In-depth reviews

Volkswagen Phaeton owner reviews

"You won’t notice many Volkswagen Phaetons on the road – yet this luxury limo could be worth a closer look.”

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12 Aug 2013

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Carbuyer Rating

2.0 out of 5

Owners Rating

4.2 out of 5

Reviews

Owner Reviews

5 out of 5
4 out of 5
3 out of 5
2 out of 5
1 out of 5

77%of people would recommend this car to a friend

Common Problems

Electrics (2 cases)
Other (3 cases)
Brakes, Electrics, Other (1 case)
Electrics, Engine (1 case)

Review 1 of 26

Tell us what you think about your car?

In my 36 years since first passing my driving test, I have owned all of the top cars along the way, Jaguars, BMW's, Mercedes, Range Rover, etc. It is a fact that I have never owned a car better than the VW Phaeton. It amazes me that VW never really marketed this in the UK, as it is far better than the Mercedes S-Class, and BMW's 7 series, which is what it was designed to be. It is basically a Bentley Continental running on an Audi A8 LWB Quattro running gear, with a Bentley 6-speed auto gearbox dropped in to make the ride more refined. It has a VW badge on the front, which suits me fine, as I am not into this Golf Club snobbery, and I also get judged on the work I carry out for my clients, rather than the badge on my car in the company car park. If ever there was a car designed just for me, understated on the outside, but like a limo on the inside, with a ride to match ... then this is that car.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

A FEW ELECTRONIC FAULTS BUT I EXPECTED THIS DUE TO THE AGE AND THESE WERE EASILY RESOLVED. APART FROM THAT THE RELIABILITY IS UNBELIEVABLE FOR A CAR OF THIS AGE.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

This is the most comfortable car i have ever owned and on recent 500 mile trips still felt refreshed at the end. the fuel consumption is much better than my previous car...an outlander. the downsides are that it is big when it comes to parking and i'm sure parts will be expensive when they go wrong but so far nothing has, it currently has 85000 miles. every journey is a pleasure.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Some warranty issues, all solved

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Very comfortable to drive, feel refreshed after 6 hours driving. More than met my expectations, although vw customer care could be better, not returning calls. Engine more than enough power and actually cheaper to run than my previous car....a mitsubishi outlander. Has been great in the recent snow..no sliding, loss of traction even though still running with summer tyres.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Bought second hand with 131,000 on the clock. Driven 15,000 and still hasn't missed a beat. Very comfortable drive every time and I've not experienced any issues with it (yet). Servicing costs are reasonable for what it is and had no issues with VW garages as the one I use has a technician dedicated to the Phaeton.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Fabulous car to drive, particularly on motorway. It really is a great environment to be in. Can chew through tyres if you go for cheap ones and also is likely to wear them out if you regularly push it through corners (it weighs 2.5 tons). Very little has gone wrong with the car and the servicing cost is very appealing. Mine is set up on long-range and does 20,000 or 2 years between services. I think the total servicing cost approaching 100,000 miles is £1,200. VW service is appalling for the value of car. BMW service is stunning (my other car is a 5 series). VW seem to treat you all as Polo drivers. I wouldn't buy another because I would never get the same deal again (£24.9k brand new). At the price it is stunning value. At full list price, I would be heading to the beemer dealer

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Very reliable so far. Just 2 problems with air bag switches

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

under warranty had various items replaced, too long a list here

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

had the car for 4 years, serviced once a year, had no issues at all

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

this is a superb car to drive ideal for motorways best car ive owned but very dissapointed with the vw garages

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Wonderful,beautifully built car with engineering integrity. Like the way it stays "under the radar " for most people. This is my second phaeton. First one bought new in 2006. 50,000 absolutely trouble-free miles. Collected this new one in march 2010, direct from the impressive " glaserne manufaktur " in dresden. Vw uk were very supportive and helpful.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

The car does not, unfortunately, live up to the manufacturer's hype ! There has been recurring paint problems, an unexpected and expensive repair to the power assisted steering. The power assisted bootlid is temperamental. The dealers such do not know how to treat customers who would spend this sort of money on a car (they lag well behind lexus in this regard) but vw is probably not alone in poor service.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

I own a 3.0 litre TD VW Phaeton and also two Audi A8, I am also an Audi master technician, and have to state that the phaeton out beats Audi for reliability and holds the road extremely well, as for Mercedes and BMW I personally would not want to own one .

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I have previously owned top of the range S class Mercedes and other top marques, this was the most impressive car it was comfortable smooth and generally reliable for the first 5 years or so. During my ownership I put over 110,000 on the car, I had the brake pads replaced twice and all the discs once at a reasonable cost of £400 at an independent servicing agent. Tyre wear was a persistent issue, I changed all four tyres three times in 6 years, until advised to add a few pounds more than the stated pressures. Things started to go wrong with unusual failures, the heater blower fan failed in mid winter, a power steering pipe rusted through causing a leak all fixed by my independent servicer at reasonable cost. The fatal problem started with a failed crankshaft sensor that caused rough running which was replaced and then shortly after the timing chain slipped and major internal damage occurred killing the car. It was regularly serviced but the faults all came within the last year of my ownership. I have found my replacement car lacking in the security of 4 wheel drive and good performance. I would recommend a Phaeton to others but be aware of the issues identified above and to reduce servicing costs find a trusted VW independent specialist. During the extended VW warranty period I had concerns on the quality of the work carried out at the routine servicing which was at top dollar cost. The worst example was when the brake fluid was renewed the mechanic failed to tighten the bleed nipple allowing brake fluid to escape when the pedal was pressed, I found this out on my front drive and turned out the VW recovery to fix and refill.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

There has been problems that I would not expect from a so-called prestige vehicle. Power steering, paint defects, power boot-lid problem

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Hazard light switch failed. Stone in brake caliper causing noise

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Typical VW reliability, everything beautifully constructed and finished.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Best car I've ever owned. Easily. Extremely comfortable inside and a pleasure to drive. Insurance cost is surprisingly low although fuel economy is quite high but still manage 500 miles from a full tank commuting to and from work. It is a big car, no doubt, but never had a problem with parking spaces. From 2015 onwards it's been discontinued so looking for a replacement now but not many cars come close to the build quality and spec to be honest. Very few on the road and when people see it they stare or move over to let you glide past. And I do mean "glide". Only problem in 3 years is a broken windscreen from a large stone chip and the DPF filter which had to have a new sensor fitted recently. Gorgeous car inside and out.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

VERY GOOD

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Highly under-rated flying armchair. I have one niggling glitch with the telephone interface which has still not been sorted, 9 months after reporting the fault, otherwise perfect.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Best car ever. Comfort and ride quality 1st class. I would not drive any other car.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

After owning over 125 cars , this is the best.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

This car has been nothing but a disappointment. The electronics are incredibly unreliable, with frequent issues such as the radio cutting out and the navigation system malfunctioning. The car also has poor fuel economy and the engine is unreliable. The overall build quality feels bad, with several parts already falling apart. I would not recommend this car to anyone. It has been nothing but a headache and a waste of money. The electronics in particular are a major letdown and make the car nearly unusable. I regret not doing more research before making this purchase.

What's the one thing you like most about your car?

Nothing

If you could improve one thing, what would it be?

Everything

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down