Current gear and change info in dashboard

[Keithuk]

I got my mk6 in Dec 09 a TSI 160 and it has the gear shift indicator, it does not tell you what gear you are in really, it tells you what gear you should be in for maximum economy, with a shift up or down arrow beside the number or a dot if you are in the correct gear.

I thought that this gear indicator told you what gear you were in as well as what gear you should be in with the up and down arrows?

[paul.mgrath]

My brothers 1 series has this and his prompts you to change around 2000rpm. If whats being suggested the vw one is advising much earlier than this (1500rpm or below) mine would be seriously thinking about stalling!!!! Waste of time IMHO. How did we get on years ago when all we had were speedometers and no rev counter??

[percymon]

I thought that this gear indicator told you what gear you were in as well as what gear you should be in with the up and down arrows?

Correct, it shows the best gear for the current conditions, so if tootling along at 40 it will show 5 but when you put your foot down hard it tells you you'd be better changing to 4th.
It's set for economy for sure, but that's no bad thing really.

[slowhand]

I thought that this gear indicator told you what gear you were in as well as what gear you should be in with the up and down arrows?

Mine tells me what gear it thinks I should be in, or if I am in the correct gear it just has a dot next to the number telling me it is the right one.
I guess with the twin charge engine it suggets a very high gear as it has more torque to play with compared to the older models.

But to be honest it is a bit of a waste of time, if you get told to change down because you have put your foot down in too high a gear well it's too late.

[AdeVill]

Hey. I bought a 1.4TSi Comfortline 2weeks ago and it has the current gear indicator and shows you when it thinks you should change up or down. I think its a standard option here in SA.

[RickT]

Also, we have a 59 plate Golf plus at work with this.

And the GT spec Golf I had last week had it.

Rick

[VolksGolf]

It is dynamic - If you drive the car economically, the changes recommended are at lower revs. If you drive hard then the gear changes are recommended at higher revs. It is a gimmick but its a nice toy to have really

[vc-10]

Nothing new really - there's even an app for the iphone which gives you speed, direction and speed camera info (only really works at night such is the limited brightness of the iphone screen). Whilst i don't use it often i do find it quite useful and does keep you eyes on the road rather than the instrument cluster - not a bad thing given the poor headlights of the Mk6.

What is this? I was thinking that, at night, my iPhone would make a great HUD. The satnav screen shows up really clearly in the windscreen.

Oh and re the Pug 3008 having a HUD- I think they're just trying really hard to get people to drive something that ugly. There was a time when Peugeots looked good- that time has passed. Even the RCZ looks like a gay shark...

[DW58]

VW had a gear change indicator as far back as the early eighties. My August 1983 Polo 1.1 Formel-E had a gear-change indicator in the form of lights as did the Golf Formel-E of the period.

What goes around comes around as they say.

[arturus]

I recently bought a 2.0 Tdi Golf Mk6, and I find the gear change recommendation indicator somewhat annoying. I have read the comments above, particularly those about driving style. However, I find that the recommended gear change up is simply wrong! If I change up (as recommended) from 3 to 4 at 30 m.p.h., or from 4 to 5 at 40 m.p.h., or from 5 to 6 at 50 m.p.h., the smoothness disappears, there is a slight groaning noise and slight vibration through the steering wheel - all symptoms, unless I am much mistaken, of a car being driven in too high a gear for the road speed. I intend to ignore the dashboard suggestions, even if this is less economical. Is this wise?