Automatic

[Digger]

Whatever your choice Manual Gearboxes are on the way out. One of the greatest effects on Vehicle Emissions is the " Driver " , wrong gear/wrong revs etc: etc:. Replace the Drivers interaction with the Gearbox by a computer and you can make a significant difference to Emissions.
Autonomous vehicles will not have Manual Gearboxes.

A generalisation as a good driver can determine and use gears to get best from a vehicle. (DSG is not the most efficient but true better than most drivers (probably). Me - I much prefer manual so I am biased. I only drive 40k miles a year.

 

[WelshGas]

Both still rely on the drivers right foot. The heavier the foot, the heavier the emissions!

Not quite. With modern fly by wire a lot can be done to minimize emissions using the computer no matter how heavy the R foot.

 

[Jay20cali]

As the OP had a preference for Auto but concerns around reliability then all this talk of buying a manual for reliability is misguided. Complexity doesnt = unreliabilty per se otherwise our modern vehicles would be less reliable than one from the sixties but they are not.
In respect of the DSG / Auto provided its not an early generation design then an Auto will have a lower cycle cost than a manual. Why ? Because None of my Autos in the last 20 years has ever failed but a number of my manuals have due to DMF / Release bearing/ Centre plate wear.
Most recent is 2013 Citigo at 34000 miles with knackered cover plate and centre pate due to no DMF, so its simple but unreliable.
DSG does required more maintenance but not at a high cost as an oil change every 40k is about £200 and thats it.
So OP my suggestion is buy a late T5 onwards DSG and you will be fine Im sure.

Our t4multivan went through 2 Gearboxs in 100,000 miles at 3k per rebuild...in the end I did the most common fix ,,a manual conversion...so I guess in 20 years you did well to have a completely faultless auto

 

[WelshGas]

Our t4multivan went through 2 Gearboxs in 100,000 miles at 3k per rebuild...in the end I did the most common fix ,,a manual conversion...so I guess in 20 years you did well to have a completely faultless auto

The T4 Autobox and the DSG are two completely different animals.

 

[Legin]

Bump started last year in Rest Bay, Porthcawl with friendly 2 pushers.

Our DSG car is Quattro and they advise to move with a flatbed to avoid damage to the Diff, so would rather not risk it as they are costly to repair. TheT6 4motion must have a different system.

Towing out of a stuck in mud situation is very different to towing on asphalt hence why a suspended tow is correctly advised. The T6 has a haldex which is likely different to your quattro unless its an s3 or some such which also uses a haldex.

 

[Legin]

Our t4multivan went through 2 Gearboxs in 100,000 miles at 3k per rebuild...in the end I did the most common fix ,,a manual conversion...so I guess in 20 years you did well to have a completely faultless auto

I was quite clear that a late T5 onwards is where it settles down in these vehicles regarding Auto. Most early tech has issues that have to be ironed out from DMF,s to torque convertors to cvt to double clutch and so on.

A case in point I have just bought a yeti 4x4 and only bought a DSG for the relibility otherwise I would have got a manual as its cheaper. Go look at the manuals which spit there cluch/flywheel taking the casing with it.
No doubt I have tempted fate and the gearbox will crap out now I have said all this. - ah well.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Towing out of a stuck in mud situation is very different to towing on asphalt hence why a suspended tow is correctly advised. The T6 has a haldex which is likely different to your quattro unless its an s3 or some such which also uses a haldex.

Its an Audi TT 3.2 quattro (Haldex), which thankfully to date has managed to make it's own way out of the mud from parking at our sons rugby tournaments (generally raining with clay soil). We normally end up taking the 2wd manual T5 , then you just need a bit of momentum for the muddier patches but always plenty of people about if you should need a helping hand on the way out!

Auto, Manual & 4motion California's are all great!

 

[Stoneybroke]

Our T6 is the only Auto/DSG vehicle we've owned. A late change of spec after a left knee operation. I have no regrets, I love it (especially when paired with ACC.)

 

[gvick]

My advice would be to consider your mileage and type of driving you do,
I use mycali as a daily drive and typically do 4 hours plus driving a day. For me the dsg makes sense as i drive on a variation of A roads and towns. Up until my previous car I had only driven manuals in 35 years of driving.
So for me the DSG makes sense- but compared to my previous AMG automatic it is a little different and that’s because a DSG isn’t a “true” auto box like myMerc was.
That said I love driving my Cali and it has put a smile on my face.
If I wasn’t doing the mileage I’d happily have a manual and save some cash

 

[Georgeo]

Reversing up a slight incline is a pain but the rest of the journey is a delight. I have always driven manual (40+ years) but the dog system is great I would buy again.

 

[Perfectos]

DSG on an incline = throttle control, find the bite point.
Sound like a manual to me, just a different skill set

 

[briwy]

At one time we ended up with two Calis. Identical 180 4Motions. One DSG and one manual. We did quite a few journeys with both in convoy swapping drivers every so often to eliminate driving style differences. Always the manual produced marginally better mpg.

 

[Stow]

Automatic gives the additional, and from experience, worthwhile option of AAC.

 

[Chris Jones]

Hi is an automatic just as good as manual? Any pros and cons advice? Thanks

Hi. I have an automatic it’s my first ever and I have to say I find it amazing. Just done a thousand miles round Scotland and what a pleasure not having to change gears.
Chris

 

[Camperfamily]

It’s a personal choice, but In our view, an automatic is the way forward for relaxed camper cruising. Manual is just unnecessary extra work. This is the reason why many California rental companies only offer DSG now.

Prior to our Cali, we only ever had manual cars. Now we have DSG, I can’t see us ever buying another manual vehicle again, certainly not for a campervan.

 

[Nomis]

Never owned an automatic till buying new Cali coast. Very happy I went for auto.

 

[Erbster]

One of the top reasons for a DSG box is so that you can conveniently drink a cup of tea whilst driving.


caliventures364847572.wordpress.com

 

[Houchen]

Hi is an automatic just as good as manual? Any pros and cons advice? Thanks

Dsg is the better choice

 

[Taylor]

Hi is an automatic just as good as manual? Any pros and cons advice? Thanks

Better by miles!

 

[WelshGas]

With the DSG you also have Sports Mode, very useful in hilly country and if you want to exercise your L arm, you can always use Manual Mode.

 

[Elizabeth Silman]

Aw really I didn’t realise. I’m new to it all. I personally would rather have an automatic but just wondered if mechanically there was a huge difference. Like you said probably a case of each to their own. Thanks for reply
Muc

I was surprised to find I like the dsg very much. Makes for a smooth and less tiring drive. Only issue as someone else has mentioned is reversing up a slope, when you have to give it some wellie and hope it doesn't bolt.

 

[Alex Currie]

I have had dsg in an Audi and a Passat and manual in Passat’s and Golf’s. I went for a manual Ocean. I don’t mind either to be honest but i did have problems with both dsg’s slipping.

 

[BikerGran]

Bump started last year in Rest Bay, Porthcawl with friendly 2 pushers.

Our DSG car is Quattro and they advise to move with a flatbed to avoid damage to the Diff, so would rather not risk it as they are costly to repair. TheT6 4motion must have a different system.

An automatic can usually be towed a short distance without damage. When I needed a tow with an automatic car the Recovery driver had a book where he could look up the maximum towing distance for any particular vehicle.

 

[BikerGran]

It’s worth saying that you should understand the differences between the earlier Tiptronic and the later DSG ‘autos’, the change coming around 2010.

I'd love to know what the difference is, apart of course from being able to choose the gear you want with Tiptronic.
I understand there's a technical difference and I guess there must be a difference in driving.#

I have a 2007 Tiptronic (with gear selector not flappy paddles) and I love it, though I've never bothered to choose a gear as I reckon my van makes a pretty good job of that.

 

[WelshGas]

I'd love to know what the difference is, apart of course from being able to choose the gear you want with Tiptronic.
I understand there's a technical difference and I guess there must be a difference in driving.#

I have a 2007 Tiptronic (with gear selector not flappy paddles) and I love it, though I've never bothered to choose a gear as I reckon my van makes a pretty good job of that.

The difference is in how the drivetrain is connected to the Engine Output.


I think the main difference between tiptronic and DSG is that tiptronic is an automatic that allows you to change gears, but the mating between the engine and the wheels still goes through a torque converter. It is precisely the torque converter that can give automatics that distinctly mushy feel, and in terms of tiptronic, slower shift times compared to DSG. DSG was developed after tiptronic and it does away with the torque converter. There is a dual clutchsystem that engages the gears with a direct connection between engine and running wheels. This contributes to DSG's incredible upshit times, better responsiveness (ie. a DSG A3 is faster in accelerating than a manual A3, all other things being equal), more fun driving, (the shift times are more predictable, instant on upshifts, and super quick on downshifts, whereas when I drive a tiptronic and flip the paddle, it feels like a 'request' that the car will do once it's ready. push the up paddle on the DSG, the transmission shifts RIGHT then.) Another plus of DSG is that it gives better fuel mileage because there is no torque converter to eat up power.