What have you done to your mk8 today?

[Exonian]

Yeah, I really don’t think a pedalbox would be the complete cure. I’d have been all over one by now having used versions of them for around 12 years.
The mk8 doesn’t seem to have quite as much throttle lag as the mk7, but as Watts says, even with the Pedalbox the TCR gearbox is far from perfect.
I did find the TCR was much better as regards to throttle response per se than any other variant of mk7 I ever drove (which is quite a few). I think the TCR was the closest in feel to the mk8 GTI models, coming right at the end of the model cycle and therefore benefitting from the chassis development that was ongoing in readiness for the mk8.
I did the same roads in the last 24 hours as the previous day but this time the road was much freer of traffic and I had no fog to contend with today either. Driving slightly more aggressively the gearbox felt a little better, flicking the gear toggle into S when entering roundabouts or junctions (not as easy as having an actual gear lever that can be grasped easily, instead having to fumble slightly when feeling for the gear nugget) it can be coaxed into changing up at 3000rpm rather than hunting for the red line or trying to be in top gear by the time the wheels have rotated a couple times.

Incidentally, I can’t remember if I said in my car thread but the IQ headlamps do shadow out oncoming vehicles fractionally quicker than the 7.5 LED’s and I’ve yet to be flashed.

[Snoopy]

So long as it had an adequate clutch (and decent gear change) the Clubsport would have been fantastic  in manual form.
The R is always going to accelerate MUCH faster under ideal conditions so a more engaging poor relation to that car with a manual box would have been nice. The manual 245 GTI doesn’t quite have the rev band to be missing link.

I'll admit I waited for a mk8 in hope of a more practical useable daily version of the old ClubsportS.

[GTD1414]

That looks great. Black mirror caps too would set it off as said already. Did the roof affect your insurance?

Insurance company has charged me nothing for changing the wheels or the roof. Probably because I said they were done when I took the policy out(they weren’t but I new I’d do them)so I guess they charged me right from the start.

Which insurance company if you mind me asking? I'm about to renew mine but might change the standard 18" wheels down the line. (keeping the same tyres) Are there any companies to avoid re this?

[Dave1rs]

That looks great. Black mirror caps too would set it off as said already. Did the roof affect your insurance?

Insurance company has charged me nothing for changing the wheels or the roof. Probably because I said they were done when I took the policy out(they weren’t but I new I’d do them)so I guess they charged me right from the start.

Quote me happy for my insurance (it’s aviva really)

Which insurance company if you mind me asking? I'm about to renew mine but might change the standard 18" wheels down the line. (keeping the same tyres) Are there any companies to avoid re this?

[Yusee]

all models with a GTI badge should have a manual option.

Agree with this completely.

It's an interesting discussion. I wonder if it's a question of mindset?
Enthusiasts, coming mainly from a lifetime of manual cars are happy to delegate the task of gear change to a computer- because the computer does it better and quicker ( and anyway that's the way things are going)- and who are then frustrated that the computer frequently makes the wrong decision.

Surely, in comfort, you want the box to change up to the highest gear possible as early as possible. And in sport, you want the box to hold revs so you're in the power band for as long as possible? And why not use the paddles if you feel the box has got it wrong for the conditions, or for your driving style, or you want something in-between?

Are you looking for more control than the computer will allow?

Reading this thread, I don't think I'd buy a Clubsport. I'd buy a 245 manual ( and possible add stage 1 if I felt it lacking) if I wanted a car to enjoy driving, or I'd buy something else ( bmw3 for example) if comfort and ease of use were a priority.

And lastly, I don't remember similar complaints with the mk7 dsg, or did I miss that?

[SRGTD]

That looks great. Black mirror caps too would set it off as said already. Did the roof affect your insurance?

Insurance company has charged me nothing for changing the wheels or the roof. Probably because I said they were done when I took the policy out(they weren’t but I new I’d do them)so I guess they charged me right from the start.

Which insurance company if you mind me asking? I'm about to renew mine but might change the standard 18" wheels down the line. (keeping the same tyres) Are there any companies to avoid re this?

You could use a comparison site and get quotes with no modifications and then edit the quote details to include wheels as a modification. By comparing the original and amended quote results, you’ll be able to see which insurance companies don’t make a charge for the alloy wheel change, those that do and the amount they charge.

[Exonian]

I don't remember similar complaints with the mk7 dsg, or did I miss that?

The complaints have been there since the mk5 days.
99.9% of DSG adopters have always said they’d never go back to a stick shift and that it’s the best thing ever.
There are a small minority that don’t gel with it.
Must be a driving style thing.
Same for throttle response.
I’m very exacting in what I want from a car, it’s all about quick reflexes and feeling like the car is an extension of me rather than outright speed or comfort.
There are things DSG does very well and things it doesn’t. The latter being annoying because they could easily be done better.
People have been saying the TCU needs a middle setting for as long as I can remember and maybe a TCU tune is the only option.

As you say, paddles are probably the answer but they shouldn’t have to be.


Anyway, I’ve moaned about it more than enough now.

[fredgroves]

I've just been back to the user guide and just noticed it says that when you are in D mode and activate a manual gear change with the paddles its 5 seconds before it goes back to auto.

In S mode, tiptronic is active until you use the right paddle to turn it off (hold it for a few seconds) or toggle the chicken nugget to D. I didn't know you could actually keep it turned on like that...

It also says that in S-tiptronic mode it will upshift automatically near the redline and that down shift orders will only be obeyed once the revs drop low enough to allow the change (ie you can't put it into second at 70mph!)

[ub7rm]

I don't know if its the same on the mk8 but in other vag cars if you hold the left paddle in for a few seconds (in any driving mode) it will downshift to the lowest possible gear.  Similar to kickdown I guess but controlled by your hand rather than your foot. 

[fredgroves]

Yes it says:

Pull the left paddle towards the steering wheel and hold to change to the lowest gear. The gear selection display then changes to D