Is €22,000 too high for this Volkswagen Passat?

Is €22,000 a high price for a 2012 Volkswagen Passat 1.6 TDI? Back in 2009 we bought a 2007 Passat similar spec for €17,000. It was a 2.0-litre TDI two-year old; dealers seem to be looking for crazy money now!

Matt Lawlor (Dublin)

May 2014 Filed under: used car values

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Expert answer

Hi Matt,

I'm afraid €22,000 doesn't seem to be a high price for that car any more. In fact, it's right in the general ballpark for the Passat for a 2012 diesel. The problem you're looking at is one currently facing a great many used car buyers - used values have risen significantly since 2009, because of the scarcity of good cars in the market, a legacy of the collapse in new car sales following the financial meltdown. In some cases, values have risen by as much as a third, and with both Volkswagens in general and diesel models especially being highly sought after, you're shopping in one of the most expensive categories in the second hand market.

Sorry to not have better news!

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Adviser
@neilmbriscoe