2.0 GT Tdi DSG - 8000 mile update

[cdgthreesalmons]

dickt

Thanks for your comments.

Interesting your comments on the washer bottle and front assist - i will be contacting my dealer about them.

I have to say the "eco" mode does provide the best mpg for me. I am surprised you are not getting better mpg. Almost every journey gives 50mpg + and as mentioned much of that is slow town driving - the "coasting" function I am sure must help a little and I do try to use this as whenever possible.

Agreed regarding memory seats. I too wanted memory as I am 6' and other members of the family are much shorter. Most disappointed it wasn't available - especially considering the price of the leather seats!

My other gripe with the first brochures was the confusion regarding "Traffic Sign Recognition". I have the discover pro nav but not the lane assist camera. I'm happy with my choice but even now there appears to be confusion on this forum regarding the spec. Not very VW!

[pango1in]

It seems as if there are few people with cars of exactly the same age on here. Here's my thoughts at 8,700 miles and 7 months.

The Good. Everything apart from the bad. Lovely car, very comfortable, good handling, very good space, a fair bit of poke. Probably the best out there in its class.

The Bad.
MPG - just awful. I struggle to reach 50 mpg on most journeys (usually around 45-46mpg). Best I've ever had is 57 mpg (driving at 50mph in 5th/6th for 2 hours on A roads). Motorway driving is around 49-50mpg, sometimes getting to 54 with a strong tailwind...! Automatic regens are still going on every 200 miles or so, further killing the overall economy.
Wipers - they are just naff. Front and back (but especially the back). The nozzle at the back leaks after use too. I have to regularly clean the windscreens manually to avoid smearing.
Rattles - The panel where my left leg/knee rests when driving is rattling on bumpy roads (basically any urban road and some A roads). Also, there's a 2krpm resonance rattle that is getting worse over time (exactly where the car revs at 70-75 mph in 6th), which gives me headaches on motorway journeys. Not quite sure where it is, and I don't have any confidence that the dealer is going to invest time in trying to sort that one out...
Air recirculation - does this actually work for anyone? I have to sit in traffic on a daily basis, and regularly find myself switching on manual recirc mode.

I try not to get hung up by the bad, but like I said, everything is good, apart from the bad.

I'm coming up for my first service at 10k. Should I expect an oil change?

[algarve]

Your leaking washer nozzle at the rear car can be rectified with a simple pipe/valve kit which your dealer can fit if its really an issue.

Not sure if you have Climatronic and you are not getting air recirc to automatically function or if you have manual aircon and are manually switching it on to stop outside air entering the car ?

The air recirc by the way does not function if you have air distribution switched to the screen.

Your question as to whether you will get an oil change at your 10k service the answer is yes plus a oil filter change unless your car is set for Longlife Service regime when the car will indicate when the service is due depending on driving style, usage etc. Normally up to a maximum of 18k miles or two years in that case.

[pango1in]

I have Climatronic, and in the menu there is an option for automatic recirculation (e.g. when the air in front smells of diesel). I haven't noticed it kick in, as there has been no change in pitch from the fans.

My car should not be down for a long life service scheme. In any case, I will actively resist this, as I do a reasonable amount of stop start driving and I have relatively little faith in the long life regimes (heard some bad stories, especially if you plan to keep the car for ever). Ideally, I would like a full oil/filter change.

[algarve]

Apparently the automatic air recirculation will switch on if the system ' detects an increase in the concentration of noxious substances in the outside air ' ......' the system cannot detect unpleasant odours' quote.

[pango1in]

Apparently the automatic air recirculation will switch on if the system ' detects an increase in the concentration of noxious substances in the outside air ' ......' the system cannot detect unpleasant odours' quote.

That's exactly my point. Would have thought that diesel fumes would be pretty noxious (as well as smelling bad)!!

[maisbitt]

Well i'm nowhere near the mileages of some of you's at only 2700 miles, but my GTD consistently does 46mpg on my 12 mile commute when it isn't regenning and 41/42mpg when it is. It seems to be regenning about 15% of the time, dragging my overall mpg down to about 44mpg. I had about a week of an additional commute to 16 miles each way - seeing my mpg get to 50mpg. The main thing I noticed is that my GTD runs about 4C colder (oil temp) than my Scirocco 170TDI when not under heavy load/acceleration and takes about 8 miles to get warm vs 6 miles in the Scirocco.

It seems then that my poor mpg is most likely caused by the proportion of my commute where the engine isn't up to temp. On the Scirocco, it had 6 miles of warm engine in the 12 mile commute, now it is more like 4 miles. With the longer commute (16 miles), 8 miles with warm engine seems to be enough to burn off the soot passively and give me a decent mpg.

I have learnt to live with my crappy mpg seeing as trying to drive like a nun in Eco mode seems to be no better for my mpg on my commute than being in Sport and putting your foot down to get the car warmed a little quicker (poorer initial mpg balanced out my more mpg later in the journey and the car being warmer for a larger proportion of the journey).

The other day, after a 40 mile stretch of regenning, I did a 70 mile round trip, with 90% of it being on dual carriageway. The car did 47mpg going dowm, maintaining 80mph, and on the way back a few hours later, same journey yielded 53mpg, again maintaining 80mph.

The car has loosened up a little, which encourages me to drive it a little harder. Since ditching the V-power, i'd say my power and economy are up at least 10%, building on abysmal beginnings on both counts.

DPF seems to be the mpg killer for the MK7 and it's more active than ever before, requiring ever longer journeys for "normal" operation vs MK5/MK6/Scirocco.

Ive had my front suspension mount bearings replaced, had transport pucks left in the front suspension struts and had a dodgy handbrake/autohold function repaired under warranty (sensor and switch replacement).