New VRS Order DSG or Not?

[BenHants]

Hi Peeps,

 

After a long decision making process I have decided to upgrade my current MKII VRS to a brand new one and at the end of the month will be placing my order for a brand new one in Meteor Grey petrol with the black design package plus and a few other extras.

 

Now one thing I can not decide on is DSG or not. I have driven the DSG one and loved it and have a test drive for a petrol manual at the end of the week but working for the emergency services we have had so many problems with the DSG gearboxes (probably because of the way we drive them!) and I am really unsure as to whats best, what are peoples experiences with the MKIII DSG gear boxes?

 

Also what sort of MPG are people getting, I have a 15 mile commute mostly motorway each day to work and am currently running the diesel VRS, I know it wont be the same but a rough idea would be good, I'm really looking forward to getting back with petrol.

 

Cheers

Ben

[Bristolf2b]

If you are not sure and have bad experiences of reliability at work, why spend the extra money on something you will spend your ownership worrying about?

I ought to come clean..... I don't like DSG gearboxes so I may be a tad biased.

Edited 3 November, 2015 by Bristolf2b

[FluffyEyeball]

Hi Peeps,

 

After a long decision making process I have decided to upgrade my current MKII VRS to a brand new one and at the end of the month will be placing my order for a brand new one in Meteor Grey petrol with the black design package plus and a few other extras.

 

Now one thing I can not decide on is DSG or not. I have driven the DSG one and loved it and have a test drive for a petrol manual at the end of the week but working for the emergency services we have had so many problems with the DSG gearboxes (probably because of the way we drive them!) and I am really unsure as to whats best, what are peoples experiences with the MKIII DSG gear boxes?

 

Also what sort of MPG are people getting, I have a 15 mile commute mostly motorway each day to work and am currently running the diesel VRS, I know it wont be the same but a rough idea would be good, I'm really looking forward to getting back with petrol.

 

Cheers

Ben

 

What cars, and whats problems, have you experienced (also, what do you do)?

 

Emergency vehicles are driven hard and not usually looked after by the people driving them. On the other hand you are buying a vRS, which to some extent is supposed to be driven 'exuberantly'....even if only sometimes  . I would expect it to stand up to a little abuse.

 

Short journeys/stop-start, normal driving = approx. 30 - 35mpg;  Longer journeys/motorway, normal driving etc. = 35 - 40ish mpg. Most I have managed is 47mpg doing mostly between 50-60mph (driving very very gently indeed). Driving like you stole it = <28mpg

[Minimoke]

If it's new you have a warranty so what's to worry about?

[Skodartford]

Not my vrs tdi is just fine manual shifting and get it into cruise control on motorway it's awesome. Love it. Best car I have ever had. Plus the growl it gives when you boot it

[JPH0091]

I had a look on Spritmonitor to compare users consumption with the RS TSI.

 

Average is 33 mpg with manual gearbox, on a population of 73 users. (range 29-41 mpg)

http://www.spritmonitor.de/fr/apercu/45-Skoda/399-Octavia.html?fueltype=2&constyear_s=2013&power_s=220&power_e=220&gearing=1&powerunit=2

 

Average is 32 mpg with DSG, on a population of 72 users. (range 23-41 mpg)

http://www.spritmonitor.de/fr/apercu/45-Skoda/399-Octavia.html?fueltype=2&constyear_s=2013&power_s=220&power_e=220&gearing=4&powerunit=2

Edited 3 November, 2015 by JPH0091

[KarlO3V5]

I love the DSG in mine and wouldn't be without it. Its smooth as silk and makes the one in my old C class seem like a dinosaur. 

 

My concern would be if you were looking at remapping or adding more powers - iirc they have a torque limit. 

 

If you're buying new - try them both and don't compromise!

[M12MKD]

Around town in traffic I'm getting 23ish, overall over 1600 miles it's averaged 29.8

Which will probably get better as I get use to the car and the engine beds in.

DSG is personal choice, I rate it and have one......but that doesn't mean you should.

[R22JGB]

I had a 2011 SEAT Leon FR170, bought specifically because it had a DSG box, they are brilliant. The Leon replacement is an Octavia Scout 184 DSG.

The main point for my choice? The car had to have DSG.

I have driven Manuals most of my life but DSG is much better

[skd12]

I'm loving my dsg. There are a couple of niggles such as having less control over start stop (when it's not deactivated) and occasionally catching me out by down shifting on corners/roundabouts.

Mileage wise, my car has just passed 1000 miles in my 3 weeks with it and I'm showing:

40mpg overall average

36-46mpg on my 15 mile commute, heavily dependant on traffic. Suburban roads into town to drop the wife off, a mile through the city centre then onto a dual carriageway.

50mpg M6 from Penrith to Carlisle, A69 towards Newcastle sitting at the speed limit with 4 adults.

Low forties while having a spirited drive around the local reservoir.

I've set up a custom drive profile for my commute which is eco-gearbox, eco noisemaker, everything else set to normal.

This gives you quiet commuting, normal aircon and let's the gearbox coast. If you need to floor it out of a junction I just tap the gear stick backwards and it goes into sport mode

[WesternDuke]

My first experience of DSG was on my previous Mk2 vRS TSi.  Having put 30k miles on it in 20 months I absolutely loved it and wondered why I had been changing gears manually all these years.

 

Therefore I went for DSG in my Mk3 vRS TSi.  If I am in 'enthusiastic' mode I use the paddles - the best of both worlds!

 

As far as fuel consumption goes, on my 20 miles each way commute I am regularly getting 42 mpg and when driven for fun about 36 mpg.

[Sheldon.Cooper]

The DSG and 2.0T petrol engine mixture is very good, it was experiencing this that made me order a diesel DSG... what a mistake.

 

The diesel DSG box isn't anywhere near as good as the petrol one,  way better than the old single clutch slushmatic affairs but since you're after a TSI it's a simple choice.... DSG!

[BenHants]

What cars, and whats problems, have you experienced (also, what do you do)?

 

Emergency vehicles are driven hard and not usually looked after by the people driving them. On the other hand you are buying a vRS, which to some extent is supposed to be driven 'exuberantly'....even if only sometimes  . I would expect it to stand up to a little abuse.

 

Short journeys/stop-start, normal driving = approx. 30 - 35mpg;  Longer journeys/motorway, normal driving etc. = 35 - 40ish mpg. Most I have managed is 47mpg doing mostly between 50-60mph (driving very very gently indeed). Driving like you stole it = <28mpg

 

I work for the ambulance service and we have used them as response cars, mostly the Scouts with DSG although some diesel manual VRS estates, I've got friends in the Police that use the DSG diesel though VRS and they've had problems, mostly with flywheels having a fit and destroying themselves and becoming rattly after a while.. but then again we do sit idling for a while then hammer it getting up to speed and braking quickly etc and then turning them straight off so I assume this has a factor?

 

 

I love the DSG in mine and wouldn't be without it. Its smooth as silk and makes the one in my old C class seem like a dinosaur. 

 

My concern would be if you were looking at remapping or adding more powers - iirc they have a torque limit. 

 

If you're buying new - try them both and don't compromise!

Remapping is definently something I will be considering to be fair..

 

Thanks all for your MPG figures that is quite reassuring that I won't be losing too much MPG for my commute to work!

Edited 4 November, 2015 by BenHants

[bobiscuit]

The DSG and 2.0T petrol engine mixture is very good, it was experiencing this that made me order a diesel DSG... what a mistake.

 

The diesel DSG box isn't anywhere near as good as the petrol one,  way better than the old single clutch slushmatic affairs but since you're after a TSI it's a simple choice.... DSG!

Really surprised to hear that! I test-drove two diesels with DSG (standard 2.0 and vRS) before I ordered my vRS TDI DSG... I found the gearbox epic! It was my first experience of a DSG and I can't imagine a more perfect gearbox... It was so smooth, changed so fast and didn't get confused a single time on either test-drive.

 

I also test-drove a Focus with Powershift (Ford's twin clutch gearbox) and the difference was staggering. The Powershift was just like every other old automatic gearbox I've driven... It got confused a lot, it had to "think" for a while before changing gear manually and sometimes it would get caught out for a couple of seconds between gears and would then slam into the wrong gear. If anything, it was slower and rougher than a traditional semi-auto box.

[old newbie2]

The DSG and 2.0T petrol engine mixture is very good, it was experiencing this that made me order a diesel DSG... what a mistake.

 

The diesel DSG box isn't anywhere near as good as the petrol one,  way better than the old single clutch slushmatic affairs but since you're after a TSI it's a simple choice.... DSG!

I've owned & rented at least 22 cars with "slushmatics" & none of them had single-clutches, 'cos "slushmatic" is slang for a torque-converter automatic.......

 

There are single-clutch automated manuals out there, but they don't compare very well with DSG style transmissions.

 

AS for the OP's query, we like our petrol DSG's but we have driven a few Superb 3 DSG diesels & apart from some hesitation from a standing start the shifting & general experience

was OK.

 

DC 

[skd12]

Aren't police and ambulance vehicles loaded up with gear too? How much weight does that add? I've heard that the police uprate the suspension on their traffic cars to cope with the weight they carry but probably still have the standard clutch/gearbox - feel free to correct me if I'm wrong

[FluffyEyeball]

I work for the ambulance service and we have used them as response cars, mostly the Scouts with DSG although some diesel manual VRS estates, I've got friends in the Police that use the DSG diesel though VRS and they've had problems, mostly with flywheels having a fit and destroying themselves and becoming rattly after a while.. but then again we do sit idling for a while then hammer it getting up to speed and braking quickly etc and then turning them straight off so I assume this has a factor?

 

 

Remapping is definently something I will be considering to be fair..

 

Thanks all for your MPG figures that is quite reassuring that I won't be losing too much MPG for my commute to work!

 

I'm ambo too, we aren't blessed with vRS's here!!  :(   . Ours are just the normal 2.0 TDI Manual Octavia's (we have a couple of scouts lying about too, also manual). Although I personally don't really drive them, they never seem to be off the road much; and if they are I've never heard it to be with gearbox/flywheel issues. Don't think idling for long periods then driving, in itself, would be an issue; but the constant harsh acceleration then deceleration won't do them any good.

 

Maybe you're right and the DSG can't take that much abuse? Can't see that being a problem for the 'normal' diver though, and if it's brand new it's under warranty so nothing to worry about for the first few years. 

 

If you're going to remap it (which will void warranty), research how much torque the DSG box's can take and how much a remap will be giving you (someone on here will most likely know) 

 

Aren't police and ambulance vehicles loaded up with gear too? How much weight does that add? I've heard that the police uprate the suspension on their traffic cars to cope with the weight they carry but probably still have the standard clutch/gearbox - feel free to correct me if I'm wrong

 

Yes they are, not sure exactly how heavy.

 

Skoda has teamed up with Eibach and created and manufactured a specific suspension set up for the emergency services (or at least the ambulance service, not sure about police etc.). The rear springs are raised so the when all the gear is put in the car actually sits at the correct height. Think they might be slightly stiffer too, but not 100% sure on that. They're very comfortable too, and ride quite well  

[village]

The DSG and 2.0T petrol engine mixture is very good, it was experiencing this that made me order a diesel DSG... what a mistake.

 

The diesel DSG box isn't anywhere near as good as the petrol one,  way better than the old single clutch slushmatic affairs but since you're after a TSI it's a simple choice.... DSG!

 

erm, isn't it the same box?! granted it may work better with petrol, in your view (i have no idea!), but i thought it was the same box?!

[FluffyEyeball]

erm, isn't it the same box?! granted it may work better with petrol, in your view (i have no idea!), but i thought it was the same box?!

I assumed (but don't actually know) that they would be different because surely the gear ratios would need to be different between petrol and diesel? Yes the materials, control hardware, fluids etc might be the same, but essentially is a 'different' box?

[TheWanderer]

Definitely DSG, luurrve it! 

[Gaz]

Personal choice, but I find the DSG to be a very, very impressive bit of kit 

 

No brainer if you ask me.

 

Gaz

[BATVANVRS]

I've had my DSG petrol now for 4-5 months & I absolutely love it! Very impressed with how great the gear changing is, so smooth & I don't think you could change quicker in a manual, spec paddle shift with the DSG which I recommend, I don't know a lot about the diesel & DSG but I suppose it's maybe down to the torque in a diesel being higher?

Good luck

[Sheldon.Cooper]

I also test-drove a Focus with Powershift (Ford's twin clutch gearbox) and the difference was staggering. The Powershift was just like every other old automatic gearbox I've driven... It got confused a lot, it had to "think" for a while before changing gear manually and sometimes it would get caught out for a couple of seconds between gears and would then slam into the wrong gear. If anything, it was slower and rougher than a traditional semi-auto box.

My box does that maybe 5% of the time, changes gear mid corner when there's no need to, sports mode is a joke, steady state throttle, 4000rpm, doesn't change gear for quite a few seconds then finally does.  Unless the shifter is in M position if you use the paddles the car will change gear itself after 5 or 6 seconds because it knows best. 

 

Better than old generation autos but nowhere near the best on the market.

 

Also the ratios are different to the manual box, 6th gear is about 40% higher geared so you sit at 2400rpm where in the manual the same speed is 2000rpm.... no need for that.

[old newbie2]

My box does that maybe 5% of the time, changes gear mid corner when there's no need to, sports mode is a joke, steady state throttle, 4000rpm, doesn't change gear for quite a few seconds then finally does.  Unless the shifter is in M position if you use the paddles the car will change gear itself after 5 or 6 seconds because it knows best. 

 

Better than old generation autos but nowhere near the best on the market.

 

Also the ratios are different to the manual box, 6th gear is about 40% higher geared so you sit at 2400rpm where in the manual the same speed is 2000rpm.... no need for that.

That is so different to any of our (petrol) cars, "S" mode & full throttle = shifting at red-line, but otherwise it's just a quicker throttle response &/or earlier than normal downshifts.

As for the paddles, flick the paddle, it shifts, unless you are asking for the impossible.

As for corners, the car doesn't know where it is, (no GPS link) but we would only see a shift up or down if it was in the wrong gear for the engine or road speed..

 

If you feel that the car is shifting when you don't want it to, just flick the shifter into manual mode & it will hold onto your chosen ratio............

 

DC 

[oilburninnut]

My first experience of DSG was on my previous Mk2 vRS TSi.  Having put 30k miles on it in 20 months I absolutely loved it and wondered why I had been changing gears manually all these years.

 

Therefore I went for DSG in my Mk3 vRS TSi.  If I am in 'enthusiastic' mode I use the paddles - the best of both worlds!

 

As far as fuel consumption goes, on my 20 miles each way commute I am regularly getting 42 mpg and when driven for fun about 36 mpg.

I'm not getting those figures on my diesel vrs!!!!!