How many manual R32's?

[OEM G60]

As title, does anyone know how many manual R32's VW imported into Australia? I've noticed there are alot more used DSG's for sale than manuals....

[G-rig]

I'm not sure of the answer but noticed on carsales.com.au there are approx 37 DSG vs. 9 Manual for sale.

Hard to say about resale, I'd get the one you prefer.

[MariusGT]

A friend recently bought a 2008 gti and he found the options for a manual were limited.

Lots more dsg gti's out there too it seems.

I remember reading somewhere that Australia was one of the rare GTI markets where dsg far out sold manual. And it looks the same
for R32's.

Can't recall the exact stat on it but I think it's around 60% dsg which is the opposite of Europe where only 30 odd % are dsg.

What does that say about us Aussies exactly? More city driving/ less open road. Or just plain lazy!

[evorobin]

Cheap fuel = Big V8's where you don't need every extra pony hence people grew up on autos and opt for dsg.

[John Deere]

Can't speak for the rest of the country but my decision for DSG was based on performance, not ease of use.

[G-rig]

What does that say about us Aussies exactly? More city driving/ less open road. Or just plain lazy!

I'd say it's both of those reasons, as a lot of people in Syd/Melb drive in heavy traffic and Bne is getting the same. However I'm not usually in peak hour so like having a manual. Wouldn't mind trying out DSG in the future but dont really like that half a second lag/hesitation before going ape.

[OEM G60]

Cheap fuel = Big V8's where you don't need every extra pony hence people grew up on autos and opt for dsg.

I think this makes sense, hadn't really thought of it like that. I guess most R32's are city cars too so makes even more sense.

I'm just not sold on the idea of DSG, i havn't driven one yet but growing up with manuals i think it would take some getting used to.

Anyone here gone from a Mk4 R32 to Mk5 R32 DSG??

[STV4SYT]

I havent gone from Mk4 to Mk5, BUT< like yourself grew up in the UK where manual is king, and until i bought the GT 2 years ago i had never owned or driven regularly any Auto type car. When i got to Oz i even went as far as to track down a manual EA Falcon.

After 2 years with the DSG and its annoyances i started investigating my next car and was convinced id go back to Manual. I drove both back to back MK VI GTI's and in the end i have gone with DSG again. For all its annoyances it is a damn fine gearbox and bar the hesitation when pulling away (can be overcome with a little touch of handbrake though) I can take back enough control when i really want it via the paddles to work around most things that annoy me about it. But the big thing that i didnt realise until i went back to the manual was that i didnt enjoy driving the manual as much as i had remembered and it was actually nice to get back into the DSG car again.

Maybe its coz im getting older and lazier, but as a fine compromise it works a treat. Definitely worth taking one out for a good thrash, and remember that a test drive wont be enough time for the gearbox to learn your style of driving, but once it does it improves a lot.

[Getti]

My 2008 GTI is also a DSG. I agree that it takes a little while to get used to (e.g. learning how to move smoothly from a standing start, hillstart, etc), however I don't think this is too different to learning the slight differences with manual cars.

I think if anyone here drove a DSG for 6 months or a manual for 6 months, both would then adapt to the gearbox and think they made the "correct choice" of gearbox.

For most people, I think it comes down to what they have driven in the past and what type of driving they are most likely to do - e.g. heavy city driving or highway.

[MariusGT]

Well i have driven both manual and auto (currently DSG) in my short car driving history (13 years) and LOVE the DSG.

I live in sydney's inner west and wouldn't have it any other way.

however whenever i travel and hire a car- it is ALWAYS manual. and not just because it is cheaper. it's great fun to hoon around in a manual for a few days (or 4 weeks touring france in a manual Citroen tdi on my honeymoon!!!).

however, i am oh so happy to get back behind the wheel of my DSG golf.

[STV4SYT]

however whenever i travel and hire a car- it is ALWAYS manual. and not just because it is cheaper. it's great fun to hoon around in a manual for a few days

Haha, i do that too.

[G-rig]

I think there wil be a lot more people buying manuals after all the dsg stuff ups and mechatronic failurers.

I'm glad I bought a 6mt as I knew the dsg still needed some refinement.

[R32Perth]

I agree with Grig, got a 6MT R32 as well

[gareth_oau]

I just like the idea of using a clutch and changing gears, love the feel of the stick shifting across the gate.

if I wanted a push-button tranny, I'd buy a playstation

[jb747]

It is, of course, the old story....to each their own.

We test drove three R32s over quite some time. The two DSGs probably had around 200 kms put on them whilst we were making up our mind. The manual car was literally driven around the block; it just didn't suit. A couple of years down the road, and we're looking for a replacement. This tiime it will be a manual, but only because the Tiguan can't be had with a DSG, only a real auto. If I could get one with DSG, I'd have it in an instant.