Putting the daily driver up for sale. After doing a whole bunch of work reviving this wagon, you can read more here, and here, I'm not finding the connection I was hoping for. It's a great car, has all of the goodies (and they all work), looks good, and the DSG really is a wonderful little box of magic.
It's well behaved and I'm not in a huge hurry to sell (other than my own impatience), as it does do all of the things I need it to do, all wrapped in a giant shell of German airbags and vault like doors. Here is a link to the local CL ad. 2010 Volkswagen Passat Turbo Wagon, DSG
As the below text states, I would be interested in trades, and I don't have any brand loyalties. Pricing on CL is 5,000 dollar bucks, but am negotiable.
Car is located in Bellingham, Washington, and I would be okay with meeting within a reasonable distance for a serious buyer/trade.
Thanks for looking!
For trade or sale for best offer is our 2010 Volkswagen Passat, equipped with the 2.0t powerplant and DSG transmission. The vehicle is in very good shape, and we have done a lot of work in maintenance and upgrades. I completed all of the work myself, and I am happy to talk in more detail about what I've done beyond the high level list below. I specifically sought this engine/transmission combo out when shopping for a wagon.
The Passat runs very well, and consistently pulls down 28mpg of mixed city/highway, and 30+ on the highway. The DSG is very efficient, crisp, and eliminates all of the parasitic drag of a standard automatic. It boasts both a sport mode and a true manual mode. With the turbocharger spooled up, it moves a lot quicker than any full body wagon has a right to. Alternatively, with the transmission in standard "Drive", it is calm, well behaved, and hunts for prime efficiency. Standard features are in true VW fashion, lots of them, and thankfully for you, this isn't a 90's VW, so they still all function perfectly.
The DSG transmission can shift a bit harsh when cold, which is common and nothing to worry about long term. I recently replaced the fluid, and two of the mechatronic solenoids to cure a hard engagement issue from a stop. The work was worth it. I drive this car once a week to Surrey, BC, and have been stuck in a bit of border traffic where the transmission was seamless and smooth.
From the outside, there are a few changes from the original platform:
Audi A3 wheels, with spacers to complete the look. The Hankook's mounted to them are less than a year old.
In-channel side window deflectors (Heko)
All black front grill
Thule cross bars (with keys)
I get more comments than I expected on the appearance, it presents much newer than a 2010, and carries a high level of road presence.
The interior is black, seemingly indestructible VW pleather. No damage, missing parts, or tears. Has the rear cargo cover for the hatch area, and a Weather Tech cargo area mat back there, factory VW all weather mats everywhere else. The largest upgrade inside is the RCD330 factory VW headunit, which has Android Auto and Apple Car Play, so you are able to run navigation, Spotify, etc, from the head unit. It also has the option to be integrated into a rear view camera (not currently fitted) in the future.
In the engine bay, the list of work done is substantial, so here it is:
AC compressor and expansion valve
Alternator
DSG fluid change
PCV Valve and hoses
Spark Plugs
Carbon cleaning of the intake valves (common issue on direct injection engines)
Brand new MAF
Engine belly pan replacement
Regular oil changes
Air Filter
Intake manifold gasket (needed after carbon cleaning)
Oil pan reseal and upper timing cover gasket (common cause of vacuum leaks)
Battery
Class 1 hitch (only used for a bike rack)
I did everything I could to research common 2.0t failure points and prevent them.
The car is not perfect, and has higher miles (192k), despite it looking like a more modern Audi/VW, please remember it is still 13 years old. I take care of my vehicles, and take staff/vendors/etc. out in them, outward appearance and reliability are very important to me, but yes there are rock chips, some dings, wheels have some curb rash, etc.
Reach out with any questions. I would consider full or partial trades (cash your end or mine) depending on what you have. I unfortunately did not connect in the way that I wanted to with this car. I would consider myself an enthusiast, and unfortunately this more modern VW isn't speaking to me in the way I'd like. Possibly trades would be for a manual transmission BMW (four doors or wagon, E39+, E46+), Subaru, Mazda (3, 5, 6), Toyota, Honda/Acura, other VW/Audi (but in true manual). It is a wonderful car, and may be the perfect fit for another enthusiast, but it isn't the one for me. I have no brand affiliation, and I have no idea what I'm really looking for, but I'm interested in all trades as long as they are daily driver capable, have at least four doors and a backseat, and aren't a mid nineties economy car.
Possibly negotiable is the VCDS linkup and license, the carbon cleaning tools, DSG tools, etc. To the right buyer these may just be thrown into the deal. I also have a set of Audi five spoke wheels with M+S tires that can be included.
The bike rack on the car could be included, the car seat in the photos, is not. Vehicle is photographed as driven, not cleaned up within an inch of it's life just for the photos. It is my daily driver, and it is taken care of.
Any questions, please reach out.
