CLUB B5 - VW Passat Page

Old And New Alike by TheJezter
June 30, 2004

An interview with two of CB5’s oldest and newest members.

One thing that has intrigued me about clubb5.com is the varied level of experience one will find here. This truly is the ultimate “one-stop shopping” source for all of your B5 questions. Recently, as I surfed the forums my curiosity got the best of me. I saw members with thousands upon thousands of postings under their belts and I wondered how many people they have helped, and more importantly, how much they themselves have learned. As a relative newcomer to the site and a fledgling VW owner, I wanted to try and understand their passion for their B5’s and to have some fun along the way. As I began to develop questions I might ask, I asked myself, “What about the other end of the spectrum?” “What do our newest members think about the site and their cars?” I wanted a short list of questions I could ask someone in each group and not have it sound like a customer satisfaction card you might fill out at your local fast food franchise. With list in hand, off I went.

I’d like to welcome one of our newest members, Julie (Joules) to the club and personally want to thank her for agreeing to answer my questions. Julie is driving a brand new 2004 GLS with Tiptronic. It was exciting to see Julie’s responses because I know she shares the same newfound passion for her VW as I do for mine. From the veteran’s arena I’d also like to thank Kenny Payne, who almost all of you know, for sharing his thoughts. Kenny, with over 4400 posts to his credit, is one of the founding fathers of CB5. Kenny is driving a 1999 GLS 5 speed. I was almost embarrassed to ask such simplistic questions, but he handled them tactfully and provides some real insight for us all. I hope you enjoy.

Chris:
What do you like most about clubb5.com?

Julie:
The people. They’re friendly and very knowledgeable. They’re also more mature and respectful than the people on some other forums. I don’t know if that has to do with the moderators or what. It says a lot about a car when there’s this many people that are so passionate about their cars.

Kenny:
The core group of individuals who founded CB5 originally met at the Vortex. We established a community over there that was based on mutual respect and the desire to learn more about our cars. Some people considered us elitist or standoffish because we weren't very active in the A-chassis discussions. Why we would be active in those discussions still eludes me. At any rate, when it became clear that we would be continually taking heat from the Vortex rank and file, Thanasi decided to build his own website for B5 enthusiasts. We took the lessons we learned from the Vortex and attempted to create an environment based on respect and tolerance. We also value actual demonstrable factual information, as opposed to conjecture and opinion. I think we've succeeded for the most part. CB5 has become a genuine community, not just a web site. I believe that most of core members have embraced our values and the result has been that we have created more than just a car forum. We have a place where we can learn about our cars, trade war stories, and develop lasting friendships.

Chris:
Why did you decide to purchase a Passat?

Julie:
About 4 years ago, I fell in love with the A4. That led me to look into the Passat since they were so similar. When shopping around for cars, I looked at the Jetta, Passat, and A4. The Jetta was too small and I felt like the A4 was nice, but not nice enough to justify the price difference over the Passat. So to answer your question, style and safety were the two main reasons why I decided to purchase my Passat. (recent postings of pictures and descriptions of accidents by clubb5 members who survived with minor injuries, if any at all, have re-affirmed my decision). I also felt like it was the perfect size for me and it was a very good value (and I look really cute when I drive it. Hahaha)

Kenny:
I had been driving a 91 MR2 turbo, which I still feel is the most well thought out car I've ever owned. I live in a state where you have to have the engine over the drive wheels in the winter (Minnesota). The mid-engine RWD configuration of the MR2 made it the perfect year-round Minnesota sports car. However, when I became a father, I came to the realization that I couldn't legally drive around in my MR2 with my kid in the car (no back seat). So, in addition to my lust for performance, I had to take passenger safety into account. I did my homework and came up with the Audi A4. I test drove one and I liked it just fine. However, I wasn't really that interested in Quattro because the additional traction didn't really seem justified by the added weight and drive train losses. Also, the back seat was cosmetic, more or less. Further digging around revealed the fact that the B5 Passat was essentially an A4 with a slightly stretched chassis, FWD that was actually available, and a back seat that accommodates actual adult humans. To top it off, the sticker price was significantly less than the A4. It was a no-brainer.

Chris:
What do you hate about your Passat?

Julie:
I wouldn’t say I ‘hate’ anything about my Passat. More like things that could be improved upon (and these are all pretty minor):
a. The low gas warning beep – too loud and harsh sounding. My parents have an Oldsmobile Intrigue, theirs is more like a chiming noise – more like a friendly reminder than that annoying beeping sound that comes from a microwave.
b. Manual seat adjusters – the circular turning things for the seat back and lumbar support adjustment are so inconvenient. It would be nice to have power seats.
c. Storage under the armrest – nothing fits in there. It would be nice to be able to fit AT LEAST a few cd cases in there.
d. Non-smoker package? – I thought on the vw.com website they said something about a non-smoker package on the Passat. But none of the dealers I talked to knew anything about this. It would be nice to have extra storage space or cup holders or something instead of all the ashtrays.
e. The radio controls on the steering wheel: It would be nice if I could scroll through my preset radio stations rather than scanning through all the channels
f. The cruise control switch: It's just weird the way they made that.

Kenny:
Nothing, really. German cars have eccentricities that take a bit of getting used to. I've owned several VWs and BMWs in the past. They all tend to nickel and dime you. They require a regular influx of time and money to keep them working. But with that said, it's hard to find a more satisfying driving experience than you'll find in a German car.

Chris:
What trouble (if any) has your Passat gotten you into?

Julie:
No trouble.....yet

Kenny:
None that I can think of.

Chris:
What information are you looking for on clubb5.com?

Julie:
I'm not THAT interested in the mods. Like I said before, the only thing I really want to do is change my antenna and IF I didn't have all these expenses I would get new wheels. So, I guess I like to read about the more general stuff:
- problems people have with the Passat so I know what to look out for
- 'cool' features that I might not know about
- information on car maintenance and stuff like which products to use for washing/waxing
- and i love looking at pictures of people's cars
- in general, just other people's experiences with their Passat

Kenny:
Considering the fact that I've been a part of this community for something like six years, there's very little at this point that I wish to know about the car that I don't already know. Still, when problems crop up, it's nice to be able to bounce them off the members to get feedback on fixes, costs, parts, etc. These days, I mainly just log in to play moderator, read threads, and stuff like that.

Chris:
What has been your favorite mod thus far (if any)?

Julie:
Haven’t done any yet and don’t plan to do much at all. I am looking into changing the antenna. The forums helped a lot with this. Deciding between the sharan and the enfig. If I had the money, I’d get new wheels, but I’m saving up for a house and a wedding now.

Kenny:
Well, it's the overall cumulative affect of all the mods that I like the most. The Stage 2 chip and MTM cat-back system provide lots of power and torque. The suspension facilitates making use of the power and torque that the chip/exhaust provides. The brake upgrade provides some peace of mind for controlling the power and torque.

Chris:
One suggestion for other Passat owners would be…

Julie:
None

Kenny:
More than anything else I would suggest this: When you do a mod, put yourself in the position of a person who might be interested in buying YOUR car at some point in the future. Ask yourself, if I were buying this car, knowing the mods that I'VE done to it, would I still consider buying it? If the answer is yes, it's probably okay to do the mod. If, on the other hand,
you tell yourself honestly that you would be hesitant to reveal a mod you've done to a prospective buyer, you probably shouldn't do the mod.

Chris:
Where do you envision your Passat in 5 years?

Julie:
I'll probably still be driving it. Hopefully, there won't be any major problems.

Kenny:
My Passat is still a beautiful piece of machinery. The Colorado Red is still gorgeous after six years of ownership. Although the AEB has some limitations, I still prefer it to the DBW models, just because I'm not sure if DBW is ready for prime time. I like the clean, smooth design and I don't miss the chrome of the B5.5 at all. So, I have no intention of selling the car in the foreseeable future.

So there you have it, two different people at two different places with their Passats. One still enjoying that “new car smell and feel” and the other transforming his into a performance machine. Despite being at different places, they still share the same excitement for their vehicles and expect to be driving them for many years to come. Again my sincere thanks to both Julie and Kenny for their wonderful insight and I hope this interview has inspired each of you no matter where you are at with your Passat.

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