New Car, Audi A3

[teoman]

They have a manual version of the same car, so selling and buying one of those would be cheaper, even profitable. But the wife can only drive an automatic.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by teoman

The DSG (dual shift gearbox) on the car went out a couple of days ago. I lost reverse and 2,4,6 th gears.

A friend recently had trouble with the DSG too, in a Passat B6 which was IIRC also fitted with the 1.6 TDI.

[teoman]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

A friend recently had trouble with the DSG too, in a Passat B6 which was IIRC also fitted with the 1.6 TDI.

I asked what can be done to extend the life of the gearbox. Mech said their life just runs out.

Obviously not using the gas pedal to stay stationary on a hill is bad. But this same phenomenon can happen in Park aswell. So must put it in N first before going to P. (You can feel the load in P). Also do not drop the car on to P while parking on a hill.

So to sum it up, to park, first to N then handbrake then P.

[teoman]

But they are prone to failings. 70-100 k km.

[GreenTDI]

Originally Posted by teoman

I asked what can be done to extend the life of the gearbox. Mech said their life just runs out.

Those DSG gearboxes are set to minimum emission values and the lowest possible engine speeds. They often shift too fast and choppy. There are VAG specialists (tuning-scene) who adapt the software of these gearboxes so that they shift a bit later and more smoothly. This is said to extend life. However, the consumption does not improve.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by teoman

But they are prone to failings.

No wonder in Brazil some models originally fitted elsewhere with a DSG get a conventional automatic for locally-made versions instead.

[teoman]

It is a good transmission for fuel economy. Learns how you drive and shifts early. I can see it taking advantage of the BSFC map. But the economy is “absorbed” at a later stage.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by teoman

Learns how you drive and shifts early. I can see it taking advantage of the BSFC map.

Some regular automatics and CVTs do it too, and are still more reliable on the long run.

[Fat Charlie]

DSG is more mechanically efficient than a slush pumper, but a TCM controlling the shifting cares more about focus groups' idea of a smooth ride than actually taking care of the transmission. It also suffers the Achilles' heel of all ATs: it doesn't know what you're trying to do, it just reacts to sensor input.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Fat Charlie

DSG is more mechanically efficient than a slush pumper, but a TCM controlling the shifting cares more about focus groups' idea of a smooth ride than actually taking care of the transmission.

And since the clutch packs are more fragile than a torque converter, well, the results are not so good. No wonder Ford has switched from the PowerShift DCT to a conventional automatic for the Focus in Australia when it started to supply it from Thailand instead of South Africa.

On a sidenote, the clutch is not the only component prone to fail on the DSG. The one a friend has recently bought and sold at a 20% loss (even though paying £100 and getting rid of that for £80 doesn't sound so awful at all) had an actuator failure which rendered at least 3 forward gears and the reverse out of service. He said it would cost £600 to repair