Has anyone ever used a DSG / ZF and not liked it?

[Triumph Man]

Pica-Pica said:

e30m3Mark said:

I prefer a good old fashioned gear lever.

I prefer a good modern fashioned, multi-function gear lever.

Manual gear levers are multi function. You can have 1,2,3,4,5,6 and R.

I tried dsg in my mums tiguan, and even as a die hard manual fan I liked it. It suited the car to be honest. I also tried the zf box in a 640d, and liked that too. Oh god, I liked some autos. I’m getting old...!

[Danxr46]

My second car which was my last was a R32 Mk5 with DSG. That car was perfect with the DSG as many agreed. My next which is my current is a 330d with a ZF gearbox. That car needs an auto box due to the torque the engine produces. For example I test drove a Mk7 Golf R and it was a manual which tbh was awful. The salesperson’s was shifting forwards and backwards due to the acceleration and then when coming off the accelerator to change gear. There is so much pull that when you go to change gear that passengers will not really have a pleasant ride when going anything other than driving spiritly. It just doesn’t make a pleasant ride when it’s a mildly powerful car with a manual

[runboy]

I've had DSG in a diesel (6 speed wet clutch) and petrol (7 dry clutch). Both smooth on a run but around town I wanted to take a branch to both of them and beat the petrol out of the things.

The 6 speed was better but the 7 speed was trying to kill me. Ponderous, jerky and sometimes no power at all, nothing for a couple of seconds while some drugged up hamster in the gearbox decided what to do.

However each to their own but just make sure you take an extended test drive in town/city driving and drive how you do normally.

[Danxr46]

Go for the golf you won’t be dissapointed anyone that’s looking for a golf I will be selling mine next September and it’s beaut (rs3 or macan is calling if it’s still in production)
[/quote]
Yet I have just got rid of a DSG golf R. Because of the gearbox. Awful, awful thing.

Slow witted, taking an age to kick down several gears, shocking economy and the lever is the wrong way round. I had a manual R before. It was night and day better.
[/quote]

When I drove a manual Golf R it was terrible the fact you couldn’t put your foot down and make progress without passengers lurching forwards and back. Also with DSG the economy is actually better as it isn’t a traditional auto, it’s a manual controlled electronically

[SkodaIan]

With getting frequent hire cars for work, I've driven a number of different VAG cars with DSG, and whether or not it's a pleasant experience seems to depend on the engine its used with.

It was fine in the 2.0TSI Octavia Vrs hire car I had for a week or so, but awful in the diesel equivalent I got a few weeks later. It made the 1.6TDI engine in a Leon I had on another occasion far more bearable than the manual version of this car with this engine which we test drove (but didn't buy) when looking for my wife's replacement car, but it's the opposite with a 1.2 TSI.

Autos I've had on other makes seem to be far less inconsistent, though some are still absolutely awful with the wrong engine. The worst 400 miles I've ever driven was in a 1.6 Astra auto, though they aren't much better in manual form either, though do at leat stay in the gear you put it in!!

[DoubleD]

Thats your driving style that is causing that

[Sheepshanks]

SMB said:

DSG is different to a traditional auto, you need to learn how to drive it, don't assume its the same as a conventional auto, thats what most people do and then complain it doesn't respond etc.

My own car is an older Merc with their well regarded 5 speed auto. I drive the wife's DSG Tiguan quite a bit and don't even think about it - it drives fine.

The only thing non-standard we do is turn off auto-hold and auto-handbrake. I don't understand the comments some have made about DSG not creeping - ours creeps just the same as the Merc does.

Edited by Sheepshanks on Friday 23 February 22:32

[CaptainMorgan]

As this thread already shows, everyone will have a different opinion, even down to the type of auto they like.

For me personally, the roads are too busy 90% of the time, too much stop start, too much traffic so it's auto all the way for day to day stuff. It might be different if I commuted down some great country roads at times of the day they're empty but sadly thats not the case. I've got another car to use mainly for track days which is manual and if I had a nice sporty weekend car it'd be a manual I reckon but for driving to work and back the latest autos offer the best of both worlds. I like the DSG boxes but I think the ZF edges it for me, sat in traffic leave it in auto, when the roads open up a bit use the paddles/manual/sport mode.

[fatboy b]

The ZF8 in my XFR-S is just sublime. In D you get the standard changing. In S it learns your current driving style very quickly, and even changes down sooner the harder you brake. Then there’s the paddle mode in both D & S. In D it switches back to auto within a 30-60 secs. In S it stays manual until you say otherwise. But the changes are instant as it has the f-type quick-shift software. Really no need for a manual.

[NDNDNDND]

FastDad said:

NDNDNDND said:

I've driven a couple of VAG DSGs.

Boring as hell.

If my commute was non-stop traffic I'd consider them.

But seriously, life is too short to be that bored.

If your life is made not boring by changing gear, then I think you have bigger problems

My commute is an hour each way, mostly down country lanes. Why spend two hours of each day bored out of my mind in some dreary auto when I could be having a bit of fun instead?

[Shiv_P]

legless said:

There's actually only 1 VW that the ZF8 will fit due to drivetrain layout, and that's where it's used (Touareg).

[/footnote]

and the Amarok

[Funk]

MrGTI6 said:

I think DSGs are overrated and personally think they're crap. They shift very quickly, but that's about the only thing they're good for. They're slow to respond when pulling away, unable to creep in traffic, jerky at low speeds, and they seem to deteriorate fairly quickly.

The eight-speed ZF 'box on the other hand is in a completely different league. It shifts almost as quick, but unlike the DSG it's smooth and effortless in stop-start traffic.

I disagree entirely with you about DSG.

I've got a new Golf R with the 7 speed box and it picks up instantly when pulling away, creeps perfectly in traffic or when manoeuvring and the last thing I'd describe it as is 'jerky'. It works great with the stop/start too.

Perhaps your experience is based on much older tech but I can't fault this DSG box.

[MrGTI6]

Funk said:

MrGTI6 said:

I think DSGs are overrated and personally think they're crap. They shift very quickly, but that's about the only thing they're good for. They're slow to respond when pulling away, unable to creep in traffic, jerky at low speeds, and they seem to deteriorate fairly quickly.

The eight-speed ZF 'box on the other hand is in a completely different league. It shifts almost as quick, but unlike the DSG it's smooth and effortless in stop-start traffic.

I disagree entirely with you about DSG.

I've got a new Golf R with the 7 speed box and it picks up instantly when pulling away, creeps perfectly in traffic or when manoeuvring and the last thing I'd describe it as is 'jerky'. It works great with the stop/start too.

Perhaps your experience is based on much older tech but I can't fault this DSG box.

I have driven numerous cars with the DSG 'box (including the current Golf R) and whilst some are better than others, all were ponderous and jerky at low speeds. As for creeping on the brakes, they just aren't designed for it. And I'd imagine doing it too often would shorten the lifespan of the clutch(es).

[MrGTI6]

Danxr46 said:

When I drove a manual Golf R it was terrible the fact you couldn’t put your foot down and make progress without passengers lurching forwards and back. Also with DSG the economy is actually better as it isn’t a traditional auto

If you alter your driving style, both of those points would no longer become an issue. I've driven a manual Golf R and, whilst I'm far from a skilled driver, it was very easy to make fast and smooth progress.

[Jaguar steve]

We had a new Golf GTi with a DSG 'box as a loan car for a fortnight after Mrs JS had her Pug GTi sideswiped some while ago.

I found it quite a challenge to drive smoothly and quickly as the concentration needed to rev match to get a jerk or lunge free change was distracting from everything else going on and after a couple of days playing with the paddles I just stuck it auto mode and let it get on with it.

Gearbox excepted the Golf was a nice drive and much better screwed together than the Pug but after experiencing a DSG for a few hundred miles I'd go for a normal manual, partly because I didn't like it much and partly I'd always have in mind how much wallet raping would go on when it goes pop .

[GrumpyTwig]

Jaguar steve said:

We had a new Golf GTi with a DSG 'box as a loan car for a fortnight after Mrs JS had her Pug GTi sideswiped some while ago.

I found it quite a challenge to drive smoothly and quickly as the concentration needed to rev match to get a jerk or lunge free change was distracting from everything else going on and after a couple of days playing with the paddles I just stuck it auto mode and let it get on with it.

Gearbox excepted the Golf was a nice drive and much better screwed together than the Pug but after experiencing a DSG for a few hundred miles I'd go for a normal manual, partly because I didn't like it much and partly I'd always have in mind how much wallet raping would go on when it goes pop .

Rev matching an automatic??

[Jaguar steve]

GrumpyTwig said:

Jaguar steve said:

We had a new Golf GTi with a DSG 'box as a loan car for a fortnight after Mrs JS had her Pug GTi sideswiped some while ago.

I found it quite a challenge to drive smoothly and quickly as the concentration needed to rev match to get a jerk or lunge free change was distracting from everything else going on and after a couple of days playing with the paddles I just stuck it auto mode and let it get on with it.

Gearbox excepted the Golf was a nice drive and much better screwed together than the Pug but after experiencing a DSG for a few hundred miles I'd go for a normal manual, partly because I didn't like it much and partly I'd always have in mind how much wallet raping would go on when it goes pop .

Rev matching an automatic??

No, not in auto mode obviously.

I found the manual paddle change jerky and coarse - particularly on wider throttle openings when making progress or going quickly down the gears so tried anticipating the changes with an appropriate throttle position. Didn't work for me but to be fair two weeks and a few hundred miles might not have been enough to learn to do so subconsciously and that brief exposure leaves me struggling to get the point.

[Jdjd1]

Funk said:

MrGTI6 said:

I think DSGs are overrated and personally think they're crap. They shift very quickly, but that's about the only thing they're good for. They're slow to respond when pulling away, unable to creep in traffic, jerky at low speeds, and they seem to deteriorate fairly quickly.

The eight-speed ZF 'box on the other hand is in a completely different league. It shifts almost as quick, but unlike the DSG it's smooth and effortless in stop-start traffic.

I disagree entirely with you about DSG.

I've got a new Golf R with the 7 speed box and it picks up instantly when pulling away, creeps perfectly in traffic or when manoeuvring and the last thing I'd describe it as is 'jerky'. It works great with the stop/start too.

Perhaps your experience is based on much older tech but I can't fault this DSG box.

Some people quite honestly seem clueless or they have a box with a faulty mechatronics unit!

The VW manual in the R is shocking with the clutch fuc*ed after afew launch starts, if driven hard it won't last 10k, The DSG is as smooth as any other manufacturer's auto box, and can do all the above, Considersbly better then Mercedes offering in the FL A45

[Shiv_P]

My mums Tiguan has a 6 speed DSG with the 1.4TSI and it's really nice - she has no problems with it
Funnily enough the only thing she says she misses though about her previous ford stmax is it was a manual

[Funk]

Jdjd1 said:

Funk said:

MrGTI6 said:

I think DSGs are overrated and personally think they're crap. They shift very quickly, but that's about the only thing they're good for. They're slow to respond when pulling away, unable to creep in traffic, jerky at low speeds, and they seem to deteriorate fairly quickly.

The eight-speed ZF 'box on the other hand is in a completely different league. It shifts almost as quick, but unlike the DSG it's smooth and effortless in stop-start traffic.

I disagree entirely with you about DSG.

I've got a new Golf R with the 7 speed box and it picks up instantly when pulling away, creeps perfectly in traffic or when manoeuvring and the last thing I'd describe it as is 'jerky'. It works great with the stop/start too.

Perhaps your experience is based on much older tech but I can't fault this DSG box.

Some people quite honestly seem clueless or they have a box with a faulty mechatronics unit!

The VW manual in the R is shocking with the clutch fuc*ed after afew launch starts, The DSG is as smooth as any other manufacturer's auto box, Considersbly better then Mercedes offering in the FL A45

I honestly don't get what they're talking about at all - it doesn't even sound like the same car.

I can't fault the DSG as an auto box.