Jono, if you are unwilling to try something new you'll always get the same answers which, doesn't make you correct either.

But hey, whatevers

Tiptronic. 

 

I only use E on long motorway journeys and then usually have the DSG in manual mode (push the selector away, flick it back and forth to change down/up). For spirited driving I also use manual mode. Just have to remember to put it back in auto when coming to a stop 'cos its much better at changing up through 1-2-3 in auto. 

 

I would be very tempted to get a DSG re-map but surely this is inadvisable while there is warranty remaining? 

How does E help at full speed on a motorway? Surely the gearbox is in 7th anyway ?

I would be very tempted to get a DSG re-map but surely this is inadvisable while there is warranty remaining?

If you Sport Mode (which the car can't start in) remapped it's never engaged at the dealers hence, not a warranty issue.

How does E help at full speed on a motorway? Surely the gearbox is in 7th anyway ?

Coasting downhill & when you need to slow for traffic I'd guess

On a motorway?

Well it is a feature of Eco Mode so, why wouldn't it do it on a motorway

Well it is a feature of Eco Mode so, why wouldn't it do it on a motorway

 

On the 6 speed DSG it does it up to about 80mph, after that it stays in gear when off throttle.

 

The thing users have to remember is that coasting is only good if you are accelerating again at the end of it, not braking; in which case, you'd have been better in gear, injecting no fuel, but decelerating slightly faster

DSG7 doesn't do this

It coasts at whatever speed, looks kinda weird 100kph at 700 revs though

How does E help at full speed on a motorway? Surely the gearbox is in 7th anyway ?

 

Many will tell you that the only difference to engine mapping when in ECO mode is in the pedal response. There is definitely a difference in the pedal response and it's easy to sense. But I think there is more to it - I think you also get a less aggressive response overall. And this makes sense for me cruising on motorways because if I am right this is going to put less unburned fuel into the DPF. 

On the 6 speed DSG it does it up to about 80mph, after that it stays in gear when off throttle.

 

The thing users have to remember is that coasting is only good if you are accelerating again at the end of it, not braking; in which case, you'd have been better in gear, injecting no fuel, but decelerating slightly faster

It is just another tool in the 'economical driving' box of tricks. The trick is knowing what to use to give the best return in the circumstances.

Let's suppose you are on a motorway with a long gradual descending gradient. If you are able to maintain your speed 'freewheeling' in eco mode (with engine at tickover)  then you will get better economy than keeping it engaged in highest gear and having to use a little throttle to avoid losing speed.

Obviously if the gradient is a little steeper then you are better off staying in gear and use engine braking to avoid over-speeding with the benefit of using no fuel.

Basically if you have to use the brakes at any point then you are wasting fuel. Except where the hill is really steep and you have to use engine braking and brakes (then you wish you had a hybrid).

 

Strictly speaking, duplicating that process in a manual gearbox by slipping it into neutral is illegal in most countries but not if you keep it in gear and depress the clutch to disengage drive when coasting.

 

There have been quite a few posts from people who say they get better economy in normal mode than in economy mode which is fair if the conditions, or driving technique, do not allow for good traffic anticipation.

Edited 4 October, 20169 yr by Gerrycan

Strictly speaking, duplicating that process in a manual gearbox by slipping it into neutral is illegal in most countries but not if you keep it in gear and depress the clutch to disengage drive when coasting.

And in the UK? Rule 122 of the Highway Code (https://www.gov.uk/browse/driving/highway-code-road-safety) recommends against it, but doesn't actually ban it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_economy-maximizing_behaviors#Coasting_or_gliding claims that it is illegal in most US states, but doesn't mention other parts of the world.

Yes - even if its legal its not recommended.

 

Anyway with the DSG you can easily lock it in 6th using the selector lever. 

Been messing around a bit with the different modes this last week and I have found that the Eco mode is not actually too bad to drive in commuter traffic.

 

It's very smooth etc... and the MPG has taken a bit of a jump up.

 

Not saying I will use it all the time but if I want a nice chilled out drive I'll probably use it over Drive.

I default to E for my commute and using D for 2 weeks showed that E improved economy by about 5%.

I do make a point of driving to its strengths though, coasting where possible and knocking it into gear when that's preferable.

 

I can well imagine Binary drivers (GoStopGoStopGoStop) find it no better than D, or even worse.

I'm glad I started this thread - some of the comments above are very informative for someone new to the car and the DSG box.  Personally, I find the S option a bit too revvy (as someone said above, more of a track mode than something for normal driving) and I find I can make perfectly good progress in D.  Even E mode is perfectly good for bimbling about and not noticeably slow.

 

The 'coast' feature puzzles me, though.  On my Mondeo, running down a long gradient in a high gear with no throttle cut the fuel completely, so using exactly zero.  If I put it in neutral on the same road (private track, obviously) then it would be using fuel to keep the engine at idle.  So how does the 'coast' feature save fuel?

 

Thanks to everyone for the comments.

 

 

The 'coast' feature puzzles me, though.  On my Mondeo, running down a long gradient in a high gear with no throttle cut the fuel completely, so using exactly zero.  If I put it in neutral on the same road (private track, obviously) then it would be using fuel to keep the engine at idle.  So how does the 'coast' feature save fuel?

 

 

 

It is more economical to take the engine out of gear and use a thimbleful of fuel to keep it at tickover whilst the car coasts than it is to keep it in gear, using no fuel, but decelerating faster.

As I mentioned, this only works if you aren't intending to brake anyway, in which case you would be better in gear and using no fuel.

If you are coasting and are coming towards traffic lights, for example, where you expect to stop, you can either dab the brake to put it in gear (annoying) or flick it into manual (or sport) - also annoying.

I want a way to force it into gear via a single push of steering wheel button, for example. 

Flappy paddle VRSs probably dont have this problem.

The 'coast' feature puzzles me, though. On my Mondeo, running down a long gradient in a high gear with no throttle cut the fuel completely, so using exactly zero. If I put it in neutral on the same road (private track, obviously) then it would be using fuel to keep the engine at idle. So how does the 'coast' feature save fuel?

Running down a gentle gradient in gear will probably slow you down. If you want to maintain speed you will need to gently press the accelerator, which will use more fuel than coasting. And also what Jono said.

Ah, OK.  The particular hill I was thinking of is on my way home from work, about a mile of gradient.  The Mondeo would maintain its speed in 6th (manual) and gradually slow down in 5th.  So it was 6th if I had the road to myself, or 5th if I was catching up other traffic.  In both cases, about a mile of using no fuel at all.  (There is a good run-off at the foot of the hill, so it was 60 at the top and 60 at the bottom, usually.)  I 'discovered' E mode on the Octavia during a trip through Ireland, where (on main roads/motorways) it was coasting where the Mondeo would have been happy in 6th with a slack throttle.  I just felt it was using fuel unnecessarily here, although I appreciate the quantities are tiny.