The engine in this car used to run like silk. However it developed an irritating vibration about 2100 revs and this has developed into a general roughness with another vibration high at just over 1000 revs. (The crankshaft vibration damper was replaced before this problem started.) The local garage claims to have tried all sorts of things to fix it. Does anyone have any experience of what the cure might be?
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Jeremy Clarkson has become the subject of trial by media as a result of some poor quality photographs indicating he was using a mobile whilst driving.

For those in the UK interested in such minor traffic offences........

I deeply regret that whilst travelling both too and from work today I exceeded the speed limit, I flashed by headlamps at some silly woman who cut me up (Highway Code breach not an RT offence) and I may have nipped through some traffic lights just as they turned red.

Such things have happened to me most every day of my driving for the past 20+ yrs , I know I am not alone.

So what have you done which may create a media stir, if it's death by dangerous you may wish to consider your post. Read more

For anyone interested, I've just seen 10,000 come up on the Golf's odometer, in 6 months or so. So far - so good.

HURRAY

Most things.

Engine was fairly lively from the start - even more so now. You soon get round the potential sudden rush of power over 2,000 rpm by judicious use of the accelerator.

Very good balance between ride and handling, and the steering is more direct than the (outgoing) Audi A4 and much better than my previous B-class Mercedes.

Fuel consumption 46-55 mpg - excellent and 10 mpg better than the B-class which was also 2.0 litresand 140 bhp.

Excellent front seats, with all the adjustments you could need - the steering wheel also adjusts both ways so if you can't get comfortable it's something you ate.

Good precise gearchange: I miss an automatic less than I thought I would. I could have had DSG, but the Mercedes drone put me off 4-cylinder diesel automatics, possibly for life.

Touching wood, nothing whatsoever has gone wrong or fallen off. They build these in Mexico, so in between dancing on their hats the workforce seems to have done a good job.

Residuals should be good - What Car says a healthy 48 % of cost retained after 3 years, compared with 40 % for the equivalent (and similarly priced) Octavia estate, and better than the A4 Avant 2.0 TDI (costing nearly £6,000 more and only 45 % after 3 years).


BOO

Noisier than some rivals (though much quieter than the B-class), but the noise is only really noticeable on hard acceleration. It's much quieter and more relaxed at motorway speeds than the petrol 1.6 Nissan Tiida we hired recently in South Africa.

VW need to copy some of the newer designs for folding the rear seats. They fold flat (unforgiveable in an estate if they don't) but you have to remove the headrests first.


So 9 / 10. My natural habitat is still an Audi, but the V6s are too expensive, and you can't justify the extra cost of the A4 2.0 TDI over this, when the Golf does about 95 % of the job. Read more

My brother has bought a car but has not yet passed his test. He has insured the car on a provisional basis. I have been driving for almost 4 years.
Can i take him out in it (he will be driving) on learner plates on the insurance he has got? or do i have to be insured on that car as well? Read more

Hi there,
long time lurker etc etc.

I've been flipping back, reading through some old posts, in both the General Discussion
and Technical rooms, and I've got a question for Screwloose and any other mechanics
who predate the era of pervasive engine management systems.

My own car-owning history only goes back 20 years or so; I began with an '82 1.0L Mini
and I'm currently running around in an '03 plate Fiesta TDCi.

Whats striking for me, as a not-very-good fixer of cars, is how little it seems 'modern' garages can actually do in the way of fault diagnosis that isnt computer-driven- and more importantly, how often these diagnostic tools can prove to be wrong. I'm lucky in that I have an excellent local garage, staffed by both old-timers and young 'uns, that seem to get it right more often than not. I shudder to think of taking the Fiesta to a main dealer for repair.

There are many tales on this site of owners with both commonplace and mysterious faults
who faithfully take them along to their main dealer, get a diagnosis, get a part replaced, which often fails to cure the problem. Theres usually a bill associated with this- it seems that if the computer says that the problem is caused by part x failing, then this part must be replaced and the customer billed regardless, regardless of its effectiveness in curing the fault.

I guess my question is: granted, the vehicles of yesteryear were usually less complex than current machines- but have the old days of learning mechanical skills, gaining experience, and trusting intuition gone for good in our main dealers?

Apologies if this has ever been asked elsewhere.

TT Read more