Whereas the Cordoba was built like a tank - not even that much rust at 19 years old and that old VE series 1.9 tdi, forerunner to the PD, would have gone on for ever - I'm really not viewing the
Ibiza in the same terms. There have been many weight saving exercises undertaken on engine components (take a look at the small end of the con rods, looks too "shaved down" to me) and I don't like the reduced bearing sizes on the bottom end either. There's so much complication (variable flow oil pump, two water pumps - the belt on the main water pump back of cylinder head looks pretty flimsy. I'll be having that changed when the cam belt is done - electric vacuum pump, etc, etc. I also don't have much faith in the gearbox which sounds like a bag of old nails to me - I know, they all sound like that.
Then there's the Low Speed Pre ignition thing which, apparently, plagues all direct injection engines to some extent. I believe ours are one of the better designs in this respect. The pre ignition
problem can be addressed to some extent by running high octane fuel (Shell do a highly acclaimed version, but why produce a "cooking runabout" that needs "supercar expensive" fuel?) Then you need to think about induction carbon fouling and the likelihood of injector nozzle fouling (the injectors are, I believe, much more expensive than the old port mounted type and live in a much more hostile environment inside the cylinders). Better stop at that before I depress myself too much!
I have the same
problem as you with the steering wheel buttons and especially that little scrolling wheel. I like to monitor oil temperature until it warms up to around 80 degrees then I watch coolant temperature most of the time. Quite often I find the display is not even showing this parameter group!
I think you are absolutely right about the inherent road noise. The Cordoba, despite it's "old school" diesel, was much quieter. I suspect the suspension bushes, including strut top mounts, are at the root of the
problem and so not easily rectified. Compared to the Cordoba, the
Ibiza lurches and crashes it's way over the road surface and if you fail to avoid one of the many potholes you are subject to a terrific crashing noise and the whole car shakes in a way the Cordoba never did. The front tyres, now a few months short of 4 years old, are showing quite a bit of wear and minor cracking in the grooves, good, I'll soon have an excuse to change them for something more to my liking.