At $4,500, Should This TLC-Needing 1996 VW Passat TDI Find A New Home?

According to the ad, the 25-gallon fuel tank in today’s Nice Price or No Dice Passat will allow the car to go nearly 1,000 miles between fill-ups. Let’s see if it’s priced to go the distance as well.

You might very well ask, “What do Ozzie Nelson (of Ozzie & Harriet fame) and Cass Elliot (of the Mamas & the Papas) have in common?” The answer, of course, is that both sang lead vocals on the standard Dream a Little Dream, with Nelson’s rendition being notable as the first and Elliot’s as perhaps the best known.

Speaking of dreams, last Friday’s 1978 Ferrari 308 GTS no doubt spurred some fitful nights fretting over its beauty and, with a $62,000 price tag, its affordability. That price may not be within reach of many of us (me especially), but for the well-heeled, it wouldn’t prove a bad move according to the 56 percent of you who awarded the mid-engine two-seater a Nice Price win.

As noted, frivolous cars like those wearing the Prancing Horse aren’t for everyone’s budget. In fact, for many, getting around outside public transportation routes or in weather that makes bicycling a dangerous proposition can be a budget-busting challenge both in initial outlay and ongoing running costs. Finding something with even a modicum of style and intrigue within such budgetary constraints is harder.

That’s why we have cars like this 1996 Volkswagen Passat TDI Estate. According to the seller, this mid-sized wagon will get better than 40 miles to a gallon. And while it would cost over $100 to fill the car’s ample 25-gallon fuel tank, that expense should cover well over 1,000 miles of highway driving.

That’s made possible by a parsimonious drivetrain comprised of a turbocharged and intercooled 1.9-liter SOHC diesel four, good for 90 horsepower and 149 lb-ft of torque, and a five-speed manual gearbox designed to maximize that frugal number of ponies and power.

This combo has pushed this Passat to a remarkable 235,154 miles. The car exhibits evidence of those miles and its advanced age in both looks—suffering some scrapes and fading top coat—and its function with non-working sunroof and side mirror controls, as well as a recalcitrant driver’s side window.