DCC a necessity on a 280?

[miko15]

Hi All

I have a 190 SEL Hatch and am looking to swop for a 280 SEL 4 x 4 Hatch - how much difference will not having DCC make to the overall driving experience?

[freelunch]

Depends on what kind of driver you are and what kind of driving you do. OAP? Boy racer? Auto? Manual? Distance? Local?

Don't be shy: tell us about yourself! 

[BillyJim]

I have DCC and for the vast majority of my driving the ride remains set to Normal. My observations are based on the MY16. I don't know if they've made any changes to the MY17 ride quality.

 

Comfort: I use it when on long (mostly continental) journeys and then only whilst on the motorway network, or urban driving when I have elderly passengers. It's great for smoothing out ruts and dips in the roads and gives a very comfortable ride. It causes the car to wallow on bends and I wouldn't recommend it's use at speed other than on relatively long straight roads. I noticed immediately that I felt much fresher after a 300-500 continental drive than I did on the same journey with my Superb II and I put some of that down to the Comfort ride.

Sport: It certainly stiffens the car up which is ideal for fast and bendy driving but I find it too harsh for normal everyday use. As with any stiffened suspension you feel every bump and dip in the road. I'll enable it when I'm on my own and want a bit of fun.

 

For the 280 I'd recommend DCC if you plan on getting the most out of the car. If it's just going to be a slightly souped-up family car then you can probably happily live without it.

It was included with the L&K spec so wasn't a choice I needed to make. Had it been an option I would still have gone for it.

 

I only ever use the "Individual" mode setting and that's where I change the DCC ride settings. I always want steering to be positive, so always in Sport, and want the ACC to respond faster so that's also always in Sport. Using the default Sport and Comfort modes changes too many settings for my liking and anyone who wants to use Eco probably shouldn't be considering a 280 - it cripples the car's performance.

[Nick_H]

No DCC here. Have been known for the odd spirited drive. V8 Sportscar / Westfield background. Found normal suspension fine.

[miko15]

I enjoy driving the 190 SEL DSG on the motorways, having done four 540 mile round trips up North to Lancs in the last two months, so along the M4, up the A34, the enjoyable M40 and then the brief open road of the M6 Toll road before hitting the madness of the M6, including the sleep-inducing 50mph in the roadworks up to Sandbach, followed by the slog up to Preston, the right turn to Burnley before the A Road to Skipton.

I don't hang about, especially homeward bound which is always preferable to be heading!

A while back, I was making that journey in an Octavia 150bhp diesel with DSG and the seat was just not big enough for me and the bigger Superb seat makes it a far easier and more enjoyable journey. But I find the 190 in town traffic is tedious.

Common sense would suggest continue driving with the diesel and enjoy that power after 60mph and higher, as well as the lower fuel costs.

I am not a traffic light racer so 0-60mph in 5.8 seconds with 4x4 is not particularly relevant (but may happen when the German cars without indicators line up..)

However, as a few Briskodian's have posted, we are dead a long time and it's now time to enjoy the quieter petrol mixed with a bit of excitement and what better than the 280?!

Thanks for your valued views too, Nick and Alex - I am going to sleep on it and decide tomorrow whether to go for the used SEL or go up to the used L&K. I suspect I will opt to go for the SEL.

 

Edited 17 March, 2017 by miko15

[freelunch]

48 minutes ago, miko15 said:

However, as a few Briskodian's have posted, we are dead a long time and it's now time to enjoy the quieter petrol mixed with a bit of excitement and what better than the 280?!

There you go! Get the car you really want. The automatic is terrific: excellent stop/start for traffic and the adaptive cruise control for motorway. If you don't really need the 4x4, you might consider the 220ps petrol Sportline. You can snick the auto over to manual, punch up the sport mode and scare yourself plenty, and still get (a little) better mileage and pay (a little) less tax.

[Nick_H]

Whatever engine they are a great car. Not 'just a white goods vehicle' as some would have. Yeah we may have a few rattles and probs ( some of us ) but put me in the same position as I was in when I ordered mine and I would make the same choice again.

 

Unless of course I could find an F-Type V8 for around £35k ;-)

 

Us early adopters also took a slight risk in that Mk3 was a brand new model and was bound to have some niggles and this has proven correct. Newer builds should be getting better all the time as the design is refined.

Edited 17 March, 2017 by Nick_H

[eurotraveller]

My case looks similar.

 

 

20 years of diesel cars doing an average of 20k miles a year. Common sense said stick with diesel yet again, heart said enough is enough. Not for second have I regretted that decision.

 

 

As for DCC: can only second what BillyJim said – he’s covered it completely and his usage of the settings perfectly matches mine (i.e. mostly ‘Individual’ set same as his). So again, while you couldn’t call it a necessity, it’s certainly nice to have! And if you want to push it around some bends occasionally, you really would want the ‘Sport’ setting – even though the term is of course an oxymoron with a car of this type.

 

 

As for the comments of freelunch: again, of course 4x4 is not ‘necessary’. But boy is it nice; no more of that annoying wheel-spin, always sure-footed.

 

 

I agree ACC is a must have!

Edited 17 March, 2017 by eurotraveller

[freelunch]

@Nick_H I'm new to Škoda. I bought mine based on top reviews almost everywhere you looked and two test drives. And the dealer was pleasantly low key and made me an offer I couldn't refuse. I love driving this thing, but if I had to niggle it would be about the steering, which I think could be a bit more direct. Otherwise, in many respects, it's a better car than the Alfa Romeo Giulia, which was the only other car I considered. A head over heart decision. Like you, I was a bit reluctant to spend that much money on a brand new model.

[Nick_H]

1 hour ago, miko15 said:

I enjoy driving the 190 SEL DSG on the motorways, having done four 540 mile round trips up North to Lancs in the last two months, so along the M4, up the A34, the enjoyable M40 and then the brief open road of the M6 Toll road before hitting the madness of the M6, including the sleep-inducing 50mph in the roadworks up to Sandbach, followed by the slog up to Preston, the right turn to Burnley before the A Road to Skipton.

I don't hang about, especially homeward bound which is always preferable to be heading!

A while back, I was making that journey in an Octavia 150bhp diesel with DSG and the seat was just not big enough for me and the bigger Superb seat makes it a far easier and more enjoyable journey. But I find the 190 in town traffic is tedious.

Common sense would suggest continue driving with the diesel and enjoy that power after 60mph and higher, as well as the lower fuel costs.

I am not a traffic light racer so 0-60mph in 5.8 seconds with 4x4 is not particularly relevant (but may happen when the German cars without indicators line up..)

However, as a few Briskodian's have posted, we are dead a long time and it's now time to enjoy the quieter petrol mixed with a bit of excitement and what better than the 280?!

Thanks for your valued views too, Nick and Alex - I am going to sleep on it and decide tomorrow whether to go for the used SEL or go up to the used L&K. I suspect I will opt to go for the SEL.

 

 

Just had a look at that Kia... Its a good looking motor ! Fantastic spec. Give it a decent engine and it would have tempted me..... 1.7 Derv.... No thanks. Well may have another look at it in 2453 when I get rid of my Superb ..

[BillyJim]

37 minutes ago, Nick_H said:

Just had a look at that Kia...

Kia? What Kia? I see no Kia!

Getting confused with the 'how good is the standard audio' thread perhaps?

Quote

~ Don't make me regret not buying the similarly priced, better spec Kia Optima Estate...

 

[Nick_H]

Oh yeah lol ! Thanks BJ :-D

[ionelmc]

Why not the Sport Suspension? It's better than Sport mode of DCC, and it's not that harsh - as a matter of fact I'm quite disappointed at how soft SS is. You're mostly going to use just one mode in DCC anyway so why pay extra. I've tested a 190 Superb with DCC and it seemed like a gimmick for people that don't care about horrible roll in corners ...

[Csory]

DCC adds about 15mm lower stance - a definite boon imho. Car looks way "sleekier" 

[ionelmc]

As far as I know SS is even lower (30mm) than DCC.

[Corbu33]

dcc is 10mm and ss is 15 mm lower from normal stance

[philpix]

18 hours ago, Nick_H said:

No DCC here. Have been known for the odd spirited drive. V8 Sportscar / Westfield background. Found normal suspension fine.

Avoid the A57 Snake Pass this guy means business LOL