2.0 TDI 6 speed manaul v DSG?

[MelbMan]

Out in my wifes 1.6L 5 speed manual today and at highway speeds (100km/hr) it's around 3000rpm, 120km/hr perhaps 3500rpm. Fairly busy.

Looking at a diesel for myself (coming from a 300ZX Twin turbo autommatic which is a great engine and gearbox but somewhere around 15l/100km around town, maybe 10-12L/100km highway if you're careful). A bit of research suggests the 6 speed manual will have longer legs and lower rpm at highway speeds. Perhaps around 2000pm for 100/110km/hr, the DSG somewhat higher due to different gearing?

I have driven a 2011 Polo GTI with the 7 speed DSG and like it.

How seamless is the 2.0L TDI with DSG with all that torque? Suspect my final choice may come down to what's on the market and the price difference secondhand. My heart says DSG, my pocket looking quickly at Carpoint says manual. The long legs of the manual appeal.

Any comments appreciated.
Thanks
John

[Idle]

Out in my wifes 1.6L 5 speed manual today and at highway speeds (100km/hr) it's around 3000rpm, 120km/hr perhaps 3500rpm. Fairly busy.

Looking at a diesel for myself (coming from a 300ZX Twin turbo autommatic which is a great engine and gearbox but somewhere around 15l/100km around town, maybe 10-12L/100km highway if you're careful). A bit of research suggests the 6 speed manual will have longer legs and lower rpm at highway speeds. Perhaps around 2000pm for 100/110km/hr, the DSG somewhat higher due to different gearing?

I have driven a 2011 Polo GTI with the 7 speed DSG and like it.

How seamless is the 2.0L TDI with DSG with all that torque? Suspect my final choice may come down to what's on the market and the price difference secondhand. My heart says DSG, my pocket looking quickly at Carpoint says manual. The long legs of the manual appeal.

My 2.0l TDI (Mk 6) with DSG runs around 2000RPM @ 100K (in fact the rev counter is more accurate than the speedo, which is an arrant liar.)

Fuel consumption? Since its last fill it hasn't been more than about 20K from home (East Kew, Melbourne), is showing just over half full and has 522K on the trip meter (I always reset it as I leave the bowser) and will do another 400-odd before I top it up, but of course as a retiree I don't travel in peak traffic much and I'm mostly solo with little or no load.

Having said that, I really wouldn't recommend a diesel for use as a city/suburban shopping jeep — they like to be hot, take the best part of quite some while to warm up and over time can have more (and more expensive!) problems than petrol engines on regular short runs.

How seamless is it? I neither flog it nor baby it, and in normal driving I'm hard pressed to detect a gear change, either up or down. Can exhibit quite violent axle tramp if one treadles it too hard taking off (not that you'd need to — despite having got my OBE (Over Bloody Eighty) some years ago, few cars ever lose me at the lights...)

[Bizi]

Driving at 110 back from Canberra - barely over 2k rpm in 6th.

2.0TDI has great flexibility so is worth it. Highly tuneable, too. Just search for Bluefin in the UK!

In my car (often confused with an 'OBE' car) no V8 gets away, either. Usually they get a bit annoyed that the TDI is so good from the lights, without making a noisy fuss.

[Greg Roles]

In 103kw form, the MKV TDI's had no DPF's ( exhaust particulate filter ) so around town is no problem. In MK6 guise they do, but it is a different DPF to the combined MKV one, and it "should" clog up less. Depends on what model you are considering as to what it is limited to. The 6 speed sits just over 2000rpm in 5th at 100kph, I rarely use 6th as it drops it down towards 1800rpm which is the lower limit of useful boost and soot avoidance, but then I do have the MKV 125kw with a DPF. The manual is very busy around townm and you have to get used to making a lot of changes, a BIG difference I found coming from a big auto, but a welcome one.

[benough]

A bit of research suggests the 6 speed manual will have longer legs and lower rpm at highway speeds. Perhaps around 2000pm for 100/110km/hr, the DSG somewhat higher due to different gearing?

How seamless is the 2.0L TDI with DSG with all that torque? Suspect my final choice may come down to what's on the market and the price difference secondhand. My heart says DSG, my pocket looking quickly at Carpoint says manual. The long legs of the manual appeal.

Hey John

If need be I can give you the gear ratios between the Manual and DSG on the TDI. I don't see why they'd be different though.

In my old TDI Comfortline 6spd man 110km/h was around 1900rpm in 6th. In my GT Sport (125kw) it's about 2100rpm but that's b/c it's the "Sport" model

I've driven a Passat with the same 125kw TDI motor and DSG and the torque is essentially seamless. I prefer manual though b/c I like the reward of creating perfect gear changes rather than letting the playstation do it

DSG isn't a poor second to manual, but you are right, there's the mechatronic unit as well as two clutches and the $400 DSG service you can't avoid, so the wallet does need consideration.

I have a dieselgeek short shifter in mine which makes shifting easier but it's a tad notchy so it's not for all.

[MelbMan]

Thanks guys... most of my running around is around town and shortish trips. By the sound of it this should be ok in a Mk 5. The only other longlegged diesel I've driven (when thinking about it) was a 6 speed Vauxhall Astra diesel in England. Nice long legs. Have had a look at the Passats on Carpoint and they are not priced too badly either. Only trip in Passat was in a taxi in Prague. Next step might be to get out and do a couple of test drives. Greg.. not sure if I'm up for all that gear changing. The wifes 1.6L manual has quite a nice change and yes there is a certain pleasure in creating perfect gear changes