OK, So having gone from a manual 1.9 JDTM Grande Punto into my 1.4 TSi DSG Fabia vRS and unfortunately this evening into my mums manual 1.4 Grande Punto....

I personally found the manual change very cumbersome and nowhere near as slick as the DSG and personally didn't like it....

Has anybody else gone from a manual to a DSG and back again? what are your thoughts?

Is it just that I am well out of practice? (6 months in a DSG)

I'm a manual driver sticking with manual, I don't like the DSG box at all although haven't used it for any period of time.

John

I've been driving autos for 10 years now, the last 5 years in a golf Gti dsg.

Recently test drove the superb with a manual box and my gear changing was poor to say the least. The sales guy even commented as to me definitely needing a dsg box in the new car!

Yes and I like both. I like the ability in a dsg car with paddles to hustle along in manual or cruise in automatic.

That said when in auto it can't make the judgments I would based on vision, plus the biggest bugbear which is the inability to straight drop 3 gears should an opportunity suddenly present

We have both, a DSG and a manual Octavia.

So it just feels normal whatever we drive.

OK, So having gone from a manual 1.9 JDTM Grande Punto into my 1.4 TSi DSG Fabia vRS and unfortunately this evening into my mums manual 1.4 Grande Punto....

I personally found the manual change very cumbersome and nowhere near as slick as the DSG and personally didn't like it....

Has anybody else gone from a manual to a DSG and back again? what are your thoughts?

Is it just that I am well out of practice? (6 months in a DSG)

I'm exactly the same (and wierdly enough came from a grande punto sporting) but that doesn't really matter, I drive manual octys and vans at work anyway... I was either way when I first got the vRS, now after I've mastered it, and after doing 11k in the vRS, I will never go back to a manual... just drove it all the was home in 'tiptronic' changing gears as I choose, doing lots of a-road overtaking, and enjoying every second of it!

I'm exactly the same (and wierdly enough came from a grande punto sporting) but that doesn't really matter, I drive manual octys and vans at work anyway... I was either way when I first got the vRS, now after I've mastered it, and after doing 11k in the vRS, I will never go back to a manual... just drove it all the was home in 'tiptronic' changing gears as I choose, doing lots of a-road overtaking, and enjoying every second of it!

Hoping I'll be the same. Drive manual vans in work which pretty awful gear boxes (Nissan Cabstar) and my parents Swift I drive regularly

Hoping I'll be the same. Drive manual vans in work which pretty awful gear boxes (Nissan Cabstar) and my parents Swift I drive regularly

believe it or not, our newest ambulance (fiat, but really a pergeot/citroen, V6 TD) , is a "clutchless manual" like the vRS, but only has one clutch! you pull the lever.... delay.... gear changes, ect ect, SO frustrating, best engine of all our 'vans' and worst gearbox!

I'm a DSG driver who looks forward to going back to full automatic even if this means lower mpg.

I'm a DSG driver who looks forward to going back to full automatic even if this means lower mpg.

I didn't know there was a difference when in auto mode? Never driven a DSG.

AFIK Skoda don't have a full auto option. DSG is dual clutch, so is Ford's powershift. I believe Volvo geartronic is a full autobox (ie torque convertor and therefore loss of mpg and acceleration compared to dsg/powershift autoboxes). I have read that the ZF 8 speed autobox is the cat's whiskers but I don't know if this is a dual clutch.

AFIK Skoda don't have a full auto option. DSG is dual clutch, so is Ford's powershift. I believe Volvo geartronic is a full autobox (ie torque convertor and therefore loss of mpg and acceleration compared to dsg/powershift autoboxes). I have read that the ZF 8 speed autobox is the cat's whiskers but I don't know if this is a dual clutch.

No they offer a tiptronic which doesn't hesitate like the DSG. Ford's powershift is better imo but I haven't seen a Focus ST 1,2 or 3 yet with one in to compare with the vRS.

No they offer a tiptronic which doesn't hesitate like the DSG. Ford's powershift is better imo but I haven't seen a Focus ST 1,2 or 3 yet with one in to compare with the vRS.

ahem... my DSG doesn't hesitate, no matter what has been written. I have let a brisky member at a meet drive my car (he has exactly the same car vRSII fabia, but had 'hesitation' issues) and said they were completley different. I can't understand why there are differences, but my DSG has no hesitation whatsoever....

I didn't know there was a difference when in auto mode? Never driven a DSG.

DSG and a conventional auto box work differently. DSG is essentially a manual gearbox where the computer does the gearchanging for you. They are much better on fuel economy and emissions than a conventional torque-converter auto.

The 7-speed DSG, seems to have too many ratios, but a standard auto has too few, making them slow. A conventional auto can be even smoother than DSG it has to be said, but not always.

Having tried it in a Fabia vRS, I would never buy an auto unless it's a DSG type system.

I drive my vRS DSG to work, then drive the VW work van every day which is a Manual, every now and then I start the van in 1st thinking its P

Otherwise, seamless, the VW changes gear lovely, not as slick as the DSG but still good.

Had a couple of 6 speed DSG Diesels before my current 7 speed petrol DSG.

Thought the option of the 6 speed DSG against the 5 speed manual was a good choice on the 1.9D. Had a SEAT with the 2 litre diesel and the DSG. Fuel consumption was supposedly a bit worse than the manual and the CO2 rating down a couple of groups but since I did big mileage and had a fuel car it did not matter too much.

Plumped for the 7 speed DSG in the 1.8 TSI which if you give any credance to the book figures, and few do, is a few percentage points better on mpg and it is quoted as 155 gms CO2/km as opposed to 158 for the manual. I opted for the paddles as well as it is not too and expensive option if you already go for the GSM 2 etc steering wheel. Bob between Drive, Sport and freewheeling in Neutral quite a bit and use the paddles quite a bit too.

Very pleased with it and would hate to go back to manual since I do 1K miles a week and been stuck in 2 major road issues in West London this week already so would be a lot more tiried if I gone for the manual. Hope it stays quite a cheap options. Alway interested to see how much VAG charge for the same thing depending on if it is added to an Audi, SEAT, Skoda or VW, amazing difference!

Edited 28 June, 201114 yr by lol

ahem... my DSG doesn't hesitate, no matter what has been written. I have let a brisky member at a meet drive my car (he has exactly the same car vRSII fabia, but had 'hesitation' issues) and said they were completley different. I can't understand why there are differences, but my DSG has no hesitation whatsoever....

You've not driven mine then at 800-1000 rpm then...