Diesel Passat '04

My biggest dislike is that I can't get one in NY where I live.

Nor in California where I live.

Biggest dislike #2: Also only offered in the US with an automatic (no manual trans).

That's what I thought too. I've driven manual all my life. But in September I traded my 02 Jetta TDI 5spd for an 05 Passat TDI. I'm amazed how little adjustment it took, and how much I like the Tiptronic. Once the car is warmed up, in normal driving it is as smooth as silk. With music turned up loud enough so you don't hear the engine it's hard at times to tell when it shifts unless you watch the tach.

The other thing that amazes me is how much different the 2.0 TDI is compared to the 1.9 TDI used in the Jetta and Golf. The 2.0 TDI produces so much more torque. I found I have to be careful not to spin the tires pulling away from lights. In general it feels like a much larger engine.

so you never regretted the change - why change after only 3 years????

PE

Actually was only 25 months into a 36 month lease. Why - because I wanted a Passat, and if I waited until the end of the 36 months there might no longer be any TDI Passats available. And because the Jetta was dirty... ;-)

Anyway, I didn't have any trouble talking the dealer into letting me terminate the Jetta lease early, and they kicked in about $1000 (CAD) to compensate for the fact that the resale value was higher than the residual.

And, no I have not in any way regretted the change. Going back to the beginning I've had: 78 Rabbit Diesel, 82 Jetta (gas, ugh!), 84 Jetta TD, 92 Jetta TD (A2), 97 Jetta TD, 99 Jetta TDI (A4), 01 Jetta TDI, 02 Jetta TDI, and now the Passat. Of them all, the 2.0L TDI in the Passat is the best diesel I've driven. It is both more powerful (love that torque) and more refined than the 1.9L TDI used in the Jetta and Golf.