Hi folks,

Before I take a test drive, in hopefully a 1.8 DSG, I was wondering is there anything I should lookout for, a particular question about the car to ask the saleperson or just something that you guys now think, 'I wish I'd looked at that, checked this, asked the other, during my test drive / before I bought my Superb'.

Any advice would be most helpful.

Fujisan

Make sure the DSG creeps when you lift off the brake with no gas pedal.

- find out if it has hill hold. its a bit odd - i think you need it but it is a pain in some situations - ie maneouvering on a hill.

- check out the ride over potholes and on rought roads - its terrible on the larger wheels.

- ignore the fuel economy figures on the trip computer unless the car has done a few miles - as the engine opens up the economy gets much better. we have gone from 30 to 35 mpg in 3000 mile

- listen to the engine...you will have to listed very very hard as its almost silent !!!

- if you are not used to driving an auto then try doing small movements- ie driving into a parking space. parking up to a wall. its a different style to a manual and I find it tricky.

- find out if it has hill hold. its a bit odd - i think you need it but it is a pain in some situations - ie maneouvering on a hill.

The latest April - June 09 brochure says that Hill Hold is standard on the (I guess 2010 model) 1.8 DSG and the V6 but I know you guys don't believe every word from MK so I will double check on that!

- check out the ride over potholes and on rought roads - its terrible on the larger wheels.

I've had BMW's in the past so I know about large wheels and hard rides! :P But I'll see just how rough it is.

- ignore the fuel economy figures on the trip computer unless the car has done a few miles - as the engine opens up the economy gets much better. we have gone from 30 to 35 mpg in 3000 mile

- listen to the engine...you will have to listed very very hard as its almost silent !!!

- if you are not used to driving an auto then try doing small movements- ie driving into a parking space. parking up to a wall. its a different style to a manual and I find it tricky.

One of my old BM's was an auto but that was a conventional auto box, so this will be my first time with DSG, so thanks for the tip!

Hopefully, if all goes well, and the wife likes it :hug:, I'll have one on order by the end of May, to arrive hopefully in the autumn.

you are right about the hill hold - i forgot. when i ordered it was an extra but by the time is was built it was standard so i got a credit to my invoice for the hill hold cost. depends on when the demo car was built . if it was 2008 then i might not have hill hold. saying that I think my car was one of the first UK cars with the 1.8T DSG and it was fitted.

the thing with the DSG is that if you are sat in "D" for a while with your foot on the brake (ie waiting to pull out of a junction) the cluth is eventually disengaged to safe wear on it. so when you go to set off there is a fractional delay whilst it engages. its not long, but noticeable compared to if ou pull up and set off immediately. you get used to it and learn to allow for it. i often slip it in to "N" when at lights etc, or even "P" and then there is no delay when you re-engage "D" - well i suppes there is a delay but you dont notice it as you are physically moving the gear selector which disctracts from the delay !

you are right about the hill hold - i forgot. when i ordered it was an extra but by the time is was built it was standard so i got a credit to my invoice for the hill hold cost. depends on when the demo car was built . if it was 2008 then i might not have hill hold. saying that I think my car was one of the first UK cars with the 1.8T DSG and it was fitted.

May be wrong but thought all of the 1.4 TSi's and 1.8 TSi's have standard hill hold control when in conjunction with the 'dry' 7 speed DSG box - applicable whether it's in the Superb, Octavia, Golf etc. - not always standard with the 'wet' 6 speed version though.

Took the wife for a look around a Superb this morning. I can tell that she is worried about the size, especially fitting both of our cars onto the drive!

I know it is only 443mm longer than the RAV and practically the same width but when we came home I had to get the tape out to show her that there is room.

One thing I have always planned, is for the car to be fitted with front parking sensors, (probably the full park assist, even though I'll probably never use it for parallel parking) so that I can park right against the garage door when I need to.

Anyway, I have a test drive booked for near the end of the month, so we'll see what happens then.

One thing I have always planned, is for the car to be fitted with front parking sensors, (probably the full park assist, even though I'll probably never use it for parallel parking) so that I can park right against the garage door when I need to.

My experience:

The front parking sensors are not needed much as it is very easy to see the front of the car. Furthermore the front sensors alarms too early - about 25cm too early in my car so I often overrules them.

The back sensors are needed and they are more sensible.

I've got the full park assist, which is a fun toy to show your friends but not needed a lot.

I don't think the car is that big when you get used to it. I'm very pleased with my Superb so I think you are making the right choise.

The front parking sensors are not needed much as it is very easy to see the front of the car.

Thanks, I'll check that out when I'm behind the wheel.

I've got the full park assist, which is a fun toy to show your friends but not needed a lot.

Yeah, that was my gut feeling. Might save a couple of quid on that one.

I don't think the car is that big when you get used to it. I'm very pleased with my Superb so I think you are making the right choise.

Thanks!

Hope so anyway....otherwise the wife will never let me forget it! :P

My experience:

The front parking sensors are not needed much as it is very easy to see the front of the car. Furthermore the front sensors alarms too early - about 25cm too early in my car so I often overrules them.

The back sensors are needed and they are more sensible.

I've got the full park assist, which is a fun toy to show your friends but not needed a lot.

I don't think the car is that big when you get used to it. I'm very pleased with my Superb so I think you are making the right choise.

I have park assist as well, I thought the £70 extra on front sensors alone was cheap! you will get use to the display so can "Judge for yourself". Try to get a demo from your dealer that way you can make your own mind up!

i used park assist for real today for the first time since i bought the car !! i did put it to an extreem test as it was on the right hand side (push indicator stalk up ie put right indicator on to make park assist look on the offside not nearside) and the spae was very short. did the job well and parked me close to the kerb !!