SHOCKS:   I personally think the OEM shocks are overly mushy for this type of Euro sedan.  Yes, the Passat can be a family car but it's also a well-bred European sport sedan if you want to push it!  Aftermarket choices are only a few.  All I know of are Bilstein Sport (STIFF), Koni (STIFF) and Bilstein HD (sorta stiff).  I chose the Bilstein HDs because I've had a couple of Volvos with these shocks and I liked them a lot.  The ride is "firm" and I like it but I'm used to this type of ride.  There is much less dive with braking and cornering plus freeway undulations don't make the car act so much like a dolphin.  Great prices can be had on Bilsteins at either www.greedspeed.com or www.shox.com - I got mine at the latter site.

INSTALLING SHOCKS....ATTEMPT AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!  I've messed with European cars for over 30 years now so diving into a shock installation is no big thing for me.  If you have moderate mechanical skills, doing this type of thing the first time isn't too bad, just a little muscle will be required to break loose the bolts.  If you have a real cheap socket handle, it might break - the factory guys tighten the bolts with air wrenches, I’m sure.  I only have a basic set of tools, you'll need a solid socket handle (1/2 inch drive would be best but 3/8 is OK) and metric sockets plus metric end wrenches.  The largest socket I needed was the 17mm for the lug nuts on the wheels.  I recommend two jack stands, one stabilizing the car right behind the OEM jack mount site and another to hold up the rear suspension when you unbolt the old shocks.  The shocks are one of the links for the rear suspension assembly.  The task (both shocks) took me about 90 minutes.  Once you figure out the first one, you'll be able to whip right through the second one.  Do them one at a time, having three wheels on the floor with jackstands and the brake pulled is safer and more stable than the whole rear of the car up on jack stands and you pulling hard on a wrench.  Do this on a flat surface too.  My Bilsteins came with instructions, be sure to pull the lower bolt first, then the two upper bolts.  Once the bolts are out, pull the assembly down until it pops out, there's a little plastic acorn sort of cap on the top which pops though a hole into the trunk.  There's nothing you have to do in the trunk, it's all in the wheel well.  You must unscrew the plastic cap on top and then unscrew the nut on the top of the shock shaft.  This will rotate so you must grab the top of the shaft with some visegrips or a pair of pliers to hold it stable so you can unscrew the nut.  There is also a plastic cap that is on the top of the thick cylinder part of the shock, pull it off and slide it off the thin metal shaft.  Put it on the new Bilstein shock, this will buffer any contact with the plastic tubular part of the upper shock mount hardware.  Reverse the process when installing the new Bilsteins.  It’s interesting to look at the imprints on the old Passat shocks, you will see that they are, in fact, also "Gas" shocks, made by Sachs/Boge.  They are a very reputable company but this particular shock is somewhat lightweight, just not as good as a Bilstein.  Push down on the shaft of the old shock to see how much gas pressure it has (not much).  Then try to do it with the Bilstein!  You'll see how robust the Bilstein really is – they are lifetime shocks!  This gas pressure makes installing the new Bilsteins a little interesting.  You will have to put some muscle into compressing the shaft to properly align the upper and lower installation bolts.  It's not impossible.  After the installation, the first few bumps you go over you might hear some thumps, it's the shocks settling in.   If you are installing springs at the same time, the rears should be pretty easy.  If you allow the rear suspension element to drop all the way down without the shock attached or a jack stand supporting it, the stock springs should almost fall out!

    I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND DOING THE FRONT STRUTS OR SPRINGS AS A NOVICE MECHANIC.  You must use a special spring compression tool and apparently not just any compression tool.  The space under the fender is very tight and the simplest designs of compression tools (like what you might rent) won't clear.  I paid to have the front Bilstein struts done, at least it was less than doing all four. A front end alignment is highly recommended after front strut installation.