Volkswagen Golf 2015 Problems

The Golf is a better, classier car, but the latest Golf does not have the sharp edge of the previous GTI. So I agree the Focus is the smart choice.

Warranties differ, which means you should always read the fine print. As you discovered, some are not as good as they seem and many also require the owner always to service the vehicle at the dealership that sold the extended warranty.

There have been big problems with the earlier Golf models, especially with the DSG gearbox and some electronics. Without a long-term record, it's impossible to judge the reliability of the current car and so we say it's best to keep it only through the warranty safety net.

With that budget you'll be buying second-hand in that class, and that makes the Hyundai i30 the best choice with plenty of warranty still to run. We do not recommend the Golf after the factory warranty. A turbodiesel gets better economy but you need to drive 30,000 kilometres a year for the total cost to beat a petrol car.

We're passing your message to all the other Golf people.

It's still too early to know if VW has put all its troubles behind it and 20,000km is nowhere near enough in any case. We love the Golf but would still recommend that any friend be careful about long-term problems.