Skoda Problems

The DSG is a brilliant idea, but it was affected by a couple of issues that soured the experience for a lot of owners. The latest DSG is not affected by the problems of the older units; there have been a lot of improvements made to overcome the issues it had. You can buy one with confidence.

It’s still under Skoda’s new car warranty, so they are responsible for fixing it. You should continue to attempt to deal with the company to get it fixed. If you feel that Skoda is not taking the appropriate action than take them to the ACCC and try and get something happening that way.

The best times to buy are usually the end of the financial year, or at model run-out times, that's when the specials are on. The CVT and dual-clutch autos are both still unknowns in terms of long-term reliability, but either should be ok over the five years you plan to keep the car. Any of the cars you list, and the list is a long one, would be ok. It really comes down to what you like.

Skoda is part of VW, so there’s no reason to believe spare parts are any harder to get, or that problems are not properly addressed.

You’ve covered some important things, like reversing cameras. All of the current cars come with ISOFIX baby seat mounting points, which are also must-have items when you’ve got kids to transport. It probably comes down to what your wife is comfortable driving, so I would suggest test-driving a number of different cars before making your decision.

The demand for manual gearboxes is so low today that it’s not worth car companies doing all the compliance work needed when they know they would only sell a handful of cars. You might have to loo at something like a Holden Commodore.

It's hard to give you a definite recommendation, as most cargo measurements are in litres rather than floor length, but I reckon most mid-size wagons and large SUVs would do the job for you. 

Most of these have a flat boot floor with the seats folded, and likely have ample body length for sleeping. 

So Mazda6, Skoda Superb or Ford Mondeo wagons are worth a look, plus large SUVs like the Mazda CX-9, Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe. 

Don't be afraid to try them out for size at the dealers either. You'd certainly test out a mattress before buying right?!