Manual Mode DSG

[rollon]

Has anyone had any luck making manual mode DSG letting you have 100% control?

At the moment in manual mode it changes up itself as soon as it gets near the red line, I want to have full control.

 

[Matt]

Dont think so. I found this when I had a test drive of one aswell. Bit annoying sometimes.

 

[Amchlolor]

There is no way of over-riding this.
Was my biggest bugbear about DSG, amongst other things.

 

[h5djr]

Has anyone had any luck making manual mode DSG letting you have 100% control?

At the moment in manual mode it changes up itself as soon as it gets near the red line, I want to have full control.

That is not possible with the S-tronic (DSG) gearbox. It's a 'tiptronic' mode as first described by Porsche rather than a true manual mode. It will always change up at the red-line and down if you are in too higher gear for the speed you are doing and always change into first gear when you stop. But it's does allow you to decide all other gear changes. S-mode will change up at the red-line as well whereas D-mode will always change up much earlier.

If you want a true manual mode then you need an old-fashioned manual gearbox and one of the things called a clutch pedal.

 

[Amchlolor]

I warn you, rollon.
You're obviously a DSG newbie.
If you find this annoying now, it will bug you even more as time goes on.
You may start finding out about DSG's other 'foibles' in time too.
I'd suggest you get rid now, before it sucks the driving joy out of you.

I'm only half-jesting.

 

[h5djr]

Porsche have recently announced a version of the 911 called the PDK which has a version of the VW/Audi DSG gearbox. Don't know if they have changed the software in any way. One difference that I did notice is that the steering wheel paddles work in a different way. Push either paddle one way to change down and the other way to change up.

 

[Amchlolor]

Don't know if they have changed the software in any way.

I'd be amazed if they kept the auto-change-up at high revs.
I seriously cannot see a 911 driver accepting that.
Aston Martin, Ferrari and Lamborghini (owned by Audi) let their 'flappy paddle' drivers bounce the car off the limiter, if they want.
I know they're all light years away from a diesel A3, but I don't see why the principal shouldn't apply to any car.

 

[h5djr]

I warn you, rollon.
You're obviously a DSG newbie.
If you find this annoying now, it will bug you even more as time goes on.
You may start finding out about DSG's other 'foibles' in time too.
I'd suggest you get rid now, before it sucks the driving joy out of you.

I'm only half-jesting.

That does depend on you. If you can adapt from you existing way of driving to the way of best using the DSG then you will enjoy the experience. If you cannot the you have a problem.

I purchased my first A3 with a DSG in July 2004 and am now on my second one. Personally I find it great and to me it makes my driving experince much more enjoyable. No more clutch pedal and gear level, just a quick click of the steering wheel paddles. I tend to drive in tiptonic all time, except in a traffic jam when I use D-mode.

 

[RacingTeatray]

It must be a personal thing but I had my first experience of DSG in a Scirocco the other day and thought it was absolutely dreadful. It never changed gears when I wanted to, even in so-called manual mode. Plus it gives weird catapulting acceleration that feels like you've been fired from a rubber band.

 

[h5djr]

I'd be amazed if they kept the auto-change-up at high revs.
I seriously cannot see a 911 driver accepting that.
Aston Martin, Ferrari and Lamborghini (owned by Audi) let their 'flappy paddle' drivers bounce the car off the limiter, if they want.
I know they're all light years away from a diesel A3, but I don't see why the principal shouldn't apply to any car.

Perhaps the new 911 PDK is aimed at a different driver. No everyone is a speed and revs merchant. Some people buy a 911 as a status symbol. It will be interesting to see what Audi do if they ever fit a DSG type gearbox into the R8 or the Diesel R10 or even the new mid-engined R4 which will share a platform with the next Porsche Boxster.

Some markets, and in particular the USA, drivers will not accept what they regard as the old fashioned manual gearbox and clutch set-up.

 

[h5djr]

It must be a personal thing but I had my first experience of DSG in a Scirocco the other day and thought it was absolutely dreadful. It never changed gears when I wanted to, even in so-called manual mode. Plus it gives weird catapulting acceleration that feels like you've been fired from a rubber band.

In manual mode it should change up gear the split second you click the paddle. Mine does. When changing down, it may be a fraction slower as it revs the engine before the down change.

 

[Amchlolor]

Some markets, and in particular the USA, drivers will not accept what they regard as the old fashioned manual gearbox and clutch set-up.

True, but they probably won't be bothered about flappy paddle boxes either.
They like automatics, pure and simple.
Stick it in 'D' and leave one's hands for the bucket of coca-cola.
I'd lay a hefty wager American Audi drivers won't know or care that DSG has some manual modes.

PS, I think I know what the poster above means by "weird catapulting acceleration".
I think he means the 'DSG delay', where you press the throttle...........wait for it........THERE WE GOOOOO!

 

[rollon]

I warn you, rollon.
You're obviously a DSG newbie.
If you find this annoying now, it will bug you even more as time goes on.
You may start finding out about DSG's other 'foibles' in time too.
I'd suggest you get rid now, before it sucks the driving joy out of you.

I'm only half-jesting.

Had it 3 years, never really bothered me but since the remap I've been wanting a few mods. Today round a corner when it shifted up I got really miffed, so I won't bothere with mods until that DSG function can be overrided.

 

[SteveTDCi]

95% of the time its great only in the reamining 5% when you get chance to drive for fun does it annoy slightly. Saying that I've got a punto 1.2 hire car and i'm missing the auto already !

 

[edition]

Too be fair everyone gets the decision to buy either manual or DSG so why the moaning.......


I chose manual and 90% of the time it makes me happy, 10% of the time i can't be ***** with it.........

 

[h5djr]

True, but they probably won't be bothered about flappy paddle boxes either.
They like automatics, pure and simple.
Stick it in 'D' and leave one's hands for the bucket of coca-cola.
I'd lay a hefty wager American Audi drivers won't know or care that DSG has some manual modes.

But they may over time become more interested in the better fuel consumption of the DSG over that of a normal automatic. They are, by all accounts, even beginning to show an interest in Diesels!

 

[voorhees]

thought it was my hire car but am enlightened.....rev limiter sound tis good

 

[h5djr]

Too be fair everyone get the decision to buy either manual or DSG so why the moaning.......


I chose manual and 90% of the time it makes me happy, 10% of the time i can't be ***** with it.........

As I've said many times in the past, at least Audi give us the choice!!

I chose a DSG and 100% of the time I'm more than happy with it. I even looked at a BMW 1 Series the other day, but as soon as the salesman said it was only available with a 'normal' automatic and you only get the steering wheel paddles if you have the 123d version at several thousands more than an A3, I quickly lost interest.

 

[edition]

A quick dsg question while i'm at it.

Do you get like slush mode i.e revs not locked to.... (if that makes sence) with dsg...

 

[SteveTDCi]

not sure what you mean, but in auto mode it adapts to your driving style and will change at 1500 if need be, in sport mode it holds them to 3500rmp

 

[h5djr]

A quick dsg question while i'm at it.

Do you get like slush mode i.e revs not locked to.... (if that makes sence) with dsg...

If I understand what you mean correctly the answer is No.

With other Audis, such as the A4, A6 etc, still, at the moment, use the Multi-tronic gearbox where the revs and the speed of the car do not always seem to match. That does not happen with a DSG because the actual gearbox uses the same insides as a manual gearbox, it just uses two electronically operated clutches when it change gear. The multi-tronic gearbox uses metal bands running between cone shaped pulleys which gives constantly variable gear ratios. The tiptronic settings on the multi-tronic are just particular points in the range.

Audi have now developed of version of the DSG (or S-tronic in Audi speak) for use with it's other longitudinally mounted engines whereas the normal VW developed DSG can only be used on transverse engines.

 

[edition]

Didn't think that made too much sence!!! Too much Peroni.


In say a BMW auto when you drive arround slowly you don't have direct drive (torque convertor...).

 

[edition]

Thats what i meant Dave. Cheers for clearing that up

 

[SteveTDCi]

the multitronic is a CVT box and is belt driven it matches ratios to engine speed, a true slush box has a torque converter and is much smoother than the DSG. The dsg is more of a manual style box with clutches.

 

[mister.c.]

That does depend on you. If you can adapt from you existing way of driving to the way of best using the DSG then you will enjoy the experience. If you cannot the you have a problem.

Could you let me know who I can see to have this problem sorted out? There must be something wrong with me cos a two day test drive with DSG in the A3 pushed me firmly with Bowfer on this particular 'marmite' topic. Sucked a lot of driver fun out of it for me once the initial giggle of flappy paddles died after about 15 minutes.

I think even if I'd liked it, then £1400 would have tempted me to invest as I have done elsewhere with the Audi options. I can see however how it would become essential for those who get on with it.

 

[a3norwich]

If you want a true manual mode then you need an old-fashioned manual gearbox and one of the things called a clutch pedal.

Or a BMW SMG/DCT! The SMG II certainly didn't change up on the redline; you could hold on to a gear right to the rev limiter... I guess DCT would be the same.

 

[Amchlolor]

Today round a corner when it shifted up I got really miffed, so I won't bother with mods until that DSG function can be overrided.

Yes, any mods that make the car rev faster will just highlight the problem.
I never managed to find anyone able to switch it off.
I tried everyone from an ex-Audi mechanic with his own VAGCOM thing, to specialist ECU tuning companies.
No joy I'm afraid.
Good luck though.

 

[h5djr]

Or a BMW SMG/DCT! The SMG II certainly didn't change up on the redline; you could hold on to a gear right to the rev limiter... I guess DCT would be the same.

Yes but the BMW SMG II is not available on the 1-series which is the direct competitor to the A3. When I spoke to a BMW salesman the other day he said it was only available on the top end models like the M3 etc.

The 1-series is only available with a 'normal' automatic.

 

[h5djr]

Yes, any mods that make the car rev faster will just highlight the problem.
I never managed to find anyone able to switch it off.
I tried everyone from an ex-Audi mechanic with his own VAGCOM thing, to specialist ECU tuning companies.
No joy I'm afraid.
Good luck though.

I think I remember reading about one tuning company in the US that had managed to modify the software for a racing Golf GTI but they said it was far too involved to consider offering it commercially.

 

[RacingTeatray]

It just seemed jerky and hard to control, whether using the paddles or not. And it's not that I'm not used to autos - my 500E has a proper old-fashioned torque-converter box. I think my view is perhaps that autos are best suited to cars with 8 cylinders or more. I recall trying a Z4 3.0si Coupe with the paddle-shift auto option and didn't much like that either.

 

[NHN]

Personally I like the DSG, having driven a number of S cars from 01 manual, I was pleasantly surprised how good it was, its better for me as I hate sitting in traffic with clutch action all frigging day, changing gears & with the ever increasing traffic its gotta be the way to go, yeah its got its niggling things but no car is perfect, but its gotta be oe of the best cars I've bought to date overall, would be nice if the S mode would let it redline bit more but then again its a derv & it loses its get up & go low down even with map, so wouldnt make alot of difference anyway, but for me its a damn good car & thats what counts as I'm driving it afterall.

But I cant speak for anyone else of course.

 

[HotboxDeluxe]

It's a daily driver and i just leave it in "D" or "S" cos i'm lazy/boooored to tears of clutching in traffic every day. Flappy paddle novelty wore off after about 3 minutes :Flush:

I like automatics for normal stuff...if i want proper control for fun and giggles i'll get something with 3 pedals

 

[NHN]

Paddles never wear of for me, toys for boys, lol, nah seriously I find them very useful.

 

[h5djr]

Paddles never wear of for me, toys for boys, lol, nah seriously I find them very useful.

Me too. I use the paddles all the time. The only time I use D is in a traffic jam. It means I still decide when to change gear - I just don't need to use a clutch pedal or gear lever to make it happen. The only time my car hits the red-line is in first and second when pulling away and I'm more than happy in that situation for it to change up automatically.

On the rare occasions I drive my wife's manual Polo I always remember to use the clutch but the one thing I do seem to forget to start with - a manual gearbox does not automatically change into first gear when you stop! A 1.4 Polo is not over keen on pulling away in third!!!

 

[NHN]

lol, classic & true, you do forget huh, lol