APR DSG tune

[Axles of Evil]

guess i've been lucky. my dsg has been super smooth in city driving and stop/go traffic in D since i got it 30k+ miles ago

i will agree with another poster about the shift direction on the shifter. vw (and many others) seem to use the counterintuitive direction for up/down shifts. sequential gearboxes are typically back to upshift and forward to downshift. mazda autos work this way as well.

Go TCU and note the large difference. You proabaly muscle-memoried yourself to "adapt" to the car....instead of the car "adapting" to you. If I paid for it....the bloody thing better adapt to me, not the other way around.

 

[Axles of Evil]

so a DSG tune will fix the bucking issue when cruising at around 9mph (in traffic for example)?

I've had this issue since day one and always wondered if a DSG tune would fix it. Ive brought my car in to the dealer twice for this issue but was told it was normal.

I, just like you....figured this behavior was unacceptable and THIS prompted me to search for a better solution. Really....THIS problem by itself!

I cannot speak for other tune combo's other than Unitronic, because that is what I bought and have installed. But again, I can tell you that it reduced, or basically eliminated the silliness of low speed jerking, which by all measures is unacceptable and F*&@ing annoying. I can purposely make the car jerk, yes....I can also make my manual transmission Toyota do the SAME thing. However, the TCU tune really does tame to eliminate this silly-ass issue. It really does. I have NO regrets about the TCU, and would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[yo_marc]

The bucking isn't nearly as bad as it can be in some manual transmission cars I've driven... (4th gen Mustang as one example, TJ Wrangler as another). I find our VW's to be a non issue.

I wish I could get a TCU tune for Sport mode alone. Its rather unusable for what I do with the car. I like "D" mode; fuel economy matters to me and I like how it grabs a gear high basically asap. I actually run it in manual mode and hold gears lower in the RPM range, rather than have it up and down shifting on hills around here. Anyway, I love the idea of a TCU tune, but I like the benefits of "D" mode.

 

[Mk7user]

I find it interesting that last year we had a why Manual > DSG thread & now we have a why DSG is crappy out of the box thread.

I didn't realize there was such a hard core group of true autoshifting supporters out there!

I always thought that for times when I want the car to just to put-put around or I want to relax behind the wheel, I put it into automatic.

Else, the way not to burn $600 is to drive the DSG in manual mode - on demand, near instantaneous & engaging.

Automatic shifting for me has always been disengaging.

 

[Isj]

I, just like you....figured this behavior was unacceptable and THIS prompted me to search for a better solution. Really....THIS problem by itself!

I cannot speak for other tune combo's other than Unitronic, because that is what I bought and have installed. But again, I can tell you that it reduced, or basically eliminated the silliness of low speed jerking, which by all measures is unacceptable and F*&@ing annoying. I can purposely make the car jerk, yes....I can also make my manual transmission Toyota do the SAME thing. However, the TCU tune really does tame to eliminate this silly-ass issue. It really does. I have NO regrets about the TCU, and would do it again in a heartbeat.

sounds good to me, I already have the unitronic stage 1+ tune so I will most likely go with their DSG tune as well. Thank you!

 

[Axles of Evil]

The bucking isn't nearly as bad as it can be in some manual transmission cars I've driven... (4th gen Mustang as one example, TJ Wrangler as another). I find our VW's to be a non issue.

I wish I could get a TCU tune for Sport mode alone. Its rather unusable for what I do with the car. I like "D" mode; fuel economy matters to me and I like how it grabs a gear high basically asap. I actually run it in manual mode and hold gears lower in the RPM range, rather than have it up and down shifting on hills around here. Anyway, I love the idea of a TCU tune, but I like the benefits of "D" mode.

Your 'D' mode will significantly improve the behavior with the TCU tune. The correction factor for the TCU tune is not localized to one zone. It can make the car behave just like a standard golf with some econobox motor installed....it can be that tame, and lame and it imitates this state very well.

However, with the application of the boot....it can literally scare the crap out of you if you are not expecting it, and the gears are RIGHT ON THE MONEY every time.

OEM programming = wank!

Rant off.

 

[RedShft]

The bucking isn't nearly as bad as it can be in some manual transmission cars I've driven... (4th gen Mustang as one example, TJ Wrangler as another). I find our VW's to be a non issue.

My thoughts were the same. Even other DCT cars are soooo much worse, I've felt the DSG is very tolerable in slow conditions. However I don't drive in bumper-to-bumper every day and my daily can be a jerky manual..haha, so I might be jaded. Drive an E-gear car or SMG and then you'll love the refinement of the current DSG. It's the first DCT car I've driven where it felt like an auto when you wanted it to.

I wish I could get a TCU tune for Sport mode alone. Its rather unusable for what I do with the car. I like "D" mode; fuel economy matters to me and I like how it grabs a gear high basically asap.

Yes, Sport mode seems WAY too aggressive for me. I feel like I'm abusing the motor by how long it takes to shift and how quickly it downshifts to a higher RPM. It's so annoying. It's probably my least used driving mode. I feel like passengers must think I'm a fanboy racer by the aggressive shifting.

 

[Isj]

My thoughts were the same. Even other DCT cars are soooo much worse, I've felt the DSG is very tolerable in slow conditions. However I don't drive in bumper-to-bumper every day and my daily can be a jerky manual..haha, so I might be jaded. Drive an E-gear car or SMG and then you'll love the refinement of the current DSG. It's the first DCT car I've driven where it felt like an auto when you wanted it to.

DSG is normally smooth, i've had three previous generations of GTI and R32 with the DSG and they never had this bucking issue at low speeds.

 

[dlau9]

DSG is normally smooth, i've had three previous generations of GTI and R32 with the DSG and they never had this bucking issue at low speeds.

It's not so much low speeds but rather constant stop and go (deep city driving with tons of intersections + lights). The DSG does a poor job at identifying when to downshift, go into a neutral state, or up shift. If you don't drive it with the most granny of foot it can get jerky. If you do everything slowly and ease into everything then its fine. But why even bother with a GTI in that case lol.

 

[rip steakface]

But why even bother with a GTI in that case lol.

because i don't want to 'drive it like i stole it' every time i get behind the wheel

that's what i think is so great about this car with the DSG! if i'm creeping along in traffic (like i do EVERY MORNING...) i WANT it to act like a granny-driven econobox in D. that's why for me, the factory D tune is perfect. again, maybe i lucked out and got one of the few DSG transmissions that operates smoothly in that type of environment, but it does the job i ask of it quite well.

when i want to 'drive' my GTI like a GTI, i don't EVER use it in auto, that's what manual mode/paddles are for. i never get tired of firing off shift after shift through the gears, the changes are so quick! sure it doesn't have the total involvement of a manual, but for me that's the trade off of having the option of sticking it in D when i'm not in the mood. and when i'm not in the mood i might as well get the best mpg as possible while i'm at it, which is exactly what the factory D tune delivers. and more oomph is always available if i need it in D with a flick of the left paddle...

i can definitely see the frustration of D (or S for that matter) in the stock tune if i used auto when driving enthusiastically. but since i don't, i'll save my $ and putter along (smoothly...) in the stock D setting until things open up

 

[yo_marc]

Your 'D' mode will significantly improve the behavior with the TCU tune.

That's was helpful reply! I appreciate the input you provided.

It would be awesome if I could drive a TCU tuned car at some point.

 

[GLoBaLReBeL]

I've been having issues with my DSG since I bought the thing. They say its normal, but it doesn't feel normal, and I'm thinking TCU tune. Here's what I feel . .

During normal light throttle city driving, the shifts aren't precise. It feels as if the car shifts and there is a loss of torque or the clutches didn't catch correctly cause the car slumps for half a second and then continues.

Another way to describe it is the sensation of going through a puddle of water. The car's momentum is smooth, it shifts. the momentum stalls for .5 or .25 seconds and then continues again. This happens on and off throughout the drive VERY apparant in 1, 2, and 3 gears. 4, 5, and 6 don't exhibit this at all.

Did anyone else have this FEEL before the TCU tune, and did it get resolved with a TCU tune?

 

[Mk7user]

because i don't want to 'drive it like i stole it' every time i get behind the wheel

that's what i think is so great about this car with the DSG! if i'm creeping along in traffic (like i do EVERY MORNING...) i WANT it to act like a granny-driven econobox in D. that's why for me, the factory D tune is perfect. again, maybe i lucked out and got one of the few DSG transmissions that operates smoothly in that type of environment, but it does the job i ask of it quite well.

when i want to 'drive' my GTI like a GTI, i don't EVER use it in auto, that's what manual mode/paddles are for. i never get tired of firing off shift after shift through the gears, the changes are so quick! sure it doesn't have the total involvement of a manual, but for me that's the trade off of having the option of sticking it in D when i'm not in the mood. and when i'm not in the mood i might as well get the best mpg as possible while i'm at it, which is exactly what the factory D tune delivers. and more oomph is always available if i need it in D with a flick of the left paddle...

i can definitely see the frustration of D (or S for that matter) in the stock tune if i used auto when driving enthusiastically. but since i don't, i'll save my $ and putter along (smoothly...) in the stock D setting until things open up

Very well stated & exactly my earlier sentiments.

This thread has however brought to light a population of owners who want to feel the rush of instantaneous power ala a manual but yet want to only use their right foot.

I always thought it was only manual vs. paddle shifting. But now this element of a slushbox only power driver is added into the discussion.

 

[mkygod]

Quick question: with these DSG tunes, can you still retain the OEM tune when driving in Comfort or Normal modes?

 

[mynewfast]

Thanks for all of the feedback. I booked an appt. Thursday to get the DSG tune. Until then its manual mode all the time, which is not a bad thing.

Reviving an old thread - but curious how your experience has been with the TCU tune, now that you’ve had it for some time?

Two general questions of my own for the community out there. Just bought a 2018 MK7 GTI SE, and am loving it so far. But really itching to unleash the potential of this beast. Not too worried about the cost, but freaking out (perhaps a bit uneccesarily) about the warranty voiding. Just paranoid that I will break something and be out of pocket for repairs, since I have a difficult local VW dealership who is not an APR dealer.

1. Do you think just the APR TCU upgrade is worthy in an of itself, or is Stage I also a must have?

2. Will just the DSG tune (assuming no Stage I done simultaneously) void the warranty as well?

Thanks!!