Manual or DSG?

[Lee170]

Looking to buy my first Rocco in the coming days, I've seen a red 09 plate 2.0tsi manual for £7900 with 61k, cloth interior, whilst checking yesterday I found a grey 60 plate 2.0tsi DSG with 2 tone leather and also 61k, also has black wheels which look damn cool to. Never really had a automatic car before, I've heard some good things about the DSG box,
So is it that good?
Any known common issues with them
Should I be buying a DSG or stick with manual?

[Roy_01]

It's personal if you want to race on track or things like that you should go for manual.
Or skipping gears is also not possible with dsg.
I drive a lot of mileage and love the dsg. Its shifting very fast and smooth. Driving in traffic jams is also more comfortable without a clutch ledal.
Now already with 220k km on it with no problems (dsg6). Dsg oil change every 60km.
Dsg 7 has more problems with clutch plates passing out.

[Lee170]

Just intend to use the car for commuting etc. Def no track or racing.
So a 60 plate car will have the DSG 6 or 7?

[Roy_01]

Both are possible i think.

[chelspeed]

7 speed dry clutch on the 1400 engines, 6 speed wet clutch on the rest I believe.

I had a DSG car for 2 years. Replaced it with another this year and went for another DSG so I don't need to tell you what I think.

[Paddy_R]

My Scirocco is my first automatic car, it most certainly won't be my last. In fact I doubt I'll ever buy another manual.

[Lee170]

Ok so the DSG box is damn good then,
I need to put a deposit down on one car so it can be brought to my local dealer,
Can't bring both down unfortunately so it's decision time.
Seems to be the 60 plate 2.0tsi DSG 210bhp car then. Has the benefit of the new steering wheel and heater set up.
Where the red 09 manual is the old set up.
Thanks for all the help, very much appreciated.

Just one last question, is the DSG box smooth like the auto Mercedes or do you feel the change?

[OryxSciroccoR]

Just one last question, is the DSG box smooth like the auto Mercedes or do you feel the change?

Changes on the DSG are seamless and smooth.

[Cuprabob]

Just be aware that the 6sp DSG fitted to 2.0 has 40K service intervals for an oil and filter change. Cost is around £180 from a VW dealer. If the car has done more than 40K miles confirm it has been done. If it's done less than 40K miles be aware of the future expense.

[SPEEDDRV]

Just one last question, is the DSG box smooth like the auto Mercedes or do you feel the change?

Changes on the DSG are seamless and smooth.

False! Definitely not true. My Rocco is a 2.0 TDI and I can feel them all the time, specially on cold. Not smooth as Mercedes 2012 6 speed auto because DSG doesn't have torque converter. DSG is faster and because of that is rougher. New E Class 194hp 2.0 CDI auto is very rough because it's even faster than my DSG. It gives a lot of kicks switching gears if you flat out.
On my Rocco I don't feel the gears changing if I put pedal to metal. But if it's a cold start and accelerating very slowly and continuous, I feel the 1st to 2nd very roughly. Even when it changes from 1st to 2nd gear the car goes forward a lot more, when same throttle applied of course. It's weird. Overall, for me DSG is a great gearbox, one of the best. Btw, my Rocco has only 31k km and it's been always like this from start, so it's normal.

[OryxSciroccoR]

Just one last question, is the DSG box smooth like the auto Mercedes or do you feel the change?

Changes on the DSG are seamless and smooth.

False! Definitely not true. My Rocco is a 2.0 TDI and I can feel them all the time, specially on cold. Not smooth as Mercedes 2012 6 speed auto because DSG doesn't have torque converter. DSG is faster and because of that is rougher. New E Class 194hp 2.0 CDI auto is very rough because it's even faster than my DSG. It gives a lot of kicks switching gears if you flat out.
On my Rocco I don't feel the gears changing if I put pedal to metal. But if it's a cold start and accelerating very slowly and continuous, I feel the 1st to 2nd very roughly. Even when it changes from 1st to 2nd gear the car goes forward a lot more, when same throttle applied of course. It's weird. Overall, for me DSG is a great gearbox, one of the best. Btw, my Rocco has only 31k km and it's been always like this from start, so it's normal.

False! My experience of the DSG is that it is smooth but wasn't comparing it to the Mercedes auto. If you are getting rough changes then maybe worth getting it looked at as mine has never given anything like the problems you have mentioned?

So is the Mercedes Auto gearbox smooth or rough as above you claim it's both?

[Phil]

Have to agree I find the dsg smooth, except maybe first thing on a winters morning. If your having problems, may be worth getting it looked at

[Roy_01]

Driving slowly in traffic and backshifting to 2nd or fitst gear gives a little judder sometimes but i can live with it also.

[Mr OCD]

Looking to buy my first Rocco in the coming days, I've seen a red 09 plate 2.0tsi manual for £7900 with 61k, cloth interior, whilst checking yesterday I found a grey 60 plate 2.0tsi DSG with 2 tone leather and also 61k, also has black wheels which look damn cool to. Never really had a automatic car before, I've heard some good things about the DSG box,
So is it that good?
Any known common issues with them
Should I be buying a DSG or stick with manual?

Drive both and make your own decision.

I've driven both... the manual was best for me. I own an another DSG equipped car (7sp) (it's the Wife's) and I prefer my manual without a doubt. Too many compromises with the DSG for me.

[Maplesyrup]

DSG for me! I don't think I'd buy a manual car again, with the exception of a classic, but i would also not buy a traditional torque converter auto.... which pretty much ties me in to owning cars with dual clutch gearboxes.

[SPEEDDRV]

False! My experience of the DSG is that it is smooth but wasn't comparing it to the Mercedes auto. If you are getting rough changes then maybe worth getting it looked at as mine has never given anything like the problems you have mentioned?

So is the Mercedes Auto gearbox smooth or rough as above you claim it's both?

There is a big big big difference between 2012 E Class and 2016 E Class. The first one has the old gearbox with torque converter and it's always very smooth and slow because of it. The 2016 E Class uses DCT and it's lighting fast and very rough if you put pedal to metal.
My Scirocco is absolutely fine. I have driven other VW with DSG and they are exactly like mine. Maybe you just didn't pay attention mate Tomorrow, take it out for a drive and accelerate very slowly. Let the rpm build to 2000rpm. It will change gear and you will feel it changing. Driving normally from cold start is very hard to notice. Also, when cold, if you accelerate and when it is just about to change gear and then you accelerate a lot less, it will change gears very slow. It's all about programming. I felt mine to change a lot faster under heavy acceleration after a gearbox update at VW, when they did maintenance.

[OryxSciroccoR]

False! My experience of the DSG is that it is smooth but wasn't comparing it to the Mercedes auto. If you are getting rough changes then maybe worth getting it looked at as mine has never given anything like the problems you have mentioned?

So is the Mercedes Auto gearbox smooth or rough as above you claim it's both?

There is a big big big difference between 2012 E Class and 2016 E Class. The first one has the old gearbox with torque converter and it's always very smooth and slow because of it. The 2016 E Class uses DCT and it's lighting fast and very rough if you put pedal to metal.
My Scirocco is absolutely fine. I have driven other VW with DSG and they are exactly like mine. Maybe you just didn't pay attention mate Tomorrow, take it out for a drive and accelerate very slowly. Let the rpm build to 2000rpm. It will change gear and you will feel it changing. Driving normally from cold start is very hard to notice. Also, when cold, if you accelerate and when it is just about to change gear and then you accelerate a lot less, it will change gears very slow. It's all about programming. I felt mine to change a lot faster under heavy acceleration after a gearbox update at VW, when they did maintenance.

If I am driving slowly it makes absolutely no difference to the feel of the changes one bit. Except for the obvious first couple of 1st to 2nd changes in very low temperatures I feel nothing significant during a gear change if I have foot to the floor or whether I am barely accelerating.

By driving slowly and letting the RPM build to 2000RPM I take it you're suggesting driving with the DSG in manual as mine will likely change up a gear very smoothly long before 2000RPM.

Can't say I would describe any change the DSG makes as 'very slow'. By coming off the accelerator just before it goes to change gear doesn't slow down the physical time it takes to change a gear it's just the DSG holding on to the current gear longer as you would expect through common sense.

[rpsmith79]

At the end of the day, it's all personal preference, personally i wouldn't touch an automatic with a barge pole, i just love the feel and control of a proper manual gearbox, and as far as manual gearboxes go, the Rocco has a very sweet gear change, probably the nicest of any car i've owned/driven

[Sam63]

Well I have had my DSG Roc since April 09, love it seemless, very quick and smooth, only odd quirk is on motorway driving the box sits in 5th gear not top gear lol. Even if you use the paddles and blip it into 6th it jumps back to 5th very quickly if no change in speed (sitting at 80) only good bit of this is the non res BCS exhaust growls at bit more in 5th

Recently had a 3 day test drive of a manual Golf GTD, was looking at the car perk company car scheme through the work, capped at 120 CO2 hence no DSG GTD option unfortunately.
Nice car although rather slow compared to mine, out on the open road it was nice to drive and effortless also good MPG compared to mine but in and around town what a fecking nightmare, hated it and it confirmed my gut feeling that never going back to a manual again.
5.0 Ford Mustang would be the manual exception of course, but only once I have bought my petrol station first !

[charliegilmanuk]

Well I have had my DSG Roc since April 09, love it seemless, very quick and smooth, only odd quirk is on motorway driving the box sits in 5th gear not top gear lol. Even if you use the paddles and blip it into 6th it jumps back to 5th very quickly if no change in speed (sitting at 80) only good bit of this is the non res BCS exhaust growls at bit more in 5th

Have you got it in sport (S) mode? Certainly shouldn't do that in "D".

Another DSG man here, first automatic car and definitely not my last, makes all manual cars feel dated in comparison. If I want full manual then there's the option there, either with the paddles or the up/down shifter when the stick is slipped to the left.