I was without my 2.0TDI manual for nearly 2 weeks recently due to an oil leak. For the first 2 days I had a Sharan 140PS DSG but it kept trying to kill me when I wanted to pull out at a busy roundabout. I'd floor it, it would sit there for 2 seconds and lurch out with the front wheels ablaze with a sodding great truck bearing down on me. In a manual it usually just takes a split second of gas to punt you into the traffic stream and up to speed. The DSG just wouldn't do it (folks on the T5 forum have exactly the same complaint). It also didn't have a clue what gear to be in for corners and just constantly chopped up and down the ratios.

 

When Skoda said it was going to take another week to fix my car I said I couldn't keep the Sharan. It was only a few weeks old and looked like others had struggled. Skoda Assistance went away and found me another Octavia diesel with a manual box. I drove that for 10 days and it was gem. The gearbox was sweet (5 speed), the engine revved nicely and quietly and on the motorway it would go as fast as I wanted to go (cough)...and when I handed it back I'd been averaging over 60mpg. It was only on the last day that I could just about make out the faded writing on the key fob said 1.6!

 

In summary, I'd only buy a DSG if I lived somewhere with quiet roads!

I would'nt have think I'd say this after a few days of using my DSG, but now that I'm more than one year of it , I can tell you, this is really a question of being used of it.

I don't mean, being used of it trying to kill you when you want to pull out a roundabout.

I mean being used of dealing with the box so that it's reactive. It's actually a question of learning it.

 

Today, I have absolutely zero complain on my DSG 7.

Edited 23 July, 201510 yr by JPH0091

Gradient, Gromle - you've seen the same "issue" I have

 

My wife's Citigo (with ASG) does exactly the same but as the gearchanges are a lot slower on that, it sometimes goes from 4th to 3rd, and then has to go down to 2nd immediately after on one uphill section close to our home - which is probably a similar gradient (14 or 15%)

Thats word i was looking for, thanks. 

 

But apart from this minor issue, Im loving the DSG box. 

I will agree the driver has to learn to trust the DSG, and also learn to fractionally forward think, i.e. be ready to ambush an opening,

then simply, very very simply, floor it,

and let the provided as standard with DSG Traction control,  worry about the wheel very minimal wheel spin.(instead of modulating, or attempting to modulate, throttle input, therby losing furthur headway)

I suspect some/most other drivers react to the fractional hesitation in transmission uptake from a standstill, by backing off*** or cancelling their planned manouver, and blaming the transmission, for what is, in measured time, (rather than driver perceived time) a absolute fractional split second of hesitation, which is easily and very quickly clawed back by the lightning fast subsequent upchanges.

***There is also the issue of the DSG transmission overriding throttle input, which means the driver will feed in too much throttle before the transmission or car responds, which in turn, will cause most drivers to intuitively "back off", which then causes an unnecessary delay.

Hence my "simply floor it" comment, and let the very clever electronics do the work and worrying.

Can still be a trifle heart-stopping I agree, in my own drivers preception, but! ah nivver bin flashed by oncoming-up-the-rear-end drivers, ergo, must not an issue.

Marcus

Edited 23 July, 201510 yr by dieseldogg

Well, they quoted 0.87 18 months ago and are still quoting it on the up to date specs now. The fact is the overall gear ratios between the 5 speed and the 6 speed are virtually identical from 1st to 4th, and that 6th is very close to the 5th on a 5 speed, they've just put an extra gear between 4th and 5th on the 6 speed. It confirmed my belief that there is an element of "the emperors new clothes" regarding 6 speed manual boxes.

It is a typo in the specs sheet.

I have the 2.0 with 6 speed manual, and I have just tested it by driving at 2000 rpms in all gears.

In 2. gear the speed is 36 km/h

In 3. gear the speed is 57 km/h

In 4. gear the speed is 82 km/h

In 5. gear the speed is 104 km/h

In 6. gear the speed is 124 km/h

I'd have to say that if I wanted a DSG diesel Octavia, that it would be the 2.0 litre version, just to get a bit more power as the 1.6 diesel is a very low revving engine on the whole, it drives most of the time like it doesn't have a turbo and then on motorways it has bags of power and is an effortless car to drive. The choice of gearbox really comes down to the kind of driving that you do most of, for stop/ start town driving the DSG might be quite pleasant but probably less useful if you are doing mainly motorway driving. My father has just bought a new Volvo XC60 which has their DSG equivalent with a new design of two litre turbo diesel engine and for a relatively big car, the power from that engine is remarkable with the gearbox changing up and down very smoothly indeed. I'd probably prefer it with a manual gearbox if it was my car but in the end it comes down to personal preference and individual needs.

What kind of gearbox is in that xc60 allandj?

Ive tried a xc60 last summer, and I found that autobox very sluggish compared to the DSG. But perhaps they gotten a new transmission since then, although I didnt think the xc69 was supposed to get a major upgrade for another year or so.

I think Volvo are now starting to use a dual clutch transmission akin to the DSG which is feeding in throughout the range.  I can't see another reason for the huge drop in CO2 figures recently!

The dual clutch system ertainly works well in normal conditions only when you boot it does it get a little slow'n'clunky.  A bit hard to predicted when the driver's gonna wanna go down 3 gears though.

I think Volvo are now starting to use a dual clutch transmission akin to the DSG which is feeding in throughout the range.  I can't see another reason for the huge drop in CO2 figures recently!

 

At least on the V40, Volvo is now proposing a dual clutch gearbox for petrol and diesel engines with max torque below 270Nm.

test drove the V60 before in the end taking the Octavia (much more space!!). The gearbox is very nice in it, all in the Volvo is a better car (IMHO), high quality but it does not have the space of the Octavia.

 

Space in Skoda's trump card across the range.......very few have mastered the TARDIS effect as well as Skoda has.

 

So DSG.......had one and have ordered my second - which is best? For me for everyday easy and town work, DSG every time, only really loses out on the MPG front. Mostly I think that is because to will not shift up to a higher gear like you can in a manual. BUT - test drive both and make your own choice, the DSG is defiantly a personal choice. 

What kind of gearbox is in that xc60 allandj?

Ive tried a xc60 last summer, and I found that autobox very sluggish compared to the DSG. But perhaps they gotten a new transmission since then, although I didnt think the xc69 was supposed to get a major upgrade for another year or so.

The new XC60 D4, with their new 4 cylinder has an optional 8-speed auto replacing the 6-speed Tiptronic that's still offered with the 2.4 5 cylinder engine in he 4WD models.

I was without my 2.0TDI manual for nearly 2 weeks recently due to an oil leak. For the first 2 days I had a Sharan 140PS DSG but it kept trying to kill me when I wanted to pull out at a busy roundabout. I'd floor it, it would sit there for 2 seconds and lurch out with the front wheels ablaze with a sodding great truck bearing down on me. In a manual it usually just takes a split second of gas to punt you into the traffic stream and up to speed. The DSG just wouldn't do it (folks on the T5 forum have exactly the same complaint). It also didn't have a clue what gear to be in for corners and just constantly chopped up and down the ratios.

 

When Skoda said it was going to take another week to fix my car I said I couldn't keep the Sharan. It was only a few weeks old and looked like others had struggled. Skoda Assistance went away and found me another Octavia diesel with a manual box. I drove that for 10 days and it was gem. The gearbox was sweet (5 speed), the engine revved nicely and quietly and on the motorway it would go as fast as I wanted to go (cough)...and when I handed it back I'd been averaging over 60mpg. It was only on the last day that I could just about make out the faded writing on the key fob said 1.6!

 

In summary, I'd only buy a DSG if I lived somewhere with quiet roads!

Wow, so different to our experiences.

 

We wouldn't have bought three DSG 6-speeds if we had found the problems that you've experienced.

 

As for getting off the line quickly, leave in in D, hold the car on the footbrake & when the gap arrives, release brake & apply throttle.

If you want to really go, select S rather than D & expect a little bit of wheel-spin + a rapid departure...........

(It may help that all 3 cars are 2.0 TSi, so we do have enough torque at low revs without having to wait for the tubo to spool up.)

 

DC 

It is a typo in the specs sheet.

I have the 2.0 with 6 speed manual, and I have just tested it by driving at 2000 rpms in all gears.

In 2. gear the speed is 36 km/h

In 3. gear the speed is 57 km/h

In 4. gear the speed is 82 km/h

In 5. gear the speed is 104 km/h

In 6. gear the speed is 124 km/h

Thank you, kind sir.

 

That seems to be a nicely matched set of gear ratios, very similar to the 6-speed manuals in our old Octy vRS & VW EOS.

 

DC 

The dual clutch system ertainly works well in normal conditions only when you boot it does it get a little slow'n'clunky.  A bit hard to predicted when the driver's gonna wanna go down 3 gears though.

Erm, isn't that what the paddles &/or the  tiptronic shifter are for?

Erm, isn't that what the paddles &/or the  tiptronic shifter are for?

Paddles/shifter only go down 1 gear at a time, which is fine if thats what you want but if you coasting in 7th at ,1400 revs under averaging cameras & spot the national speed limit sign, dropping 1 gear isn't enough, my max torque doesn't start till 2,500 revs hence, 2 or 3 gears to drop. Simples !

Paddles/shifter only go down 1 gear at a time, which is fine if thats what you want but if you coasting in 7th at ,1400 revs under averaging cameras & spot the national speed limit sign, dropping 1 gear isn't enough, my max torque doesn't start till 2,500 revs hence, 2 or 3 gears to drop. Simples !

I've only got the 6 speed tranny, 

 

Paddles/shifter only go down 1 gear at a time, which is fine if thats what you want but if you coasting in 7th at ,1400 revs under averaging cameras & spot the national speed limit sign, dropping 1 gear isn't enough, my max torque doesn't start till 2,500 revs hence, 2 or 3 gears to drop. Simples !

I've only got the 6 speed DSG & max torque if there from 1700 to 4000+ rpm, but I find that 3 quick flicks on the L/H paddle drops me back into 3rd quicker than I can shift a manual, but.....in most circumstances the DSG is already there, dropping down through the gears just when I'd choose to..

 

This is some "learning" software in there somewhere & there are locations / junctions where it's "always" in the right ratio at the right time, & it chooses what is "right", not just on speed but on how I've been driving too.

 

We love 'em all, & that's in 3 different cars, each with their own characteristics. 

Having recently converted to a DSG I don't think I'd ever consider going back especially, in congestion, makes driving a pleasure and if you do want to press on, DSG is quicker through the box without acceleration flatspots, it just pulls and pulls, no wonder the Police use them nowdays.

In congestion it's great, it changes gear very quickly and smoothly but mated to a diesel it's not in the same league as when mated to a petrol.

 

It can be a bit dim witted and slow under certain circumstances.  Until the new (still being developed) 8 speed boxes arrive I would never get a diesel + dsg again.... I'm going back to manual.

Edited 24 July, 201510 yr by Sheldon.Cooper

Erm, when pootling out the good flat straight almost level road home, with a warm engine, it was immoderately entertaining to merely floor the pedal and watch the gears drop from 7th to 4th(not sure I ever saw 3rd, since a few year ago) with the revs rapidly rising to 4000, or slightly beyond, and repeating instanteanously.

btw

In these "kick down" conditions  staying in "D" or switching to "S" made ABSOLUTLY no difference.

I checked, n checked n checked n checkec n checked

"S" merely holds higher revs in each gear, say for a twisty bit of road, or to give the impression of going faster, by dint of higher revs.

marcus

Just spent the week with a US Jetta 1.8TSI, brand new but it had a single clutch 6 speed auto box. Bloody horrible. 55mph was about 1300rpm so it always had to change down 1-2 gears for any slight hill. Sport mode just kept it 2 gears lower than normal, no change to throttle response. I guess the yanks don't mind crap gearboxes.

After driving 87 miles on the M1, M25 and A3 at an average speed of 23 mph this afternoon / evening I'm glad I chose the DSG. Crawling on the motorway is solid traffic with stop start traffic my dodgy left knee would have been in trouble in a manual.

After driving 87 miles on the M1, M25 and A3 at an average speed of 23 mph this afternoon / evening I'm glad I chose the DSG. Crawling on the motorway is solid traffic with stop start traffic my dodgy left knee would have been in trouble in a manual.

Add ACC and you could do that with a dodgy right knee aswell

I think the XC60 has an 8 speed auto gearbox, pretty sure that both the gearbox and engine are entirely new, pretty low emissions and road tax if you take the manual gearbox version I think it is £30 PA but ends up at £130 PA with the auto gearbox. This car is front wheel drive, apparently Volvo are changing a lot of technical bits on the XC60, starting with the front wheel drive versions which seem to have the same engine and auto gearbox as the new XC90 too but the current four wheel drive XC60's are still being built with older engines and gearboxes for a bit longer until they can get their engine production increased enough to make enough of the new engines.

I think the XC60 has an 8 speed auto gearbox, pretty sure that both the gearbox and engine are entirely new, pretty low emissions and road tax if you take the manual gearbox version I think it is £30 PA but ends up at £130 PA with the auto gearbox. This car is front wheel drive, apparently Volvo are changing a lot of technical bits on the XC60, starting with the front wheel drive versions which seem to have the same engine and auto gearbox as the new XC90 too but the current four wheel drive XC60's are still being built with older engines and gearboxes for a bit longer until they can get their engine production increased enough to make enough of the new engines.

Yeah ok. I drove the six speed auto. I not sure if the Fwd version is availble here in Norway. No one buys it at least.

Well I would imagine that four wheel drive would be more useful in Norway than in most parts of Scotland, in this area at least heavy snowfall is very rare but rain and cloudy skys are all too common as in this so called summer that we're not having!

My father chose that car coming from a Volvo V60, really because it was much easier for him to get in and out from. He did have before that two Landrover Freelander's which were four wheel drive and manual gearboxes but they were very expensive cars to run, with woeful fuel consumption and extortionate servicing costs from the local main dealers. Plus he hardly ever had any need for four wheel drive to be honest. The XC60 gives him that kind of driving position with more modern technology and hopefully better fuel consumption even with the auto gearbox. He might have chosen the four wheel drive version if it had been available with the more modern engine and gearbox but at this time it isn't, so no point in paying extra for soon to be obsolete technology and to carry more weight in your car and get lower fuel consumption if it doesn't offer any serious advantage for the kind of driving that you do.

Edited 25 July, 201510 yr by AllanDJ