I started a thread on the pros & cons of differing types of auto transmissions a few weeks back.
The upshot of this is that I bought a new VW Golf, a 1.4 tsi SE with dsg. These are my initial thoughts & random observations.
I?ve had the car now for around a week, I?m greatly impressed by the engine which is smooth & hushed, and by the auto which is also very smooth. The car goes pretty well, as far as I can try it while running in.
Top gear is set at 30mph/1000revs, which gives an easy cruise. Average mpg, in urban & occasional mway conditions is around 40. I have not done any long trips yet.
Top gear ( 7th ) will engage on a light throttle at about 45 mph.
The car has bulb type running lights.
Wind noise is very low.
Some road noise, but only because the rest of the noises are quiet.
Rear seat backrest only folds for large loads.
The SE model gets no front fogs, which seems a bit mean, but does get cruise, auto lights & wipers.
Overall I?m delighted, particularly since the Golf is not the budget option. ( I got a fair but not vast discount )
Reliability? The engine has a chain cam which is good, but also has a turbo & variable intake timing, which might not be. It also appears to have no sparkplugs, I suspect there is a combined injection / spark thingy to go with the direct injection.
I hope to not be reporting any problems in the future!
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Does DSG have hill assist? Also does clutch(es) engage when you select D or when you press accelerator. I am intrigued and must try a DSG soon.
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Yes it does have hill assist.
The car does creep when in drive. I don't know if the clutch is dissengaged if you brake to a stop. I would hope so, but I slip into N if stopped for any length of time.
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"Also does clutch(es) engage when you select D or when you press accelerator."
The clutch engages as soon as you select D and lift your foot off the footbrake. Great for manouvering as the car creeps on tickover.
I'm also interested in the 1.4 unit as I think it's as near as a diesel as you can get for performance and good fuel economy. Since this engine was launched I've seen plenty of A3s with 1.4 on the boot.
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Reliability? The engine has a chain cam which is good but also has a turbo & variable intake timing which might not be. It also appears to have no sparkplugs I suspect there is a combined injection / spark thingy to go with the direct injection.
It will definitely have conventional spark plugs, although like with most modern engines, they're probably buried under plastic covers and coil units, and therefore well out of sight.
It seems an incredibly complex engine, which one would like to think was thoroughly developed and tested before launch. I wouldn't give the turbo a second thought as they tend to be pretty reliable nowadays, assuming the correct oil is used and changed as directed. The direct injection part though is less clear, particularly from a longer term reliability point of view based on efforts that have gone before. Still, on a brand new car, I don't think you have much to worry about. Average mpg, in urban & occasional mway conditions is around 40. I have not done >> any long trips yet.
Probably comparable, or even slightly better than a common rail Euro IV diesel of similar output, during the running-in period and in mostly urban use. On £5-£8 a tank cheaper fuel as well!
If this engine is reliable, it could well be the future.
Cheers
DP
Edited by DP on 09/03/2009 at 21:24
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I look forward to trying engines like this when my car is replaced in a few years. Before my current and previous diesels, I had a few turbo petrols. So might go back to petrols with my personal miles down and petrols now having low CO 2 figures which affect company car drivers.
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Does anyone have any thoughts on how this engine compares with the GTI's 2.0 litre engine? I've tried this in an Octavia vRs and it was wonderfully torquey and pulled away from low revs just about as well as a diesel.
Presumably economy is better with the 1.4 but is it a highly-tuned screamer with nothing much below 2000 rpm?
Incidentally tractability at low revs is a feature of the BMW straight-six (my Z3 is a 2.2) - a bonus which I hadn't expected when I got it.
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The engine is not an all or nothing screamer, it pulls steadily from low revs, but not quite with the lug of a diesel. ( I'm comparing it with my previous Focus II, 1.6 tdci )
On a smallish throttle it will change up quite early, at about 2500 -3000 rpm.
I would say it feels like an 1800 engine to drive. There is no sudden point at which the turbo can be felt cutting in.
Just completed a 65 mile commute, mostly congested M6 with some urban traffic either end. Car's computer showed 50.5 mpg, of which I'm well pleased. I did not go much above 70 though, since I'm running in and I'm also a "9 point man". The Focus would do 55 mpg on the same run.
Edited by mustangman on 10/03/2009 at 09:18
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