These engines are challenging and thus expensive to work on. I worked for a
garage that serviced them from time to time. I saw the engines out of the
car for just about everything, though the W12 is worse. I think you take the
engine out to change the alternator on the W12!

The moral of the story is, They drop the engine/transmission/subframe for
seemingly basic things.... isn't that going to be expensive!~?

Especially when you have options in a Passat for the 1.8T (TONS of room in
that engine bay) or the VR6.

-Craig

On Fri, Apr 1, 2011 at 10:07 AM, Stephen Grisanti <bike2vcu@yahoo.com>wrote:

> I knew about the W12 in the Phaeton, but did not know about this engine or
> that it had been available in the Passat.  Now two of these cars turned up
> at neighborhood lots a block apart. Both 2003, both pale metallic green,
> both 4Motion, both manumatic, one a wagon with matching green leather and
> the other a sedan with tan leather.  I looked up the engine and it's two
> narrow-angle VR4s side by side.  Looks hellaciously complicated, but they
> look like pretty nice cars.  Just dreaming.
>
> Stephen
>