New '10 Jetta TDI DSG

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TwoFuel

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 17, 2005
Location
East coast of Pennsylvania
TDI
'04 Golf PD, and a '04 Jetta PD
If you are on the fence about whether to get the DSG or not, I say Go For It and never look back!!

I felt the need to post my experience with my Son's new '10 Jetta with the DSG.

I have been reading posts about the DSG since it came out and I have never driven one 'till my Son got his.

With all the complaints about the performance pros and cons I did not know what to expect from it.

All I can say is, I have no idea how some people could find one fault with this transmission. Man, what the blank more could you want?

I've shifted countless gears over the years in perhaps every conceivable vehicle you can imagine... even with two sticks in some of the "largecars" I have driven. I have always preferred the stick over an auto. ...Till now!!!

Presently, my car is my '04 Golf TDI with the 5sp manual, but I gotta say the next VDub TDI I own will have the DSG.

Absolutley incredible transmission. I am blown away with it's performance.
Smooth as silk and being able to put it in "D" or "S" or use the Tiptronic in D is about as close to perfect as I think it gets.

And what the heck are all the posts about the hill holding features all about? The panic over it rolls backwards on a hill etc. What are you doing wrong? Or maybe those posters didn't know what they were doing, or how to drive the dang thing. The starting off on a hill feature works just like it's supposed to if you are driving it right. Anybody complaining about the steep hill take offs probably drove their "clutched" cars where they held the car on the hills with the clutch... and wondered why the clutch never held up in their cars and it cost so much to keep replacing the clutch.

I'm a firm believer in a clutch should last the life of the vehicle... any vehicle big or small. It will if you know what youre doing.

I know it looks to be incredibly pricey when out of warranty, should it have problems, but I think a key to longevity with it is to not beat the hell out of it from the start thinking the warr. will cover any probs. I think if you beat it, it will probably hold up just about as long as the warr will cover it and then it will poop the bed right about when you'd be on the hook for the repair.

Nope. I'm gonna advise my Son to have fun with it but to go easy on it and I don't think he'll have any problems with it in the out of warranty future.
 
T

tdipb

Active member
Joined
May 30, 2006
Location
West Palm beach
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI DSG
There is no question but that the DSG is easy and fun to drive, but there are real concerns re reliability and longevity. Between my wife's family and mine, we have had many cars, driven many miles in the north and south, and have never experienced a transmission failure until now. I have a 2006 DSG which experienced a mechatronix failure at 46,000 miles. A quick search shows that this has been an issue on these transmissions. I much prefer an automatic as I drive in city traffic frequently, and as we get older shifting does get tiring. If not for that issue I would much prefer the manual to avoid this potential big problem with failure
 
Lightflyer1

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
The DSG is pretty amazing. The downside is extra maint. and cost to repair if it goes out. As long as you are willing to handle these issues, go for it.
 
MyAvocation

MyAvocation

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 9, 2004
Location
Hoffman Estates, IL
TDI
2017 Passat SEL TSI
TwoFuel said:
And what the heck are all the posts about the hill holding features all about? The panic over it rolls backwards on a hill etc. What are you doing wrong?
Click to expand...
Remember reading somewhere about 2009+ DSGs having a better hill hold implimentation than older MKVs. I know mine doesn't do so well on steep grades, so hand brake picks up the slack. Works perfect on milder grades.
 
G

glandpuck

Well-known member
Joined
May 19, 2007
Location
MI
TDI
2006.5 Jetta TDI DSG Pack2
Hey guys, I got rid of my tdi with all the mechanical failures I was having. While my DSG did not yet fail, it was still costing almost $400 every 40,000 miles for maintenance. My 2010 Fusion Sport has a 6 speed automatic that also has the same manual shift mode as my dsg had (no sport mode) and is maintenance free with no mechatronic failures to report. VW may design a good car, but part of a good design is longevity and durability which VW has forgotten about. I would never own another one without full warranty coverage. A word to the wise.
 
Jester

Jester

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2007
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
TDI
2015
glandpuck said:
Hey guys, I got rid of my tdi with all the mechanical failures I was having. While my DSG did not yet fail, it was still costing almost $400 every 40,000 miles for maintenance. My 2010 Fusion Sport has a 6 speed automatic that also has the same manual shift mode as my dsg had (no sport mode) and is maintenance free with no mechatronic failures to report. VW may design a good car, but part of a good design is longevity and durability which VW has forgotten about. I would never own another one without full warranty coverage. A word to the wise.
Click to expand...
I've had my 06 new since 2007. Serviced the DSG once at 45k at oilhammers for $225.00. 72k miles on it now. Over 3 years that is not too bad. Also owned 2 Fords and a GMC that had tranny problems a lot. I think the DSG is an incredible technology that others are starting to emulate. If you were driving 40k a year then it might get costly, but just do see the issue otherwise. But each to their own.
 
N

narongc73

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2005
Location
VA/OH
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI
You really shouldn't post if you haven't owned one. The newer ones are better on steep hills but the 2006 I have rolls back. It's like a confused automatic. But hey I've driven manual so I'm use to it. It has it's quirks and if it wasn't for the slight improvement in mpg it would be a worthless transmission. I've had to change out the DMF recently and if I hadn't done it myself I would be out 1500 instead of 550.

TwoFuel said:
If you are on the fence about whether to get the DSG or not, I say Go For It and never look back!!

I felt the need to post my experience with my Son's new '10 Jetta with the DSG.

I have been reading posts about the DSG since it came out and I have never driven one 'till my Son got his.

With all the complaints about the performance pros and cons I did not know what to expect from it.

All I can say is, I have no idea how some people could find one fault with this transmission. Man, what the blank more could you want?

I've shifted countless gears over the years in perhaps every conceivable vehicle you can imagine... even with two sticks in some of the "largecars" I have driven. I have always preferred the stick over an auto. ...Till now!!!

Presently, my car is my '04 Golf TDI with the 5sp manual, but I gotta say the next VDub TDI I own will have the DSG.

Absolutley incredible transmission. I am blown away with it's performance.
Smooth as silk and being able to put it in "D" or "S" or use the Tiptronic in D is about as close to perfect as I think it gets.

And what the heck are all the posts about the hill holding features all about? The panic over it rolls backwards on a hill etc. What are you doing wrong? Or maybe those posters didn't know what they were doing, or how to drive the dang thing. The starting off on a hill feature works just like it's supposed to if you are driving it right. Anybody complaining about the steep hill take offs probably drove their "clutched" cars where they held the car on the hills with the clutch... and wondered why the clutch never held up in their cars and it cost so much to keep replacing the clutch.

I'm a firm believer in a clutch should last the life of the vehicle... any vehicle big or small. It will if you know what youre doing.

I know it looks to be incredibly pricey when out of warranty, should it have problems, but I think a key to longevity with it is to not beat the hell out of it from the start thinking the warr. will cover any probs. I think if you beat it, it will probably hold up just about as long as the warr will cover it and then it will poop the bed right about when you'd be on the hook for the repair.

Nope. I'm gonna advise my Son to have fun with it but to go easy on it and I don't think he'll have any problems with it in the out of warranty future.
Click to expand...
 
N

nedro018

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 14, 2010
Location
CO
TDI
2009 tdi dsg sportwagon
i love the DSG. ever heard of the 80-20 rule? you know...80% of the time you wear the same 20% of your wardrobe...eat at the same 20% of the restaurants? well 80% of the time just about all of us are driving in the same boring traffic conditions: stoplights and neighborhood stop signs on our way home. stop-go, stop-go. i couldnt imagine shifting thru 4-6 gear manually each time, especially with all the posts about the touchiness of 1st gear on the manuals. DSG fluid changes are only $200 if you do it yourself. brake to gas pedal hesitations at stoplights are easy to fix by anticipation, or, by slight launching by applying gas when releasing the brake. it works great...the clutch plates disengage when the brake is on but there IS a point at which the brake pedal is lightly being pressed (still on) but the car begins to move. if you give solid gas here the car lauches like a champ. great tranny in my view.
 
C

CTFirearms

Active member
Joined
Feb 25, 2010
Location
CT
TDI
2010 JETTA
Yeah, the tranny has it's quirks, but it's pretty good. Sport mode is nice as well.

I drove the manual and the shifter had long throws and felt sloppy. Didn't like it at all. Not to mention the traffic in CT, would make me crazy with a manual. Would buy another as of right now, but then my car only has 10,000 miles on it.
 
R

rcnaylor

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2006
Location
Amarillo, TX
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportswagen Silver
"I have been reading posts about the DSG since it came out... All I can say is, I have no idea how some people could find one fault with this transmission. Man, what the blank more could you want?"

Since the '09 is a DSG and probably one of the main ones being complained about, walk a mile in my moccasins, is all I will say.

The DSG on my '09 (not '10) is herky, jerky, hesitating, sluggish, surgish. Whether its sensors, programming, DSG or some combination of all the above, I can't say.

It reminds me of some of the old beaters circa '40', 50's and 60's I learned to drive on the farm growing up. Worn out carbs, (often FEELS like its flooding down and hesitating because its chugging through too much fuel) slipping clutches (hit acceleration and get nothing for a spell) and/or speed shifting without using the clutch (grabbing and jerking).

If VW has fixed everything up "great" on the 2010 DSG (don't know, haven't driven one), then all I can say is why has two factory programs on mine not got it any where close to right?

Anyone wants to DRIVE mine and then tell me they don't know what I'm complaining about is welcome to drop by.
 
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B

big_ole_truck

Veteran Member
Joined
May 23, 2010
Location
NW FL
TDI
2015 VW Passat TDI SEL
The DSG I test drove left me with a bad impression of the transmission. But if you love it and it works well for you, that's all that matters.
 
El Dobro

El Dobro

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Location
NJ
TDI
2017 Bolt EV Premier, 2023 Bolt EUV Premier
rcnaylor said:
"I have been reading posts about the DSG since it came out... All I can say is, I have no idea how some people could find one fault with this transmission. Man, what the blank more could you want?"

Since the '09 is a DSG and probably one of the main ones being complained about, walk a mile in my moccasins, is all I will say.

The DSG on my '09 (not '10) is herky, jerky, hesitating, sluggish, surgish. Whether its sensors, programming, DSG or some combination of all the above, I can't say.

It reminds me of some of the old beaters circa '40', 50's and 60's I learned to drive on the farm growing up. Worn out carbs, (often FEELS like its flooding down and hesitating because its chugging through too much fuel) slipping clutches (hit acceleration and get nothing for a spell) and/or speed shifting without using the clutch (grabbing and jerking).

If VW has fixed everything up "great" on the 2010 DSG (don't know, haven't driven one), then all I can say is why has two factory programs on mine not got it any where close to right?

Anyone wants to DRIVE mine and then tell me they don't know what I'm complaining about is welcome to drop by.
Click to expand...
Ditto here. I'm waiting for the letter from VW that's suppose to come out this fall about installing upgraded MU's in the early 2009 Jettas. Mine falls in the serial number list. We'll see if they finally have the problem fixed.
 
fgbrault

fgbrault

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2009
Location
Connecticut
TDI
2009 Jetta Sedan
I have a 2009 with DSG and love it. The DSG option was one reason why I purchased the Jetta. In automatic mode it is the most intuitive transmission I have ever had. It picks the right gear, even to downshifting when necessary on hills.
In manual (Tiptronic) mode, with the exception of shifts from 1st to 2nd when accelerating briskly where the shift is slow (I think to smooth it out), shifts are very fast. The only issue I have had is the occasional 'unrequested' downshift from 2nd to 1st when I slow down, coast and then accelerate. I think it does this as the rpms have dropped too low in 2nd for the amount of acceleration applied. If you then immediately upshift to 2nd you can get a harsh shift. I have learned to deal with this by carefully accelerating in that situation and if it does shift down (less often than before) leaving it in 1st for a bit of time before upshifting. Overall, though I am very pleased with manual mode and I am currently using it.
 
T

tbl01

Active member
Joined
May 22, 2009
Location
NY
TDI
2010 DSG JSW Salsa Red
I have to say by far one of the best transmissions I have ever owned. Mine is a 2010 JSW(late 3/10 build). Im not sure If I just got lucky, but the tranny has learned my driving modes, and I couldnt manually shift any better. I typically brake a little later in the game, and it has picked up on this downshifting later as I break.

I have no hestation at start off and if I am stopped on level ground an remove my foot from the brake, after about 1 second or less it engages into first and starts to move out. Not sure if this is normal or maybe why I don't have a hestation from a standstill.

Sport mode is fantastic, really does a nice job on hilly terrrain.

No complaints here I say go for the DSG.
 
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