James Bailey

Actually Nicole like I said few recognize what a Passat really is.....from Wiki..."An all-new Passat, based on the Volkswagen Group B5 platform, was launched in 1996 in Europe, and 1998 in North America. Its PL45 platform was shared with the first-generation "Typ 8D" Audi A4, which was unveiled 2 years earlier, and saw a return to the Passat sharing its platform with Audi's equivalent model for the first time since the second-generation (B2) Passat, which shared its platform with the second-generation "Typ 81" Audi 80/Audi 90 (the A4 is the successor to the Audi 80 line).

The Passat introduced a new design language, first seen on the Concept 1 concept car, for the latest generation of Volkswagens such as the Mk4 Golf, Bora and Polo Mk4. Aerodynamic work gave the B5 Passat a coefficient of drag of 0.27 (saloon model).

The car featured fully independent four-link front suspension; and a semi-independent torsion beam for front-wheel-drive models or a fully independent suspension on the 4motion 4WD models. 4WD was introduced in 1997 as an option for the 1.8, 2.8 V6, 1.9 TDI and 2.5 V6 TDI engines, using a second-generation Torsen T-2 based 4WD system to minimise loss of traction. The 1.8 litre petrol engine in the Passat and Audi A4 has a lower oil capacity than transverse applications of the same engine (4.6 quarts in transverse, 4.3 quarts longitudinal), and may suffer from oil sludge problems as a result, if not changed at regular intervals with fully synthetic oils. Three transmission options were available: a 5-speed manual transmission, a 6-speed manual transmission (codename 01E) and a 5-speed automatic transmission with tiptronic. "
IT has the same engine , engine orientation longitudinal ,transmissions, roof line and tub even the same none VW bolt pattern for the wheels..... Some other years this was not the case but for my 2002 it is far more Audi than VW if that makes any sense. It is now one big "happy" family

soupcan

SRT6 Crossfire's are a blast, don't know if I can live with one on a daily basis but they sure are fun to fool around with.

S4ordie

Why not get a CLK Coupe? Much more practical and near same performance options.

928man

The SLK is a dinky little car, way too small and no room inside, it is a wanna bee for those who can't afford its big brother, I can't see why anyone would want one to replace a 928. I would rather buy the bigger brother mercedes used than the smaller new one.

Range Rover

What about an SL? My mother has an SL500 and an SL55 and they are awesome cars!

dprantl

I'd rather get a C32 AMG than an SLK... wait I already did. The SLK is too small to be practical. It replaced my wife's SAAB, *hint* *hint*.

Dan
'91 928GT S/C 475hp/460lb.ft

jheis

A friend of mine and I trade "first drives" whenever one of us gets a new car. A while back he picked up a SL600 (V12) and I got a chance to wring it out.

Pulls like a locomotive, but it's no sports car...

James

Ather

One of my favorite cars is the CL55 AMG aside from my 928. Every time I have to repair something on the 928, I wonder what owning a CL55 would be like thinking it is probably alot newer/reliable design.
But the CL55 is a filled with computers and high tech gadgets which make the car very difficult for the average person to fix on their own and would most likely require more trips to the dealership for repairs which would translate to much higher ownership costs.
Not sure what your financial situation is or your technical capabilities are but maintaining one on your own would definitely be more of a challenge in my opinion. This is based on the assumption that you're thinking of buying a used one without a warranty. Just my 2 cents...

Nicole

I stand corrected. They have changed back and forth so many times throughout the Passat generations, it's one of the hardest cars to keep track of... They still made sure there is plenty of differentiation, though. The 4WD appears to be quite different, and so are some of the engine choices.

Either way, VW is completely moving away from platforms to truly modular architectures of their cars. They have modular component sets for longitudinal and sideways engine configurations, which can be configured with various track widths, wheel bases, rear axles, and so on. Only the relationship of engines vs. steering and pedals will be fixed.

Those will make VW/Audi/Seat and Skoda and to a degree the other brands so flexible, that they can fill almost any niche in the market with a product that's made efficiently. Projections say VW will surpass Toyota as largest manufacturer in the second half of this decade... Basically, VW goes for World domination!!!

I recently drove a colleague's R32 with DSG. What an awesome car! It could easily replace both cars I currently own... Hmmm.

andy-gts

Nicole.....just do it! get the mercedes and enjoy....your 928 will fetch premium and you will be very happy(for only a short while)

Marine Blue

I'll revive this thread.

If you're thinking of the SLK I would definitely consider a Boxster as well. More cargo space, far better handling and good looking.

If you want to replace the Saab and 928 I agree that the C63 or similar would be awesome. Plenty of cargo space (with folding rear seats) and plenty of power. Not sure on the handling.

Ispeed

E34 M5 touring...

ColinB

Hi Nicole
You might remember me from a few years back, I posted on this board for 6 years. I had an 89GT but wrote it off. It still hurts (emotionally) so don't ask.

Here in South Africa there are very few GTs and I spent over 2 years looking for another one without success. Eventually, suffering car withdrawal symptoms, I had to admit defeat and I bought a 2003 SLK 32 AMG, being the only thing nearly bang-for-the-buck equivalent to the 928GT. It's not nearly as beautiful as my Porsche but it is great fun to drive. I bought it with 118000km on the odo and I've had it for a year . These are my perceptions of it and a few answers to the detractions some Rennlisters have posted.

Likes
1. It's smaller. I like that, and I wanted it because I found the 928 too big for a 'sports car'. (yes I know it isn't really that) In the 928 I almost never used the rear seats except when my kids were little.

2. It handles beautifully. AMG being MB's performance division it has excellent sports suspension.

3. Brakes. Fantastic. AMG spec again. The best brakes I've ever had but they do shed huge amounts of dust.

4. The retractable hard top is a delight. And we have Mediterranean-type weather where I live so it's usually down.

5. The acceleration is phenomenal. More like a high-performance motorcycle than any car I've driven.

6. It's supercharged. Very cool in my book!

Dislikes
1. It's automatic. Don't like that one bit and I will never forgive Mercedes for it but the AMG isn't available as a manual. The other R170's (early-series SLKs) can be either auto or manual.

2. Fuel consumption is high, 11l/100km around town, but the tank only holds 60 litres.

3. No onboard trip/fuel computer. No boost gauge.

4. No spare wheel. Just a can of gorilla snot. OE.

5. Top speed is electronically limited to 250kph. It can be derestricted but it's very expensive. I will only drive it flat out once anyway.

Other points.
Boot (trunk) too small. Not really. With the roof down there is room for two aircraft-carry-on sized bags. (You can buy fitted Mercedes OE ones known as Roadsterbags) With the roof closed there is as much room as in a medium-sized sedan.

Chick's car. Nah, I don't think so. At 350HP my 3.2 litre engine produces about the same as a 928GTS. Honest! (See Likes 5. above.) The smaller-engined SLKs give us AMG drivers a bad name!

Expensive to maintain. Yes, probably, especially parts, but like most Rennlisters I try to do most of my own maintenance. Unfortunately I have yet to discover a 928 International-type organisation which can supply used parts at reasonable prices though good-quality pirate parts are available. Mercedes serviceing is cheaper than Porsche.

Hope this helps Nicole, feel free to ask if you need more info. Hi there to all who might remember me.

Colin

Nicole

Hi Colin: Thanks for posting this!

The whole thread was more hypothetical - at least for the time being. I don't drive the 928 much anymore since I got the turbo-Saab. The Saab is pretty quick, and just so much more convenient.

I agree, the 928 is a large car - mainly due to its width.

I drove all three SLK models available in the US - SLK280, SLK350 and SLK55 AMG. There is no doubt that the AMG is by far the most fun, and its automatic transmission was a good part of it. It's so smart, it appears to know exactly what gear you'll need when you get out of a turn, downshifts with a blip of throttle, and is ready to go. But I would not spend the money on the AMG - I just don't need that kind of performance for myself.

The SLK280 was rather disappointing to me. It felt lethargic and best suited for cruising. But the SLK350 was a great combination that was not noticeably slower than the S4. I really loved to drive it whenever I got a chance.

I don't need a convertible; heck, I don't even need a second car. I'm just intrigued because I loved driving the SLK350 when I had the chance. I miss it, except the squeaking roof on one of them...

We'll see what 2012 holds. You never know, if this perfect super low mileage 1991 S4 comes along... or whatever.

No, I'm not seriously planning on any car changes. I'm way too busy with other projects right now.

GeorgeM

We have an '08 R32 and we love it. Highly recommended as a daily driver (it serves as my wife's DD). The DSG is great around town, and even kinda fun on the track. The ride is a little on the cushy side, but that's okay for a DD. The 3.2 is peppy enough and sounds great.

I was a bit suspect of the DSG's future reliability, but now that they upped the warranty to 10ys/100K miles, I'm happy.

Its biggest drawback is that it's as heavy as my GT. If they could shed 600lbs off of it, it'd really be quick.