My VRS TDI DSG comments 4 days in.

[MrCellotape]

Hi all,

My initial comments/thoughts after 4 days ownership.

1) Lane assist was switched off the 30 seconds after hitting the first dual carriageway.

2) The standard speakers are really tinny.... I have got round this by setting the treble/mid range to minus 8 and the base to +7.... It now sounds normal. Have a try and let me know what you think.

3) The Admunson sat nav is quite good but a little bit paranoid when on the M25. She tells you to stay right at every junction rather than telling you once to stay on the M25 for 30 miles.

4) The seats are really comfy. My previous car was was a merc with the optional sports seats. The VRS seats are better.

5) The xenon AFS lighting when set in sport mode turns at the same speed as the steering wheel. It's Brilliant! So much quicker than the xenon Afs lights I had in the Merc.

The front and rear sensors are taking some getting used to. Not as good as Merc systems and the fronts do not appear on the screen.

6) MPG I did 54.5mpg on a run into and back out of London today..... Bearing in mind that I was doing normal motorway/city driving that's brilliant for a car that is not even run in let alone loosened up. Roughly 180 round trip.

7) The ergonomics are so well thought out.

8) There are so many clever features. e.g, phone holder in cup holder, curry hook in boot, shopping hooks in boot, sun glasses holder, don't forget your phone message, traffic reports on your screen, Sat Nav/everything else on Maxi-dot.

9) The gearbox is awesome. More relaxing to drive than the auto box in my previous C Class. Direct when used in normal mode. The little knock back into sport mode, what a great idea.

10) Music interface. I have decided to use SD card rather than iPod/iPhones, my thinking being that there is less to be stolen from the car. The only issue to date is good old ITunes making it difficult and using the tagging software... I spent an afternoon on the laptop sorting most of this out. Need to finish it off to get the final tagged album covers onto the screen in the car.

11) phone interface. The base phone volume seems a little low. Meaning you have to pump the volume up to talk to anyone. Is there a way of changing the setting in this so it saved to the system?

That's my initial thoughts/experiences.

Ps.... Has anyone tried the launch control as noted in the handbook?

[billybskoda]

Launch control????

[MrCellotape]

Yep... It's in the handbook!

[PUFPAF]

The launch control is fun for a couple of times, but is rather pointless for me. Mine is a 4x4 dsg and launch control starts leave you with a strange feeling in the neck area

In a FWD car the main difference will be the eneven tyre wear I suppose The LC will be good on a track, where you can get to high speed, but for city driving is really useless...as you have to press the brakes very soon after launching.

LC aside though, I use the S-mode of the DSG on motorways very often - I find it much more versatile for higher speeds, as the D-mode is seemingly made for economy only.

[Redboy]

5. Front park sensors should show on the screen.

[billybskoda]

Yep... It's in the handbook!

Handbook..? 

 

Sorry, Im guessing this is dsg only, Ive got manual...

[MattFromWarks]

Handbook..?

Sorry, Im guessing this is dsg only, Ive got manual...

Yes it is only on DSG

Edited 10 March, 2015 by MattFromWarks

[TomLux]

After three weeks and 1200km in my VRS TDI manual estate I can agree with many things:

 

1) Lane assist was switched off the 30 seconds after hitting the first dual carriageway.

Did the same on my test-drive and thus didn't order it (it's not a standard in Luxembourg).

 

4) The seats are really comfy. My previous car was was a merc with the optional sports seats. The VRS seats are better.

5) The xenon AFS lighting when set in sport mode turns at the same speed as the steering wheel. It's Brilliant! So much quicker than the xenon Afs lights I had in the Merc.

The front and rear sensors are taking some getting used to. Not as good as Merc systems and the fronts do not appear on the screen.

Yes. I did two runs of nearly 300km in a go (with the compulsory break) and they are brilliant seats (cloth no leather)

Sensors show up on mine. In first gear as a little insert, in reverse as full screen.

[mtwo]

Launch control? I'm going to try it this morning on the way to work. If anyone sees a blue vrs estate with 2 black and white spaniels pinned against the rear window, it will be me

[iriches]

11) phone interface. The base phone volume seems a little low. Meaning you have to pump the volume up to talk to anyone. Is there a way of changing the setting in this so it saved to the system?

 

If you hit the Menu button, then choose the Cogs icon for settings and then hit Sound, Volume, Bluetooth Audio you should be able to choose Quiet, Medium or Loud.

 

Not sure if this only covers A2DP music playback or does the phone calls as well - but it's worth a try. 

[Stodgy]

Awesome.

 

I have the same car. Like you I agree the seats and gearbox are awesome.

 

Two things I'd suggest to make life even better:

 

1) Disconnect the sound generator (stops it sounding like a bag of nails) 

2) Buy Kauftec Auto Stop/Start disable dongle. 

 

Job done...even more pleasure! 

 

[SnailUK]

I wonder what miracles the launch control can work. My TDI DSG can't get off a line with anything more than minimal throttle, without wheelspinning like a mofo.

[Bindinbear]

Had my car a week now too. 120 miles covered. Vrs tsi dsg hatch.

I had canton speakers which seem as good as my edn30 golf, don't know about 'better'

I agree with stop/ start- very annoying!

Front assist is over cautious imo although mine is missing the trumpet surround cover. Get anywhere near too close to the car in front, whilst braking and that car warning with red arrows flashes up!!

Seats are very comfy but bolsters could do with being slightly higher up as you slide on the leather.

I find the album artwork is speradic in displaying both via bluetooth and direct connection (ipod nano 4th gen- columbus)

Wished the ipod connection could be in the armrest, looks messy and risk of theft if you forget as it is.

My nearside rear exhaust was 'gurgling' on tickover but has now gone, guessing baffles have now sooted up.

And after heavy rain overnight i found a large amount of water which was sat on the inner sill literally splashed out when i opened the door. None in the car i might add. Car is parked on slight downward slope.

Never had AFS zenons which are awesome for brightness coupled with the DRLs

All in all, very impressed, even panel gaps, strong build. Can't comment on performance until shes run in properly.

[Bindinbear]

Had my car a week now too. 120 miles covered. Vrs tsi dsg hatch.

I had canton speakers which seem as good as my edn30 golf, don't know about 'better'

I agree with stop/ start- very annoying!

Front assist is over cautious imo although mine is missing the trumpet surround cover. Get anywhere near too close to the car in front, whilst braking and that car warning with red arrows flashes up!!

Seats are very comfy but bolsters could do with being slightly higher up as you slide on the leather.

I find the album artwork is speradic in displaying both via bluetooth and direct connection (ipod nano 4th gen- columbus)

Wished the ipod connection could be in the armrest, looks messy and risk of theft if you forget as it is.

My nearside rear exhaust was 'gurgling' on tickover but has now gone, guessing baffles have now sooted up.

And after heavy rain overnight i found a large amount of water which was sat on the inner sill literally splashed out when i opened the door. None in the car i might add. Car is parked on slight downward slope.

Never had AFS zenons which are awesome for brightness coupled with the DRLs

All in all, very impressed, even panel gaps, strong build. Can't comment on performance until shes run in properly.

I wouldn't do launch control too often, DSG can be fragile, mostly mechatronics issues from past experience.

[pipsyp]

Launch control on DSG's from my own experience isnt that great. On my MK2 vRS TDI just resulted in a lot of wheelspin and not alot of forward motion.

Is worth noting that typically only cars with the 6 speed wet box and power outputs 170ps and above (diesels included) get launch control. Cars with the 7 speed dry box dont have it, i guess it would prematurely wear the clutch plates way more easily than the wet box.

Also the car does log when it has been used...so if you have a DSG issue and its noted that youve been using the LC function Skoda will probably refute a warranty claim. I gather this has happened in the past and that in no VAG docs do they suggest it being a warranty issue.

[JPH0091]

5. Front park sensors should show on the screen.

+1

[kallekilponen]

And after heavy rain overnight i found a large amount of water which was sat on the inner sill literally splashed out when i opened the door. None in the car i might add. Car is parked on slight downward slope.

That's a common problem according to this forum, but should be fixable.

 

Ps. Remember to edit your profile to indicate the new car.

 

Also the car does log when it has been used...so if you have a DSG issue and its noted that youve been using the LC function Skoda will probably refute a warranty claim.

If that's the case, it should really come with a warning that it will affect warranty. Without one, it doesn't make sense to include a function that you can use in a way instructed in the manual and void your warranty.

Edited 11 March, 2015 by kallekilponen

[Bindinbear]

That's a common problem according to this forum, but should be fixable.

Ps. Remember to edit your profile to indicate the new car.

When i say the sill, i mean the metal sill forwards of the vrs scuff plates that the door shuts onto if that makes sense? Is that a door seal issue? I need to know what i'm shouting about when it goes back to skoda! Lol :-)

[kallekilponen]

When i say the sill, i mean the metal sill forwards of the vrs scuff plates that the door shuts onto if that makes sense? Is that a door seal issue? I need to know what i'm shouting about when it goes back to skoda! Lol :-)

It sounds like it, and it's quite of a common issue from what I've read. (And thus should be a somewhat simple fix.)

[Redboy]

Why is it an issue? Isn't a design feature? My MkII did this and never got water in the car. Water in top of door, drain out at the bottom.

[kallekilponen]

Why is it an issue? Isn't a design feature? My MkII did this and never got water in the car. Water in top of door, drain out at the bottom.

It probably isn't if you live in a warm climate, but water expands as it freezes, so it can make some serious damage if left to freeze.

[steveb1970]

Wished the ipod connection could be in the armrest, looks messy and risk of theft if you forget as it is.

 

Hi mate, I followed an idea from a fellow member (will be on the forum somewhere) as I agree with your assessment of the ipod integration; basically you get an ipod connector extension cable (mine was a couple of quid off ebay) - then route the mdi lead up and back above the sliding 'ashtray' door/cover (very, very fiddly with skinned knuckles the obvious outcome!). Then join the end to the extension and run this to the glove box (all hidden behind the dash). You may find it easier to remove the passenger kick panel (did this a year ago and can't quite remember that part!). The result mean all you can see is the mdi plug from where you sit. Much neater.

Apologies to the OP for wandering off-topic......

[Gabbo]

Why is it an issue? Isn't a design feature? My MkII did this and never got water in the car. Water in top of door, drain out at the bottom.

 

 

It probably isn't if you live in a warm climate, but water expands as it freezes, so it can make some serious damage if left to freeze.

 

+1

 

Exactly, I had this exact problem a few weeks ago. Drove up into the mountains in very wet weather & arrived at the top in the evening in sub zero temperatures.

When I came to enter the car the next day the water in the doors had frozen (on the middle hinge & at the bottom) & the door didn't open.

The sound was horrible trying to forcable open the door.

 

In the end I got it open & it didn't seem to cause any damage but the fact that a signficant ammount of water stays in the door wells is not a good design.

I've never had another car do this, the water would just drain away after a few seconds.

[Diango]

Awesome.

 

I have the same car. Like you I agree the seats and gearbox are awesome.

 

Two things I'd suggest to make life even better:

 

1) Disconnect the sound generator (stops it sounding like a bag of nails) 

2) Buy Kauftec Auto Stop/Start disable dongle. 

 

Job done...even more pleasure! 

 

 

1b) - and then it starts sounding like a bag of hammers. I agree the soundgen can be a tad over the top, but I do not like the sound of a turbodiesel.

 

3) Trade it in for a manual and learn how to launch yourself using a real gearbox .

[lozgti]

The Spaniels post....brilliant:-)