2.slow is a good durable engine. The one in my golf was obviously very abused by previous owners, most recently after having the heater core replaced it was discovered leakstop had been used, which completely plugged a few coolant lines and there was evidence of a head gasket failure some time in the past... I've had it for 25k mi, who knows how long it was plugged up before that and what other hell it'd been through. even so, 215k mi and it still runs great.

MK4 with the 1.4L was never offered in the US (though I do know of one that was imported by a member of the military maybe 10 years ago?) 2.slow was the low end model, than the 1.8L turbo and VR6.

Reverse has been push down, left and up by first gear on watercooled VWs since the beginning(rabbit) on the 4speed tra.s, B5 passat is the oddball of the litter with reverse being next to 5th(mostly an audi any how, based on the B5 A4 with the rear end of an A6) . Still trips me up from time to time, since all my other watercooled VWs I've owned are over by 1st gear and I rarely drive the passat(wifes car) My ghia had reverse left and up where 1st would normally be, 1st was down where second was etc. Autostick