Author Topic: DSG driving in the snow  (Read 7707 times)

Offline Bullfinch

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DSG driving in the snow
« on: 20 November 2015, 14:51 »
OK - so the chance of being snowed in Berkshire this weekend is less than 0.001% but now I've got my first DSG/Auto car how do you drive it in the snow?  I'm thinking every safety device will activate and you end up going nowhere. 
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Offline peterdoherty

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Re: DSG driving in the snow
« Reply #1 on: 20 November 2015, 15:01 »
I just stick it in manual and keep the revs up!
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Offline Booth11

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Re: DSG driving in the snow
« Reply #2 on: 20 November 2015, 16:19 »
Haha, yeah there's so many safety features to intervene now maybe the car will just confuse itself and spontaneously combust if it encounters UK snow (well the rest of the country does that).  :laugh:

Joking aside, just drive it as you normally would but you might need to put it in manual for the ultimate control, to keep it in a lower gear if you need to negotiate some tricky situations.  In really slippy snow conditions I usually turn off the (ESP) as I find it makes matters much worse in trying to compensate for the conditions.  I've never had any issues with DSG in snow. The only thing that ever let me down in snow (on a previous DSG GTI) was a set of dreadful Bridgestone Tyres that were treacherous!   
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Offline remlapeel

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Re: DSG driving in the snow
« Reply #3 on: 20 November 2015, 17:36 »
I must admit I really want it to snow, I'm interested to see how well the 4Motion works on the R
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Offline GatsbyIII

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Re: DSG driving in the snow
« Reply #4 on: 20 November 2015, 17:47 »
Gah! 4wd show-offs  :cool: :grin:
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Offline Booth11

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Re: DSG driving in the snow
« Reply #5 on: 20 November 2015, 18:28 »
Yeah, bring on the snow. :laugh: ( not had snow for the last 2 winters in this far south eastern corner).  Ha, I actually forgot about the 4WD till remlapeel mentioned it, lol. Really would like to see how the R copes.

I'll be leaving the ESP on on the R.  My comment about turning ESP off on very slippery snow relates to FWD cars - GTI/GTDs.
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Offline itavaltalainen

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Re: DSG driving in the snow
« Reply #6 on: 20 November 2015, 18:41 »
Shift up early, light on the throttle.... no need for low gear unless you go downhill.
If it snows pack on some winters tyres.... ;)

Jeremy Clarkson's 'power' approach does not do well in the snow, unless you're in an AWD and want to drift round corners and have good snow/ice driving skills (>90% of people in the UK don't) :D

I want snow too.... means roads will be clearer because all the girls stay home and I can get on with my job. Plus I love driving in the snow :D
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Offline Eccie

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Re: DSG driving in the snow
« Reply #7 on: 20 November 2015, 19:37 »
4WD will help you get going but you won't help you turn or brake - I'm also wanting snow, it brings out the child in me. It'll be interesting to see how the old git :laugh: gets on with the LSD on the pp (I've got winter tyres on)  :wink:
« Last Edit: 20 November 2015, 19:48 by Eccie »

Offline Booth11

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Re: DSG driving in the snow
« Reply #8 on: 20 November 2015, 19:47 »
4WD will help you get going but you won't be able to turn or brake - I'm also wanting snow, it brings out the child in me. It'll be interesting to see how the old git gets on with the LSD on the pp (I've got winter tyres on)  :wink:

It's the getting it going I want to test out with the 4WD.  Not ever had any problems braking or turning in snow, though on occasion the old GTI struggled going uphill.
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Offline p3asa

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Re: DSG driving in the snow
« Reply #9 on: 20 November 2015, 19:50 »
The 4wd cars round my way are the worst come snow time and we get our fair share just outside Glasgow.
They automatically think because they have a 4wd snow is not an issue. It might get them going but it doesn't help them when they start drifting or try to stop!!
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