Hello. I am waiting for my 2.0 litre tdi 150 dsg hatchback. I have never driven a dsg before apart from the test drive and have been reading lots about it. 

 

With regards to running in etc obviously you have no control of gears etc so it is trickier to vary the revs that is required in the first 1000 miles or so. I know that a constant rev journey in the early days is not good. The problem is my drive to work is nearly all dual carriageways and a roads so not sure how I can vary the revs on this. Also I read that cruise control is a no no for the first few k too. It seems silly that you buy a car specifically with these extras but can't use them for months. Is it ok to use cruise now and again, say at weekends?

 

Also is it best to use higher quality diesel in it from first fill up? I understand there isn't much of a difference between supermarket diesel and shell etc because sometimes they have the same tankers visiting. The non supermarkets add additives to it though which is supposed to be better.

 

Thanks for any advice. 

Edited 14 March, 20179 yr by tigermad

If you haven't already, see my thread on running in TSI engines (pinned at the top). It's basically all the same, except you have less revs to play with. The 2.0 TSIs are all DSG also. Did you not specify flappy paddles? Even if not, you can still pop the stick to the left (away from the driver) to engage manual mode, and simply use the stick to change up or down instead. Basically leave it in D, let the oil get warm before you drive it anything other than gently, and get on with it.

 

Is it your first DSG car? You can vary the revs and even influence gear choice simply using varying pressures/throttle inputs with your right foot. Gentle throttle application will produce slower acceleration (duh), but will also mean faster upshifts at lower RPM. As the engine warms you can use more and more throttle (e.g. from lights, changes in speed limit, etc), which prompts the car to go longer between shifts and thus using more of the rev range. As I said, make sure it's warm first. Don't use sport mode until the car is run in, ideally, as it will rev out quite a lot further than you might like. The manual suggests no more than 3/4 of the revs are used during run-in, and about the same for throttle travel. Bear in mind your safety of course comes first, and the occasional hard/full throttle use (e.g. for kickdown) will do no harm on a modern engine, especially if it's already warm. 

 

Using cruise won't kill the engine, especially if it's part of a wider variety of driving. In perfect conditions you will avoid steady motorway driving for a few hundred miles, but if not you can easily set the cruise for 70mph and simply engage manual mode to switch between 6th, 5th and maybe 4th (I don't know how the diesels are geared) every few minutes. This is especially relevant where it's hilly, as it gives the box and engine varying loads and speeds even if your road speed (i.e. 70mph) stays the same. 

 

Don't forget run-in is only really the first 650 miles. You talk about not being able to use cruise etc for 'months', but I doubt you only cover 200 miles a month if you ordered a diesel? Try to schedule an afternoon out on delivery day, if possible. It's what I always do. New car, take delivery, point it towards the nearest decent bit of countryside (in my case North Wales or the Yorkshire Dales/Lake District) and go for a blast until I finally get home with an almost fully run-in car after a good few hours. Excellent. 

 

Regarding fuel, it's a debate that goes around and around. Just remember you have a DPF, however improved over earlier versions. Diesel is not a clean fuel, nor a clean combustion process. This is especially true with EGR installed on an engine as with modern tech. As such the cleaner the fuel is the better for the engine, and the less load on the DPF. Shell V-Power has a gas-to-liquid (GTL) component which means it's not 100% fossil fuel, and BP Ultimate (though even more expensive) uses hydrolysed vegetable oil instead of regular RME biodiesel. Both are much easier on DPFs than bog standard diesel. At the end of the day the choice is yours. 

 

Enjoy.

33 minutes ago, Rainmaker said:

If you haven't already, see my thread on running in TSI engines (pinned at the top). It's basically all the same, except you have less revs to play with. The 2.0 TSIs are all DSG also. Did you not specify flappy paddles? Even if not, you can still pop the stick to the left (away from the driver) to engage manual mode, and simply use the stick to change up or down instead. Basically leave it in D, let the oil get warm before you drive it anything other than gently, and get on with it.

 

Is it your first DSG car? You can vary the revs and even influence gear choice simply using varying pressures/throttle inputs with your right foot. Gentle throttle application will produce slower acceleration (duh), but will also mean faster upshifts at lower RPM. As the engine warms you can use more and more throttle (e.g. from lights, changes in speed limit, etc), which prompts the car to go longer between shifts and thus using more of the rev range. As I said, make sure it's warm first. Don't use sport mode until the car is run in, ideally, as it will rev out quite a lot further than you might like. The manual suggests no more than 3/4 of the revs are used during run-in, and about the same for throttle travel. Bear in mind your safety of course comes first, and the occasional hard/full throttle use (e.g. for kickdown) will do no harm on a modern engine, especially if it's already warm. 

 

Using cruise won't kill the engine, especially if it's part of a wider variety of driving. In perfect conditions you will avoid steady motorway driving for a few hundred miles, but if not you can easily set the cruise for 70mph and simply engage manual mode to switch between 6th, 5th and maybe 4th (I don't know how the diesels are geared) every few minutes. This is especially relevant where it's hilly, as it gives the box and engine varying loads and speeds even if your road speed (i.e. 70mph) stays the same. 

 

Don't forget run-in is only really the first 650 miles. You talk about not being able to use cruise etc for 'months', but I doubt you only cover 200 miles a month if you ordered a diesel? Try to schedule an afternoon out on delivery day, if possible. It's what I always do. New car, take delivery, point it towards the nearest decent bit of countryside (in my case North Wales or the Yorkshire Dales/Lake District) and go for a blast until I finally get home with an almost fully run-in car after a good few hours. Excellent. 

 

Regarding fuel, it's a debate that goes around and around. Just remember you have a DPF, however improved over earlier versions. Diesel is not a clean fuel, nor a clean combustion process. This is especially true with EGR installed on an engine as with modern tech. As such the cleaner the fuel is the better for the engine, and the less load on the DPF. Shell V-Power has a gas-to-liquid (GTL) component which means it's not 100% fossil fuel, and BP Ultimate (though even more expensive) uses hydrolysed vegetable oil instead of regular RME biodiesel. Both are much easier on DPFs than bog standard diesel. At the end of the day the choice is yours. 

 

Enjoy.

Thanks for the reply :-). Yep I read your excellent post but didn't know for sure if it was for diesels as well. This is my first DSG.  I have ordered the paddles on the wheel so that's a start :-) so I can downshift when the need arises fairly easily. 

I will be detailing my car the day I get it so will give her a spin when that's complete. 650 miles for me is about 3 weeks. I read on other vag forums that it takes 1000s miles before the car is run in. But I think this was a fairly old post from years ago. 

Cant wait to get the car. Should be next month as it's being built this week. 

 

Edited 14 March, 20179 yr by tigermad

Just now, tigermad said:

Thanks for the reply :-). Yep I read your excellent post but didn't know for sure if it was for diesels as well. I have ordered the paddles on the wheel so that's a start :-) so I can downshift when the need arises fairly easily. 

I will be detailing my car the day I get it so will give her a spin when that's complete. 650 miles for me is about 3 weeks. I read on other vag forums that it takes 1000s miles before the car is run in. But I think this was a fairly old post from years ago. 

Cant wait to get the car. Should be next month as it's being built this week. 

 

 

Another detail obsesser. The disease spreads... (I'm one too, within reason). In that case spend the day decontaminating, claying, polishing and protecting (what have you chosen?) your motor, then take it out for a good drive the day after. Sorted. Don't worry about the 'thousands of miles' thing. The actual run-in is pretty much done from factory, then the 'owner run in' takes 650 miles. What you're reading about is the more gradual and complete 'loosening up' of the engine and drivetrain. They will indeed keep on loosening up and relaxing over the course of the first 10-20k or so, giving ever better performance and MPG. It's nothing major, nor anything to concern yourself with. It's more a case of getting a year or two down the line and realising how much more effortless and economical the car is compared to when you got it. It applies to petrols also, to a slightly lesser degree. They used to say a properly cared for engine was always at its most powerful, efficient and best just before it was scrapped... They just improve with age like wine. Of course if it spends its life around the city on cold journeys, not so much. Cars like to be used, and driven fairly hard (note: this doesn't mean roughly). They will sing and wag their tails like dogs when treated as such. 

7 minutes ago, Rainmaker said:

 

Another detail obsesser. The disease spreads... (I'm one too, within reason). In that case spend the day decontaminating, claying, polishing and protecting (what have you chosen?) your motor, then take it out for a good drive the day after. Sorted. Don't worry about the 'thousands of miles' thing. The actual run-in is pretty much done from factory, then the 'owner run in' takes 650 miles. What you're reading about is the more gradual and complete 'loosening up' of the engine and drivetrain. They will indeed keep on loosening up and relaxing over the course of the first 10-20k or so, giving ever better performance and MPG. It's nothing major, nor anything to concern yourself with. It's more a case of getting a year or two down the line and realising how much more effortless and economical the car is compared to when you got it. It applies to petrols also, to a slightly lesser degree. They used to say a properly cared for engine was always at its most powerful, efficient and best just before it was scrapped... They just improve with age like wine. Of course if it spends its life around the city on cold journeys, not so much. Cars like to be used, and driven fairly hard (note: this doesn't mean roughly). They will sing and wag their tails like dogs when treated as such. 

 

Wouldn't say obsessed with detailing but well on my way. I had my current Octavia from new and it has been a great ride with excellent MPG. I always look after it and always and hand wash with care.

I am mainly using Bilt Hamber products on my new car. See below regarding the products I have ready :-)

 

 

You won't go wrong with Bilt Hamber. I adore Double Speed-Wax and their auto foam and cleanser fluid are brilliant too. Due to the nature of their core business (supplying protectant products for oil rigs, ships etc) they focus on products that do a proper job but without the needless hype and 'bling' surrounding some of the detailing brands. That means solid performance at a low price, which works for me. I actually have some Sonax Polymer NetSheild to try this spring (after its twice yearly decon and polish), but I'm wondering whether to try some Fusso Soft99 instead. If you don't have some already grab a bottle of Aerospace 303 protectant. It's cheap (less than a tenner) for a big bottle, and will protect all interior trim and surfaces (as well as exterior trim, seals, lights and tyres) better than most 'detailing' products, for a fraction of the price. Gtechniq C3 matt dash is a tenner for a tiny 50ml spray bottle iirc (it's what I got when I started out, before learning better!), whereas you can get a litre of 303 for the same price. Anyway I digress!

15 minutes ago, Rainmaker said:

You won't go wrong with Bilt Hamber. I adore Double Speed-Wax and their auto foam and cleanser fluid are brilliant too. Due to the nature of their core business (supplying protectant products for oil rigs, ships etc) they focus on products that do a proper job but without the needless hype and 'bling' surrounding some of the detailing brands. That means solid performance at a low price, which works for me. I actually have some Sonax Polymer NetSheild to try this spring (after its twice yearly decon and polish), but I'm wondering whether to try some Fusso Soft99 instead. If you don't have some already grab a bottle of Aerospace 303 protectant. It's cheap (less than a tenner) for a big bottle, and will protect all interior trim and surfaces (as well as exterior trim, seals, lights and tyres) better than most 'detailing' products, for a fraction of the price. Gtechniq C3 matt dash is a tenner for a tiny 50ml spray bottle iirc (it's what I got when I started out, before learning better!), whereas you can get a litre of 303 for the same price. Anyway I digress!

Fantastic advice thank you. I actually used the netshield on my Octavia when I got it. It went on great and along with a topup of Sonax bsd after every few washes that's all the car really needed to keep it looking great. It still takes 2-3 hours though every time I clean it :-)

My car will have full leather seats, I wonder if I can use the Aerospace on it? (It says use on coated leather so not sure.)

 

Edit: best to use a dedicated leather cleaner on the seats by the look of it.

Edited 14 March, 20179 yr by tigermad
additional info

18 minutes ago, tigermad said:

Fantastic advice thank you. I actually used the netshield on my Octavia when I got it. It went on great and along with a topup of Sonax bsd after every few washes that's all the car really needed to keep it looking great. It still takes 2-3 hours though every time I clean it :-)

My car will have full leather seats, I wonder if I can use the Aerospace on it? (It says use on coated leather so not sure.)

 

Edit: best to use a dedicated leather cleaner on the seats by the look of it.

 

It'll be fine on the leather AFAIK, as modern car seat leather is sealed anyway. The only thing you need to consider is that manual abrasion (i.e. sitting on it and moving around) will rub off any protectant pdq anyway. TBF its' more for the bits you DON'T cover, as it stops UV fading etc. With sealed leather this is less of an issue anyway, so I really wouldn't worry. My turn to ask a quick Q.... How did you find the PNS for water spotting? I like BSD but my God it holds the rain. Yes the beads are very tight, small and pretty but the minute the sun's back out your car looks like it has measles with all the dried water spots. Does PNS sheet any better, or do you still get this effect? One thing I love about DSW and Soft99 is the fact the water just 'falls off' the car, with a bit of wind or driving being enough to fully dry it. With BSD I find that the water just clings on. I'm seeing mixed results on YouTube for PNS and most 'tests' are open hoses which obviously doesn't simulate rain very well... 

Just drive it as you usually would, it will be absolutely fine. I also drive up and down the country's motorway network on a daily basis (done just over 300 miles today) and have used cruise control since driving it home on day one. I had it new with 7 miles on the clock when I picked it up from the dealer, it now has over 100k on the clock and the engine runs better than ever. I've never had to top up the oil between variable services (usually 18k ish between services) and I always use either BP or Sainsbury's diesel (Nectar Points!).

Enjoy your new car.

I insisted on an oil and filter change at the 1,200 mile check.  Old school I know, but better to get any swarf cleared away early.  I drove some of my early 30-mile commutes in manual to make sure the rev range was fully utilised, although the top end rpm were only used once the initial service was completed.  After about 2,000 miles I just left the systems to do their thing.  22,000 miles in now.

 

I only ever use supermarket fuel as it is only the tanker driver loaded additives that vary.  Diesel is diesel.  There may be a good/bad debate that rages, but knowing someone who tested fuels for a living for years there really is naff all difference in the base fuel and they all get it from the same fuel depots regardless of what it says in the tanker.

 

Fill it with whatever you are happy to use or pay for.

@FelisBengalensis

aren't these your words? 

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/406600-oil-change-interval/?do=findComment&comment=4676442

please add your numbers to that tread,

but i think your first change were too fast and second too late(if isn't done yet)

Reading this thread with interest, although mine is a 190, the issues are the same. I have seen the comments about how its not easy to change the oil filter but what are peoples views on changing just the oil after a few thousand miles (I have just go to 3k) using a pump extractor. This should be an easy job.

21 minutes ago, Speedman said:

Reading this thread with interest, although mine is a 190, the issues are the same. I have seen the comments about how its not easy to change the oil filter but what are peoples views on changing just the oil after a few thousand miles (I have just go to 3k) using a pump extractor. This should be an easy job.

Personally I wouldn't bother.

Modern engine materials technology and machining techniques are so advanced these days and added to fully synthetic oil there should be so little wear that you would have to be in a metrology lab to measure it. There are no cases I can think of on this forum where someone has had to have any worn engine components or even a turbo replaced on the newer cars - the engines generally outlive the rest of the car these days, they really are that good. Gone are the days of replacing big ends etc.

But, if it makes you feel happier change the oil and filter, you'll be out of pocket a few quid at worst. 

Drive steady for the first few hundred miles bedding in the brakes and wearing the shine off the tyres, 

 

I found mine had more power at 2k miles and pulled better ..