Fabia 1.0 TSI 110HP DSG-7 - tips, tricks, advices, experiences...

[VladimirT]

Hi everyone,

 

I plan to buy a new Fabia soon. I consider myself an experienced driver, with 17 years of active driving experience and around 700,000 km behind me. However, I have always driven diesel cars, with at least 1.3 ccm and with a manual transmission. So, this combination (petrol + 1.0 + DSG-7) will be totally new to me. I did drive a car with automatic transmission a couple of times (once it was a VW Golf 6), so I know how it works, but I'm sure I don't know everything 

 

First, I want to mention how I use my car. In the last few years it's been mainly through the city (5 days a week, covering around 30 km/day), and most of it is during the rush hour. Once a week I hit the regional road (~150 km), where I usually drive at 80-90 km/h with occasional overtaking. Once a year I go to the vacation (mostly highway, total mileage of ~1000 km, but I don't tend to drive faster than 110-120 km/h in order to save some fuel).

 

So, now to my questions:

• Do you have any advice for using the DSG-7 in traffic jams? Should I keep it in "D" or switch to "N" when not moving, should I inch forward or wait a bit and then drive several meters, should I just let off the brake and let the car crawl or should I use the throttle pedal...?
• Do you have any general advice for driving a car with automatic transmission?
• Do you have any specific tips & tricks for this particular model of Fabia? Strengths & weaknesses, tips for driving, maintaining...?
• What is the realistic fuel consumption of this engine with approximately 50-50 relation of city and open road mileage? I use heating during the winter and A/C during the summer, the lights are always on, I'm either alone or with one more person without too much luggage, and I'm pretty gentle on the throttle pedal.
• Of all the additional equipment, are there any items that you specifically do or do not recommend? I'd particularly like to have a back camera and a cruise control.
• Since it looks like Mk4 is coming soon, is it only a facelift (i.e. will the engine and the transmission remain the same), or will they be new as well? If there are some changes to the engine and transmission, I'd prefer to wait a bit until it proves stable before I buy it.
• Any other thoughts are welcome

Thanks

[TerFar]

I've now had three Skodas with DSG, an Octavia Estate, a Yeti (both 2L diesels) and currently a Fabia MC 1.2 Tsi. Simply put, the DSG does everything for you, so select D and go. 

No, don't slip into N when in a traffic crawl unless you know you're going to be stationary for a tedious longtime. If it's slow moving, just take your foot off the brake and let it pull itself away, only use the accelerator if you need to go faster. 

If you get to a really busy junction and need to be quick off the mark, select sports mode, otherwise there's little to do except select D, N, R or P. 

Realistic consumption is low 40s for town driving and low 50s on a run. It really depends on how spirited you drive, of course: we're all different!

I never turn off the aircon: it conditions the air, so why turn it off! I turn the lights on at lighting up time because the Fabia has led daytime driving lights that light up automatically when you turn on the ignition. 

[SurreyJohn]

I have had multiple cars with DSG, and now have the 1 litre +DSG in one car (not a Fabia).  Your driving  is very much like mine was (in outer London suburbs during rush hour, prior to lockdown)

 

Normally just left it in D, once I did look at the gear indicator and counted and realised it did about 120 gear changes during each journey due to traffic lights. There were a couple of 3 way and 4 way lights where I would put it into N (as I knew it would be about 80-100 seconds before lights went green)

 

Never needed S mode in busy rush hour traffic (and London commuters are heavy footed away from lights).   I only ever use S mode on country roads if I need to overtake as it gives quicker acceleration. (Just flick gearstick back to change between D and S)

 

You can move gearstick to side and use manual mode, but having tried it, never bothered again

 

Fuel consumption varies due to traffic, I used to get about 42-43mpg typically during rush hour, but same route off peak would get 50-53mpg.  On one occasion was accident, took twice as long and only got 34mpg.  
Out in the country on open roads can easily get 52+ mpg, although does fall a bit if you do 75+mph
 

I normally use premium unleaded as the 1.0 tsi pulls better at low revs with it, the mpg seems to be about 10-13% better with it (so if extra price is less than 10% more, then you save overall).  
 

I leave a/c on all year, as the dryer helps with clearing screen even when heating on.

 

 

Edited 28 January, 2021 by SurreyJohn

[VladimirT]

1 hour ago, SurreyJohn said:

I only ever use S mode on country roads if I need to overtake as it gives quicker acceleration. (Just flick gearstick back to change between D and S)

That's one more thing that I wanted to ask... I saw that some people are switching between D and S (and sometimes N) while driving. Can it be bad for the transmission mechanism, can it shorten its lifetime?

Another similar question - when I'm trying to park and I have to switch between D and R several times (and I need to do it as fast as possible), should the car stop completely before the change, or is it safe to switch while the car is still slightly moving?

[TerFar]

Switching between D&S whilst moving is harmless: it's a software change to make the gearbox far more responsive to throttle commands making it hold lower gears so that engine stays at higher revs (in the peak power band). 

As for lifetime/wear: yes but probably only because higher revs causes more stress on components, but no different from any manual gearbox. 

The gearbox is like a manual 7-speed gearbox with an automated dual clutch/gear selector - the Mechatronic unit. So the gears will stay preengaged as you flick between 1 and R as each engages with alternate clutches. But you should wait until you're stationary before engaging, though moving to N as you're stopping is fine. 

[Phil-E]

There's no need to switch into N while stationary for short times. Even in D with your foot firmly on the brake the clutch(es) are fully disengaged as in N anyway. The clutch will start to engage if you only apply light pressure to the pedal though. But you'll feel that as the revs rise slightly and the engine note changes.

[Ootohere]

Actually there is a good reason to put it in N and apply the parking brake if sitting in traffic, at roadworks etc for a while and not moving.

The UK Highway code and respect for those behind that do not need to sit behind you with your brake lights on.

 

There is this option with the Fabia and other Skoda's with a manual parking (hand) Brake, sadly with some with Auto Hold, or even just an E-Brake the Brake Lights go on.

Not with all though, and there are many drivers that have no idea if the brake lights are on or not with 'Autohold'.

[Brucemagoose511]

As a MkII VRS DSG user (7 gear) with similar driving habits to the OP I can only enthuse about the DSG. My preferences are:

 

- keep it in D at all times in when you typically expect to be in 1st or 2nd.  This prevents near 100% of any instances when the DSGgets a bit confused and puts you in far too low a gear (with very high RPM).

- if in dense stop start traffic, I just switch back to D (rather than do any manual shift) and let the DSG take over and do what it thinks is right in response to me braking, cruising at low speed etc.  

- switch to manual shifting with the stick for gears 3 to 7 (my preference over the VRS tiptronic flaps on steering wheel, unless throwing it around winding country roads and wanting to keep both hands on the wheel). This way you are shifting more intelligently than an auto could ever do (as the auto (without AI self driving) can't possibly anticipate future road and traffic conditions in the way a human being can)

- switch to D if you plan an aggressive acceleration. When in manual mode and you floor it the DSG will change your gear and can sometimes give you too high RPM in too low a gear, whereas flooring it in D is a joy to behold and the DSG always makes a wise selection.  

- for a less aggressive overtake then staying in manual is fine, but requires some experience and judgement to ensure you dont push the DSG into maximum acceleration. 

 

Once I learnt these rules I never had a massive over revving or any sort of experience that didnt feel very smooth.  Aiming for the DSG in my next used Fabia as love how it works compared to clutch and manual shift and there seems to be no major concerns over DSG reliability.   

 

Edited 30 January, 2021 by Brucemagoose511

[Ootohere]

@Brucemagoose511Sorry to burst your bubble seeing as your Mk2 Fabia vRS has expired but there are not the issues that required a world wide recall on the DQ200's from 2009-2012 and for Europe the Service Campaign, then the next service campaign from 2013-2015 for some.

There are issues for some from 2014-now.  So time will tell if all DQ200's are issue free now when they get to 5 years old or so.

 

If buying new and keeping the car then maybe get the extended warranty before the car is first registered.

If buying used get a good length of a road test and check the Service & Warranty History.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/439395-the-story-of-the-famous-dq200-clutch-slip/page-14

 

 

[Brucemagoose511]

55 minutes ago, e-Roottoot said:

@Brucemagoose511Sorry to burst your bubble seeing as your Mk2 Fabia vRS has expired but there are not the issues that required a world wide recall on the DQ200's from 2009-2012 and for Europe the Service Campaign, then the next service campaign from 2013-2015 for some.

There are issues for some from 2014-now.  So time will tell if all DQ200's are issue free now when they get to 5 years old or so.

 

If buying new and keeping the car then maybe get the extended warranty before the car is first registered.

If buying used get a good length of a road test and check the Service & Warranty History.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/439395-the-story-of-the-famous-dq200-clutch-slip/page-14

 

 

Quite alright, I should have said it was from a 2010 MkII, so may not be comparing 100% like with like in terms of my preferred driving style with it.

[Ootohere]

Actually basically the use of a DQ200 DSG is pretty much the same with any petrol or diesel engine no matter the power.

Some will obviously go quicker as you floor the accelerator.  The RPM's might be different in D or S, and the manual shifts.

There is still the choice of how how drive to suit your needs, wants or road / location, and using the shifter, kickdown, double kickdown or paddles if you have them.

[torslunde]

In really slow traffic (rush hour), I put the gearlever in manual, thus ensuring it will stay in 1 gear.

In D it has a tendency to shift up too early, in my opinion. 

 

Otherwise I always leave it in D, using kickdown for quick overtaking.

 

BTW the Fabia 1.2 TSI DSG just passed 250.000km without engine/transmission issues.

 

 

[Ootohere]

1st gear is pretty low and left in 1st manual it can still change up, as putting in S can. 

(You can go into manual 1st, floor the car and the DSG will do up shifts rather than just stay in 1st, 2nd etc)

Putting it is S means it will go to a higher RPM but might happily crawl along and not change up to 2nd. 

[Timbo1987]

On 30/01/2021 at 11:50, Brucemagoose511 said:

As a MkII VRS DSG user (7 gear) with similar driving habits to the OP I can only enthuse about the DSG. My preferences are:

 

- keep it in D at all times in when you typically expect to be in 1st or 2nd.  This prevents near 100% of any instances when the DSGgets a bit confused and puts you in far too low a gear (with very high RPM).

- if in dense stop start traffic, I just switch back to D (rather than do any manual shift) and let the DSG take over and do what it thinks is right in response to me braking, cruising at low speed etc.  

- switch to manual shifting with the stick for gears 3 to 7 (my preference over the VRS tiptronic flaps on steering wheel, unless throwing it around winding country roads and wanting to keep both hands on the wheel). This way you are shifting more intelligently than an auto could ever do (as the auto (without AI self driving) can't possibly anticipate future road and traffic conditions in the way a human being can)

- switch to D if you plan an aggressive acceleration. When in manual mode and you floor it the DSG will change your gear and can sometimes give you too high RPM in too low a gear, whereas flooring it in D is a joy to behold and the DSG always makes a wise selection.  

- for a less aggressive overtake then staying in manual is fine, but requires some experience and judgement to ensure you dont push the DSG into maximum acceleration. 

 

Once I learnt these rules I never had a massive over revving or any sort of experience that didnt feel very smooth.  Aiming for the DSG in my next used Fabia as love how it works compared to clutch and manual shift and there seems to be no major concerns over DSG reliability.   

 

I have the 1.2 TSI dsg and I'm the same, I pretty much leave it in D for gears 1,2, maybe 3 then most the time go manual 3/4567 unless I'm being lazy and just leave it in D. I hardly ever use S as if I want to go fast I just use manual. And if you floor it in D it still redlines. I put it in N or P if I have a long wait at traffic lights to stop my foot aching, and for rear lights.

[Brucemagoose511]

On 31/01/2021 at 11:25, torslunde said:

In really slow traffic (rush hour), I put the gearlever in manual, thus ensuring it will stay in 1 gear.

In D it has a tendency to shift up too early, in my opinion. 

 

Otherwise I always leave it in D, using kickdown for quick overtaking.

 

BTW the Fabia 1.2 TSI DSG just passed 250.000km without engine/transmission issues.

 

 

If I was in manual 1st or even 2nd and switched to D there was always a risk it would select D1 or even change down to D1, get stuck there and over rev quite badly.  Maybe it was just a quirk with mine though but it was never a nice experience!  

[Ootohere]

The DQ200's are pretty smart, and they are used in more than 48 applications in VW Group vehicles with different mapping.

 

A DQ200 DSG can totally ignore the drivers choice of gear in manual if it will potentially damage the box, like going down gears and to too low a gear for the speed or RPM.

 

This can be different with some Wet Clutch DSG's especially with a diesel that can really cause issues if you select too low a gear and the car does as told.

Edited 2 February, 2021 by e-Roottoot