Women driving Vrs Manual Tdi

[Gadgit]

I have a serious problem which may force me to change the car

When I bought the car, the salesmen told me the owner had changed the car cos his wife could not get on with it.

I took that with a pinch of salt as sales talk, but my wife is really struggling with the clutch and gears. I love the car to bits, but she continues to complain that the clutch pedal is so high, she can't have her heel on the floor and be able to control the release to get the car away. I've checked it out with other cars and it is around 6 inches from the floor, which is considerably higher than most.

So, is it possible to drop the pedal box down an inch or so to resolve this problem.

The only other way would be to have the DSG version. I'm gutted at this stage as this 2007 car is a minter with 64k on the clock and runs like a dream, with average just over 50mpg...... very impressive car in my opinion.

Anyone else have this problem with their 'dearly beloved'

Or........ anyone fancy a swap from a DSG to a manual send me an email.......

gadgit.

[Auric Goldfinger]

Could you not trade your wife in for a different model

[Ecosse_VRs]

Instead of swapping the car have you considered trading in your wife :-)

[chr1staylor]

I've never had my left heel on the floor when using the clutch, it's more of a leg movement as you have the extra strength/control from your thigh, rather than trying to hinge at your ankle. I'd keep the angle of my foot the same and move the whole foot up and down from the thigh. (Not sure if I'm explaining myself very well here)

It obviously won't go down well but can you ask her to modify her clutch style?

[TsvRS]

Get your wife to wear high heels?

[CFB]

I've never had my left heel on the floor when using the clutch, it's more of a leg movement as you have the extra strength/control from your thigh, rather than trying to hinge at your ankle. I'd keep the angle of my foot the same and move the whole foot up and down from the thigh. (Not sure if I'm explaining myself very well here)

It obviously won't go down well but can you ask her to modify her clutch style?

You may have extra stength from the thigh muscle but you have less control.

The whole point of planting your heel is to provide that pivot point for smooth and precise control which comes in very handy for manoeuvring in tight spaces and in slow traffic.

If you use thigh muscles it won't be long before the old lag shake sets in.

Gadgit.. Maybe a simpler solution would be for her to have a platform under her heel to raise that, rather than trying to lower the pedal.

Any good at DIY? A simple wooden box, covered in black carpet. Job done.

Several ways to stop it moving around.

1 try the coarse (censor won't let me write pr1ckly) side of Velcro stuck to the underside of the box.

2 using a spare footwell mat, you could use carpet tacks to secure the box to the mat.

Easy to swap when you are driving it.

[Davidsr20]

My wife drives our Vrs most of the time and has no issues driving it, actually she loves it

[Gadgit]

CFB... you have it in a nut shell

My wife is only 5' 3'' and size 5 shoe.... i'm not defending her, and I could swap her for a newer model, but giving her half the house and cash would be the most expensive option, so that's out of the question.

I'm liking the floor lift idea as the best option, and will try it out. I've not given up yet as I do want to keep the car so much.......

I'l let you all know how the raised floor works out. :think:

gadgit.

[alberg]

Really hard decision

WIFE or VRS ????

[07 vRS Taxi]

I dont know about anyone else but ive never released the clutch with my heel on the floor it would probably cause a kangaroo! I dont think its the done thing lol I always lift my leg with the pedal....driving lessons perhaps? ;-)

[blackspaven]

Just buy her a lovely orthopaedic club foot shoe; the extra sole depth should do the job and she gets a snazzy new pair of shoes to keep her happy when she's out of the kitchen.

[mr_awol]

I dont know about anyone else but ive never released the clutch with my heel on the floor it would probably cause a kangaroo! I dont think its the done thing lol I always lift my leg with the pedal....driving lessons perhaps? ;-)

I'd go with this idea - in fact I'd be more p'd off if Mrs AWOL started TRYING to pivot the clutch with her heel planted! She rides the clutch too often as it is and if she had her heel pivoted in that position all that would happen is she would spend all her time with her foot hovering/balanced/leaning on the clutch.....

Overall I'd say it's poor driving form to do this and the problem certainly isn't the car. If not suggest trading the wife in over it, but educating her instead

[xreyuk]

I've never owned a car where I haven't had to lift my foot to operate the clutch.

I've owned a Punto, Corsa and Seat Leon. I don't have ridiculously small feet, but they're not big man feet either

It would be nice to be able to drop everything a touch though

[mr_awol]

If you raise her heel with an artificial lift/block then won't she have to extend her toes far more than is natural to get the clutch fully depressed?

Also, if you do attempt this crazy plan. At least, make sure it's securely fixed. If its attached with Velcro what happens when it works loose whilst she's using it, getting lodged under the brake pedal, etc?

[M12MKD]

hmmm woman or car........I'd know what I'd chose!

Probably explains why I'm still single lol

[Babs]

The clutch in the Mk2 is very light compared to my Mk1.

Is she a secret amputee?

Different cars take different styles of driving, and this includes your position within the cabin. Sounds to me like she is too far forward in the seat and has to bring her leg up to the clutch pedal? Possibly almost leaning against the steering wheel?

Sit with her in the car, and get her in a comfortable driving position. I normally get in a car, clutch flat to the floor and adjust my seat from there, then adjust the wheel in/out/up/down as I need to. Some cars I'll have to slide the seat forward one notch as the wheel won't adjust for reach. But each car is different!

[07 vRS Taxi]

Its impossible to change gear in my TFSI with my heel planted on the floor, if I went and complained about the design and pedal position im sure id get laughed out of the showroom.

[Tigger25]

I'm a woman, and I have no problem with the clutch.

[DBT85]

All the manuals I've driven I've never pivoted my ankle to do the clutch, it was always mostly thigh and I'm 6'2" with boats for feet.

Never had any problems with control, tiredness etc. My instructor used to bang on about pivoting at the ankle but I could never do it and feel comfortable and in control.

The clutch on my Focus was REALLY heavy as well.

Now I just DSG it.

[_Kenny_]

My wife isn't allowed to drive the VRS. To be honest, she struggles with anything bigger than her Corsa!

[D15VRS]

I drive our Octavia CR170 and my Fabia Vrs, I'm only 5'1 and size 6 shoe. I have no problem and actually prefer the Octy.

[g_tee]

My wife doesn't like DSG. However, she's driven my car about 2 miles, so I don't think she has had enough experience of auto. I hope to get her driving it some more, because I want another DSG car!

She did drive my manual 10 plate vRS though and she liked that. Again, only about 2 miles however. That was the first diesel she'd ever driven too.

[CFB]

I did not say that you should have your heel planted all the time!

The OP stated the following....

"she continues to complain that the clutch pedal is so high, she can't have her heel on the floor and be able to control the release to get the car away."

I was answering this specific scenario.

the correct method of clutch control in this circumstance is as i suggested. to plant the heel to act as a pivot.

Whether you have never done it this way or not is neither here nor there.

It comes down to personal choice but that does not mean that choice is the right one.

[pastie]

my mate nearly stomped the clutch through the floor,hes used to a mk4 golf gti clutch

[wiilydog]

If you raise her heel with an artificial lift/block then won't she have to extend her toes far more than is natural to get the clutch fully depressed?

Also, if you do attempt this crazy plan. At least, make sure it's securely fixed. If its attached with Velcro what happens when it works loose whilst she's using it, getting lodged under the brake pedal, etc?

Don't see why you can't screw a board on to the mat and then screw a couple of floor boards on the clutch side to raise the floor height and as long as everything is secure it will be a cheaper solution than a car swap