Can anyone tell me when the change was made for dsg changing from the 6 speed, I’m eyeing up a 2018 tsi 4x4 which seems to be the year they went to the 7 speed but is there an obvious way to tell?

Hi,

I would say they are DSG7 since june 2018. The change most probably happened with the MY19.

TSI272 came at this time and are probably DSG7.

Not 100% sure, just guessing.

As above, they started showing up from MY19 onwards, with the 280/272 Superb.

Though in some markets, they continued to get the DQ250 for a few more years.

DQ250 is DSG-6 wet clutch.

DQ381 is DSG-7 wet clutch

You may also want to know that DQ381 7-speed often has issues with pressure sensors on the mechatronic till around 2020. It's fixable of course, but...

The 6-speed is more reliable but less comfortable. Proper maintenance matters as well.

Thank you all, I already have the 6 speed 280 and with 2 long trips through France coming up, I started looking for a big comfortable estate to buy so I don’t put any more miles on mine when an ex Met police 2018 tsi 4x4 appeared for sale. I have been in touch with the dealer who has sent me some images of receipts and I now believe that it is a 6 speed which is unfortunate as I’d like to use it for the trips and then move it on afterwards.

@Windybum how many miles on the Ex police car?

PS, sorry could not edit. Maybe not standard suspension. It could be Blue Light spec from Eibach.

@Evolution13 lots of miles 😂

135k but will have been serviced every 10k or yearly, you can see their service schedule online. He showed me receipts at 120k which included mechatronic repair amongst many other service items. As I type he has text to say he is going to check which DSG it has but I suspect it will be 6 speed. It needs a service and two tyres but for the miles looks very good for £8k

Best with a DQ250 IMO, but if had a MCU repair likely a DQ381. The one that is a lottery. Servicing should be good with emergency vehicles but not always a given. , Haldex might need doing properly. If K&N filters used they get binned at services and replaced, not 'cleaned and treated' which is nice.

Edited 29 May29 May by Evolution13

He’s taking it for a drive now to make sure but just looked on DVLA and it was registered early March 2018 so looking like a6 speed. If so like Monty Pythons Holy Grail, I’ll tell him I already got one 😂

Anyone looking at a 280 for reasonable money might want to check it out, mine has now travelled 118k impeccably with the right maintenance so this one could be a bargain basement flying machine.

As suspected, it’s a 6 speed.

Really wanted to have the better gearing of the 7 for my two trips to France but never mind. Back to looking at E Class Merc estates as Superb estates are a similar price surprisingly and I think an E Class is the perfect cruiser for a long jaunt just maybe trickier to sell on afterwards

@Windybum Have you driven a 7 speed?

No but I do know that my 280 six speed sits at 2500rpm at 70mph and is an expensive jaunt when you are on French toll roads at 85 so the gearing of the seven would make it slightly more economical and a little less tiring but it really doesn’t matter now as the one I was looking at is the same as mine anyway. I can pick up a 2019 E Class diesel up for 9k with 130k and full Mercedes history and when I am seeing them with 250000 miles at the same age they are pretty durable.

That ex Met police tsi 4x4 just piqued my interest but the water has passed under the bridge now so I’ll continue my search. My 280 is going nowhere, it’ll just get a well earned rest for a few weeks

Funnily enough, the 220tsi with dq250 6 speed has longer gearing.

I don't mind my 280 6 speeder at 80-85. But agree lower rpm would be better.

DQ381 7 speed on my 272 estate which is an 18 plate.

Date of production 12.10.2018

13 hours ago, KeteCantek said:

Funnily enough, the 220tsi with dq250 6 speed has longer gearing.

I don't mind my 280 6 speeder at 80-85. But agree lower rpm would be better.

I’m fine with the gearing on mine for normal use and trips in the UK but 1000 miles through France can get a little tedious, I have to set the screen so I can’t see mpg and sheepishly look when we’ve returned home.

I’ve now bought a 16 plate E Class for both journeys and will move it on when it has served its purpose