DSG or Manual?

[Wongo]

VW extended warranties are good value

 

[soulstyledevon]

One small point from a practical point of view, DSG makes turning the drivers seat a lot easier too, as you can put the DSG in park and take off the handbrake which blocks the seat from rotating when on, with the manual gearbox this was much more complex an operation, particularly if you had the front wheels up on levelling ramps, We have had many a comical moment with the manual Cali as I stood outside with my leg through an open drivers door to put my foot on the brake pedal while someone else let the handbrake off and rotated the seat,

We do this
I thought perhaps we were the only ones.
See, now I'm wishing my Cali was DSG again

 

[zerofour]

We do this
I thought perhaps we were the only ones.
See, now I'm wishing my Cali was DSG again

Yes, this was one reason I went for DSG as you can just pop it in P.

 

[MattBW]

Never tried it which is probably why I don't miss it. Ive never been a fan of auto cars though and the demo available was a manual.

 

[briwy]

On

VW extended warranties are good value

Only if you get it as an option with a new van nowadays. Didn't exist when we got our van three years ago so to get it it now is an arm and a leg. We'll keep the money under the mattress for if we need it, hopefully not

 

[Cary Blackburn]

Depends on how much you like doing the actual driving as opposed to the driving being a means to an end. I love the physical act of driving a car. I got a manual Volvo a few years ago, after having had manuals all my life, and got rid of it after 6 months. Hated it. Manual all the way for me. But I'm not you. Go with what you want. Anyway at 61 I'm not old enough yet for an automatic LOL

 

[Victor]

I would not say auto/dsg is for old people, I have had an auto since I was 22, there is much more fun things to do in life than change gears? I suspect all the manual drivers here still use a mangle to do their washing and use a payphone instead of a mobile.

Automotive technology has come a long way since the old clunky automatics of the 70s and 80s, also Mercedes, BMW etc.. Sell many more autos now than manuals.

 

[Ian66]

There are definite pro's and cons to both, all depends on your preference and budget.

I pondered the DSG for ages, but without the finances to afford all my preferred Cali extras, I chose to spend my extras on the LED headlamps instead.

For me, the manual with cruise control gives me the overall combination I prefer... Although I was seriously drawn to the DSG, and probably would have got it if money was no object.

Now, 6months in with the manual, I'm really glad I chose it, and can't see how the DSG would have suited me. At the end of the day, its just like paint colour choices - its each to their own.

As for the LEDs... Expensive, but absolutely brilliant and a definite road safety asset! Can't believe how I managed with the old halogen lamps!

Choose what's right for you and yours... Not what other people think!

 

[Deskman]

Last year my friends just got their driving licence (57 years old - never too old to learn something new) and enjoyed mastering a car. Changing gears was one of the achievements they where most proud of and 'fun to do'. And now they wanted a second hand car for their holiday to France.

I just bought my 2006 cali (6 speed auto) and had decided that just the Cali was car enough to drive daily and offered them my 12 year old Opel Vectra with a 4 speed auto gearbox.

No - was the short answer.
But you can try...
O, well - we can.
And within 2 miles and a few short turns, backing in to a parking and some red lights they were convinced.

We have auto screen wipers, auto headlights, steering assistance, braking assistance, ABS, cruise control, climate control. An auto gearbox is the same kind of extra comfort and less distracting than handling all these functions in the car by hand (or foot).

 

[Velma's Dad]

Have a manual Cali but an auto would be nice sometimes. I like the auto box on our Volvo which is super smooth. But I hope the DSG box on the VWs is better than the Seat one... I just drove a DSG Alhambra round the Slovenian mountains this week and the DSG box on that was shocking - not smooth and poor hold on hill starts. Also it triggered to auto stop at every single junction which was bloody annoying. I thought Seat used VW drivetrain but maybe wrong?

 

[Tomatoman65]

Here in France where a manual gearbox is de rigeur and one wouldn't be seen dead driving anything else I'm more than happy with our choice but that has a lot to do with the driving conditions - almost empty roads in the countryside where we live and motorways are similar as the French try and avoid the toll if they can. I also appreciate being able to lift the revs above 2500rpm for ten full minutes once a month to avoid the dreaded ERG valve warning (burn off any carbon buildup) which seems to be a common enough problem judging by the forums. I took a T5.1 DSG for a test drive back in the UK and found the lag unnerving at busy intersections. Overall very happy with manual and think it's a fine gearbox.

 

[RodCouncil]

We're going DSG, if I want to change gear I'll do it properly in the Lotus, heel and toeing, LF braking and all of the other techniques I've acquired on the race track. The Cali is about looking out of the window and cruising

 

[Ocean Spirit]

You can disable the auto stop or ECO mode as its called on my car.

 

[ROKET]

You can disable the auto stop or ECO mode as its called on my car.

You can have the DSG gearbox reprogrammed to change up later which will suit the 150 engine in D.Specialist vw engine tuners will do it.

 

[Jay20cali]

Funny how dsg owners seem to slag of the manuals.saying there Stone Age, using mangles to dry clothes, surprised they still make manuals..I have just seen all these comments..what a load of tosh..
Ha ha funny

 

[Steve39]

Like everything else...whichever one I chose is best

 

[Digger]

Like everything else...whichever one I chose is best

Should that not read 'whatever the better half chooses' would be more accurate

 

[Steve39]

Should that not read 'whatever the better half chooses' would be more accurate

Of course...but the other half doesn't read the forum, so I can maintain an illusion on here.

 

[DavidofHook]

DSG is brilliant for us. Much better than the manual T4 we had before(!). As previously mentioned It makes turning the drivers seat easier but most importantly it makes driving here and in Europe so much easier.

I was recently leant a manual after a rock jumped out and dented the Cali's bumper in France. For 3 days I kept trying to change gear by putting my foot on the brake, very distressing, for me and those behind me.

So, joking apart, for a big van it is DSG for me every time.

 

[Grumpy Mike]

Interesting..... I used to say never Auto.. Im a driver... Got an auto Land Rover and found it amazing in London traffic... Got a DSG as I like travelling the minor roads through France and theres loads of roundabouts... So the DSG is ideal..

But got a manual on hire in Alicante in June and that was good too... So my oppinion is it depends also what you will do with your Cali... It frees up a hand for Costa Coffee..

 

[Crell]

I'd only ever owned cars with Manual gearboxes. I bought a caravelle with a DSG box and found it suited it perfectly. If you want a car for 30 years to give to your kids then I'd go manual as there's less to go wrong but DSG was the no 1 option foir me on my new Cali. It's very refined and seems to suit the 150 even more than the 180 I had. Don't get me wrong I love a good manual gearbox but I'm a convert to DSG in a van. The simple answer is drive it and decide which you prefer.

 

[BerndRos]

DSG for a Cali is great....it's effortless.

I reserve my manual box use to the Sports Cars I use in the UK & Portugal when I am there or here.

If I changed my Cali for a new model, which I can't see happening, it would be DSG every time.

 

[GrannyJen]

The Cali is a leisure vehicle.

Why turn into something else?

 

[DOUG MILNE]

The reason for my question is this...
My car is an automatic, it's my 1st one but it's been so nice to drive I vowed I'd never return to a manual. Then I hired a T6 for a week and that was DSG. Another good experience.

Prior to these 2 events I would probably have sworn by a manual box for driving input that I have since learned I can do with out.
So ideally, I'm looking for a used Cali with DSG but on a new one its a hefty mark up. Whilst I'm sure that the older the used van for sale, the less mark up for DSG there will be, I want to go as new as possible.
It's another decision to make that will effect long term enjoyment.
Anybody owned both ?

Would not have another manual. Drove 85,000 miles around the world in a manual vw campervan. Never again manual.

 

[Joker 1299]

I chose DSG because that's what I wanted. I knew it had its idiosyncrasies (like over revving in 3rd gear descents) but it was my choice. Am I an ambassador for DSG? No. Do I want to convert you stick shifters? No. VW have this clever system that they call Options. It means you can also choose what you prefer. They even offer test drives so that you can try before you buy. How good is that? What would I do if DSG was outlawed for some crazy PC reason? I'd buy a manual.