Octavia III Vrs: Auto vs Manual

[BlueDiesel]

Hi folks,

 

Looking at getting an Octavia III VRS estate, and I'm wondering if there are any reasons for or against the auto or manual boxes. I have always driven manual however I really do fancy an auto (will be on the 2 litre diesel engine).

 

Any reasons to avoid either?

[davitc]

Manual on Diesel, DSG on Petrol would be my personal choice.

 

But suggest a test drive of both. I've driven a lot of DSG style auto's and always prefer the petrol. The DSG isn't well suited to the diesel from what I've been told but it is a peach in petrol.

 

MPG suffers in the diesel auto and if you are doing a lot of town driving and less than 10K a year the regens may almost kill any MPG gains over the petrol. I've seen low 30's in heavy stop/start over a 18mile commute home 

Edited 18 July, 2016 by davitc

[lmorris2794]

Iam on my second dsg car now first was an audi s3 and now octavia vrs 4x4. I would not go back to a manual box. The autos are brilliant, you can have fun when you want to with either sport mode, the paddles or trip-tronic. Then when you want to chill just stick it in D and drive along. No brainer in my opinion.

[Cymru Blackline]

Having changed 2 weeks ago from a manual vRS tdi to a DSG 4x4 vRS tdi - I'd say stick with manual for the diesel.

DSG is pretty good in normal auto, but not intuitive enough in sport. It spoils the sport mode for me.

[BlueDiesel]

Some interesting posts. One of the problems is that the model I am after tend to be for sale at the other end of the country!

[Gerrycan]

A thing which constantly crops up in Australian reviews of DSG equipped vehicles but rarely if ever mentioned in this forum are issues with low speed performance. Seems they can be quite jerky and occasionally indecisive for quick takeoff s. No complaints when on the move though.

It may have something to do with the fact that most drivers here will be used to torque converter auto characteristics and just mash the throttle when going for gaps whereas most Brits would be more experienced with manuals which might allow for more compatible driving techniques?

I prefer to drive manuals and had no problems at all with my daughters mk 5 gti petrol with DSG.

In short, borrow, beg, or rent a representative DSG equipped vehicle for an extended test drive to see if you like it first.

Edited 19 July, 2016 by Gerrycan

[BlueDiesel]

Took one out today, and I must say how impressed I was with it - it was a pleasure to drive in all honesty and not many cars put a smile on my face, however the Octavia did.

 

This may sound silly, but do all DSG's have the flappy paddles?

[Auric Goldfinger]

 

This may sound silly, but do all DSG's have the flappy paddles?

 

On the Vrs Yes but not on all Models

[dsj20v]

As lots above stated dsg-petrol and manual diesel

[TDIum]

I have a diesel DSG vRS.

 

As someone said the economy isn't great and part of me wishes I had bought a petrol. But the DSG box is a clever clever thing - it's like the best of both worlds auto/manual but it's expensive and some have had long term mechanical problems with them - this may or may not be a factor for you. 

[DaryllH]

I'm on my 3rd DSG - admittedly the other two were VW Golf GTTDI boxes. It all depends on what you want from the car. I wanted something that felt sporty like the VRS but as I spend a lot of time on the M25 car park I didn't want manual. If you don't have that problem then a manual gearbox will suit you. I don't buy some of the arguements against if I'm honest, as with my VWs I've always been able to achieve 60mpg when I want to, early 50s if I'm driving more aggressively. They're smooth and by far the best auto gearboxes I'm ever driven. The only thing i would add is stop/start on the DSG is not a marriage made in heaven, and can lead to awkward starts at roundabouts for example. Can be switched off but just bear that in mind.

[WayTooTall]

If you are thinking of using the getting one with Adaptive Cruise Control, then get the DSG. I have AAC with a manual, and have to remember to change gear if the speed gets too low.

[Neily03]

Just last Saturday I went from a manual O3 vRS TDI to a DSG and while I'm still getting used to it I don't think I'll be going back.  Even though it's not hit 200 miles yet I still managed 48 mpg on my way to work this morning (18 miles of mostly motorway) so hope fully once it's got a few though thousand miles on it I'll be able to get close the high 50's like my last one.

[badger1340]

i'm 2 weeks into DSG on a Diesel vRS Estate and very impressed so far. The torque of the engine just does everything and kick down works well. I wouldn't go back to manual.......the first time you get stuck in traffic will make you think the same

[gullyg]

i'm 2 weeks into DSG on a Diesel vRS Estate and very impressed so far. The torque of the engine just does everything and kick down works well. I wouldn't go back to manual.......the first time you get stuck in traffic will make you think the same

See that's really interesting as I've never got on with the dsg. I've never driven the vRS dsg with it so it might be a case, as imho with normal autos, that low power and autos aren't great.

I've driven a number of passats and Fabias, petrol and diesel (although highest bhp was about 140 I think) and although the dsg is good when you're tanking along (although I prefer the more involved gear change) it's aweful at slow speed, jerky and slightly dimwitted with regards to when it changed.

I think it's very much a case of get a decent test drive in the exact car you're looking to buy. (Rather than the dealer here who gave us 20mins in a 1.4tsi when we were looking to buy a diesel vrs - bought elsewhere)

Edited 21 July, 2016 by gullyg

[CFBScout]

I have a Scout DSG so broadly the same setup as the VRS diesel (184ps) and agree with most of the comments above. I prefer the auto for town driving but it is not the best box in terms of responsiveness. In normal drive mode 'D' it is slow to pick up and also to change down whereas in sport mode 'S' it is much better on take-off but holds the revs for too long so I tend to start off at junctions etc in 'S' and then change back to 'D' once moving which is easy enought to do by clicking the selector back on the spring loaded position but you shouldn't really have to do that to acheive a smooth drive. Somewhere in between the D and S modes would suit me but obviously that's not an option.

 

I do around 40-50 miles a day of mixed driving and average 40-45mpg which I am happy with.

 

I think the box is just maybe showing it's age compared to the latest 8 speed conventional auto's in other brands

Edited 21 July, 2016 by CFBScout

[Wakey]

Ultimately it comes down to personal preferences based on how you intend to use the car.

 

I have a DSG Golf Gti Edition 30 that I've owned for years and its great for traffic and lazy driving however the edge of involvement is lost if having a blast. Also the 'box is not unflappable and can get things wrong. Sometimes on the motorway for example, when wanting to change lanes or overtake, accelerating can result in the box dropping a few gears when you wanted to just use 6th. Also the box can be a touch jerky at low speeds or get it wrong with gear selection when coasting to a roundabout then deciding to set off through a gap or when its busy etc.

 

My vRS 230 is manual and offers a more simplistic driving that does not have any complications listed above. My daily route and general driving luckily avoids stop start traffic or motorways so my current preference is the manual box. In the times I have got stuck in traffic then that is the only time I've preferred the DSG

 

If you intend to remap the car then I believe the DSG is a weak link. Also the DSG has to have a gearbox service at 40k miles and this is a couple of hundred sheets.

 

Oddly my suggestion would be a manual petrol (because choosing petrol vrs over derv would tend to be based on a more focussed drive for me) and a DSG diesel as the lower rpm ranges are short and the DSG serves up relatively seamless changes and instant waves of torque.

 

As for reliability then there seems to be a lot more posts with DSG issues over manual 'boxes but thats not exactly conclusive

Edited 21 July, 2016 by Wakey

[Phil-E]

A lot of people say the DSG doesn't suite the diesel engines but I tend to disagree.

 

With normal driving around being pretty light on the throttle the gearbox changes up nice and early and you just ride the torque from the engine.

 

The only time it doesn't quite make the best of the diesel is when you floor it and it needlessly revs right out. Although it is quite fun and the common rail engines don't mind being revved anyway.

[flybynite]

The problem is that people have different needs and driving styles and the gearbox can only do so much. A test drive is important, but that said it took me a good few weeks to really work out how to get the best out of it after a few decades of manual boxes so a short drive may not do it justice.

 

Admittedly attached to a petrol, I find it hangs on to revs a bit too much sometimes, say up a slight incline, but that is fixed by a flick of the paddle and it catches up back into D a few seconds later. It also changes down too eagerly, when in a manual I would just let the torque do the job (and that's even in the petrol). 

 

But that is the beauty of the box, if it is doing something I don't like I can temporarily override it with the paddle or flick it sideways into manual. It gets it right so much of the time that you have to stop yourself criticising it for not seeing the road ahead

 

I tend to use S only for overtaking, see the gap, flick it back into S and go, gives you fairly seamless acceleration when you need everything its got.

 

Then when you are nose to tail for hours on the M25 in D it is fairly effortless.

 

The DQ-200 had issues early on but I don't hear much now. The DQ-250 may be old but it is tried and tested and arguably (depending on who you speak to) has had less issue than the manual with the DMFs across the VAG group. The DQ-500 may be a better box for the diesels but that seems to be having teething troubles.

 

I was pushed into the DSG6 because of the car I wanted, although it took a bit of getting used to I have no regrets and would spec another.

Edited 21 July, 2016 by flybynite

[Phil-E]

As above it is a very personal choice and a test drive of both is a must but things to consider on the DSG are;

 

Oil and filter change every 40k miles

Slightly higher fuel consumption

Slightly higher tax (usually but dependent on engine fitted)

 

For me these trade-offs are worth it but you may decide otherwise. We are still averaging more MPG than all our previous cars so we are more than happy.

[Orville]

DSG's come with a 3-year / 60K mile warranty. All VAG manual transmissions have just a 6-month / 6K mile warranty.
 

If you really want to buy a Skoda and you value a warranty I suggest opting for DSG. I speak from experience of manual clutch failure and Skoda's extreme reluctance to fix what was a clear manufacturing fault under warranty. This was on a <2 year old VRS with less than 17K miles.

Edited 21 July, 2016 by Orville

[Cymru Blackline]

DSG's come with a 3-year / 60K mile warranty. All VAG manual transmissions have just a 6-month / 6K mile warranty.

 

If you really want to buy a Skoda and you value a warranty I suggest opting for DSG. I speak from experience of manual clutch failure and Skoda's extreme reluctance to fix what was a clear manufacturing fault under warranty. This was on a <2 year old VRS with less than 17K miles.

Think the manual gearbox itself has a 3 years/60k miles warranty - but as you say they could try and be funny with the clutch friction plate and claim it's worn, if you had issues with it. But if you've got oil on it or it's physically broken you'd have more chance.

[Orville]

Think the manual gearbox itself has a 3 years/60k miles warranty - but as you say they could try and be funny with the clutch friction plate and claim it's worn, if you had issues with it. But if you've got oil on it or it's physically broken you'd have more chance.

Yes, it is the clutch friction-disc, pressure-plate and flywheel which have a limited 6-month warranty. The DSG gearbox includes all of these components so they are covered for full and proper 3-years. My pressure-plate was manufactured bowl-shaped, which meant it only ever gripped on a small percentage of it's surface area which was unsustainable. After it failed (started slipping) from 15K miles Skoda refused to replace it under warranty and claimed wear & tear. I had to obtain an Independent Inspection Report to prove that there was an obvious manufacturing defect before Skoda agreed to refund replacement costs. The whole process took 3-months of aggravation and chasing. Hence I will never buy another Skoda.

[lmorris2794]

As above it is a very personal choice and a test drive of both is a must but things to consider on the DSG are;

 

Oil and filter change every 40k miles

Slightly higher fuel consumption

Slightly higher tax (usually but dependent on engine fitted)

 

For me these trade-offs are worth it but you may decide otherwise. We are still averaging more MPG than all our previous cars so we are more than happy.

Totally agree, love my DSG octavia wont go back to a Manual box any time soon, but it is all down to personal choice.  

[Wakey]

Yes, it is the clutch friction-disc, pressure-plate and flywheel which have a limited 6-month warranty. The DSG gearbox includes all of these components so they are covered for full and proper 3-years. My pressure-plate was manufactured bowl-shaped, which meant it only ever gripped on a small percentage of it's surface area which was unsustainable. After it failed (started slipping) from 15K miles Skoda refused to replace it under warranty and claimed wear & tear. I had to obtain an Independent Inspection Report to prove that there was an obvious manufacturing defect before Skoda agreed to refund replacement costs. The whole process took 3-months of aggravation and chasing. Hence I will never buy another Skoda.

I wouldn't write off Skoda for this - there are lots of other manufacturer stories of a similar nature. 

 

Being completely neutral here and forgive me as I don't know the full circumstances; if I were a manufacturer and a claim came thorough for a slipping clutch after 15k miles then I wouldn't roll over and put a new one in without question. I would have assumed that a defective clutch would have had symptoms from the off. I can see how they might have been reluctant initially.