GTD 6MT v DSG mpg

[mikef4uk]

I rather fancied a GTD DSG to replace my current 2.0 Golf Diesel, I was slightly concerned about the VW mpg figures being lower for the DSG as most auto's these days are the same or higher.

We took a GTD DSG out and I reset the fuel consumption before we started, we did a 15 mile 'mixed route' and it showed 47.2mpg on returning to the dealer,

The dealer knew my concerns and we then took out a manual GTD, same route, both cars with similar mileage on them (6-8K), both in 'sport' mode and I drove them the same, on return the manual showed 55.1mpg.

Thats close to 20% better mpg on the Manual car

 

[richiekuk]

Yep the DSG is worse on fuel.
Especially in Sport mode. Did you not notice that the DSG was always revving quite high in Sport. It'll always be in the next gear down to what is needed (ready for quick acceleration).
Whereas with the manual in Sport, you are in control of the gears and so will naturally favour the correct gear for the situation. Dropping gears as you need to.

I'm not a particular fan of the DSG boxes. They're neither one thing or the other!
Especially on a GTD, i mean who Wants to use the paddles on a 4 pot diesel!

 

[Jamzo64]

....... i mean who Wants to use the paddles on a 4 pot diesel!

erm, me! using the paddle shift for a brisk drive on my local back roads is a blast ... sadly it does have an adverse affect on mpg though

 

[Finglonga]

The difference is not worth worrying about, the DSG is a more relaxed ride and more un than the manual when you want it to be. I have driven both and would never go back to a manual again.

 

[mikef4uk]

Yep the DSG is worse on fuel.
Especially in Sport mode. Did you not notice that the DSG was always revving quite high in Sport. It'll always be in the next gear down to what is needed (ready for quick acceleration).
Whereas with the manual in Sport, you are in control of the gears and so will naturally favour the correct gear for the situation. Dropping gears as you need to.

I'm not a particular fan of the DSG boxes. They're neither one thing or the other!
Especially on a GTD, i mean who Wants to use the paddles on a 4 pot diesel!

Apologies, the DSG car was in normal mode on the gearstick, I tried it in 'Sport' for a couple of hundred metres and as you say it just reved quite high and would annoy me, I had an Audi TTS some years ago and that was similar, I never used Sport mode, I used either full Auto or Manual

 

[mikef4uk]

The difference is not worth worrying about, the DSG is a more relaxed ride and more un than the manual when you want it to be. I have driven both and would never go back to a manual again.

How can 8 mpg not be worth worrying about? surely the whole point (or most of it) of a Diesel is the mpg, 8mpg difference is going to cost me about £300 per year with the added road tax of the DSG
I see you have the GTI, I dont think the mpg difference between the two is as great on a GTI or R model

This just makes me think that the DSG design isnt best suited to a Diesel, just about every other manufacturer (with a normal auto box) quotes more mpg for the auto over the manual

If I was buying an 'R' I wouldnt even consider a manual car

 

[V2brett1]

I have a gtd dsg and did worry about the mpg vs a manual gtd. I opted for dsg and even on a 4 mile journey 5 days a week i can easily achieve over 50mpg ( thats with only 500 miles on the car too).
If i drive enthusiastic i still achieve over 40 mpg.

I do love the dsg though its relaxing and easy to drive day to day and then when you want some fun its still great in sport or manual mode.

 

[richiekuk]

Your definitely going to get less MPG with the DSG. But not "that much" over a decent period of time.
Your test drive probably wasn't that representative to be honest.
It'll downshift more than you will in a manual.

As much as i'm not overly enamoured with the DSG box on mine, I wouldn't be going back to a manual daily driver any time soon. Just for the ease of no clutch pedal with todays increasingly slow traffic!

 

[mikef4uk]

Your definitely going to get less MPG with the DSG. But not "that much" over a decent period of time.
Your test drive probably wasn't that representative to be honest.
It'll downshift more than you will in a manual.

As much as i'm not overly enamoured with the DSG box on mine, I wouldn't be going back to a manual daily driver any time soon. Just for the ease of no clutch pedal with todays increasingly slow traffic!

I totally agree with the traffic thing, but being as I was able to take early retirement 18 months ago I just avoid the rush hours these days

It was a 15 mile round trip, pretty equally divided between 50 limits, 70 mph dual carraigeway with roundabouts and back through a 30 limit, I drove the two cars the same, or as close as I could, there was 15 minutes between drives, both cars had between 6-8 K miles on them, both cars also on the same 18'' wheels

I went along with what the gear prompt said in the manual car and allowed the DSG to do its stuff, one thing I did notice was the DSG car stayed in 5th for most of the 50 limit whereas the manual car prompted 6th on the display

I also looked at the long term fuel when I got into the car, one was over 650 miles and the other over 900 miles (cant remember which was which), both were incredibly low? maybe due to their demo status I would guess

DSG showed 38mpg and the manual 43mpg on long term

It's a shame really as I am sold on the DSG gearbox, I had one in my Audi TTS and loved it and wanted to go GTD/DSG,

I just know that after driving around in a Mk7 2.0 GT M6 for 3 years and getting 52mpg (long term) dropping to what I estimate would be 45-47 would annoy me

 

[chrisreynolds19]

My advice is go for the DSG who cares about fuel. The only thing i dislike about my GTD is I wish it was DSG. In reality too, the MPG reading on the computer is (on my car anyway) 4.5mpg out on average over 17500 miles. its always optimistic. If you use premium fuel like bp ultimate or shell vpower then it seems to be about 1-2mpg out. My manual is returning a realistic 44mpg which is no where near what I had expected to get and even hearing people on here driving at 55mpg im sitting here thinking WTF? I recommend DSG, however it is your preference, if you like it go for it, if not then get the manual. not everyone is like me and wants paddles to change gear

 

[Finglonga]

If you are that concerned about MPG then the GTD is not the car you want as you are looking at a performance oil burner, so MPG is not going to be the main reason people buy the car. For the performance you get the extra MPG you get over petrol is a bonus. If you want good mpg you need to drive like a nun all the time, I went from DERV to petrol as I wanted to enjoy the car and if I drive like the above nun even with a GTI I have seen 45mpg (best 47) yet I know I have the fun factor there when I want.

 

[mikef4uk]

If you are that concerned about MPG then the GTD is not the car you want as you are looking at a performance oil burner, so MPG is not going to be the main reason people buy the car. For the performance you get the extra MPG you get over petrol is a bonus. If you want good mpg you need to drive like a nun all the time, I went from DERV to petrol as I wanted to enjoy the car and if I drive like the above nun even with a GTI I have seen 45mpg (best 47) yet I know I have the fun factor there when I want.

I'm not that concerned about fuel I just cant see the point of buying a Diesel that only just betters a GTI like you own,

I like the slight extra performance over my 2.0GT but more so the extra level of equipment that comes std over the GT, the handling for one and the lights (front and rear) plus the full electronic climate, my GT has candles up front and a heater that can never be set 'just right';

Yes, I could fit a xenon kit, but I did that on my last Mk5 Golf and the pattern was crap.

I could buy a secondhand set of xenons from a GTD or R for £600+ but I just know they would still throw an error without the headlamp washers when I try and code them with Vag Com

 

[richiekuk]

GTD will always be better on fuel than a GTI. But not as good as a 1.6 tdi, for example.
All depends where your priorities lie.

I drive my cars fairly hard, and the GTD is not as economical as my Passat 140CR tdi. But I knew that when I bought it. I'm happy to trade a bit of mpg for a more GTI like drive.

If my commute drops to justify a petrol I'll buy one. But for know it's a DERV.

 

[welshdragon1979]

my 1 long trip so far (golf se 2.0 tdi dsg se) and working out the mpg the old fashioned way (fill to the first click on the fuel pump, and again at the end of the journey, figuring out how many gallons you put in, then divide the milage over the gallions) i got 58 mpg using eco mode ona 253 mile drive, this was using the a/c when i needed to, which i'm sure was most of the journey, having to do a few miles of the m6/m56 so slowly the start/stop cicked in.

i did the return journey in sport, and got 50 mpg, so all in all, compared to the renault laguna 2 with the 1.9 120hp and 6 sped manual i had before it, (which got an avarage of 50mgg) it's done a lot better.. tey may be diesel, but unless your gonna settle for a 1.6 tdi dsg, think 60 at most is what you should expect, still good, i doubt you'd get that much from any of the petrol ones...

 

[lucyfek]

There's more to DSG than just lower mpgs. Higher initial price (+more tax), extra maintenance costs and heaven forbid a failure outside warranty period (these fancy things are sensitive and replacement is usually the only option).
Long live the stick.