Golf won't go into reverse!!!

hello,
I'm new to this group and just wanted to find out something about my
VW golf TD (P reg, 1996) which is bugging me; it does not seem to want
to engage in reverse gear.

it is a normal manual car and i put it in where 'reverse' normally is
(as i have done for the past 2 years of owning it) and it behaves as
though it is in first and moves forwards when i press on the
accelerator, any ideas what on earth may be going on? However hard i
try to push down and to the left with the gear stick toget it into
where reverse would normally be it still will not engage, although for
some reason last night it randomly chose to go into reverse and then
refused to do so again today.

is this going to be a big job? are we talking new gear box? is it me
and am I doing something stupid with it? it is getting pretty annoying
having to push it backwards out of parking spaces and off the driveway
so would appreciate any helpful and sensible input

cheers Bookie

On 21 Aug, 01:28, Madesio wrote:
> On Mon, 20 Aug 2007 17:05:53 -0700, bookie
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> >hello,
> >I'm new to this group and just wanted to find out something about my
> >VW golf TD (P reg, 1996) which is bugging me; it does not seem to want
> >to engage in reverse gear.
>
> >it is a normal manual car and i put it in where 'reverse' normally is
> >(as i have done for the past 2 years of owning it) and it behaves as
> >though it is in first and moves forwards when i press on the
> >accelerator, any ideas what on earth may be going on? However hard i
> >try to push down and to the left with the gear stick toget it into
> >where reverse would normally be it still will not engage, although for
> >some reason last night it randomly chose to go into reverse and then
> >refused to do so again today.
>
> >is this going to be a big job? are we talking new gear box? is it me
> >and am I doing something stupid with it? it is getting pretty annoying
> >having to push it backwards out of parking spaces and off the driveway
> >so would appreciate any helpful and sensible input
>
> Have your shifter relay shaft, and various bushings along your shift
> linkages inspected and replaced as necessary and your shifter
> re-adjusted. Should do the trick.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

thanks

is this likely to be expensive?