Enjoying getting familiar and driving my new Octi mk 3, vRS, 2.0 TDi Hatch, DSG, a somewhat different experience to my previous Octi mk 2, 1.9 TDi Ambiente Hatch, Manual, which I had for ten years.

Covered 600mls and finding the DSG'box brilliant but it can easily run away with you on the downhill as there isn't the same auto gear change sense in the down direction, as going up gear. I hate using the brakes too often and prefer in such situations using the gearbox to retard, so using the downshift paddle on the steering column is proving very useful in this regard but here's my question. Why should I need or want to use the upshift paddle? Under what circumstances is it desirable and used when the DSG seemingly will do all I need it to do going up the gears without my usual input? Perhaps a silly question but I would be interested to know what the answer is and maybe put it into practice sometime.

I find that the car changes up too late when in sport mode so often tp the paddle if I'm pushing on. Also, If you knock the stick to the left (into manual) you'll be using the paddles for gear changes

Brakes are for braking. Cheaper to replace worn out brakes than a worn out gearbox. Unless you spend all your time descending alpine passes.

 

 

 

I find that the car changes up too late when in sport mode so often tp the paddle if I'm pushing on. Also, If you knock the stick to the left (into manual) you'll be using the paddles for gear changes

 

 

You can use the paddles when the lever is in D too.

Yeah, I try to avoid them unless I'm having a fast drive because I'll paddle shift up once then wonder why it's almost at the redline and hasn't shifted its self this time.

You can try sports mode going downhill as well, it'll choose a lower gear so you get more engine braking, I think there should be a gyroscope thing that knows you're going down hill and changes down, at least mine does it.  Needs to be a fairly steep hill mind.

The engine is also for braking and this doesn't wear out the gearbox or clutch(es). 

 

Top tip: Tiptronic. Wasn't there a song about that? 

Thanks all for your advice and preferences etc. Was taught by my instructor oh so many years ago to use engine/gearbox as an effective brake rather than using shoes/drums or pads/discs. My last Octi was run for ten years without gearbox problem but certainly had to have front pads and discs replaced due to excessive wear (which was a complete surprise after limited mileage and my driving technique (An old engineer with a little understanding and appreciation of what impacts on life of mechanisms - car and human! Corrosion probably played a large part as the brakes bound to the disc if car was left standing for a day or two).

I like the idea of the gyroscope or some form of motion/inclination/declination sensor and suspect they are already incorporated in the systems somewhere?

mine auto shifts down if I am going down hill and press the brakes it then shifts down to provide engine brakeing if I then tap the accelerator it shifts back up.

 

John

Was taught by my instructor oh so many years ago to use engine/gearbox as an effective brake rather than using shoes/drums or pads/discs. 

This might have been the case many years ago when brakes were considered to not be very effective but that certainly ins't the case these days.  Any modern day car can easily stop well within the highway code quoted stopping distances by simply using the brakes on normal road conditions.

 

Police/response drivers, and 'advanced' public drivers don't change down through the box as there is no need.  Brake, keep braking and then select the required gear for the speed you ar.e travelling at when you need to apply power.

 

I very much doubt that driving instructors recommend shift down through all the gears, but will recommend the block-change approach.  The only reason not to - is maybe if you want to check that the driver is paying attention and realised they need to slow down...., but this adds unnecessary clutch and gearbox wear.

mine auto shifts down if I am going down hill and press the brakes it then shifts down to provide engine brakeing if I then tap the accelerator it shifts back up.

 

John

 

Mine seems to do similar, for downhill 30 limits (coming from a 60), and sits around 2500rpm - not sure what gear.

I accept that the efficiency of modern brakes is very much better and was appreciating only yesterday how effective they are, especially after some bedding-in which has removed the initial harshness. My original query related to the need to downshift using the paddles (engine/gearbox retarding) when going down hill rather than continuous braking, because the DSG didn't appear to be dropping down sufficiently in that situation. Under most circumstances I use the brakes and downshift in line with the speed of travel, in preparation for accelerating away, as described. I have noted the comments made by others in their experience of the DSG downshifting when going downhill and will pay further attention when in a suitable situation next time I am out. I am still driving in eco mode whilst running in (recommended by sales rep) and perhaps this has a bearing on my DSG downhill experience. Thanks again for interesting and helpful comments.

Eco Mode free - wheels when you lift off the gas, this might be why your so concerned going downhill

The Octavia charges the battery more strongly during engine braking and I suspect that the aircon probably runs more strongly too, at least when it's in eco mode.

Anyone who's ever ridden a motorbike will appreciate the need for proper engine braking. Anyone who's ever received advanced driver training - either on track or off - will appreciate the need for proper engine braking. Anyone who tells you otherwise is talking out of their arse. 

I alway use engine braking when going down a steep hill. I'm not burning fuel or wearing out the brakes. Win win.

Anyone who's ever ridden a motorbike will appreciate the need for proper engine braking. Anyone who's ever received advanced driver training - either on track or off - will appreciate the need for proper engine braking. Anyone who tells you otherwise is talking out of their arse. 

 

That might be the case for a bike, but it isn't for a car.

I use engine braking when in Somerset & Devon, particularly on Porlock Hill (1:4), Stoke Pero (1:4), Countisbury Hill (1:4) amongst others, it might raise the engine temperature a bit, but that soon drops back to the normal levels away from them and of course it keeps your speed under control.

I use engine braking when the 2014 DSG on my car chooses to.

Simple clever

Anyone who's ever ridden a motorbike will appreciate the need for proper engine braking. Anyone who's ever received advanced driver training - either on track or off - will appreciate the need for proper engine braking. Anyone who tells you otherwise is talking out of their arse. 

 

 

As mbames says in #9.

 

I wouldn't have told the police sergeant who got me through the IAM training that he was talking out of his arse when he said engine's for going, brakes for stopping.

 

And the police driver who supervised a recent speed awareness course assessment yelled at those of us in the car who used engine braking. "You're not coming down the effin Matterhorn!! You're in ordinary traffic! What the hell d'you think the bloody brakes are for?!"

Sounds like a '50s comedy film.

 

No you would not be advised to tell any plod that he is talking out of his arse - leave that to me, I love an angry copper. 

As mbames says in #9.

I wouldn't have told the police sergeant who got me through the IAM training that he was talking out of his arse when he said engine's for going, brakes for stopping.

And the police driver who supervised a recent speed awareness course assessment yelled at those of us in the car who used engine braking. "You're not coming down the effin Matterhorn!! You're in ordinary traffic! What the hell d'you think the bloody brakes are for?!"

I did the I am and while I concur, when you're doing more than iam speeds, I don't touch the brakes on a bike unless something unforeseen happens.

Mind you, we're not talking about bikes. Or driving fast. Really. Or manual gearboxes.

I find mine runs away more than any previous car I have had, even in normal D let alone Eco. I don't find I get a huge amount more braking if I flick it down a gear either. Probably more to do with the engine than anything. Have not tried a Diesel DSG enough to really notice.

 

Engine braking is useful, they would not have made and fitted exhaust brakes for years if it was a problem, although priorities are different on heavier machines.

 

It is going to become more of a way of driving with electric/hybrids set to 'high regen' on the over-run as it can be quite harsh on some I have tried, but I guess that is just changing technology.

 

Personally, if the thing is not slowing enough when I lift off, I brake. I find by the time changing down has taken effect it is too little too late.

 

It is easier if you have progressive brakes, big single-pot brakes can be grabby and not comfortable for light braking, again it all depends on what you are driving.

 

As far as the OP's question, sometimes I find it sits in too low a gear if it is going up a slight slope even in D. It just sits revving. If I accelerate more it changes up but sometimes I don't want to go that fast. A flick of the 'UP' paddle and the torque of the engine copes happily in the higher gear.

 

I really like the fact that you can leave it in 'D' and override it temporarily and it just goes back to 'D' after a short while, without having to go across into manual. Find that very useful and use it nearly every trip. The way this one works I would not have a DSG without paddles myself .

Appears the art of driving depends on the who, what, where and when, so I look forward to settling in more over the coming weeks and enjoy trying modes other than eco, and using the paddles, up and down, and finding out where they are advantageous. The comment about 'free wheeling in eco mode when lifting off the gas' may be what I have experienced so will be interested to see for myself how other modes compare. Have noted comments about situations where the upshift paddle is used and will be giving those a try. Thanks again, everyone, including those providing succinct, and sometimes humerous, comment.

Every time you touch the brakes you waste fuel, which admittedly probably doesn't bother most people.

Appears the art of driving depends on the who, what, where and when, so I look forward to settling in more over the coming weeks and enjoy trying modes other than eco, and using the paddles, up and down, and finding out where they are advantageous. The comment about 'free wheeling in eco mode when lifting off the gas' may be what I have experienced so will be interested to see for myself how other modes compare. Have noted comments about situations where the upshift paddle is used and will be giving those a try. Thanks again, everyone, including those providing succinct, and sometimes humerous, comment.

I don't think it's been mentioned above but there's another use for the upshift paddle.

If you've used the paddles to override the DSG's choice of gears but you're still in auto mode it'll hold that gear for a set amount of time (6 seconds?) before taking control again. If you want this to happen sooner you can either press and hold the upshift paddle or tap the gear lever backwards. I didn't know about this until someone else on Briskoda asked what the "off" label on the paddle referred to.