Getting used to driving GT Sport TDI

[VdubDownthePub]

Hi all,

thanks for all your replies to my previous post regarding hi-flow bowsers... I still haven't worked out the best places to fill up, mainly because I've only filled up twice so far!
This car is so much fun but so different, so far I have noticed
1. When it's in the sweet spot it just pulls like a train
2. Sort of tails off markedly after say2500rpm
3. Flat as all hell below 1500rpm, I've stalled it a couple of times changing from 1st to 2nd when moving slowly (I had a Mk3 petrol).
4. Very easy to spin the wheels in 1st and 2nd, I can't imagine how to get one of these off the line quickly, it's manual by the way, does DSG change gear at the optimum revs?
5. Still VERY happy and appreciate I need to learn how to drive this to its full potential.

Any comments welcome!

Mark - WA

[Greg Roles]

Hi Mark!

EVERYONE has stalled their TDI, heck I sure did several times. It's just learning a new way of driving, that's all. The powerband is indeed narrow, but that's simply a diesel. Chipping it will raise the length, something to look forward to one day. I find I'm driving 2-3.5 all the time, and am just used to that now. You will end up GREAT with the gears, with excellent clutch control. I'm amazed how much more involved I am as a driver now.

The trick in my opinion is to slip the clutch. I can get 0-100k in the same time as the falcs and commie auto's, but it all comes down to the launch and control. Mashing the pedal and dropping the clutch results in wheel spin / hop, and isn't cool. I find when I take off, I throttle "in" to the slipping clutch, and let it out entirely once on boost. It's kinda like not dropping the clutch when the light goes green, but taking a split second to spool the turbo up, feed in the throttle and then go. You'll get it, don't worry.

About 7.5 seconds to 100k is possible, but you have to perfect the launch, in that horrible go nowhere first gear.

Driving slow, and changing up will inevitably leave you in the lag hole, but again the clutch, and a little slippage is your best friend. I do sometimes get stuck there, and hold up traffic momentarily while she comes on boost, then race off, no doubt annoying people. Shizzle happens.

There are definate downsides, but after a little while, you'll be used to it, and the only time it's a pain is in start stop traffic, or when you're trying to eat something and you are stuck rowing the gears as per usual!

You need to hear from some of the guys with tunes, for I know it makes the power delivery a lot smoother everywhere, but me, I'd hate to lose the feral nature of the engine!

Stick with it man!

[Transporter]

does DSG change gear at the optimum revs?

Oh yeah, It wil outperform the best, simply no human can shift faster than DSG and right spot is just in ECM software. There are some video's on Utube.
Welcome to the forum and enjoy your new car.

[Buller_Scott]

congrats on such a nice car!

i dont have a gt tdi- i have a chipped polo tdi. i love how involving it is to drive- plenty of quick gear changing, yes 1st gear is a go-nowhere gear but damn it makes second that much better i reckon.

its just so much fun to be driving in such a way that the turbo is kept on boost- not really that hard when you're mashing it on a freeway onramp, but on the hill up to buller- diesel for the win!

i generally only change at roughly the 2200-2500rpm mark in city driving, but with a tune, im good for up to around 3800rpm before changing up makes moving forward go faster.

take it to the hills, and it'll really show how quick it is when compared to other cars. (take it uphill)