Great car. It's quick and has good handling. Just keep up on the maintance.

This car was a direct replacement for the sadly departed Jetta.  It's an upgrade of sorts.  Like the Jetta, it's the GLX trim, the top of its model line short of 4motion all-wheel drive.  Like the Jetta, it also had all the bells and whistles and packed a 2.8 liter V6, a slightly more power 60 degree V6 as oppose to the Jetta's narrow 15 degree V6 designed to fit in the space of a 4-cylinder. Packaged with a 5 speed manual, a rare combination among 4-door/6-cylinder "family" cars in the early 2000's, this car was a great cruiser. And practical too, easily accommodating 5 passengers for a smooth commute.  There were a few more maintenance and repair issues with this versus the Jetta, though not astronomical compare to the Bonneville.  I attribute that as one of the reasons i wanted to sell this Passat, but mostly it's because I was promiscuous (for lack of a better term) when it comes to cars.  Originally, it was to be replaced by the doomed Miata.  But a dumbass teen behind the wheel of (ironically), another Jetta changed that.  I waited another 2 more months to find something else to buy before I sold this at a small profit.

Service date: 8 July 2005 to 17 June 2006 (sold)

Gasoline used: 89 octane over 9000 miles at an average of 25.63 mpg.  Per gallon cost ranged from $1.979 (12/17/05) to $3.199 (9/3/05).  Historical footnote, 89 octane cost me $2.299 at the first fillup on 7/29/05.  On 8/27/05, two days before Katrina hit New Orleans, it was $2.569.  It peaked on 9/3/05 fill up and fluctuated within $.50 of that over the next few months before dropping slightly below the $2 mark in December of 2005.

Great Car.  Fun.  Fast.  Sporty.