Volkswagen Problems

We received the same response when we approached VW on the matter, it seems the company is washing its hands of the problem, saying in effect that it's not theirs alone, that it affects other car makers and makers of other products as well. Disappointing when you've got a car with blotchy marks all over it. From what we understand the marks are a result of titanium dioxide that have been used in sunscreens over the last few years. It's uncertain which is the best way to fix it once it's occurred, some say buff it out, others say used a citrus-based cleaner. I would consult a detailer near you to find out what they do to fix it, or you could contact our paint expect, Graeme Cuthbert, on 0422 444 335. This should also serve as a warning for everyone with a car built after about 2007, wash your hands, and your kid's hands, after using sun cream and before touching the paintwork on your car.

I would urge caution. Chipmakers extract greater performance from cars by going closer to the edge of destruction than a manufacturer would dare do. Do your homework and establish what the chip will do to the calibration of your car and assess the possible problems that could occur, and then make your decision.

That is unbelievable, was the service manager holding a gun when he tried to relieve you of the money. I would suggest you take it to an independent VW specialist for a second opinion.

Having fielded many reports of the DSG gearbox playing up we have reservations about it. Owners have reported clunky shifting, selection of the wrong gears, even selecting neutral when you least need it. We also have a copy of a service alert to dealers about oil   penetrating the gearbox wiring loom and affecting the operation of the gearbox. The alert notes the following possible problems:
. Gearbox does not change correctly and intermittently jumps between gears.
. Gearbox changes are hard and jerky.
. Gearbox jerks in overrun during a gear change.
We have also had more than one report of the gearbox going into neutral, in one case when the driver was making a right turn, leaving him exposed to oncoming traffic. It's not possible to say if a car will develop these issues or not, but you should carefully assess the   operation of the gearbox when you test drive a car, and quiz the seller on any issues they have had with it.

We’ve heard of lots of problems with the DSG gearbox and we can understand your anxiety. The best thing to do is to take the car to your dealer and have them check it out for you.

Before replacing the transmission I would have returned to the dealer armed with the information from your mechanic and asked them to check it themselves to confirm that the auto is shot as you have been told. It does seem to be too soon for auto trans troubles to set in. If the dealer confirmed that the auto does need replacing you would have some ammunition to approach VW with, but without that you don't have much of a claim. I am also guessing that the car has done 120,000 km or so, which would reduce any claim you might make further. I would doubt that you would get far with VW on this.

VW engines use oil, but that's not necessarily a problem. It depends on how much it's using, and while you say it's using an excessive amount of oil, you don't say how much. I would do an actual check to determine the amount of oil it is using, which will give you a good guide as to whether it is excessive or not.

We contacted VW on behalf of Tim and his girlfriend and they told us that they believe the car had been running on regular unleaded when it needs 98-octane as specified. A visual check by the dealer of the fuel in the car indicated that it was 91-octane, being pink in colour. VW also claimed that Tim and his girlfriend were told to use the high-grade fuel when they bought the car. Despite VW's assertion that the car has been run on the correct fuel in the vehicle, they offered to discount the cost of a replacement engine. Tim's girlfriend disputes VW's claims, she says was told that her car could run on 95-octane fuel if she used 98-octane fuel on long trips, and that's what she has done. What's more she has taken her own sample of the fuel and claims that it is the correct fuel, not the low octane fuel VW say it is. Clearly this has reached an impasse and needs a moderator to settle the issue. One thing that other VW owners should take out of it is that you must run your cars on the recommended fuel, no matter what. If it says 98-octane fuel, run it on that fuel, even if it is more expensive, the potential problems of not doing so don't bear thinking about.

When we put your questions to Holden we were told that the diesel oil filter costs so much is that "it is designed to assist in the Cruze meeting Euro 5 emission standards. It contains a glass-fibre element, which is significantly different, and more expensive, than elements constructed from more commonly used materials." Holden wouldn't comment on the pricing, which does seem exorbitant to us, preferring to say that dealers set their pricing independently of the company and competitively in relation to the local market. As for the oil Holden told us that "Dexos is the Holden recommended oil, but dealers are currently not compelled to use that oil. If they elect not to use it then they have a responsibility to ensure the product they do use meets the Dexos specifications." Castrol Australia recommends its Magnatec MP 5W-30 for the Cruze diesel and says it is Dexos2 compliant.