I've been driving my Superb with DSG for around 5 months now and I've previously driven Golfs, Passats Alteas with the same box. Overall it seems pretty fool proof, it reacts quickly when you need to change down to overtakae and even changes down to provide engine braking on hills or as you slow for a hazard. Compared with my previous autos, Saab and Merc it can be left alone to its own devices, there seems to be little to be gained by over riding it ( although I suspect the manual option will be needed in snow).

At last my question - I passed my IAM test some time ago and stopped observing a few years later so I'm thinking of going back. We have a manual car I can use but if I do use the auto, I can't see how I can realistically demonstrate car control by manually over riding such a good gearbox - surely I'll just be going through the motions - a pointless exercise to me.

I'd be interested in opinions/experiences of any advanced driver familiar with the DSG box.

I face the same question as I am an observer with the local IAM group and have just changed from a manual 2005 Civic Type-S 2-litre to a 2012 Octavia vRS 2.0TDi with DSG. As it happens my two current associates drive auto cars but my next associate has a manual. For observed drives in the associate's car you just have to remember to remind them of brake/gear-change separation. If they get it then no problem you could do your demo drive in your DSG car. You can still demonstrate getting down to speed for the turn and off the brakes before turning into the corner. If you think they need a practical demonstration of brake/gear-change separation then use you manual car - in those circumstances I would use my wife's Clio 1.2TCE manual.

Obviously you could use manual mode with the DSG to do a demo drive but having no clutch does somewhat fudge the issue.

Don't think I have really answered the question for you except to say 'it depends'!

Thanks for that I suppose it's all you can realistically demonstrate.

Do you have the paddles on the steering wheel?

I took my test in mine and used the paddles out of town. There didn't appear to be a problem when taking the test or the observed drives before. I was praised for my use of gears.

I have retro fitted the vRS MFSW to my Yeti and use the paddles a lot, but I agree that the latest software in the DSG box is very good as you describe and you hardly need to use manual.

As mentioned above as long as everything is separated there doesn't appear to be a problem.

One technique is to use D in town where the car can be trusted to find its own way, then override it as soon as you're out in an area where more driver control would be advantageous.

One technique is to use D in town where the car can be trusted to find its own way, then override it as soon as you're out in an area where more driver control would be advantageous.

That is exactly what my observer told me to do.

Seems the question has been answered. Use D in town and the paddles elsewhere where you can properly demonstrate use of the box.