Volkswagen Golf - VW Golf best automatic - VWGolfDriver
Hi I currently own a golf mk 4 automatic 1.6 I’ve had it for 4 years but want to upgrade I have a budget of 5k I need some advice I am after an automatic but don’t know if the dsg gearbox is reliable or not can anyone recommend if I should go for a mk5 or mk6 ? It needs to be 5 door as I have a young family and my wife has a automatic licence so she will drive it as well safety is a must but I’d like it to look good as well also we don’t do motorway driving it’s mostly town driving but is diesel still a good option or should I strictly look at petrol engines? Thanks in advance
Volkswagen Golf - VW Golf best automatic - badbusdriver

If you can afford to buy new, fine, go for a DSG. If you are looking at a used car and know for a fact that it has been driven carefully and sympathetically, I'd probably be OK with that too.

Otherwise, no DSG or any other automated manual for me thanks very much!.

Honda Civic, Mazda 3, Toyota Auris, Kia Ceed, Hyundai i30, Vauxhall Astra.

And with your type of journey, I'd avoid diesel.

Volkswagen Golf - VW Golf best automatic - VWGolfDriver
I’m open to other makes and models a new car? I wish! Not on my budget but I hear good things about Honda I’ve read Kia ceed is a decent auto
Volkswagen Golf - VW Golf best automatic - badbusdriver

Sorry, didn't notice the £5k budget. Might have to rule out the Civic as I think that budget would put you in the I-shift automated manual, not so great.

Kia Ceed and Hyundai i30 are the same car under the skin, so no point avoiding one for the other. I'd also be happy with a Ford Focus as long as it is not the Powershift (which was Ford's version of the DSG).

Volkswagen Golf - VW Golf best automatic - Avant

If you want to sell your Golf, why would you want to put remote central locking in it (your thread in the Technical section)?

If, as you say in that thread, it's a 2002 model, you won't recover rhe cost of the installation.

Volkswagen Golf - VW Golf best automatic - SLO76
Tell us roughly where you live and we’ll take a look at worthy options nearby. It’s all very well making recommendations but if none are available then you can’t buy one. I would however rule out anything with an automated manual box such as VW’s DSG or Fords Powershift as they’re appallingly unreliable and cripplingly expensive to repair/replace.