VW T-Roc - VAG 7 speed dry clutch DSG box....we have one!

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Fri 30 Dec 2022 15:43
VW T-Roc - VAG 7 speed dry clutch DSG box....we have one! - lucklesspedestrian

So, my daughter took possession of a 2020 T-Roc this morning, the 150hp 1.5 engine mated to the DQ200 dry clutch 7 speed box. It's a wonderful, smooth and quick thing to drive at the moment but obviously having followed this forum for a while, I'm aware there can be issues and indeed many here would avoid like the plague.

The car does have a 2 year VW warranty and only has 12K on the clock, previous owner being an elderly local lady. My question is simply, is there any particular way to drive the car with mechanical sympathy to minimise the risk of putting undue strain on the box? Or to put it another way is there any particular driving style which is more likely to lead to issues?

Thanks in advance

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Fri 30 Dec 2022 16:02
VW T-Roc - VAG 7 speed dry clutch DSG box....we have one! - badbusdriver

Not saying I'd avoid one like the plague, but I definitely wouldn't buy a second hand one because there is no way of knowing how the previous owner drove it.

Main thing I'd say is don't thrash it. Also, if stopped at traffic lights or roadworks, if you know you are going to be stationary for a while, I'd slip it into neutral. If performing a rapid overtake, I think I'd also be inclined to manually shift down to the appropriate gear, I just feel that would be gentler on the transmission (but may be talking nonsense!)

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Fri 30 Dec 2022 16:02
VW T-Roc - VAG 7 speed dry clutch DSG box....we have one! - Manatee

Never hold the car on the accelerator. This is actually in the manual, but is not obvious to anyone habituated to old-style autos.

I also avoid leaving it in D with the handbrake on at lights. It will back the clutch off from the biting point after a couple of seconds, but in my mind's eye I can see all those 2 second periods wearing and heating the clutch. With foot on brake, the clutch remains disengaged.

When you do set off, if you hit the accelerator too hard before the clutch is in, you risk setting off with a bang. I tend either to wait for the clutch to bite first, or bring up the revs gently.

Yours might be a bit smoother or differently programmed to our Roomster - if yours has an electric handbrake it will probably declutch properly. Ours is manual and seems to have no interlock with the clutch.

Other than that, stick it in D (or S if you want to be a gear lower) and drive it.

It seems to manage up and down changes quite successfully without any special treatment, about 0.1% of the time it will be caught on the hop with the wrong gear pre-engaged (e.g. when you have been slowing, and it's been changing down, and you start to accelerate). and then there is a short hiatus while it sorts itself out.

I used to find it annoying (I have a manual car, and a proper auto which is IMO better to drive) but I have got used to the DSG and mostly let it do its thing.

EDIT: Picking up on BBD's point, if I see an overtake coming, I slip it into S. It will generally change down a gear immediately, and is usually responsive enough when the time comes. S basically doesn't use 7th.

Edited by Manatee on 30/12/2022 at 16:05

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Fri 30 Dec 2022 19:01
VW T-Roc - VAG 7 speed dry clutch DSG box....we have one! - sammy1

You can overthink these things just drive it and enjoy. The DSG is designed for all eventualities. A lot of these have paddle shift so if you are overtaking drop it down one or two gears the response is immediate. The box will also kickdown like a torque one if you floor the accelerator.

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Fri 30 Dec 2022 21:20
VW T-Roc - VAG 7 speed dry clutch DSG box....we have one! - groaver

Never hold the car on the accelerator. This is actually in the manual, but is not obvious to anyone habituated to old-style autos.

I also avoid leaving it in D with the handbrake on at lights. It will back the clutch off from the biting point after a couple of seconds, but in my mind's eye I can see all those 2 second periods wearing and heating the clutch. With foot on brake, the clutch remains disengaged.

When you do set off, if you hit the accelerator too hard before the clutch is in, you risk setting off with a bang. I tend either to wait for the clutch to bite first, or bring up the revs gently.


Pretty much all of this.

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Fri 30 Dec 2022 22:16
VW T-Roc - VAG 7 speed dry clutch DSG box....we have one! - elekie&a/c doctor
Something to remember, is that if you have the stop/start engaged, the engine is not running when stationary with drive selected.
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