As someone has totalled OH's rather nice 18 year old Lupo Sport, it looks like we'll be looking for a new car.

 

I can't really drive a manual car anymore, so we're looking for an auto. We've got a preference for VAG group, and it needs to be a smallish car.

 

Budget is 4-5kish. This basically strongly suggests Polo, Ibiza, or Fabia, with the 7-speed DSG. I dimly remember these having few reliability issues when they appeared, but then there were a lot of scare stories over the 6-speed wet-clutch DSG too, and I've had 2 now without problems, and quite a few miles.

 

What, generally, it to be expected, and any warning signs to look for, both with the box and the cars in general, beyond usual used car checks? OH does very few miles, performance isn't awfully important provided it isn't woefully slow :-).

 

Thanks.

Sadly reliability is an issue.

Best look at the Mk2 Fabia section and current threads running and the pinned thread at the top of that section.

This is not just about Mk2 Fabia vRS.

The Service campaign on DQ200 DSG's from 2009-2012 is across the models. Fabia, Ibiza, Polo, Roomster, Yeti, Octavia, Alhambra, Golf etc.

Then there were stil some with issues 2012-2015.

 

The DQ200 DSG's do not have any servicing schedules. No oil changes other than the Campaign started in 2014 on early ones.

 

Obviously Millions are no problem, but then world wide tens of thousands have been.

Just google DQ200 DSG,    Again obviously people go online when the have issues, in this case issues are very expensive and not an internet myth.