I am looking to buy an automatic and I had test drive on both 1.6 TDI (7 speed dsg) and 2.0 TDI (6 speed dsg) and the main difference I noticed is that 7 speed felf much more jerky on take off, while 6 speed felt more fluent, you couldnt almost notice a gear change. Once I got up to speed both gearboxes felt the same. I am talking about normal town driving, not sport oriented or anything.

 

Note that these were new cars so we are not talking about faulty gearboxes (which use to be a topic somewhere in the past).

 

What are you experiences with DSG gearboxes?

 

I find that my DSG6 is a bit jerky if I start the car from cold & immediately try to drive away, however if I wait a few seconds (~10) then just release the brake it just glides away, I had exactly the same with a previous Octavia except that was DSG7 and it would also do it when I came to a stand after a prolonged drive (100+ miles non stop), then tried to drive away I would get an occasional jerk, never did find out why.

These 2 gearboxes are completely different animals, the 7 speed has a dry clutch set up designed for low torque cars and the 6 speed is a wet clutch design for the higher powered cars. You shouldn't get much jerkiness with either and even new cars can have problems as they come from the factory so don't rule that out.

Ian.

I can only speak for the 6 speed wet clutch as I have it in my Octy and my previous car.

I think it's a really good box and haven't noticed any jerkiness at all.

I currently have the 7 speed dsg in my fabia vrs and I wont get another dsg! Its been in 4 times for faults under warranty! Im wait to take delivery of a octavia manual and hopefully will be more reliable!!

DSG & diesel ain't a great combination, lots of users on here have issues, the Eco Mode don't work well and on some diesels is causing the engine to stall.

 

Regards

T

I have a 6 speed TDI in my car but I'm driving a 7 speed TDI right now as mine is in the shop for some issues. It's night and day the difference in smoothness. I completely agree that the 7 speed feels far less refined - far jerker at the lower gears. I especially noticed it coming into my garage. It's a single so I usually just use the brake to control progress and the 7 speed lurches massively. The 6 speed is smooth as butter.

DSG & diesel ain't a great combination, lots of users on here have issues, the Eco Mode don't work well and on some diesels is causing the engine to stall.

 

Regards

T

That should be curable with a software/firmware update, I find it quite odd that this problem only seems to affect the TDi version & yet the TSi is unaffected.

Perhaps if enough people bought this affliction to the attention of the motoring press, Skoda may take some notice, either that or take it up with your local trading standards office or even VOSA.

Hi, we have both gear boxes in the family and they couldn't be more different. The 6 speed is silk smooth while my 7 speed is a bit more noticeable when it comes to gear changes, especially 1st to 2nd or the other way around. Both are doing their job great with no real issues though...

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Hi, we have both gear boxes in the family and they couldn't be more different. The 6 speed is silk smooth while my 7 speed is a bit more noticeable when it comes to gear changes, especially 1st to 2nd or the other way around. Both are doing their job great with no real issues though...

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That's exactly what was happening with my previous Octavia after long runs, come off the motorway and go into normal traffic where you did stop/start, especially roundabouts at the end of sliproads and you'd get a bit of a poor gear (lumpy) change.

I have the 7 speed DSG coupled with the 1.6 Tdi and have found it amazingly smooth during the 5k miles of very mixed driving. The only way I have of knowing which gear is selected is by looking at the Maxidot !

What I will say is that changing down using the paddle shifters does not slow the car as much as I'd like & have experienced with the many other automatics I've driven ( mainly BMW Tiptronics & Honda CVT), and the raucous rise in revs tends to put me off using the paddles altogether.

Other than that, I'm very, very pleased I chose the DSG - so far, so very good !

JKW

I have the 7 speed DSG coupled with the 1.6 Tdi and have found it amazingly smooth during the 5k miles of very mixed driving. The only way I have of knowing which gear is selected is by looking at the Maxidot !

 

I dont understand why for some people say 7 speed is jerky at start (like my experience) while for some others is smooth. How can there be such difference?

Edited 30 March, 201412 yr by toni8b

I dont understand why for some people say 7 speed is jerky at start (like my experience) while for some others is smooth. How can there be such difference?

 

Hi!

 

I wouldn't call it jerky but it is more nothing-nothing-nothing-and-here-we-go when you drive off (which I think is good since clutch wear is kept to a minimum) while the 6 speed feels much more like an old torque converter based gearbox. And I don't say that it is bad either, just different ... Please bare in mind, we also drive differently and I am either on the throttle or braking and never idling away. In slow moving traffic I can sometimes experience a noticable "bump" when the 7 speed goes into second, especially if I give a bit to much throttle and then have to let off just as it moves from 1st into 2nd. Not a problem but noticable. I call it personallity ... ;-)

Hi!

I have Octavia (A7) 1.4 TSI with 7-speed DSG, and I'm very pleased with this gearbox. For most of the time, gearbox is silky smooth and responsive, and only sometimes some jerkiness occur while maneouverng on parking lot. Also tried new Superb 2.0 TDI with 6-speed DSG, and, to be honest, I didn't felt much difference. But I like more DSG in combination with TSI engines. Only problem I had was with mechatronic unit failure, but it was replaced within the warranty.

 

Cheers!

6 Speed DSG on mine - great gearbox, smooth and fast changing. The only better auto box in my opinion is the 8 speed ZF fitted to the likes of BMW's etc.

Fuel has always been relatively cheap here so our market is used to traditional auto 'slush boxes' and Australia's  percentage of automatics is one of the highest in the world.

DSG boxes are not especially well regarded here especially the 'dry' 7 speed unit in stop/start traffic and one Aussie car website (caradvice.com.au) in particular makes mention of this 'poor' characteristic in nearly every review of a VW group product, even the DSG6 box gets some flack. There seems to be a great deal of variability in how bad the application is per model though.

 

The comments section of that car website is always full of the 'for and against' arguments, naturally some are informed arguments and many are not.

My take is that if a driver has come from a 'manual trannie' background (as is often the case in Europe) then they are far more likely to take to the DSG characteristics.

No one disputes that when on the move they are both very good at what they do.

 

The DSG7 dry box was very unreliable in our hot climate and even now the 'fix' has been applied I read of too many instances where the clutches are wearing out after relatively few k's and having to be replaced. Fine if you're within the warranty period but it does nothing to contribute to retained value for the vehicles.

The DSG6 seems to be relatively bullet-proof and would always be my preference of the two, especially after driving my daughter's 'new' Mk5 Golf GTI.

 

One question though, a recently published test of the newly released (here) Audi A4 with the 1.4tsi engine stated it was fitted with a DSG7 'wet' box. Is this true?

Ford ultimately gave up on their version of the 'dry' DSG box which was a disaster.

Edited 1 June, 201610 yr by Gerrycan

My DSG7 has only been jerky on kick-down, when I do something unexpected (for example, lift my foot up a bit when the box has already started changing gears), or for a few days after firmware updates (probably reset some settings). Overall it's always been smooth. There are other problems though.

No problems here after 65k km with the DSG7 in a 1.4 TSI.

No jerkiness when taking off, and I only get an occasional weird shift if I suddenly lift the foot while accelerating.

I have no problems rolling with slow speed in stop-and-go traffic.

The only jerkiness I experience is when the hill hold sometimes hold the car to hard if I apply throttle immediately after releasing brake with S&S engaged. Normally I release the brake and let the car roll a few cms before applying throttle.

One question though, a recently published test of the newly released (here) Audi A4 with the 1.4tsi engine stated it was fitted with a DSG7 'wet' box. Is this true?

Ford ultimately gave up on their version of the 'dry' DSG box which was a disaster.

 

Yes it's quite possible as there are now several versions of the 7 speed with "wet" clutches:

 

Not available in any Skoda and think only Audis get them at the moment. The ones used in Skoda are the DQ200 and DQ250. As you can see the only dry clutch box is the DQ200 which is the one you refer to that has had all the troubles... so that can't be just coincidence that it's the only dry clutch DSG box they do!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct-shift_gearbox

Edited 1 June, 201610 yr by Phil-E

The 7-speed wet is the DQ-500, I think a few VWs have it too but Skoda is too far down the pecking order for it at the moment. Curiously VW stuck to (a variation of) the DQ-250 for the Golf R

Yeah I was also surprised at that. Especially since the DQ500 is also suitable for 4 wheel drive so sure would have worked?

 

Perhaps the 6 speed is still the stronger box when pushing nearly 300bhp out to 4 wheels.

Yeah I was also surprised at that. Especially since the DQ500 is also suitable for 4 wheel drive so sure would have worked?

Perhaps the 6 speed is still the stronger box when pushing nearly 300bhp out to 4 wheels.

It's more torque that's the limiting factor for a gearbox, and the 7 speed is fitted to the Passat range topping Bi-TDI.

Knowing VAG it's probably down to cost more than anything!

Almost 3 years and 27,000 miles and my 7 speeder DSG has been absolutely faultless throughout. I've just ordered another Octy 3, 1.6 diesel SEL, due in early September, naturally with the DSG again ! 

During my time with the car I have never experienced any jerkiness - as I reported at the 5,000 mile point, the only way I know it's changed gear is to look at the Maxidot.

I  hope I've not been just lucky, and can enjoy the new one as much as the current beauty !

JKW

It's more torque that's the limiting factor for a gearbox, and the 7 speed is fitted to the Passat range topping Bi-TDI.

Knowing VAG it's probably down to cost more than anything!

 

I was just surprised that VW gave the standard 2.0D Tiguan the DQ-500 and then massaged the torque limit on the DQ-250 up to 380 for the Golf R (or more likely restricted its torque in the critical gears to 350)

 

Like you say probably cost and even VW may be below Audi to put it on everything they want

Hi all picking up octy 1.6 tdi DSG 2013 on Saturday morning. It's only done 15600 miles, anything I should look out for while I'm Road testing it before buying please respond thanksy