An update from Australia: after the second trip to the dealer, where the mechanic first rode with me driving and heard the noise clearly, I was once again told it was stones and dirt in the plastic protectors etc. But after 30 kilometers it was just the same. So I checked the drop link ball joints, which seemed fine, but the sway bar bush looked like it had been hit with a hammer. Strange. So I sprayed it (and only it, one variable at a time) with silicone and bingo, the next 1000km, no noise. Back to a local dealer, and now I'm told both sway bar bushings are "prematurely soft" at 20,000km, and I have to wait and see what VW Australia says, ie a new sway bar and bushes, which they say is the listed replacement part, or just new bushes (a one hour job for me, if I used aftermarket ones). It is dragging on a bit for what seems to be a simple job. And don't get me started on the noises in the back, which sound just like dud shock absorber rubbers. That will be next. Good luck out there.