Thanks very much for the positive comments. I’m humbled. I really wasn’t expecting any especially as I threw in a load of tongue in cheek quips at all the models, and DSG gearboxes.
And thanks CHB for bringing the expected backlash. Someone had to be first.
I also had an earlier PM saying I was being anti DSG R.
As I said in my opening, my experiences are probably irrelevant to most people and just my own opinions with a lot of tongue in cheek comments thrown in to liven up a potentially dull post.
I was taken to task about being negative about those getting a fuel allowance. That’s not correct. Maybe I came across wrong. I was just stating my opinion that if someone is paying for your fuel you won’t necessarily have the same attitude as a private motorist on a tight budget. Everyone’s circumstances are different and some will happily trade extra cost for extra performance (myself included). It’s a simple fact of science that to get 300 PS out of a 2.0 engine it’s going to take more fuel than getting 230 PS. Those that want a trade off between running costs and a still perfectly good handling and decently quick, very well equipped car have the option of a GTI.
To CHB:
I’m not anti DSG.
I enjoy the control a manual gearbox gives me and I don’t give a toss about a few seconds here and there. I don’t race super cars on the public roads.
7 gears are ridiculously excessive for a high torque engine in a country with a 70mph speed limit.
I don’t overtake cars randomly unless they’re dawdling or driving erratically. Chances are you overtake one car doing 58 mph on a NSL 60 stretch and a quarter of a mile later you’ll be on your brakes slowing for another 58 mph car. I save my motoring kicks for late at night and very early in the morning when everyone else is in bed (shift worker) and choose to just run with the herd to save stress, wear and tear and fuel during the heavy traffic hours. Yeah, I’m getting old.
Why did I modify my R? Because I felt it lacked a bit of mid range torque. Once modified I rarely took it over 4000 rpm as beyond that it was generally in licence losing territory. How much power and how many gears do you really need in the UK?
I have always tuned my turbo cars (current one excepted) to give me more mid range torque for a smoother and more flexible drive so I can cover ground without resorting to a full on aerobic excercise with the controls.
I’d say the opposite. DSG for track where you’re in PlayStation mode wanting nanosecond gear changes going sequentially up and down the box one gear at a time, and manual for a road car that doesn’t sit in traffic jams all day long. Manual allows block changes for smooth progress and clutch dumps to get you out of unexpected trouble. I’d rather rely on myself and not just electronic nanny systems. A mixture of both is lovely!
If anyone wants to sponsor me to use a DSG for a fortnight I’ll happily use it, immerse myself in it, write up a full report and put my money where my mouth is next time I buy a car.
Convert me to DSG if it’s really that good and I’ll happily shell out another £1400 next time I change my car.
One last point from a long paragraph I deleted from my post during editing.
When I sold my GTI PP I didn’t particularly miss it when I switched to the R.
When I sold the R I immediately regretted it hugely. That car really got under my skin and I didn’t realise it until it was gone.
I think that’ll do from me in this thread.
Thanks again for all the feedback, positive comments and arse kickings.
