Volkswagen

Volkswagen: before and after 2008, gearbox and engine families do not overlap

The sharpest break in the Volkswagen catalogue falls around 2008, with the widespread introduction of the 7-speed dry DSG on mid-capacity TSI and TDI engines, and the rise of four-letter engine codes (CFCA, CDCA, CAXA, CXFA…) replacing the older three-letter codes (BKC, BJB, BLS, BAY…). In this catalogue, gearboxes account for the bulk of references, covering 5- and 6-speed manual transmissions, DSG 6 and DSG 7 units, and a handful of Shiftmatic gearboxes on older models. Bare engines cover a narrower range, centred mainly on the 1.9 TDI and 2.0 TDI diesel blocks, along with a few petrol units.

Golf, Transporter, Polo: three different identification approaches

The Golf offers the greatest variety: the same model year can be fitted with a 5-speed manual, a 6-speed manual, or a DSG depending on power output and trim level. The Transporter 2.5 TDI (engine codes AXD, AXE in particular) uses gearboxes specific to light commercial vehicles, with no equivalent on the Golf. The Polo, widely represented in 1.2 and 1.4 versions, shares certain gearboxes with the Fox or the Lupo but not all: the year of manufacture and the engine code remain the two key identifying criteria.

When rebuilding your own unit is the right solution

For rare references — certain DSG 6 units on the Scirocco or Eos, gearboxes from the Corrado or LT, or Crafter 2.5 TDI engines — an exchange unit is not always immediately available. In these cases, rebuilding your own unit (your gearbox or engine is reconditioned and then returned to you) gives access to families outside the standard catalogue, particularly for models produced before 2000 or at the end of their production run. For current models such as the Golf 2.0 TDI or the Polo 1.4 TDI, the reconditioned exchange unit covers the vast majority of requirements.