,000.00. A photo tour of the all-glass VW Phaeton factory can be found here. New Car Review: 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton W12 DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS The Phaeton was conceived by Ferdinand Piëch, then chairman of Volkswagen Group. Piëch wanted Volkswagen engineers to create a car that would overwhelmingly surpass the German prestige market leaders, Mercedes-Benz and BMW. The decision to release the Phaeton was, in part, a response to Mercedes' decision to compete directly with Volkswagen in the European marketplace with the low-cost A-Class. It was also intended to support the Volkswagen brand image, since the most expensive versions of lesser models, such as the Golf GTI, were starting to cost almost as much as equivalently-sized prestige brands. Although the Volkswagen group already has a direct competitor in the full-sized luxury segment, the Audi A8, the Phaeton is intended to be more of a limousine like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, while the A8 and BMW 7 Series are more sport-oriented. Initial development of the Phaeton, given the internal project code VW611, began with Piëch giving his engineers a list of ten parameters the car needed to fulfill. Most of these specifications were not made known to the public, but a number of them were told to automotive reporters. One of them was that the Phaeton should be capable of being driven all day at 300 kilometres per hour (186 mph) with an exterior temperature of 50 °C (122 °F) whilst maintaining the interior temperature at 22 °C (72 °F). Piëch requested this even though the Phaeton's top speed was electronically limited to 250 kilometres per hour (155.3 mph). Another requirement was that the car should possess torsional rigidity of 37,000 N·m/degree. The Phaeton's platform, the Volkswagen Group D1 platform, is shared with the Bentley Continental GT and Bentley Flying Spur. Certain systems, such as the automatic transmission and some engines, are also shared with the Audi A8. The D1 is a stand-alone steel platform, and was specifically developed for the Phaeton and Bentley Continental. It is commonly confused with Audi's D3 platform, which is an all-aluminium-based, instead of the D1's steel platform. As of 2011, the Phaeton has the longest wheelbase in the Volkswagen Passenger Car line. The Phaeton is hand-assembled in an eco-friendly factory with a glass exterior, the Transparent Factory (German: Gläserne Manufaktur) in Dresden, Germany. This factory also assembled Bentley Flying Spur vehicles destined for the European market until October 2006, when all assembly of the Bentley products was transferred to Crewe, England. The Phaeton body is fabricated and painted at the large Volkswagen works at Zwickau, Germany, and the completed bodies are then transported about 100 km by special road transport vehicles to the Transparent Factory. Most Phaeton engines, the W12 being the notable exception, are built at the VW/Porsche/Audi engine plant in Gyor, Hungary. Development of the vehicle led to over 100 individual patents specific to the Phaeton. Distinctive features include a draftless four-zone climate system, air compressor suspension system, and standard Torsen-based 4motion four-wheel drive. With the Klavierlack (piano lacquer) option, the vehicle is double-painted and sanded between the first and second paint application. The Phaeton debuted at prices comparable to similar offerings from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Lexus and the Volkswagen Group's own Audi A8 (which shared its engineering underpinnings with the Phaeton). Sales fell far short of expectations. In 2002, the manufacturer stated the annual capacity of the new Phaeton plant at Dresden was 20,000; by September 2006 a four-year total of 25,000 had been built, with production running at approximately 6,000 cars annually. The domestic market is the Phaeton's strongest, with 19,314 Phaetons delivered in Germany alone by January 2009. In the United States market, 1,433 Phaetons were sold in 2004, and 820 were sold in 2005, leading the company to announce that sales in the American market would end after the 2006 model year. The rare W12-engined models have depreciated significantly, and sell for a small fraction of their original cost. I have test driven lots of cars during my review research over the years…most of the cars I drive do not elicit even a second look from the folks around town…but this time it was different. Driving a new VW Phaeton brought me the kind of attention that only a trophy wife can generate from a bunch of car guys who have seen it all. During my week with the Phaeton the car served me well, as I drove the back roads of Kentucky on my favorite test drive routes…up and around…in and out of the hollers…from bumpy county roads to high speed interstates…from the gym to the supermarket and from the gas station to the car wash and back to the gas station…we have them all here in beautiful central Kentucky. The most interesting places that I took my Phaeton (alas for only a week) was to car dealers around town. My daughter Carre is looking for a new car, and as a good daughter of a car guy (and a journalist in her own right or should I say “own write”) she thought that I should act as the Phaeton's chauffeur while we made a day of looking at and driving the cars she hasn’t yet driven but was considering for purchase, hoping to see which ones could generate a spark of love. But an interesting and strange thing happened everytime we drove onto a dealer’s lot and parked the Phaeton in a customers only spot…out they came…one by one and soon two by two…kinda like the ghouls in the movie “Night of the Living Dead” (sorry for that, but the image worked for me) …these car guys moved ever closer and closer to the Phaeton, eyes glazed over, drawn to this behemoth that was becoming their (and everyone else's) center of attention …but soon real smiles appeared on their “Next Up” masked faces...their eyes truly sparkled and tires were kicked and the questions began. The questions I heard the most during my week long test of the 2004 VW Phaeton were…What is it?; A $75,000 VW?; Can I sit in it?; How much horsepower does it have and is it enough? How does it drive? How do the Plasma screen controls work? Is it sold in Louisville? All good questions that deserved good answers. Throughout the week the VW Phaeton generated more questions than any other car I tested…and throughout the week I continued to discover answers. Although a week is more than adequate for most cars, I feel that one week with this car is not enough time to learn all of the driving and accessory nuances that you “just” come across as you use the car as transportation in everyday life. Some of the neat things I learned: the Phaeton has a self charging mini halogen flashlight in place of a cigarette lighter; the automatic trunk not only opened and closed at the touch of a button but the lock latch actually folded up into its own space as the trunk reached its zenith, so you wouldn’t bang your head into the latch; speaking of the trunk…WOW, the Phaeton has a trunk to beat all trunks…Tony Soprano and the boys could fill it with three large bodies and still have room left over for shovels, plastic wrap, and some warm merchandise that happened to “fall offa da truck“; the back seat was so large and well appointed that even an NBA center would feel comfortable and pampered back there…plus the seat’s adjustments rivaled a Sharper Image recliner; speaking of recliners and Sharper Image, all the seats on the car I drove had A/C vents, lumbar supports and a built-in massager…you just never want to leave the Phaeton…I was hoping for a back scratcher control and a WC but never found them. Ok back to the most asked questions: What is it? It is a heck of a car that rivals any on the road…a beautiful venue that provides a more than comfortable ride, a car that at the touch of a button can be made more relevant for any driving condition: 4 Motion AWD, Electronic Damping Controls; Auto Leveling Air Suspension; Electronic Stabilization Program including ABS/ASR/EDL with brake assist…plus Engine Braking Controls; Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Servetronic Power Steering. The Phaeton has Air Bags Everywhere, Tire Pressure Monitor; Rain Sensors and Heated Windshield Washer Nozzles; Sun Shades on the windows and on and on and on and on and on and on…you can see the details below. A $75,000 VW? And well worth it …its German ride and handling is the equal to cars costing twice as much as it does. and the fit and finish are spectacular…with blond Sonnen Beige leather and Chestnut Wood Trim in all the right places the Phaeton was right at home in my family’s estate carriage house (oh yeah. VW says it looses 15% of its owners to luxury brands each year so it needed a step up for VW fans Can I sit in it? No sir, no sitting…only looking…you car selling peasants …”It’s good to be king“ How much horsepower? Is it enough? The Phaeton’s 4.2 liter 40 valve engine is rated at 335 horsepower…with fuel consumption estimated to be 15 in the city and 22 on the highway…does is it have enough horsepower?...I must confess that I think the Phaeton at 335 horsepower was underpowered…and I guess VW agrees with me as they are making a W12 version of the car available in 2005, I can’t wait to get my hands on that baby…another tidbit of information that I furrowed out, is that the Phaeton’s first cousin the Audi A8 has basically the same specs, but its 4.2 liter 40 valve engine is rated at 330 HP and is built in Germany while the Phaeton’s engine is built in Hungry…who says you only get the same old same old in our reviews? The Phaeton even caused a chat room stir among VW aficionados here in Louisville with their online chatter focused on the fact that my Lune Blue car was spotted driving around town…I guess it’s the first one to visit the Bluegrass…and even with a $75,000 MSRP I am sure it won’t be the last. Picks: This vehicle is in excellent condition inside and out, I hate having an 8 year old car that I really can't nitpick but this is one of them ... paint and body, carpet and leather are excellent, interior wood is perfect, rims have no curb damage and the tires are new and high quality, it has recently been serviced as well. The PO was extremely picky and installed new tires (including the spare), had the car fully inspected and serviced by a VW Phaeton trained tech and replaced anything at all that wasn't 100%, right down to the plastic clips on the floormats. The only thing to nitpick is there is a very minor amount of road rash / sandblasting on the windshield that is only visible in bright direct sunlight, other than that this car is literally like new, nothing else to reasonably fault! Numerical Condition Evaluation: (1 denotes Very Poor / Item needs replacement, 10 denotes Excellent / Showroom New) PAINT: 9.5 BODY: 10 CONV. TOP: N/A RIMS: 9.5 TIRES: 8 WINDSHIELD / GLASS: 9 LEATHER: 10 INT. CARPETING: 10 SERVICE RECORDS / OWNERSHIP HISTORY: 7 *This vehicle is located in Southern Indiana - more information or photographs are available upon on request. While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the description of this vehicle, mistakes regarding hp ratings, options, etc. can be made. I have also done my best to be very honest and very critical about the cosmetic and mechanical condition of this vehicle. Of course, it is not always possible to pick-up on every minor detail or flaw. Please keep expectations realistic as this is a pre-owned vehicle, and I have personally found blemishes on brand new un-driven vehicles. If you are an exceptionally detailed oriented person, please contact me to verify any information directly, and I will do my best to specifically photograph anything you request and to answer any of your questions to the best of my ability.