Sorry folks, but for those that say just fix the car and be done with that…Trust me you don’t own a VAG product (Volkswagon/Audi group)…
Passats are pretty much like Audi A4’s when it comes to maintanance. Anything slightly above a routine oil change requires significant labor.
Parts are cheap, labor (teardown cost is expensive).
Need an alternator, new belts, water pump, or have gasket leaks….Expect at least 4-5 hrs of labor..Simply because the way the car is, most moderate jobs require you to take off the front end (bumper, radiator, etc)…That’s why if a good mechanic will tell you if you’re getting your t-belt done, replace everything else at the same time (water pump, pulleys etc), because labor costs will kill you if you go there again.
This is were japanese and koreans auto excel… Built with serviceability in mind.
There comes a point when the VAG product is worth less than the repair bill on it.
