Just a quick query. When driving with a DSG is it correct when at the traffic lights to keep the car in D and just have your foot on the foot brake or is it better to put it in N or P and pull the handbrake up. My previous Audi had DSG and that advised to just keep it in D and put your foot on the brake same as my Fabia manual. However my dads new A3 with S tronic tells him in the manual not to hold the car with the foot brake and to put it in N and apply the handbrake. What do people think?

N for me unless it's a very brief stop.

With the 7 speed box the clutch is completely disengaged with your foot on the brake so your fine to just leave in D.

 

Phil

But for extended stops do as the highway code says and apply the Hand Brake, do not dazzle drivers behind, so go to 'N',  

not to 'P' which means passing through Reverse.

 

You have Hill Hold as well with the DSG for a couple of seconds.

Cheers guys, will stick it in N from now on with the handbrake applied.

I find you still roll in 'N' so I put it in 'P'.

I'm a driving instructor, as far as DSA goes, for short stops (i.e most lights when you know they are green soon) keep your foot on the brake, handbrake off....

 

for longer stops, i.e train crossing, longer lights ect , handbrake on then neutral. anticipate when you are going to move, then back to drive, handbrake off...

 

as Phill says, the clutch is disengaged, when the brake is on, BUT there are different levels to this! it needs to be pressed firmly for the clutch to disengage, a gentle press can still have the clutches trying to engage, you will feel this, and it will wear the box.....

On the 7 speed I assume when you are re-engaging D from N you can simply press the brake pedal and flick the lever down to D without having to press the lock button on the stick?

 

as Phill says, the clutch is disengaged, when the brake is on, BUT there are different levels to this! it needs to be pressed firmly for the clutch to disengage, a gentle press can still have the clutches trying to engage, you will feel this, and it will wear the box.....

 

That's where the 6 speed differs too. Whenever it's in D no matter how hard you press the pedal the clutch is slightly engaged and slipping all the time.

 

Phil

The DSG box is something you 'learn' to drive in my opinion. It has to be right up there with the best auto's ever made. 

I find that staying in drive when parked, is fine but I always engage neutral and apply the hand brake if the stop is likely to be on the long side just because I feel more comfortable that way and the point about dazzling the driver behind is something I'm always aware of.

 

There has been many threads relating to the DSG box and how it performs and once you get used to it it will 'creep' like a conventional TC box and pull away at roundabouts and junctions without problems, also the hill hold feature is great. But it DOES take a little practice and patience for some.

 

I refer only to the 7sp box as I haven't driven the 6 sp.

Edited 17 December, 201411 yr by horkin

not to 'P' which means passing through Reverse.

 

I was actually thinking of this for quite some time (whether the driver behind me would be thinking I'm about to reverse onto him) but I realised Reverse is not engaged nor the reverse light is coming on until you actually leave the stick for more than 1" in R, meaning if you just do a normal pass from D through N, R to P it is fine.

 

Nowdays, if the road I'm stopping at is relatively flat I just push the stick all the way to P, I find it more natural than using the handbrake. For uphill/downhill situations I still put it in N+handbrake though.

Edited 17 December, 201411 yr by newbie69

I understand that and see where some do that,

the thing is i dont not want to Lock the Front Wheels, & i never use P without also using the Hand Brake,

so i am happy with the Hand Brake holding the Rear brakes,

then foot on the Brake and one movement into 'D' or even on the very odd occasion back to 'S'.

 

The one thing i am not good at or even like is driving left hand drive cars & the gearstick or handbrake even though i am right handed.

(only good thing for me is, you can flash the Headlights to let someone go while engaging 'D' in a Left Hand Drive.

Edited 17 December, 201411 yr by goneoffSKi

The one thing i am not good at or even like is driving left hand drive cars & the gearstick or handbrake even though i am right handed.

(only good thing for me is, you can flash the Headlights to let someone go while engaging 'D' in a Left Hand Drive.

 

The only LHD cars I've driven are automatics. Apart from the mobile home but the gearstick is on the column anyway.