GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: rocketfuel on 10 February 2014, 08:31
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(Cross posted from vw chat).
About to order a new gti (hooray!) and keen to hear advice of others that have driven cars with & without the optional £800 adaptive chassis control. I would only really be interested if it made significant difference in smooth comfy ride.... Presume it won't increase resale value? Thanks for any help
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I have it, but to be honest I wouldn't have it again. Other than the noise, I barely notice a difference between the modes.
Admittedly I haven't driven it hard yet as still letting it bed in, but there are options of spend that money on before hand: keyless, sport and sound park assist etc.
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On the test drive I could tell a big difference in ride quality to be honest. I had it on my Passat CC and thought it was excellent so it was the first option box I ticked.
I'm yet to take delivery of my car so I can't give a well informed view of the GTI (A 20min test drive around Liverpool Town Centre is hardly the optimum place to test it properly!) but I do think it would be worth it.
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I've heard a lot of people saying it makes a huge difference, but have not experienced it myself. I ended up adding it to the car because on the PCP it didn't make a huge difference to the price because of what it added to the GFV. It costs me the same as the winter pack and keyless entry. Admittedly that is on an R.
Also, having spoken to people I currently have two slipped discs and the comfort mode is a must for that, plus the 19" alloys mean it helps (if I decide to add them).
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Much like DynAudio this is a hugely debated topic! I personally am very glad I have it.
Lots of opinions here: http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=262045.0 (http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=262045.0)
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I've got it, and you can tell a difference - sport is really hard and comfort is what I would consider fairly normal in an average car. I think it has improved the longer I've had it, but comfort is still not what I would actually call comfortable - I was expecting something that felt kinda cushy and luxurious. Sport setting doesn't (and to be fair, doesn't claim to) make the car any faster to drive; Top Gear got their fastest time in comfort mode.
The only GTI I drove before buying was a non-DCC version, so it's my own fault for not doing a bit more research, but I have to say it's the least impressive bit of the car for the money.
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Hi,
I have it and live on the Isle of Wight which has the most terrible roads. The difference is incredible and in comfort setting the car rides as well as my Mk6 1.4 Match. In Sports mode the suspension really stiffens up and you know about every bump. I would say the decision to have adaptive chassis is down to what the roads are like where you drive. Bearing in mind the roads in this country are getting steadily worse, in my opinion it's a wise investment.
Ian
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Hi,
I have it and live on the Isle of Wight which has the most terrible roads. The difference is incredible and in comfort setting the car rides as well as my Mk6 1.4 Match. In Sports mode the suspension really stiffens up and you know about every bump. I would say the decision to have adaptive chassis is down to what the roads are like where you drive. Bearing in mind the roads in this country are getting steadily worse, in my opinion it's a wise investment.
Ian
I completely agree! The difference between the modes is VERY noticeable. In comfort the ride is very smooth and absorbs all the bumps for a very smooth ride. When going round corners there is slight body roll due to the softer setup. Switching to sport the suspension really hardens up and you can feel every bit of the road! I love it! There is pretty much no body roll at all in sport, it sits very flat round bends. I personally like being able to change between the modes. Sport for the country lane blast, comfort for everyday commuting. I would definitely spec it again on my next car. I find it strange that some people can't feel a difference, to me its very obvious. Even switching modes on a smooth motorway is easily recognisable. Maybe those who can't feel any change should check the transport blocks! :grin: I would say go for it, but obviously the choice is yours; you won't be disappointed and your spending a lot anyway so get the car you want not the one you wish you had!
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I completely agree! The difference between the modes is VERY noticeable. In comfort the ride is very smooth and absorbs all the bumps for a very smooth ride. When going round corners there is slight body roll due to the softer setup. Switching to sport the suspension really hardens up and you can feel every bit of the road! I love it! There is pretty much no body roll at all in sport, it sits very flat round bends. I personally like being able to change between the modes. Sport for the country lane blast, comfort for everyday commuting. I would definitely spec it again on my next car. I find it strange that some people can't feel a difference, to me its very obvious. Even switching modes on a smooth motorway is easily recognisable. Maybe those who can't feel any change should check the transport blocks! :grin: I would say go for it, but obviously the choice is yours; you won't be disappointed and your spending a lot anyway so get the car you want not the one you wish you had!
I did ask the dealer and all he said is 'to be honest I have it in my Sirrocco and I can't really feel that much difference either' so I've accepted it for what it is now, but posts like this make me really paranoid that there's something wrong with my car!
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I have the ACC and I can't tell that much of a difference between normal and comfort mode, though I've only really been doing motorway driving so far. I'm a bit disappointed with it, as some people are saying they can notice a huge change in the ride. Ive checked for the dreaded transport pucks and none were left on the car. I think had I known it would be so subtle I probably would have got the performance pack instead. The thing that worries me is that people say its a massive difference, makes me think mine isn't working correctly. Anyone know of a way to check? Without taking it back to Mr dealer.
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I don't have it on my GTD and did not and still would not pay £800 for it... the standard setup is pretty good.
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I do wonder whether the people that have the most to gain from the ACC/DCC are those that don’t usually go for cars with sports suspension and 18” wheels, and so are more sensitive than others that are used to a firmer ride from cars past. There is also the self-validation of something bought – you don’t like to think that you’ve spent £800 for nowt.
Had it on 2 Sciroccos (standard equipment) and not something I’d choose to pay out for. My Scirocco’s ACC/DCC spent 95% of its time in Sport mode, Comfort mode was for the worst roads in the worst of winter, purely in the hope that if you hit a pothole in comfort mode it would dull the impact enough to avoid sidewall bulges on the tyres or a dented/buckled wheel. In practice that didn’t happen with the first Scirocco – the Dunlop SP01’s seemed to have a propensity to have sidewall bulges from the subtlest of pothole impacts (3 knackered tyres in 1 winter), no such issues with the replacement tyres (Michelins), nor the Pirelli P7s on the 2nd Scirocco.
This winter has been pretty good in my locality for potholes to date. We’ve had no severely cold weather yet, for the 5 mornings I have had a frozen windscreen, the temp has barely been below zero. Without water freezing in cracks and expanding in the process, potholes generally don’t happen.
The standard MK7 ride is superb next to MK5 (very crashy, and on only 17” rubber) and MK6, I don’t see the need for it myself.
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The standard MK7 ride is superb next to MK5 (very crashy, and on only 17” rubber) and MK6, I don’t see the need for it myself.
This leads us back to the debate over which mode on DCC cars equates to the standard GTI ride (i.e. non-DCC).
Does Normal = Normal on both? In which case we DCC'ers get an even firmer ride on sport if we want it.
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The standard MK7 ride is superb next to MK5 (very crashy, and on only 17” rubber) and MK6, I don’t see the need for it myself.
This leads us back to the debate over which mode on DCC cars equates to the standard GTI ride (i.e. non-DCC).
Does Normal = Normal on both? In which case we DCC'ers get an even firmer ride on sport if we want it.
I would say normal is a little softer than the standard GTI setup and sports a little harder.
On the pothole issue. Where I live the roads are collapsing with big steps in them, some as much as 2/3 inches, massive holes, and all the drain covers have sunk etc etc so without DCC I would be cursing the ride in the GTI.
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This leads us back to the debate over which mode on DCC cars equates to the standard GTI ride (i.e. non-DCC).
Does Normal = Normal on both? In which case we DCC'ers get an even firmer ride on sport if we want it.
And firmer is better?
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There is a noticable difference between modes.
It is a real mood option depending on your driving style/requirements at any given time.
Monday morning commute in comfort or Sunday afternoon blast in sport. Passengers always say they can tell the difference.
Is it worth the money? To me, yes, first option I ticked.
Others have said they can't tell the difference between modes in which case its a waste of money for them so I'd go for a test drive first and see for yourself.
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I'd go for a test drive first and see for yourself.
This should always be the advice to take. Get a test drive in an ACC/DCC equipped car. The best judge of whether something is worth £800 to you is for you to appraise it. I would do this with any option you are unsure about spending the money on. Options are expensive, retain very little money and will significantly increase your monthly payments as a result - be sure you'll get your money's worth from yours.
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A test drive is the only way to tell as everyone will have their own opinion. I had the system on both my Siroccos and I never considered it for the GTI. The normal ride is fine for me and very refined.
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Maybe I'm proper daft, but I went for the PP, but not the ACC. I was used to the very firm ride in my old Honda Civic, felt every bump, so the GTi on 18's in Normal feels much more comfortable anyway. :smiley:
So the only options I have on the Car mode is Normal, Sport, Eco and Individual. Got to be honest, I'm still running mine in, and driving it in Normal all the time, apart from a squirt in Sport mode, which didn't feel much different, except exhaust sounded noisier? And I don't like Eco, it turns stuff off! :angry:
So I didn't think it was worth the additional £800. But at the end of the day, it's up to you. If you like your ride extra comfortable squishy/sporty stiff, and being able to choose between, then go for it.
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The systems in the old scirocco and the new mk7 are different so no real comparison can be made. The only comparison is a mk7 with dcc and a one without. Dcc gives you the option of changing the comfort of the ride of a journey your on. It's all personal preference and the only person who knows is the person ticking the option box.
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Really glad to have acc/dcc, as others have said good if you commute in the car and are spending a while following slow people it helps make the car more chilled out when U need it and more sporty when U want it!
Pretty noticeable difference between the modes imho
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Yes, worth it based on my driving style and I have also got the 19" Santiago's :)
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This is a second version of the DCC which is active all the time no matter the mode and any comparisons to those who have had previously on Scirroco have to take that into consideration as it is a different system.
Had S Line suspension Quattro for 5 + years on 18 inch rims and as much as loved the on rails feeling that was getting the hard ride totally took out any enjoyment I was getting given state of the vast majority of roads was travelling on and particularly locally.
So maybe as knee jerk and not taking any chances I went for DCC and it is a revelation and like someone said there is noticeable difference between the modes.
Comfort is perfect for local driving where I am hardly in any position to push the GTD and where having a permanent sport ride has no benefit at all. It is total comfort the smoothest of rides even over quite pitted roads and do not be thinking you lose any ability to push it, as it still is more than decent in this mode as the Stig testified in his Top Gear test, you lose nothing in reality.
Wife has had prolapsed disc and cussed the S Line repeatedly but with ride, lumbar and heated seats it's actually made a difference to her health as she no longer gets out of the car with any discomfort.
But when hit some roads where like to push it the Sport button does noticeably make car stiffer, steering tighter and throttle sharper and it is more the tightening of the steering that is of the main benefit as it can be a little loose in normal.
My question has always been is the Sport set up the same in a GTI/GTD without any active suspension? I doubt it as the DCC is active all the time so it must still be making a difference over a GTI/GTD set up without any assistance?
You adjust to what you have and I am sure the GTI/GTD is far better than my S Line in standard set up but I could not be happier with the DCC it allows me to have real comfort where I want it and low and rigid ride would have no benefit but it also turns into a car more like my S Line was at a press of a button.
Think the only way anyone can judge though is to go try themselves on an extended ride as its still highly subjective due to everyones different previous experiences.
With or without you getting a great car - 4k miles now and just a joy to drive now loosened up