S3 S-Tronic usability questions

[NATOuk]

I got my S3 a few weeks ago, I'm absolutely loving the car in every single way.

As this is my first automatic, I have a couple of questions about the S-Tronic gearbox for any other owners who might be able to help:

1. When in 'D' mode, if I'm driving along it seems the gearbox really wants to get to 6th as soon as possible. If I'm doing say 40MPH (in 6th gear by this stage) and I want to go faster there seems to be two things that happen based on whether I press the accelerator slightly or moderately. If I press slightly, it seems to stay in 6th and I can see the boost gauge increasing. If I press moderately there's a momentary pause (1-2 seconds) then it drops down gear(s) and I take off pretty sharpish.

My question relating to this is how do people tend to drive when in 'D' mode? I've found myself recently tapping the downshift paddle to drop a gear then accelerate in temporary 'M' mode because it feels brisker than the two default behaviours above.

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2. When in 'S' mode, the car obviously acclerates like a scalded cat, but say I'm accelerating up to about 60MPH or so, it will hang on to the gear, eg. 3rd gear as long as I'm driving along at 60MPH.

Would you tend to tap the gear selector stick back to 'D' mode at this stage now you're up to speed?

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3. Is there any harm to just booting it from a standing start in 'S' mode? or let it start moving a little before giving it the full beans?

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4. Lastly, I added the 'Hill Hold Assist' option to my S3 which I really love because as soon as I come to any stop the green (P) symbol comes on and I can take my foot off the brake until I am ready to move off again. I tried it the other day with the hill hold assist turned off and as soon as you take the foot off the brake the car starts to creep forward. Assuming you are driving an S3 without hill hold assist what's the normal procedure when stopping at a junction for any length of time - do you just keep your foot on the brake, or do you move it to 'N' and apply the handbrake?

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Thanks, I really appreciate any and all replies!

 

[jaypers777]

Hi.....I'm no expert but will answer from my own experiences.

1&2 - I like to use manual mode, which can you do temporarily without selecting it from the gear stick. Just use the paddles to change down and/or up which switches the car to manual. The car will switch back to auto mode on its own when your driving goes back to normal. You can also force the car back into auto mode when you change up a gear by holding the right paddle in for a few extra seconds. This method is great for overtakes or just when you want a lower gear on inclines etc. Good tip is also to ease of the gas slightly as you change down and then boot it!

3. Don't think it makes any difference. Always let the car warm up though before booting it. Oil at 80 degrees upwards is recommended for enthusiastic driving.

4. I have hill hold assist and really like it. Many on here don't seem to like it with S Tronic and I don't understand why. Without it, on a steep hill, it's a bit of a non-intuitive move with the electric handbrake.

 

[Tony1982]

I generally drive about in D when I'm just pottering about, and yeah it will change up quickly if you'er not booting it to achieve better economy. If i want a quick over take i just plant my foot and it does the job nicely although the brief delay u mentioned before it drops down and takes off used to be annoying but I've got used to it and can predict it better, if I really want a smoother change i might flick the lever over to M and use the paddles until i'm passed, I find if you don't bother flicking to M and just use the paddles for it to change to M by itself, it does pretty much the same as when u just put your foot down and u get a pause, it's like it knows its coming when u push the gear lever over to M so you don't get the pause.

If I want to give it a proper thrashing I'll have it in S, it will hold the gears all the way to the top end unless you briefly let off the gas and then ease off - it will then change up and if u plant your foot again it will drop again - i never just potter about in S, you just end up revving the tits off it every where for no reason.

If I want to have a more "engaging" spirited run I will put it in S and then push it over to M - it's better for holding the revs this way when you don't want it to change un-expedtedly (if you've let off slightly), it will still change up by itself though if you hold your foot down and don't use the paddle - bit annoying and not really fully manual, but yeah if I just want to get up to speed quicker I might flick it in to S and then when I'm at the required speed just put it back to D.

Theres no danger going from a standstill in S and booting it, I do this often if I'm in a racer type mood, if I'm in a particularly "wanna go fast" mood I use launch control

I don't have hold assist, i think it's a waste of time with S-tronc although i do like that u can just take your foot off the brake without putting the hand brake on at the lights - If I'm at the lights and not planning to immediately boot it on green I just engage the electric park brake and take my foot off the brake, then when its green all I have to do is press the accelerator and it automatically switches the park brake off, I also do this for hill starts, obviously if I haven't disengaged the start stop the engine will cut out a but cuts back in as soon as I press the go pedal (slight delay of course). If I'm at the lights for a long time or at a railway crossing I'll put it in park.

 

[Tony1982]

You can also force the car back into auto mode when you change up a gear by holding the right paddle in for a few extra seconds. This method is great for overtakes or just when you want a lower gear on inclines etc.

Good to know, cheers

 

[RichardT]

I don't use manual very often. But I do flick it into S if I want to overtake and then just flick back when passed. I also do this if I am, say, coming up to a roundabout and expecting to slow right down and then accelerate out. S mode avoids most of the lag you get when taking off from an "almost stop".
The S-Tronic certainly needs some practice to get exactly what you need.

As to Hold Assist. I use it very rarely. It's OK if you are in a start/stop traffic queue. But I don't really like it coming on all the time, so I am not one of the "leave it on all the time" proponents.

 

[MA3RC]

See I have hold assist on my manual and use it religiously every day, I'd go as far as saying it's the most useful option on my car.

My parents have just bought an S-Tronic without hold assist, I've driven it a few times now and I think it would've been a great addition to the car. Coming to a complete stop, the engine disengages, so you're at stop on the foot brake. To stop the engine turning back on or the car lurching forward you have to pull the hand brake button. It's not the end of the world I know, but from a convenience perspective I much prefer the hold assist.

 

[RichardT]

I certainly agree that Hold Assist is worth getting for the money. Although I don't use it so religiously, I do like it when I do use it. Horses for courses.

 

[G-S3]

I use hold assist all the time, apart from when trying to park in a tight space.

 

[mfl]

the only thing I would add, is that when in D - it will change 1 or 2 gears if you moderately press the the accelerator, if you want quicker response, press the accelerator hard enough to hit the downshift switch (press it to the floor - in other words), just make sure the road is clear when you do that though - as the car will launch after its drops about 3 gears instantly (almost)

Also the cars response in D varies according to what mode you have the car in - dynamic, efficiency etc.

 

[Ignition1]

Not to turn this into a debate about Hold Assist but I struggled to see the value. I think I'm just used to holding my foot on the brake when in traffic - I've rarely been still long enough to switch the parking brake on. Touch wood...

On D and S etc. Great tip above - didn't know you could switch back to auto by holding the right paddle.

When I need power I knock the gear lever into manual mode, which I prefer rather than using S. Sometimes I'll use S to get away quickly from standstill.

With the 1.4 COD - 1st gear is useless for accelerating quickly, 2nd is where the power kicks in. S mode is handy here because it switches up to 2nd faster than I would if I was in manual mode.

 

[NATOuk]

This is some great information, thanks! I agree that S-Tronic takes a little bit of practice just to learn how it works but it's fantastic once you are able to predict its behaviour and drive to its strengths.

 

[TheFiftheElement]

I think S-tronic is a fantastic gearbox. The only minor complaints I had with mine were:

• It's too keen to get to 6th, so on a slight incline @30 I wished it would drop into 5th, so I felt the engine wasn't laboring and I had a bit more instant oomph under my foot
• 4th to 2nd in manual was a bit slow, you can catch it out and press the accelerator too quickly, and then it's nothing, lurch, go!
• I wanted instant downshifts in manual when I wasn't on the brakes, they take too long, I think the box changes for smoothness not speed

Very minor, and I like the fact you have manual over ride even in D.

I had hold assist and it would be one of the first things I would spec again. Loved it. Stop at a set of lights and just take your feet off the pedals and relax. Wish my Boxster had the feature, but PDK appears to resolve my minor issues above.

 

[Gareth Kelly]

This is some great information, thanks! I agree that S-Tronic takes a little bit of practice just to learn how it works but it's fantastic once you are able to predict its behaviour and drive to its strengths.

Hi Nato - I believe I seen your car and its silver wheels along the shore road in Greenisland. I think you may have spotted me in my sepang blue saloon?

Good post - I too have experienced some of the frustrations with S-tronic and engine response. I felt that the engine appears very lethargic and laggy on efficiency and comfort and there is a marked delay in take off until boost builds. Obviously these modes are designed to be that way. I find knocking back the gear stick into S modes deals with this quite well but there is still a general pause. I find the manual very slow to respond to shifts down and dynamic and S mode tends to make you rev much too high in auto for normal driving. I mostly drive in efficiency now as I have only done 600 miles since I got it and have had 3 tanks of fuel (all super) already! Efficiency is also frustrating due to the start stop cutting in very easily which then locks the steering in traffic! Dynamic and S mode is great for a fast run on windy roads. I also enjoy dynamic and the gearbox in D as it pops/burps more on the quicker up changes. The torque curve seems very even so acceleration is progressive rather than savage (in one lump) which makes for silly speeds appearing without realising. I think I will get used to S tronic over time.

Handling wise - it is very front biased and to exploit the haldex you just have to trust the car and maintain acceleration through a corner, which is not instinctive to a normal driver!

 

[veeeight]

To get the best out of 8V DSG / S-tronic, I've had to learn how to "drive the gearbox" (which can detract from driving the car). Small tricks like easing off the accelerator before paddling down, gives an instantaneous downshift etc.

The box still gets it wrong for 5% of the time, but the remainder of the 95% of the time, it behaves.

And then I occasionally have to ignition reset my car when it doesn't behave etc.

PDK programming/calibration is just a whole new level above DSG/S-tronic, it's a great box.


Previous S-tronic grumbles thread:
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/i-think-i-dont-like-my-gearbox.241768/


For those that haven't seen this, it's a useful primer to the DSG/S-tronic box.

 

[veeeight]

HA

Hold Assist. Now there's a can of worms.

Marmite Option, hugely debated on this forum at length.

All A3's / S3's come with Hill Hold as standard, so there is no rolling back on hills.


Apart from burning out the retinas of the driver behind when it is used,

Hold Assist hinders the traffic light Grand Prix, or at a busy roundabout, where you have to creep forward in minute amounts. Plus there is the HA release delay, compared to no delay without HA.

If driving a S-tronic, I prefer not using the hold assist.
(actually I prefer no HA, period)

There are also (frequently) times when I don't want it to apply the foot brake, or parking brake for me automatically, for example, after a high speed run I want to sit and idle on level ground with the DSG Park Pawl engaged, but not have hot brake pads clamped against a relatively hot disc.

It warps brake discs after an enthusiastic drive
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/warped-disc-new-disc-and-pads-all-round-s3-help.242575/

Slow speed precision manoeuvring, particularly precision reversing up a steep incline are situations where HA hinders, rather than assists.
Lurch. Delay. Jerk. Delay. Lurch. Delay. Add to that the DSG delay in going between D & R multiple times


Plus HA doesn't work well going through conveyor type car washes


For me Hold Assist is not a good option.



Previous entertainment on Hold Assist:
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/hill-hold-assist.240501/

 

[Pulp84]

@veeeight has summed up HA very well in the above posts. It is a very marmite option that has unfortunatly more negative than plus points.

I will add that after driving many variants of duel clutch / DSG / *the brand name a manufacturer uses* across lots of different cars - the VAG group box is way a head in terms of speed of changes and smoothness.

Worst offenders - Mercedes Benz (especially in their smaller cars), Ford and Renault IMO. They are pretty poor in comparison to VAG's efforts.

PDK is the best I've tried, but it comes at a premium obviously!

 

[NATOuk]

Thanks @veeeight, that video should actually be something Audi should show you when you collect your car if you haven't driven S-Tronic before! I didn't know about the correct technique for changing down with the paddles so I've definitely learned something.

I really like the S-Tronic gearbox personally, it's new and obviously has a bit of a learning curve but for me it's pretty amazing. I am unsure about going back to manual after having driven with S-Tronic, although obviously it's not without points I would perhaps improve in future versions (eg, maybe making 'D' a bit more aggressive in Dynamic drive mode rather than it trying to get to 6th gear at all costs).

There's something nice about being able to just let the gearbox do its thing when just pootling along but also being able to keep both hands on the wheel in 'S' mode when giving it the beans around windy roads.

Hi Nato - I believe I seen your car and its silver wheels along the shore road in Greenisland. I think you may have spotted me in my sepang blue saloon?

Well spotted! that was around lunchtime along the new dual carriageway roadworks? I just caught you out of the corner of my eye as I was passing. I think I spotted you again today (or someone else with a Sepang Blue S3 Saloon) heading in the Carrickfergus direction of the main M2/M5 stretch, probably about 1:30. Small world, eh?

 

[gbernard]

And then I occasionally have to ignition reset my car when it doesn't behave etc.

How do you do this ?

 

[veeeight]

^
Pull over (or stop at the red traffic lights)
Put into P
Ignition off
Key out
Key back in
Start car
Put into D
Drive off

Occasionally, when setting off on a journey, you will experience hard or lurchy gearshifts.
This will alleviate it.

 

[gbernard]

thanks V8, but what do you mean key out, key back in ? press start stop to turn off the car, then start stop to restart ?

 

[Simon L]

thanks V8, but what do you mean key out, key back in ? press start stop to turn off the car, then start stop to restart ?

If you've got advanced key, yes restart the ignition with start/stop.

Not sure I quite understand some of the 'frustration' with the efficiency and comfort modes? By definition the whole point of those settings is to change through the gears quicker and preserve fuel so clearly they will be more 'laggy' than dynamic/sport.

As for the 'stuck in 6th gear at 40mph' my preferred option is to double tap the downshift paddle, I'm too bleedin lazy to use the tiptronic!! lol

 

[Daniel Knight]

I've been driving mine in Dynamic recently and have found that although the car still rushes to 6th, the accelerator is a lot more responsive even in D. It does take some getting use to, you really notice the difference in steering from say Comfort.

 

[veeeight]

3. Is there any harm to just booting it from a standing start in 'S' mode? or let it start moving a little before giving it the full beans?

Search this forum (or owners manual) for "Launch Control"

But wait till you've run in your engine before trying this.