This Manual 2003 Passat W8 Wagon Would Be A Perfect Way To Burn Through All That Extra Money You Have Sitting Around

I know we’re all enjoying the good times finally being back, but that doesn’t mean all our problems have disappeared. Like me, you probably have an absurd amount of cash sitting around, just taking up space, and I’m willing to bet that big ole pile of money is constantly in your way. But what are you supposed to do with all that money? Some would tell you to buy Ferraris and Rolexes, but I’ve got a better solution — buy this 2003 Volkswagen Passat W8 Wagon that’s currently for sale on Cars & Bids instead. 

Now, you’re probably thinking, “Collin, this Passat probably won’t sell for much more than $10,000, if it even gets that high. That won’t even make a dent in this huge pile of cash I’ve been trying to get rid of.” And it’s true, the initial purchase price will probably seem reasonable. In fact, it might even feel like a bargain. After all, where else are you going to find an all-wheel-drive station wagon with a W8 engine and a manual transmission at any price, much less below the $20,000 mark? 

Literally, nowhere, because the Passat was the only vehicle in Volkswagen’s lineup to ever get the W8.  

That’s also where the real genius of this plan comes in. We’re talking about a car that, at the time it was introduced, was the most expensive Volkswagen ever produced, using an engine that was only offered in one model. Now, more than two decades later, that engine has more than 160,000 miles on it, and parts start to wear out with age. Odds are, you’ll discover something new to repair every time you try to drive somewhere. Well, except for the center driveshaft assembly, steering rack, rear subframe, and tires. According to the listing, those were replaced recently. 

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Will anyone nearby be able to work on your new-to-you, two-decade-old Passat wagon? Probably not! Will anyone capable of working on an old W8 be willing to work on yours? Perhaps! If you offer them enough money, that is. That’ll just make it more fun. Every few months, you’ll get to set a few thousand dollars on fire, and in exchange, you’ll get to drive a manual, eight-cylinder Passat wagon that’s unlikely to impress anyone on the street except for the kinds of sickos who read Jalopnik. 

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Could you burn through that pile of cash a lot faster if you bought a Ferrari or a Rolex? Possibly. But why buy mass-produced garbage like that when you could own a wagon so rare that fewer than 100 reportedly made it to the U.S.? It’ll be wildly expensive to own, sure, but come on. It’s a Passat W8 wagon with a six-speed manual transmission. 

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What other car is going to be nearly as big a headache to keep on the road? Buy it now and enjoy burning through huge amounts of cash for years and years to come!