UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

Hi after driving a manual for 30 years I’ve just purchased a polo gti plus so I’m getting used to a dsg gearbox, also what are your thoughts on the start stop system on a polo gti plus I myself am starting to turn it off when I get in the car. What is your procedure when in slow traffic and traffic lights i myself just sit with my foot on the brake while still in drive ?.

Switching off stop start is also part of my normal starting procedure, and it was in my previous car too. I only tend to switch it back on if I’m in a traffic queue that’s not moving and I’m likely to be stopped for some time.

I also sit with my foot on the brake when I’m stopped. I do sometimes wonder if my brake lights will annoy the driver of the car immediately behind, although looking at other cars queuing in front of me, most of those also have the brake lights illuminated.

Yeah I knock it off most times. Unless I'm at lights I know take a while or as mentioned perhaps in a queue of traffic. Otherwise it is just annoying.

SRGTD wrote: ↑Sat Oct 17, 2020 12:44 pm I also sit with my foot on the brake when I’m stopped. I do sometimes wonder if my brake lights will annoy the driver of the car immediately behind, although looking at other cars queuing in front of me, most of those also have the brake lights illuminated.

Well... I think you should always sit your foot on the brake while stopped on a traffic lights

GTI Polo Fin wrote: ↑Sat Oct 17, 2020 5:47 pm

SRGTD wrote: ↑Sat Oct 17, 2020 12:44 pm I also sit with my foot on the brake when I’m stopped. I do sometimes wonder if my brake lights will annoy the driver of the car immediately behind, although looking at other cars queuing in front of me, most of those also have the brake lights illuminated.

Well... I think you should always sit your foot on the brake while stopped on a traffic lights

I have heard of a few people who put the car into neutral and put hand brake on

Also new to DSG, just about found out you don't need your accelerater around 90% of the time when setting off, saves a lot of fuel.. Anyhow, I've found myself starting to put my car into N and then keeping my foot on the brake, but only when sat for awhile. I do like stop-start for the very reason that's not "needed", but I also find stop-start annoying and tend to disable it when I actually remember to-do so! It's handy in the morning though, my daily commute is unfortunately through the city centre daily, so lots of traffic and find stop-start useful.

PO10ASH wrote: ↑Sat Oct 17, 2020 9:03 pm Anyhow, I've found myself starting to put my car into N and then keeping my foot on the brake, but only when sat for awhile.

I don't think you need to do that, if you're keeping your foot on the brake just keep it in D. The clutch will be disengaged automatically so there's no wear to worry about by sitting stationary whilst in D. Saves you having to keep going from N > D. Fair enough if you wanted to apply the handbrake and lift off the brake.

Magpie-01 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 17, 2020 5:52 pm I have heard of a few people who put the car into neutral and put hand brake on

Those few people are stupid

GTI Polo Fin wrote: ↑Sun Oct 18, 2020 7:32 pm

Magpie-01 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 17, 2020 5:52 pm I have heard of a few people who put the car into neutral and put hand brake on

Those few people are stupid

Exactly

Nodster wrote: ↑Sun Oct 18, 2020 1:20 pm

PO10ASH wrote: ↑Sat Oct 17, 2020 9:03 pm Anyhow, I've found myself starting to put my car into N and then keeping my foot on the brake, but only when sat for awhile.

I don't think you need to do that, if you're keeping your foot on the brake just keep it in D. The clutch will be disengaged automatically so there's no wear to worry about by sitting stationary whilst in D. Saves you having to keep going from N > D. Fair enough if you wanted to apply the handbrake and lift off the brake.

I thought that this would be the case but the car does feel like its still trying to pull away even with the brake pressed hard hinting towards slight friction on the clutch. I put the active sport display on and if you leave the car in neutral the boost gauge shows 0.26-0.28 bar, if its in D its usually 0.34-0.38. I have sat there before and just switched between the two and you can see the change in boost.

I thought maybe by shifting into D the car thinks we are going to move so has prepared to set off so i came to stop whilst in D and it stayed in the 0.34-0.38 range then knocked it into N and it dropped back to 0.26-0.28. I know this isn't exactly a large increase in boost 1.7 PSI ish but it indicates to me that there is something causing the car to produce extra boost and my conclusion was extra friction in the drive-train as that is the only thing that is changing.

GTI Polo Fin wrote: ↑Sun Oct 18, 2020 7:32 pm
Those few people are stupid

IMO sitting with your foot on the brake and dazzling the person behind with uber-bright LED brake lights is stupid.

Agreed Andy, especially at night. I was also taught that you should always put the handbrake on when you're stationary in case you're hit from behind, as there's a very good chance that you wouldn't be able to keep your foot on the brake in the accident, and could therefore roll out into traffic.

That is a good thing about the more recent VW (and others, I'm sure) products with the 'multi collision braking' system, which will apply the brakes for you in that sort of situation! The cars with auto-hold like the Mk.7 Golfs will also engage the brakes properly when you're stopped, and I would hope that they maintain brake pressure in an accident too.

Andy Beats wrote: ↑Mon Oct 19, 2020 10:44 am IMO sitting with your foot on the brake and dazzling the person behind with uber-bright LED brake lights is stupid.

If your eyes are so light sensitive maybe you should see doctor because there is something wrong with your eyes.

That's the trouble with the manual handbrake, stop-start and auto gearbox - takes forever to knock it into neutral, yank the handbrake on and do the reverse when the lights change.

Clearly the car's designed to sit there with your foot on the brake and the gearbox in D, with the stop-start system having the car in stop while you've got your foot on the brake.

LED brake lights aren't as intense as incandescent bulbs -the light is dispersed and doesn't focus the eye for retina burn.

Really don't see what the fuss is about.

If I had a fully electronic handbrake that keeps the car in place until you go to move off, i'd consider knocking it into neutral at a stop.

I don't wait for the stop/start to activate by taking your foot off the brake and applying the throttle at lights.
Takes far too long and people behind must think you're a proper dithering twit.
I anticipate the green, give the steering a nudge to activate the engine and then pull away.
TBH I don't think S/S and DSG works well, it's way too slow - but the steering nudge gets around it without having to disable the S/S altogether.

With regard to LED brake lights, the 'light technology' may well not result in dazzling as much as traditional bulbs on a 'bulb v bulb' basis, but manufacturers have more than made up for that by making ridiculously large brake lights.
Some cars have them run the full width of the tailgate, it's ridiculous and I get dazzled more by brake lights than ever before.