Volkswagen Problems

You can start by having the dealer explain what they are doing to try and fix your car. If they cannot provide a satisfactory story on their plan to sort the problem out, ask them to call in experts form VW head office to assist them. If that doesn't work out get the advice of the consumer affairs department in Perth. Talk to a lawyer if things don't appear to be improving.

From my experience, the Grand Vitara has the best reputation for reliability and for you it ticks the boxes. Next would be the Honda CR-V, then the Dualis with the ASX definitely last.

The deal VW has offered you on the diff rebuild is the industry standard deal on a car that is a few years old and has done a few kays, such as yours. It's frustrating for you, but cars do wear out and do break down. Regarding the belt and tensioner, they are normally considered consumable parts and not covered by the warranty. If you could prove that it was design or production fault that caused the problem you could make a claim against the company.

It is increasingly normal and many dealers are asking to be paid up front before doing any diagnostic work. I don't agree with the practice, I think they should do the work before charging for it. The diagnostic work has to be done to determine what has caused the engine problem, so there's no getting around it.

Clearly what it's doing is not normal, but the dealer seems to know what is causing it, and is suggesting a software update will do the trick. I would go ahead and have it done.

In order, I would suggest you consider the VW Tiguan, Kia Sportage, and Mazda CX-5. All are reliable, drive nicely, and are well equipped.

Yes. It is a well-documented problem with the 1.4-litre dual-charge engine; one that VW was fixing when it first cropped up a year or two ago. Your car is out of warranty so they might be reluctant to help you, but it's worth a try.

Dealers are now looking for ways to boost profitability, with all sorts of added-cost extras that are good for their bottom line but not for owners or their vehicles. The bottom line is simple: if the car is operating fine, and the suggested service is not on the list of manufacturer requirements, then say a big NO.