How do you drive your auto/semi-auto?

[bigbob77]

I got an automatic car (actually DSG) as I spend 99.98% of my life driving at 4mph through heavy traffic. It's great for that. I usually put it in sport mode so it holds lower gears and I can keep a steady speed without braking.

On the rare occasions where my speed goes into double digits - it feels utterly wrong to be in 5th gear at 30mph and 6th at 40mph. In a manual car I don't think I've ever used 4th below 40mph.

Sport mode is better - but it holds on to some gears ridiculously long, and if I ever want to accelerate it still insists on wasting time by dropping down a gear first, so I inevitably get annoyed and put it in manual/flappy-paddle mode.

But then I feel like... why have I bought an automatic car if I pretty much never use 'D' and drive everywhere in manual mode

Anyone else the same? Or do you just leave it in 'D' and enjoy the waftability?

[bigbob77]

It is a Passat. It doesn't even let me reach 5k in manual mode with my foot to the floor, it panics and shifts up about 300rpm before the red line (TDI).
How can it learn when I like to shift gear? Does it learn while I'm in manual mode? If so, mine has learning difficulties.

I always feel like the DSG is an outstanding piece of mechanical engineering, controlled by software written by someone without a driving license.
When I put my foot down it's like
1) Oh he wants to go faster, hmm let's have a think *time passes*
2) Right well, lets try to go faster in the current gear *more time passes*
3) No not quite enough torque, PREPARE FOR SHIFTING DOWN *weeks go by*
4) DOWN SHIFT IMMINENT *wind erosion has eaten away the bonnet*
5) *seamless, 100% smooth gear shift, faster than a speeding bullet, so fast it may have shifted time back slightly*

I don't know why it has to think before shifting. It makes the process as slow as a traditional automatic.

Maybe it's just the way they've set up the Passat though... Comfort rather than performance.

Edited by bigbob77 on Friday 27th May 16:11

[bigbob77]

Thanks, that's really interesting
It's a 2012 6 speed box. The hesitancy - maybe I was being a bit unfair, it's not REALLY slow, but it's comparable to a traditional auto. The actual gearchange is very quick but the "thinking" process does slow it down.

rainmakerraw said:

3) You have a VW. I have a Skoda (Superb 2.0 TSI 220). As such VAG are annoyed we didn't buy an Audi for extra cash. They have to differentiate the brands somehow, and crap throttle response and pickup on all non-Audi brands is one of those ways (understating power output and 0-60 times for 'lesser' brands with the same engines is another). Luckily there is a 'hidden' setting which is configurable using VCDS - the software/device used to access and tweak the ECU on VAG cars. This setting controls throttle sensitivity and response, and has only two possible configurations: VW/Seat/Skoda, and Audi. VW/Seat/Skoda gives laggy throttle response and low sensitivity, with a dead spot for the first inch or so of the pedal. Switching it to 'Audi' magically and drastically increases the sensitivity and throttle response, giving a much crisper drive with no more lag. Honestly. Look on an owners' club to find someone near you with a VCDS unit and get them to tweak it for you - it takes barely a minute. The coding for a Superb is 'Controller 1 , Byte 0-1 (change to 'Audi'), but it might be different on the Passat. It basically has the effect of giving a sport mode type throttle response (but better), without the whole only change up at the red line thing. YMMV.
Really tempted to try that! The car is under approved-used warranty for another 1.5 years - if there's ever a gearbox failure this might be an easy thing for them to blame it on and refuse a repair, though.

The reason your TDI is refusing to hit the red line is (probably) because it's pointless.
I know I just don't like my car telling me what I can and can't do

At the end of the day - and I say this with all respect - it's still a VAG diesel.
You're suggesting my TDI Passat Estate isn't a sports car???? But it has flappy paddles it's basically a Maserati!
Actually I have to say the 2.0 TDI is really well suited to the DSG. I love it as a combination and it suits my needs (heavy traffic commuting, load-lugging and dog-mobile) really well. The limiting "fun" factor of my car is the car itself, rather than the engine. It's definitely set up for refinement rather than enjoyment or driver feedback.