Manual or DSG?

[Rolfe]

I would doubt if anyone is buying the DSG for economy.  I'm buying it because I think I'll like it, and hoping I don't pay for it with too much of a decrease in economy.

Of course, specifying it instead of the leather seats, makes me £460 up on the deal at the start! 

Rolfe.

[howlingmoon]

I don't think my driving is especially fuel-inefficient, but I have a bad habit of going quickly up into 6th and staying there, even going uphill and overtaking.  The Peugeot pulls pretty well whichever gear you're in so it's forgiving of that.  But I should definitely change down more.

When I test drove the manual GTI a few weeks ago, there is an indicator on which gear (most efficient) I should be on and this is located at the top mid-section of the speedometer. What amazes me is that it constantly suggested that I should be on the 6th gear even at 50km/h...

Rolfe, I think we are all guilty of being lazy when driving a manual once in awhile. The DSG will help you drive more efficiently. I got the manual because I want my driving to be an engaging one. I currently drive an automatic BMW 5 series and I miss the feel of being in control with a manual especially driving in winding and hilly roads.  

HM  

[Rolfe]

According to that indicator, I'm already doing it right then?   

I expect I'll only know once I've driven the thing a bit, but I'm hoping to be in the right gear going up hills without having to take a hand of the steering wheel and a bit of my brain from the road.  You know what they say about multi-tasking thinking as you get older....

I drove an ordinary automatic (at least I think it was ordinary) for a day in the USA last year and liked it - though I have to say I didn't do anything especially demanding.  I'm looking forward to getting used to it and losing the reflec to hit the clutch.  (When I was having my GTi test drive I inadvertently tested its emergency stop by hitting the brake hard with my left foot....  )

Rolfe.

[Jkctr]

Lets try a little ewxperiment..

Change down from 6th to 2nd using your dsg and i will do the same... whos quicker now?? 

For the dsg to get from 6th to 2nd it does still have to go down through each gear . I would go straight from 6th to 2nd

You have to change down through though (travel the stick from 6th to 2nd and depress and release the clutch) The dsg will just drop straight down. I could also hit the peddle 4 times which woul dbe quicker than you moving the stick.
It changes quicker than the ferrari F430's box mate! DSG is silly fast!

(hate it when it quotes you without the /quote bit at the end!!)

[howlingmoon]

 I agree, that with the 32 the low down torque always means it settles into 6th very quickly. But in every day driving if you want to go a little faster it always wants to drop a couple of cogs too many.

For the dsg to get from 6th to 2nd it does still have to go down through each gear . I would go straight from 6th to 2nd
[/quote]

I agree with you... 

HM

[keelaw]

I currently drive an automatic BMW 5 series and I miss the feel of being in control with a manual especially driving in winding and hilly roads.  

HM  

fully agree.  i had a 530i auto and i actually had more fun in my wife's manual aygo!  hence manual for me in the gti

[Jkctr]

You cant compare a BMW auto against the twin clutch semi-aut DSG box on the GTI 

[carl1]

as impressive as the dsg is at fast changes what can isay but it all feels Numb

[Jkctr]

Fair enough.

I will put money on you not using manual properly though 

[howlingmoon]

You cant compare a BMW auto against the twin clutch semi-aut DSG box on the GTI 

I was not comparing the performance of the automatic transmission of the BMW and the DSG on the Golf GTI. I was comparing the feeling of driving a manual over an automatic transmission. No matter the fact that the DSG has the manual option (via paddles or shifting with the stick), it still lacks the sense of engagement when one drives with the clutch and shifting the gear manually. The sensation of feeling involved in the manual drive cannot be compared to just flicking a paddle and say that its also engaging...

In any case, this is subjective and all of us can argue/discuss which is a better feel till the end of days and still reach no conclusions... ha ha ha