Why you should buy a Diesel with a DSG transmission

ZippyNH

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Apr 22, 2015
Location
Southern NH
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2015 JETTA TDI SE
So, what does an extremely inaccurate MFD really tell you? If you believe that number, you need to share what you are smoking. Do some paper and pencil calculations and report back.

Moot point, really. I'm pretty sure the MPG between a DSG and a manual are pretty close to the same.
Why is it you are the only non DSG owner that posts a response to every DSG PRO post? Are you scared of dsg's? Nothing wrong with saying it is great technology , and it works for some, not just you, and moving on....
Ypu claim no actual numbers, and we post actual numbers from vendors blowing every number you say out of the water.....like your $5000 extra cost, mpg loss, shorter life, flywheel life...etc...
Can't you just say "the DSG is not for me" and move on? I mean, the only one looking bad here IMO is you with so many negative posts. Personally, I got a DSG, and I like it, but the stick would have been nice...but a DSG is what I own, and I like it...no reason to fear it. Just like all technology, there are some late and non-adoptors, but no reason to be come off as a mean crotchy old man over a choice of transmissions....
I like your posts and inputs, honestly, but your posts are getting old IMO.
We know a person convinced against their own will is still of the same opinion...and we are not trying to change YOUR MIND, but you ARE trying to change OURS...
Something to think about.
 

croppz

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Location
Mooresville, North Carolina
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2013 DSG Jetta TDI
So, what does an extremely inaccurate MFD really tell you? If you believe that number, you need to share what you are smoking. Do some paper and pencil calculations and report back.

Moot point, really. I'm pretty sure the MPG between a DSG and a manual are pretty close to the same.
Extremely inaccurate? Most people who have calculated by hand vs the MFD have found it's usually a 1 mpg or less difference.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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2-4 is more like it. Mine always about about 2 MPG optimistic. Besides, 52 MPG at 57 MPH isn't any great feat. My B4 gets 64 MPG at that speed. Hand calculated.
 

dwfdiesel

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Muskoka Ontario Summer Lecanto FL winter
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2006 Golf & 2012 Golf wagon, 1998 GMC 6.5 with 310,000km
I want a dsg because it's cheaper.

It reminds me of the road ranger transmission in the dump truck never use the clutch much just poke it in gear smooth.

Sure drove lots of standards never put in a clutch in the car/truck I drove.

I'm sure tho if the other driver at home got into it I would need a clutch on a regular basis so It's cheaper lol

Also less painful as I would have to listen to the complaints about the clutch and why we decided to buy that old thing lol

So 2 good reasons to buy a DSG
1. happy wife happy life
2. It's cheaper (no clutch repairs) (no divorce).

Cheers
 

redbarron55

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Location
Navarre, FL.
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2012 Touareg TDI Executive
I want a dsg because it's cheaper.

It reminds me of the road ranger transmission in the dump truck never use the clutch much just poke it in gear smooth.

Sure drove lots of standards never put in a clutch in the car/truck I drove.

I'm sure tho if the other driver at home got into it I would need a clutch on a regular basis so It's cheaper lol

Also less painful as I would have to listen to the complaints about the clutch and why we decided to buy that old thing lol

So 2 good reasons to buy a DSG
1. happy wife happy life
2. It's cheaper (no clutch repairs) (no divorce).

Cheers
Ditto!

The flywheel will eventually need replacement for either DSG or manual too.
Even Steven.
 

tikal

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Location
Southeast Texas
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2004 Passat Wagon (chainless + 5 MT + GDE tune)
In general good pros/cons in this thread. If I might bring one more:

Trade convenience vs. safety. I say this because to me driving a manual makes you more engaged with the driving environment. You have to pay more attention and less likelihood of multitasking. It is my opinion of course but I believe it makes sense and there are studies out there to support this.
 

South Coast Guy

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Location
Mattapoisett, MA
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2009 Jetta TDI wagon
In general good pros/cons in this thread. If I might bring one more:

Trade convenience vs. safety. I say this because to me driving a manual makes you more engaged with the driving environment. You have to pay more attention and less likelihood of multitasking. It is my opinion of course but I believe it makes sense and there are studies out there to support this.
Isn;t it just the opposite? Having to shift the transmission takes your attention away from your environment?
 

tikal

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Location
Southeast Texas
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2004 Passat Wagon (chainless + 5 MT + GDE tune)
Isn;t it just the opposite? Having to shift the transmission takes your attention away from your environment?
Here are some points of view:


http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/01/07/manual-or-automatic-which-makes-for-safer-driving/


http://archive.news10.net/greathangup/article/173814/356/Great-Hang-Up--Stick-shift-cars-for-teens


To me intuitively makes sense that manual shifting forces you to pay more attention to your driving. Also if you leave it on D it might hit the front car if you get distracted at a traffic light. I am talking probabilities here not for sure.
 

mech644

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Feb 7, 2007
Location
Blue Hill, Maine
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'00 Golf, '16 Touareg
Why choose a DSG? Because in many cases there is no other choice.
We have an '06 DSG Jetta, I don't mind it terribly, probably one of the best auto shifting boxes I've ever driven. I do prefer a standard trans however.
Looking at a new car lately but may end up with a DSG regardless of my personal preference. The new Golf wagon can only be had with a standard in the base model. I want the extra stuff in more expensive trim levels, but VW has decided DSG only at that level.
The DSG is a great transmission, but I feel very strongly that it should not be the ONLY transmission.
 

Drnknmnky13

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Joined
Feb 13, 2010
Location
D.C.
TDI
2002 Golf 5spd, 2014 Passat DSG
I really disliked mine . .there's no "coast" in a DSG. And sometimes the downshifts (when slowing down) are rather abrupt.

I went to the dealer a bit on impulse and they had no sticks. So I went with the DSG. It goes a great job under acceleration. Shifts quickly and smoothly. And I got pretty good mileage out of mine (probably averaged 45mpg) but I know I'd have done better with the stick.
I shift into neutral all the time to "coast" when engine braking would slow me down too much. Is moving the lever really that hard? At speed you don't even have to hit the brake to shift back into D.

I recently learned from this site that you can tap the gas to keep it from downshifting. Although I haven't really tried it yet.
 

Drnknmnky13

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Location
D.C.
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2002 Golf 5spd, 2014 Passat DSG
Unless they make the DSG mandatory... I don't see what the problem is. You want it... you buy it. You only drive a manual? Great, you can get that to

Complaining about the DSG when you have another option is silly.

Now if you want to complain that you can't get a Sunroof (or some other option they only sell with it) without a DSG. THAT's a legitimate complaint. In the USA at least.

Buy which one YOU like. Don't worry about what the other person bought.
 

atoughram

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Location
Puyallup Washington
TDI
2013 Passat SEL
I am looking at trading my manual TDI in for a DSG, because: I am having knee issues and am having a harder time working the clutch. But I love the TDI and it would be very hard to go back to gas, even as a hybrid.
I was reminded the other day why I bought a DSG. I drove my truck.. It has a 13.25" Feramic South Bend... My left knee was aching.
 

minilooker

Active member
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May 4, 2015
Location
USA
TDI
hilux
Here are some points of view:


http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/01/07/manual-or-automatic-which-makes-for-safer-driving/


http://archive.news10.net/greathangup/article/173814/356/Great-Hang-Up--Stick-shift-cars-for-teens


To me intuitively makes sense that manual shifting forces you to pay more attention to your driving. Also if you leave it on D it might hit the front car if you get distracted at a traffic light. I am talking probabilities here not for sure.
Great links it really enlighten up the topic and magnified the pros and cons of it.
 

dropnosky

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Feb 16, 2007
Location
RI
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2000 Jetta 6 speed, 2012 Passat DSG
Unless they make the DSG mandatory... I don't see what the problem is. You want it... you buy it. You only drive a manual? Great, you can get that to

Complaining about the DSG when you have another option is silly.

Now if you want to complain that you can't get a Sunroof (or some other option they only sell with it) without a DSG. THAT's a legitimate complaint. In the USA at least.

Buy which one YOU like. Don't worry about what the other person bought.
X2 no kidding. I never understand these people who take offense at option decisions. Theres an amazing amount of emotion people tie to their transmission option.

Personally we have 3 cars. I prefer manual diesel, so i have a 6 speed older TDI. The mrs hates manual and needs economy for her commute, so she drives a DSG diesel with manual performance. I dislike the predictive downshift of the DSG but i love the concept and design. She drives her car and i drive mine depending on what we take. They get almost exactly the same fuel economy.

3rd spare car is an automatic old style slushbox gas 4x4 we can both drive and that has added winter capability if needed. If i lived alone it would be manual, but i dont, so it isnt, and im fine with that sinces its not just me who drives it. Since it has to be automatic, i prefer this less efficient automatic over the DSG, yet the DSG is a better transmission. This is also the car i let other people like the mother in law borrow when she visits since hell no will i allow her to toast a clutch.

This way we have a range of capabilites, performance, and options to tailor to whatever outing is happening and driver preference.
 

dropnosky

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Feb 16, 2007
Location
RI
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2000 Jetta 6 speed, 2012 Passat DSG
What does this mean?
The DSG is a hell of a lot Less likely to break than a ford 5R55W, which is in our spare 4x4. I like the way the 5R55W coasts, probably right up until it fails.
 
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Quick7

Member
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Sep 5, 2007
Location
Toronto
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS, 2011 Golf Wagon Highline
I love driving my Diesels, I'm sure the DSG is great, but I'm one of those crazy young guys who would not trade a manual for any kind of automatic. Having commuted in bumper to bumper traffic for a few years in Toronto, I even preferred having the third peddle while in stop and go traffic. I would just let off the clutch and creep forward, much like a tractor.
I have nothing against DSGs...I just want enough folks to buy manuals so VW keeps offering them as an option. :)
 
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AusTexRocker

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Jan 8, 2010
Location
Austin, TX
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2010 Golf 4 Dr-DSG-United Grey Metalic
This isn't a question on which is better/preferable, but I did not find a better place to ask. 95% of my driving in in Austin traffic crawling along at 10 - 30 MPH so I stay in normal drive mode. Do any of you stay mostly in sport mode and what kind of MPG difference are you seeing?
 

Jester

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Jun 8, 2007
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
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2015
I have an 06 Jetta I bought new. Has 182k miles now and I love the DSG. I think it is an ideal balance between fully auto and my own preferences for manual shifting. I will probably change flywheel at 200k, just to be safe, but I have had zero problems and love driving the car in traffic and on the open road.
 

bizzle

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2013
Location
Southern California
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2015 GSW SEL (totaled), 2013 Touareg Executive
So, what does an extremely inaccurate MFD really tell you? If you believe that number, you need to share what you are smoking. Do some paper and pencil calculations and report back.

Moot point, really. I'm pretty sure the MPG between a DSG and a manual are pretty close to the same.
One interesting point is that regardless of the MFD numbers, his dash is showing less than a quarter tank consumption with 140 miles traveled.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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Neither are accurate. Fuel gauges are approximate. My ALH Manual will show 3/4 tank after driving 375 miles or more.
 

Chyeezy

Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2015
Location
Waukesha WI.
TDI
2010 Jetta
Only time a fuel gauge has to be correct is empty-

Sport more holds the gear longer then I would like- takes it to 4k rpm and slightly over, I prefer the titonic mod when I want to accelerate quickly.

The best thing I love the DSG for is the 3>2nd and 2nd>1st down shifting, also i can slap it back into auto and let the car figure it out. the DSG is nice convenience which I am willing to pay for in the long run... but assuming one would replace a clutch ever 55k-80k(estimates I know you can get more) the DSG fairs quiet well imo.

Sometimes I miss my old 6spd but for days like today, im tired and going to drive 70 miles home its nice to know I wont have to row my way there.

-Chyeezy
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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If you're wearing a clutch out in 80K you're doing something wrong. My son has an '02 Golf with 289K on it, original clutch. My other son's A3 Jetta needed a clutch at 225K. He delivered pizza with it for 5 years. The clutch in my B4 went 250K with its original owner. It still had life in the disk, but the throwout bearing was getting noisy.

You're going to have to put a DMF in the DSG at 200K or so. That's the typical life of a manual transmission DMF, too. You can replace the manual DMF with a single mass clutch and flywheel kit for similar money as the DMF for the DSG. It's a wash, if you take out the fluid changes and FE losses.
 

SoTxBill

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its not the base, its the additives!!
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EPA ratings do not predict FE in use. DSG MKVI Jetta/Golf drivers take about a 5 MPG hit compared to manuals. The difference is greatest in city driving. I think Fuelly supports this, assuming you can correctly sort manuals and DSGs.

If you search around here you'll find that threads where the OP is unhappy with is new TDI's fuel economy are almost universally DSG owners. Perhaps that's because there's more of them, but I rarely hear a MT TDI owner complain that he or she isn't getting the expected FE.
Because manual drivers dont care about fe and dont tell the truth if your asking me. Just saying. hyper milers do good in both. I have done good in both.. I find the complainers are mostly the ones who start the car remotely, let it warm up for 20 minutes and then complain the mpg sucks... Or sit there with the engine running for 15 minutes while talking to someone they are dropping off. Your experience may vary. As to shifting, I find for high mpg the normal mode is very very good. For tracking it sucks but I did NOT pick a vw for tracking. Not sure why anyone would.
 

Ol'Rattler

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PNA
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2006 BRM Jetta
Because most manual drivers dont care about fe and dont tell the truth if your asking me.
Were did that come from? Please explain these non truths (lies) you speak of.

Yes some of us do care about FE. We just are not OCD about it like "Hyper-Milers" are. Let's see, over inflating tires, coasting in neutral with the engine off, driving under the speed limit, drafting trucks etc, are all signs of OCD behavior that puts FE over safe driving practices.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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I think there are people who do and don't care about FE in both camps. And some of us are in the middle. I care about FE, but I won't hypermile or spend more time on the road (read: drive slowly) to get better mileage. If you drive in what FE fanatics would call a spirited fashion (normal for most), the FE difference between DSG and manuals is pretty dramatic.
 

ffcol

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co
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2012 passsat
I care about my mpgs but drive like I don't. I still get great mpgs which is why I have a tdi.
 

Diesl

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'78 Golf Diesel (long gone); 2012 Jetta Sportwagen TDI w/ DSG
If you drive in what FE fanatics would call a spirited fashion (normal for most), the FE difference between DSG and manuals is pretty dramatic.
Did you really mean that, dramatic? I doubt there is much difference at all for the same driving distance and average speed.
 

Ol'Rattler

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I really think that that the question of DSG VS manual is just a matter of personal preference. The preference of preferring a DSG is just personal retardation.
 
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