Manual or Automatic

Try both version and buy the one you prefer. I'm on my fourth A3 with an s-tronic/DSG and would never want another manual. I always drive it as I would a manual, changing gear using the stick and paddles but without having to keep playing with an old fashioned clutch pedal.

It really is Marmite thing...Deffo try them both, If you plan to mod, the S-tronic goes to Stage 2+ without causing problems.

Manual, you'll be on borrowed time from stage 1.

Having had manual A3, Octavia, A6 I now have an A3 STronic (DSG) and would never go back. I leave the box to it unless I am overtaking when I go for the paddles otherwise it drops too many gears and instantly red-lines (not a fault apparently?!?).

The DSG's have improved markedly over the years, and provide faultless launches time and time again.

The S3 clutches can be problematic in the manuals (I'm sure it's shared with a VW Touran!), but I'm one of the old skoolers who feels the love for stirring cogs. I do like the DSG'S a lot more than I used to, but today I'd take a manual with a Sachs Loba clutch /SMF combo and live with the slightly slower changes. I've never been able to get away from the fact DSG'S feel a bit games console, whereas stirring cogs feels a more visceral 'driving' experience (awaits raft of abuse and scorn from DSG'ers).

warren_S3 said:

The DSG's have improved markedly over the years, and provide faultless launches time and time again.

The S3 clutches can be problematic in the manuals (I'm sure it's shared with a VW Touran!), but I'm one of the old skoolers who feels the love for stirring cogs. I do like the DSG'S a lot more than I used to, but today I'd take a manual with a Sachs Loba clutch /SMF combo and live with the slightly slower changes. I've never been able to get away from the fact DSG'S feel a bit games console, whereas stirring cogs feels a more visceral 'driving' experience (awaits raft of abuse and scorn from DSG'ers).

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To be fair Warren, I've got to agree with the games console feel about it. However it does work well in manual paddle mode but the other options "D" and "S" are frankly irritating.

"D" mode... you want a little more gas to go up this slow incline, so little more on the pedal, then boom your off, when there was absolutely no need to change gear and just makes normal driving very STOP and GO!

I think this would be sorted with the DSG remap, however...I'm yet to blow more cash on this thing.

"S" mode.... I suppose it does the main job of revving to the redline, but the down shifts are horrific.

I do love DSG, but only in manual mode at the moment, and I would go back to manual i think,...there is good in both worlds.

So overall, if you want to drive flappy paddle 95% of the time, then great, DSG is for you. The other 5% would be sat in "D" mode in traffic (the only bonus of "D" mode).

Other than that, go manual, but rip the standard clutch off and put a SACHS or the like on there.

Then get modding.

Having had both, my preference is DSG at the minute, based on its ease of use as a daily. (I do mostly town miles btw)

If it was an occasional `hoon` car however, then it would be a manual as IMO the manual lends itself better to being grabbed by the scruff and driven hard.

In fact I took a MAZDA 3 MPS for a blast the other week and had forgot how much fun it was to do in a manual.
I found I could make swifter progress due to greater feeling of control and confidence with the engine breaking effect of downchanges.
I never quite feel that with DSG but as I do that typoe of driving 5% of the time I focus on the other 9% of waftage.

Maybe I need more DSG hooning practice??

The manual DMFs/clutches really are crap in my experience. Thats what swung me to try DSG this time around.

Paul