Try to decide which car!

mulch

mulch

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I have been looking at a Suzuki 1.4 hybrid Vitara and a Volkswagen T-Cross, both similar price, mileage and 2022/23 registration.
Test driven both and both have equal pros and cons…..hence I’m swinging between them.

For added assistance I wondered if anyone on here is an owner of either car and have had any issues, likes, problems etc.
If I had just tested the Vitara I’d have bought it……then I saw a T-cross and drove that….decisions, decisions!

Thanks in advance.
 
Whichever Mrs Mulch wants you to!!!
 
Did they drive the same or differently? What kind of journeys do you expect to use it for?
 
ancient_mariner said:
Did they drive the same or differently? What kind of journeys do you expect to use it for?
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Similar to drive, T-Cross had a smoother gearbox. T-Cross seemed to have more digital things going on than the Vitara, which would concern me a few years down the line……. It’s to replace a Skoda Yeti which I’ve had for 12 trouble free years and hope it’s replacement will last as long with few problems. Journeys will include trips to the Dales 40-80 miles, coastal trips 150 miles etc. We(wife) has a Yaris, which we use for shopping trips etc.
 
Can't speak for the VW, but I own a 1.4 boosterjet Vitara (non hybrid), owned it 7yrs, it's only cost me a Battery (partly due to lack of use) and a set of tyres so far.

I did an 8hr road trip only stopping for Petrol, I had no aches or pains.

Minor bug is the dash rattles in winter, may be just mine though.
 
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I tend to expect VW cars to have softer suspension, a less exciting ride, lots of comfort. I'd expect a Suzuki Vitara to be a little firmer, a bit more exciting, a bit more demanding. 150 miles isn't a big drive, so the Suzi should be fine and probably more fun. If you were regularly dooing 500 mile drives like us in a Skoda Karoq then I'd recommend the VW.
 
We replaced my wife's mini a couple of years ago - she went through 3 sets of wheels on the potholes round here. The C3 aircross that replaced it has much deeper tyres and copes a lot better. If we lived in a town then low profiles on big rims would be fine, but in the country we need a more forgiving tyre.
 
mulch said:
I have been looking at a Suzuki 1.4 hybrid Vitara and a Volkswagen T-Cross, both similar price, mileage and 2022/23 registration.
Test driven both and both have equal pros and cons…..hence I’m swinging between them.

For added assistance I wondered if anyone on here is an owner of either car and have had any issues, likes, problems etc.
If I had just tested the Vitara I’d have bought it……then I saw a T-cross and drove that….decisions, decisions!

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...


First off. Take a look at the Skoda Kamiq or Karoq.

I'm spendinbg far too much time looking at SUVs and you're asking about faults. I've looked at reviews and Googled."known faults with..." and the worst was Audi.It doesn't seem to matter how expensive they are,either. The BMW X5 has many faults. A two year old model is about £50,000. New ? £83,000-120,000. I'm not buying this car...silly money.. but as an example.

A1 overview. It must 'look at' a range of reported faults across social media.

Copy/paste. I don't know why the yellow.

"The BMW X5, like any vehicle, has its share of common problems. These can range from oil leaks and cooling system issues to transmission troubles and electronic malfunctions. Specific issues to watch for include oil leaks, coolant leaks (especially from the water pump or expansion tank), and transmission problems like delayed shifting or jerking. Additionally, some models may experience electronic malfunctions in the iDrive system or door locks, and air suspension components in higher trims can wear out"


I have been put off Audi, too A1 ..copy/paste.

Audi Q range SUVs, like any vehicle, experience a range of common issues.These include problems with the start-stop system, sunroof leaks, transmission issues, and excessive oil consumption. Specific years and models may be more prone to certain problems, so it's crucial to research the particular vehicle you're interested in.


Before we decided to get a 'higher' vehicle..easier to get in and out of..a friend has one..I was looking at the Audi A6 but the number of known faults put me off. They don't feature very high up the reliabitity tables. Neither does Jaguar and Mercedes. As ever,it was Toyota either at the top or very close. The Lexus is very good. As you're probably finding, it's quite frustrating, bordering on stressful. I suppose if that's all anyone has to worry about........

There were even software problems with the Skoda Kodiak Sportline..It's what we'll probably end up with.. someone posted about that in Briskoda website. Otherwise, it gets very good reviews. Skoda is noted for reliabitiy these days. Part of the VW Group,as you'll prbably know. It is worth spending the time to research. It could save you a lot of trouble. Btw. Talking of trouble. The Suziki is a hybrid. It has a catalyctic converter. I posted in the last day or so I had a Prius and the cat converter was stolen. It's a big problem here in the UK and thje USA. I assume all over the world,really. Having said that I think the penalties if caught by police are quite severe. The thieves know which are the best hybrids..easiest..to go for. For this reason I wouldn't have another hybrid.


Anyway, food for thought. The two SUVs you're looking at both look very nice.
 
We had 3 x Yeti's diesels - great cars - replaced them 6 years ago with a BMW X1 diesel
 
Just to advise, the Karoq/Ateca/Tiguan (my car) is a lot bigger than the Kamiq/T-Roc/Arona that all share the same basic structure and engine. Not a problem, but worth being aware.
 
Thanks everyone for the input. More reviews to check out, then probably flick a coin!
 
JohnC6 said:
First off. Take a look at the Skoda Kamiq or Karoq.

I'm spendinbg far too much time looking at SUVs and you're asking about faults. I've looked at reviews and Googled."known faults with..." and the worst was Audi.I
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I struggle to comprehend your advice here John. Skoda use the same platforms as Audi & VW (and Seat), so the fact you say Audi are the worst, but buy a Skoda, doesn't make sense,

By the way, my Q2 has been perfect since picking it up 18 months ago. It is, essentially, an A3 on raised suspension. You mention the A1 a coupple of times, that's a Mini sized hatchback, not an SUV of any description.........
 
Jelster said:
I struggle to comprehend your advice here John. Skoda use the same platforms as Audi & VW (and Seat), so the fact you say Audi are the worst, but buy a Skoda, doesn't make sense,

By the way, my Q2 has been perfect since picking it up 18 months ago. It is, essentially, an A3 on raised suspension. You mention the A1 a coupple of times, that's a Mini sized hatchback, not an SUV of any description.........
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I agree,Steve and I also wonder why Audi has such a poor reputation but Skodas get high ratings and they do. Infact, VW Group also owns/sells Bentley, Bugatti, Porsche, Lamborghini and Seat. So it's even more confusing .

I tried to get an answer and found this.

"This difference stems from Audi's focus on luxury and performance which can lead to more complex and potentially problematic technology and features . Skoda, on the other hand, is known for its practicality and value, often offering simpler, more reliable technology.
While both Audi and Skoda are part of the Volkswagen Group and share some technologies, different engineering choices,target markets and perhaps even varying quality control during production can lead to Audi receiving poorer reliability ratings than Skoda.

"Sometimes the interior of Skodas are better than VWs"

Maybe this sums it up best of all.

"I honestly wonder if VW themselves even know by this point, since the hierarchy has become very confusing. While the Skoda Karoq and Seat Ateca are a half step down from a VW Tiguan in both build and price, a Skoda Enyaq is clearly a step up from a VW ID.4 in the same respects, despite very similar dimensions. Mechanically they're all the same. Typically Audi is allowed some more freedom in its engineering which gave the world the diesel scandal. Despite the identical underpinnings, Skodas are typically rated better by their owners than VWs are. The notorious arrogance of VW dealerships in Europe may have something to do with that.


Sorry... Yes, I did write A1...It should have been AI ...Artificial Intelligence.

I've found that when I Google for something like this that has varying comments across social media..reviews included by the likes of What Car ? at the top of the page is an overview by AI.
 
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Possibly also Skoda are generally cheap and people will put up with faults in a cheaper car but not an expensive one.

Re ID.4 Vs Enyaq- the VW looks crappy and the Enyaq does not.
 
@mulch Interesting to read your aims and needs and the replies.

My OH is looking too, her current old car now has a list of advisories on the MoT that don't bode well for economic longevity i.e. the repairs costs would likely be well in excess of the worth of the car, a 54 plate Corolla with 63000 odd on the clock. NB possibly the most valuable bit of the car is the engine :lol:

Her mileage per year is small but as it stands the criteria is:-
No bigger than Corolla length
A little higher seating position would be welcome such as the Ford EcoSport has.
SatNav
Climate control AC
Parking Sensors

Nice but maybe not necessary would include auto wipers & lights and a heated windscreen?

Any pointers would be welcomed :)
 
Box Brownie said:
@mulch Interesting to read your aims and needs and the replies.

My OH is looking too, her current old car now has a list of advisories on the MoT that don't bode well for economic longevity i.e. the repairs costs would likely be well in excess of the worth of the car, a 54 plate Corolla with 63000 odd on the clock. NB possibly the most valuable bit of the car is the engine :LOL:

Her mileage per year is small but as it stands the criteria is:-
No bigger than Corolla length
A little higher seating position would be welcome such as the Ford EcoSport has.
SatNav
Climate control AC
Parking Sensors

Nice but maybe not necessary would include auto wipers & lights and a heated windscreen?

Any pointers would be welcomed :)
Click to expand...

How much does she want to spend?
 
JohnC6 said:
I agree,Steve and I also wonder why Audi has such a poor reputation
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I think a lot comes down to the personal relationship you have with stealerships dealerships - I will never buy an Audi again (despite the fact that they make some good cars) because of the experieneces I had with 3 different dealers (23 years ago), in the 2 years that I owned an A8 - their inability to solve issues, and yet quote £1,000s for work that didn't need doing was frankly astonishing. The experinece left me so battered that I vowed to never buy a car from the whole VAG group (driven Saab/Volvo/Toyota since).
 
mulch said:
I have been looking at a Suzuki 1.4 hybrid Vitara and a Volkswagen T-Cross, both similar price, mileage and 2022/23 registration.
Test driven both and both have equal pros and cons…..hence I’m swinging between them.

For added assistance I wondered if anyone on here is an owner of either car and have had any issues, likes, problems etc.
If I had just tested the Vitara I’d have bought it……then I saw a T-cross and drove that….decisions, decisions!

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
I would check Honest John in the telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/advice/ unfortunately probably paywalled but you will get a knowledgeable answer
 
Box Brownie said:
@mulch Interesting to read your aims and needs and the replies.

My OH is looking too, her current old car now has a list of advisories on the MoT that don't bode well for economic longevity i.e. the repairs costs would likely be well in excess of the worth of the car, a 54 plate Corolla with 63000 odd on the clock. NB possibly the most valuable bit of the car is the engine :LOL:

Her mileage per year is small but as it stands the criteria is:-
No bigger than Corolla length
A little higher seating position would be welcome such as the Ford EcoSport has.
SatNav
Climate control AC
Parking Sensors

Nice but maybe not necessary would include auto wipers & lights and a heated windscreen?

Any pointers would be welcomed :)
Click to expand...

My wife's Citroen C3 Aircross fulfills that. The car is 2 years old and has been reliable and comfy enough so far. Seating is tall enough to get in and out easily. I think we paid around £18k new. Sat nav is through the phone which plugs in to the car.
 
ancient_mariner said:
My wife's Citroen C3 Aircross fulfills that. The car is 2 years old and has been reliable and comfy enough so far. Seating is tall enough to get in and out easily. I think we paid around £18k new. Sat nav is through the phone which plugs in to the car.
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Thanks for the pointer, though SatNav on the phone ???

However, with the sluggishness of correcting the recall mentioned below I am none too sure at this stage ???
Nod said:
Best check on the airbag status of a C3.

www.gov.uk

[Withdrawn] MOT special notice 02-25: testing vehicles affected by the Citroën C3 or DS3 stop drive recall

www.gov.uk www.gov.uk
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Mr Bump said:
my C3 is part of the recall waiting for dealer to get parts in
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ancient_mariner said:
Possibly also Skoda are generally cheap and people will put up with faults in a cheaper car but not an expensive one.

Re ID.4 Vs Enyaq- the VW looks crappy and the Enyaq does not.
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I've just looked at the Enyaq. Very swish. Beats the VW easily and similarly priced. What a pity it's an EV. Having said that, the design is like it is because it's an EV.

Re Skoda being cheap..Not any longer. I'm not quite sure from the way you wrote it.. ie the "Karoq/Ateca/Tiguan (my car) "which one you have ..The Tiguan R-line and Tayron(£2000 more than the Kodiak across all specs) are also on my radar...but the latest Karoq, on the road, starts at about £30,000. The Kodiak SE model from £34,000 to £53,690 for the top of the range vRS. Plug-in hybrid versions..from £42,000. The Sportline..£44,000. That certainly isn't cheap. The Kodiak's equivalent re Audi is the Q5 and that starts at £48,000 up to £66,000. Depending,of course. I suppose you could say they are cheaper than their rivals but their cars can no longer be described as cheap. A better term would be 'cost less'.

Re reliabitiy. Having said what I did about Audi ,taken from reviews by the likes of What Car?, when we went to Lake Maggiore we went with Citalia and they provide a taxi rather than a coach, which calls at several hotels, that you get with Tui and Jet2 et al . It was an Audi A6. We were so impressed with it. The driver said that his boss had a fleet of Mercedes and it was costing him due to the amount of time off the road whilst the Mercedes dealer was sorting out faults. I did read that most faults re Mercs are with the electronics, though, not the engine. The driver said that his A6 hadn't been back in once since he'd had it...a couple of years.

You mentioned your wife's Citroën C3 Aircross . What started us on this SUV journey was when we were staying with friends near Bridlington a couple weeks ago. I spent my couple of days at Bempton. They have the Citroen C5 Aircross and we had a sit in it and were impressed, especially the height re ground clearance and the look was good,too.
 
Mr Perceptive said:
I think a lot comes down to the personal relationship you have with stealerships dealerships - I will never buy an Audi again (despite the fact that they make some good cars) because of the experieneces I had with 3 different dealers (23 years ago), in the 2 years that I owned an A8 - their inability to solve issues, and yet quote £1,000s for work that didn't need doing was frankly astonishing. The experinece left me so battered that I vowed to never buy a car from the whole VAG group (driven Saab/Volvo/Toyota since).
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Lol..I like that 'stealership' crossing out. On a serious note,though. How many more Audis would you have bought had you had a much better experience ? So short-sighted.

When my wife traded in her Octavia for a new one they wanted to add £1760 in 'add ons".Insurance for the alloy wheels. protection spray for the seats,body paint protection, service plans, GAP insurance extended warranty/service agreement .We did take out the latter ..it included three MOT's. but only as the three year warranty was about to expire.

I once had an Audi A4 SE.A Lovely car with white/beige leather seats and oak (?) dash and some on the doors. I eventually sold it to my neighbour's wife...... and we're still friends...Lol. Btw. All those years ago yet, I recall asking the salesman to tax it..let's say from May 1st. A few days away. What did he do ? Taxed it from April 1st. I found out that he would have done that to get his commison for the sale a month earlier. They don't get it until the car is taxed. A small thing that has stayed with me. I had a Vauxhall Carlton,too. Loved it. Something went wrong with an engine part. My neighbour spotted it with a leak and told me to get it done before the warranty expired as it would be costly. I took it to the dealer who said they'd have to contact the underwriter of the warranty. Then dealer/ warranty provider sent me a letter stating that the warranty didn't cover it. My neighbour, at the time, was an engineer and said it most likely did. I got the warranty out and there it was. I had no idea what it was,though. I went back to the dealer, showed him the warranty and the part listed and he went off to show it to his boss. He returned and said. It's covered and booked it in.

I'm quite hostile to these people and before we go to a showroom my wife asks me to remain polite.....of course I will... :)
 
“When my wife traded in her Octavia for a new one they wanted to add £1760 in 'add ons".Insurance for the alloy wheels. protection spray for the seats,body paint protection, service plans, GAP insurance extended warranty/service agreement”

A bargain compared to what the T-Cross dealer tried to add……even after I stated I want no add ons, just the cost to change car for car. £2290 was added, trying his best to convince me I needed Gap, Polish, Tyre insurance, Wheel insurance, fabric protection!!!
 
Mr Bump said:
my C3 is part of the recall waiting for dealer to get parts in
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From carwow.co.uk.
If your car is impacted, don’t drive it unless absolutely necessary – even if everything seems fine.
 
JohnC6 said:
Lol..I like that 'stealership' crossing out. On a serious note,though. How many more Audis would you have bought had you had a much better experience ? So short-sighted.

When my wife traded in her Octavia for a new one they wanted to add £1760 in 'add ons".Insurance for the alloy wheels. protection spray for the seats,body paint protection, service plans, GAP insurance extended warranty/service agreement .We did take out the latter ..it included three MOT's. but only as the three year warranty was about to expire.

I once had an Audi A4 SE.A Lovely car with white/beige leather seats and oak (?) dash and some on the doors. I eventually sold it to my neighbour's wife...... and we're still friends...Lol. Btw. All those years ago yet, I recall asking the salesman to tax it..let's say from May 1st. A few days away. What did he do ? Taxed it from April 1st. I found out that he would have done that to get his commison for the sale a month earlier. They don't get it until the car is taxed. A small thing that has stayed with me. I had a Vauxhall Carlton,too. Loved it. Something went wrong with an engine part. My neighbour spotted it with a leak and told me to get it done before the warranty expired as it would be costly. I took it to the dealer who said they'd have to contact the underwriter of the warranty. Then dealer/ warranty provider sent me a letter stating that the warranty didn't cover it. My neighbour, at the time, was an engineer and said it most likely did. I got the warranty out and there it was. I had no idea what it was,though. I went back to the dealer, showed him the warranty and the part listed and he went off to show it to his boss. He returned and said. It's covered and booked it in.

I'm quite hostile to these people and before we go to a showroom my wife asks me to remain polite.....of course I will... :)
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John

I would have probably bought quite a few!! I'm quite brand loyal, since the Audi A8, I've bought 2 x Saab (before they went under) followed by 3 Volvo's (supplemented with 2 Toyota's as second cars).

The A8 I had was possibly a Friday afternoon car, but at the time A8's were quite rare and independents touching them were few and far between, I was prepared for some fairly steep servicing costs, but one dealer (service manager) lost out when he told me I needed new steering column at £1100+VAT + Fitting, to resolve a creak when the column was re-positioned (which it did every time you got in), turns out after talking to Porsche technican who handed the car back to me (it was shared dealership), that the leather flap above the column got stiff and that rubbing it with vaseline would solve the problem (and that it was actually part of the Porsche Service Schedule!!!).

Two further dealers failed to resolve an intermintedly working windscreen wiper issue, depite me forking out for new motors/linkage/control units/etc

When the car worked it was fantastic, it just didn't work enough!

Stealership was a very apt word for my experience with Audi dealers :)
 
JohnC6 said:
I've just looked at the Enyaq. Very swish. Beats the VW easily and similarly priced. What a pity it's an EV. Having said that, the design is like it is because it's an EV.

Re Skoda being cheap..Not any longer. I'm not quite sure from the way you wrote it.. ie the "Karoq/Ateca/Tiguan (my car) "which one you have ..The Tiguan R-line and Tayron(£2000 more than the Kodiak across all specs) are also on my radar...but the latest Karoq, on the road, starts at about £30,000. The Kodiak SE model from £34,000 to £53,690 for the top of the range vRS. Plug-in hybrid versions..from £42,000. The Sportline..£44,000. That certainly isn't cheap. The Kodiak's equivalent re Audi is the Q5 and that starts at £48,000 up to £66,000. Depending,of course. I suppose you could say they are cheaper than their rivals but their cars can no longer be described as cheap. A better term would be 'cost less'.

Re reliabitiy. Having said what I did about Audi ,taken from reviews by the likes of What Car?, when we went to Lake Maggiore we went with Citalia and they provide a taxi rather than a coach, which calls at several hotels, that you get with Tui and Jet2 et al . It was an Audi A6. We were so impressed with it. The driver said that his boss had a fleet of Mercedes and it was costing him due to the amount of time off the road whilst the Mercedes dealer was sorting out faults. I did read that most faults re Mercs are with the electronics, though, not the engine. The driver said that his A6 hadn't been back in once since he'd had it...a couple of years.

You mentioned your wife's Citroën C3 Aircross . What started us on this SUV journey was when we were staying with friends near Bridlington a couple weeks ago. I spent my couple of days at Bempton. They have the Citroen C5 Aircross and we had a sit in it and were impressed, especially the height re ground clearance and the look was good,too.
Click to expand...

I have the Karoq, but the car shares a lot of components with the Ateca and Tiguan (and the Audi Q3) and the 3 models are obviously related when parked together. Apparently the Seat is the cheapest of all (that was news to me) although only by a tiny margin.

AI overview:
The Seat Ateca generally has a lower list price than the Skoda Karoq and Volkswagen Tiguan, with the Karoq often being slightly cheaper than the Tiguan. However, the specific trim level and engine options can significantly impact the final price, making direct comparisons complex.



Detailed Price Comparison:
  • Entry-Level Prices:
    The Karoq typically starts at a lower price point than the Tiguan. For example, a Karoq SE Drive might start around £26,225, while a Tiguan Life could begin at £29,550. The Ateca is often positioned as the most affordable of the three, potentially starting around £26,510.

  • Trim Levels:
    While the Karoq may have a lower starting price, more expensive trim levels and options can quickly increase the price. For instance, a top-of-the-range Karoq 4x4 with a diesel engine could reach £38,515, whereas a similar Tiguan could cost £42,420.
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FWIW I have the 2L diesel 4X4. It was a good deal when I bought it Feb 2020, 1 year old with about 7000 miles for £17,000, however it's not faultless, with a stuck waterpump valve requiring a £900 replacement and faulty locking that doesn't always lock or unlock.
 
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vintageman said:
I would check Honest John in the telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/advice/ unfortunately probably paywalled but you will get a knowledgeable answer
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Yes, The Telegraph is paywalled. Honest John was taken over, after going into administration re financial issues in 2020, by Heycar. It's an online car marketplace owned by Volkswagen Financial Services. My wife wanted another Octavia and I kept reading about the 1.5L engine that had a DQ200 DSG automatic gearbox./dry clutch. She already had an Octavia. Coming onto a roundabout..nippily, because of heavy traffic it would hesitate. Sometimes it would hesistat just pulling away..not in a rush. Some research by me found that it was a problem. Customers who complained were.initially told that there wasn't a problem. Eventually, VW accepted there was a problem but eventually, was a number of years later and there was a recall. I came across Honest John who mentioned this and suggested getting the 2.0L engine that incorporated a wet clutch system DSG Q250 that didn't have the problem That's what we did. I did ask the salesman if the car had the DQ200 DSG gearbox and why I was asking. "Never heard of that problem", he said. :rolleyes: This was in 2020 .He was an old hand not a youngster.

A copy/paste:

"Volkswagen became aware of issues with the DSG Q200 (also known as DQ200) automatic gearbox shortly after its introduction in 2008 particularly regarding reliability and performance issues with the dry dual-clutch system. Recalls and customer complaints related to the DQ200 gearbox, including reports of loss of drive, rough shifting, and illuminated EPC lights, surfaced in the years following its initial release"

Honest John

Unfortunately, not dated. https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/advice/owning-advice/dsg-gearbox/

"As a general rule, the DQ200 dry-clutch DSG tends to be the most problematic and is best avoided."

A fault particular to the DQ200 DSG unit is selector issues, where the selector fork fails resulting in reverse gear and/or sixth gear being difficult or impossible to select. Volkswagen offered an uprated part that eliminated the problem, but replacement of this part can cost around £1000 depending on the vehicle specification. Broadly speaking, wet-clutch variants of the DSG unit are the most reliable, which includes everything from the DQ250 up to and including the DL variants found in vehicles with transversely-mounted engines"
 
I’m on my second Honda CRV totally love the cars , spacious ,reliable and most importantly just work . There are now various engine/ fuel options well worth a look .. pure Japanese efficiency
 
JohnC6 said:
Yes, The Telegraph is paywalled. Honest John was taken over, after going into administration re financial issues in 2020, by Heycar. It's an online car marketplace owned by Volkswagen Financial Services. My wife wanted another Octavia and I kept reading about the 1.5L engine that had a DQ200 DSG automatic gearbox./dry clutch. She already had an Octavia. Coming onto a roundabout..nippily, because of heavy traffic it would hesitate. Sometimes it would hesistat just pulling away..not in a rush. Some research by me found that it was a problem. Customers who complained were.initially told that there wasn't a problem. Eventually, VW accepted there was a problem but eventually, was a number of years later and there was a recall. I came across Honest John who mentioned this and suggested getting the 2.0L engine that incorporated a wet clutch system DSG Q250 that didn't have the problem That's what we did. I did ask the salesman if the car had the DQ200 DSG gearbox and why I was asking. "Never heard of that problem", he said. :rolleyes: This was in 2020 .He was an old hand not a youngster.

A copy/paste:

"Volkswagen became aware of issues with the DSG Q200 (also known as DQ200) automatic gearbox shortly after its introduction in 2008 particularly regarding reliability and performance issues with the dry dual-clutch system. Recalls and customer complaints related to the DQ200 gearbox, including reports of loss of drive, rough shifting, and illuminated EPC lights, surfaced in the years following its initial release"

Honest John

Unfortunately, not dated. https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/advice/owning-advice/dsg-gearbox/

"As a general rule, the DQ200 dry-clutch DSG tends to be the most problematic and is best avoided."

A fault particular to the DQ200 DSG unit is selector issues, where the selector fork fails resulting in reverse gear and/or sixth gear being difficult or impossible to select. Volkswagen offered an uprated part that eliminated the problem, but replacement of this part can cost around £1000 depending on the vehicle specification. Broadly speaking, wet-clutch variants of the DSG unit are the most reliable, which includes everything from the DQ250 up to and including the DL variants found in vehicles with transversely-mounted engines"
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Thanks, I was unaware that the real honest John had gone. I've not thought about changing my car since 2020
 
ancient_mariner said:
My wife's Citroen C3 Aircross fulfills that. The car is 2 years old and has been reliable and comfy enough so far. Seating is tall enough to get in and out easily. I think we paid around £18k new. Sat nav is through the phone which plugs in to the car.
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But it's French!! Never buy a French car!!
 
Jelster said:
But it's French!! Never buy a French car!!
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I've had quite a lot of French cars over the years, most enjoyable (Citroen GSA was the exception, but even that was interesting if very slow and thirsty). Never owned an eastern-made car.
 
A update from me. Tuesday I’ll have another test drive in the Vitara, my last drive was mostly stuck in traffic and hardly got into 4th, heard they can be a bit noisy on the motorway. Dealership is suggesting I take it for a blast (my description) on the motorway to check.
The T-Cross probably off the wanted list now. Came across a forum with many complaints about electrical gremlins, particularly with the dashboard.
I’ve still yet to get a final cost to change……oh the fun
 
late joining the chat...
but T-Cross is the 1-litre? Vitara a larger engine? 1.4.. Having driven a 1-litre Kosomething Skoda I found it necessary to thrash the damned thing to get some momentum and got an almighty shock when i went to fill it up before returning it at Hamburg Airport; compared with a Golf GTi it was extremely uneconomical (I've had quite a selection from HAM over the years) - but those GTis come with a cost.....speeding tickets. I'd get the car with the larger engine, for longer journeys it would be so much more relaxing.

I thought a 1.5TSi VW product similar to a T-Roc would've been a suitable replacement for a Yeti but if a low seating position is a consideration there's always the fact that in a standard hatchback (such as our R-Line Golf 1.4TSI) the seats can be raised quite significantly. We bought ours 5 years ago, and it is now 9 years old, and actually hasn't been troublesome - and we have been quite happy with the service we have had from Citygate (SEAT) Twickenham and Windrush VW Maidenhead.

Interesting what David (Mr Perspective) says about Audis....my own car is one of the last Saabs and thinking because I need a daily driver (because specialists are disappearing) was thinking of an A6 - but the 3-litre V6 55TFSI.
 
welshwizard645 said:
Interesting what David (Mr Perspective) says about Audis....my own car is one of the last Saabs and thinking because I need a daily driver (because specialists are disappearing) was thinking of an A6 - but the 3-litre V6 55TFSI.
Click to expand...

I also looked at the A6 but my wife wants the height of an SUV. Easier to get in and out of.

Re the Audi. 2018--to date.

One paragraph re owners' complaints. Engine Electrics 22%.... Gearbox/clutch 19% ...Bodywork 7%.....Sat-Nav/Infotainment..22%... Non-engine electrics 19% .. Interior trim 7%.... Air-con. 4% ....Brakes 4% ...Engine 4%.... steering 4%.... Bodywork 7%.


A What Car ? review on used models states this re the 3-l t V6. ."Only a lag in the transmissions can annoy, as there’s often a slight hesitation between putting your foot down and anything actually happening"

They had this problem with the DQ200 gearbox but I doubt it's in these but, seemingly, the same problem .I mentioned it in my post above.

In the 'Cons" column halfway through review it states ."Reliability is very poor". Audi doesn't come out atall well re reliabitiy and it's shame because they have a good design and the interior, especially in the A6 & A8 is very upmarket, luxurious.I just don't understand why they build a car like this ,an expensive one,too, that consistently gets such poor reliability reviews.

For alternatives they recommend the BMW 5-Series and the E-Class Mercedes.

Best and Worst re reliability table. The Land Rover is listed in "The worst"..as is Audi, apart from the Q2, It says this about Audi
"The Audi A6 also let the side down, with 50% of the cars we were told about suffering an issue." I see Mercedes is there,too.

Our friend had a Range Rover and it had so many problems that, in the end, she demanded, and got, a replacement. It was new, too.

https://www.whatcar.com/news/reliability-survey-most-reliable-cars-brands/n26159
 
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