# Passat Wagon - 97/99 turbo **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** volkswagen, passat\ **Created:** [February 8, 2013, 10:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/passat-wagon-97-99-turbo/77232 "2013-02-08T22:07:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ZBC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/65b543/32.png) [@ZBC](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ZBC)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 10:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/passat-wagon-97-99-turbo/77232/1 "2013-02-08T22:07:40Z")
Hello. I am looking for a car and have come across two different passat wagons that are in my price range and both have under 150K miles. I haven’t gone to see them yet and am trying to do some research before I do. Edmunds seems to give them a 4/5 rating but says that the engine isn’t great. I have been trying to find a honda or toyota wagon but they are hard to come by and I only have about $2500 to spend. The passat seems great but I’m afraid that the repairs are going to be expensive. What do all of you think? Thanks for your advise. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/passat-wagon-97-99-turbo/77232/2 "2013-02-08T22:11:31Z")
Run away form both. Late 90s was a bad time for VW. That’s why they’re cheap. Look for a Chevy or Ford in that price range. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 10:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/passat-wagon-97-99-turbo/77232/3 "2013-02-08T22:26:39Z")
Agree; the first major repair will cost you more than $2500. These cars are bad news. A Chevy Cavalier or Ford Crown Victoria can be had in this price range and repairs on those are both less frequent and less expensive. ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 10:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/passat-wagon-97-99-turbo/77232/4 "2013-02-08T22:58:52Z")
I agree with the others. A Passat is just another name for “money pit.” ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 11:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/passat-wagon-97-99-turbo/77232/5 "2013-02-08T23:15:29Z")
A 97/99 anything could be a gamble and relying on info from Edmunds or other review sites to be the decision maker would be a mistake. An inspection pre-purchase or at a minimum, a lengthy test drive while paying close attention to how the car drives, shifts, accessory operation, etc is a must. I would go for something a bit more generic; say a Crown Vic or Buick. With some footwork and patience you should be able to find a pretty decent ride for 2500 dollars. ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 11:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/passat-wagon-97-99-turbo/77232/6 "2013-02-08T23:22:37Z")
For $2500 you won’t get much car. And you should have about $1000 handy for repairs that are likely with a cheap used car. So, if you have $3,500 available buy a $2500 car. If you have $2500 only, you are really looking for a $1500 car. You should be able to find a Ford Escort wagon in your price range with some life left in it. Perhaps you should be looking for an old minivan. Lots of them around and for $2500 you might find an OK one. An old Passat with a turbo on the motor, that has the potential to be a real expensive car to own. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2013, 5:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/passat-wagon-97-99-turbo/77232/7 "2013-02-09T05:41:53Z")
The cost for parts alone on the engine is almost $6000, and the problems are across all years fo Passat 1.8T that you are interested in. I would pass on the Passat. I;m also skeptical of Hondas. and Toyotas, but only because they have high resale values. For $2500, you need to look for the newest car you an find i the best condition you can find. For $2500, you should concentrate on unpopular cars like a Chevy Cavalier, Buick Century, Chevy Malibu, or a Ford Contour, for instance. Maybe a Kia Rio. You could probably find a 2003 Cavalier in your price range. Also, look for a car that a senior citizen is selling. They tend to make them last longer to keep the total cost of ownership down. You can benefit from their attention to the car.