Q: Is buying a used Phaeton worth it?

I have owned 4 VW’s in my lifetime. One was a 2003 Passat W8 with a 6 speed manual - one of 424 6 speeds ever imported to the US. When my dealership got their first Phaeton, I took one for a test drive. I also signed up for a VW sponsored 24 hour test drive. I has the 6.0ltr W12 for a day. A fantastic car. Someone in my neighborhood has a 2005 4.2ltr and he loves it. Since it is such a niche car, even though it is a VW, repairs other than normal maintenance will be expensive. Parts will be the costly issue. For the most part, it shares a lot with the Audi A8 with the exception of being a steel vehicle rather than aluminum. The 4.2 ltr V8 is a reliable engine as long as you take care of it. 2005 does have a timing belt versus a chain. At 120,000 miles, it should be coming close to it’s second timing belt replacement. Have the belt checked before purchasing it however. If it’s never been replaced, it’s on borrowed time. If the belt breaks, repairing or replacing that engine can cost as much as you paid for the car, or more.