Easily slipping into reverse is almost definitely a worn gearstick housing under the car, straight forward to do but fiddly. It is possible to do it without dropping the centre exhaust box, but easier if you do
You can still get the repair kit from VW, part number is 191 798 116A. I would recommend you get the genuine kit, this isn't a job you want to be doing twice!.
1. Remove the gearstick gaitor & centre console to give you more room to work
2. Undo the 2 10mm nuts either side of the gearstick.
Now get under the car
3. Remove the exhaust centre heat shield by removing the 6 nuts/clips holding it on, then rotate it round the exhaust an off the car
4. Shove the housing up into the car, it is only held in by gravity & grease at this point
5. Remove 4 13mm nuts holding the plate
6. Now get back in the car, pull up on the stick and push down on the plate you have just undone
7. Next Jiggle the housing about untill you can get it out
8. If the ball looks like it is worn you can remove it, I didn't bother as it looked OK. Its tricky, you need to press the ball upwards while someone holds the gearlever down, then you need to remove the split pin. Not an easy task!
9. Refitting is the reverse of removal
As for general vague shifting, this will most likely be wear in the bushes (buy the repair kit from
http://www.gsfcarparts.com) and/or a missing relay shaft ball. You cannot get the relay shaft ball seperately from VW/GSF, but it can be bought from MissingLinkz (
http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/ForSale/ShiftLinkage.shtml). The other option is to find a MK2 or rod change MK3 in a scrappy and nick one
Note: The MK3 relay shaft is different to the MK2 one but the bush is a direct swap. While you're there have the weighted shift rod too as said
