UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

Yes, veteran, my wife's August build VW Polo 1.2TSI 16V does have the type that you can just replace the washer.

My previous May 2000 build VW Passat 4Motion and my wife's previous September 2002 build VW Polo 1.4 16V both had that combined "old" version of sump drain plug - so the plug got dumped when I considered it was time for a new washer - I think that I collected them for a while for ????? and normally just replaced them every 2, or 3, or 4 years depending on the condition/look of the sealing washer surface.

So what goes around comes around and VW Group have gone backwards using that older version of sump plug which is no the newer version!

I'm sure that my older daughter's early 2002 SEAT Ibiza 1.4 8V had a slightly shorter drain plug that had a "free" washer, so replacing just the washer was a possibility, although I just used the newer "plug and washer combo" for my convenience - there was plenty clearance for the extra length of the bolt. I assumed VW Group changed to that longer drain bolt to allow the leading end to be tapered and so a lot easier to fit back into the drain holed in the sump.

Edit:- this discussion is going on in another VW Group owner's forum where a picture of the Febi combo + "newer" plug + "newer" rolled steel crush washer was posted - leading again to confusion, so it looks like Febi also sell the plug and the washer.

The last occasion when I visited the Febi website was way back in late 2017. Other than finding their combined plug-and-washer 15374, I came across a shorter, separate plug 03272 that looked as though it'd fit the Polo if push came to shove. I imagine that that's the one your older daughter's SEAT Ibiza used. I made a note of it at the time. It was 23mm long, as opposed to the combined version 15374 at 30mm. The only problem was that Febi didn't suggest or provide any washer for it, either copper or steel. I eventually found an independent seller of washers on the Web, advertising a size of copper washer that I reckoned would nicely fit that Febi 03272, but at the time I just couldn't seem to get a steel washer of that very size. So I gave up the chase and just bought a few of the Febi combo 15374s; I'd seen the 15374s advertised on Amazon. Well, after all, that's what the VW factory had fitted to my Polo anyway. During later oil changes I was glad of having the combo version, because when undoing it it'd occasionally drop into my oil catchment bowl, disappearing under the very hot, black oil. It's easier to fish out a combo plug than a plug and a lightweight washer!