Can anyone help with a VW Polo 1995 that intermittently just won't start?!?

This car has been a problem since we got it! Not only has it been into the garage on three different occassions in the past 6 months costing around an extra £1500 on repairs. It's had a new engine, a full service and two diagnostic tests which still haven't sorted the problem. The car won't start intermittently every now and again. It revs once and then dies. There is no reason and no one can seem to find any cause. It's had new spark plugs, the battery is fine and we're at the end of the road with Voltswagen. If anyone could help us out here you'd be a lifesaver as we really are to the point after spending nearly £4000 to just get it scrapped and start again. Alternatively if anyone's had similar problems it would be great to hear from you.

Answers:
Vorsprung derk Buggered! sounds like it could be a sensor problem to me.
Well does it start again after dieing?
Most likely to be ignition problem, coil/distributor cap, or intermittent dis wiring.

Suggest replace distributor cap as thats always a good thing to do and theyre cheap. Make sure all connections are sound with no wobble.
Have you had the Immobiliser tested if theres one fitted ? .. These cars also suffer from defective distributor amplifiers which can cause this sort of problem . good luck
I know the fault

Look at the dashboard and if when you turn the key the key symbol goes out it should start, but if it remains on there flashing, its the key reader in your ignition barrel.

Or some other factory immobiliser.

This is about £100 to have changed, and is the usual reason it will not start! I had the same with my Audi.
If it starts and cuts out after 1 second it is an immobilizer fault. if you have a spare key try it the next time it wont start as the chip in 1 key may be faulty. This is a common problem. Alse key chip reader & the immobilizer are the next things to try in that order.
Its probably your key reader at fault this was a known fault on VW Audi of this age .Had the same fault on my Audi which uses the same system.If you remove your steering wheel cover you will see where the key reader plugs into the ignition barrel on mine it was a poor connection causing a high resistance.If this happens your key reader will not recognise your ignition key.i am surprised that your garage did not know this one its so common also if you plug in to your diagnostic port it should have recorded a code fault.Do not despair dont scrap it you have a decent car.Hope this helps Regards Mick.
had one been where you are turned out to be water getting into the petrol tank great cars cars when you get them right dont give up on it yet
I had the same problem on an early polo few years back. Changed everything including the petrol tank. In the end found out it was the fuel pump. They are run off the camshaft which hits a rubber diaphragm causing a vacuum to suck petrol up the pipes. These diaphragms can eventually have pinholes in them causing lack of suction. I changed to an electric pump, and it ran fine after that.
bad1. new e .n.g £1500 get some 1 who no,s what ther doing. likely to be ignition probleme.defective distributor sensor problemkey reader in your ignition barrel.icu tested if theres one fitted

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