Volkswagen Polo Problems

Having communicated with VW, and lodging a complaint with the Department of Fair Trading you have done just about everything you can do, other than take direct legal action. What you need to do now is be strong and persistent, and let VW know in no uncertain terms that you will not go away, that you want the problem resolved.

Dealers pay to dispose of the waste products from servicing your  car, like oils, greases, coolant, brake fluids, soiled rags, and so on, and they pass those costs on to you, the customer. Some slug you more than others. The best course of action is to go somewhere else to have your car serviced, as you have been advised.

VW was certainly an early adopter of the dual-clutch gearbox, and  they have had quite a deal of trouble with it in other models where they've used it. There are certainly a lot of frustrated VW owners out there who have experienced problems with the DSG gearbox. My opinion is that it is not trouble free at this point and I would not buy one myself. I would prefer a conventional manual gearbox; it's simple, proven and reliable. The only issue is that because manuals are on the way out they are not getting much attention from carmakers.

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.

You would certainly appear to have cause for grievance. The only thing you can do is to make it perfectly clear to the dealer and VW that you are very unhappy with the product they have sold you. You could also consult the consumer affairs people in WA and put your case to them that you believe the Polo you have been sold is not fit for the purpose for which it was sold.

Under the Australian Consumer Law introduced in January 2011, a consumer can request a refund or a replacement for persistent problems if the car doesn’t do the job it’s supposed to do.

 Yes, if it is genuinely reconditioned and comes with a warranty.

Unless you can show that the cat converter fitted in 2007 was in some way faulty I would think you would have to pay the full cost of a replacement now. The Polo is out of warranty, so I would suggest you consult an independent VW specialist who would likely be able to supply a cheaper converter.

We have sent your complaints on to VW, as we will do with any other report of a DSG problem we receive, and seek an explanation of the problem and what the company is doing to fix it.

Consult a reputable VW specialist to get an independent opinion on the misfire, what it is and whether it is normal. Armed with that advice go back to the dealer and VW and ask for a meeting to discuss/  resolve the issue in the hope of finding a way forward. If that fails then go to the consumer affairs people in your state.