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I am looking at buying a 2001 VW Passat (from a dealer) which has travelled 82000km's.

This vehicle was imported from Singapore and has been in New Zealand for approx 1 year. It has had one previous NZ owner.

I have heard about electrical issues and problems with the seals with European cars imported from Singapore. The dealer has offered me the car for $13,000 plus a two year warranty with the purchase. Is there any way that I can check whether the car has these problems and is the price realistic?

I am most probably going to resell the car within two years.

Also can you get a black Passat with a sunroof from Japan or is that exclusive to Singapore?

Morgan

From the "Ask Jack" archives - 29 August 2009

The main area of concern with vehicles sourced from Singapore is the breakdown of the wiring loom due to high humidity issues. A problem in this area can lead to major and very costly repairs as in some cases large parts of the main loom need to be replaced.

Issues around this area are very hard to detect due to the wiring being wrapped in a protective coating making a visual inspection almost impossible in some cases.

One way to ensure some piece of mind for you is to get the vehicle inspected with instructions to carefully look at the wiring loom for signs of deterioration. Inspectors are very reluctant to 'push and pull' the loom too much however as this can cause the wiring to fail (if there is a problem) and them owning the problem in the eyes of the seller.

Be careful with banking on mechanical warranty insurance giving you the protection you are hoping for either as some underwriters may see a wiring related failure as a pre-existing condition and not pay out a claim.

If you are keen on a Passat (good choice of vehicle) I would be talking to a VW agent to see if there are any NZ new models available in your price range. They will be able to answer the question on the different options available better than me.

Be careful, you can afford to take your time and be selective as the market is very tough at the moment which means you as the buyer have lots of choices and I'm sure prices will be very negotiable.