VRS DSG 'S' position

[shrops_paul]

Just tried it tonight. JFC the car flies! Had it a week but not had chance to 'go for it' due to traffic and using the Octavia.

It was like being back in my old RB5. Well impressed.

And then to add to this I achieved 42mpg on a 70 mile run to Warwick today. Amazing. Made the right choice chopping in the MINI that's for sure

[little_mike]

They certainly feel faster than the figures suggest. Despite the reliability concerns, I do think that the TSI engine and DSG gearbox are impressive pieces of technology.

[P1TT8ULL]

I never use s always manual. S mode always holds the gears for to long IMO.

[shrops_paul]

I know what you mean. Felt bad redlining in every gear! I liked the way it stayed in a lower gear though, not so eager to get into 6 and 7.

[sharkrider]

learn to use the paddles Paul... much better, and much more rewarding...... you want to be blipping down into the corners to the right gear before turni in.... full throttle out.... I like to change up about 6k as it dropps off towards 7k , but if you are busy with steering it will change up atself anyway...

the best bit about the DSG is how you can flip from an economical auto to this wonderful paddle shift screamer....

I almost never use sport either...

trust me. paddles

[P1TT8ULL]

You also get the benefits of engine braking using the paddles. Main positive for me though is there's far less chance of the engine changing up or down mid corner and unsettling the car.

[sharkrider]

and that, spot on pitbull....

[XK140]

I'm looking forward to the delivery of my vRS and I hear what you say about the paddles....

However...THE WIFE!!! (who has yet to drive one)....what advice do I give her?

At the risk of appearing sexist,I must keep it simple...I was just going to say something like "put it in sport to keep it lively aroud town,but once you get on a faster road at 40/50 put it in D"...if I never tell her about the "tiptronic" section on the shift lever and the paddles I think it might be for the best. :think:

[Ootohere]

I Drive in 'D' for being lively around town and on the open road.

I knock it back to 'S' for deceleration. (to slow down without using the brakes)

As an example that can be just going at 60 mph or 70 mph.

'D' and back with the stick to 'S' might take it from 7th gear down to '5' or '4'.

I might move the stick back to 'S' to decelerate, then 'kick down' in 's' & then move the stick straight back to 'D' or just do a 'double kick down' in 'D',

depends on road speed and other circumstances, and less liable to do this with a vRS & DSG than with some other cars with a DSG.

I then go straight back with the Stick to 'D'. Then maybe knock across to Manual, and drop a gear or 2 manually, and back across to 'D'.

I really never 'Drive' with the stick in 'S', i just use 'S' to slow down.. & very very seldom drop gears with the paddles.

(i have done with other Autos and did all the time with my Durashift Transit that had buttons on the steering wheel)

But do drive Sportingly using sequential shifts in manual from time to time..

I get my best 0-60 or 0-70 with it in 'D' & TC on.

Given a few differences from a few vehicles.

Going to 'S' the car should not change up to '7th gear. (some cars do.)

If you are have on 'Cruise Control' at say 65mph in 'D' & move the stick to 'S' it shows 'S7' but is not at the revs that are really 'S7'.

You can go across to Manual 1 & boot it and the gearbox will go up the gears, then again some DSG boxes will not.

Loads of ways to drive with the DSG to whatever suits your self.

For Economy being in 'D' & a bit of 'S' for slowing without braking & keeping motion and forward progression gives the best MPG.

(* well for me anyway, i can not better the MPG i get that way, when driving doing manual upshifts, but can equal it knock across, or doing manual down shifts, then back to 'D', you hold the paddle and it goes back into 'Auto' gearchange.

Even in left in 'D' can get you some place pretty fast and the MPG down to 25mpg & to below 20mpg.

george

[shrops_paul]

I know what you mean XK140, the wife has mine for the first time alone today. Bit worried. Told her to leave it in D for now Nd not worry about the rest

[newbie69]

It's nice that you had some fun with S but as others said, an even better experience can be achieved with Manual and that's what I also use now 90% of the time unless driving through silly traffic.

S just it keeps it hanging around 4K even If there is absolutely no "pressure" on the accelerator and D will shift up very early most of the time. It actually shifts so early that makes me feel there is something wrong with the car and can't go as fast as it should. But then I switch to Manual and all the power is there exactly when I want it.

Personally I find S useless as even in D I engine-brake just by applying 2 clicks on the left paddle, no need to take your entire hand off the wheel 2 times if its available at your fingertips! And D, I find it's perfect for SWMBO as there's no complexity at all, "just focus on the road darling and it will do the rest".

Edited 17 August, 2012 by newbie69

[Phil-E]

I'd hate to be in "S" with the engine screaming all the way to the red line. Just no need for it really.

The very short drive I had in Dave's showed that "D" is actually ok to use all the time. Can cruise nice and steady but then just floor or or blip the paddels to get going without it revving needlessly.

For those with concerns with your wifes getting behind the wheel just tell them to get into "D" and leave it there!

Phil

[sharkrider]

ash has diven mine for hundreds of miles, and had never driven an auto before...

the instructions were simples "DONT move your left foot! glue it to the floor, "d" to go , "p" to park, right pedal go, left pedal stop" - simples

my pupils get told about all the features, just incase they accedentally knock it in to manual, or hamfistedly click a paddle on test.....

[Lewisb1989]

A good line that I read from someone on here was that 'S' is good when used as a type of push to pass feature. I think it works quiet well. Drop it into 'S' and give it the beans and your instantly away.

[Furbytom]

Agree with those above, 'S' is an absolute pain in the backside. Keeps the revs way too high and is too desperate to chase the redline. 'D' is fine for normal driving and SWMBO's use. Manual control with the paddles is where the fun is really at.....

[nockmeister]

Hmm...I use S for traffic light getaways...The reason is that at standstill it idles higher by 300rpm, which i find gives a better launch. I then change with paddles as per everyone else.

Whilst in paddle mode I also move the stick into tiptronic, this prevents the box going back into D auto mode. This also allows you to quickly flip it back into D auto mode when at a T junction, so not to have to scrabble for the paddles once past 90deg...

[sharkrider]

If you select manual while stationary, you'll find it uses the same higher revs setting as sport to pull away quicker

[MartynVRS]

Never use S. In D it's quick enough and even if you need to drop cogs quick you can use kickdown or paddles.

I use paddles all the time now even at junctions. Takes some practice knowing where the up paddle is but it's worth it. Also use manual to override it kicking down lower gears when going downhill. I switch back to D when in traffic to drop the revs back down to a lower idle as Sharkrider has just said.

[shrops_paul]

sounds like thisweekends homework is to play with my paddles

[newbie69]

sounds like thisweekends homework is to play with my paddles

Sounds like you're about to discover another amazing feature...!

[Dr3w_vrs]

I have only really started using the paddles recently. Now I use them all the time, much better in my opinion. The box in D just annoys me in hilly areas (aka everywhere in Shrops), constantly changing up and down. I still use D in towns etc. S rarely gets used, except for the occasional 'push to pass'.

I actually started to think the car was down on power when constantly driving in D, I have to give it the boot most trips, just to remind myself that the power is there waiting It's great for MPG though, if you're gentle it will change up really early, much earlier than I ever would.

Andy

[Gumby]

What I find is that S is good when you've got lots of steering to do as the paddles are in a fix position - I don't cross my hands when steering, I just don't do it so I find using the paddles awkward. Also it will give you some engine braking when slowing down (if you just lift off the gas and let the car slow naturally it will shift down through the gears)

Paddles are good for dropping down further than kick down does (7th to 4th rather than 7th to 5th with kick down) for an overtake, then moving back up to 7th before it returns to full auto mode. I know 5th is good enough for overtaking, but it's fun to give the engine a good working every so often!)

As for it holding gears too long, thats when I would put it back into D to give it a rest, then return back to S when needed.

[Tinkle22]

I tend to use S when in slow moving traffic find that in D and crawling that the VRS constantly changing gears. Also S will redline every gear and only goes to gear 5 anyway ????

[Tinkle22]

:-)

[Ootohere]

Tinkle22,

What is wrong with it changing gear all the time, it is seamless is it not, in 'D', and much smoother through and up to 3rd or 4th, 5th 6th at 40mph even 7th at around 40mph.

no driver input required, or issues and apart from feeling it coming down to 1st there is little difference above 1st when below 50mph.

? Does your DSG only go up to 5th, not '6th; when in 'S' or is that a typo?

george

You can have Supercharger & still get slower speed acceleration, smooth town driving

& no Turbo coming in unless you want if you are keeping the revs within the power bands and rev ranges.