Am off for a test drive in the TSi estate this weekend, and am trying out both the manual and DSG.  I will be buying new but uncertain on which transmission.  What to look out for?? appreciated please.  I guess it will just boil down to which I prefer but if there is anything worth trying out which may sway my mind to one?? Thanks.

Edited 18 November, 201510 yr by Nezman

I would imagine on the highway manual & DSG are pretty much the same so I would suggest driving in the city & on more open but stop-start A/B roads.

Also, traffic lights, roundabouts, turning across a junction type manouveurs.

 

Most of the comments I hear about DSG concern quick pull-away or conditions like entering a roundabout where you are braking gently (so the DSG is selecting the next gear down) but then want to accelerate to take your place.

 

It also depends on your type of driving.

DSG comes into its own it heavy traffic where your a creeping forwards a car length at a time.

For more flowing journeys DSG combined with ACC is also an excellent combination.

Mainly highway driving & there's not a big different with a manual.

 

Personally I love the DSG box, but as my driving is 95% on the highway I decided it wasnt worth the cost.

The manual VAG box is very nice too though (much better than the gearbox in the 320 I also have).

I would imagine on the highway manual & DSG are pretty much the same so I would suggest driving in the city & on more open but stop-start A/B roads.

Also, traffic lights, roundabouts, turning across a junction type manouveurs.

 

Most of the comments I hear about DSG concern quick pull-away or conditions like entering a roundabout where you are braking gently (so the DSG is selecting the next gear down) but then want to accelerate to take your place.

 

It also depends on your type of driving.

DSG comes into its own it heavy traffic where your a creeping forwards a car length at a time.

For more flowing journeys DSG combined with ACC is also an excellent combination.

Mainly highway driving & there's not a big different with a manual.

 

Personally I love the DSG box, but as my driving is 95% on the highway I decided it wasnt worth the cost.

The manual VAG box is very nice too though (much better than the gearbox in the 320 I also have).

 

much appreciated...and any more specific settings to try out??

Speed camera's lol

I've Driven a DSG. But didn't have to reverse it. I'm sure some people have complained about reversing uphill etc? Might be worth a check if you have to reveres up a drive etc.

Other than that you will just know what's right for you. I did and it was manual. Mainly because it spends most of its life in 5/6 gear.

Sport mode on

The DSG box isn't half as clever or as fast as it thinks it is. I'd much prefer a traditional auto. The 5 speed in my old Saab was far more intelligent.

But the DSG doesn't lose anything by way of fuel consumption, and performance loss is not noticeable either.

The DSG box isn't half as clever or as fast as it thinks it is. I'd much prefer a traditional auto. The 5 speed in my old Saab was far more intelligent.

But the DSG doesn't lose anything by way of fuel consumption, and performance loss is not noticeable either.

You have a different DSG box though - the vRS has the 6 speed wet clutch, the 1.4 has the 7 speed dry clutch.

I would have the DSG with TSI every time in a Vrs, I have never had any issues approaching roundabouts with my current or last vrs both were TSI with DSG, most people that mention the issue at roundabouts usually have the Tdi Vrs

Thanks for all the comments. Well I rocked up at the local dealer today having arranged a test drive in TSI manual and dsg...low and behold they had neither! How to make the right impression, huh??! Not impressed, even though highly unlikely would be buying from them anyhow. They only had a manual TDi so took it for a spin nonetheless, and was pleasantly surprised. Seemed to have quite a nice grunt, certainly not an offensive diesel clatter I was anticipating. Pulled quite strong low down but lacked stamina higher up the Rev range. Was running on 19's which I found very comfortable, nice smooth box and very sharp brakes. Have endeavoured to book a petrol test drive next sat so will at least be interesting to compare with the diesel.

Edited 21 November, 201510 yr by Nezman

I have a Scout 184 DSG, the 'box is great, it does exactly what it is supposed to do.

No problems reversing, no problems pulling away, the thing is excellent.

Just got my car end of September, but my previous car was a Leon FR170DSG, bought specifically for the gearbox. I had test driven a car with DSG and was sold on it straight away. The problem with it is the extra cost! Having said that both my recent cars were ex VAG management cars so come with 5-7K on them but with a substantial difference in cost.

I bought the Leon because I wanted to play with the flappy paddles changing up & down the box, within 2 weeks of getting the Leon I found the box was that good, I didn't need to play with the paddles.

Unlike a conventional slush box, the DSG senses what is going on and almost always is in the correct gear at the correct time. Driving down a hill the car stays in a high gear, when the car senses you are going downhill with no throttle on and you touch the brake, the car then drops down through the box exactly as a good driver would do with a manual box.

Vrs Tsi, dsg. 18" rims. Driven around 15000 miles since May 14. Never regretted the choice. Such a comfy relaxed long distance cruiser. Off the straight roads the only things to slow the pace are speed limits and the car in front until you find a place to pass, then into S and away. When traffic lights change,no clutch and gears to mess with, just push the pedal.

I have driven a couple of DSG cars that had an awful box, but also a couple that were faultless, I ordered the manual box for my MKII Superb and have just ordered a DSG for the MKIII Superb, I hope it was the right choice... only time will tell.

 

I also specced the 5 year warranty as I would hate to pick up the bill for the DSG (mechatronic) replacement!

Interesting and valid point, andyvee.

Which begs the question - has anyone done serious mileage in both versions of the DSG, and (engine power aside) do they behave differently - or, to put it another way, can they both be caught out in the same ways?

 

My local dealer has a Vrs as a demonstrator - I think I'll ask if I can try it for a week!

Edited 21 November, 201510 yr by FlyingGecko

Thanks for all the comments. Well I rocked up at the local dealer today having arranged a test drive in TSI manual and dsg...low and behold they had neither! How to make the right impression, huh??! Not impressed, even though highly unlikely would be buying from them anyhow. They only had a manual TDi so took it for a spin nonetheless, and was pleasantly surprised. Seemed to have quite a nice grunt, certainly not an offensive diesel clatter I was anticipating. Pulled quite strong low down but lacked stamina higher up the Rev range. Was running on 19's which I found very comfortable, nice smooth box and very sharp brakes. Have endeavoured to book a petrol test drive next sat so will at least be interesting to compare with the diesel.

 

You would have been lucky if any dealer in the country had a TSI in manual or DSG as they have been waiting for the VRS 230. I had to test drive a VRS TDI DSG which I was quite impressed by, scared the life out of the salesman when I put it into launch control mode at a set of lights. Still bought the VRS TSI DSG but not through a dealer..

The thing with the TSI is that its quite possible to drive it like a diesel at low revs and 'enjoy it' if you wish as a refined and quiet car - the engine is very torquey and quite hard to stall. So that's one experience, and it would be quite possible to do that for an entire test drive. The alternative is to stick it into Sport mode, and rev out in 2nd and 3rd on a dual carriageway roundabout or some other situation where you can accelerate from low speed to national limit with not much around you. It sounds excellent and is suitably quick once over 3000rpm - obviously on a track you would drive like this all the time, but its worth going for it to understand the full capability and also the limitations on traction. I have lost traction in third on greasy wet roads. Anyway enjoy!!!

Agree with les. I did the second option on my test drive.  After looking gently through town, chatting to fiancée in the rear about noise and comfort I flawed it off a roundabout as I entered dual carriageway.  Not hard, or so it seemed, I thought it was enough to get me to about the national limit albeit very quickly.  When I lifted off I glanced at the  speedo to see I was doing over 90.  Oops.

 

It has the torque to break traction on anything but clean dry roads in gear in 3rd, it does it at about 2500/3000 revs, presumably when the blower hits full boost.

Just remember, as with all these "driver aids" they are only ever "reactive". There is only the human brain (in most cases) that is predictive! I'm not saying DSG isn't the way to go, but I'll bet there isn't anyone who doesn't think that, no matter what it is their driving (Ferrari) etc, that they could have done better than the auto gearbox!

It often makes me wonder when you read the tests of traction control being faster than none. Is it in the magazines interest to say it is cause they've been invited by the factory to the test and unless they are positive they won't be invited back?

Most motorcycle testers always say ultimately that brakes work better (shorter stopping distance) without ABS than with and I think that is the same for cars, it's just that in the real world ABS helps.

If you can honestly say that at no point was the gearbox in the wrong gear when you would have thought you'd be in a different gear then get DSG. If there is any point in the test drive where you think I'd be in a different gear then get a manual, as it will only frustrate you in the long term.

Edited 25 November, 201510 yr by banksie

Just remember, as with all these "driver aids" they are only ever "reactive". There is only the human brain (in most cases) that is predictive! I'm not saying DSG isn't the way to go, but I'll bet there isn't anyone who doesn't think that, no matter what it is their driving (Ferrari) etc, that they could have done better than the auto gearbox!

It often makes me wonder when you read the tests of traction control being faster than none. Is it in the magazines interest to say it is cause they've been invited by the factory to the test and unless they are positive they won't be invited back?

Most motorcycle testers always say ultimately that brakes work better (shorter stopping distance) without ABS than with and I think that is the same for cars, it's just that in the real world ABS helps.

If you can honestly say that at no point was the gearbox in the wrong gear when you would have thought you'd be in a different gear then get DSG. If there is any point in the test drive where you think I'd be in a different gear then get a manual, as it will only frustrate you in the long term.

Thanks for this banksie.

Thanks for all the comments. Well I rocked up at the local dealer today having arranged a test drive in TSI manual and dsg...low and behold they had neither! How to make the right impression, huh??! Not impressed, even though highly unlikely would be buying from them anyhow. They only had a manual TDi so took it for a spin nonetheless, and was pleasantly surprised. Seemed to have quite a nice grunt, certainly not an offensive diesel clatter I was anticipating. Pulled quite strong low down but lacked stamina higher up the Rev range. Was running on 19's which I found very comfortable, nice smooth box and very sharp brakes. Have endeavoured to book a petrol test drive next sat so will at least be interesting to compare with the diesel.

Diesel runs out of puff around 4.2k rpm....pretty typical of VAG 2.0 TDI's...though the 184 does go to about 4400 before it really gives up.

Peak power is between 3.5k & 4k.

If you rev it hard through the gears tk about 4k its a pretty quick machine....they also take some miles to loosen up so if the car you tested was quite new and low mileage it wont go half as well as it will once bedded in.

Ive had a 25k mile GTD and now a new one....the new one has approaching 4k miles and has been drive hard since it had about 5 or 600 miles on the clock....its getting better but the older car was sooooo much more flexible....so much so it'd pull away in 2nd gear with very little complaint....the new one does but complains quite alot!

Has bags of torque and in the wet will light up 3rd under provocation no different to the TSI really in that regard.

For a diesel its actually v refined and if the Golf is anything to go by the soundaktor noise is really nice too.....other than the fact it doesnt rev v hard it doesnt really drive like a typical diesel car. I certainly wouldnt right it off.

Edited 25 November, 201510 yr by pipsypreturns