Hola

[sbowden]

hi all, Steve here 1st time. Drive an 09 118TSi DSG with sports pack (seats, suspension, wheels, sunroof etc) purchased 2nd hand when it had 9000klm on the clock. Now has 52,000 klm and have had absolutely no major hassles... passenger-side power window switch mount (internal in door) gave way and needed replacing at normal service time...and that's it!

I bought this car with my head, not my heart... and fittingly, it is delivering well on paper. Economical, plenty of performance without being inspiring, and it looks great with the options as mentioned.

I must say there are a couple of shortcomings that VW should address before Mark VII in order for my to buy the next model GTi.

Firstly and most importantly, the 7sp DSG frustrates me . The jerky starts, when it's all or nothing: powerful wheelspin or a slower creep-forward (and panic) at the roundabout! And my driveway is such that I need to do a 4m uphill reverse before I take off down the driveway...when cold, the shuddering can be really alarming during the reverse bit. Finally, once in motion I find the box tries to be one gear higher than I'd like...mostly happens on a mild uphill, and can cause a shudder before it chooses a lower gear.. Really, at times like these I wish I had the manual.

UPDATE, FOLLOWING SOME ADVICE FOUND IN THIS FORUM I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR "LIKE A MANUAL" AND HAVE THEREFORE RESET? SOME SORT OF FUZZY-LOGIC MEMORY IN THE MECHATONICS...DON'T QUOTE ME!!... AND NOW HAVE NO ISSUES WITH SHUDDER. MUCH IMPROVED.

The only other frustration is the rain-sensing wipers, they're a bit hit & miss... but I can live with their temperamental nature, its better than having to manually use a variable-intermittent switch.

Previous cars have included 2005 Subaru Liberty Spec B 6 sp manual and 2007 Holden Calais V, 6.0L with 20" HBD wheel & suspension package. Wife has a Ford Focus XR5, which we both love.

[Ryan_R]

Welcome Steve.

Got myself APR Stage 1 ecu tune and SprintBooster pedal adapter to solve the pedal hesitation issues. I also have an uphill driveway but do a handbrake start (like you would in a manual) to avoid the issues you mention. I also retrofitted a sport steering wheel from Europe which has paddles so I can drive it in the ear I prefer. Makes the car much more inspiring to drive. 2 years later and I still always look forward to grabbing the keys. :)

Nothing I've been able to do about the hit/miss wipers. At least I've been able to put them to better use by having them automatically shut my windows if it starts to rain when the car is parked & locked.

[FSI 220]

Hola Esteban, que tal?

I think there is a reasonable difference between the 7spd dry clutch and the 6 speed wet... I have none of those issues, although (spoken like someone who has never actually driven a 7spd) I have read a bit of angst with the dry plate... The current 6sp i have hasn't had an issue yet (knock on wood) and really smooth for what is essentially a robotised manual, and that would be what you would find in a GTI.

I find the the wipers comical at times. The car kicks off the wipers flicks water on itself, which immediately triggers the sensor, which flicks more water... suddenly the car has the wipers on hyper warp, realises it is a mere sprinkle and stops them... makes the driver look like a Muppet at the lights though. :rolleyes:

Cheers

John

[Ryan_R]

Yeah the 6spd is a tried true and tested box with barely any issues reported on these forums. I hope the Mk7 GTI retains the 6spd DSG.

Following someone through a puddle and having the wipers immediately responding puts a smile on my face though, reminds me of in-car rally footage. :)

[sbowden]

Great responses guys, cheers. Heartened to hear the GTI has different box.
And Ryan, are you able to send me a pic and any details on the steering wheel and who fitted it for you? can send / post external email if that's easier with graphics.

I'm in Lismore, not sure i will have a surfeit of VW specialists... but I'm not too far from Gold Coast, and need to be in Brisbane in July.

And what is an APR stage 1 ecu tune, how much is it and what does it do?



cheers, Steve

[Ryan_R]

Read this thread for info re. steering wheel: http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/forums/f97/flappy-paddles-steering-wheel-tiguan-56968-7.html#post823053

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2012/06/201111242520141959-1.jpg (https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-BC4uN2_QOX4/Ts3Gb7mPWiI/AAAAAAAAIUY/JfA645QefxY/s1920/2011-11-24%252014.19.59.jpg)

APR, Viesu, etc are tuning companies. Stage 1 changes the software in your cars brain which gives significant more power and slightly better throttle response. Even fuel usage is improved due to the less amount of engine revving required for the same acceleration. APR is the most expensive but has a few benefits that set it higher than the others, however everyone picks according to their justifications. APR dealers offer a 6-hour (ignition time, so could last a few days) free trial to help you decide.

As you may know the 0-100kph time of a normal 118 TSI is 8.0 seconds. By installing the APR Stage 1 software and doing nothing else that time has dropped to about 6.7 seconds (matching a GTI, which is roughly $10,000 more expensive, which helps justify the APR price tag). Supercharger (while still quiet/subtle) sounds much better also. More info here: http://goapr.com.au/products/ecu_upgrade_14tsi_twin.html (also search the forums for threads about various brands) Most dealers have specials on in June and December as well.