VAG DSG Auto gearbox and hill starts

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Wed 7 Jul 2004 12:09
VAG DSG Auto gearbox and hill starts - scott bell

I wonder if people can share their experiences of using VAG's DSG gearbox, with twin clutch etc...

As I understand it, you have two peddles, brake and throttle, and then control gears with levers around the wheel.

Now you can drive in automatic, or use up and down gear shifting.

My question is, have people enjoyed driving this way, without the clutch peddle, and also, how do you do a hill start.

Do you balance the handbrake and throttle?

It seems to me that VAG should have designed this NOT to roll back on a hill start what so ever.

There is no driving advantage to rolling back, and more so, people will forget. It is just a pain. Plus it means the DSG can't be used as a proper automatic when you want it.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 7 Jul 2004 12:56
VAG DSG Auto gearbox and hill starts - Mark (RLBS)
>>My question is, have people enjoyed driving this way, without the clutch peddle, and also, how do you do a hill start.

With a handbrake like you do in a manual vehicle ?

Although when living in San Francisco I had an automatic with the parking/emergency brake put on by foot and released by hand; hill starts were ok but hill stops were a total nightmare - and in San Francisco they have the odd hill or two.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 8 Jul 2004 16:22
VAG DSG Auto gearbox and hill starts - daveyjp
smart has a similar system and I use the handbrake - you can use the throttle to ride the clutch but it burns the clutch out v quickly! Newer smarts have 'hill start assist' which keeps the brakes applied for a split second when you are on a hill so you can swap from brake peddle to accelerator without the car rolling back. I have heard of problems in finer car control when parking on hills with this system - but apparently leaving the handbrake slightly on i.e. handbrake warning light on but no pressure applied disables the system!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 8 Jul 2004 16:32
VAG DSG Auto gearbox and hill starts - Andy P
What\'s a peddle?


Andy

A mis-spelled paddle because I was tired.

HJ
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 8 Jul 2004 16:46
VAG DSG Auto gearbox and hill starts - helicopter
Its one of those things on flowers ...

Seriously I suggest HJ sees P5 of todays Telegraph ref the \'Abuse of English\' by Lynn Truss author of \'Eats shoots and leaves\'

Don\'t have the time. I only ever bother to spell-check stuff when I\'m editing it for the column.

HJ
Reply | Report as offensive | Link

From which small car to buy at which price point to the best UK-built cars, our Top 10s have the lot. Click now for your shortlist.

Unsure of what to buy? Our Top 10s are here to help you....