With my Octavia DSG I always nudged it into Neutral when stopped at lights, etc

 

I would obviously brake where necessary but then let the engine slow me further and then nudge into neutral when almost stopped, feathering the brakes if necessary.

 

I learned that it could be nudged into neutral whilst you were coming to a stop, ie you didn't have to actually be still, AND if the car was still rolling you could also just push it back into 'D', and move off again if traffic started moving, without even touching the brakes.

 

IIRC the manufacturer recommendation will be to leave it in gear, which in my mind and experience (with the feeling particularly in my current petrol vehicle) makes for heavier use of the brakes.

 

I have learn't, and very glad that I can still do this with my current vehicle with a type of semi auto  CVT gearbox.

 

My point is that this makes for much gentler feeling / use of the brakes as otherwise the engine is still trying to pull the vehicle forward if still in gear, even whilst foot lightly on the brake pedal. ...... Makes for much gentler and smoother stopping for sure. 

 

I was wondering if most semi auto petrol vehicles behave this way or if other manufacturers have the set up better (imo), disconnecting the gearbox if brake pedal is touched.

 

I really do think that my brakes will last a good bit longer this way. (fair enough if no-one cares,  Lol)

There are various DSG,s and engines, early and simple petrol or diesels.  6 speed wet or 7 speed dry, engines with no Stop / Start or Coasting, and manual parking brakes and no Autohold.

The 7 speed wet or dry and all the stuff. and different cars with Modes or not.

So generalising about a DSG is just that.  

They can be used in various ways.     Putting any of them onto N when moving is not something i have ever done with any drivetrain / DSG in the pat 15 years.

@lol-lol does use N when moving.

1 hour ago, Ootohere said:

There are various DSG,s and engines, early and simple petrol or diesels.  6 speed wet or 7 speed dry, engines with no Stop / Start or Coasting, and manual parking brakes and no Autohold.

The 7 speed wet or dry and all the stuff. and different cars with Modes or not.

So generalising about a DSG is just that.  

They can be used in various ways.     Putting any of them onto N when moving is not something i have ever done with any drivetrain / DSG in the pat 15 years.

@lol-lol does use N when moving.

 

I do though nice not to have to as with more advanced dsg 7 speed box as was in Octavia rather than Fabia vrs.  Renault Scenic has coast no regen on the paddles lowest setting. Clio hybrid on has to select neutral rather than B or D setting on the gear shift. Done very gently so as not to go accidentally in to reverse though I suspect it would not actual go in to reverse as it is all fly by wire rather than actual mechanical stick shift, unlike a BL car once did that and it did not like it, hire car fortunately.

 

Whatever the automatic gearbox in place I always put it in neutral if I'm stopped for any length of time. In D the car is still pulling forward and putting pressure on components.
I guess arguably changing from D to N also wears components but you have choose one way or another. But I'e never tried shifting whilst moving.
I've never had an issue with braking to stop with an auto.

Edited 2 October, 20241 yr by Aspman

A Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) is an Automated Manual.  Be that a twin dry clutch (DQ200) or wet clutch DQ250, DQ381, DQ500 etc.

With Autohold enabled and working the DSG in D or S is not pulling forward or putting pressure on the components, as it is not if stopped and foot on the brake pedal.

Autohold has the brakes on, and the brake lights on. 

8 hours ago, Aspman said:

 

 In D the car is still pulling forward and putting pressure on components.

 

I believe this to be the case with my current car for sure ................. as mentioned, semi auto cvt

 

 I can have my foot lightly on the brake and feel the car still trying to pull forward.

This is why I nudge mine into neutral as no need then to hold the brake on if not on an incline, and no need to use the Auto Brake every time either.

 

And therefore the brake lights are not on all the while the vehicle is stopped at lights or stuck in a traffic queue, which lets face it, can be a lot of the time just lately.

@Tilt  What car are you talking about with a type of  semi auto CVT, is it the BMW with a Steptronic 7 speed?

(there are also 8 speeds, not steptronic.) 

On 02/10/2024 at 11:11, Aspman said:

Whatever the automatic gearbox in place I always put it in neutral if I'm stopped for any length of time. In D the car is still pulling forward and putting pressure on components.
I guess arguably changing from D to N also wears components but you have choose one way or another. But I'e never tried shifting whilst moving.
I've never had an issue with braking to stop with an auto.

 

I always put my DSG in N if going to be sat still more than a few seconds too.

 

I know it is said that you don't have to because nothing is happening but:

 

When you put it in N the engine tone changes so there must be a difference?

 

 

In theory if your foot is "Firmly on the brake pedal it should be ok?

Edited 5 October, 20241 yr by Stonekeeper

I also put my auto's in N for a longer period of time, say a long red light, whether it was conventional torque converter, or CVT. I do like a lot the autohold feature in the Superb though, and I seldom put N in the DSG by myself ...

On 05/10/2024 at 19:56, Ootohere said:

@Tilt  What car are you talking about with a type of  semi auto CVT, is it the BMW with a Steptronic 7 speed?

(there are also 8 speeds, not steptronic.) 

 

That's the one George ........

 

The one you warned me about having excessive tyre noise 

 

I believe the term 'Steptronic' is just their name for a semi auto cvt, No?

No it is not a CVT.  Steptronic is an unfortunate name to give the Automatic.  Sounds like the CVT from a Daf / Volvo.

 

The Subaru Lineatronic is a CVT.

22 hours ago, Ootohere said:

No it is not a CVT.  Steptronic is an unfortunate name to give the Automatic.  Sounds like the CVT from a Daf / Volvo.

 

The Subaru Lineatronic is a CVT.

 

Thanks man.

 

I did read up on it so not sure why I was thinking it was a CVT .......... I had read that it was dual clutch and was trying to find out if the 2L engined cars had a different transmission. Doesn't matter now though, Lol.

 

Steptronic transmission is BMW's way of calling their torque convertor auto box. The Steptronic transmission carries the same torque convertor mechanism but with use of dual clutches. Similar to the DCT box, one clutch controls the odd numbered gears while the other is responsible for even gears.28 Jan 2021

 

 

Edited 9 October, 20241 yr by Tilt