I picked up a price list for all new cars on the Spanish market in Euros. It gives prices on the road and ex-factory. If anyone wants a specific price, e-mail me or ask for it here. Obviously specs are Spanish and the cars are LHD.

HJ Read more

I have a Mk. IV VW Golf Estate, bought new in April 2000. A personal import from Denmark, hence massive savings.

That's the good news. The bad news is that when my wife tried to open the driver's door on a frosty afternoon recently - and when I say "frosty", I should point out that we live in Cornwall, not Siberia - the door was frozen to the soft plastic/rubber roof gutter moulding: when she finally managed to get the door open, it ripped two great chunks out of the gutter moulding in the process. Prior to that we had found it impossible to open one of the rear doors for the same reason: frozen fast to the roof gutter strip.

I complained loudly to VW headquarters in Milton Keynes, and told them that I expected them to pay for a new gutter moulding to be fitted to my car. Although the car is technically out of warranty, I took the view that this was a blatant design fault in the vehicle. Do the generality of motorists arm themselves with buckets of warm water and de-icers every time they want to open the door of their car on a slightly frosty morning? I don't think so. Does the Golf handbook advise this procedure every time the temperature falls below zero? Again, I don't think so.

Predictably, VW are content to hide behind the warranty. "This is not a known problem", was the patronizing response handed down from their technical people. Well it bloody well is now (I informed them), because I've just told you about it. The material used for the moulding has a sort of velvety, almost furry surface to it - perfect for holding and trapping the maximum amount of water while it freezes. And freezes your door so tightly shut that you can't use your car without ripping the guttering off.

I think the fault itself is a bloody disgrace (and there was me, thinking that engineering was the Germans' forte). And I think the refusal of VW to own up to their design error and fix my car free of charge is also a bloody disgrace. So I would hugely appreciate it if you felt able to publicize this story - and warn other Golf owners that their cars may be unusable on ever-so-slightly-frosty mornings because the doors will be frozen shut. What the hell do they do in Canada, I wonder - or even the Bavarian Alps?

Allan Blunden Read more

I read that it could now cost £300 to dispose of a scrap car under the EU End-of-Life Vehicle Directive.

Not content with causing the littering of our countryside with old fridges by trying to solve a "problem" which does not exist, they now want up to 85% of old cars to be re-cycled.

Wonder how much power that will take? They say the last owner could pay or perhaps a further tax on new cars would be levied.

They are also proposing similar schemes for toasters, T.Vs , computers, cuddly toys etc. etc. by 2006

Growler, how can I move to the Phillipines? Sounds like Heaven compared to this asylum. Read more

Further to my recent messages concerning a search for a decent Estate Diesel for £3000, it seems in fact that there are plenty of bargains at 1K to 2K. 405s are at bargain level today, as are Passats it seems. The depreciation is just too great on a 3 grand car, and the garage bills seem astornomical the posher one goes.

What is the general consensous on buying a reliable diesel estate, is there any point in laying down big bucks on what you can have perhaps for £1500 with some determination and planning? What about auctions, i hear both nightmare and amazing deal stories? Read more

Just a bit of advertising,If any body is visiting Dresden I now own a bar and anyone from this forum is welcome for a chat and a free beer.
The Skorpio Rudolf Renner str Dresden. Read more