I highly recommend tinting your windows especially if you live in a warm climate or extremely sunny days.

VW Passat Window tint 4 door sedan:

• 20% Black Polarized
• 5 full Windows+ Windshield Strip
• $150 Local shop installed

Enjoy!

Volkswagen Passat TSB-http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?3966208-****Official-B6-TSB-Thread-Every-TSB-.pdf-is-inside!****-%28Links-work%29&s=b0fa1a1cf9db50d720c36f8285fea29a

If you have read my posts I love to get a great deal and save money on car repairs and accessories. So here is the 411 on the official size which works for all Volkswagen Passat with the following details.

I have seen several aftermarket high quality wipers that have the special attachments to fit German automobiles PTB Arm and curved beam style to curvature of the windshield like Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen. Many of the aftermarket VW wipers I have price range $15.95-$39.95 per wiper. This is much cheaper than the $45.95 per wiper at the VW dealer not including installation.

Many of the brands I came across online and stores were:

• Anco Contour
• Bosch OEM, Bosh Icon (One Post on Passat World stated 2 years including winters)
• Michelin RainForce
• PIAA SI-Tech Silicone Flat Wiper Blade
• Rain-X Lattitude (trying these out today)
• Trico Tech Innovation
• Valeo Ultimare OE Wiper Blade

I settled on the Rain-X premium wiper since the quality looked just as good and came with a $2.00 coupon per blade placing my cost at $15.95 per blade. I will keep everyone posted on how long they last. Please leave remarks if you have any experience with VW wiper replacement. Please include brand, type, duration and climate. Also include details on type of Volkswagen.

Additional Resources: Consumer Reports Windshield Wipers

2006 VW Passat 3.6	2006 Audi A4 2.0T	2002 Audi A6 3.0 Quattro
25 Avg MPG	26 Avg MPG	21 Avg MPG
403 Miles per tank	420 Miles per tank	330 Avg Miles per tank
Unexpectedly Good!	Great	OK

I have owned three Audi cars over the past 10 years and have been happy with their reliability, engineering, performance and attention to detail. However once I drove the 3.6 Passat which is stacked with sport 2 package and loaded with more features than the Audi.

My new pre-owned car was cherry brand new condition with 12, 700 miles. The previous owner had a vacation home in Naples and drove the car 3,000 miles per year. I am very impressed three weeks in and enjoying the navigation, Dynaudio, 6 discs CD, Sirius (3 months free trial), park assist, auto wiper, auto headlights, ARS Bi-Xenon headlights and leather sport seats. There are more features that I could go on and on but give more details in another post.

The Passat’s exterior isn’t quite as sexy as the Audi but the “interior personality” and gas mileage is outshining the competition. Only time will tell whether “she” will be high maintenance or sturdy and reliable.

After a 7 years of owning several Audi automobiles I came across a deal that couldn’t be passed up. Only time will tell whether my newer VW Passat 3.6 will make the grade compared to my affinity for Audi’s performance.

After two weeks I have been very excited to drive this car. The VR6 260 Horsepower engine is very peppy and is getting pretty good gas mileage. My first tank exceeded 400 miles averaging 22 miles per gallon. The refined appointments included in the Passat’s Sport #2 Package;

• 12,700 Miles (Balance of VW Factory Warranty, Extended 74,000 VW Certified Warranty)
• Bi-Xenon (AFS) Adaptive Headlights with Headlight Washers
• Sport Suspension
• 17″ Alloy Wheels
• Dynaudio Premium Sound
• Heated Leather Sport Seats
• Dual Climate Control
• Coming Home
• Sirius
• DVD Satellite Navigation with 6 Disc CD Changer
• Auto Headlights
• Auto Wipers/Rain Sensing Wipers
• Front and Rear Park Assist
• Paddle Shifters
• Heated Power Mirrors
• Auto Dimming Mirrors
• Brushed Aluminum Trim
• Home Link
• Brake Assist
• ESP Traction Control
• Window Shades

I love all the gadgets and extras that were included. However I do have some concerns about VW maintenance horror stories. I would like to hear feedback on anyone who has had first hand experience on the B6 body style Passat 3.6.

How to replace a Volkswagen Passat Engine Air Filter in 5 minutes and under $10.00 (Phillips Head Screwdriver required)

1.       Order engine air filter online (EBay was used for this example $10.00 USD including shipping)

2.       Locate the Engine air intake box in the right side of the engine compartment.

3.       You will see the large box held together by screws. They can be removed with a Phillips head screwdriver

4.       Remove the top enough to remove the old filter. Be careful not to disconnect any of the electrical components.

5.       Insert the VW replacement engine air filter in the same exact way you removed the dirty air filter.

6.       Replace top and screw top down tightly.

7.       Voila, you are done 5 minutes later and have saved time and money avoiding a costly trip to your local Volkswagen dealer. Your engine will be more efficient and improved gas mileage and performance. Replace every 20,000 miles.

Subject Car: 2006 Volkswagen Passat 3.6 (B6 Passat years 05-09) Phillips Head screwdriver required

1.       Order cabin air filter online (EBay was used for this example $9.00 USD including shipping)

2.       Locate the cabin air filter box in the interior front passenger side under the glove box.

3.       You will see a foam insulation pad which is held by two plastic wing nut screws. They can be removed by hand (No Tools Required). Wiggle the foam pad loose and remove it carefully.

4.       Slide the plastic retainer and it will allow you to remove it from the slotted holes in the cabin air filter pad. At this point you should be able to wiggle the air filter and pull it out carefully. Take note of the direction and color of the filter (one side is a lighter carbon).

5.       Insert the VW replacement cabin air filter in the same exact way you removed the old VW cabin air filter.

6.       Place the VW air filter retainer in the slotted holes and slide to lock in place.

7.       Replace the foam insulation pad and hand tighten the two plastic wing nut screws.

8.       Voila, you are done 10 minutes later and have saved time and money avoiding a costly trip to your local Volkswagen dealer. Your A/C will be more efficient and air will be cleaner pollen free and particulate free.

Subject Car: 2006 Volkswagen Passat 3.6 (B6 Passat years 05-09) No Tools Required

Audi A6 Engine Compartment

Instructions for replacement:

1. Pop the hood (pull the hood release driver’s kick panel inside the car).
2. Locate the the cabin air filter which is beneath the plastic cover. The Audi air filter is located on the passenger side just left of the battery.
3. Pull the weather stripping off.
4. Remove the plastic cover.
5. Remove the cover by releasing the 2 clips.
6. Slide the old filter out and place the new one same way. The air flow is downward.
7. Reinstall the cover, clips, plastic cover and weather stripping in reverse order.

No tools were used to replace the Audi A6 3.0 Quattro cabin air filter. The entire procedure will take less than $20 and 5 minutes. These instructions will work for 1998-2004 Audi A6/S6 and 2002-2008 Audi A4/S4. For more fun Audi tips and tricks stay tuned.

Audi A6 Cabin Air Filter Replacement

http://brianmschoedel.wordpress.com

Mazda CX-7 Air Filter Replacement

In my previous post I had outlined my current dismay with the dealer quote for air filter replacements. We had reviewed the 5 minutes and $15 to replace the cabin air filter. The instructions I found on a Mazda forum was easy to follow with pictures and required no tools saving a cool $50+ dollars.

EBay also had the Mazda CX-7 engine air filter for the air intake. I am at about 20,000 miles so I am well overdue. I proceeded to order the filter for $10.65 buy it now and $7.65 shipping for a total of $18.30. The dealer quoted over $150 for both filters so I am assuming they were charging $75 per filter installed.  Save yourself some time and over $50 back in your wallet. The air filter replacement took me approximately 10 minutes or less. It was slightly more difficult than the cabin air filter replacement since it requires a Phillips head screwdriver.

Easy Step by Step Directions for Air Filter Replacement

1. Pop the hood through the hood release located near the driver’s side kick panel inside the car.
2. Open the hood and locate the air filter box located on the right side of the engine.
3. release the 4 clips on each side of the box cover.
4. Use the phillips head screwdriver to release the air tube. This is very easy. Your hands will get dirty.
5. Remove the current filter and replace the new one. Make note to install the same way the old one was installed. The flaps will point downward.
6. Place cover back on, and re-clip all 4 clips.
7. Put the air tube back on and screw tight. Make sure all clips and screw are air tight or you will get some engine noise.
8. Voila 5-10 minutes later your Mazda CX-7 air filter is replaced and you pocketed $50+ dollars for a nice dinner on the town.

Refer to my previous post for the cabin air filter click here.

Mazda CX-7 Cabin Air Filter Replacement

Have you been quoted an astronomical price from the dealer for an air filter replacement? Our 2008 Mazda CX-7 has been a wonderful car for the past year we have owned it. The car gets great mileage from the 2.3 liter engine. However we recently had the pleasure of having the air conditioning compressor go bad over Christmas 2009.

Mazda’s free roadside assistance was very helpful and the repair was free. However I was slightly suprised when the Mazda dealer maintenance salesperson called to say the filters were not covered. Ok how much could a Mazda CX-7 cabin air filter cost to install? I was quoted an astounding $350 for fuel injection cleaning, cabin air filter, and engine air filter replacement.

Yikes! No fuel injection cleaning, how much for the filters? $150 was the quoted for the total.  I responded you have to be kidding me. The air filter for the air conditioning system that removes the stinky air, pollen etc… is $75 to install. I checked on Google and came accross one on Ebay. $7.89 for the Mazda Cabin air filter plus $3.40 shipping. So the dealer was charging $75 and I was buying it for $11.29 total and five minutes of my time to install.

Four days later I received my filter. I placed a Google search and came across a great forum that had the picture by picture instructions. I have placed a link below for reference. I couldn’t have done a better job of explaining the installation of the filter myself. Saving $63.71 dollars and the hassle of taking my car to the dealer.

The Mazda CX-7 cabin air filter is located behind the glove box. There are no tools needed to replace the air filter. You push the plastic stopper pieces in on each side while sliding it open. Then unsnap the damper located in the lower right side. Push to the left in order to unsnap it. I hope this was helpful post in order to save you money, time and realize that the dealers are ripping everyone off.

Mazda Forum Click Here

• No Tools Required
• Under $12 dollars on Ebay (Shipping Included)
• Do it yourself in 5 minutes