I'd be interested in the opinions of other owners with the ASG gearbox.

 

We took delivery of a Citigo Elegance ASG (75PS) a couple of weeks ago and we're trying to figure out if we are just expecting too much (having got used to an Octavia DSG) or whether its somewhere between shockingly bad and faulty.

 

We used to own a Smart lurchmatic a few changes ago and were assured by the Skoda dealer that the ASG was no lurch-matic but unfortunately we couldn't get a test drive in one. Having taken the dealer at their word (because the customer service on our Octavia purchase was superb), on delivery the car is clearly a worse lurcher than the Smart!! We immediately went back to the dealer but were confronted with a shrug and a £4.5K penalty to change to something else if we wanted to! Based on the fact that there is nothing wrong with the car (according to them).

 

I find the ASG is slow to react when it needs to be nippy such as pulling into a roundabout, or turning right out of a junction onto a busy main road. I'm not expecting VRS performance but it at least needs to make up its mind what gear needs to be selected. The dead spots are horrendous whilst it sorts itself out. If the car encounters a hill, the gear selection choice in the ASG goes into overdrive and its up and down all over the place slowing dramatically in the process.

 

The car has been back to the dealer and declared as nothing wrong but the problem is that the dealer is out in the country and never experiences the cut and thrust of a city rush hour so their test drive is effectively a leisurely drive in the country.

 

I'd love to hear what other ASG owners think of the auto selection under the pressure of a busy city rush hour.

 

Does the selection improve with miles?

Is there a way to check ECU software versions or other areas to check to see if updates are needed

Does anyone literally dread getting into the car cause it simply can't be trusted to move when commanded to do so via the throttle.

 

We're no boy racers but the phrase "fit for purpose" is coming to mind.

 

Is there a way to access Skoda directly with complaints like this since we can't seem to get past the dealer.

Although I will have some choice words for the Skoda customer service follow up call which must be due soon.

 

 

Sorry to hear about this. Why do they want to charge you £4.5K to change to another car?

I would contact Skoda UK direct and cut out the dealer.

Good luck.

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk.

Sorry to hear about this. Why do they want to charge you £4.5K to change to another car?

I would contact Skoda UK direct and cut out the dealer.

Good luck.

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk.

 

Based on the initial notion that we simply just didn't like the way the car worked we asked the dealer to come up with options. One option was to look at a Fabia (one of the new £8995 offer ones) . The revised finance deal included a charge for £4.5K to account for the immediate loss of value having registered the car and driven it off the forecourt. It even took quite a bit of effort just to get that info from them. The car had 150 miles on the clock at that stage.

 

Don't get me wrong - we love the car in every other way its just that confidence in the normal delivery of power when needed is low.

Edited 16 October, 201312 yr by mikecro

If the ASG changes gear anywhere close to the gear-change indicator on the manual then I suspect the ASG is terrible.

I have tried driving according to the indicator on my manual Citigo, but the indcator makes all the wrong choices - just as you describe for the ASG.

 

Uphills are the worst - It constantly wants me to be in a too high gear, which of course makes the car struggle and slow down. Then, once the speed falls it advise on a lower gear, but as soon as the car speeds up it wants me to change up again - which of course makes the car struggle once again. Just silly.

I have never been that comfortable with smaller engines and auto boxes.

A more powerful engine has the torque to mask the inevitable mistakes these systems make.

They don't read the road ahead or anticipate the need to stay in a lower gear, so gear choices will tend to be sub-optimal on anything other than straight roads.

 deal included a charge for £4.5K to account for the immediate loss of value having registered the car and driven it off the forecourt.

 

 

 

   I have had 2 Smarts a petrol and a diesel,and have found the auto box on both perfectly ok.Infact on the diesel its as smooth as silk. The trick is not to rush it,and take it nice and easy.  I am sure its the same with the Citigo ASG.

 

              I had to laugh at the £4500 loss of value. This is what i have been saying about pre reg cars that dealers offer. They knock off £200 - £500 and people think they are getting  a bargain,when infact the dealer is laughing all the way to the bank,with the fantastic profit he has made,and thats without taking into account the money he has made from his dealer bonus in selling the car in the first place.

 

 

Have you tried using manual shifts in busy traffic etc? Since the box can't anticipate what's coming but you can it might just help.

 

Phil

Its pretty dire compared to the vag group DSG boxes. SIlly question but didnt the test drive show up the same issues you are now experiencing? If not then you must have a fault surely? Having said that, since the day of launch most of the car reviews of the ASG box have been extremely negative with points that you raise above, mentioned.

Its pretty dire compared to the vag group DSG boxes. SIlly question but didnt the test drive show up the same issues you are now experiencing? If not then you must have a fault surely? Having said that, since the day of launch most of the car reviews of the ASG box have been extremely negative with points that you raise above, mentioned.

 

He couldn't test drive one. I assume due to the lack of availability of one to test.

 

Phil

Sorry not to be in the pity park, but why did you not try one (if not a Skoda, then the Seat or VW version?) before buying?  I wouldn't dream of forking out 10k or so on a car without trying one first.  Wasted too much money in the past for the wife on "that looks pretty - I'll have that" then it never gets driven because she doesn't like it.

 

Uphills and roundabouts do confuse the ASG as it automatically plays the economy card, changing down at the last possible moment.  My wife just drives more cautious than I do; I just give the lever a forward/backwards flick to manually override it (junctions, roundabouts, the long uphill by us which always confuses it), then a sideways flick to put it back into auto mode after the situation has passed.  It also can't see what you're going to do - if you're slowing it WILL assume you're going to stop, not that you're slowing down for the gap to get onto the roundabout.

 

A DSG it isn't - but we've had a Smart (Roadster) and it is better than the Smart gearbox to my mind.  A friend of ours who has a cdi ForTwo reckons our Citigo is a much better drive than hers.  Compare the ASG to a DSG and you'll be disappointed.  Compare it to other automated single clutch manuals and it's up there with the best IMHO in that size bracket.

He couldn't test drive one. I assume due to the lack of availability of one to test.

 

Phil

Ahh, I missed that, sorry. Then perhaps compare to another ASG CityGo?

..or a Mii or an Up! given they are mechanically identical...

Sorry not to be in the pity park, but why did you not try one (if not a Skoda, then the Seat or VW version?) before buying?  I wouldn't dream of forking out 10k or so on a car without trying one first.  Wasted too much money in the past for the wife on "that looks pretty - I'll have that" then it never gets driven because she doesn't like it.

 

Uphills and roundabouts do confuse the ASG as it automatically plays the economy card, changing down at the last possible moment.  My wife just drives more cautious than I do; I just give the lever a forward/backwards flick to manually override it (junctions, roundabouts, the long uphill by us which always confuses it), then a sideways flick to put it back into auto mode after the situation has passed.  It also can't see what you're going to do - if you're slowing it WILL assume you're going to stop, not that you're slowing down for the gap to get onto the roundabout.

 

A DSG it isn't - but we've had a Smart (Roadster) and it is better than the Smart gearbox to my mind.  A friend of ours who has a cdi ForTwo reckons our Citigo is a much better drive than hers.  Compare the ASG to a DSG and you'll be disappointed.  Compare it to other automated single clutch manuals and it's up there with the best IMHO in that size bracket.

 

 

Not familiar with the expression "pity park" (had a check on Google, as you do, and would gather it's a little phrase enjoyed in the USA....no surprise there then).  Still trying to avoid the ubiquitous "Ball Park".

 

When I wanted to try the ASG there was, indeed, a distinct shortage.  A shrug of the shoulders and little else.  I didn't buy one at that point.  When they did become more common I drove one and didn't like it for all the reasons the OP has now discovered.  And so, in truth, Mike shouldn't have bought one unseen.  But is he the only man in the world to have made a mistake like trusting VAG to release a product that most reasonable and sensible people would find acceptable and does the job it was designed for? 

 

Clearly philhoward has bought cars that he shouldn't have and which, most regrettably, didn't get used.....so he knows what Mike feels like (in fact it sounds like phil's purchases were bought without much detailed investigation at all...and he's learned from that). Maybe a bit of sympathy for him might be in order given that you've been there and know what it's like to buy the wrong thing?  We all make mistakes.   I bought my Yeti DSG having not driven one (I was a passenger in a DSG Roomster for about half a mile though...if that counts as any sort of test).  I trusted VAG to produce a box fit for purpose and I read some reviews beforehand and looked on this site and I guess I was lucky in that I liked the thing. Mike assumed that VAG wouldn't produce a device which requires the user to drive with anticipation of what it might or might not do and requires that you drive it in manual mode at times to achieve any sort of safe progress...which, in reality, is how I understand it to be from what some/many users report. 

 

My Mrs. likes automatics because you don't have to change gear.....I  feel that's the point..... you don't HAVE to change gear manually.  But I gather, from what I'm reading here, that you really do NEED to intervene with an ASG in order to drive safely and satisfactorily and I suppose that's what the OP is saying.  Everyone is saying that all the single clutch automated manuals are the same...and I've no cause to agree or disagree having only driven just one of them (the Honda i-shift, which was horrendous).  But I have driven plenty conventional TC boxes and CVT boxes as well as the DSG box and the aforementioned dreadful Honda i-shift and can't work out why they keep producing these ASG type affairs which few people apparently like.  If VAG's DSG and Toyota's CVT are apparently/theoretically the economical option then is it not possible to produce a decent option for the Citigo/Up? 

 

Condolences to Mike and hope you either get to like it or manage to fund it's disposal and replacement with something you'll like.  I see the all new Hyundai i10 is due very soon and is receiving glowing early reports.

we have a box like this on our fiat ambulances, and I never use them in auto as they are horrible, I always change gear manually, and then they are no slower, and no worse than a car with a manual gearbox, you simply dont have to use your left foot, just tap the lever...

 

I appreciate you wanted an Automatic, but these things are really just automated manuals....

 

edit: shame you are over your 14 days, all agreements have a 14 day cooling off period on them.........

Clearly philhoward has bought cars that he shouldn't have and which, most regrettably, didn't get used.....so he knows what Mike feels like (in fact it sounds like phil's purchases were bought without much detailed investigation at all...and he's learned from that). Maybe a bit of sympathy for him might be in order given that you've been there and know what it's like to buy the wrong thing?  We all make mistakes.

 

Yep - although they weren't in the price league of a new Citigo but when we are talking 1k-2k cars, so no great loss (certainly not a possible 4.5k) if after 3 months it was "move it on" time - at that sort of price bracket, you don't lose anything, if at all.

 

For that reason, Mrs.H was told she MUST drive it to check she likes it and can get on with it.  The list gets rather long over the years - Jag XJ-S (bonnet length an issue when driving it), Smart Roadster (couldn't see to reverse - she never tried on the road test), Range Rover (too big and too high).

 

Apologies - I figured my agreement was implied for the "try before you buy".  I was trying to think of another phrase aside from an Americanism.  Whilst its obviously a shame for Mike being disappointed with the ASG performance, I'm afraid that if he was that disappointed, he has no-one to blame but himself for not trying one.  Sadly, it's now at the "I've changed my mind" stage which financially is a bad place to be in.  If you don't try something before you buy and then hate, I'm afraid no-one to blame but yourself.  Harsh?  Maybe.  Truthful, yes.

 

I had (inadvertently, as it happened) already tried a DSG a while back before plumping for my first DSG equipped car (Scirocco), but still tried another beforehand (albeit an A3).  Having tried a Toyota automated manual some years back (blooming awful), there are some awful ones out there IMHO.

 

Not many salesmen would honestly say the ASG is terrible (even if they think it); ours did state that it isn't as good as a DSG and the best way was to try an ASG and see what we thought.  He's hardly going to turn down a sale, is he?  Maybe upsell to another model (Fabia for example)..

I changed from a Smart Fortwo to the Citigo, and having lived with the automated manual gearbox for eighteen months, I certainly didn't want anything similar. I found the automatic program hopelessly mismatched to the engine - far to eager to change up, and very reluctant to change down. I found it so frustrating that I used the manual change all the time. It sounds from what I have read that the ASG is similar in the way it responds.

 

So I didn't consider the ASG, and went for a manual Citigo. I did ask the salesman about it. I got as far as saying "I understand there's an automatic version..." when he replied "Yes, but I've driven several of them, and believe me, you don't want one".

 

Some people obviously find it absolutely fine, but clearly it's important to try before you buy.

Taking a car off the forecourt will loose anyone at least £1500/2000 and probably a lot more on more expensive cars.

I know that because I bought a citigo with 440 miles on the clock yes 440miles and paid approx £1700 less than the 1st owner, I saw the original invoice!

And the dealer still made enough on the deal to say yes, to my offer.

But I did try before I bought and it is a manual.

It is very difficult but think your better off doing the gear stick option around town if the auto is that bad.

Best of luck.

I have been running my ASG Citigo for a week now having previously had a manual Greentech Citigo.  We also have a DSG 140 Yeti and for what it's worth, an elderly Mercedes E-class with traditional torque converter.

 

We have had a 1.2 Roomster DSG, a Smart Fortwo, an M-B A Class with CVT and my son also had a Corsa with automated gearbox and before that a Micro with CVT, so we have had quite a bit of automatic experience.

 

The ASG is not a DSG and the DSG is not a torque converter auto and none of them is like a CVT.

 

The bus company I work for also has over 100 buses all automatic of one kind or another.

 

The only common feature is no clutch pedal and that is what we wanted for town driving.

 

I haven't been able to find out if the ASG has any kind of learning function since I think it has improved, but that could be me.

 

I am very happy with my ASG Citigo.  I like the fact that it can be manual or automatic.  Given all I have said above, I am happy with the style of auto.  It is far better than the Smart, but then I found I could drive that reasonably smoothly.

 

I have found over the last 300 miles that driving the ASG Citigo needs a bit of a rethink.  As other posters have said, there is the option of using the manual change function and I have to say that such changes are made very smoothly.  I have noted also that manual downchanges are accompanied by an automatic blip of the throttle which is good.  Note also that if you're wringing every last bit of performance out of the car, it will automatically change up before the redline, even in manual.

 

In fully automatic mode, I have found that it is best it is best to either be gentle in first and let the gearbox move into second before smartly accelerating or floor the accelerator but this will probably result in a pogo stick change.

 

Once on the move, I have found, as I did with our Smart, that it is best to ease off the throttle just a touch as the gear change happens.  This will result in a  very smooth change, most of the time.  With practice, you will be able to tell when it is about to change.  In fact, you will even find that on a level road, by easing off or squeezing the accelerator, you can actually make it change up or down as required.

 

I agree that hills can catch out the gearbox and I have a fairly steep one on my way to work.  If I "attack" the hill in 4th, there comes a point where the gearbox will drop to 3rd then decide that it would rather have 2nd. 

 

My M-B 300 does not even change a gear but it has almost 250bhp.  The Yeti would probably drop two gears (6th to 4th) but again it has 140 bhp and massive torque.

 

Like the OP, we did not have a test drive since I felt I knew exactly what we would be getting and I was not proved wrong.

 

I am intrgued by the comment "it simply can't be trusted to move when commanded to do so via the throttle".  The only time this has happened to me is if I've been stopped and moved the selector into neutral.  You have to apply the footbrake as you move the selector into drive or it will remain in neutral.

 

I will finish by commenting on the 1.2 petrol DSG Roomster.  The gearbox on that was so different to the one in the Yeti (7 speed dry clutch v. 6 speed wet clutch).  The Roomster DSG was almost impossible to set off smoothly.

 

I am getting 50+ mpg on my daily commutes the best being 62. 

 

I think this a horses for courses matter but I am very pleased with my car.

 

This might not help but after only two weeks my advice would be to work at your Citigo for a while longer.

 

John

Edited 18 October, 201312 yr by jst_at_home

John,

It's good to read your commentary as you clearly know exactly what you are talking about. Which doesn't always happen on internet forums

We were briefly tempted by the thought of an auto, for mostly town driving, but I so enjoyed the feel of the manual box when we test drove the Citigo that we settled for that...

Have driven ASG almost a year now both city and road and couldn't be more satisfied with the gearbox. If not in a hurry, I'll let ASG do all the job (it has never failed really) and if I am in a hurry I'll just use + and - manual mode. Citigo ASG is not a sports car.

Citigo ASG is not a sports car.

+1

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk.

All your comments were interesting thanks.

 

I got in touch with Skoda UK and they did actually force the dealer to give the Citigo ASG a comprehensive diagnostic but ultimately it all come back as working ok.

 

After 6 months of trying we've given up trying to get used to the Citigo ASG and instead have gone for a trade in up to a Yeti 1.2 DSG. The dealer in the end has come up with a more sensible offer that meant we have almost broken even on the trade in rather than the £4.5K negative equity on the finance that we were originally offered for a fabia trade in.

 

We get the Yeti in 12 weeks so just need to be patient!

 

Mike.

All your comments were interesting thanks.

 

I got in touch with Skoda UK and they did actually force the dealer to give the Citigo ASG a comprehensive diagnostic but ultimately it all come back as working ok.

 

After 6 months of trying we've given up trying to get used to the Citigo ASG and instead have gone for a trade in up to a Yeti 1.2 DSG. The dealer in the end has come up with a more sensible offer that meant we have almost broken even on the trade in rather than the £4.5K negative equity on the finance that we were originally offered for a fabia trade in.

 

We get the Yeti in 12 weeks so just need to be patient!

 

Mike.

 

 

May I be the first to wish you well with the Yeti.  You can see by looking to your left that I have one myself, in DSG form.  Coming up to three years and remain extremely pleased with it. It's had a new clutch pack under warranty due to clutch judder when taking off....and not much else apart from service parts.  Mine does 36mpg and the insurance costs are low.  Routine servicing is reasonable.  My extended warranty for the forthcoming year was £144 (wouldn't want the DSG box without a warranty, just in case.....not cheap to fix). Amazing performance for a 1200cc, comfortable and roomy enough. Safe car too.

 

Drove three Citigos, one manual and two autos.  Not for me, thank you.  Shame as I wanted to like it and would have swapped the i10 for one, but won't do so now as, whilst I'm not in love with the i10, the auto box is smooth and predictable - and the Mrs likes it - which, I guess, is the main thing :-)

Interesting. What was your dislike with a manual Citigo?

Sent from my PID using Tapatalk

Interesting. What was your dislike with a manual Citigo?

Sent from my PID using Tapatalk

 

Primarily,  the manual wasn't an auto  - which is what we wanted  - and I didn't like the ASG...at all... but also I didn't like the bare paint on the doors and, especially, in the boot (a bit of plastic to save a load of scratches can't cost a lot) plus the limited passenger electric window switches,  the pop out rear windows,  the lack of wheel arch liners. I couldn't see a light in the boot or glove box, there weren't steering wheel controls for the radio at the time, there was limited steering wheel adjustment on the ones I drove.

 

Coming from an i10, which, whilst far from perfect, did have some of the stuff missing from above but was, at the time, comparatively very cheap (£8500 for the automatic 5 door in metallic with 5 years  warranty and 5 years comprehensive RAC breakdown cover).

 

But it was likely to be a lot more economical on petrol and insurance.  Shame VAG can't give longer warranties like Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, etc.

 

 

You did ask why I didn't get one and I'm simply saying why......not intending to start a to and fro regarding the relative merits of Citigo versus the rest.

Edited 1 April, 201412 yr by oldstan