I should have been clearer - when sat on an incline with the handbrake on I had put the car in 'N', so 'D' would only have been very briefly engaged with the handbrake on.

Do you take your foot off the brake, then engage 'D', or engage 'D' with foot still on the brake?

Is it all right to stop in 'D' with the foot brake applied?

I leave mine in D for the whole journey, just like a full auto, never use N.

I leave mine in D for the whole journey, just like a full auto, never use N.

Cheers - wish I'd known this two months ago - I've been putting it into 'N' when stopped - it's really like driving a dodgem then :-) !

Yes while stopped in d with the clutch will be disengaged so no wear

Are you 100% sure about this as I'm sure the manual disagree's. Its in the car at the moment so I can't reference the page, but I'm fairly sure it says its fully depressing the footbrake the disingadges the clutch's not the being stopped.

As a fairly new DSG owner I am still getting used to the whole DSG and HHC concpets. HHC is great on an up hill gradient and does remove the need for the handbrake (takes a bit of getting use to it though and is very disconcerting at the start). DSG means I have become lazy and not really bothered what gear I am in, partly due to keeping it down in revs while the car warms up during the first few hundred miles and because I do a lot of town driving which is stop start. I have asked the question on this and other forums about whether to keep in drive while stopped or switch to neutral and apply the handbrake, basically there is no real concensus, so at present I keep it in drive with the foot brake applied and just feel guilty at times!

It would be good to have some formal advice on how to use the new technology in the driving test situations but so far it seems that the DVLA and the Advanced Driving Institutes are just ignoring the issuel. So people are having to make it up as they go along which has led to confusion and inconsistency. What we need is the manufacturers to take a grip of the situation and deal with the DVLA and such like and then give out good and consistent advice.

Yeah, I think it's a great idea. Makes them dodgy uphill starts in a queue a breeze

In my Roomster DSG if you have the car in D and the handbrake on you will still move forward. When stopped at traffic lights I usually put the car in N and have the handbrake on. I do this as a courtesy to drivers behind me, so they didn't have my brake lights blinding them. However, it was pointed out to me (on this forum) that this also helps to prevent disc warping as you are not sitting still with the pads gripping one part of the disc for long periods of time.

The DSG works on fuzzy logic and bases a lot of its decisions on pedal angle (or position). In my experience with light pressure on the brakes the clutch will stay engaged at the bite point, a bit more pressure and the clutch disengages, pushing the brake pedal even more (until there is some resistance) engages HHC so that when you release the brake pedal the brakes stay on for a few seconds giving you time to press the accelerator which (in turn with there being no angle/pressure on the brake pedal) engages the clutch again.

As others have said describing it in writing it sounds much more complicated than when you are actually in the car experiencing how it works.

Edited 17 January, 201214 yr by hertsnminds

I also tend to switch it to N, and then keep it with brakes or handbrake when I stop at traffic lights. I too have the feeling it "wears out" If I leave it in D + brakes during long stops (30" and more), there's no point in having the clutch semi-engaged for such a long time imho.

The above explanation of the brake pedal pressure and clutch engagement is good, this is exactly how it works. Full brake pressure will disengage the clutch, so if u wish to leave it in drive all the time, this is fine... A slight brake pressure will cause the clutch to engage....

As to the correct way to use neutral:I teach auto driving and present my pupils to the driving standards agency's examiners... This is how they like you to do it ... You should leave it in drive mist of the time, for situation where you expect to move... For example when first at a roundabout waiting for a gap, in stop start traffic , even at red lights if you will be moving soon... They expect you to put it in neutral with the handbrake on, if you know you are going to wait.... For example a level crossing, or lights you know are going to be red for a while, or ones you can predict, like temp traffic lights with oncoming traffic, then engage drive as you are anticipating being ready to go...

As to the correct way to use neutral:I teach auto driving and present my pupils to the driving standards agency's examiners... This is how they like you to do it ... You should leave it in drive mist of the time, for situation where you expect to move... For example when first at a roundabout waiting for a gap, in stop start traffic , even at red lights if you will be moving soon... They expect you to put it in neutral with the handbrake on, if you know you are going to wait.... For example a level crossing, or lights you know are going to be red for a while, or ones you can predict, like temp traffic lights with oncoming traffic, then engage drive as you are anticipating being ready to go...

I feel a lot better as that's pretty much the way I've been driving. I don't have it to hand but I think I read in the manual that it's ok to have it in 'D' with the foot brake applied in junction-type situations.

My hill hold has obviously been working - I've tapped the brake pedal, put it in 'D', released the handbrake, then pressed the accelerator, so the car has only been in 'D' with the handbrake on momentarily. Unless I should hold the brake pedal down, release the handbrake, engage 'D', take foot off the brake, then press the accelerator?

Jings, almost makes me want to go back to the simplicity of a manual :-)

Unless I should hold the brake pedal down, release the handbrake, engage 'D', take foot off the brake, then press the accelerator?

I would say that is a better way of engaging drive, than holding the car even momentary on the handbrake.. I disengage drive when stopped at lights, even on hills and just leave my foot on the brake. Lights change, select drive, and accelerate off, simples.

I would say that is a better way of engaging drive, than holding the car even momentary on the handbrake.. I disengage drive when stopped at lights, even on hills and just leave my foot on the brake. Lights change, select drive, and accelerate off, simples.

Out in the car tonight (first time since the weekend), and those were the tactics I employed. Feel like I've finally got the hang of this DSG...

Much simpler than putting the handbrake on - which to be honest, made driving the vRS more of a ball ache than a manual.