DSG gearbox GTI

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Rangersmith
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Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2017 7:05 pm
Drives: VW Polo 1.4 GT
Location: Southampton

DSG gearbox GTI

Post by Rangersmith »

I test drove a few 1.8 GTIs and struggled with the clutch. particularly in traffic.Never had that issue before in previous cars.
Now considering the new Polo GTI with its DSG gearbox. Never driven an auto before. How would this likely be in traffic? are autos easy to drive?
do I have to use the paddle shifts?
how do you know when to shift up or down in an auto?
stevereeves
Silver Member
Posts: 349
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2018 6:07 pm
Drives: Atlantic Blue '21 Mk8 Golf 1.5 6sp Style
Location: West Yorkshire, UK

Re: DSG gearbox GTI

Post by stevereeves »

My experience of DSGs is limited, ony ever driven one for a few miles. Pros: I was impressed with how it functioned: smooth take offs & seemless changes, and you really don't need to use your left leg at all, you can literally sit on it ! It held a lower gear a bit longer when going downhil but that was the only issue I noticed. Apparently it's impossible to lunch the clutch via abuse as the system literally won't let you. Cons: bit more expensive than manual cars, MPG apparently not as good, 40,000 mile oil & filter change (circa £500ish) is essential and if they ever go wrong - very rare - much hassle of nightmare random gearchanges and new DSG boxes are very, very expensive but covered under warranty. My advice: defo worth considering, try one. I fully intend to have me another go....
monkeyhanger
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Drives: Audi A4 Avant Quattro 40 TDI, Polo GTI+
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Re: DSG gearbox GTI

Post by monkeyhanger »

The DSG is easy to drive, but is it easy to live with?

I've never really wanted one, to want to pay £1450 for the privilege. If your everyday driving is in cluttered traffic then you might be glad to have it on the morning crawl, but I do prefer a manual by quite a margin. It is a clever bit of engineering, with the twin clutch providing very quick sequential upshifts. Shifting down a few cogs though is no quicker. I'm used to sitting in 6th and knocking down to 3rd for some hard acceleration - the DSG is not quick to do this as it will need a few changes to achieve it. It will never know your mind, so it tries to stick you in the highest gear possible when maintaining a speed and the lowest gear possible when accelerating. You do have manual mode with paddles, but even then the auto mode intervenes to disregard your wishes at times.

On paper the 6 speed DSG is marginally more frugal than manual for performance Golfs, but 10% thirstier in reality.

The new 7 speed box in the facelift Golf R and GTI PP is actually more frugal than the manual because that 7th gear is very tall, really helping motorway cruising mpg vs the manual. I can see manuals being phased out when the 7 speed wet DSG goes mainstream, especially with the new testing regime being run with higher speeds in the cycle.

I will live with the DSG, but I won't love it. Not convinced we'll even get a manual Polo GTI.

My Dad swears by DSG, and if they do go wrong, it is usually early failure of the mechatronics unit, well within warranty. He's taken a mk4 Golf 130TDI DSG from new to 165k miles with no DSG issues, a MK5 Golf GT-TDI 170 DSG to 135k miles and is currently about 85k miles into ownership of a MK7 GTD DSG. All have been reliable (nonDSG related electrical issues aside).
johnpolo2
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Joined: Fri May 12, 2017 6:41 am
Drives: Polo GTI 2022
Location: Stratford upon Avon

Re: DSG gearbox GTI

Post by johnpolo2 »

On my second GTI with DSG and awaiting the third.
I wouldn't go back to manual now if you paid me.

Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk

silverhairs
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Joined: Sun May 13, 2018 1:15 pm
Drives: 2018 Polo SEL
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: DSG gearbox GTI

Post by silverhairs »

The early DSG boxes did tend to have a small failure rate, but VW found they had spec'd the wrong oil, I believe they now use fully synthetic in the box which has cured the problem.
Another good thing, if you have a DSG box with the adaptive cruise, if a car slows down in front of you and stops, while in adaptive cruise, so do you, you don't have to change gear as you slow down, this does not happen with a manual box.
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