Volkswagen Problems

I’m guessing you’ve got second-rate imported tyres. Conti, Dunlop and Pirelli have 20-inch tyres for the Tiguan, and any of the three brands would be far superior to those I guess are fitted to your car.

It shouldn’t be doing that. Take it back to your dealer and demonstrate what it’s doing and ask to explain it or fix it.

Your car is one of those troublesome ones that had problems with the DSG transmission, and I assume it has been checked before and had relevant the reworks. I would approach VW about replacing the transmission free of charge.

The 6-speed DSG doesn’t appear to have the same problems as the 7-speed. We’re not aware of any changes to the 1.4-litre timing chain.

I wouldn't recommend the Polo, it requires the more expensive Premium unleaded, it's got the dual-clutch auto, which can be troublesome, and it will be more expensive to service. The Mazda 2 or the Toyota Yaris are better choices.

Sorry to hear about your problem, but thanks for telling us about it. Broken timing chains are a concern with VW engines, and it's hard to know if the changes highlighted in the dealer bulletin provided the answer.

The updating of sat-nav systems in cars of all makes is a problem. My view is that the system should be updated to the latest status during pre-delivery at the dealer, then automatically updated as needed when the car is taken in for service. The cost for these updates should be minimal, but car companies seem to view as a way making money and they’ll charge whatever they can get away with. I also sometimes think Australians are taken for dummies as well.

That’s the problem with VWs, you can get six good ones in a row, but the next one could be a lemon. Rather than a wagon you’re probably looking at an SUV. I would suggest a Kia Sorento, Subaru Outback, or Toyota RAV4.

If the problem is caused by the change in oil, as the VW technician is purported to have said, then there’s no much you can do about it. If you feel strongly enough about it, and feel you can’t live with it, talk to VW head office, or contact your state consumer affairs office for advice on how you might seek compensation from VW.

With your slim budget you're looking at a 2010/2011 model, which will have on average around 150,000 km. It will be hard to find anything under that sort of mileage. At that I would be loathe to suggest a European brand, given that repairs can be expensive. Having ruled out the Tiguan I would suggest a Honda CR-V or a Mazda CX-5.