My DSG woes!

[Jimble]

Really sorry to hear you're not getting on with DSG Jimble. Sounds like no encouragement from me is gonna change your mind. I love it. But I have just come from 4 years driving a Scirocco with 7 speed DSG.

Little tip for ya:

When using stop/start with Adaptive Cruise Control, once it brings the car to a compete stop, the engine cuts out, you wait until the car in front moves, engine restarts, press the 'RES' button on the steering wheel and the car will start accelerating without touching any pedals. Works a treat

Awesome! Thanks for that mate, i'll give it a go 


Glad your liking it, is it working as well in your GTI as it did in your Roc? I've drven my friends Polo GTI a few times and it seems to suit it a bit better being the 7 speed dry clutch.

[dubber36]

I haven't read through all of this thread, but it took me some time to get used to driving a DSG. Sometimes it does feel a little slow to do what you want it to do, but the reality is, it isn't.

For example, when driving the DSG when your mind says "go", you press the throttle, the box thinks, then changes down, then off you go. That whole process takes x amount of time. In the manual, your mind says "go", you dip the clutch, reach for a gear, come off the clutch, press the throttle, then off you go. From the thought leaving your brain, to the car shooting off, which is fastest? I'd say the DSG even if it doesn't feel it. Maybe because we feel detached from the experience.

I'm sure the same applies when reversing off your drive. You want it to move forward as soon as you have selected D and pressed the throttle. I don't supposed that it takes any longer than it takes you to clutch down, change from reverse to first (whilst still rolling backwards) then wait until you are going sufficiently slowly enough to release the clutch and move forwards.

For most of the time, I just leave it in D and let it do it's thing. The only time I use the paddles is to upshift when overtaking to save the thing reving more than is necessary when the throttle is pinned.

[skippy]

Yes - I agree with Dubber36. We came from a Fiesta ST a few years back and swapped it for a Polo GTI (7 speed DSG).

The DSG seemed slow and very uninvolving initially and it seemed a massive disapointment. However, after a short while I soon got used to it and enjoy driving it.

It does take a while to adapt, having a computer to effectively to predict gear changes for you is probably the reason the car feels slower, but in reality it isnt.

As has been mentioned earlier in the thread, these engines take quite a while to give their best. For example, I also own a manual Scirocco, and that is yielding better fuel consumption at 18K compared to 8K for example. Anything under 5K miles I reckon is going to be short of manufacturer claimed figures dependent on driving style etc.

I was also of the opinion that I wanted to go back to a manual, but I say, stick with it. It does have its little qwirks, but I for one love using it now.

[Jimble]

Thanks for the positive vibes chaps! whatever happens i'll either have it for 6 months or 3-4 years so i'll have plenty of time to get to know it! 

[Phil 117]

Jimple, you've really given me something to think about with this thread.

Being only 19, many people think I'm mad for choosing a DSG as it's perceived as a 'lazy' style of driving.

I spend 20 minutes a day stuck on the M42, so I've chosen it for this reason as daily, this kills me with the constant stop start.

However, I've just found to love them with all sorts of driving. I quite often just go out for a drive. No destination, just giving the car the beans. I've developed this route over time which involves a 12% gradient hill climb and some good empty back roads.

I've since done this route tons of times, in a variety of cars. This take me back to a time a did the route one day in 1.8 Civic, and it was fun. I then did in the same car, but with a CVT gearbox, and I found it just as fun, if not more so.

I'm now just hoping the car will be good with a DSG and not just a lump (I've not even driven one yet  ). Boy are you giving me doubts.

[Jimble]

The best advice i could give mate is to test drive one, like i said earlier i've driven a few different cars with auto boxes including a Polo GTI with DSG and almost always enjoyed them but imo the DSG bix just doesn't suit this car, i know many will and do disagree with that but i just don't like the characteristics of it, i wouldn't want anyone to feel how i'm feeling about my brand new car!

[Mr Savage]

Phil, I agree with Jimble that Drive leaves something to be desired and Sport wants to kill you and the engine.

But and I know this sounds ridiculous the DSG box is fantastic in manual mode using the paddles to change gear. You might think that "why not just buy a manual then" but the DSG gearbox changes gears so much faster than a manual and is very smooth even when using the paddles and the car is fast when driven this way.

Test drive both as I'm a little underwhelmed with DSG this time overall especially since there was so much hype about the performance and it "seeming faster than the acclaimed figures". It doesn't feel much faster tan my GT TDI to be honest and that had 110 less BHP and the same torque.

I'm gonna drive the manual and see how it compares.