Idiot's guide to the Superb

[Robbydazzler]

I am about to pick up my 280 L&K on Wednesday next and find that I know very little about it. Some things on it are totally new to me (DSG, Electro mechanical parking brake etc). The Sales person encouraged me to have a test drive on my own (brave lady) and I came back and said, naively, it just doesn't change gear. She said that I had just put it in sports mode and I would have to rev it excessively to get it to change.I also had problems applying the parking brake. In order not to look more of a fool to the lady is there anything I should know/ be particularly aware of before I collect specifically in the following areas?

 

1. How do you apply the parking brake? Is it just one press for on and one for off? Does it apply itself when you stop at traffic lights for instance? Can it be applied without the ignition being on?

 

2.With the DSG do you always leave it in park when the car is empty and locked? Does park lock the transmission to prevent the car moving? Any particular technique for reversing? How did I manage to get it into sports mode? What is the best mode for everyday driving?

 

3. I have Kessy on my present car and have to depress the clutch before it will start hence what is the equivalent on a clutch pedaless beast?

 

These are the immediate queries that spring to mind and no doubt I shall be trying your patience with a few more as they occur to me!!!

 

 

[BillyJim]

On 27/05/2017 at 09:00, Robbydazzler said:

1. How do you apply the parking brake? Is it just one press for on and one for off? Does it apply itself when you stop at traffic lights for instance? Can it be applied without the ignition being on?

When you get your car, auto hold will be disabled. For the first few journeys you will have to enable it. It's a button next to the electronic handbrake.

Once you've done it a few times (about three times IIRC) it will remember the last setting used.

Auto hold will keep the brakes applied when you come to a halt and release as soon as you apply throttle.

Auto hold is not the electronic parking brake. Applying the parking brake is just a flick up of the EPB switch.

I will apply the EPB at night if I come to a stop with traffic behind me as auto hold keeps the brake lights illuminated.

You do not need to release EPB. It will automatically release as soon as you accelerate.

If auto hold is enabled the EPB will come on automatically when you turn ignition off. If auto hold is not enabled you will need to apply the EPB before turning off the ignition.

On 27/05/2017 at 09:00, Robbydazzler said:

I2.With the DSG do you always leave it in park when the car is empty and locked? Does park lock the transmission to prevent the car moving? Any particular technique for reversing? How did I manage to get it into sports mode? What is the best mode for everyday driving?

Yes, like any automatic P on the DSG locks the transmission.

Technique for reversing? Don't hit anything! Until you become familiar with auto hold you may want to disable it when reversing.

Sport is enabled by a flick back on the selector. Flick it back again to return to Drive. It can also be selected in the driving Modes.

Best mode depends on you and how you drive. {D}rive is adequate for everyday use, {S}port if you want to be progressive.

On 27/05/2017 at 09:00, Robbydazzler said:

3. I have Kessy on my present car and have to depress the clutch before it will start hence what is the equivalent on a clutch pedaless beast?

Keep the brake pedal depressed.

Edited 31 May, 2017 by BillyJim

[Robbydazzler]

Thanks for the very clear explanations above. A couple more queries please.

 

1. How does "kick down" work?

 

2. I have Phoenix anthracite alloys with it . Are these wheels " diamond cut" and do they lend themselves to having alloygator rim protectors fitted?

[Nick_H]

1 - Just put the pedal to the metal. Car will select appropriate gear to go.... Fast.

 

As a quick edit... If you've not driven any high ish performance cars in the past be careful.... The 280 can achieve driving licence destroying speeds before you realise ...

Edited 27 May, 2017 by Nick_H

[BillyJim]

 

3 hours ago, Robbydazzler said:

1. How does "kick down" work?

Kick down occurs when you sharply apply the accelerator pedal to the maximum travel - you "kick the pedal down". It is applied when already moving and causes the gearbox to drop one or two cogs giving you maximum acceleration. It is most commonly used (in my case) when going for a quick overtake. Indicate, move out, kick down. With the 280 it's all over in the blink of an eye.

The 280 will still enable kick down at well over 100 mph - it's a beast.

Do not use kick down until the engine is bedded in, so certainly not for the first 500 miles of its life.

3 hours ago, Robbydazzler said:

2. I have Phoenix anthracite alloys with it . Are these wheels " diamond cut" and do they lend themselves to having alloygator rim protectors fitted?

Yes those 19" wheels are diamond cut. I have no idea if AlloyGator rim protectors fit.

 

Edit: If you're not familiar with kick down then maybe I should add you won't "accidentally" engage it. There is a resistance in the final stage of the pedal movement that you need to overcome with a determined press of the pedal. A gentler press of putting the 'pedal to the metal' will merely accelerate the car in the current gear. Merely? Perhaps not the best choice of words, as you may soon discover.

Edited 27 May, 2017 by BillyJim

[Bud]

6 hours ago, Robbydazzler said:

I am about to pick up my 280 L&K on Wednesday next and find that I know very little about it. Some things on it are totally new to me (DSG, Electro mechanical parking brake etc). The Sales person encouraged me to have a test drive on my own (brave lady) and I came back and said, naively, it just doesn't change gear. She said that I had just put it in sports mode and I would have to rev it excessively to get it to change.I also had problems applying the parking brake. In order not to look more of a fool to the lady is there anything I should know/ be particularly aware of before I collect specifically in the following areas?

 

1. How do you apply the parking brake? Is it just one press for on and one for off? Does it apply itself when you stop at traffic lights for instance? Can it be applied without the ignition being on?

 

2.With the DSG do you always leave it in park when the car is empty and locked? Does park lock the transmission to prevent the car moving? Any particular technique for reversing? How did I manage to get it into sports mode? What is the best mode for everyday driving?

 

3. I have Kessy on my present car and have to depress the clutch before it will start hence what is the equivalent on a clutch pedaless beast?

 

These are the immediate queries that spring to mind and no doubt I shall be trying your patience with a few more as they occur to me!!!

 

 

Perhaps I'm missing something here but how do you get to the stage of dropping a whole wedge of cash nearly £37k new without understanding the fundamentals of how you will drive it?

 

You'll be buying a Ducati Panigale next and asking how the throttle works 

[Robbydazzler]

You aren't missing anything at all .As I confessed in other postings insanity/senility has set in. My motive for buying it is that I have never had a flagship car from any manufacturer and I am now getting long in the tooth. I have had VAG products for several years and like and trust them. This Superb version is the cheapest way to my ambition and from my short test drives and rigorous research it appears to be among the top cars in its category. I am unfamiliar with some aspects but am confident I can drive it and will enjoy doing that. Your Ducati idea sounds great. I'll just check my bank balance!!!!

[100andthirty]

Robbydazzler: If you have a decent dealer, he or she will explain all to you during handover. Allow at least an hour. All you've asked here is straightforward; wait 'till you get to the in car entertainment. Like you I had never had an auto before, but had researched how the DSG gearbox works - it's worth Googling if you're interested. (this is a rather "folksy" video 

 

 

Edited 27 May, 2017 by 100andthirty
this post has gone horribly wrong apologies to all

[100andthirty]

Sorry, the last post went horribly wrong. I meant to insert the DSG link, and got the embedded photo which seemed to delete the rest of the post!

Anyway, despite the sometimes terrible translation and reference to features you don't have, the manual is quite good and can be downloaded in advance if you want. I don't remember the Skoda link but here's a link to the copy I downloaded in April. https://1drv.ms/b/s!Aqvm6eCNRO9rg7twQ-WLpogpine4vg

 

When you start trying out sports mode or kickdown (after 1000 miles or thereabouts), try and find a straight quiet wide road. If you're not used to a flagship model, you might be in for a surprise. Mine has a mere 220ps and I was pleasantly shocked by the performance.

 

Enjoy your car.

[freelunch]

@Robbydazzler You have to be gentle with your new motor for the first 500 miles, so that should be perfect for you to get to know the car and its capabilities. Read the manual. It's a big, cushy car when set in Normal mode and using a gentle throttle. All the controls are going to be similar to your other VAG cars and after a while, when you feel more confident, get on a straight bit of road with no one around and, um, floor it.

 

The same goes for your new Ducati: plenty of potential, but you don't HAVE to pin the throttle. Easy does it, buddy.

 

 

 

[dg360]

I think these are very normal questions.  Anyone coming from an older, manual car will have these questions.  I haven't been here around long but the descriptions and explanations are far better than most sales people are capable of.  

Too many seminars where they are drilled with how to "overcome objections", ask open questions and close a deal, instead of actually knowing about the product they sell.

[CheshireBumpkin]

3 hours ago, dg360 said:

I think these are very normal questions.  Anyone coming from an older, manual car will have these questions.  I haven't been here around long but the descriptions and explanations are far better than most sales people are capable of.  

Too many seminars where they are drilled with how to "overcome objections", ask open questions and close a deal, instead of actually knowing about the product they sell.

 

I agree. Nothing stupid about them. I don't think they are the sort of questions you'd ask as part of the decision making process of buying the car, but they are perfectly valid as you prepare to take delivery after driving an older manual for some time beforehand.

[Whaty]

@Robbydazzler is the big day today or next Wednesday? I've been reading your posts and become quite excited for you, I'm sure you'll love the car and be very happy with your choice.

 

All your questions have been answered but thought I would add my two-penneth.

 

You must have the car in either P or N and your foot on the brake pedal to start the car.

 

The Electronic Parking Brake (EPB): push down to release, pull up to apply... just like a conventional handbrake really. It will also release automatically when you press the accelerator.

 

You might find the Auto-Hold (the button to the left of the EPB) really useful, especially at first. This enables you to stop at lights, junctions, etc and release the brake pedal, it will hold the car until you press the accelerator to move off. I still turn this off when manoeuvring the car, especially in tight spaces. Turning this On/Off is just a press of the button (it lights up when it's on).

 

When the car is in Drive/Sport pulling the Gear Lever back against the spring switches between the two modes. If you look at the instrument panel (at the top in the middle) you will see either a D or S. When driving there will be a number after the letter and this is to advise what gear you are in. If you push the Gear Lever to the left whilst in D/S it switches to 'manual' and I wonder if that is why it didn't change gear on your road test, you may have done this accidentally? In 'manual' mode you need to flick the lever forward/backwards to change gear (on some models there are paddles on the steering wheel that also allow you to change gear manually - I'm not sure if that applies to the L&K?).

 

Final bit of advice, please be gentle with your right foot until you get used to the car...

 

Please let us know how you get on...

 

Terry

[ukgnome]

The other thing, not to worry about is the engine cutting out at 3mph as you slow down. It is meant to.

[Robbydazzler]

The wife ,who had never driven an auto in her life, drove the Superb for the first time this morning. I was quite apprehensive but it was like ducks to water. She had got it in 5 minutes and made a much better job of it than I did on my first drive. The advice I was given above has been most useful in getting to grips with the vehicle. It seems that VAG have tried to make driving a DSG as safe and easy as possible. I was surprised how easy it is to drive considering how vast it is. Tried it in Eco, Normal and comfort and for my style of driving it doesn't seem to make much difference.