Volkswagen Problems

Definitely not a Cruze as I get lots of owner complaints. If you only need a small car, definitely the Polo. It's a classy little job that's a sporty drive and it gets The Tick.

The Veloster has just had an update and is better, the A1 is all right but the Polo is a ripper little thing that gets The Tick and is my 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.

Much as I like the CX-3, and have given it The Tick, it's a tiddler that will not work if you need space. From the cars on your list, I'd go for the Tiguan.

The first of the born-again Beetles was severely compromised because the rounded body sat over the mechanical package of the boxy Golf. But the new car looks good, almost like a Porsche, drives well and is well equipped. I give it The Tick and will help you track down a good deal.

Our consumer protection laws do have provisions for getting your money back or getting a replacement car, but it's not easy and you're likely to be drawn into a long and protracted process to make it happen. At the moment I would go along with VW's plan to replace the gearbox and go from there. Keep good records of what has happened to date, conversations you've had with the dealer and dealer staff, and VW, and maintain the record going forward so you have all the facts if it does prove to be an on-going issue.

VW has already come to the party by covering 70 percent of the repairs. That's on a car that is six years old and well out of warranty. I don't think you've got much of a case for more than you've already received.

I would not buy a Golf in the second-hand $10,000 range. The Mazda3 is the best car but he'll probably get better value in a Swift, as it's a size smaller. Buying private will mean better value, but ensure he gets an independent mechanical check.

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.

It's not uncommon to hear of excessive oil consumption on the Polo GTI. The first course of action is to take it to the dealer and have them do another oil consumption test on it. I agree with you, oil consumption of 750 ml per 2000 km is too much. If the dealer can't help go directly to VW and ask head office to intervene. In the meantime we will contact VW and ask for their response.