Do you actually use the DSG, or is it always in automatic mode?

[Maverick]

So if a Golf with DSG was being towed by a tow truck it could face forwards without risking damage to the transmission?

RTFM, it covers correct towing procedures for both manual and DSG cars in there.

[Frankenstrat]

Besides, with FWD lifting the front makes more sense — the car is then just a 2-wheeled trailer.

DOH! FWD... Erm, what's that over there? (runs away in the opposite direction)

[pogo_55]

What are you trying to achieve by asking the question as it comes down to individual preference.

I was just trying to see if my impression of how I would use a dsg equipped car - play with it for the first month or two and then just leave it in full automatic mode was what happened in reality. I realise everyone has different driving styles, so I was just looking for a majority view. Your response seems to be close to the typical - full auto mode for commutes and motorways, manual mode for playing. So it looks like my impression was wrong.

Actually I would have expected the Mark V forum to have the most!

You are probably right, but there have been plenty of responses in the mkV1 forum.

[Axis]

RTFM, it covers correct towing procedures for both manual and DSG cars in there.

Not entirely sure he was asking how to tow the car. More gaining confirmation that his understanding of how the DSG works is correct by applying it to a scenario...

[V6Passat]

Passat V6 - never taken it out of drive (I know shock horror) after comming out of a six speed turbo focus, the last thing i want to be doing is changing gears. I suspect a lot will play early on and then settle down.

[neil]

Passat V6 - never taken it out of drive (I know shock horror) after comming out of a six speed turbo focus, the last thing i want to be doing is changing gears. I suspect a lot will play early on and then settle down.

Yeah same here.
Going on three years and might have changed in manual once.
I bought it for its Auto function not manual otherwise I'd buy the manual.

[gerhard]

Depends what the purpose of the trip is.

I use manual with paddles/shifter a lot in traffic; when just leisurely driving around it's D with paddle override when needed, and when fanging in remote mountain country it's S. Here the aggessive mode is brilliant, mainly 2, 3, and 4 are used and revs stay at max power range for ridiculously rapid and fun motoring.

[tee_off]

DSG stands for Direct Shift Gearbox. It is a dual-clutch automated manual gearbox. It's design is basically two manual gearboxes which are operated independently of each other, but integrated into the one unit. Each transmission has its own multiplate clutch and input shaft. One transmission takes care of 1st, 3rd, 5th and Reverse. The other transmission takes care of 2nd, 4th and 6th. Really, you could have a car with 4 pedals, two of them being clutches - but since we don't have 3 feet, the DSG has a 'mechatronics unit' which takes care of the operation of both clutches and changing of the gear selector.

Both transmissions have a gear engaged at all times. So if you're in 1st, then 2nd is already engaged on the other transmission. When you (or the gearbox if in D or S) decide to change gears, all that occurs is that one clutch engages at the same time as the other clutch disengages - so power is practically instantaneously transfered from one to the other for 'seamless gearchanges'.

There's a Youtube Video from VW which discusses it here


So - it's definitely not a traditional Auto which uses a torque converter!

Thanks. I'm not good with the jargon but I sort of get that. What does that mean from the driver's perspective? How many pedals and what letters/numbers is are on the gearstick? Haha I sound like a total n00b

[Maverick]

Thanks. I'm not good with the jargon but I sort of get that. What does that mean from the driver's perspective? How many pedals and what letters/numbers is are on the gearstick? Haha I sound like a total n00b

You're kidding right? coreying just described how it works and provided links for further information, it''ll take you a few minutes to understand how it works.

[prise]

After the first few days playing with the DSG, the only time I use manual mode now is when I'm going up or down a steep car park ramps so as to engage 1st to get better low speed control. The D program seems to shift into 2nd which means I need to ride the brakes on the way down and can feel it slipping the clutch on the way up if I slow down.

Other than that I'm happy with the D program, it will redline the motor if you floor it and otherwise keeps the revs down. S mode is a bit manic for normal driving but OK for a quick blast through some twisty bits.

If I had the flappy paddles on my car I might be tempted to use manual mode more often.

[guest12345]

D mode probably 70% of the time. BUT mind you i live in the CBD of sydney, so traffic all the time, if not traffic, there are alot of traffic lights. But i still sometimes use the "manual" mode... much more than S to be honest. S is too extreme on road that can't go faster than 60km/h. Don't actually like it always jump to 1st gear whenever i slightly slow down.

[GHW]

Another Passat (R36) and well over 90% of the time. This is due to how good this gearbox is and how poor the position of the tiny manual shifting buttons is.
My prior Subaru 3.0RB was 90% of the time in manual. This was due to how cr*p (and I mean, easily the worst gearbox I've ever encountered) the "pro-drive" slushomatic was and also due to the awesome paddle shifters located on the column not the wheel (much much better than tiny plastic buttons on a wheel)
Gti hasn't arrived yet but i suspect it too will stay in "auto"

[Rob Burns]

There's a few places I use the manual. Going through the harbour tunnel would be the one place I almost always use it. I'll drop it back to third or fourth and let the rpm of the engine keep it at the speed limit w/o having to ride the brakes. I'll then do the remainder of the trip home using manual mode.

[DarkCloudNebulae]

Hi I also own a Polo GTI and like the idea of a new Polo GTI when it arrives which will be DSG.

I assume that theoretically the DSG could be used with a single clutch pedal that acts as a "disengage both" switch, while a computer selects the correct clutch to engage when the pedal was released..? maybe an idea for VW to help the manual lovers get to like the DSG..?

Also I have a question about the gearbox in manual mode, at a set of lights, does the clutch engage on the release of the brake? or on the addition of throttle? And how do people find this (seamless, not like a learner driver dropping in one big hit)?
And again how does it feel releasing on stopping? fairly seamless?

My understanding is that DSGs equivalent in other VW backed brands are made to be (closer to) fully manual, with no (less) over-riding while still having no clutch pedal. This would be a nice option in the GTIs and Rs which I understand still change/protect the gearbox if you do something stupid (like those gear shredding moments you sometimes have in a manual). Can anyone tell me if I am mistaken about this? or does the Box in the GTI downshift in S and manual for you, and upshift if your a little late doing so?

Cheers!
DCN

[Corey_R]

I don't think that VW would ever add a clutch pedal to the DSG. A human couldn't press and release it fast enough to keep up with the DSG gearbox. It'd defeat the purpose.

There are now two DSG gearboxes and also different revisions of the 6sp DSG. Generally the clutch engages when you press the throttle. This is why a lot of bad press has occured around the 'hesitation from initial movement', but the new R has apparently reduced this to next to nothing.
There is also the 'tap the accelerator' trick where it engages the clutch for 2 seconds, so you do that before you need to take off and it'll do so without hesitation. I don't know whether that applies to the 7sp DSG though.

I'm not aware of how the PDK in Porsche operates, but the Audi S-tronic, and the DSG equivs in Skoda and Seat are all practically the same gearbox as the DSG, so not really sure if what you're saying is correct. The DSG and S-Tronics will upshift if you hit the redline, and they'll downshift to prevent stalling. In fact, even if you are driving in full manual, it's usually smoother if you just let the car downshift itself when coming to a stop at lights.

Anyway - go have a test drive of one at some stage