Can find lots about DSG. Should have probably stated it's Manual transmission.

Won't go into 1st with engine on or off just wants to jump into reverse.

Clutch seems fine as gets into all other gears no problem at all, cables are sound. He bought it 2nd hand and gearstick has had a wobble since he bought it and he has been putting off renewing them.

The more I've spoken to him about it the more I think he's ragged it into gear himself and damaged it. He doesn't seem that angry about it if you get what I mean. If it happened to me and I'd been driving normally I'd be raging about it all day and night, he's just too relaxed about it.

I had gearbox issues in my Mk 2 GTi after about 6 years and 100,000 miles. The car had led a hard life, I towed a trailer with a Caterham on it (total weight about 1200 kg) most weekends from April to the end of September thus I was not really surprised when it became very noisy but there was no issue changing gear.

Took car to a mate in the motor trade (he specialised in Ford Gearboxes) and after a look he suggested that he could fit a recon box or get my box rebuilt by a VW specialist, the price for both options was the same. The choice of fitting a 2nd hand box was never discussed, it might have been as bad as mine was and cost me far more in labour and hassle.

I chose the get my box rebuilt option because there was always the chance the recon box came from a write off with other issues and the GTi had unique ratios and there was a risk of getting a box without those ratios.

It worked out well, car drove like new, box had all new bearings and synchro's plus diff bearings as well. Cost back in 1996 was £220 plus £50 for mates time removing and refitting (no VAT). Going to be way more than that now.

don't forget to get the clucth checked and if necessary replaced whilst the box is out.

Whilst mine was apart we replaced the clutch. Used a Valeo or LUK 3 part kit, not too expensive but good quality. Seemed sensible after all the towing the car had done. But looking at the driven plate it might not have been necessary, after 100,000 miles it still had plenty of wear left, seem to remember that when compared to the original it was about 1/2 worn. Chap at work with a Vento GTi paid the same for a new clutch at the VW dealer as I paid for the gearbox and clutch at the mates.

Just a shame the mate has now closed his doors and only looks after a few customer track cars from a nice big workshop on his garden.

We had the gearbox or our Panda rebuilt by a local specialist about 5ish years ago as there was a bad bearing noise. He did a fabulous job and it's still going strong. Including labour, a new clutch & replacement of all parts within the bellhousing such a clutch fork all in it was about £600 inc labour.

(Cue Robert Morley "They are an absolute shower" gin-sodden expatriate routine) ...

Sounds more like Terry-Thomas ? :-)