I live in the south east and spend most of my time driving on overcrowded roads and motorways, I'd never consider a manual daily driver again. I keep manual for the fun weekend car.

Move to somewhere less crowded?

Joking apart, I would never consider an auto as a daily driver as I don't live anywhere near that London (thank the lord)

It is a great disappointment to me that almost all VAG group vehicles with the higher power diesel engines and 4wd are DSG only.

It will severely limit my choices when I come to change my 170cr 4x4manual

Given your dilemma I would chose the 150hp

Not strictly true. If you want an auto 4X4 Octavia you have to get a Scout, all other 4X4 Octavias are manuals.

I'm afraid you are in a dying breed along with manual chokes, non fuel injection engines and candles for lighting.

I gave worked in transmission and driveline fir the last six years and no one is designing new manual gearboxes as the demand outside of tiny cars for manuals is minimum.

New auto boxes and new DSGs are being developed (ZF have a 1,000 Nmtr gearbox now) but there is no investment in new manual boxes, as the sales are not there to justify the development. More is being put into HEV, P HEV, BEV systems which all mate to autos.

Every manual box is a box designed at the latest in the eighties and are modified with front plates to fit new engines etc.

It's not just VAG, but all premium manufacturers spend development money in new autos not new manual boxes

"Not strictly true. If you want an auto 4X4 Octavia you have to get a Scout, all other 4X4 Octavias are manuals.

I'm afraid you are in a dying breed along with manual chokes, non fuel injection engines and candles for lighting"

The manual octavia's in 4x4 Diesel form have a max of 150hp I was used to 240hp in my manual A4 3.0 Tdi Quattro.

I went down to 170 with my Superb, don't want any less. I have driven a 150 Octavia 4x4 elegance

I am no Luddite, I fully embrace modern technology when it suits my needs. DSG doesn't meet my needs.

Edited 19 September, 201510 yr by Bristolf2b

From 1997 I have been driving nothing but manual, until the past 8 weeks, my first DSG vRS & I absolutely love it, hate having to jump in to a manual car now! 

 

I don't know much about the gearboxes, (ie manual Vs DSG) but depending on your style of driving & what you are actually going to do with your car, will determine what choice you should make. I went for DSG mainly because I don't do that much mileage any more & most of the time I'm start stop in London traffic, also nice to have a DSG with paddle shift even just for the motorway journeys, but I'am glad that my left leg has plenty of rest now 

 

Driving a DSG is so much more comfortable & relaxing, but if you want more in-control of each gear at your selection & you want driving to be more of a effort, then get a manual.

 

Maybe some manual owners will not agree with me but unless you have had a DSG then you will know what I'm talking about & this is not to pee anyone off that has a manual gearbox

I gave worked in transmission and driveline fir the last six years and no one is designing new manual gearboxes as the demand outside of tiny cars for manuals is minimum.

New auto boxes and new DSGs are being developed (ZF have a 1,000 Nmtr gearbox now) but there is no investment in new manual boxes, as the sales are not there to justify the development. More is being put into HEV, P HEV, BEV systems which all mate to autos

Is it the chicken or the egg? Is it the lack of opportunities that reduces the sales?

If you don't offer a vehicle, then it won't sell will it?

I think the real reason is the shift to hybrid and EV as you say.

Maybe some manual owners will not agree with me but unless you have had a DSG then you will know what I'm talking about & this is not to pee anyone off that has a manual gearbox

I have driven many DSG cars, the longest trip was well over 1000 miles in a week. Enough to know I don't want one.

Many people clearly like them, good I am pleased for them.

I just wish they would give me the option.

Edited 19 September, 201510 yr by Bristolf2b

I think you really do not like them or want them after 7 posts saying that you do not.

As well to just never drive one ever again it looks like.

 

I take it you will not be trying a 8 speed or even an eleven speed when VW get around to offering them.

One point that has been missed in this thread is how well the DSG works in conjunction with ACC. I recently had to drive up the A303 to London. I set the controls for the heart of the sun.... Sorry! Set the speed to 70 on the dual carriageway bit and when we got to the end the car slowed down to 60 and then slower as the traffic in front slowed. Gently dropping down the gears and up again as the traffic sped up again.

As an experiment it worked very well, not sure how often I would use it in real life however.

Use it all the time. Don't know how I lived without it all these years! It's strange using regular CC on the other car I drive.

Sent from Tapatalk for Android

For some people automatic/DSG isn't an option, but a necessity.

 

If like me you have a duff knee, DSG makes life so easy and makes for comfortable driving and the only thing I wish is that they'd install a DSG 7 box into the vRS for that little extra economy with the bonus of some extra fun too.

I think you really do not like them or want them after 7 posts saying that you do not.

As well to just never drive one ever again it looks like.

 

I take it you will not be trying a 8 speed or even an eleven speed when VW get around to offering them.

NSS

(8)

  Elementary Dr Watson!

I'll get my coat

I love my DSG vRS TSI and that's after 20 years of driving manuals. If I want to have a more engaging drive then simply flip it into manual and use the paddles.

Love it.

Generally a lot of people have much hate about an auto. I still believe a high percentage base that on autos of old (not accusing Bristol of that he just doesn't get on with it for his needs so that's fair enough). Awful hateful cvt's etc. The modern bread really are completely different.

I drove manual all my life bar a supra turbo. Until I got a 3 series coupe, I loved that car and it was the 6 speed auto, loved how effortless it was. Now have a Touring 330d with the ZF 8 speed auto. My god that combination is a masterpiece, phenomenal gearbox with a peachy engine. Wife has a DSG mk5 gti (her first auto too) and that's really impressive, but too harsh for her as a family car which is why we're now waiting on our L&K estate DSG to be built as she won't have another daily drive manual either anymore!

if you sit in congested traffic a lot then DSG is great. 

for general driving then its a little detached.

from a standing start then its goodbye manual box. 

the downside could be DSG repair bills outside of warranty

Generally a lot of people have much hate about an auto. I still believe a high percentage base that on autos of old (not accusing Bristol of that he just doesn't get on with it for his needs so that's fair enough). Awful hateful cvt's etc. The modern bread really are completely different.

I drove manual all my life bar a supra turbo. Until I got a 3 series coupe, I loved that car and it was the 6 speed auto, loved how effortless it was. Now have a Touring 330d with the ZF 8 speed auto. My god that combination is a masterpiece, phenomenal gearbox with a peachy engine. Wife has a DSG mk5 gti (her first auto too) and that's really impressive, but too harsh for her as a family car which is why we're now waiting on our L&K estate DSG to be built as she won't have another daily drive manual either anymore!

 

So what's this new bread gearbox then? Are the gear changes all soft & doughy or hard & crusty.

Lol! Breed! Stupid flipping Apple auto correct!

Don't you just love it wen awtoe korekt leeds to tryping errots. 

So what's this new bread gearbox then? Are the gear changes all soft & doughy or hard & crusty.

I prefer the garlic bread gearboxes. They are yummy!

"Not strictly true. If you want an auto 4X4 Octavia you have to get a Scout, all other 4X4 Octavias are manuals.

I'm afraid you are in a dying breed along with manual chokes, non fuel injection engines and candles for lighting"

The manual octavia's in 4x4 Diesel form have a max of 150hp I was used to 240hp in my manual A4 3.0 Tdi Quattro.

I went down to 170 with my Superb, don't want any less. I have driven a 150 Octavia 4x4 elegance

I am no Luddite, I fully embrace modern technology when it suits my needs. DSG doesn't meet my needs.

Why do you need 240? 150 in an Octavia is more than enough for today's roads and speed limits.

What are your needs that require more?

Do you tow large weights?

What actual needs do you have that require a manual?

I had an interesting conundrum when chosing a company car recently.

I was able to choose a Golf 150 TDI GT DSG, a manual GTD or a DSG GTD if I wanted to pay a £50/month upgrade fee for the priviledge of having the auto.

I would have liked a GTD DSG just because I do circa. 30k miles/year mainly A roads and motorways so for me it would have been a good call. Of course the BIK of the car wouls increase quite considerably over the manual and the upgrade fee would result in me paying for the DSG option thereabouts over the term of the lease...all for the sake of letting the car swap the cogs. That was off the cards quite quickly.

Then the competition was between the GT DSG and GTD manual....this was a harder call....at the time Nav wasnt standard on the GTD..the GT is well spec'd and the 150 isnt leaps and bounds slower and the lure of DSG with ACC was v tempting. The truth is that it would have really been all the car I needed.....however.....the increase in BIK through list price increase and that with a DSG box it put out more CO2 than a manual GTD it means that I was going to end up paying more tax for arguably less car.....the styling and improved drive and performance of the GTD...also the fact that despite my high mileage driving I do prefer a manual diesel its the one I bit the bullet on.

Ive had a loaner GTD for a few months (my factory order due to be delivered next week) and dont regret the choice at all. Lovely (and quite fun) to drive and I know had I gone DSG Id have probably regretted it as the manual box is really nice and IMHO makes it that bit more immersive to drive....with 280lb/ft torque it doesnt require much cog swapping anyway.

Simply if DSG in all cases served to reduce emissions and improve fuel economy Id probably have gone for it regardless but on the 6 speed diesels they all rather suffer the consequence.

Also just before I ordered VW increased the standard spec of the GTD to include winter pack, MIB2 DNS (same as Amundsen) with car-net live services and Kessy to the already v nice standard spec so was a bit of a result.

I did also have the choice of a Passat 2.0 150 TDI GT saloon or an estate or R-Line saloon for an upgrade fee....any of which would have been v nice but not alot of fun i dont suppose.

Edited 20 September, 201510 yr by pipsypreturns

Why do you need 240? 150 in an Octavia is more than enough for today's roads and speed limits.

What are your needs that require more?

Do you tow large weights?

What actual needs do you have that require a manual?

I have to say performance wise there isnt a vast difference between the Octavia 150 and 184 TDI's particularly in 2wd format.

Whilst the 150 is down on power and torque by a reasonable margin, care or having a torsion rear axle it weighs +100kg lighter...therefore the power to weight ratio isnt ridiculously different (118 to 130hp/ton or thereabouts).

I was v pleasantly surprised by my 150...a touch quicker than the 170 CR mk2 vRS it replaced and much better delivery.

I had always had manual cars up until this one. Some time spent driving DSG Superbs pretty much convinced me I wanted DSG on my new Octavia.

It is of course a personal preference, but given the amount of time I spend on motorways and/or in traffic jams compared to zipping along B roads I know I have made the right choice (for me). It is a much more relaxed driving experience.

Can't agree with the comments about DSG not being a good fit with diesel (also a first for me on this car), as I find the power delivery to be very smooth and flicking it into 'S' makes overtaking an easier exercise than it ever was on my manual Octavia 2 1.6 petrol.

I had always had manual cars up until this one. Some time spent driving DSG Superbs pretty much convinced me I wanted DSG on my new Octavia.

It is of course a personal preference, but given the amount of time I spend on motorways and/or in traffic jams compared to zipping along B roads I know I have made the right choice (for me). It is a much more relaxed driving experience.

Can't agree with the comments about DSG not being a good fit with diesel (also a first for me on this car), as I find the power delivery to be very smooth and flicking it into 'S' makes overtaking an easier exercise than it ever was on my manual Octavia 2 1.6 petrol.

No disrespect but that is probably in part that a 1.6 petrol isnt particularly torquey so needs quite a bit of shifting effort. Once off the mark a 1.6 and particularly 2.0 TDI is a different prospect as a manual.