Whats next for the Passat

Kinja'd!!! by "TDIGuy" (owenrosier)
Published 04/22/2017 at 13:51

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STARS: 2


So I keep contemplating trading in the Passat on something else since I moved and it might save me a few dollars but at the end of the day I don’t think I am going to take that route because every day when I get in my car I remember why I bought it in the first place. Its just got an amazing feature set at that price point. So instead I decided to go the route and start making some little mods to the car. I just hit 16K miles today and I’ve had it for 6 months. I did my euro headlight switch last week and I love it. But now onto the fun stuff. I’m considering a number of things. One being lowering springs but I worry about the ride quality. I lowered my mustang when I had it but that car didn’t ride well to begin with. I am thinking just springs and a set of Audi wheels at some point after that. I also have a few other mods in mind like an intake to listen to the turbo. I don’t want to do any thing too annoying like an exhaust or any of that because at the end of the day it is still a Passat. I just want to add some light tweaks.

Kinja'd!!!

What are your thoughts Oppo?


Replies (16)

Kinja'd!!! "Vicente Esteve" (vicente-esteve)
04/22/2017 at 13:55, STARS: 0

Mod-ability on VW’s knows no boundaries. There are some dealership who will actually tune the car and keep the warranty if what you want is to change the character completely. Otherwise it depends on what you want from the car. Looks? Performance?

Kinja'd!!! "TDIGuy" (owenrosier)
04/22/2017 at 16:57, STARS: 1

I don’t know if I want performance at least not yet since really its just a highway machine. I like all of the little OEM + things but there isn’t much I can do since my car is already the highest trim and has all of the options from the factory. I am thinking looks first, maybe mild springs and some Audi wheels. I’ve been stalking craigslist looking at wheels people are taking off of A/S line Audis

Kinja'd!!! "Vicente Esteve" (vicente-esteve)
04/22/2017 at 19:21, STARS: 1

Bentley wheels.

Kinja'd!!! "merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc" (merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc)
04/22/2017 at 22:07, STARS: 0

Jump on Audizine forums, there’s a whole wheels classified section broke down by wheel size. You’ll find good stuff there

Kinja'd!!! "Mike" (caitthedog)
04/23/2017 at 07:38, STARS: 0

Anyway, do Maga flow exhaust; lower springs with oem sport springs, about a 1/2 lowers it. Much cooler ride with my 19 inch tire and an AEM intake. Trust me it is perfect, just prefect! Want more info? Respond, as I will tell you more. Mike. Baltimore.

Kinja'd!!! "Mike" (caitthedog)
04/23/2017 at 07:42, STARS: 0

Mike here again from Baltimore. My Passat is the Sport Edition 2015. They only made them for two years. “Tastefull” modifications on my car boosted it up on turbo to approx., 180 hp; 195 torq. Must, must get a Sprint Booster also.

Kinja'd!!! "arl" (arl1968)
04/23/2017 at 08:40, STARS: 0

While lowering springs are tempting, I would suggest leaving the suspension alone, especially if you’re going to pay someone else to do the work. Yes, VWR springs are only about $250.00 a set. But then you need to pay a shop $500 for the install, then another $100 for alignment. You’re going to be into basic lowering for close to a cool $1000.00. Then, to put it back to stock, another $600 or so to replace the stock springs and get another alignment.

I would go with an APR tune from a dealer that warranties it, tint, and maybe some nice wheels with summer tires. When winter rolls around next fall put some winter tires on the stock wheels (not that buying new wheels and 2 sets of tires is any cheaper than getting springs installed, but they’re so much easier to change, and less likely to cause suspension/ride/handling issues that are expensive and time consuming to back out of). Just my .02.

Kinja'd!!! "TDIGuy" (owenrosier)
04/23/2017 at 09:46, STARS: 1

Yeah thats a good point with the lowering springs. Thats more than I want out of pocket. I already got it tinted, thats the first thing I’ve done to every car I’ve ever owned. I’m on the fence with the APR tune mostly because I don’t feel like it needs more power but it could be fun too

Kinja'd!!! "GTI Sprinks" (gtisprinks)
04/23/2017 at 21:43, STARS: 0

As you’ve already hinted, OEM+ is always a good route to pursue. Euro swaps are always good as well. If you’re looking for a little more power, any of the major tuning houses should do you fine. Nice wheels would look great. If you want to get serious into the luxury passat (closer to euro) you could improve the sound deadening in cabin, as supposedly that’s an issue between US / Euro passats. Do an r-line interior swap if you’re feeling like splurging. As mentioned previously, vw customization is pretty endless.

Also, if you haven’t yet, get yourself a vcds tool or similar and get some of the nice creature comfort bits that usually get locked out stateside.

Kinja'd!!! "TDIGuy" (owenrosier)
04/24/2017 at 09:02, STARS: 0

Yeah I think I’m pretty happy with my interior for the most part there are some blank buttons I would like to put to use at some point though. I’ve been back and forth about the tuning thing. There are may reasons too but I also feel like I don’t need to because its just a commuter. The sound deadening isn’t a bad idea although in my opinion most of the road noise comes from the crappy tires it comes with from the factory

Kinja'd!!! "GTI Sprinks" (gtisprinks)
04/24/2017 at 16:02, STARS: 0

All valid points. My options for tweaking my GTI have been strictly in things i interact with on a daily basis, meaning interior aesthetics, headlights, etc. Haven’t touched tune stuff yet but have been playing with the idea of maybe a tune box for the helluvit. Standard GTI stuff.

Your Passat is such a great platform and certainly pushes the luxury end of VW and would likely pair well with nice wheels and rubber to match.

Kinja'd!!! "TDIGuy" (owenrosier)
04/24/2017 at 16:21, STARS: 0

Yeah if I had gone for the GTI I would be looking more closely at the tunes. I still might at some point. I worry more about doing these things with and Auto since I have always had manual cars

Kinja'd!!! "GTI Sprinks" (gtisprinks)
04/25/2017 at 23:13, STARS: 0

But you have a DSG ;) It’ll handle it very well so i’m told. Better than VWs glassjaw manual transmissions.

Kinja'd!!! "TDIGuy" (owenrosier)
04/26/2017 at 09:08, STARS: 0

No I don’t have a DSG on’y the VR6 cars have the DSG I have a regular auto

Kinja'd!!! "GTI Sprinks" (gtisprinks)
04/27/2017 at 10:34, STARS: 0

Ah i forget that VW is odd about Torque converters on some models and dsg on others. My apologies!

Kinja'd!!! "TDIGuy" (owenrosier)
04/28/2017 at 18:31, STARS: 0

Oh that’s okay I really with it was the DSG I have no problem with the auto but the DSG is much heartier