Amazing if you like overweight cars with the worst possible layout, only offering understeer, horrible ergonomics, and overall exactly as you said: the design is so poor and components so bad that they are really expensive to own too.
hell, I had a jetta of the same era and that was enough of a financial nightmare. moved onto porsche, way more reliable and roughly the same price to fix most issues.
@@Mabeylater293 Most notably the steering rack and lines needed replacing. Cost me about $3,000 to repair with my internal labor rate of $39/hr. Not fun haha. 101k miles as of now on my 2005 Waterworld Green Pearl 4.2.
The Phaeton was Ferdinand Piech's baby and he came up with all of the crazy standards this car had to meet. Not crazy as in stupid but crazy as in how hard the engineers had to work to meet them, to make the worlds most advanced car. I've always wanted to own one of the W12 models but reading about all of the problems and the cost of repairs have kept me on the sidelines. When these were new the VW dealers had to be certified to work on the Phaeton so you just couldn't go to any VW dealer for service. Cool to see you taking on the repairs to this car.
@@Jmjdit From what I recall from when it was new, reviewers thought it was a pretty great luxury car. I don't know that it was superior to the Mercedes S Class or BMW 7 Series, and certainly not a lot of car buyers thought so. The VW was not a sales success, and as it turns out, kind of a headache in terms of reliability and maintenance costs. The W engine program saw its greatest "success" with Bugatti in the quad-turbo W16 variant, but those cars epitomize nightmarish maintenance. And nobody knows how reliable they really are because they don't really get driven much.
A Better Intro Translation to English: Welcome to the Car Wizards shop. Today we are going to observe this Volkswagen Phaeton. What is that, Mr. Wizard? What are those stains that you have in your pants? Oh it looks very strange. Mr. Wizard nothing offensive was said about you in this regard. Your Spanish co-worker mechanic simply wanted to pin point a cosmetic defect on your clothing.
The V8 version of the Phaeton was/is far more reliable than the W12, not to mention cheaper to maintain. The largest issue is the electronics and wiring on these cars which due to complex issues of access to some items and the lack of local service parts (spares) make them very expensive to repair. Several trim items are all but impossible to source and when you can find them, can be ultra expensive. But, at least, the build quality on these up to 100k+ USD when new, exceeded the Audi and met or were very close to Maybach standards.
Trivia: The W12 engine is a modular engine, based upon the Volkswagen VR6 engine. Basically it is two VR6's siamesed together at the crankshaft at a 72 degree angle. This allows the W12 to be built on some of the same tooling as the VR6, saving costs. The VR6 itself is what is known as a "safety" engine. Another name is the "taco engine". It was designed around the engine bay of the MK3 VW Golf/Jetta. VW wanted to install a 6 cylinder engine in these cars, but the problem was that an inline 6 would be too long. VW puts the transverse engine on the passenger side and the transmission on the drivers side, and an L6 would not work with this, it would need a transmission mounted behind the engine, a major new [expensive] component useable on only a few designs. A 60 degree V6 would work with existing transmissions, but the problem with that is that in a frontal impact the engine would hit the firewall and thus push the dashboard toward passengers, resulting in injuries. Honda put the first V6 in an Accord by stretching the nose of the car 60 mm, but this would result in two different bodies and much higher costs. The VR6 solved the problem by taking a 60 degree V6 design and folding it like a taco down to only 15 degrees. It has the intake on the front bank and the exhaust on the rear bank, and one cylinder head for both banks. That means that the front cylinders have a short intake runner while the rear cylinders have longer runners. The opposite is true with the exhausts. Thus, the front bank of cylinders has a different cam profile from the rear bank, and timing and fuel injection curves are slightly different as well. Fascinating design, and they sound fantastic with a good exhaust!
In the mid-2000’s, while on business in Dresden Germany, I took a tour of the “Glass Factory” as it was called where VW built the Phaeton. It was a state of the art factory. Buyers could order a new Phaeton and watch it being built or simply visit to take delivery. It was one of the nicest auto factories I had ever seen at the time. I think they build the Bentley’s there now.
I'm fluent in spanish and I understood that he said. He said, "Welcome back to the Wizard's shop and today we're going to talk about this VW Phaeton." He also said how did you get those stains on your pants, and you answered him 100% correctly when you said idk I've been having fun I guess. Then he says, "that's unusual!" I provide Spanish language interpretation for customers all the time at the Toyota dealership where I work.
Being myself Spaniard, your translation is 100% correct. Pleased to hear Danielson speaking in what seems his mother language, I didn´t know he is Hispanic.
The reason the Phaeton didn't sell well in the US is because American customers were used to cheap cars with VW badges and the Phaeton sticker just sent most into shock. I saw a V8 model in a used car lot locally for sale for months for $3k with no takers.
“Using the parts cannon instead of using the diagnostic Cannon”- Perfectly stated, all of our local mechanics just like to throw parts at the car, because, after all, the customer pays for it, not them. I’ve yet to see one local mechanic use a code scanner, or a smoke machine. One of our local mechanics told the lady that she needed a new head gasket. He was just guessing, because when she had another mechanic look at it, and pressure test it, the guy said, “hey, all you need is a new radiator cap.” That’s all it was, but again, when you have lazy mechanics who don’t want to diagnose the problem, you end up spending lots of money on unnecessary repairs. We no longer use the mechanics in our small town, we have to go to the big city next-door to get good repairs.
Lotta lazy guys out there unfortunately. Who's not to say he wouldn't have replace the rad cap and charged for the head gasket? Ppl like this shouldn't be in the industry and put a bad wrap out for mechanics as a whole
The Phaeton is still sold in China (only), but now it's called Phideon. Is build over MLB platform (A4, Q5, A6, A7, A8, Macan) and have 2 engine option, the turbo 4 cylinders EA888 and supercharged V6 EA837
I’ve had this exact problem for about 4 years on my BMW 740i E38. Same error code about mixture limit reached on bank B. The smoke check and your comments on old BMWs have inspired me to get back under the hood this weekend, thanks wizard!
This is neither nitpicking nor trolling: You have it the wrong way 'round: that is a VW engine through and through. And the "Bentley" which shared it was only a "Bentley" because Volkswagen bought the brand. Really it was a Volkswagen Phaeton which was rebadged as a Bentley. That is no hyperbole, that is _exactly_ what it was. Both the engine and the "Bentley" were designed and made by Volkswagen.
Not entirely true. Of course the Phaeton and Bentley Continental were developed on a shared platform. In the beginning it was even started together with the Cayenne as one platform, but separated later into two different platforms. Anyway, the exterior and interior design was developed by the engineering team of Bentley in Crewe. VW as a brand didn't have anything to do with that. You may still call that rebadging, but from my point of view it goes far beyond that, cause the cars are very different inside and out, especially looking at the 2 door variants which dont exist for the Phaeton
@@computercrack Incorrect. We're talking about these first series Phaetons. They never started off on a common platform with the Cayenne either. Only the general platform family was the same, but they absolutely did not share their more precise platform with the Cayenne. The massive marketing team of Volkswagen wants you to think that there is some kind of "separate Bentley"...don't believe their ridiculous stories. Of course they designed and engineered both cars at the same time, and it was absolutely just a VW effort as there is no real separate "Bentley". The cars are not very different inside and out, they are as technically identical as they possibly could make them, even for the shorter wheelbase 2-door version.
@@computercrack As someone who owns this vehicle I have to correct you in saying that they are very different. They are not. Same seats, same steering wheel, same dash, same... everything. The drivetrain is the same minus the turbos. I have two sets of wheels for mine, wheels straight off a Continental that needed no adjustment. Direct fit because... same! The Phaeton has a few features that the Bentley's don't have in fact.
@@ToolDeals Yes, you're right: pretty much every single bit of the cars are the same, only a few bits are underneath a slightly different cover/bit of trim. But all the mechanical bits are in the exact same place.
I agree with everything Daniel said. Thank you, Wizard and Mrs. Always wanted a Phaeton or A8, not the W12, but the 4.2 V8, as a backup car - but know it could be a budget buster. 🤣Plastic tubing around the engine - sounds like a Porsche Cayenne
I could have bought a v8 one, its transmission was slipping so I passed. Nothing is more expensive than a cheap priced luxury car, except a cheap diesel plow truck.
Look for a v8, with service records, and preferably under 130K miles with a recent timing belt service done. That right there will take care of most of your ongoing anxiety issues.
Today, I saw one in person in front of Crown Plaza hotel in Belgrade. From a distance, it looks like a Passat B5, but only if you get real close, you can notice it. For me, it is ultimate luxury car that is meant to be enjoyed, and not be shown off like status symbol.
Not co-developed by Audi and Bentley, but just developed by Volkswagen. It's one company. And Bentley isn't a real company, just a brand Volkswagen uses on its products to try to raise prices by fooling some gullible customers.
Actually VW developed it along time ago. The first car is was put in was the Nardo W12. The first production car it was used in was the D2 chassis Audi A8L then the same power train from that D2 A8L was carried over to the Phaeton.
Yes, because it was the most expensive version of the VR-family created by VW. So it has to be fitted in the upper class vehicles from Audi and Bentley.
@@iTzNitrOxZ How so? Being called better than an Audi A8 is hardly big praise...especially since they're made by the same company on the same platform (though one is made in aluminium and the other in steel). What car *_isn't_* better than an Audi A8?
As the owner of this car, Phaeton W12 2007, the same hose was cracked, I would be very interested if you got the original and how much they cost, because it will be close to 1000 usd anyway just for the original hose, in Europe they can no longer be bought even at the VW factory, I tried that ! And yes, I can confirm, one of the most comfortable cars I've ever owned in 35 years , and one of the most difficult to maintain, for example, replacing the starter - you have to remove the engine !
I can attest to that. NLA as many parts for this engine. Oil supply/return pipes? NLA. Vacuum tubing? NLA. Coolant pipe across the front? NLA. And still I love wrenching on this car 🤣
Many Years ago when I owned a manufacturer's rep business that kept me on the road. It was time to change cars. I almost bought a VW Phaeton. The car was basically an Audi A8 with a steel body . As you SAY, the innards are all the same, abet a few different sheet metal changes and a gussied-up the interior. We were there buying my wife a Jetta TDI and they offered me a REALLY great deal. The real reason I didn't buy it, was what's the VW service manager saw me and we talked. He said that if I bought it, we would become very close friends. Another words, he was looking out for my better interest. I wound up getting a Jaguar that work out great, other than it demolished transmissions every 60k miles. In 2008 I fell in love with the Genesis 3.8, and I'm still driving it today. The cost to.own has been consumables.
Glad to see (finally) a Phaeton in the chanel. Happy and proud owner of a '07 V6 diesel. I do enjoy every mile driven on her...just amazing ride. Ok, not for win any drag race, but...who cares??? I do not have to rush. Cheers!!
Owner of a 09 V6 Diesel, but unhappy. Throwing lots of money at problems all the time. Driving is fine though if everything works, especially on the Autobahn
I've got a 2015 3.0 TDI and appreciate the video! One point of correction: It isn't a A8L, it was built on the Bentley Continental platform. Hence the weight.
I remember when these came out. I thought they were really cool. If I remember right, VW was marketing these as hand built. I didn't know it had a Bentley engine, that's kinda cool.
They really are hand-built you should see the factory I've been there and watched one put in a Bentley. Even the people building them are different from the regular line crew. It's Germany.
I love the idea behind this car and the 18-way adjustable seats are lovely. (It was the cheapest ventilated seat I could get for my office chair project. I love seeing an almost identical seat and switch panel in Bentleys.)
This baby is Ferdinand Piëch D1 Concept, I drove the V10 diesel version in Germany...best car to haul CEOs and rich people from Frankfurt to Berlin at top speed on Autobahn without stopping. Amazing machine I would really like to see how it is with W12
Car wizard, I had one of these with the smaller engine. I have an iPhone and iPhones do not connect to this system. But it can. The Bluetooth box is underneath the rear parcel shelf. To access it. One has to lie on your back in the boot. The box can be changed with a 2015+ box, it’s plug and play. Just check the plugs. Now it will not bring up your phone book. But once you have your phone called while connected. It will allow hands free. To receive calls, and return calls that it has record of.
Wizard! It's not based on the A8L. The VW/ Bentley are a D1 frame, which is steel. The Audi is a D3 frame, which is aluminum. That's why the VW weigh 500 KG more than the Audi😊
Loved the Phaeton and the "budget-Bentley" concept. Guessing it didn't really do too well in the US with the lack of badge appeal. Vain Americans we are.
Tell me you've never dealt with a USA VW dealership without saying you never have....After the SHITTY service we recieved while owning our MKIV R32 Golf from the VW dealerships why would someone be stupid enough to take the incompetance and ineptitude of the worst dealer group in the USA after paying over $70,000 for a luxury car. VW dealerships for the mpst part are terrible operations.
OOOOHHH !! Siempre veo los uploads del Car Wizard. Y ahora que se de alguien que trabaja alla y que habla claro Español , con mayor razon los veo. Muy interesamntes. Cheeers from Chile . Siii desde Chile ...extremo Sur del mundo.
I think that VAG is phasing out the VR series of engines in general. They are compact and work well, but they are expensive to build relative to other designs.
I don't think the old VR6 was all that expensive to produce especially if you compare it to a traditional V6, I mean there's one less cylinder head for one. Plus it was built on like 32 year old architecture, surely the development costs have been made up in the last three decades.
@@jaybeemhardscrote7466 It was expensive because of the intricate casting of the block and especially the head, which requires quite a bit more casting precision than standard V6 heads. You're right about the amortization though, it has paid for itself by now.
I had Phaeton with 3liter diesel motor and this car was best car i ever had. Its hand made beautiful car full of gadgets, great motors and suspensions. Its not cheap keep this car running because it was flagship from vw and bentley had parts from THIS car not vw from bentley. Problem with cupholder can be easily repaired in home, it has small srew holding it in place and bayonet system. Theres some plastic parts and one of them is broken, im using baking powder and super glue to repair plastic things.
There are lots of stories regarding this car, the design team was given a list of functions that the car must attain yet the list was never made public it's supposed to be an amazing vehicle though, I believe there was a 3L version available too.
There were 3.0 TDIs which turned out to be the most popular choice of engine, the 3.2 VR6 (which was available as a fwd manual in early years) and later the 3.6 VR6
@@TerrasClip I've had the 3.0 TDI and it was ok engine for the car, but if I would have owned it for longer I would have considered chiptuning it as it fell touch short on performance from time to time with such a heavy chassis.
@@Polkumusic CEXA was popular to be chipped, too bad the transmission was way too underpowered for that engine so you really couldn't go too crazy with it
The engineering feats from my 2 years owning a 4.2 2004 were: Very smooth ride. No direct hot air in drivers face, self leveling body, double paned windows, no trunk arms intruding on luggage, A/C seats, heated rear seats, automatic trunk close and open, automated rear seat head rests, shades in all back windows, radio controls in back, a/c controls in back, control maranta airflow to stop all windows from fogging, and a soft ride at all speeds.
A brilliantly disguised gem! Problematic? … absolutely (the overly complex trunk mechanisms, for starters $$$!). But a true work of engineering passion. I love them… but I’d look or their V8 version, personally. Thanks for the video.
As the owner of the Phaeton V10 TDi, I must say let's love them while we can, they leave so quickly. Also a funny tidbit. Did you know that this diesel V10 iteration was the only one to win 24H Le Mans as a non-petrol car :) Honestly a fantastic car if the previous owner wasn't a butcher. All engines available in America in the short time they were available are generally durable, though if you don't want to break the bank I would suggest 4.2 petrol. A familiar electrician would also be useful. Believe me in the pre-facelift called GP0 90% of any problems you may experience are due to advanced fickle electronics. And it doesn't even have to be broken right away. It is simply very sensitive to even small voltage drops. Everything can be straightened out, but it can be quite expensive. As far as history is concerned, I would like to debunk a myth that is repeated over and over again. "The Phaeton was built on a Bentley platform." 1. First of all it would be a stupid world if saying "oh no the frame and technology of my car is based on a Bentley" is a bad thing? xD 2. Second, it's simply not true. The truth is that the Bentley Flying Spour and Continental (as well as the frame of the first Porsche Panamera, although the modification was significant here) are based on the VW Phaeton which was commissioned by the then President of the VW concern, Ferdynand Piech
I have to correct you on the second point. The Gen 1 Panamera has nothing to do with the Phaeton and or Phaeton based Bentleys. The Phaeton platform was started together with the first Cayenne platform as one, but separated at some point in the development. Only the second Gen Panamera was developed as the platform for the new or actual generation of Bentleys.
@@computercrack and the cayenne and toareg were developed together as well. The electronic architecture is pretty much the same between the toareg/cayenne and the phaeton/continental. You can also see many interior pieces that are common across these models.
Amazing how clean the interior looks because my 2000 VW Jetta VR6 with tan leather has rubber bits pealing and breaking all over the place and wood trim cracked with only 64k miles. Purchased off showroom floor.
Yeah, brings to mind just last week a mechanic was lamenting to me weakness of my Audi B8 from 2011 wheel bearings when the car is 12 years old and had at the point of changing the bearing done bit under 300 000km (about 180 000miles) with the original bearings...
Granted that is not to bad but a metal or rubber one would have been better from a longevity. Plastic does not like heat, chemicals, and vibrations. Well an engine bay has all that! Metal is more expensive to manufacture but I can’t imagine by much more after engineering that plastic hose with its quick release mech and o rings and the tooling. But for the price these came at, I’d expect better
Pretty cool to see this one. One of volkswagen's mad moments. If I remember Volkswagen CEO demanded this car to be created or something like that ( was mentioned in a very old Top Gear episode ).
@@jacobrzeszewski6527 Yes, it was a typical thing for the owners of Volkswagen: decisions based on their elitist egos. Why lots of working class people buy the products of a company owned by such monstrous elitists who are recorded clearly as totally _despising_ such people as their customers is beyond me!
Manufacturers may now be able to get as much power out of a six or four as they used to get out of these larger engines, but they never run as smooth. The whole point of many of the high-cylinder-count engines (V12s, W12s, V16s) was to make them run incredibly smoothly. They were powerful, but many had very small individual cylinders, firing off in rapid succession, balanced to make the engines just purr, rather than the larger vibrations that fewer numbers of cylinders give.
I've always had a soft spot for the Phaeton. If the Audi A8 didn't exist, it would've likely been a better seller. I think top models were a better car than the Audi. The build quality(interior) was impeccable. But the problem was that it looked like a bloated Passat, as does the current A8 looking like ballooned Jetta. And as with most VAG powertrains of this era, they're hideously expensive to maintain.
D3 A8 was much better built and handled much nicer. same for interior quality, to many nit picking things in the phaeton. crazy how they made the damn phateon weigh 2000lbs more than the D3. 4.2 belt driven 03-06 A8 are the most reliable us spec A8s, as its just a belt 4.2
@@derrickgretz5753 yes, they used heavy-gauge steel in the body of the Phaeton vs the aluminum of the Audi(in which them and Jag(XJ) were pioneers on mass produced sedans), which made the car pretty heavy but as solid as a tank. This is the era when the Porsche Cayenne and VW Toureag were north of 5400lbs, about the same as a vintage Suburban at the time.😳
When everything is working properly, these are great driving cars. I'm usually all in when it comes to sketchy reliability and expensive maintenance... but these are on my NO GO list.
I am hoping that the Car Wizard will have a lot more vehicles at Omega Auto Clinic, especially these Nissan's and Infiniti's with the CVT transmission and a late-2000's Chrysler Aspen full-size SUV with the 5.7 L HEMI V8 engine and the five-speed automatic transmission sooner rather than later. We need more of these videos. Thanks again.
I had one for three year and all I did was work on it. Very expensive if you don't know what you're doing. Most vw dealers won't even touch them. I loved it though. So nice to drive
WIzard, I agree with your comments relating to 'breaky-breaky' plastics on 10+ year old German cars - plastics, and in particular connectors that convert to 'corn flakes' when touched. VW-Audi group is the worst closely followed by BMW and then Mercedes. Having to unplug electrical connectors in an ageing VW Golf generates a lot of anxiety - i.e. adds more work and cost to the reason why the car was in the workshop.
Amazing cars! This was the peak of overengineering. I had a W12 Audi A8, it was not too bad to maintain moneywise. Engine is reaaaallllyyy bulletproof! However there’s small things, sensors etc. that reauire engine out for replacement.
Similar story with the Audi 5.2 V10s, the engine is pretty solid apart from the intake manifold, but everything is an engine out job making it so expensive to maintain.
Wrong way round wizard, its a VW group engine, found in Bentley cars owned by the VW group. Bentley are only assembled in the UK now and have been for many years, 90% of the parts are from the VAG group with only small parts sourced in the UK. The Bentley is this car with added Turbos and bling and a different body shell.
Correct! Actually I'd like to add that very many Volks-Bentleys have been assembled in Germany in the VW Dresden factory, so not even nearly all of the Volks-Bentleys were even assembled in the UK. For a long time they were made in Germany only (and the engines coming from some Volkswagen plant somewhere in Eastern Europe).
I had one of theese. It was a fabulous car and that W12 is an amazing engine absolutely loads of power and torque. I ended up selling mine because it was too quiet and the baby would not go to sleep in it.
I bought my neighbor's '06 Bentley Flying Spur, and I remember him describing it as a "tarted-up VW Phaeton or Audi A8". Now I understand! And yeah. The maintenance. Oof. "Don't marry a fat lady unless you can afford her groceries"
The Phaeton was based on the Bentley Flying spur I had a V6 diesel version (I'm from the UK) and I loved mine, they're hideously expensive to repair especially if you use parts from a dealer but I only paid £5k for mine and it's a lot of car for the money and I good purchase if you have the ability to fix it yourself.
This, 2004 Volkswagen Pheaton W12 sedan is fantastic, but they are way too expensive to maintain and to repair. Instead, a 2009 Lexus GS 350 sedan is much of a better vehicle and way more reliable than this, 2004 Volkswagen Pheaton W12 sedan. Thank you very much.
The "a lot for a german car" brings some giggles up, because on this side of the pond, pretty much noting gets the mileage even close to what the "premium" (=more expensive) german cars get, since everything else is either too obscure, inefficent, or gets absolutely destroyed before they even reach 150k miles. Or gets simply totalled over a service bill around that mileage and thrown in the bin instead of paying the $$$ to keep it running. Also here ppl don't drive like 30-40-50k miles per year so commonly, only professional drivers and one or two artists (singers etc.) even breach 30k KILOMETERS, and it's not usually in passenger cars with professionals unless it's a taxi. I drive on my time off a 2014 model (made in late 2013) E-Class, with 350 bluetec diesel (3.0 V6), and while I bought it it had 180k kilometers on the clock. Now it has 312-ish and other than the trouble with add-blue diesel exhaust fluid system, it has had one blown air strut and some minor trouble bits and bobs like brake disk warpage and the quite usual suspension joints becoming too "playful" malarkey. I know some toyotas go this far without anything but regular servicing, but they're like 2000 model year cars to drive to begin with. They exist only for transportation and offer you zero fun. For someone who can't afford to run a fleet of cars (i have one oldtimer and a motorcycle) an E-Class wagon with it's top of the line diesel engine, hauling capacity and ability to bliz shitty little ecoboxes on a grand tour of europe is perfect mix of luxury, comfort, performance and economy. But this is one more interesting difference between USA and EU. It's like "what engine does a mustang have?" question. Here in europe, it's V8 or go home, almost nobody buys V6 or 4-cyl ecoboost mustangs, because the V8 is the thing in having a mustang in the first place.
Funfact: In Europe this thing was aviable with a 5.0 V10 Diesel. Insane!
When you need to haul a semi trailer once in a blue moon
375hp and 1000nm if I recall correctly... Niiiice! 😍
No when need to pay your fuel bills for the heaviest car around… the Diesel was absolutely THE engine to have esp in Germany.
@@sebastianhuber1688 Aber nur bis was kaputt ging, da wurde der V10 schnell zum Alptraum 😅
Yeah it's a POS but still fun and unique
As a Phaeton owner, I can confirm these are amazing cars, but hideously expensive to maintain.
Cheaper than B5 W8 passat I assume :D
What all has gone wrong with yours and how many miles do you have on?
Amazing if you like overweight cars with the worst possible layout, only offering understeer, horrible ergonomics, and overall exactly as you said: the design is so poor and components so bad that they are really expensive to own too.
hell, I had a jetta of the same era and that was enough of a financial nightmare. moved onto porsche, way more reliable and roughly the same price to fix most issues.
@@Mabeylater293 Most notably the steering rack and lines needed replacing. Cost me about $3,000 to repair with my internal labor rate of $39/hr. Not fun haha. 101k miles as of now on my 2005 Waterworld Green Pearl 4.2.
The Phaeton was Ferdinand Piech's baby and he came up with all of the crazy standards this car had to meet. Not crazy as in stupid but crazy as in how hard the engineers had to work to meet them, to make the worlds most advanced car. I've always wanted to own one of the W12 models but reading about all of the problems and the cost of repairs have kept me on the sidelines. When these were new the VW dealers had to be certified to work on the Phaeton so you just couldn't go to any VW dealer for service. Cool to see you taking on the repairs to this car.
Same thing with Nissan, they got to have certified techs to work on their sports cars it’s stupid
I really wonder if the entire story is a myth. Is it genuinely superior to prior/similar cars?
@@funnypranker34 Same thing with the Mazdaspeed when it was around.
@@Jmjdit From what I recall from when it was new, reviewers thought it was a pretty great luxury car. I don't know that it was superior to the Mercedes S Class or BMW 7 Series, and certainly not a lot of car buyers thought so. The VW was not a sales success, and as it turns out, kind of a headache in terms of reliability and maintenance costs. The W engine program saw its greatest "success" with Bugatti in the quad-turbo W16 variant, but those cars epitomize nightmarish maintenance. And nobody knows how reliable they really are because they don't really get driven much.
@@funnypranker34 Not really, do you want the Versa Note mechanic to wrench your GT-R? Didn't think so.
Daniel just said Welcome to the shop. We’re going to look at this VW Phaeton. Then he asked what all the stains on your pants were.
That last sentence and the wizard response got me in a dirty mind.
Yeah 😂stains .. pointing at his groin area..
Daniel-San is cool 😊 Just subscribed to his channel as well
Yeah what color are the stains?
Man oil?
A Better Intro Translation to English:
Welcome to the Car Wizards shop.
Today we are going to observe this Volkswagen Phaeton.
What is that, Mr. Wizard?
What are those stains that you have in your pants?
Oh it looks very strange.
Mr. Wizard nothing offensive was said about you in this regard. Your Spanish co-worker mechanic simply wanted to pin point a cosmetic defect on your clothing.
We loved our 2004 W12 Phaeton and our 2006 V8 Phaeton, they were the best highway cars I've ever owned.
They were designed to drive at 155 mph comfortably on the autobahn iirc
The V8 version of the Phaeton was/is far more reliable than the W12, not to mention cheaper to maintain.
The largest issue is the electronics and wiring on these cars which due to complex issues of access to some items and the lack of local service parts (spares) make them very expensive to repair. Several trim items are all but impossible to source and when you can find them, can be ultra expensive.
But, at least, the build quality on these up to 100k+ USD when new, exceeded the Audi and met or were very close to Maybach standards.
Trivia: The W12 engine is a modular engine, based upon the Volkswagen VR6 engine. Basically it is two VR6's siamesed together at the crankshaft at a 72 degree angle. This allows the W12 to be built on some of the same tooling as the VR6, saving costs.
The VR6 itself is what is known as a "safety" engine. Another name is the "taco engine". It was designed around the engine bay of the MK3 VW Golf/Jetta. VW wanted to install a 6 cylinder engine in these cars, but the problem was that an inline 6 would be too long. VW puts the transverse engine on the passenger side and the transmission on the drivers side, and an L6 would not work with this, it would need a transmission mounted behind the engine, a major new [expensive] component useable on only a few designs. A 60 degree V6 would work with existing transmissions, but the problem with that is that in a frontal impact the engine would hit the firewall and thus push the dashboard toward passengers, resulting in injuries. Honda put the first V6 in an Accord by stretching the nose of the car 60 mm, but this would result in two different bodies and much higher costs. The VR6 solved the problem by taking a 60 degree V6 design and folding it like a taco down to only 15 degrees.
It has the intake on the front bank and the exhaust on the rear bank, and one cylinder head for both banks. That means that the front cylinders have a short intake runner while the rear cylinders have longer runners. The opposite is true with the exhausts. Thus, the front bank of cylinders has a different cam profile from the rear bank, and timing and fuel injection curves are slightly different as well. Fascinating design, and they sound fantastic with a good exhaust!
JINX!…lol
VR6 is one of the most unique engine designs ever made! I love my VR6!
"Modular" 😂 Maybe when considering the bare block casting 😂
@@rkan2 Meaning that it was based upon another engine design just modified with more cylinders.
@@Flies2FLL Lancia V4
Bank1 and Bank2 lean condition means that your bank accounts won't cover the repair.
Haha funny
😂
In the mid-2000’s, while on business in Dresden Germany, I took a tour of the “Glass Factory” as it was called where VW built the Phaeton. It was a state of the art factory. Buyers could order a new Phaeton and watch it being built or simply visit to take delivery. It was one of the nicest auto factories I had ever seen at the time. I think they build the Bentley’s there now.
I'm fluent in spanish and I understood that he said. He said, "Welcome back to the Wizard's shop and today we're going to talk about this VW Phaeton." He also said how did you get those stains on your pants, and you answered him 100% correctly when you said idk I've been having fun I guess. Then he says, "that's unusual!" I provide Spanish language interpretation for customers all the time at the Toyota dealership where I work.
Being myself Spaniard, your translation is 100% correct. Pleased to hear Danielson speaking in what seems his mother language, I didn´t know he is Hispanic.
@@Secrecy30 sí señor
Thats funny, made me laugh!
"Raro" can mean either 'weird' or 'unusual'. In this context I would go for 'weird'. Otherwise, a ver good translation!
The reason the Phaeton didn't sell well in the US is because American customers were used to cheap cars with VW badges and the Phaeton sticker just sent most into shock. I saw a V8 model in a used car lot locally for sale for months for $3k with no takers.
Cos VW Germany own Bugatti name, it seems to me it ought to have been badged Bugatti and a Bugatti grill in place of the VW grill
Awesome intro Car Wizard😂😂😂!!! Daniel was great no worries 😎
“Using the parts cannon instead of using the diagnostic Cannon”- Perfectly stated, all of our local mechanics just like to throw parts at the car, because, after all, the customer pays for it, not them. I’ve yet to see one local mechanic use a code scanner, or a smoke machine. One of our local mechanics told the lady that she needed a new head gasket. He was just guessing, because when she had another mechanic look at it, and pressure test it, the guy said, “hey, all you need is a new radiator cap.” That’s all it was, but again, when you have lazy mechanics who don’t want to diagnose the problem, you end up spending lots of money on unnecessary repairs. We no longer use the mechanics in our small town, we have to go to the big city next-door to get good repairs.
Lotta lazy guys out there unfortunately. Who's not to say he wouldn't have replace the rad cap and charged for the head gasket? Ppl like this shouldn't be in the industry and put a bad wrap out for mechanics as a whole
I wouldn’t call them mechanics but rather, parts replacers.
Shops with a diagnostic culture are the shops that you want to take your vehicle to. Very good work Omega Auto crew!
The Phaeton is still sold in China (only), but now it's called Phideon. Is build over MLB platform (A4, Q5, A6, A7, A8, Macan) and have 2 engine option, the turbo 4 cylinders EA888 and supercharged V6 EA837
The intro was funny as hell😂😂😂keep up the great work you do for that car world Wizard
I know right, Danelson’s Spanish is Very Good and Fluent. 😂🤣
Doesn't take much to make you laugh 😂😂😂
Trust me when I say hell will not be funny. Careful with your words.
I’ve had this exact problem for about 4 years on my BMW 740i E38. Same error code about mixture limit reached on bank B. The smoke check and your comments on old BMWs have inspired me to get back under the hood this weekend, thanks wizard!
Que bonito oir Español en un video de Car Wizard, gracias Daniel!
I'm from Spain, literally 10/10 for Daniel San, more intros like this one pleaseee ;)
This is neither nitpicking nor trolling: You have it the wrong way 'round: that is a VW engine through and through. And the "Bentley" which shared it was only a "Bentley" because Volkswagen bought the brand. Really it was a Volkswagen Phaeton which was rebadged as a Bentley. That is no hyperbole, that is _exactly_ what it was. Both the engine and the "Bentley" were designed and made by Volkswagen.
Not entirely true. Of course the Phaeton and Bentley Continental were developed on a shared platform. In the beginning it was even started together with the Cayenne as one platform, but separated later into two different platforms. Anyway, the exterior and interior design was developed by the engineering team of Bentley in Crewe. VW as a brand didn't have anything to do with that. You may still call that rebadging, but from my point of view it goes far beyond that, cause the cars are very different inside and out, especially looking at the 2 door variants which dont exist for the Phaeton
I think it's a Lada engine
@@computercrack Incorrect. We're talking about these first series Phaetons. They never started off on a common platform with the Cayenne either. Only the general platform family was the same, but they absolutely did not share their more precise platform with the Cayenne.
The massive marketing team of Volkswagen wants you to think that there is some kind of "separate Bentley"...don't believe their ridiculous stories. Of course they designed and engineered both cars at the same time, and it was absolutely just a VW effort as there is no real separate "Bentley".
The cars are not very different inside and out, they are as technically identical as they possibly could make them, even for the shorter wheelbase 2-door version.
@@computercrack As someone who owns this vehicle I have to correct you in saying that they are very different. They are not. Same seats, same steering wheel, same dash, same... everything. The drivetrain is the same minus the turbos. I have two sets of wheels for mine, wheels straight off a Continental that needed no adjustment. Direct fit because... same! The Phaeton has a few features that the Bentley's don't have in fact.
@@ToolDeals Yes, you're right: pretty much every single bit of the cars are the same, only a few bits are underneath a slightly different cover/bit of trim. But all the mechanical bits are in the exact same place.
I have a A8L W12 but this is a sleeper car . Quick with out attracting attention. Maintenance costs though for a W12 are eye watering
I love car wizard’s wife describing things doug style. Its like- just the perfect amount of information lol
Really? I find her hideously annoying and condescending
a cousin had one of these....bought it with an extended warranty...an excellent driving car, so long as you were not paying for maintenance.
Car wizard I'm Tinashe from Zimbabwe ... I find your videos very educational ..keep it up man
In fact the Audi A8 was the first model in 2001 which got the W12 treatment.
And even more unreliable LOL
I agree with everything Daniel said. Thank you, Wizard and Mrs. Always wanted a Phaeton or A8, not the W12, but the 4.2 V8, as a backup car - but know it could be a budget buster. 🤣Plastic tubing around the engine - sounds like a Porsche Cayenne
I could have bought a v8 one, its transmission was slipping so I passed. Nothing is more expensive than a cheap priced luxury car, except a cheap diesel plow truck.
@@wyattgardner3552 OMG - from Minnesota so know plow trucks. OH look late model truck, low miles, really cheap.
Look for a v8, with service records, and preferably under 130K miles with a recent timing belt service done. That right there will take care of most of your ongoing anxiety issues.
i currently drive the smaller w8 passat
currently at 250 k miles without any major issues
Today, I saw one in person in front of Crown Plaza hotel in Belgrade.
From a distance, it looks like a Passat B5, but only if you get real close, you can notice it.
For me, it is ultimate luxury car that is meant to be enjoyed, and not be shown off like status symbol.
The W12 engine was co developed by Audi and Bentley, so it made sense for a detuned version to be used by VW.
Not co-developed by Audi and Bentley, but just developed by Volkswagen. It's one company. And Bentley isn't a real company, just a brand Volkswagen uses on its products to try to raise prices by fooling some gullible customers.
VW owns Bentley
Actually VW developed it along time ago. The first car is was put in was the Nardo W12. The first production car it was used in was the D2 chassis Audi A8L then the same power train from that D2 A8L was carried over to the Phaeton.
Yes, because it was the most expensive version of the VR-family created by VW. So it has to be fitted in the upper class vehicles from Audi and Bentley.
@@EvilBaggOBoltsand Audi😂
One of the most underrated cars ever made.
One of the most underrated cars.
Yeah, but a major pain for maintenancd
They were never considered good at all and even then they were massively *_overrated_* , not underrated.
@@pistonburner6448 You've never driven a Phaeton.
@@pistonburner6448 even many car journalists said that its even better than audi a8?
@@iTzNitrOxZ How so?
Being called better than an Audi A8 is hardly big praise...especially since they're made by the same company on the same platform (though one is made in aluminium and the other in steel).
What car *_isn't_* better than an Audi A8?
I didnt expect daniel knowing spanish lol, definitely would watch him working on cars in spanish, and dw wizard he didnt say anything offensive lol
Love This Car! Go W12!!!!!! AweSome Work CarWizard!
I least one for 39 months in 2004 what a wonderful car ,
I most one for 40 months.
Wow I was surprised at the beautiful interior of this VW. 2004, someone loved her. Bud, Jen frequently watch your channel. It's always interesting.
As the owner of this car, Phaeton W12 2007, the same hose was cracked, I would be very interested if you got the original and how much they cost, because it will be close to 1000 usd anyway just for the original hose, in Europe they can no longer be bought even at the VW factory, I tried that !
And yes, I can confirm, one of the most comfortable cars I've ever owned in 35 years , and one of the most difficult to maintain, for example, replacing the starter - you have to remove the engine !
Now what did you actually do? Greetings from a V6 Diesel owner
I can attest to that. NLA as many parts for this engine. Oil supply/return pipes? NLA. Vacuum tubing? NLA. Coolant pipe across the front? NLA. And still I love wrenching on this car 🤣
@@computercrack I fixed the two broken hoses with tape, so far they are holding 😆
Many Years ago when I owned a manufacturer's rep business that kept me on the road. It was time to change cars. I almost bought a VW Phaeton. The car was basically an Audi A8 with a steel body . As you SAY, the innards are all the same, abet a few different sheet metal changes and a gussied-up the interior. We were there buying my wife a Jetta TDI and they offered me a REALLY great deal.
The real reason I didn't buy it, was what's the VW service manager saw me and we talked. He said that if I bought it, we would become very close friends. Another words, he was looking out for my better interest. I wound up getting a Jaguar that work out great, other than it demolished transmissions every 60k miles. In 2008 I fell in love with the Genesis 3.8, and I'm still driving it today. The cost to.own has been consumables.
Glad to see (finally) a Phaeton in the chanel. Happy and proud owner of a '07 V6 diesel. I do enjoy every mile driven on her...just amazing ride. Ok, not for win any drag race, but...who cares??? I do not have to rush. Cheers!!
Owner of a 09 V6 Diesel, but unhappy. Throwing lots of money at problems all the time. Driving is fine though if everything works, especially on the Autobahn
Nothing bad my friend you have a great channel and I enjoy every chapter. Thanks I learn new thing from you experience. Thanks
I've got a 2015 3.0 TDI and appreciate the video!
One point of correction: It isn't a A8L, it was built on the Bentley Continental platform. Hence the weight.
I remember when these came out. I thought they were really cool. If I remember right, VW was marketing these as hand built. I didn't know it had a Bentley engine, that's kinda cool.
They really are hand-built you should see the factory I've been there and watched one put in a Bentley.
Even the people building them are different from the regular line crew.
It's Germany.
@@chauvinemmons I meant I remember them saying the car was hand built. Maybe it was just the engine
I love the music when the cars go on the lift.
I love the idea behind this car and the 18-way adjustable seats are lovely.
(It was the cheapest ventilated seat I could get for my office chair project. I love seeing an almost identical seat and switch panel in Bentleys.)
This baby is Ferdinand Piëch D1 Concept, I drove the V10 diesel version in Germany...best car to haul CEOs and rich people from Frankfurt to Berlin at top speed on Autobahn without stopping. Amazing machine I would really like to see how it is with W12
Are physical buttons now considered obsolete and something that should be mocked? I like physical buttons as long as they don't look and feel cheap.
nope they are not obsolete just depends on what you like or don't like in a car
Holy crap, I understood him! He didn't say anything that shouldn't be said...that was good.
Love seeing these! I wish VW still made a Phaeton. Great for someone who wants an luxury car with all the amenities without the luxury badge.
Car wizard, I had one of these with the smaller engine. I have an iPhone and iPhones do not connect to this system. But it can. The Bluetooth box is underneath the rear parcel shelf. To access it. One has to lie on your back in the boot. The box can be changed with a 2015+ box, it’s plug and play. Just check the plugs. Now it will not bring up your phone book. But once you have your phone called while connected. It will allow hands free. To receive calls, and return calls that it has record of.
the W12 is basically two VR6 engines from the 90s sharing the same crank.
Yeah, Phaeton its like Bentley for repairs and maintenance. And in reality does not cost so much to buy. Thanks.
Wizard! It's not based on the A8L. The VW/ Bentley are a D1 frame, which is steel. The Audi is a D3 frame, which is aluminum. That's why the VW weigh 500 KG more than the Audi😊
Man, he is very nice, nothing wrong with his words en español!
Loved the Phaeton and the "budget-Bentley" concept. Guessing it didn't really do too well in the US with the lack of badge appeal. Vain Americans we are.
Tell me you've never dealt with a USA VW dealership without saying you never have....After the SHITTY service we recieved while owning our MKIV R32 Golf from the VW dealerships why would someone be stupid enough to take the incompetance and ineptitude of the worst dealer group in the USA after paying over $70,000 for a luxury car. VW dealerships for the mpst part are terrible operations.
They only sold it for a couple of years in the states because it was such a sales disaster.
@@AWMJoeyjoejoe sales disaster?...that car sold out overseas
@@williamsantana370 That's why I specifically said "in the states".
@@williamsantana370 it sold well everywhere except there us just like the touareg its amazing car nobody wanted to fork over the cash for a 70k vw
OOOOHHH !! Siempre veo los uploads del Car Wizard. Y ahora que se de alguien que trabaja alla y que habla claro Español , con mayor razon los veo. Muy interesamntes. Cheeers from Chile . Siii desde Chile ...extremo Sur del mundo.
This was a beautiful VW at the time and still , but wow never saw that kind of movement from front suspension like you said , dangerous! Scary
My Mk3 Jetta TDi moved like that, upgraded the control arm bushings to Audi TT bushings, easy fix.
thanks for the spanish intro! Seems like you DO take a peek at where is your audience. God bless
I think that VAG is phasing out the VR series of engines in general. They are compact and work well, but they are expensive to build relative to other designs.
they just announced that there will be no more 12 cylinder VW engines
@@robertnixon1482 and the venerable vr6 is dead this year or last.
I don't think the old VR6 was all that expensive to produce especially if you compare it to a traditional V6, I mean there's one less cylinder head for one. Plus it was built on like 32 year old architecture, surely the development costs have been made up in the last three decades.
@@jaybeemhardscrote7466Yeah but consider it to an inline 4/5 cylinder... yeah, definitely more expensive.
@@jaybeemhardscrote7466 It was expensive because of the intricate casting of the block and especially the head, which requires quite a bit more casting precision than standard V6 heads. You're right about the amortization though, it has paid for itself by now.
buttons rule. so much better than touch screens
As a native Spanish speaker, I was really confused there for a few seconds, wondering if YT now had some autodubbing feature or something.
Lmao same here
I had Phaeton with 3liter diesel motor and this car was best car i ever had. Its hand made beautiful car full of gadgets, great motors and suspensions. Its not cheap keep this car running because it was flagship from vw and bentley had parts from THIS car not vw from bentley. Problem with cupholder can be easily repaired in home, it has small srew holding it in place and bayonet system. Theres some plastic parts and one of them is broken, im using baking powder and super glue to repair plastic things.
There are lots of stories regarding this car, the design team was given a list of functions that the car must attain yet the list was never made public it's supposed to be an amazing vehicle though, I believe there was a 3L version available too.
There were 3.0 TDIs which turned out to be the most popular choice of engine, the 3.2 VR6 (which was available as a fwd manual in early years) and later the 3.6 VR6
@@TerrasClip I've had the 3.0 TDI and it was ok engine for the car, but if I would have owned it for longer I would have considered chiptuning it as it fell touch short on performance from time to time with such a heavy chassis.
@@Polkumusic CEXA was popular to be chipped, too bad the transmission was way too underpowered for that engine so you really couldn't go too crazy with it
The engineering feats from my 2 years owning a 4.2 2004 were:
Very smooth ride. No direct hot air in drivers face, self leveling body, double paned windows, no trunk arms intruding on luggage, A/C seats, heated rear seats, automatic trunk close and open, automated rear seat head rests, shades in all back windows, radio controls in back, a/c controls in back, control maranta airflow to stop all windows from fogging, and a soft ride at all speeds.
@@Polkumusic True, the car feels a little bit underpowered, but its alright, didn't want to chip tune mine, just to much risk.
That's one big book of service records! Every vehicle owner should do that!
A brilliantly disguised gem! Problematic? … absolutely (the overly complex trunk mechanisms, for starters $$$!). But a true work of engineering passion. I love them… but I’d look or their V8 version, personally. Thanks for the video.
“Hits from the bong” bro I’m loving this car more and more now and it’s got 420hp awd
As the owner of the Phaeton V10 TDi, I must say let's love them while we can, they leave so quickly. Also a funny tidbit. Did you know that this diesel V10 iteration was the only one to win 24H Le Mans as a non-petrol car :)
Honestly a fantastic car if the previous owner wasn't a butcher. All engines available in America in the short time they were available are generally durable, though if you don't want to break the bank I would suggest 4.2 petrol. A familiar electrician would also be useful. Believe me in the pre-facelift called GP0 90% of any problems you may experience are due to advanced fickle electronics. And it doesn't even have to be broken right away. It is simply very sensitive to even small voltage drops. Everything can be straightened out, but it can be quite expensive.
As far as history is concerned, I would like to debunk a myth that is repeated over and over again. "The Phaeton was built on a Bentley platform."
1. First of all it would be a stupid world if saying "oh no the frame and technology of my car is based on a Bentley" is a bad thing? xD
2. Second, it's simply not true. The truth is that the Bentley Flying Spour and Continental (as well as the frame of the first Porsche Panamera, although the modification was significant here) are based on the VW Phaeton which was commissioned by the then President of the VW concern, Ferdynand Piech
I have to correct you on the second point. The Gen 1 Panamera has nothing to do with the Phaeton and or Phaeton based Bentleys. The Phaeton platform was started together with the first Cayenne platform as one, but separated at some point in the development. Only the second Gen Panamera was developed as the platform for the new or actual generation of Bentleys.
@@computercrack and the cayenne and toareg were developed together as well. The electronic architecture is pretty much the same between the toareg/cayenne and the phaeton/continental. You can also see many interior pieces that are common across these models.
Amazing how clean the interior looks because my 2000 VW Jetta VR6 with tan leather has rubber bits pealing and breaking all over the place and wood trim cracked with only 64k miles. Purchased off showroom floor.
The pipes have lasted nearly 20 years. You cannot complain about that really. Assuming they're original parts.
Yeah, brings to mind just last week a mechanic was lamenting to me weakness of my Audi B8 from 2011 wheel bearings when the car is 12 years old and had at the point of changing the bearing done bit under 300 000km (about 180 000miles) with the original bearings...
Granted that is not to bad but a metal or rubber one would have been better from a longevity. Plastic does not like heat, chemicals, and vibrations. Well an engine bay has all that! Metal is more expensive to manufacture but I can’t imagine by much more after engineering that plastic hose with its quick release mech and o rings and the tooling. But for the price these came at, I’d expect better
Been wanting one for many years...Never found one I liked...only saw one in person...Loved it!
Pretty cool to see this one. One of volkswagen's mad moments. If I remember Volkswagen CEO demanded this car to be created or something like that ( was mentioned in a very old Top Gear episode ).
Same thing with the Bugatti. Basically just said "Me want big engine".
@@jacobrzeszewski6527 Yes, it was a typical thing for the owners of Volkswagen: decisions based on their elitist egos.
Why lots of working class people buy the products of a company owned by such monstrous elitists who are recorded clearly as totally _despising_ such people as their customers is beyond me!
The only Car in the world that can blow hot air when started from cold
Manufacturers may now be able to get as much power out of a six or four as they used to get out of these larger engines, but they never run as smooth.
The whole point of many of the high-cylinder-count engines (V12s, W12s, V16s) was to make them run incredibly smoothly. They were powerful, but many had very small individual cylinders, firing off in rapid succession, balanced to make the engines just purr, rather than the larger vibrations that fewer numbers of cylinders give.
I knew about the W8, I didn't know they made a W12 in a VW. Imagine telling someone from the 60s that in 40 years their will be a 12 cyl VW!
I've always had a soft spot for the Phaeton. If the Audi A8 didn't exist, it would've likely been a better seller.
I think top models were a better car than the Audi. The build quality(interior) was impeccable. But the problem was that it looked like a bloated Passat, as does the current A8 looking like ballooned Jetta. And as with most VAG powertrains of this era, they're hideously expensive to maintain.
D3 A8 was much better built and handled much nicer. same for interior quality, to many nit picking things in the phaeton. crazy how they made the damn phateon weigh 2000lbs more than the D3. 4.2 belt driven 03-06 A8 are the most reliable us spec A8s, as its just a belt 4.2
@@derrickgretz5753 yes, they used heavy-gauge steel in the body of the Phaeton vs the aluminum of the Audi(in which them and Jag(XJ) were pioneers on mass produced sedans), which made the car pretty heavy but as solid as a tank. This is the era when the Porsche Cayenne and VW Toureag were north of 5400lbs, about the same as a vintage Suburban at the time.😳
When everything is working properly, these are great driving cars. I'm usually all in when it comes to sketchy reliability and expensive maintenance... but these are on my NO GO list.
I would love to own one of these some day if I had the money and time to maintain it.
Thanks Mrs. Wizard for showing us the inside of the Buttonmobile.
vw build a factory in Dresden Germany only to build phaeton, it was vw boss's last prestige project

I am hoping that the Car Wizard will have a lot more vehicles at Omega Auto Clinic, especially these Nissan's and Infiniti's with the CVT transmission and a late-2000's Chrysler Aspen full-size SUV with the 5.7 L HEMI V8 engine and the five-speed automatic transmission sooner rather than later. We need more of these videos. Thanks again.
Love the intro 😂
I had one for three year and all I did was work on it. Very expensive if you don't know what you're doing. Most vw dealers won't even touch them. I loved it though. So nice to drive
Daniel said “I’ve been stealing tools and parts from the shop for months and this gringo has no idea.”
I loved these W12 things so much!!!
LUV 2 HAVE A V8 VERSION OF THIS CLASSIC 💯💯💯
A funny way of opening this video is me driving that Hertz Shelby 😮
WIzard, I agree with your comments relating to 'breaky-breaky' plastics on 10+ year old German cars - plastics, and in particular connectors that convert to 'corn flakes' when touched. VW-Audi group is the worst closely followed by BMW and then Mercedes. Having to unplug electrical connectors in an ageing VW Golf generates a lot of anxiety - i.e. adds more work and cost to the reason why the car was in the workshop.
Amazing cars! This was the peak of overengineering.
I had a W12 Audi A8, it was not too bad to maintain moneywise. Engine is reaaaallllyyy bulletproof! However there’s small things, sensors etc. that reauire engine out for replacement.
Similar story with the Audi 5.2 V10s, the engine is pretty solid apart from the intake manifold, but everything is an engine out job making it so expensive to maintain.
Wrong way round wizard, its a VW group engine, found in Bentley cars owned by the VW group. Bentley are only assembled in the UK now and have been for many years, 90% of the parts are from the VAG group with only small parts sourced in the UK. The Bentley is this car with added Turbos and bling and a different body shell.
Correct! Actually I'd like to add that very many Volks-Bentleys have been assembled in Germany in the VW Dresden factory, so not even nearly all of the Volks-Bentleys were even assembled in the UK. For a long time they were made in Germany only (and the engines coming from some Volkswagen plant somewhere in Eastern Europe).
I had one of theese. It was a fabulous car and that W12 is an amazing engine absolutely loads of power and torque. I ended up selling mine because it was too quiet and the baby would not go to sleep in it.
I haven’t driven anything with more than a 4-cylinder engine for maybe 20 years. Okay, more like 16… there was a V6 once I got off the V8 models…
These are cool and the ones even rarer than the W12 is the V10 TDIs
If Euroasian Bob could find one with 10,000 miles, tempting…
He said you need to give him a raise
W 12 is a VW DESIGNED and built motor (turbo version in Bentley) as well as W16 found in Bugatti Veyron
I bought my neighbor's '06 Bentley Flying Spur, and I remember him describing it as a "tarted-up VW Phaeton or Audi A8". Now I understand! And yeah. The maintenance. Oof. "Don't marry a fat lady unless you can afford her groceries"
In addition to the leaking PCV hose, I would be looking at the MAF intake hose with the duct tape!
The Bentley engine has a V W overcoat ! But a *Black* (yuk) coat ! Thankyou Madame Wizard for your internal reportage !
😂
It did take Lexus another 5 years to create something equal. The LS 430 simply couldn't compete.
Toyota Century is pretty fancy and has a 5.0 V12.
The Phaeton was based on the Bentley Flying spur I had a V6 diesel version (I'm from the UK) and I loved mine, they're hideously expensive to repair especially if you use parts from a dealer but I only paid £5k for mine and it's a lot of car for the money and I good purchase if you have the ability to fix it yourself.
Exactly. It’s a machine. Fix and move on. At least it’s not a north star engine. That’s a mess to fix. It was just built wrong.
No, Phaeton came first. Without Phaeton the Continental would never have come to live. I know, I was part of TIER1 supplier development team.
This, 2004 Volkswagen Pheaton W12 sedan is fantastic, but they are way too expensive to maintain and to repair. Instead, a 2009 Lexus GS 350 sedan is much of a better vehicle and way more reliable than this, 2004 Volkswagen Pheaton W12 sedan. Thank you very much.
The "a lot for a german car" brings some giggles up, because on this side of the pond, pretty much noting gets the mileage even close to what the "premium" (=more expensive) german cars get, since everything else is either too obscure, inefficent, or gets absolutely destroyed before they even reach 150k miles. Or gets simply totalled over a service bill around that mileage and thrown in the bin instead of paying the $$$ to keep it running. Also here ppl don't drive like 30-40-50k miles per year so commonly, only professional drivers and one or two artists (singers etc.) even breach 30k KILOMETERS, and it's not usually in passenger cars with professionals unless it's a taxi. I drive on my time off a 2014 model (made in late 2013) E-Class, with 350 bluetec diesel (3.0 V6), and while I bought it it had 180k kilometers on the clock. Now it has 312-ish and other than the trouble with add-blue diesel exhaust fluid system, it has had one blown air strut and some minor trouble bits and bobs like brake disk warpage and the quite usual suspension joints becoming too "playful" malarkey. I know some toyotas go this far without anything but regular servicing, but they're like 2000 model year cars to drive to begin with. They exist only for transportation and offer you zero fun. For someone who can't afford to run a fleet of cars (i have one oldtimer and a motorcycle) an E-Class wagon with it's top of the line diesel engine, hauling capacity and ability to bliz shitty little ecoboxes on a grand tour of europe is perfect mix of luxury, comfort, performance and economy. But this is one more interesting difference between USA and EU. It's like "what engine does a mustang have?" question. Here in europe, it's V8 or go home, almost nobody buys V6 or 4-cyl ecoboost mustangs, because the V8 is the thing in having a mustang in the first place.
He said your "shlang" is hanging outside your pantalones!