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| Year: |
2005
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| Make: |
VW
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| Model: |
Phaeton
V8 Sedan
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| Ext.Color: |
Reflex
Silver
met.
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| Int.Color: |
Anthracite
leather
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| Mileage: |
32,600
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| Trans
Type: |
Auto
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Hallmarks:
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Fantastic
condition, great service records, very low mileage, warranty, nicely
optioned, great color combo, serviced & ready to be driven, a lot
of car for 75% of the new MSRP.
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Warranty:
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Yes
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| Price: |
$28,500.00
/ best offer
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*Click on the above
thumbnails to view full screen photographs of this automobile.
More photos
available upon request.
Additional
Details:
(VIN:
WVWAF03D158004584), reflex silver met. / anthracite leather, 32,600
miles, electronically controlled 6-spd. ZF 6HP26A
tiptronic automatic trans., built 03/2005, in-service date of
08/16/2005 with 103 miles, sold new in South Dakota, longitudinally
mounted 4.2L DOHC 40-valve V8 engine, 335 hp. @ 6,500 rpm., 317 ft-lbs.
torque @ 3,500 rpm., high pressure alloy cylinder
block and heads, twin-spark, variable valve / camshaft timing,
multi-port fuel injection, bore x stroke: 84.5 mm x 93.0 mm, 11:1
compression ratio, driver-adaptive electronic 5-speed Tiptronic allows
driver to manually downshift and allow upshifts, display
in instrument cluster indicates selected gear range and mode, speed
sensitive rack and pinion power steering, Torsen-based
4Motion permanent all-wheel drive, independent 4-link front suspension
with stabilizer bar and air springs, independent trape-
zoidal wishbone rear suspension with stabilizer bar and air springs,
Interactive front and rear suspension with auto leveling and
electronic damping controls, height adjustable suspension, speed
sensitive Servetronic power steering, mechanical center
limited slip differential, electronic traction control via ABS and
engine management, ESP electronic stability program, four-wheel
independent suspension - 4-link front and trapezoidal link fully
independent rear with coil springs, gas pressurized shocks and
stabilizer bars, 4-wheel power-assisted 4-wheel vented disc brakes with
ABS, Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Brake
Assist (senses emergency braking via the speed at which the driver
presses the brake pedal, and immediately applies maximum
available power boost, potentially reducing the overall stopping
distance by eliminating the delay caused by a common human
tendency not to brake hard enough, soon enough), driver and front
passenger are each provided with an occupant sensing
dual-stage deployment front air bag, a head and chest protecting side
airbag and a 3-point seat belt with an emergency ten-
sioning device (ETD) and belt force limiter, each rear passenger is
provided with a head and chest protecting side airbag, rear
headrest and a 3-point seat belt with ETD & belt force limiter, two
height adjustable active head restraints on front seats, height
adjustable head restraints on rear seats, dual front 14-way power
heated seats with lumbar support and dual 3-position seat
memory (which includes ext. mirror and steering wheel memory for the
driver), key dependent memory settings include steering
wheel, mirror and seat settings plus climate control and radio
settings, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, dusk sensor and
heated headlamp washers, touch turn signals flash three times with one
touch of turn-signal lever (for simple lane-changing),
auto-dimming electrochromatic interior rear view and exterior driver's
side mirrors, dual heated power folding ext. mirrors with
integrated turn signals and linked to driver's seat memory, aerodynamic
bumpers & side sills with integrated projector beam fog
lamps, infrared-reflective glass helps reduce radiant heat penetration,
Options:
tire pressure monitoring, clear
high-impact poly-
carbonate headlight lenses with projector beam bi-Xenon headlights with
separate lower grille driving lights, automatic intermittent
windshield wipers with rain sensor and heated washer reservoir, power
tilt / sliding sunroof, dash mounted air vents with automatic
wood trim covering feature, front seat center armrests & rear seat
center armrest with trunk access, HomeLink 3-button garage
door opener & coming home device, auto dimming interior and
exterior mirrors, Premium audio/NAV package (10-speaker BOSE
premium sound with subwoofer, RDS & 6CD changer, full color button
touch screen CD-based NAV and telephone system), genuine
Chestnut wood interior trim incl. the beltline, ambient cabin lighting,
night-time security illuminated entry system, analog dash with
digital driver information center (reporting average speed, average
fuel consumption, instantaneous fuel consumption and range
for remaining fuel), ext. temp gauge and clock, digital display for
odometer and gear/mode selection, multifunction display can be
scrolled via steering-wheel and stalk controls to operate and display
various menus and vehicle features: odometer and resetable
trip meter, maintenance system, tire pressure, engine oil-level, radio
station or CD player/CD changer, trip computer (elapsed time,
fuel consumption, distance to empty, vehicle reminder and malfunction
messages and more), locking remote trunk and fuel filler
door, dual zone auto climate control with carbon pollen filters and
CFC-free air conditioning, cruise control, power windows with
express up/down feature, wood bottomed cupholders with self-hiding
feature, power rear sunshade with manual rear side window
shades, all mats, cargo nets and footrests, dual illuminated vanity
mirrors with magnification feature and overhead front and rear
reading lights, SmartKey remote central locking system with factory
alarm and engine immobilizer (2 keys and 2 remotes), 23.8
gallon fuel tank, EPA mileage estimates: (16 mpg city / 22 mpg
highway), 5,194 lbs. curb weight, 12-spoke aluminium rims, brand
new Continental ContiExtreme Contact DWS tuned tires including the
spare tire (255/45-17) with Tread Depth Measurements:
DF: 10/32, PF: 10/32, DR: 10/32, PR: 10/32 (10/32 is new tire tread
depth), complete tool kit and full size spare, checks out with
VW North America, clean AutoCheck report, 2 owners since new.
In the United States market 1,433 Phaetons were sold in 2004, and 820
were sold in 2005, with the remaining few
produced and
sold in 2006 - with a total US production of under 2,400 cars. Of
these, approximately 300 were 6.0L W12's,
and only about 50
were of the 4-passenger configuration. This vehicle is a
phenomenal driving sedan, and shares the same
platform and W12
engine as the Bentley Continental GT / Bentley Flying Spur / Audi A8L
6.0L. Comes with all books &
manuals, detailed service
records show a recent full & complete service incl. new tire
pressure monitors, all recalls and services
performed, no known or
detectable paintwork, leather and carpeting excellent, no evidence of
being smoked in, remainder of 4yr.
/ 48K mile factory
Platinum warranty (to 01/28/2015 or 80,000 miles), aftermarket warranty
and financing options available,
one of the nicest
examples of a VW Phaeton on the market, new MSRP of approx. $75,000.00.
A photo tour of the all-glass VW Phaeton factory can be found here.
The Phaeton was conceived by
Ferdinand Piëch, then chairman of Volkswagen Group.
Piëch wanted Volkswagen engineers to create a car that would
overwhelmingly surpass the German prestige market leaders,
Mercedes-Benz and BMW. The decision to release the Phaeton was,
in part, a response to Mercedes' decision to compete directly with
Volkswagen in the European marketplace with the low-cost A-Class.
It was also intended to support the Volkswagen brand image, since the
most expensive versions of lesser models, such as the Golf GTI, were
starting to cost almost as much as equivalently-sized prestige
brands. Although the Volkswagen group already has a direct
competitor in the full-sized luxury segment, the Audi A8, the Phaeton
is intended to be more of a limousine like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class,
while the A8 and BMW 7 Series are more sport-oriented.
Initial development of the Phaeton, given the internal project code
VW611, began with Piëch giving his engineers a list of ten
parameters the car needed to fulfill. Most of these
specifications were not made known to the public, but a number of them
were told to automotive reporters. One of them was that the
Phaeton should be capable of being driven all day at 300 kilometres per
hour (186 mph) with an exterior temperature of 50 °C (122 °F)
whilst maintaining the interior temperature at 22 °C (72
°F). Piëch requested this even though the Phaeton's top
speed was electronically limited to 250 kilometres per hour (155.3
mph). Another requirement was that the car should possess
torsional rigidity of 37,000 N·m/degree.
The Phaeton's platform, the Volkswagen Group D1 platform, is shared
with the Bentley Continental GT and Bentley Flying Spur. Certain
systems, such as the automatic transmission and some engines, are also
shared with the Audi A8. The D1 is a stand-alone steel platform,
and was specifically developed for the Phaeton and Bentley Continental.
It is commonly confused with Audi's D3 platform, which is an
all-aluminium-based, instead of the D1's steel platform.
As of 2011, the Phaeton has the longest wheelbase in the Volkswagen
Passenger Car line.
The Phaeton is hand-assembled in an eco-friendly factory with a glass
exterior, the Transparent Factory (German: Gläserne Manufaktur) in
Dresden, Germany. This factory also assembled Bentley Flying Spur
vehicles destined for the European market until October 2006, when all
assembly of the Bentley products was transferred to Crewe, England.
The Phaeton body is fabricated and painted at the large Volkswagen
works at Zwickau, Germany, and the completed bodies are then
transported about 100 km by special road transport vehicles to the
Transparent Factory. Most Phaeton engines, the W12 being the
notable exception, are built at the VW/Porsche/Audi engine plant in
Győr, Hungary.
Development of the vehicle led to over 100 individual patents specific
to the Phaeton. Distinctive features include a draftless
four-zone climate system, air compressor suspension system, and
standard Torsen-based 4motion four-wheel drive. With the
Klavierlack (piano lacquer) option, the vehicle is double-painted and
sanded between the first and second paint application.
The Phaeton debuted at prices comparable to similar offerings from
Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Lexus and the Volkswagen Group's own Audi A8 (which
shared its engineering underpinnings with the Phaeton).
Sales fell far short of expectations. In 2002, the manufacturer
stated the annual capacity of the new Phaeton plant at Dresden was
20,000; by September 2006 a four-year total of 25,000 had been built,
with production running at approximately 6,000 cars annually. The
domestic market is the Phaeton's strongest, with 19,314 Phaetons
delivered in Germany alone by January 2009.
In the United States market, 1,433 Phaetons were sold in 2004, and 820
were sold in 2005, leading the company to announce that sales in the
American market would end after the 2006 model year. The rare
W12-engined models have depreciated significantly, and sell for a small
fraction of their original cost.
I have test driven lots of cars during my review research over the
years…most of the cars I drive do not elicit even a second look from
the folks around town…but this time it was different.
Driving a new VW Phaeton brought me the kind of attention that only a
trophy wife can generate from a bunch of car guys who have seen it all.
During my week with the Phaeton the car served me well, as I drove the
back roads of Kentucky on my favorite test drive routes…up and
around…in and out of the hollers…from bumpy county roads to high speed
interstates…from the gym to the supermarket and from the gas station to
the car wash and back to the gas station…we have them all here in
beautiful central Kentucky.
The most interesting places that I took my Phaeton (alas for only a
week) was to car dealers around town. My daughter Carre is
looking for a new car, and as a good daughter of a car guy (and a
journalist in her own right or should I say “own write”) she thought
that I should act as the Phaeton's chauffeur while we made a day of
looking at and driving the cars she hasn’t yet driven but was
considering for purchase, hoping to see which ones could generate a
spark of love.
But an interesting and strange thing happened everytime we drove onto a
dealer’s lot and parked the Phaeton in a customers only spot…out they
came…one by one and soon two by two…kinda like the ghouls in the movie
“Night of the Living Dead” (sorry for that, but the image worked for
me) …these car guys moved ever closer and closer to the Phaeton, eyes
glazed over, drawn to this behemoth that was becoming their (and
everyone else's) center of attention …but soon real smiles appeared on
their “Next Up” masked faces...their eyes truly sparkled and tires were
kicked and the questions began.
The questions I heard the most during my week long test of the 2004 VW
Phaeton were…What is it?; A $75,000 VW?; Can I sit in
it?; How much horsepower does it have and is it enough? How
does it drive? How do the Plasma screen controls work? Is
it sold in Louisville? All good questions that deserved good
answers.
Throughout the week the VW Phaeton generated more questions than any
other car I tested…and throughout the week I continued to discover
answers. Although a week is more than adequate for most cars, I
feel that one week with this car is not enough time to learn all of the
driving and accessory nuances that you “just” come across as you use
the car as transportation in everyday life.
Some of the neat things I learned: the Phaeton has a self charging mini
halogen flashlight in place of a cigarette lighter; the automatic trunk
not only opened and closed at the touch of a button but the lock latch
actually folded up into its own space as the trunk reached its zenith,
so you wouldn’t bang your head into the latch; speaking of the
trunk…WOW, the Phaeton has a trunk to beat all trunks…Tony Soprano and
the boys could fill it with three large bodies and still have room left
over for shovels, plastic wrap, and some warm merchandise that happened
to “fall offa da truck“; the back seat was so large and well appointed
that even an NBA center would feel comfortable and pampered back
there…plus the seat’s adjustments rivaled a Sharper Image recliner;
speaking of recliners and Sharper Image, all the seats on the car I
drove had A/C vents, lumbar supports and a built-in massager…you just
never want to leave the Phaeton…I was hoping for a back scratcher
control and a WC but never found them.
Ok back to the most asked questions:
What is it?
It is a heck of a car that rivals any on the road…a beautiful venue
that provides a more than comfortable ride, a car that at the touch of
a button can be made more relevant for any driving condition: 4 Motion
AWD, Electronic Damping Controls; Auto Leveling Air Suspension;
Electronic Stabilization Program including ABS/ASR/EDL with brake
assist…plus Engine Braking Controls; Electronic Brake Force
Distribution and Servetronic Power Steering. The Phaeton has Air Bags
Everywhere, Tire Pressure Monitor; Rain Sensors and Heated Windshield
Washer Nozzles; Sun Shades on the windows and on and on and on and on
and on and on…you can see the details below.
A $75,000 VW?
And well worth it …its German ride and handling is the equal to cars
costing twice as much as it does. and the fit and finish are
spectacular…with blond Sonnen Beige leather and Chestnut Wood Trim in
all the right places the Phaeton was right at home in my family’s
estate carriage house (oh yeah. VW says it looses 15% of its owners to
luxury brands each year so it needed a step up for VW fans
Can I sit in it?
No sir, no sitting…only looking…you car selling peasants …”It’s good to
be king“
How much horsepower? Is it enough?
The Phaeton’s 4.2 liter 40 valve engine is rated at 335 horsepower…with
fuel consumption estimated to be 15 in the city and 22 on the
highway…does is it have enough horsepower?...I must confess that I
think the Phaeton at 335 horsepower was underpowered…and I guess VW
agrees with me as they are making a W12 version of the car available in
2005, I can’t wait to get my hands on that baby…another tidbit of
information that I furrowed out, is that the Phaeton’s first cousin the
Audi A8 has basically the same specs, but its 4.2 liter 40 valve engine
is rated at 330 HP and is built in Germany while the Phaeton’s engine
is built in Hungry…who says you only get the same old same old in our
reviews?
The Phaeton even caused a chat room stir among VW aficionados here in
Louisville with their online chatter focused on the fact that my Lune
Blue car was spotted driving around town…I guess it’s the first one to
visit the Bluegrass…and even with a $75,000 MSRP I am sure it won’t be
the last.
Picks: This vehicle
is in excellent condition inside and out, I hate having an 8 year old
car that I really can't nitpick
but this is one of them ... paint and body, carpet and leather are
excellent, interior wood is perfect, rims have no
curb damage and the tires are new and high quality, it has service
records from 04/2005 to present day. The PO
was extremely picky and installed new tires, had the car fully
inspected and serviced by a VW Phaeton trained
tech and replaced anything at all that wasn't 100%, right down to the
plastic clips on the floormats. The only
thing to nitpick is there is a minor amount of road rash / sandblasting
on the windshield that is only visible in
bright direct sunlight, other than that this car is literally like new
- down to a factory extended warranty!,
nothing
else
to reasonably
fault!
Numerical
Condition Evaluation:
(1 denotes Very Poor
/ Item needs replacement, 10 denotes Excellent / Showroom New)
PAINT: 9.5
BODY: 10
CONV. TOP: N/A
RIMS: 9.5
TIRES: 10
WINDSHIELD /
GLASS: 9
LEATHER: 10
INT. CARPETING:
10
SERVICE RECORDS /
OWNERSHIP HISTORY: 9
*Vehicle
is located at BMI - more information or photographs are available upon
on request. While every reasonable effort has been made
to
ensure the accuracy of the above data, mistakes regarding hp ratings,
options, etc. can be made. I have also done my best to be very
honest
and very critical about the cosmetic and mechanical condition of this
vehicle. Of course, it is not possible to pick-up on every single
detail
or flaw. Please keep expectations realistic as this is a pre-owned
vehicle, and I have personally found blemishes on brand new
undriven
vehicles. If you are an exceptionally detailed oriented person, please
contact me to verify any information directly, and I will do my
best to
specifically photograph anything you request and to answer any of your
questions to the best of my ability.
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*References
provided upon request, or
view our
testimonials page for referrals from
some of our satisfied clients.
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