DSG woes in The Age

[Barracuda]

Well, I've been driving for 40 years and never before have I owned a car that's shut down while moving no less than 5 times. In fact, I don't think it's ever happened to me while driving any other car, not even the ones I drove back in the 1970s!

Request to moderator: can you change the title of the thread please to remove the reference to "DSG", which is incorrect? Ta.

You've been driving for 40 years which would put you at about age 57 yet you frequently use the term "fanboi" - common among 17 year-old kids. I have serious questions over the legitimacy of the things you write, let alone your profile itself.

[Barracuda]

Oh please! I'm well versed with the lingo of the younger set. I have kids that age. Stick your paranoia up where the sun don't shine.

Yeah, good. You're a classic case of insecurity. You make comments like that yet you also ask people to 'stop harassing you'. Mate, you're harassing the forums. VWWatercooled isn't for the spreading of hate comments. If you had a bad experience with a Volkswagen, I'm sorry to hear that. You don't need to go around to every post and spread negative comments and tell everybody how much you hate Volkswagen. One would only hope that you have better things to do...

[Umai Naa!!]

At the end of the day, it's only the internet.

You shouldn't take it too seriously.

[Barracuda]

Afaik I have not said I "hate VW" anywhere! What are you talking about? Or, in teenager lingo: "Da fuq??"

My avatar indicates this is the worst car I have even owned, and it's a factually true statement, based on my 5 breakdowns. Sorry, it's simple historical FACT.

Fair enough. Still, there is no need to be so aggressive with the manner in which you display your dislike of Volkswagen. If it is the worst car you've owned, sorry to hear that, but you don't need to tell the entire forums. From what I've read, the way in which Volkswagen has treated you is disgraceful - there's no doubting it. Don't get me wrong, Volkswagen Australia's management is absolutely garbage and they should have recalled these prominent issues a long time ago (like every other country). As a result, Volkswagen Australia is ruining the reputation of the brand in Australia, and it's an absolute shame. Volkswagen's are tremendous cars and like Transporter said, I trust the quality and overall reliability of Volkswagen much more than most brands, it's just the Australian management ruining the reputation.

Anyway, that's my two cents.

[sVWatt]

Volkswagen Australia is ruining the reputation of the brand in Australia, and it's an absolute shame. Volkswagen's are tremendous cars and like Transporter said, I trust the quality and overall reliability of Volkswagen much more than most brands, it's just the Australian management ruining the reputation.

I think this nails it. VW is a great brand in the global sense. It's just being shafted by pi$$ poor management in Aus at the moment. Would not surpise me if we get announcements of a new management team within Australia soon.

Adding it up, I've had; Golf, Beetle, Passat, Polo, Polo, Golf during my years in the UK, and not once did I have an issue. So my faith in the brand is strong.

[Barracuda]

I agree with most of that. I did not buy 5 other VWs for nothing. Great brand, which is getting trashed.

Exactly. In fact, I have a mate who knows someone in the Finance Department at VW Australia and he knows the head of VWA - Apparently he's the biggest jerk and is exceptionally arrogant. Makes sense.

[Ideo]

So, ummm, I've done 85,000kms in just over 2 years and the worst issue I've had is a slight squeak from the door seal.

Just sayin'.

[RoknRob]

So, ummm, I've done 85,000kms in just over 2 years and the worst issue I've had is a slight squeak from the door seal.

Just sayin'.

Good on you. That's how it should be!

That's what we should all expect.

And I frankly wouldn't care about this at all, if it were just cosmetics or annoyances, like rattles.

But this is a safety issue.

Total loss of power, no matter when or where, always has the POTENTIAL to be very serious. Most people have been lucky when they've experienced this. But that is exactly what it is - dumb luck. Lucky that someone wasn't following too closely. Lucky that there was a gap in the traffic to move over to the side of the road. Lucky they weren't traveling too fast. In short, lucky that it didn't happen at the wrong time. For one person, her luck already ran out (allegedly). How long until the next person's luck runs out?

I just don't get why VW is stalling, if there is a fix that has been implemented elsewhere. If it's just a question of economics, well, that's not the kind of company I want to support.

But again, hopefully this discussion will spur VW into doing the right thing, and making us all safer.

[wai]

I just don't get why VW is stalling, if there is a fix that has been implemented elsewhere. If it's just a question of economics, well, that's not the kind of company I want to support.

It is simple business economics. VW sell cars. Their business is NOT repairing cars at no cost unless they are directed to do this. The Australian market is minuscule, and the authorities are reluctant to act.

Not what you or I want to hear, but that is the reality.

Here's what is really wrong about this. If VW owners were prepared to pay say 50% of the cost of a "fix", they would probably jump at it.

[Barracuda]

So, ummm, I've done 85,000kms in just over 2 years and the worst issue I've had is a slight squeak from the door seal.

Just sayin'.

You're spot on. My brother has had 4 Golf's, holding onto them for about 4-5 years each (all of them have been manual). Worst issue he had was with his Mk5 R32 when the air conditioning stopped working, but it just needed a new compressor I think. The car was about 4 years by that time anyway.

There's no doubt that there are a lot of issues, but on the whole VW's are (in my opinion) fairly rock-solid cars. I've (and my family) have certainly always had good experiences with them.