| Forum Home | ||||
| PC World Chat | ||||
| Thread ID: 119857 | 2011-08-13 07:01:00 | TSI Engines | Charles Toogood (16036) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 1222928 | 2011-08-13 07:01:00 | Hi All Just starting to think about my next car, still some months off, and I'm intrigued by the small turbocharged engines from the Volksvagen Audi Group (VAG), as used in, e . g . the VW Polo and Golf, and also various Skodas . Autocar has given them rave reviews - the concept being a relatively tiny engine (1 . 2, 1 . 4, etc . ) but plenty of go thanks to the turbo . But . . . online there are a few horror stories from other parts of the world about total engine failures and the like . Have to take such things with a grain of salt: Even if most of them are true and not disgruntled ex-employees or whatever, it still might be a minuscule failure rate considering millions sold . You know what they say: Ask the man who owns one, so, anyone got one of these? I hear the 7-speed DSG that usually goes with them is nice but jerky at slow speeds (e . g . parking) A problem? Or just a minor quirk you get used to? These engines and gearboxes have been around for a couple of years now, so any inherent problems should be starting to crop up . On a slightly different tack, the new Suzuki Swift is also interesting . But I'd definitely be going manual transmission and I read this recently in a three-way comparison with the Fiesta and Jazz: "We don't particularly enjoy the way the Jazz holds revs when upshifting, a ploy that's said to reduce emissions, as it makes you seem like a dufus driver, unable to coordinate a throttle lift before depressing the clutch . Much the same can be said of the Swift . . . " . Same question really: An irritation or just a quirk you quickly get used to? Well, I could go for a test drive and see for myself, but apart from the fact that I'm not nearly ready to buy yet and don't want to subject myself to relentless hard-sell, I always find test drives such an overwhelming cascade of new sensations that it's hard to objectively assess them all properly in the short time available - it would be interesting to hear owners' opinions on these issues . |
Charles Toogood (16036) | ||
| 1222929 | 2011-08-13 08:12:00 | The TSI's are really good engines - but they ARE forced induction engines (both super- AND turbo-charged, ouch!), so maintenance and oil changes etc are more crucial than in some more forgiving naturally aspirated engines. Take care of it, and it will take care of you. I'm a little confused that you say you'd definitely be going with a manual, then you're asking about various DSG, CVT etc transmissions...? p.s. the Polo GTI is pretty awesome for a small eco-mobile. |
inphinity (7274) | ||
| 1222930 | 2011-08-13 11:47:00 | I'm a little confused that you say you'd definitely be going with a manual, then you're asking about various DSG, CVT etc transmissions . . . ? Yeah, fair enough . Re-reading I see that that was a bit ambiguous . In the context of a Suzuki Swift with a 70kW 1 . 4L and 130Nm, a four-speed "slush box" is not appealing . A motor that small/weak has to be "worked" to be any fun . However, a 7-speed twin-clutch, combined with a turbo-charged engine with loads of torque is a different kettle of fish, especially with a sport mode, as supplied in the VAG vehicles . Every review I've read/watched says the DSG is brilliant on the move, with no interruption of power, so I keep an open mind . Besides, for VWs there's no option . CVT is not on the table . I didn't like the sound of it when I first heard of it a few years ago, and reviews have not altered my view . It drones, there's no aural sense of "progress" and it chooses the revs it likes for efficiency, not the ones you want . And even that efficiency is undermined by the friction losses, from what I read . Some come with artificial "steps" to try to recapture the missing feedback, but really, what's the point? CVT is for those who see a car as a necessary evil and want as little involvement in the driving process as possible . I'm not against efficiency - that's the appeal of downsized, turbo-charged engines, but not if all the fun is squeezed out at the same time . I note that CVT has not taken the world by storm, but DSG is winning converts right and left . It's like this: I'll begin my search with the Swift, which is the cheapest candidate, and if necessary, move on up, saving money for the next level, till I find something that really satisfies me - maybe not particularly fast, but has to be fun, easy to live with on a daily basis (commuting, etc . ) and within middle-class means to buy and service (Lamborghinis and Aston Martins regrettably ruled out) . |
Charles Toogood (16036) | ||
| 1222931 | 2011-08-13 21:47:00 | I would go for manual too in those small cars as they don't have any power unless driving them just a little bit harder than normal. Anyway auto's are for girls | gary67 (56) | ||
| 1222932 | 2011-08-13 21:49:00 | I would go for manual too in those small cars as they don't have any power unless driving them just a little bit harder than normal. Anyway auto's are for girls Too true |
prefect (6291) | ||
| 1222933 | 2011-08-14 05:17:00 | you dont drive an auto, you steer it in vaguely the right direction | The Error Guy (14052) | ||
| 1222934 | 2011-08-14 05:35:00 | Yeah, fair enough . Re-reading I see that that was a bit ambiguous . In the context of a Suzuki Swift with a 70kW 1 . 4L and 130Nm, a four-speed "slush box" is not appealing . A motor that small/weak has to be "worked" to be any fun . However, a 7-speed twin-clutch, combined with a turbo-charged engine with loads of torque is a different kettle of fish, especially with a sport mode, as supplied in the VAG vehicles . Every review I've read/watched says the DSG is brilliant on the move, with no interruption of power, so I keep an open mind . Besides, for VWs there's no option . CVT is not on the table . I didn't like the sound of it when I first heard of it a few years ago, and reviews have not altered my view . It drones, there's no aural sense of "progress" and it chooses the revs it likes for efficiency, not the ones you want . And even that efficiency is undermined by the friction losses, from what I read . Some come with artificial "steps" to try to recapture the missing feedback, but really, what's the point? CVT is for those who see a car as a necessary evil and want as little involvement in the driving process as possible . I'm not against efficiency - that's the appeal of downsized, turbo-charged engines, but not if all the fun is squeezed out at the same time . I note that CVT has not taken the world by storm, but DSG is winning converts right and left . It's like this: I'll begin my search with the Swift, which is the cheapest candidate, and if necessary, move on up, saving money for the next level, till I find something that really satisfies me - maybe not particularly fast, but has to be fun, easy to live with on a daily basis (commuting, etc . ) and within middle-class means to buy and service (Lamborghinis and Aston Martins regrettably ruled out) . We have a auto swift at work for a run about, Its perfectly fine in the city and urban motorways around wellington . For longer trips it would be a chore . How many people would be regularly in it |
plod (107) | ||
| 1222935 | 2011-08-14 05:49:00 | Don't go there! These cars sound wonderful in theory but depend on hi-tech integrated systems that are vulnerable to all manner of problems. If one part of the system malfunctions this often has completely unrelated effects in other areas. Problems are difficult to analyse. The engines can also be very expensive to fix. My daughter has a Polo and has had continuing problems with it. Another friend has a diesel Passat and had the injectors "go" at 65,000Km a VERY expensive repair. Get a copy of The Dog & Lemon guide and see what that says. |
PPp (9511) | ||
| 1222936 | 2011-08-14 05:59:00 | Don't go there! These cars sound wonderful in theory but depend on hi-tech integrated systems that are vulnerable to all manner of problems. If one part of the system malfunctions this often has completely unrelated effects in other areas. Problems are difficult to analyse. The engines can also be very expensive to fix. My daughter has a Polo and has had continuing problems with it. Another friend has a diesel Passat and had the injectors "go" at 65,000Km a VERY expensive repair. Get a copy of The Dog & Lemon guide and see what that says. Were these cars imported from Japan? |
plod (107) | ||
| 1222937 | 2011-08-14 07:01:00 | The Passat is less than 2 years old from new. Not sure about the Polo. | PPp (9511) | ||
| 1 2 | |||||