This is what the Volkswagen warranty document says: “Items where the lifetime of the component is or can be influenced by driving style and external factors will only be considered under the terms of the warranty for a period of six months or 6500 miles (whichever is soonest). Beyond that limit, the defects must be classified as wear and tear and will not be covered by the Volkswagen warranty. Components subject to wear and tear include, but are not limited to: Brake linings and disc pads. Clutch release bearings. Clutch pressure plates and centre plates. Tyres. Wiper blades (wiper rubbers have no warranty owing to their conditions of use). Seat and backrest covers. Floor coverings. Spark plugs. Batteries for key fobs and alarms. Light bulbs. Shock Absorbers. Mechanical adjustments after six months or 6,500 miles (whichever is soonest) are also excluded from warranty cover such as: adjustments to doors, flaps, boot lids, bonnets, sunroof, brake adjustment, clutch adjustment, V belt adjustment, ignition adjustment, headlight adjustment, steering geometry adjustments and wheel balancing”.

Many of these are normally not covered beyond six months, but the extent of what is not covered may come as a shock to some current and prospective Volkswagen owners. One current model Polo owner found that his front brake pads and discs lasted only 8500 miles over 18 months.