Driving DSG

[stealthwolf]

My car's gone in for it's fourth year service. Got given a courtesy car...






a MK6 Golf Estate Sportline 2.0 TDI   






It's frikkin' huge! Big enough to be a hearse! Anyways, it's DSG. So far, I've managed to drive it from the dealer to work without issue. I've been fiddling about with the DSG but not sure what I should be doing.

If I was keeping the car, or had bought a DSG, I'd read the manual. But I'm going to drive it home tonight, try and park it up and then drive in to work tomorrow and then back to the dealership, so not much time with it.

At the mo, coming up to say lights, or a junction, I'll slow the car to a stop, put it into neutral and then get the handbrake on before releasing the footbrake. Yay or nay?

For setting off, I put my foot on the footbrake, handbrake off and into Drive, then come off the footbrake and hit the gas. Yay or nay?

I tried the Sport mode, but there was a huge amount of lag after kickdown before it'd rev up, so I've just left it in D-mode and avoided paddles.

Would be grateful for any advice. This may be the only time I get to drive a car with DSG and if the next Golf (or replacement) arrives, whether it has DSG/manual will be decided on this car.

[Hedge]

Just keep your clog on the footbrake and put it into neutral if you're stopped for a reasonable amount of time. I don't bother with the handbrake. 

Does launch control work? 

[RENNTAG]

If i just rest my foot on the brake thats enough to keep it stopped. dont bother with handbrake.

[stealthwolf]

Not tried!  

The car itself is huge but feels like it's on jelly! No real feedback of the wheel. Its tracking is all over the place, and something I'll mention to the dealers when I hand it back.

If the GTI was an F16 or Eurofighter, this car feels like an E3 or something.

[sub39h]

as per Hedge, i don't bother with the handbrake

i only use D and manual. no point in S. if i'm dawdling D is fine, if i'm pressing on i want manual

[stealthwolf]

Just keep your clog on the footbrake and put it into neutral if you're stopped for a reasonable amount of time. I don't bother with the handbrake.  

What happens if you take your foot off the brake and it's in neutral? Does it roll or does it have hill-hold?

[stealthwolf]

i only use D and manual. no point in S. if i'm dawdling D is fine, if i'm pressing on i want manual

I'm sure it didn't have an M-mode.

Also, the D-mode has + and - on the gearlever surround. Presumably, gear shift up/down? How do you use it?

[RENNTAG]

the + and - is the M mode. you have to nock the leaver to the left when in D and either use it like a tiptronic or use the padels 

[stealthwolf]

Oh excellent!

D-mode from dealer to work.
S-mode from work to home.
D-mode from home to work (commute - morning traffic).
M-mode from work to dealer tomorrow.

[man_utd_99]

thats the manual bit he's talking about. my dads got a passat 170 dsg and its wonderful to drive. you just push the dsg stick to the left towards the + and - and change up and down accordingly by pushing up or down (towards + or -) if in manual it holds the gear for you to change up but automatically changes down when pressing the brake to prevent stalling etc  

[sub39h]

thats the manual bit he's talking about. my dads got a passat 170 dsg and its wonderful to drive. you just push the dsg stick to the left towards the + and - and change up and down accordingly by pushing up or down (towards + or -) if in manual it holds the gear for you to change up but automatically changes down when pressing the brake to prevent stalling etc  

it doesn't quite hold gear. if you redline it it changes up for you. Revo DSG map will soon fix that tho 

[man_utd_99]

oh wow, well ive obviously not pushed the car enough then!

[Hedge]

Just keep your clog on the footbrake and put it into neutral if you're stopped for a reasonable amount of time. I don't bother with the handbrake. 

What happens if you take your foot off the brake and it's in neutral? Does it roll or does it have hill-hold?

It will roll.

[Weston]

Just keep your clog on the footbrake and put it into neutral if you're stopped for a reasonable amount of time. I don't bother with the handbrake. 

What happens if you take your foot off the brake and it's in neutral? Does it roll or does it have hill-hold?

It will roll.

Not if there's no slope 

[stealthwolf]

Just had a drive home. Tried all three. When in D-mode and I'm easy on the gas, it changes gears around the same speeds that I do. Nice'n'comfy.

M-mode - I seem to be able to access this either via the gear level or if I touch a lever whilst in D-mode. Is this correct? Didn't seem to be much point since it'd change up automatically. Was useful on approach to a slip road where I knew I'd need to build speed and so could drop some cogs.

S-mode  - does what it says. Holds the gears for longer and more aggressive. Bit of a lag when you kickdown.

The car itself is a mixed bag. Veers all over the place, jelly-like steering, rolls like nobody's business and can't handle corners. Was very gentle with the car too! Good points were comfort, road quietness, features. Loved the highline and mfsw - look better than the red dot dis. Had oil temp display, and showed your current speed as well as what the cruise control is set at.

I now have DSG envy!