GTI Test Drive

[mrkris]

Lads/Ladettes

So, i took one for a test drive today. The guys were really cool about it and let me have it for an hour and a half so i could take it up through the hills.

I found it handled really well and both forced induction aperati complimented each other nicely. Suspension was a nice mixture for comfy cruising and "spirited" cornering/sweeping bends.

Not completely sold on the DSG though. if there was a manual option i would have bought one there and then. as cliche' as it sounds, the DSG just feels a bit detached. i went tearing through a bend in second and it went and changed to third on me and i had to force it back, which kind of spoiled the moment for me. Ive only really ever driven manuals so it might just be something that ill have to find it within me to get over it. After all what else is around the same price/performance on the market at the moment that i like the look of? nothing really (see im already talking myself into it).

I was having a chat to the sales guy about mechatronics / CTHE engines and new clutch packs. He said he wasnt aware of any issues but his body language said differently. after that he dropped the "sales" lingo and we were able to have a decent chat.

Not too keen on the colour choices available. the only colours i liked where black and white. We've had black cars before (never again) so im going to have to go the white.

All in all i was impressed.

Kris.

[LunchboxVRS]

You really need to have it in manual mode if your going to have a "spirited" drive. Although it will still change up buy itself when you hit top revs.

[Nuggos]

Yeah you should of had her in manual! Gives u much more control ESP around corners

[gavs]

GTI Test Drive

Lads/Ladettes

So, i took one for a test drive today. The guys were really cool about it and let me have it for an hour and a half so i could take it up through the hills.

I found it handled really well and both forced induction aperati complimented each other nicely. Suspension was a nice mixture for comfy cruising and "spirited" cornering/sweeping bends.

Not completely sold on the DSG though. if there was a manual option i would have bought one there and then. as cliche' as it sounds, the DSG just feels a bit detached. i went tearing through a bend in second and it went and changed to third on me and i had to force it back, which kind of spoiled the moment for me. Ive only really ever driven manuals so it might just be something that ill have to find it within me to get over it. After all what else is around the same price/performance on the market at the moment that i like the look of? nothing really (see im already talking myself into it).

I was having a chat to the sales guy about mechatronics / CTHE engines and new clutch packs. He said he wasnt aware of any issues but his body language said differently. after that he dropped the "sales" lingo and we were able to have a decent chat.

Not too keen on the colour choices available. the only colours i liked where black and white. We've had black cars before (never again) so im going to have to go the white.

All in all i was impressed.

Kris.

There are 2 other options in the dsg called M and S, either one are better than D for spirited driving.

[dening]

Having just got back from a great drive along Gorge Road with my GTI, the DSG is just fine.
If you want it to do what you want and push it for fun it has to be in Manual mode, otherwise D shifts for economy and S thinks it knows what you're up to with it's early downshifts, but is really coming into the conversation halfway.

I recommend getting one, but will warn that some of the sales staff at Solitaire VW (if that's where you're dealing with) can be a pain when push comes to shove. I had a demo Skoda Fabia vrs miraculously sold out on me overnight by the Sales Manager after I had a verbal agreement with the salesman pending a quote on extended warranty. The salesman I had worked hard to sort it out and I got a great deal on my GTI though.

I'd definitely get a GTI again any day of the week, but probably not from there.

[blake12345]

Ive just spent the weekend up in the Blue Mountains and went searching for some fun roads and ive got to say the dsg once in manual mode is awesome! Im use to driving manuals as my weekend car and an auto during the week and the gti with dsg seems to combine the best of both worlds. The only thing im not happy with is i think it needs a louder exhaust but that should be sorted sometime in the near future!
The dsg did take abit of time to get use too but now ive had a good drive ive come to like it.

And the white i reckon is the best colour!

[Zakarados]

Lads/Ladettes
i went tearing through a bend in second and it went and changed to third on me and i had to force it back, which kind of spoiled the moment for me.

I find this to be the most annoying thing about the DSG on the Polo. It will up-shift in manual mode if you get close to the rev limit. You will find when driving hard in the car in the low gears, it will decide to up-shift just before you press it, so you find yourself in a gear higher than you wanted to be in. I am not sure if other VW DSG's work the same, would hope not in the Golf R. I have driven a evo X and you can hold the gear on the rev limiter...

[Deadpool]

I find this to be the most annoying thing about the DSG on the Polo. It will up-shift in manual mode if you get close to the rev limit. You will find when driving hard in the car in the low gears, it will decide to up-shift just before you press it, so you find yourself in a gear higher than you wanted to be in. I am not sure if other VW DSG's work the same, would hope not in the Golf R. I have driven a evo X and you can hold the gear on the rev limiter...

Get a DSG Tune. Higher rev limit, better Torque Application, faster shifting, and no holds the gear longer in S and D.

[Zakarados]

Get a DSG Tune. Higher rev limit, better Torque Application, faster shifting, and no holds the gear longer in S and D.

Does it stop gears from automatically changing in manual mode?

[Deadpool]

Does it stop gears from automatically changing in manual mode?

When mine hits around 7200 or 7500 RPM (Golf GTI MkV and don't remember exactly when it gears up as I don't go there a whole lot) it gears up to protect the engine from going Kaboom. You really don't want to take these cars past there anyway as you're losing peak power. Any car that doesn't auto up-shift after it's redline is simply looking for trouble. Bouncing a DSG car off the limiter is a good way to destroy it.

[Zakarados]

When mine hits around 7200 or 7500 RPM (Golf GTI MkV and don't remember exactly when it gears up as I don't go there a whole lot) it gears up to protect the engine from going Kaboom. You really don't want to take these cars past there anyway as you're losing peak power. Any car that doesn't auto up-shift after it's redline is simply looking for trouble. Bouncing a DSG car off the limiter is a good way to destroy it.

The main reason I don't like it is because you end up doing a double shift up, on a hot lap that can waste a lot of time, on the road it can bog you down mid overtake... its just a horrible feeling. These cars have a rev limiter to protect the engine, I don't see why they need to shift for us.

[gavs]

When mine hits around 7200 or 7500 RPM (Golf GTI MkV and don't remember exactly when it gears up as I don't go there a whole lot) it gears up to protect the engine from going Kaboom. You really don't want to take these cars past there anyway as you're losing peak power. Any car that doesn't auto up-shift after it's redline is simply looking for trouble. Bouncing a DSG car off the limiter is a good way to destroy it.

Completely different gearbox mate so kinda not relevent. The dsg tune available for the dq200 starts off by primarily altering shift points and (more importantly) the clamp force on the clutches. You can add a higher rev limit as well as uprated torque limit but in reality unless one is chasing big power, there is no point.

[Nuggos]

Completely different gearbox mate so kinda not relevent. The dsg tune available for the dq200 starts off by primarily altering shift points and (more importantly) the clamp force on the clutches. You can add a higher rev limit as well as uprated torque limit but in reality unless one is chasing big power, there is no point.

Sorry gavs, interested as to why there is no point? is it minimal gain?

[gavs]

GTI Test Drive

Just to be clear, I'm only referring to the torque limit increase and rev limiter increase. As I said, unless you're tracking the car or chasing big power, the factory turbo is already out of puff at the factory redline and who needs a torque limit increase really unless you're going to a turbo-replacement stage 3 engine? The better clamp force alone netted by the tune will help anyone on stage 1 and 2...

[Nuggos]

Got it thanks