Yeah, I've heard some horror stories with DSG boxes over the years. Was yours a wet or dry clutch version, Jonno? Posts on specialist fora suggest most of the trouble occurs with either making a bollix of changing the oil in wet clutch versions - it's imperative that the level is set at a quite specific oil temperature which can only be properly ascertained using main dealer diagnostic equipment or Ross Tech or OBD Eleven. With dry versions changing the oil at all seems to be akin to signing the box's death warrant, the book says it shouldn't be changed and it really shouldn't! In any event the clutch mechanism is a wear and tear item and a damn expensive one as far as my yoke is concerned, described as a twin clutch with one clutch for odd gears and another for even gears... so, I'm hoping that'll be a once in a (vehicle) lifetime operation at most. I think Korky suggested they're good for 300,000 kilos plus - my yoke is unlikely to reach that kilometreage so, if it proves right, I'll be happy!
Why did you buy a VW that's "identical" to the Skoda... surely a Skoda woulda saved you 4 figures?