But despite its apparent...
But despite its apparent popularity, sources at VW admit that the practical machine nearly never happened. At the original launch of the Golf MkV, the maker"s bosses announced that, regardless of demand, the MkIV estate would not be replaced. Instead, said VW execu÷tives, they would concentrate on the crossover Golf Plus, new Touran and Tiguan models.
Help could be at hand...
Help could be at hand from the RattleBuster CD, claimed to be the ultimate anti-vibration device. It’s certainly inexpensive, and you can play it while stationary – so it isn’t a threat to yourself or other road users. But does it work?
Using RattleBuster is as easy as sitting in your car, engine off, and listening to the stereo. You should clear the cubbyholes of loose items, but to test the claims we ‘booby-trapped’ our car by placing CD cases in the door pockets and a mobile in the centre console.
After checking out the audio instructions, we played the five-track Tone Engine – digitally sampled frequencies that help replicate on-the-road vibrations. Each lasts for four minutes – long enough to identify unwanted noises – and gradually increasing amplification gives the optimum effect. As the pitches rose, sure enough our CD cases started rattling, and a strange if unpronounced buzz emanated from the dash and nearside door trim.
The secret is not to over-amplify, as this can blur the line between tone and vibration, but with careful listening and volume control we struck the right balance. And once a noise is located, you can either fix it yourself or ask a dealer – without the extra cost of paying mechanics to source the irritation in the first place. What price sanity? Well, ?9.95 is a good place to start!
RattleBuster cabin vibration detector, price: ?9.95 (plus p&p), rating: 3/5, buy from: 07092 893085, www.rattlebuster.com