Hello All!

Apologies for the long story My posts won't always be like this.

I purchased a very nice wee Polo on a '53 plate for my daughter just about a year and a half ago. It is very clean and only 53K miles on it. I got it on ebay and although I bought it from afar, I felt sure it was a decent car. It drove from London to Glasgow no probs and didn't miss a beat. It seemed fine for the next couple of months but then developed a stalling fault and lack of power. I've been in the trade 30+ years but unfortunately I live abroad right now.

After the RAC said the camshaft position sensor was gone I organised a new one and talked my daughter through fitting it. It made no difference. I got it in to a garage in Edinburgh and the guy said they suffered with a timing chain guide problem. I got a new kit and paid him to sort it.

The car has only done 5k since the repair and was fine until a couple of weeks ago on the motorway it lost power. The EM light came on again and so she called out recovery. The guy put the diagnostics on it but could find no fault. When he finished, the light went out and they carried on from Washington, Newcastle, to York and all the way back to Edinburgh without a problem.

The light did come back on again a week later but there are no symptoms until it gets up to around 40-50mph, otherwise it drives around the city quite happily. I got the garage that repaired it to take a look at it but he's now telling me it needs an engine

I gather that this is a common fault with these and so I'm hoping there are a pile of people who can advise. If I was there it would be much easier. Thanks in advance for any advice or info you can offer.

Why did they say it needs a new engine?

My 2002 polo had every fault you can imagine.

Chain failed, valve guides worn, valve seats worn, cat in exhaust blocked due to the worn valve guides.

It's all fixable just depends which one is the problem.

There are lots of faults that may not put a fault light on; but as far as I know none that will put a fault light on without storing codes?

May be worth a diagnostic second opinion.

There are lots of faults that may not put a fault light on; but as far as I know none that will put a fault light on without storing codes?

May be worth a diagnostic second opinion.

I said the very same thing to the guy in the garage, I also suggested that maybe it was a faulty camshaft position sensor but he says they checkit and it was fine. The light is back on but the car does not display any of the characteristics of the original chain and guides fault. However, she can't go over 40-50mph without it dying down to an idle. The reason he gave for replacing the engine was bull really, he tried to tell me that the bottom cog gets really worn and the only repair is a replacement engine, I didn't believe it, been restoring cars for the last 20 years and never come across one cog that requires the engine to be thrown away and replaced. I think I'll get it to someone for a second diagnostics as suggested, unless anyone else on here has come across the fault before?

Ah, good man, you have found your way across to this forum, two replies within 2 hours, that is better, still think that Dysart could be the place to go, or the place in Bilston (ex pit area) - never tried them but they do seem to be VAG specialists,  or the VW guy in Portobello/Musselburgh? As I said to you already, I have only ever used Star Performance.