NHTSA Complaint #10134157 — 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

I RECENTLY HAD AN EXPERIENCE THAT I BELIEVE WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO YOUR ORGANIZATION. IN JULY OF 2000 MY WIFE AND I RESEARCHED FOR AN FINALLY PURCHASED A VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT [XXX]. WE WERE VERY PLEASED WITH OUR PURCHASE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, UNTIL WHAT WERE DESCRIBED TO US AS "NORMAL" REPAIRS BECAME NECESSARY. SOME OF THE MORE MEMORABLE NORMAL REPAIRS INCLUDED REAR BRAKES AT 40,000 MILES (FRONT BRAKES WERE IN VERY GOOD CONDITION) FOR APPROX. $700.00, AND THE OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR ADJUSTOR FOR $400.00. WE BEGAN TO SUSPECT THE PRICING STRUCTURE OF VW PARTS AND LABOR WAS SKEWED TOWARD THE EXPENSIVE. A BIG PART OF OF OUR DECISION TO BUY VW WAS THEIR REPUTATION FOR SOLID TRANSPORTATION OVER A LONG TIME. THE CAR WAS EVEN LISTED AS A RECOMMENDED PURCHASE ON A NUMBER OF CONSUMER MAGAZINES! THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS EXAMPLE OF THIS SITUATION OCCURED IN JULY 1ST 2005, WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND WE TOOK THE CAR TO OUR DEALER FOR SERVICE. THE RESULT OF THE CHECK WAS THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS (2 OF THEM) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AT A TOTAL COST OF $3,400.00! SINCE OUR STATE HAS VEHICLE TESTING, THIS IS A REQUIRED REPAIR TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE CAR. WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR 5 YEARS AND HAVE 108,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. CONTACTING VW GAVE NO RELIEF, AS THEIR STATED WARRANTY WAS FOR 5 YEARS, BUT ONLY FOR 80,000 MILES. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A VOLKSWAGEN PRODUCT AGAIN, AND WOULD LIKE TO INFORM POTENTIAL PURCHASERS OF THIS TYPE OF UNEXPECTED COST. UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)