Calling DSG users, especially with 4Motion as well

[F5 JNR]

Definately, only concern is in cold weather when engine heater kicks in all the time on short runs.

 

[Melancholic]

Thanks again for all that very interesting input. I shall have a good digesting of it all over the weekend. Particularly taken with the stags and does feature...

 

[Skylark2.0]

Very interesting vehicle. I always turn my head when I see one, would like to know more about them.

I don't know why Toyota didn't develop this idea; same could be said of the Bongo and some other Japanese vans. Same with their sports cars, the MR2, Celica & Supra were much sought after but they just seemed more interested in churning out Corollas

The spec is astonishing for the price. No lag at junctions and fabulously responsive. We loved it but out grew it.

 

[Neilgbj]

44 mpg on the motorway.....? Was it all downhill?

 

[WelshGas]

Must have been. On my recent trip to Nordkapp 5,340 miles I averaged just over 31mpg on tank to tank fill beginning and end of trip. Did use the heater overnight on many nights so probably nearer 32.5 mpg. I DO NOT do Granny or Economy driving mode. I think this is realistic, real life consumption for a 180 BiTurbo 4Motion.

 

[GrannyJen]

Must have been. On my recent trip to Nordkapp 5,340 miles I averaged just over 31mpg on tank to tank fill beginning and end of trip. Did use the heater overnight on many nights so probably nearer 32.5 mpg. I DO NOT do Granny or Economy driving mode. I think this is realistic, real life consumption for a 180 BiTurbo 4Motion.

Enough of the granny mode please

I don't do Grandad mode .... a flat cap does not suit me

 

[MCh1777]

If anyone could help me with my DSG doubt I'd be very grateful. And my
lanes and the like. (I do appreciate the need for the correct tyres but lets assume that's dealt with, please). So really, basic camping on fairly basic campsites. But, having got a four wheel drive, it would be nice to get a bit more adventurous. OK, it's not a Defender but it would be good to get into that sort of thing, so far as is reasonable. It seems like the 4 Motion is pretty capable in that direction but does the DSG compromise that capability, would you say. I can see that it might be helpful if you were pulling a big load from Brighton to Inverness but on rough tracks, and wild ground with loads of sudden dips and twists…it couldn’t really predict those, surely, and therefore could it really deal with them as effectively as a manual gearbox?


I would really appreciate your comments. I have read a LOT, including the thread about developing one’s driving style for DSG but I’d love to hear the opinions of people here and if anyone is into off-roading with a 4motion DSG – please please let me know how you find it.
.

I have a Cali with 4-motion DSG and am very happy with it and would definitely buy the same again.

Just a couple of comments about your questions and concerns:
The only time I have had any doubts about the fine control is when parking at my vets surgery. (We have a lot of pets so I do this often!). There is a steep incline with a wall at the top, and to get off the road I need to end up very close to the wall. I find the DSG control hopeless for this. I used to have a Disco 3 and low ratio was just about ok. A manual box would be better I think.

Off road - in principle I think that an auto box with 4WD can be exceptionally good off road. I went on the Land Rover off road experience at Eastnor and took an auto Range Rover sport over the same fairly extreme (to me) off road course as a manual Defender. In the Range Rover I kept my feet well away from the pedals and I could have probably kept my hands off the steering wheel and everything felt well under control. The Defender was just a white knuckle ride and I think you would need a very high level of skill to match the Range Rover.
However, the Cali has not been designed as an off road vehicle and the auto box doesn't have any sophisticated off road modes that would help. My guess is that in anything other than fairly benign conditions a manual 4-motion Cali would be a better bet than the DSG.

 

[F5 JNR]

Nope not downhill, mixture of roads from Conwy to Sheffield. Simple maths..... hard acceleration then sustain constant speed. This reduces the average time the ecu spends at between 5 to 10mpg when getting a 3 ton van up to momentum rather than slow gentle acceleration over a few minutes. Not cheating just understanding mean averages. Yesterday I drove to York and back on business and using tank fill method worked out at 42 mpg yet computer displayed 41 mpg so not far off. 'not poems and rubbish....science!'

 

[JcCali]

i have a 180 dsg 4motion...noticed the lag at junctions and small roundabouts...but used to stick it in sport for the set offs..thats until i put a DTUK system on it....lag more or less gone...got 40mpg - leeds to aberystwyth last week because of DTUK......fully loaded with aircon and lots of sport mode for twisty roads in wales...a dream. Coasting plays a big importance and a great feature. Once you get used to the quirks of the dsg it is great. Whats really great about this spec is it does not hesitate at what you throw at it..the camper has never struggled or slowed..it takes every hill , incline, twisty and switchback in its stride.

 

[F5 JNR]

Thanks jccali, think a few users doubting 40mpg figures.

 

[JcCali]

Thanks jccali, think a few users doubting 40mpg figures.

f5 jnr no worries....my mpg was pretty rubbish before the DTUK system was added, but how your drive does play an important factor..... lots of coasting where possible.

 

[F5 JNR]

Totally agree. Is your box stage 2 crd-t?

 

[Hotel California]

Before never had automatic gearbox and afther swopping from a LR Defender to a Cali DSG , nothing but good experience so far ...

 

[JcCali]

Totally agree. Is your box stage 2 crd-t?

yes...have it set on program 3 +1. Even had 46 mpg the other week to bridlington...though it was just me and the dog and not loaded up.Pricey but in the long run it will pay for itself....you got same? it really does transform the camper...tempted by the pedal box systerm now..! ;-)

 

[JcCali]

Totally agree. Is your box stage 2 crd-t?

opps sory...its the DTUK CRD-T+ MultiChannel Fuel and Boost

 

[dod4luce]

Nothing more to add, except I wouldnt be without DSG. I would have had either, but the only one they had before having to wait till the next reg. was a DSG 4 motion. Having driven and owned it for just over a year, I am grateful that's all they had, because I certainly wouldn't choose a manual if I had to choose again. DSG is smooth, I don't seem to experience this lag thing, or haven't noticed. It's extremely responsive, Sports mode I only use to help me ease down steep hills without having to over use the brakes on decent. Acceleration is impressive, pulls really well. I never have a full load, so I'm not sure how it would perform with four passengers and a luggage load. I get great MPG out of mine. 60mph I get readings between 32-44 mpg. For a large vehicle, thats impressive. This was meant to be short. oops!!

 

[GrannyJen]

Nothing more to add, except I wouldnt be without DSG. I would have had either, but the only one they had before having to wait till the next reg. was a DSG 4 motion. Having driven and owned it for just over a year, I am grateful that's all they had, because I certainly wouldn't choose a manual if I had to choose again. DSG is smooth, I don't seem to experience this lag thing, or haven't noticed. It's extremely responsive, Sports mode I only use to help me ease down steep hills without having to over use the brakes on decent. Acceleration is impressive, pulls really well. I never have a full load, so I'm not sure how it would perform with four passengers and a luggage load. I get great MPG out of mine. 60mph I get readings between 32-44 mpg. For a large vehicle, thats impressive. This was meant to be short. oops!!

Pretty much my experience, and I am not a "Granny" driver either!!!

I got 48mpg once, but then I had to stop to give the butler a rest, he could only push it so far

 

[tim batten]

We have DSG 4-Motion, and it is superb. Having had DSG or PDK twin clutch gearbox cars since 2005, I would not go back to manual. It is just much easier, especially in traffic, and smoother. Once you get used to using it with Sport or manual mode, I can't imagine a situation where manual would be better. It works fine with 4 Motion on more difficult terrain. Re reliability, I have never had any problem with any of mine. After about 10 years of production, they are now very reliable.

 

[dod4luce]

Pretty much my experience, and I am not a "Granny" driver either!!!

I got 48mpg once, but then I had to stop to give the butler a rest, he could only push it so far

ha ha, that made me laugh loads!

 

[F5 JNR]

Not yet, out of warranty 6 months ago so seriously considering dtuk. Perhaps pedalbox would suit people worried about delay set off? Perhaps we should move our discussion to a different thread jccali? great to hear positive mpg comments rather than typical forum whining.

 

[Neilgbj]

Should just say that my comment above was tongue in cheek not 'whining' hence the .......lighten up! .....couldn't be more pleased for you that you got such wonderful mpg ......

 

[JcCali]

Not yet, out of warranty 6 months ago so seriously considering dtuk. Perhaps pedalbox would suit people worried about delay set off? Perhaps we should move our discussion to a different thread jccali? great to hear positive mpg comments rather than typical forum whining.

yes a bit of hi jack of thread f5jnr..PM if you want any advice....its a bit of a love hate affair on forums with regards performance modules/chips

 

[Johno]

Hello there,

If anyone could help me with my DSG doubt I'd be very grateful. And my apologies for the length of this post.

As per my introduction post I'm a bit unsure about buying a van with DSG and 4 motion. I'm set on the 4 motion, so:- why do I have doubts about DSG? Three main worries.

(1) The long and term reliability and cost of repairs / replacement.

(2) The driving style.

(3) Suitability for my specific requirements.


First one is, I think fairly straightforward. I don't want a massive out of warranty bill, nor do I want an "in warranty" contentious and major repair that I could / should have seen coming a mile off. Is DSG really a clever idea but a bit more bother than it's worth for your average person?


Second. Well, there's obviously a lot of comment about lag on take off, being unable to nip into traffic gaps etc. etc. Well, obviously I'd expect every vehicle to have it's idiosyncrasies and to have to take account of them. Fair enough. But is it really a matter of having to learn a particular style of driving? I’ve read a lot about this, although not much in the context of a Cali.


I can certainly see that technology like that might be useful on a track, where you can go and study the route beforehand. However, I'm quite taken with the idea that the human eye and brain is a pretty good combination for assessing unfamiliar road conditions in a hurry. Losing the capacity to control the vehicle with a clutch pedal using that assessment seems, possibly, like a backwards step. Good for predictable conditions, less so for constant improvisation. So not better or worse, but appropriate for a different situation. Perhaps.


I can see me in some unfamiliar town, getting supplies in, in my van, trying to get through crowded streets, pedestrians spilling onto the roads, steep hills, tight turns, edging into busy car parks. Good with a clutch pedal - but what about with DSG? Is it possible to achieve that fine control? Or on tiny roads, trying to reverse into a few inches of extra space so that an oncoming lorry can pass, a ditch waiting for a poor driving choice. Again, with mirrors and a clutch pedal - all good. DSG? Not so sure, as things stand. I'd really appreciate comments about this stuff.


Third. Well, 4Motion etc. Sounds great. Firstly for dragging myself out of steep, wet campsites, through wintery lanes and the like. (I do appreciate the need for the correct tyres but lets assume that's dealt with, please). So really, basic camping on fairly basic campsites. But, having got a four wheel drive, it would be nice to get a bit more adventurous. OK, it's not a Defender but it would be good to get into that sort of thing, so far as is reasonable. It seems like the 4 Motion is pretty capable in that direction but does the DSG compromise that capability, would you say. I can see that it might be helpful if you were pulling a big load from Brighton to Inverness but on rough tracks, and wild ground with loads of sudden dips and twists…it couldn’t really predict those, surely, and therefore could it really deal with them as effectively as a manual gearbox?


I would really appreciate your comments. I have read a LOT, including the thread about developing one’s driving style for DSG but I’d love to hear the opinions of people here and if anyone is into off-roading with a 4motion DSG – please please let me know how you find it.


I think even if I got a test drive it’s vanishingly unlikely that I’d be able to test that aspect!


Also, I’d be especially interested to hear what sort from anyone who has done a lot of miles with a DSG box and what happened.


Thanks ever so much for reading this far and for any comments.

Hello there,

If anyone could help me with my DSG doubt I'd be very grateful. And my apologies for the length of this post.

As per my introduction post I'm a bit unsure about buying a van with DSG and 4 motion. I'm set on the 4 motion, so:- why do I have doubts about DSG? Three main worries.

(1) The long and term reliability and cost of repairs / replacement.

(2) The driving style.

(3) Suitability for my specific requirements.


First one is, I think fairly straightforward. I don't want a massive out of warranty bill, nor do I want an "in warranty" contentious and major repair that I could / should have seen coming a mile off. Is DSG really a clever idea but a bit more bother than it's worth for your average person?


Second. Well, there's obviously a lot of comment about lag on take off, being unable to nip into traffic gaps etc. etc. Well, obviously I'd expect every vehicle to have it's idiosyncrasies and to have to take account of them. Fair enough. But is it really a matter of having to learn a particular style of driving? I’ve read a lot about this, although not much in the context of a Cali.


I can certainly see that technology like that might be useful on a track, where you can go and study the route beforehand. However, I'm quite taken with the idea that the human eye and brain is a pretty good combination for assessing unfamiliar road conditions in a hurry. Losing the capacity to control the vehicle with a clutch pedal using that assessment seems, possibly, like a backwards step. Good for predictable conditions, less so for constant improvisation. So not better or worse, but appropriate for a different situation. Perhaps.


I can see me in some unfamiliar town, getting supplies in, in my van, trying to get through crowded streets, pedestrians spilling onto the roads, steep hills, tight turns, edging into busy car parks. Good with a clutch pedal - but what about with DSG? Is it possible to achieve that fine control? Or on tiny roads, trying to reverse into a few inches of extra space so that an oncoming lorry can pass, a ditch waiting for a poor driving choice. Again, with mirrors and a clutch pedal - all good. DSG? Not so sure, as things stand. I'd really appreciate comments about this stuff.


Third. Well, 4Motion etc. Sounds great. Firstly for dragging myself out of steep, wet campsites, through wintery lanes and the like. (I do appreciate the need for the correct tyres but lets assume that's dealt with, please). So really, basic camping on fairly basic campsites. But, having got a four wheel drive, it would be nice to get a bit more adventurous. OK, it's not a Defender but it would be good to get into that sort of thing, so far as is reasonable. It seems like the 4 Motion is pretty capable in that direction but does the DSG compromise that capability, would you say. I can see that it might be helpful if you were pulling a big load from Brighton to Inverness but on rough tracks, and wild ground with loads of sudden dips and twists…it couldn’t really predict those, surely, and therefore could it really deal with them as effectively as a manual gearbox?


I would really appreciate your comments. I have read a LOT, including the thread about developing one’s driving style for DSG but I’d love to hear the opinions of people here and if anyone is into off-roading with a 4motion DSG – please please let me know how you find it.


I think even if I got a test drive it’s vanishingly unlikely that I’d be able to test that aspect!


Also, I’d be especially interested to hear what sort from anyone who has done a lot of miles with a DSG box and what happened.


Thanks ever so much for reading this far and for any comments.

Hi , I'll try to be to the point and not go off at a tangent as I could easily write an essay with the love for my California....
We've had the Dsg 4 motion for 1/ half years now from new , we travel to the islands of Lewis ,one of the islands off the mainland of Scotland as north as you can go really... Massive drive as we live in Surrey .. We have been doing this for years in various vehicles all being manual... Two of which were Porsche's with 4 wheel drive . I was a purist and manual only was the the way to go but the traffic on the roads these days was a massive consideration when we were looking to buy a Cali and traveling long distances, that's not to say she isn't at home through the average town centre either it's just that i learnt, in the porkers that pushing the clutch in and out every couple of minutes when sitting in yet another traffic jam on our wonderful motorways wasn't the most relaxing way to sit in traffic and I'm not the most tolerant of people in traffic so when ordering the California the Dsg went on !
I have to say I have no complaints , yes it's different! But wonderfully smooth and makes for me at least , driving a much more of a stress free pleasure as there's a lot less involvement and more relaxing and with a 5 & 3 year olds in the back of the Cali you need to be relaxed!!
I find that if I fancy a bit more control of the motor for a particular circumstance I just pop it into the Manuel mode for gearing up or down with ease.
Having had four wheel drive before and the slippery roads in the highlands to contend with it was not difficult to come to that conclusion so on went the the four motion . We camp in some interesting places to say the least and the 4 motion has been great but as you say it's not a Range Rover... So no vertical mountains....
To conclude all of the above for me makes sense on this particular vehicle but at the end of the day it's each to there own as we are all different with Different needs.
Good luck

 

[F5 JNR]

Totally agree johno, well said. Made me grin as we have 2 and 3 year old boys.

 

[GrannyJen]

It makes me smile when people try to compare a 4motion to a range rover and say "not as good".

I wrote for landrover magazine for years. I was the old bird featured in their magazine looking at a dented wheel arch on a brand new RR2 and commenting "its only recycled beer cans".... the RR is quite the very best off-road vehicle that I have ever driven and I have driven 90% of the things, I was the 4WD equivalent of Clarkson but with more attitude than "Jezza"

but a Camper is a camper and anyone who has ever gone camping, pulling a caravan, driving a white whale, bouncing over rough roads in a converted dustbin lorry, knows what it is to be in the middle of the wilds far from civilisation and look at a field, lay-by, side road ... and think "that'll do".

That's when 4 motion comes into it's own. You know you can pull in and pull off: You know that when the snow drops you will not be stuck: you know that when the going get's tough so does the vehicle, and it can get tough, don't underestimate the VW.

It's not an offroad vehicle, it's a camper with offroad capability. That capability is invaluable if you want to use a Cali to it's full potential, 365 days, anytime, anywhere at the drop of a hat. You don't buy RR mountaineering capability, you buy campability anytime.