Syncro de 6-Speed: 2004 Volkswagen Passat GLS 4Motion
Today’s third Syncro de Mayo entry is not a vintage Vanagon or a sweet Mk 2 Golf Country, but it does have VW’s syncro all-wheel drive system which was later known as 4Motion. Those earlier syncro Golfs and Vanagons have become expensive due to the uniqueness of their drive systems, so we’ll have to dig into the early 2000s to find something appropriately cheap and ready for your 4×4 adventures. This B5.5 Passat is the unicorn of Passats — it has all of the right pieces — 6-speed, 4Motion, and 1.8T 4-banger. You might wonder why anyone would want the smallest engine in the family (versus the 2.8V6, or 4.0W8) but it is the lightest of all engines and easily more powerful than the V6 with the addition of a simple ECU chip and with some intake/exhaust and a small turbo upgrade it’ll blow the doors off the W8 as well. Trust me, get the 1.8T and feed it premium fuel and synthetic oil, you won’t regret it. Find this 2004 Volkswagen Passat GLS 4Motion offered for $2800 in Sacramento, CA via craigslist. Tip from Michael.
