103TDI - General Discussion

[VarkWors]

The Golf is now on 16 500 km. I experience a large number of stalls (about 15) during this time (about 6 months). Usually on take-off on an incline, but also when reserving and on stopping on an incline. It was reported and again at the 15k service, no 'faults' detected. I am getting the impression this drive train is not going to last even 100' kms.

I must say I love the car but will not recommend buying a Golf Diesel DSG in Australia since a premium is charged for purchase price, servicing and parts. I was so hoping this VW will proof me wrong but it is time to dump it. I hope it will make somebody else happy but I can't trust it. 3 or Corolla again. Good luck and Goodbye, VarkWors.

[rosslm]

Varkwors, I suggest you get your car checked by another dealer because stalling in a DSG I would have thought impossible. I have done 14K now and my 2010 2.0TDI has never come near stalling. We have another at work it's done 37K my brother has a MK5 2.0TDI DSG 140K also no stalls. So I suggest you go to another dealer and get another opinion, if you had said it was a manual I could accept the possibility of stalling but DSG no. Love my car first service in 1K will give an update then.

[hooba]

Stalling in a DSG is possible.

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/f112/problems-my-118tsi-53184.html

[DeanoTDI]

I have had my 103TDI's DSG stall about 4 times, once reversing, one on a very steep incline (Mt Ousley Rd) in stop start traffic due to two of the three lanes being closed on the freeway, and once when I threw it from reverse to drive way too quickly. I wouldn't call it a problem as it seems the conditions warranted the stalling in those conditions.

My car now has 50 000km's, fuel consumption is on 6.3l/100k, i drive it about 3km's to and from work at the moment due to odd shift times, other than that it sits in the garage alot, but when i take it out for a drive it usually averages less than 5.5 for the trip. On a good straight trip at average speed of 70kmh it can get as low as 4.5 easily when using cruise control. I love the torque, and the look other people get when you haul off the lights in it, especially people in modified corollas LOL.

I do recommend the car, if you intend on doing alot of long drives, or commute a fair distance everyday. Otherwise the 118TSI fulfills the task easily, without paying the price premium. Although having a tank of fuel last approx 900km's around town, does save the hassle of fuelling up frequently. Longest tank I've had was Sydney to Geelong (with a little local driving around Melbourne on the way down) was around 1400km's!

[Frankenstrat]

United Grey TDI. You know it makes sense.

In all fairness, I've stalled my manual TDI more than a couple of times, usually because I try to take off in second gear when the car is almost at a standstill. To get around this minor embarrassment, I now chuck it into first gear when I'm in that situation and all is sweetness and light. Stalling in that circumstance is entirely due to my driving habits and can not be attributed to the car.

[rosslm]

One year update

The car has now had it's first service at 14700 km. It didn't use any oil during this first year, I hope this is not a problem as I have heard diesels can use oil during running in. I have used Caltex Vortex diesel most of the time, average consumption at the pump 6.3 L, driving mix has been 80% city with many short trips and subsequent cold starts and 20% country. Steady Freeway cruising at 100 kph will easily see around 4 L per 100 km. I just did a trip to Kempsey with a few back road excursions total 1070 km used 49.3 L with air-con on most of the time, city traffic to and from the freeway for an average 4.6 L so good figures are easily achievable. DSG for me has been faultless love the smoothness and drive-ability, it certainly goes well with the torque of the diesel. I have driven a range of manuals and automatics over the last 40 years and a million+ K's and this transmission is the best bar none in fact for me it's a technological marvel.
The Sports Pack with ACC are options well worth getting enhancing an already fantastic car. RVC is also worth getting for $500 and the other option RCD510 Dynaudio has tremendous sound quality along with Media Kit USB and ability to store music on SDRAM in fact I have about 200 CDs of mp3s on 1x32 GB chip. So I can recommend these options.
So the car has been a revelation, one year on and still a joy to drive be it lugging around town, along back roads, freeways or handling winding roads this car just does everything well. The only minor issue I have had is occasional squeaky upper rear door seals only noticeable with the windows wound up and the chassis being tested, I suspect heard mainly because the car is so quiet, the fix is open the windows slightly or turn up the radio or apply some Krytox grease or similar to the upper outer door seals. I think I'll go for a drive now, lovit!

[JasonP]

I bought my VI Golf 103TDi DSG in September 09.

Options:
Sport Pack
RNS510
Tint/mats

Great car, & my first diesel.
Ave 5.6 l/100km.
I've done 32000km now, & the only drama was a dash warning light coming on just before the 15k service. Turned out the water pump had a slight leak, although no increased running temp, & the dealer could find no significant drop in fluid level.
Pump replaced under warranty.
Other than that, completely fault free, & at 32000km in 15 months, gets driven more than most on this forum.

Bridgestone tyres are holding up well, & probably have 15-20000km left in them, even though I like to explore the grip whenever I can.

I don't find the Sports Pack ride too stiff, althoug a previous car was a VE SS Commodore.

I've had 1100km between fills without too much feathering, which I think is outstanding fromm a 55l tank.

Overall, I'd buy a new one to replace mine, without hesitation, although I'd go GTD next time. (It wasn't available in Sept 09 in Oz)

I absolutely love the car, & it compares very well to a 118TSi.

I should know, I also have a VI 118TSi DSG......

[Beowulf]

Test driving the 103TDI and the 118TSI it was a hard choice, lucky it was made easier by getting a GTD instead. Loving the Diesel, its my first one (that I own). Best part (though actually could be a bad part) is the GF loves it too.

[stevec1958]

Hi all,
We have a MY 10 TDI DSG Sportpack and it now has 53,000 Klms on it. Unfortunately we have not had a totally happy time with the car, let me say first that we love the performance, economy, handling and general luxury of the car.
First issue was the false neutral issue with the DSG that Gold Coast VW cured with a software update. No mention of the mechatronic unit being replaced. The changes are better but after the third issue below, it is definitely better. My theory is a memory leak in the computer.
Second issue was the drivers seat had to be retrimmed at 12 months, frayed and worn on the seat bolster padding.
Third issue was the radio cut out completely, 2 week wait to have it looked at, cured by myself a week later by disconnecting the battery, has since re-occurred with the same fix applied
Fourth issue has now occurred, EGR valve has worn/cracked and emptied the coolant reservoir.
Unfortunately we will probably not be going VW again. this car has let us down more in 2 years than we have had in 5 years with a Mazda 3 [never] and a 8 years with a Mitsubishi Pajero [twice], they don't seem to be built to take the Aussie heat and roads. 12 months to go on the lease. Service in Southport dealer is woeful, but the blokes out at VW Commercial at Nerang are terrific.

[Greg Roles]

It is sad to read of all these DSG problems, but to be honest it was my main thinking in buying the much busier manual - less technology to go wrong! There are plenty of times I wish I had DSG, especially in creeping uphill traffic!!

[Frankenstrat]

I never contemplated the DSG, for me it was manual all the way, it's part of the driving experience. But I agree that creeping in heavy traffic isn't best suited to a manual.

[bisy]

I had the mk5 2l tdi over 5 yrs it averaged 5.37l per 100k's manual with leather seats & sunroof , I loved this fabulous car. we recently upgraded with a gtd and I love this car too they are comfortable over long distances, I often hop in and drive from Melbourne to the blue mountains with just a loo stop on the way we never needed a fuel top up before we arrived and got out as fresh as when I left home. The cruise control was way better than a friends commodore I drove for part of one of my trips home it was forever dropping back a gear on hills where my golf just powered on up with no sign of labouring. I love the performance Volkswagen diesel technology provides with great economy. I wouldn't swap my car for anything in this price range great car.

[BottomScratcher]

Mrs BS has had her MkVI Comfortline w/Sports Pack 103 TDI DSG since September 2010, and loves it. That's no exaggeration. She literally loves it. No issues, no stalling. I bought a Skoda Octavia vRS 125TDI DSG wagon early last year. Again, no issues no stalling. While there are obvious similarities in the two cars appointments and build quality, there are enough subtle differences to remind that while they are built on the same platform they are not the same.

Every time I drive the Golf I'm reminded of what a lovely car it is. It is truly a pleasure to drive. I seriously thought about a second Golf in the house before buying the Skoda, and while I don't regret it one bit, in fact I'm very happy with the Skoda, I'm sure I would have been equally happy driving a Golf......, and every now and again, I am.

[atlas]

Hi fellas just picked up our 103TDi DSG as well and loving it.

Question - do you feel significant vibration at 1100rpm, in any gear? And at idle?

[rosslm]

Happy Owner!!

Just thought it time to update my 103TDI experience which has been fantastic just as good to drive now as the day I picked it up in January 2010. I have covered 35000K now average fuel consumption is 6.28L per 100k at the pump which is pretty good, 80% city short trips and the rest a number of interstate runs. Faults with the car not ONE which is pretty good I think, the engine has bags of torque and with the DSG it is a great combination just cruising around town or going for a swift country run it devours hills with ease, handling, stability, braking all impress. All the options I specified are certainly worth having, Dynaudio RCD510 300W, Sports Pack with DCC the only option I should have ticked was integrated BT. The car was delivered with Bridgestone RE050 225/45s R17 [Directional] which gave me limited rotation options, these tyres while wearing and handling well had a tendency to be very noisy at low speed on smooth bitumen particular cruising to a stop at traffic lights which around town happens pretty often, because of this and figuring I will be tempted to trade within the next 30000K I decided to change them and fitted Michelin Pilot Sport 3s and talk about smooth and quiet, that they are in spades so that was a good move. The PS3s can be rotated across all wheels since not being directional another bonus. So that's it! would I recommend a 103TDI absolutely, best car I've owned so far and with Golf VII only a few months away it will be interesting how they are going to better this car!