Volkswagen Tiguan 2011 Problems

With your slim budget you're looking at a 2010/2011 model, which will have on average around 150,000 km. It will be hard to find anything under that sort of mileage. At that I would be loathe to suggest a European brand, given that repairs can be expensive. Having ruled out the Tiguan I would suggest a Honda CR-V or a Mazda CX-5.

I am not given to defending car companies or dealers, but your car is out of warranty, you have not been loyal on servicing regardless of the reason and at least they are offering some sort of contribution to the cost of the parts.

Three weeks have passed since your car was towed to the dealership, which is more than enough time for VW to get back to you with a resolution. The resolution must come from VW via the dealer, so keep the pressure on at dealer level, while at the same time stay in contact with VW. If the response isn't to your liking when you get it you'll have to attempt to negotiate a resolution that is more to your liking. You could consult the Consumer Affairs people in Victoria, but I doubt they would be of any help. You could also seek advice from a solicitor, but again I doubt that you would get any satisfaction there. The best course of action is to negotiate with VW and stare them down.

There was a recall in 2012 to check for a fractured fuel pipe on the diesels, which could cause a leak and fire, but yours should have been checked and presumably cleared by the dealer at a service. The concerns about the DSG gearbox in VWs doesn't apply to your vehicle, as the problem only affects the six-speed 'box and not the 7-speed that's in your car. I wouldn't be concerned about anything with your car, it's hardly done any miles and should have plenty of life left in it.