Scirocco Central

Hi,

I'm about to buy a scirocco R and I would need some advice as I'm totally new to VW / VAGs and all the new gizmos these car has nowdays.

I'm mostly wondering about the DSG. It seems like a nice piece of engineering considering the speed it reacts on upshifts. But what about downshifts? if I'm in 4th and the second clutch is presumably waiting with 5th engaged but I decide to go to 3rd, what happens, and how slow? Would the manual box be faster in this case? I've heard the scirocco R manual box isn't the best out there, which is one reason I'm thinking of getting the DSG, as the manual box in my last car (Honda Integra Type-R DC5) is one of the best manual box I have ever used. So getting a rubbish manual box isn't really an option.

Is there any torsen LSD options available for a DSG scirocco? The XDS or whatever it's called is probably not gonna cut it. I can live without LSD (ha ha ha), but being used to a proper torsen LSD, I might consider fitting one if there is an option.

Can the Scirocco R ACC "comfort" mode really be called comfort? Is the difference noticable?

ps. This is my first post. I'm from Finland so there might be some language issues.

Hi Kinli,

Downshift is ok in D. Sport mode everything seems to react quicker, except me.
Comfort mode on the ACC is noticeably different from Normal and sport setting.

The DSG really is as someone else has said, a marmite thing, you either love it or hate it.
If I had another R it would be DSG, simply because as at my age everything happens too fast in the R

My age I would be better off with a Diesel Fiat 500 1.0 litre

I've found the DSG box to be superb. It is super smooth. I believe the first clutch does gears 1,3 an 5 with the second clutch 2,4 and 6. Whilst in gear I don't think the clutch is engaged. Therefore it has the gear above and below already pre-selected. There is no delay in up or down shifting that I've found.
I haven't driven a manual but would certainly recommend the DSG. The R accelerates so fast that with the manual I expect you'd always be changing gear. With the DSG it's so easy and there's a lovely boom noise on the up shift.

Redpastyboy wrote:I've found the DSG box to be superb. It is super smooth. I believe the first clutch does gears 1,3 an 5 with the second clutch 2,4 and 6. Whilst in gear I don't think the clutch is engaged. Therefore it has the gear above and below already pre-selected. There is no delay in up or down shifting that I've found.
I haven't driven a manual but would certainly recommend the DSG. The R accelerates so fast that with the manual I expect you'd always be changing gear. With the DSG it's so easy and there's a lovely boom noise on the up shift.

DSG only preselects one gear as the other clutch is being used to provide drive. You are correct that one clutch does odd gears and the other does even gears.

In my experience it is an excellent piece of kit but it does have the odd quirk that you soon learn to drive around.

Cuprabob wrote:In my experience it is an excellent piece of kit but it does have the odd quirk that you soon learn to drive around.

I'd like to hear more about these odd quirks.

Single downshifts are upto 600ms with or without preselect this is based on throttle response and the rev matching process needed on downwards single shift, block down shifts are 900ms (this allows of selection of an intermediate ratio), fuzzy logic upshifts are sub 10ms, conventional upshifts 200ms. Fuzzydown shifts below 600ms may be possible depending on the engine load / revs at the point you request the downshift.
Pre-selection should mean that most upshifts are fuzzy.

A manual syncromesh box should not be faster on upshift or downshift assuming you don't force the gear in damaging the mechanism.

LSD wise you've got a choice of Quaife, Peloquin or Wavetrac, Quaife ATB is a most common choice.

The ACC modes don't really do much comfort is still rock hard but makes the vehicle feel under damped and sport is too soft for hard track use. Investing in full spring, damper and ARB replacement may make sense depending on how you plan to use the vehicle.