Gear Selector Cable damaged!?

[npatts]

Hello - new o the forum and new to scirocco's!

Picked up my 2010 1.4tsi 160bhp Scirocco yesterday morning from Evans Halshaw. It has had 2 previous owners and has clocked 36,500 miles.

They told me they had checked over the car and all it needed was an MOT. Nothing wrong. It has had 1 set brake pads replaced and one rear spring i think.
I drove it out the showroom and about 15 miles back to Edinburgh, drove sweet as a nut, no problems. Parked up and about 1 hour later i drove the car onto the high street went to shift into second gear and the whole gear stick ceased up and was jammed in the middle i could not get it to shift gears at all, and did not want to force it as the shifting was butter smooth before hand.

Car was picked up and driven back to the dealership, they told me that the casing around one of the gear selector cables had split and the cable had frayed and popped out and was causing the whole thing to jam.

My first reasonably modern car so you can understand why i am dissapointed! Am i at a major dissadvantage having cable selectors as opposed to solid rods?? Has anyone else ever heard of this? Can I expect it to happen again and any theories as to why it may have happened in the first place?!

Thank you!

[salsajoe]

Not heard this one before. Some earlier gearboxes had stiffness problems from 1st to 2nd that was a gearbox fault. The only thing I can think as a cause is incorrectly tensioned cable but would have thought that would have shown up with earlier owners unless the gearbox has been 'serviced' at some point. Sorry not to be of more help. Perhaps some one else can offer a cause? Surprised with the brake pad wear. Mine has done nearly 40k with pads only 40%worn.

[Cuprabob]

Not heard of any problems with the cables on Sciroccos or other manual VWs other than sometimes they need adjusted. From what you describe is not typical.

I agree with the.above comment regarding brake pads but that could be down to driving style of the previous owner although the rear calipers are prone to sticking on these cars causing binding and premature wear of the rear pads.

[xjay1337]

I had an issue with my shift linkage. under the airbox there's a side to side linkage and a back to forth linkage. There's a small nylon nut that slots in which links the side to side motion and this had broken off. Had to get a new part of the linkage. It was like 20 quid

Either way sounds like you will be sorted under a warranty.

[dimexi]

I've had issues with first and second gears before, and I still do occasionally. I asked on here once and was told that the gears were done to a tight tolerance, and when it's cold, it can occasionally be hard to engage these gears - I have just lived with it so far.

My car is at 44k and I have the same brake pads as far as I know