Few things can be said about the Volkswagen which don't include the words "and then I fixed it". Saturday I managed to knock a few more to do items from my list by replacing a set of bad tie rod ends on the Passat. The car started to feel uneasy a few months back and I noticed that I had to apply more counter steer (turning the steering wheel to one side) in order to keep the car driving straight. The steering also felt generally loose instead of crisp as you'd expect and would rattle a bit over severe bumps.

Long story short I spent around 2 hours removing the old one and replacing them with new, slightly upgraded tie rod ends. Then with the help of my dad and his specially constructed "laser alignment kit" we set the toe and everything was good to go. I immediately noticed a difference and was incredibly surprised to find the steering wheel settled into a nearly perfect position. I still plan to have the car realigned but at this point it's not a pressing matter. Thankfully this was and straightforward change and easy enough to accomplish without taking all day.