Hey there,

 

I'm currently looking into buying a new Karoq (1.5 TSI DSG to be precise). It seems they are pushing heavily on DSGs rather than manuals (at least in my country getting better extras on a manual seems to be problematic or impossible). Skipping all the joys of driving an automatic, I'm interested in the more technical and economic side of things.

 

Sure, I understand that manual will always be cheaper to buy and to maintain, but what should I expect from it? What about maintenance/servicing? What to expect down the line - lets say 5+ years from buying? I'm most likely not going to buy a new car after 5 years, just because I got bored with it and want something new. At what milege you could expect to make some noteworthy "investments" in repairs?

Edited 29 May, 20188 yr by JanJan

The 2 DSG gearboxes I've had (in a Superb Mk2 [6-spd] and my current Superb Mk3 [7-spd]) have been joys to drive.

 

They are not automatic gearboxes, but more an automated manual (as they have proper clutches).  They are a bit jerky when driving slowly, but once up to speed are excellent.  Economy is the same if not slightly better than its manual equivalent.

 

The main thing with the DSG is that at between 40 and 45000 miles, the DSG gearbox oil needs changing, and its quite expensive to do (even at independent specialists).  This may not be an issue if you don't plan to keep the car for a LONG period.

 

Wear and Tear will happen at different times for different people due to driving style/roads they drive etc so you can't really account for that.

 

Anything that goes wrong in the first 3 years, take straight to dealer for warranty service so you know its sorted out.  You could always spend a bit extra on your order to extend the warranty?

 

Other than that, I cant think of anything you need to be concerned about.

I've had both the 6 speed DSG (2.0 TDI Octavia) and the 7 speed (Fabia vRS and Karoq), I've found both to be smooth and responsive and wouldn't look back a manual again.

I covered 43,000 miles (over 3 years) in the Octavia without a hitch.

 

Perhaps someone will be along who has experience of high mileage DSG's to give their input.

We have two cars with dsg, the 7 speed in the Karoq and 6 speed in the Golf R.

Both cars are totally different animals to drive but both suit the dsg box in their own ways.

In the Karoq I drive 100% full auto but the R 95% sport manual, in both instances the boxes perform very well, so much so I can't see myself buying a manual ever again....

One thing though, I will always make sure I have a warranty, extended if need be.

 

 

Thanks for the replies!

 

Regarding oil change - I'm just getting into all of this technical information, but afaik the karoq has dry clutch dsg? Do those also need oil change? I'm finding conflicting info on the internet.

 

Sure, DSG works nice when new, would really love some feedback from longer users on other cars. Some more skeptical people have said to me - its good as a company car, that you will give back after 4 or 5 years and just get something new, maybe not a good choice if you buy it yourself and plan to drive lets say 10 years.

I'm not techy. Can only say we're on our third 7 sp DSG. Wouldn't have anything else. Two Yetis, and now the Karoq.

 

First Yeti was a month old demo. Ran it 5 years no problems. Turned it in against 2nd Yeti and got 50% back.

Edited 29 May, 20188 yr by Michael G
Pressed Enter too quick.

I know a friend of mine had a Golf R32, not mega miles but a few years old and that was a quiet jerky when pulling away slowly from standstill, but was fine on the move.

 

That's the only bad experience I've had of DSG's, we've got a company pool car Passat, 130k miles with 6 speed DSG and that still drives smoothly.

At the end of the day if the boxes are maintained and not driven too rough, they will be fine. 

No service schedules / oil changes required with he DQ200 7 speed twin dry clutch dsg.

 

There was the World Wide Recall 2012/13 & Service Campaign in Europe 2014 on DQ200 2009-2013 changing Synthetic oil to mineral 

but from 2015 Oil and software issues should not concern DQ200 owners.

(well other than the likes of the Mk3 Fabia 2014-2018 and still Clutch Pack and Software issues and a tpi or 3, cars lighter and just with 110ps max,

but seeing as Skoda produce 2,200 DQ200 a day and are proud to tell in press releases surely they got the 150 ps DQ200 sorted....)

1 hour ago, MarcusKaroq said:

At the end of the day if the boxes are maintained and not driven too rough, they will be fine. 

Not always the case.

 

I'm always careful/drive smoothly but with my Passat the Mechatronic unit went, fortunately under warranty. 2008 plate which I sold to a colleague and it's still going strong.

 

DSG have been replaced with newer updated versions but new issues seem to arise!

 

Hopefully by the time I get a Karoq, next year, any gremlins will have come to light and been sorted.

Ahh, no servicing for the dry clutch - that's good. In a sense that you don't have to do possibly expensive servicing every 40k miles or so. But what about the lifespan of the parts themselves? I have read some reports that do wear out and repairs can be quite costly (at least a thousand at an official service center depending on the country etc.?). Could this be true?

Some have paid getting on for a couple of thousand pounds for Clutch Packs to be replaced, and that is because Skoda / VW did not accept that they had sourced bad parts, installed bad software and basically shafter customers.

 

Surely after all the experience over more than a decade VW have the parts sorted, the software, the build quality and the Fully Trained Factory Dealership technicians trained now in replacing clutch packs efficiently in a timely manner, so basically all the gear and more than a limited idea and the 

try, try and try again and charge the customer for the wasted labour time.

Vorsprung Durch Technik.  

Well, in 7 years and 2 DSG cars, I haven't paid for anything other than routine services. 

 

But yes, turning them in every 3 or 4 years minimises risk. 

 

On our 3rd now, and wouldn't dream of anything else.

^^^ ?

Were these DQ200 Twin Dry Clutch DSG, and did either or both if they were require Service Campaign 34F7 or 34H5?

 

If they were 6 speed wet clutches then regular serving @ 40,000 should be exactly all that should be needed.

No world wide recalls and if any failings then VW group accepting their problem with faulty parts.

Edited 31 May, 20188 yr by Offski

^^^

No idea mate. I believe they were "wet" (1.2tsi engines?).

 

I just drive em. But I know when stuff doesn't work, and when I have to pay money to make em work.

They would be 7 speed twin dry clutch then with 1.2 TSI engines and as a max 110ps, so the DQ200.

Changing for a new car every 3 or 4 years is a very luxurious lifestyle, sure you will have no complaints when doing so.

22 minutes ago, JanJan said:

Changing for a new car every 3 or 4 years is a very luxurious lifestyle, sure you will have no complaints when doing so.

 

Not at all. But at my time of life I regard cars as a service. Not an asset to be acquired with capital, only to lose value right off. PCPs on last two - next will be a pure lease. No worries.

 

If it suits to buy cars and keep them years, great 

9 hours ago, Michael G said:

 

Not at all. But at my time of life I regard cars as a service. Not an asset to be acquired with capital, only to lose value right off. PCPs on last two - next will be a pure lease. No worries.

 

If it suits to buy cars and keep them years, great 

Sure, maybe resale value is better in UK than elsewhere although why it should be since there is minimal export opportunities because of right hand drive. But its actually nice that some can actually go like this despite the depreciation of the car in the first five years. I don't think you'll find anyone who would say that they would prefer driving a 10 year old car over a new one (unless its something really special or of sentimental value). Its usually just a matter of finances. All the best m8

Edited 1 June, 20188 yr by JanJan

3 hours ago, JanJan said:

Sure, maybe resale value is better in UK than elsewhere although why it should be since there is minimal export opportunities because of right hand drive. But its actually nice that some can actually go like this despite the depreciation of the car in the first five years. I don't think you'll find anyone who would say that they would prefer driving a 10 year old car over a new one (unless its something really special or of sentimental value). Its usually just a matter of finances. All the best m8

 

In size, the UK new car market is second only to Germany, so lack of export opportunities on RHD models doesn't seem to be a factor. Most of our production is LHD for export anyway.

 

Our last car bought for cash was our first Yeti 7 years ago. We ran it 5 years and got 50% back against Yeti #2. 

 

But as I say, we now need to conserve capital and can run a car new for 3-4 years out of income. 

 

Where are you JanJan?

 

Best regards,

I'm from Latvia. For economic reasons used cars are more popular, especially imported from Germany, Belgium, Sweden etc. So yeah, that may also be why depreciation kicks in more here. But you said 50% in 50 years, that sounds about right in my country as well.

 

My point was that people would often drive a car for ~10 years if bought new, that way you even out the depriciation a bit e.g. 10k loss in 5 years vs 15k loss in 10 years. That's why I'm looking more at what happens after the warranty is over (In my case it is 4 years + 1 extra year for like 450 eur). I wouldn't be worried at all with a manual, but not sure with a DSG. Sadly the only manual we are offered here atm is the 1.0 TSI and 1.6 TDI 85kW and to make matters worse, for some reason they only offer it with Active configuration (the lowest one). Soo if you want some nice extras, you are forced to buy either a DSG or nothing at all.

8 minutes ago, JanJan said:

I'm from Latvia. For economic reasons used cars are more popular, especially imported from Germany, Belgium, Sweden etc. So yeah, that may also be why depreciation kicks in more here. But you said 50% in 50 years, that sounds about right in my country as well.

 

My point was that people would often drive a car for ~10 years if bought new, that way you even out the depriciation a bit e.g. 10k loss in 5 years vs 15k loss in 10 years. That's why I'm looking more at what happens after the warranty is over (In my case it is 4 years + 1 extra year for like 450 eur). I wouldn't be worried at all with a manual, but not sure with a DSG. Sadly the only manual we are offered here atm is the 1.0 TSI and 1.6 TDI 85kW and to make matters worse, for some reason they only offer it with Active configuration (the lowest one). Soo if you want some nice extras, you are forced to buy either a DSG or nothing at all.

 

The market decides - as ever.

 

Could you not spec the Active manual with a few key options?

One thing I have noticed about the DSG in the Karoq compared to previous DSG's is that when I use the padels to shifyt gear ito goes into manual mode but either doesn't or takes absolutely ages to go back to auto mode previous Fabia and Octavia would revert back to auto after 10 to 15 seconds or so if you didn't manually shift, the Karoq doesn't seem to do this even after it's changed down itself for a corner (in manual) mode I then after change up when accelerating out of the corner, quite frustrating on occasions.

I'd happily have a DSG, but one only one under warranty.

 

If the car is a keeper, (10-15 years) then for me it has to be manual.

 

I've just ordered a Kodiaq, we'll run it until it dies, so went for manual. It's the big and expensive faults that dictate a cars demise. You can't get more expensive than a DSG mechatronics unit.

 

 

27 minutes ago, Panther_uk said:

One thing I have noticed about the DSG in the Karoq compared to previous DSG's is that when I use the padels to shifyt gear ito goes into manual mode but either doesn't or takes absolutely ages to go back to auto mode previous Fabia and Octavia would revert back to auto after 10 to 15 seconds or so if you didn't manually shift, the Karoq doesn't seem to do this even after it's changed down itself for a corner (in manual) mode I then after change up when accelerating out of the corner, quite frustrating on occasions.

Mine shifts back to D mode after about 20-30 seconds. If you need it to revert to automatic sooner, use the + paddle on the steering wheel - hold it for a couple of seconds and it reverts to D mode - or S mode if that's where you were.