Volkswagen Passat Problems

These badges are usually held on with contact cement, so make sure the surfaces are clean and dry before fitting the new ones. I would suggest you contact VW direct and express your concern to them and request they supply and fit the badges you need at their cost. The cost is so small that I cannot believe VW or the dealer would not simply do it as a sign of good will.

It could be the MAF malfunctioning giving a faulty signal to the engine computer. Get it to a VW specialist to have it checked out.

It has a chain and doesn't require servicing.

THERE are all sorts of issues. It affects fuel-economy calculations, service intervals, warranty periods and the resale value. After all, if the odometer is 10 per cent out like the speedo, a car that reaches 100,000km, when warranties typically expire, has in reality only done about 90,000km and the warranty should still be active.

THE VW is just a year old, so I would be sticking with it. You've paid the depreciation on it, so why buy another car so soon and suffer the depreciation all over again. There is no reason to be concerned about the life of the VW's engine and it will be much more economical than the V6 Commodore Sportwagon.

ALL engines use oil. It's the rate at which they use oil that can cause concern. VW engines have a reputation for using oil. There have been warranty claims from people running their engine low on oil and causing serious engine failure. They assumed modern engines don't use oil so didn't check the level. At 250ml/1000km I wouldn't be concerned, but I would be if it were using 1 litre/1000km. The point about the 15,000km service intervals is a good one. At the rate of 250ml/1000km your engine will consume almost four litres of oil between oil changes, which is close to a full engine fill. At 1 litre/1000km you would go through 15 litres between oil changes. Makes you wonder why you'd bother changing the oil.

IF YOU sold it to a dealer you'd get about $18,000 at best. Privately you'd get $24,000-$25,000. That's the best way to go if you're happy to spend your weekends by the phone and have strangers calling at your home.