Volkswagen Golf Problems

The trade recommends a fully synthetic oil for either the diesel or petrol engines of the Golf Mk 7. The correct grade and specification is 5W30 which will give you maximum engine protection and performance.

The other engine-oil recommendation for this car is to not skimp on checking the oil level with the dipstick. These engines – in particular the 2.0-litre petrol unit – are designed to sip a little oil between changes, so don't be caught out with too little oil in the sump as that can cause catastrophic damage to the engine. The engine does this because it's a low-friction design, but the small amount of oil you'll use will be more than offset by the fuel savings engines designs like this can deliver.

Make it a habit to check the oil level every Saturday morning; it's a simple thing to do and something that we all once had to do in the old days when most engines burned a little oil.

Your recommended tyre pressures can vary a bit depending on what size wheel and tyre combination is fitted to your car. But broadly speaking, you should be looking at something like 30 or 32 psi front and rear as a good starting point. If you're moving heavy loads or driving at freeway speeds in mid-summer, a little more inflation pressure might be a good idea.

As for recommended fuel, the best advice would be to stop using ethanol-blended (E10) fuel right away. That's because there's a fair bit of confusion on the subject as it relates to Volkswagen models. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries tells us that all post-1986 VWs with fuel-injected engines are fine with E10. The NSW government website, however, says that E10 should not be used in VWs. Some VW owners have also been told by VW head office that E10 fuel is not suitable for their cars.

So it's confusing, but if in doubt, stick with the safe option which, for your car, would be non-ethanol fuel with an octane rating of 95 or more.

No, the tow-ball capacity is determined by the manufacturer and is not affected by what rear suspension you have in the vehicle. Theoretically, upgrading the rear springs would mean the car would sag less when you put a load on the tow-bar, but that doesn’t alter the tow-bar’s ability to cope with extra weight.

Towing is an area where there’s a lot of misinformation doing the rounds. Make sure you know the limits dictated by the car’s manufacturer, the trailer’s manufacturer and the law.

The trade recommends a fully synthetic oil for either the diesel or petrol engines of the Golf Mk 7. The correct grade and specification is 5W30 which will give you maximum engine protection and performance.

The other engine-oil recommendation for this car is to not skimp on checking the oil level with the dipstick. These engines – in particular the 2.0-litre petrol unit – are designed to sip a little oil between changes, so don't be caught out with too little oil in the sump as that can cause catastrophic damage to the engine. The engine does this because it's a low-friction design, but the small amount of oil you'll use will be more than offset by the fuel savings engines designs like this can deliver.

Make it a habit to check the oil level every Saturday morning; it's a simple thing to do and something that we all once had to do in the old days when most engines burned a little oil.

There’s no real trick on how to change oil on a VW Golf, but the procedure is critical, as getting it wrong can ruin the engine. The best advice is to obtain a workshop manual for the exact model Golf, and use that as a step-by-step guide to what is a great DIY home maintenance task.

Fundamentally, though, the first thing to do is determine how often to change oil, otherwise known as the correct oil change interval. For most of us, this will be based on the distance travelled since the last oil change service. Late model Golfs have a 12-month or 15,000km (whichever comes first) service interval.

From there, it’s a case of using the correct size spanner or socket (not an adjustable wrench) to undo the drain plug at the bottom of the engine and drain out the old oil. Replacement of the oil filter is next, followed by refilling the engine with the correct VW Golf oil type. Since much of this work happens from below the car, a torch or auxiliary light is a handy thing to have, as are drain pans and clean rags to mop up spills. Don’t forget that disposing of the old oil and filter environmentally is part of the deal.

The correct Volkswagen Golf engine oil will depend on whether your car is a petrol or diesel and whether it’s turbocharged or not. The exact specifications of the oil you need should be listed in your car’s owner’s manual. Broadly speaking, most Golfs, whether petrol or diesel, from the last few years require a fully synthetic 5W30 oil to operate properly. Depending on model, the Golf has an oil capacity of between four and five litres, so a five-litre pack will give you a little left over for top ups.

If you’re not confident with tackling this job, then a trip to a local mechanic or service centre is your best option. But if you’re prepared to have a go, then this is a great home maintenance project for the first timer. Having a mechanically-minded friend guide you through the process the first time is another good idea.

The Polo is very nice to drive and has refinement levels that most of its competition can’t match. It’s also among the best of the small hatches to actually drive with dynamics that make it feel like a full size bigger in terms of its ride and handling. It’s no toy, that’s for sure.

VW now offers capped price servicing on the Polo and, given the 15,000km/12 month intervals, it stacks up reasonably well when compared with its major competition. The 12 month/15,000km service per VW’s capped-price deal will cost you $332, followed by $468 at the two-year mark, $426 after three years, $789 at the major service at four years and $332 for the fifth year. Those prices are for the DSG-transmission version, but the prices for the manual-transmission Polo are almost identical.

This engine was a great thing to drive with superb fuel economy and plenty of performance. Unfortunately, it was also overly complex and prone to failures like the one yours has experienced. Because the car is so far out of warranty, you can probably forget about Volkswagen helping with the cost of repairs. But I’d still give its customer service department a call and state my case on the basis that 136,000km is hardly the expectation for a modern engine in terms of longevity, along with the fact that this engine has a rich history of failures exactly like yours.

If you can organise to have part of the cost taken car of by VW, then maybe it would be worth repairing the car. Beyond that, however, you’d be spending almost $6500 on a car that, even in working order, is worth something like $8000 or $9000. It doesn’t realty add up at that point, does it? Even then, you might find that other parts of the engine (like the turbocharger or supercharger or the complex system of intake plumbing that allows it all to work) might be next to go bang.

Small all-wheel drive hatchbacks are rare in Australia, as only a comparatively tiny number of people live in the sort of environments that require the added traction and surety that AWD provides.

Also, most Australian consumers seeking AWD tend to go for smaller SUVs, since they are easier to get in and out of, offer a higher seating position and generally enjoy better resale values. On the flipside, SUVs cost more to buy and run, are not as stable at increased speeds due to their higher centre of gravity and are larger to manoeuvre in tighter parking spots than a small hatchback.

The Subaru Impreza remains the least expensive small AWD hatchback you can buy new, as well as the sole mainstream-branded model starting at under $30,000.

However, while the latest-generation Impreza launched in 2016 it's a huge improvement over previous iterations (with service intervals finally extended  to 12 months/12,500km), there are a few more compelling alternatives in small crossovers – that is, the in-between segment between small cars and SUVs; they boast a few extra centimetres of ground clearance without the bulk. Note only a few crossovers offer AWD as an option.

A recent stint in the new Impreza-derived XV 2.0L Hybrid revealed it to be a powerful and economical crossover with excellent handling and road-holding capabilities. The same applies to the Mazda3-based CX-30 AWD, the Toyota C-HR 1.2L-turbo AWD and Volkswagen T-Roc 140TSI 4Motion - though none are as frugal as the Subaru.

If you're not sold on the idea of an crossover AWD and prefer a small AWD hatchback, then your only other option is to stretch to premium European hatchbacks like the Mercedes-Benz A250 4Matic, BMW M135i xDrive, Audi A3 quattro and Volkswagen Golf R. But all generally cost upwards of $60,000 drive-away - and that's before some of the more desirable options fitted.

Finally, unless you are travelling hundreds of kilometres ever week, there is probably no benefit choosing diesel over petrol, as the former fuel is dirtier for the environment and not as quiet and refined as the latter. Additionally, diesels are falling out of favour with buyers due to their harmful emissions, and most companies are switching to petrol/electric hybrids as a solution. Again, this means the Subaru XV Hybrid AWD.

A long response we know, Jan, but we hope this helps.

All the cars you’ve nominated would be good choices and will give you some peace of mind because they all use conventional technology. That is to say, none of them in their most affordable, basic forms uses a turbocharger and none of them have a complex, dual-clutch transmission that has been so troublesome for Volkswagen and plenty of other manufacturers, too. At least, that’s if you stay clear of the Cerato GT and the i30 diesel and N-Line, because those variants do have a dual-clutch transmission. The Corolla? A CVT transmission, no matter what variant you buy, but it’s one of the better ones out there.

Yours is not the only voice calling out for a simpler, more reliable motoring experience, Ian. But any of the three makes and models you’ve named should do the job for you with minimal hassle. Neither of them offers up too much in the way of excitement, but as solid, dependable designs, they take some beating.