2.0 TDI 4x4 manual or 1.8 TSi 4x4 DSG

[flybynite]

After many moons of trawling this and other forums I still a bit undecided. I dont want to start another auto-manual or diesel/petrol debate but I would like some opinion as to how well these two specific combinations work as they are the nearest to the 1.8 TSi 4x4 manual I would choose and they do not make.

 

I have looked at other options but I keep comming back to this choice

 

A bit of what I'm thinking

 

TDi manual - good bits - I like the diesel engines to drive, they are quick enough, economical and have the torque for relaxed driving and towing. I like the control you have with a manual clutch in slippy conditions. Although I tend to tow a trailer loaded more as a proportion of the car weight 2000kg capacity is useful - It would be ideal except for....

 

not so good bits - although many have said they have no DPF problems, looking at the 2.0TDi exhaust system scares me it has more boxes than an Amazon warehouse. I do a lot of 7 mile runs too slow to re-gen. I have one diesel that I already have to do re-gen runs in, (other is thankfully pre-DPF) don't particularly want another. I think cars should be slave to the type of driving we do not vice versa

 

TSI DSG - good bits - no DPF!, bit more power and performance, bit quieter and smoother, more relaxed in traffic with the DSG

 

Not so good bits - less torque. Although I would not buy somthing like this if I was worried about fuel consumption, coming from a diesel it will hurt. Although I would not hit the limit, the towing capacity is less for a reason. I have test driven the DSG6 but i do not have much experience of it, my concerns are the loss of being able to feather the clutch in slippery conditions, like wet grass, mud or snow. Long term problems with the DSG6

 

I tend to spec cars well look after them and keep them a while, one I have is knocking on 10 years old and it is still pretty good today. Because I specced it up a bit it has stuff on it that may come as standard today but it is not too outdated. I have an older Haldex 4 machine but it is the DSG6 I would have concerns about longterm

 

If you had to chose between the two given the above which would you go for and why?

 

I would particularly like to know how people (particularly those up north!) find the petrol DSG in the slippy stuff (proper tyres taken as read) in a manual I just stick it in second and feather the clutch a bit. What do you do in a DSG? can you go manual second gear or do you just let D do the work?

 

Thanks in advance

[john999boy]

In the past couple of years there's not really been a lot of days when the 4x4 was a 'must have'. In saying that, the only time that the traction control light came on was when I floored the accelerator just to see what the dsg would do.

Normal driving will not be a problem.

[Mr Grump]

Re the DPF, don't drive to it, just let it sort itself (on the Octavia, can't say about your other).

Having said that, I initially wanted petrol for DPF fears, but this came up and I do have a decent (40 odd miles) run at least twice a month.

Sometimes in slow traffic I will hold a lower gear to keep the revs up to assist the DPF, but I am guessing that's more for my piece of mind

For a seven mile run, the car will not be at full temp from a cold start in winter, these take a while to warm up.

1.8 ? I don't know were you are but the Octavia doesn't have that option here, a 4x4 1.8 TSi DSG would be a nice choice if we could have it !

So to answer your question, I would go for the 1.8 TSi out of the 2.

[Gromle]

I did wonder the same thing as you op.

I went for the tsi 4x4. Its just so much comfier with a petrol in the winter, my current dieselcar takes ages to get warm when uts cold. And as you said, no Dpf.

[PUFPAF]

I had a similar dilemma 18 months ago, because I wanted a diesel 4x4 DSG. Since no such animal was available back then I went for the petrol

And so far no regrets. If you are used to diesels then the fuel economy is a shock at first, but then you get used to it and see that it is perfectly acceptable.

Regarding your torque concern - I've driven both and dont think the TDI has a distinct advantage. At low speeds the 4x4 gives you lots of tranction and you dont really notice any lack of torque, while at high speeds the petrol is on its own, as you have more power and is much quieter.

In snow and ice the car has behaved boringly stable, only when you disable the ASR you can have fun. I had a problem once, but that was a very extreme case, as I was going backwards downhill on plain ice...and only the brakes and tyres saved me from crashing.

[kallekilponen]

Any particular reason for not picking the 4x4 2.0TDI DSG6, which has more torque than the manual version? I found that to hit the sweet spot for me.

[Genoa1893]

It may perhaps be a matter of country related availability

[flybynite]

In the past couple of years there's not really been a lot of days when the 4x4 was a 'must have'.

 

Depends on where you are and what you are doing! About a tonne in the trailer halfway up a wet hill the 2wd gave up the ghost, Haldex machine with the same engine didn't bat an eyelid The 4x4 decision is made for me it is just which one to get I have to decide.

 

Any particular reason for not picking the 4x4 2.0TDI DSG6, which has more torque than the manual version? I found that to hit the sweet spot for me.

 

As Genoa1893 said it is partly market availability. The 2.0TDi DSG is not available in RHD but the other 2 are.

 

The 2.0TDi DSG would be worst of all for me as I would have to deal with the DPF on the short runs and have a gearbox I did not really trust for either use or longevity (a few decades of driving manuals leaves me prefering to do it myself!)

 

A 1.8TSi manual 4x4 would be my ideal but AFAIK Skoda do not make one in any market.

[cnc]

The 2.0TDi DSG would be worst of all for me as I would have to deal with the DPF on the short runs and have a gearbox I did not really trust for either use or longevity (a few decades of driving manuals leaves me prefering to do it myself!)

I wouldn't worry about longevity on the DSG box too much, despite what you hear about them they now seem to be pretty much sorted, although you'll always hear the odd horror story. There is a Skoda mechanic on the Superb section and he says they now replace more 6 speed manual gearboxes and DMF's than DSG units. His posts are 79 & 81 (I think) http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/309566-time-to-open-a-can-of-worms-dsg-or-manual/