So with one problem (that wasn’t the original problem) dealt with, time to maybe deal with the next one.

It’s been a few weeks since the calamitous debacle of the ignition coil failing but since then the Polo has been running fine. That is if you discount the fact that the oil light still shows up intermittently on start up on about one in every three times you go and start the car. The funny thing however was that when you do check the oil level, and it’ll show that there is still an acceptable amount of oil, and you go start the polo again the oil level warning light just disappears. I have come to think of it as a safety feature, reminding you to check if there is still engine oil left.

Bask in the warm orange glow of the oil level warning light. Photo: Volkswagen

I wasn’t going to think much of this oil level light thing, but this was around the same time Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) launched it’s Volkswagen Care programme — an after sales customer loyalty programme aimed at those who’s VWs are more than 5 years of age.

Volkswagen Care plus. For the gullible used VW owner. Photo: Volkswagen Malaysia

Normally, like any sane person with an out-of-warranty German car, I wouldn’t head back to the main dealer for anything because legend has it that main dealer prices are fantastically, amazingly, wonderfully high. However, the Volkswagen Care plus programme did pique my interest, as among the other frivolous stuff to pad out the programme like free VW merchandise, joining this programme for a one time payment of RM138 did have legitimate benefits with three 20% service discount vouchers and more interestingly a free (read: FREE!) 20 point diagnostic check for the car.

“Volkswagen Cares is the commitment to care and provide the best for Volkswagen customers.”

— VPCM

Editor’s note: It was the 20 point diagnostic check that really made me consider actually signing up for the program. Little did I know that you didn’t have to pay the RM138 to get the diagnostic done for free, but hey I got a nice VW cap out of this so I can’t complain.

Ever since I got the Polo I actually haven’t given it a proper once over. It did go for a once over at VAGTechnic when I thought the Polo was down on power but that was a fairly basic checkup (read Polo Log 12) so the thought of having the Polo up on the ramp for a comprehensive diagnostic seemed like a good idea, and maybe I could get the oil light niggle looked at while I’m there.

Editor’s note: The keen readers might have noticed why didn’t I get the oil level warning light looked at when the Polo was at Edge Performance Services fixing the ignition coil issue. Well, the thought kind of slipped my mind in the heat of the moment and for some reason the light didn’t show up throughout the trip there and back so I forgot about it. I put it down to the Polo sensing it was going to the workshop so it didn’t want to throw up too many problems at once lest I sell the damned thing off.

Fitting car maintenance in a student schedule is no mean feat, especially if all the authorised Volkswagen service centres are on the other side of town, but eventually I did manage to make an appointment on a Tuesday afternoon with Volkswagen Permas Jaya to conduct the FREE 20 point diagnosis.

Did I already mention that it was FREE?

Arriving there shortly after 4pm, the Polo was soon whisked up onto the ramp and the checks were underway. The staff at Volkswagen Permas Jaya were a friendly bunch, whereby after the payment for the Volkswagen Cares programme was completed and I got my free cap, I was allowed to watch the inspection being conducted on the little black car. Slow day for them I suppose as from later experience with other authorised service centres I am not supposed to be in the service bay. Anyhow I digress, the checks were all going smoothly with no major issues to report. The Polo was showing a little bit of wear associated with its age but the old girl is still as solid and strong as the day it rolled off the production line halfway across the world in South Africa with nothing major that I should be concerned about.

Polo on the ramp. Let’s hope there’s no hidden surprises.

But… (And you all knew there would always be a but) all that soon changed when it came to inspecting the engine. Good news first: The engine is fine. Nothing is wrong with the gearbox either. Also turbo no kaboom. Which is good.

The bad news however, is that the technician discovered what was causing the oil level warning light to come on. Apparently vacuum hose fitting has came loose from the cam cover and that was where engine oil was leaking out from. That doesn’t sound so bad in theory, it’s a fitting that just came out, plug it back in and it’s all fixed.

The fitting that just wouldn’t go back into the hole. Welp thats 500 bucks there.

Well that was the problem, the fitting just didn’t want to go back in. Now that also doesn’t sound so bad in theory, just get a new fitting, how much can that cost? Turns out you can’t actually get a new fitting, say it together with me people: Volkswagen being Volkswagen, nothing is ever that simple. To replace the fitting you need to replace the whole damned hose, and that is quite a lot of money, RM557 to be exact. And to add insult to injury, the part needs to be ordered from Singapore. Which initially doesn’t sound so bad as being in Johor, Singapore is just a causeway across, but somehow due to logistics it will take the part two weeks to arrive.

Calling around to the other independent specialists didn’t help either as the part was somehow more expensive and took longer for it to arrive so going the official dealer route was my only viable option.

Well there is a crumb of comfort in this story, the good folk at Volkswagen Permas Jaya did top up the engine oil for me so I can still run the car for the next few weeks without grenading the engine, which is nice.

0 — 100:

FREE 20 point check at an authorised VW dealer? Sign me up.
RM138 for the Volkswagen Cares programme? Eh, why not.
500+ bucks for a hose. What? Serious? Aw hell no.