I feel your pain Deeps....It took me ages to go through all the permutations and figures before I changed my car last September....

Having been away over the past weekend looking at a car and staying with friends I've only just logged in. What a wonderful range of diverse comment and information. Having spent the last 8 years tugging a Corsa car behind my motorhome which had a 2.8JTD engine with plenty of grunt I was interested in what you all had to say. So taking account of earlier advice the 1.6L VW Golf Estate has been thrown out and replaced with a VW Golf Estate 2.0L TDI Automatic which we collect on Monday. The gear box has a Sports mode that gives an extra 500rpm in each gear which should be helpful in hilly areas. I also think the ratios in the 6 speed gear box being closer will make better use of the available power and with the dual clutch mechanism providing seamless gear changes. Time will tell if this is a load of mouth music. Oh yes, I forgot to say this car has a panoramic sun roof - is this what swayed our decision to buy!! So go on tell me the mouth music is **** and the roof will leak. Once again thankyou for the response this thread has received. Happy times are coming. Rob

Hi Randa,

Yes I remember what you said but my 430 will come in at 1200kg so I thought a little more umph wouldn't go amiss. Leaks, Oh dear, I guess I'll have to pack a knitting needle - payload! But it does raise the question where does the drainage outlet tube drain? I will have to ask VW. Rob

Oh dear, did we forget to warn him of those DSG gearbox problems? This video is great if for no other reason than the directness of Australian journalists. I love it.......

Quote: PooleDweller wrote in post #34

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Hi Randa,

Yes I remember what you said but my 430 will come in at 1200kg so I thought a little more umph wouldn't go amiss. Leaks, Oh dear, I guess I'll have to pack a knitting needle - payload! But it does raise the question where does the drainage outlet tube drain? I will have to ask VW. Rob

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My Volvo 240 used to drain via pipes through the boot into the rear wheel arches. I'm sure my BMW 320 had a similar arrangement. I certainly remember having to pull a rag on a flexible wire through one or other of them.

Deeps

Thankyou for your response, its a little late now to go back to the drawing board. At least I will have a 3 year warranty for protection against expensive bills but I will find out whether or not there are any manufacturer recalls outstanding/or on the car. Our car is 11 reg and the letters in the video were dated 2013 so were very relevant. At least forewarned is forearmed. Appreciate you posting that reaponse. Rob

Rob - it was intended as a bit tongue in cheek but with something of a serious undertone to it if you get my drift? I think with the EU putting so much pressure on manufacturers to make their vehicles ever more economical that a few shortcuts are being taken. Diesel Particle Filters (DFP) are having a bit of a rough ride at the moment and they are causing me something of a headache. Last year hot on the press was the perceived problems that some people were having with these DSG's gearboxes so I think at the end of the day non of us is ever going to get the perfect car. The trouble with DSG's as I see it, and the reason I will never go down the road of buying one, is the darn expense as in effect you end up replacing two clutches instead of one should you fall victim to having one fail.
As to the warranty - I'd be ultra cautious in believing that it covers the clutch which is normally a wear and tear item. Read the small print very carefully. Interestingly I was reading in one of our car mags a couple of days ago about the 7 year guarantee that Hyundai I think offer on their cars. By all accounts people haven't been reading the small print carefully enough. No that statement isn't really fair either - probably understanding the small print would be a better way of putting it. By all accounts anyone who has negotiated a reduction in the sale price, even by as little as one cent, negates part of this guarantee. A bit like Garmin really who state along with their lifetime map updates that they will issue them up to four times a year. Many, me included, thought oh great, four updates a year. But no, it says up to, with the emphasis being on the 'up' which in effect can mean you'll only get the one. Very clever is the wording on some of these guarantees/undertakings that we so easily accept.

With reference to the video in reply #35 above regarding Volkswagen Australia Defective DSG Recall, I came across the following article dated 14 Nov 2013 which is a couple of months following the Volkswagen Australia campaign. The article says the problem only affected the 7-speed DSG gearboxes and then only in countries that experienced high temperatures - as Australia does. The remedy was to replace the oil in the gearbox oil from a hi-tech synthetic oil to a traditional mineral oil.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...ight-fuses.html

Rob

Hi I use a Mitsabushi Shogun Warrior with 197 bhp and 325 ft/lbs of torque. Will pull any thing anywhere and up any hill great motor. Great to have 4x4 on wet sites
Good comfort and easy to drive. This is my second one!!!

Also has reversing camera as standard good for hitching up!