New here, so apologies if this is stuff that has already been done to death. I bought a Mk3 Diesel LE Exec Estate with a number of options prior to its launch in 2015 (IIRC). I loved the car, so at replacement time, I wanted more or less to replicate the existing one. It seemed  better value to go for the L&K, so I took delivery of that earlier this year. After 6 months and 6000 miles, taking stock of new versus old, it's not all positive progress. Four things in particular are bugging me. Fuel consumption is significantly worse (48 versus 55 long term average). Perhaps this is connected to the next, which is that the auto Stop-Start decides it can't operate far more often than before. Although automatic switching between DAB and FM is enabled, it doesn't, so the radio just cuts out if the DAB signal is weak. For no obvious reason, a paused Podcast on my phone connected via Android Auto will apparently randomly resume and take over from radio or media. I know this might sound like whining, but these annoyances are inconvenient in the middle of driving. Has anybody else come across these phenomena? 

4 hours ago, ChristopherMo said:

For no obvious reason, a paused Podcast on my phone connected via Android Auto will apparently randomly resume and take over from radio or media. 

 

There is a setting in AA to automatically play, hence take over, music.

Turn "automatically resume media" off.

 

Interesting thought, JR RS. Thanks. I'll try that and see how it goes. Naively, I assumed that "automatically resume" means that it does so only when you haven't used any other entertainment source meanwhile. The Podcast just randomly butting in seems outside of that. But I'm probably not allowing for the clash of understanding that occurs between the respective software development teams at (german speaking) VAG and (american speaking) Google. It's this kind of thing that makes me reluctant to be a beta-tester on an autonomous vehicle 😁.

 

Hello and welcome. My experience and comments - hope it helps. 

 

20 hours ago, ChristopherMo said:

Fuel consumption is significantly worse (48 versus 55 long term average). 

You don't say what you have (150 or 190), or type of driving so it's difficult to say whether 48 is sensible or not. I get c55 from my 190TDI versus c60 from my previous 140 Mk2, which I think is reasonable given the power difference. I (almost) never use stop-start, but 90% of my mileage is motorway. If both your old and new cars are the same power output, it does sound odd. Might be worth checking the convenience consumers, though I'd be staggered if it's anywhere near 7mpg.

 

20 hours ago, ChristopherMo said:

the auto Stop-Start decides it can't operate far more often than before.

On the (very few) occasions I have used start-stop I have found exactly the same thing. I put it down to the extra "toys" on the L&K sucking more from the battery, but may be completely wrong. There was a spate of bad batteries a few years ago, but I hope and trust that has been sorted by now. 

 

20 hours ago, ChristopherMo said:

Although automatic switching between DAB and FM is enabled, it doesn't, so the radio just cuts out if the DAB signal is weak. 

Mine is exactly the same and a number of others on here have also commented on it. I've never found a cure, sadly. Really frustrating I agree. 

 

Sorry I can't help on Android Auto as I don't use it.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for your reply, BriskodaJeff.  Both cars are 190PS although one is pre-emissions scandal and the other after. The earlier one was without SCR AdBlue and whatever other changes have been made to save the planet. My journeys and driving style have not materially changed, so it would seem to be the difference between cars. Disappointing, really.

 

I have Stop/Start on all the time, and I have no problem with the fraction of a second the engine takes to restart. If anything the older car was too enthusiastic, but the new on keeps the engine running sometimes during quite long holds-up. I had most of the goodies on the older car, so I'm not convinced it is higher consumption. I am left wondering whether a bit of cost saving has gone on with batteries and the newer one is lower capacity than before. I have no record of what was fitted to the older car, so I can't test that hypothesis.