Adapting to a dual-clutch transmission (DCT, DSG) | Auto Expert John Cadogan

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[@enigmaticx326]

This channel is ridiculously underrated. Deserves 1M subs.

[@rogersmith7396]

Not enough Ming Molls.

[@kmac4671]

Started driving back in the age of the dinosaurs, where the "norm" driving a manual was to use your gearbox to slow down. Sounded great, your engine screaming on the downshifts. A mechanic friend put paid to that stupidity with a simple statement - "brakes are cheaper to replace than transmissions and clutches." I took his word to heart and started driving with my head rather than my ego.

[@MrCheesywaffles]

Back in the days of 4 wheel drum brakes, especially on longer downhill stretches, I think it was good advice, since transmissions/engines were cheaper to replace than a whole car! Since modern brakes it's not nearly as relevant for cars, outside of really long steep decents or if you've a issue with the brakes.

[@kmac4671]

@@MrCheesywaffles never suffered that fate as my first 4 cars were all disc/drum.

[@peterlock3881]

My father told me the same thing when I was learning to drive😁

[@dragancrnogorac3851]

Golf 1,2, 3; brakes job 300€ Clutch job 300 € Golf 7,8; Brakes job 300 € Clutch job 10 000 € Act accordingly 🙂🙂🙂

[@AndyG73]

I seriously doubt that a clutch pack on a mk 7/8 Golf would cost 10k to change out. Maybe 2-3x the cost of a manual, which is (here in the UK at least) about £700 - £950 at a main dealership, so probably £2k - £3.5K depending on the model. Multiply by 1.1 to convert to Euros and add an allowance for inflation (I found some forum figures for a DQ200 from 2019).

[@labourlawact7826]

That's exactly why I avoid the new cars on the road like the plague. You can get a better deal buying a 10 year old Toyota, than buying any of these new throw away rubbish.

[@dragancrnogorac3851]

@@AndyG73 WV will accept only brand new DSG transmission. Clutch change is not an option. So transmission, labor and some high tehnitian with secret laptop which comes by every 2 months in service center in Belgrade... Cost more than 10 000 k on audi Q5. Welcome to company founded by Hitler him self

[@rickturner7971]

Love our Kona 1.6 turbo with DCT

[@deanmanly7622]

I don't like automatics full stop. But i am with you with Hyundai as I have a i30 6 speed manual, yes a foot pedal clutch & I wouldn't have it any other way. Because of previous issues with automatics.

[@chook470]

I had a 2010 VW Passat 2L TDi with the 6 speed DSG. I absolutely loved it! Fuel economy was amazing and it was a zippy car that toured extremely well. Yeah it took a bit of getting used to with rapid starts in particular, but I found a slow rolling start followed by flooring it worked well with little confusion. Damn I miss that car!

[@Edvard.Munchkin]

Currently have 2018 Passat 2.0 TDI with newer 7 speed wet dsg. I find if I want off the line acceleration, it's better to put it into manual mode. In D or S it restricts the power in first gear. It doesn't in manual mode. Mine short shifts into second under normal driving and it's annoying, I love the car but that's the only fault I could give it. So if I come to a brief stop, it doesn't shift back into first, stays in second, so when you take off again, it slips the clutch.

[@SpagmanAus]

Great video, you basically described driving the new Sportage turbo petrol. I back down my driveway, everything is fine, I take off down the hill that has a stop at the bottom, and EVERY SINGLE DAMN DAY the car is revving up because it thinks I'm taking off, but then after about 10m I'm braking at the bottom of the hill and the car has to quickly drop 2 gears quicker than it wants to. As you mention, this is after 30 years of driving various manuals so it's taken me a few months to get used to the DCT and learn to drive the car the way it wants to be driven, not how I've driven every single other car that I've owned. I basically put it in sport mode, and drive it that way. It likes a little bit of extra pedal, so that's what I give it and when I hit the freeway, I stick it back into normal or eco mode then. But, for the school\work run, I've found sticking it in sport mode might be giving into the devil, but it seems to mostly elmininate the 'hesitancy' that the DCT gives. Great video John, thanks for explaining the ins and outs of the DCT like that, it really helped me understand how my car is different. Yes the dealer explained the DCT, but you're not really prepared for it, especially after my last car which was a Honday HR-V with a CVT.

[@stevewise1656]

Probably the same types of issues KIA's having with the Sorento. What a pain, huh? Some companies moved to DCT's and then quickly pivoted out and back to more traditional manual transmissions.

[@paulie2476]

Thanks John. i must admit, I have been driving our DCT in the old school mechanical breaking manner and this is very timely advice !

[@geoffhonky4439]

When I first got into the dct it made no sense at all and seemed to do random stuff. 2 years later I know every little nuance and absolutely love it!

[@hilton8830]

Thank you John, I had those sets of questions without knowing exactly how to ask them, if that's a thing. I have been dealing with a PDK for the past 5 years, not knowing what to do. Here's the thing, listening to "experts" never gave me that fuzzy feeling of comfort. At least now I can relax and let the tram do its thing end of story next.

[@MattBlack6]

Something I'll not have to adapt to for quite a while. I'll watch anyway, live and learn.

[@utubedano]

Great video. Already had a hunch of it all in my head but it was great listening to your explanation. Thank you.

[@johnedds2327]

Thanks for a great vid John; I have driven manuals, CVT's and DCT's for many years now and I agree with all your advice, especially about creeping in traffic. I drive straight up behind someone stopped in front and stop; no creeping up. Cheers.

[@danejensen6064]

Super useful advise and excellent job at explaining things John

[@kevinpayne9475]

Picked up my Cerato GT hatch last week. I’ve had no issues with the DCT. But this video came along at the right time!

[@mickeydee3595]

Enjoying the videos mate! I was in the market for a german shitbox and took your advice with a BMW certified used 330i (dealer and vehicle was in QLD and im im VIC) The vehicle arrived with some issues and the dealer over in QLD has been bending over backwards to insure its all being taken care off here. Coming from a Jeep few years back it really has taken me by surprise! Keep up the good work mate

[@stevebouralexis7162]

What a great explanation! Thank you John, I certainly underestimated the amount of computer control in a modern day transmission. Whist I love the feel of sport/sport + mode in my car, I feel it gets in the way in peak hour traffic. I settle for comfort mode and think about those days when I drove a proper stick shift with a clutch pedal!

[@glitch314]

This is a really good advice for me, who comes from a manual background into the world of DCT. My transmission Thanks you! :)

[@lukes5533]

Great advice John .

[@bgolledge502]

Well said, I've got a DCT in my Vw Polo and you 100% right there are times it keeps it on a higher gear on a hill put just pop it manual drop is back a gear and then when you get over the crest drop it back in D

[@maxheadroom7687]

Excellent explanation John, you make it all very clear, learnt a lot so thanks mate!👍Max.🇦🇺

[@koitorob]

I'm happy to say that my cars don't have any of these problems and the map is always bang on! I only drive a manual and the map is ME!

[@garrydelday5816]

Have driven manuals all my life, changed to DCT in my new Niro recently and will never go back to manual. I’m at the age now where I don’t see an island as a challenge 😂 and auto is so much more relaxing, great tips for using DCT John 👍

[@iamspyvspy3077]

Great vid John, let's have more old school driving lessons that many youngsters were never taught.

[@maddeusdoggeus1]

Thanks for the Explanation👍

[@RudolfKlusal]

I am at the development of 7/8 DCT and 8/9 common converter automatic transmissions and as you said, there's A LOT of background stuff happening there during shifting, for example it can measure it's own wear and use that knowledge to shift fluently even with uneven weared clutches. During every shift it measures how it went and then uses this in a new lookup table for shifting. And other clever stuff 🙂 DCT is kinda simple and compact, but still, it has a lot of clever engineering behind that 🙂

[@sunnohh]

Just did this myself and I really am surprised how much I love pdk

[@MrLooperg]

I had my 2013 Tiguan with the 7 speed dct flash tuned. The whole shooting match is so much smoother. Better fuel consumption, better power delivery. Also keep your dct fluid changes up to date. Mine has 360k on the clock, zero issues.

[@janinapalmer8368]

I've got a DCT system on my 2012 Mitsubishi MR Series Evo ... after a few years of manual ( or standard in the US ) driving I found it quite engaging ( sorry 🤣) to drive ... it sure did take me a bit of a while to settle into how best it was to use it ... I soon got the hang of it .... 😁

[@skotty1962]

In my family we own a 2007 VW Caddy TDi DSG and a 2007 Golf GT DSG. Same 6 speed wet clutch Borg Warner DSG used in both I think. Love them both. Still work flawlessly. Love the Golf in sport mode and the little rev blip it does braking. In manual mode with the flappy paddles its so much fun its lose your licence time. And the instant gear changes when accelerating. Love it. Most of the time I let the DSG do the thinking. I drive a new Toyota Yaris for work with a CVT. Absolutely hate it.

[@just_passing_through]

Been driving nothing but manual cars since 1980 (when I got my licence). Still driving my manual MX-5 since purchased new in 2003 and hope to be driving it for another 20 years. It will be a sad day if I ever have to move out of a manual.

[@roccodifranco7866]

Thanks for explaining DCT for the uninformed I have a 2023 Kia forte GT and I love everything about it , and only drive it in sport mode 😊

[@franciscoshi1968]

I am watching your video remembering what it was like to drive a manual and an automatic and all of the compromises you need to deal with when shifting gears. I have an EV now and it is never ever in the wrong gear and hardly use the brakes. Never going back.

[@gureno19]

Weird flex, but ok

[@mark05051977]

John you are a fuking legend, I have watched stacks of your videos they are without a doubt the most down -to-earth ,no bull shit video on the tube. Thanks for keeping it real. 🍻

[@bunyip42]

Excellent video! I had never owned a car with an automatic transmission in 40+ years, but my newest daily driver has a dual clutch (PDK). About 95% of the time, it's really easy to drive (I almost never drive in traffic). If you drive it hard, it's amazing. There are just a couple of scenarios when you have to wait for it to make up its mind. I am perfectly happy with it, no regrets...

[@351tgv]

drive in traffic with a DCT, you will be wishing for that manual transmission. the issue with DCT is that the 1sy clutch is always slipping to keep revs up due to the engine having basically bugger all torque at low revs.

[@bunyip42]

@@351tgv Yes, very clear from the video and I know enough of the internals to know why that is. My car (Macan) will crawl at exactly 4mph with the clutch fully engaged, on flattish roads or my driveway, anything below that would be abusing the transmission

[@351tgv]

@@bunyip42 -The Macan is nice VW Q5 (err I mean Porsche is owned by VW) but that said so 4km/h is not creeping that is rolling, in stop start traffic likes lets say someone in Sydney CBD during morning peak hour the DCT would be going crazy trying to ensure movement by slipping the direct drive clutch by forcing revs from the engine, you would be doing the same thing in a manual transmission. I am not against DCT but really for metro/suburban driving they are downright dreadful, I'd rather a CVT.

[@Cooliemasteroz]

After 24 years of driving the conventional auto I’ve just gone back to a manual and I’m actually liking it.

[@AndyG73]

Ironically I'll likely be going in the other direction, having driven manual transmission cars (UK) since learning to drive in the early 90s, and now (because of increasingly heavy traffic in the UK, especially on the commute to work) am likely to get an automatic (TC or CVT auto) for my next car. Too much hassle for all that gearchanging. :-)

[@Cooliemasteroz]

@@AndyG73 yes that’s perfectly understandable, I used to drive in heavy traffic in manual cars and found myself getting into a state where I was flogging my car. When I changed to auto I became a better driver. Now I don’t drive in busy traffic and I’m staying calm.

[@rogersmith7396]

@@AndyG73 Manuals are hell in stop and go and they are not designed for it. Short clutch life.

[@geoffpyke1]

Spot on John with regard to ‘using brakes to slow’ - not the gears ! I think that concept evolved from those of us who rode motorbikes prior to our first car purchase. I used to drive Fire appliances and we were always taught brakes - brake ! (Retarders are awesome ).’ Love my Cerato GT DCT👍🏻

[@Pete856]

I've got a DCT in a hybrid (Kia Niro), the result is the best of both worlds. Nice snappy gear changes, fuel economy and best of all, you can crawl along up a hill without slipping the clutch....electric motors produce their torque right down to 0 revs so the clutch is always fully engaged. Oh, it's also great at "engine braking" as it's using the electric motor as a generator to capture energy to put into the battery for later use. Only downside is quick acceleration, the petrol engine turns off when not being required so it's only using the ~40kW electric motor, it takes a moment for the engine to start and be engaged into the powertrain...but it does have an 8kW belt driven starter to get it up and running pretty quickly.

[@TheBlibo]

And finished your vid now it has confirmed for me that the dog variants really are for those that get to drive from a to b without stopping these manufacturers know full well that a lit of people get stuck in city traffic on a daily basis they are not the best suited transmition for most people. Mechanically and electronically interesting but they don't get the gold star. Realy enjoy your vids keep up the good work

[@Peter57808]

LoL, my wife's VW Jetta TSI is a barrel of laughs when used in S mode and changing it manually up and down the box at 6krpm. Its a refreshing change from my LC200!

[@54FLEX45]

Great vid 👍🏻 I’m done with day to day manual driving but will hold on to a performance car manual garage queen. Well said, auto allows a relaxing drive, though at the expense of ultimate control. Let’s just hold on to ICE vehicles for us enthusiasts who love a blat.

[@metalmoto4803]

I hear ya James, I went from a Ford ba auto to a vw golf diesel dsg.. ... its taken me ages to get used to it. Quite a few times I considered upgrading cars as I do alot of highway and get stuck in peak hour alot. I don't know many cars that'll get me 1200ks to a tank though 🤔. And yeah there's engine braking when you come to a roundabout downhill, the auto shifts down earlier then you expect 🙄 I've even considered going back to an older car..... 🤷‍♂️

[@AbbStar1989]

Upload binge approved. Been watching your vids for quite a few years now Mr Cadogan. Maybe time for some merch?

[@AutoExpertJC]

Thank you very much.

[@whysah_WD]

Thanks John 🙂 DSG acceleration is really smooth and the engine revs to match. More efficient would be fixed engine speeds (eco, max torque or max power) and the transmission adapting to it.

[@iamspyvspy3077]

welcome to CVTs 😄

[@ElysiumNZ]

Yeah I do notice the slight thud during gear changes in my 2013 Honda Fit Hybrid. Now I know why.👍

[@dawso2o2]

I love my dct in my bmw 227000 and never had a problem with it

[@AndyG73]

It often dependes upon either how good the in-house engineering is (including how time and money was spent in R&D) for those units made by the car manufacturer, or that and the general reputation for engineering quality of a third-party supplier. In your car's case, that would likely be a Getrag unit. A reasonable proportion of the VAG DSG problems resulted from the units not having enough of a margin to cope with the maximum power output of the engine they were mated to, which then was exaccerbated by not being (easily) able to change out the fluid, which then lead to early failures. From experience via motoring forums and seemingly John's own experiences in the industry, gearboxes made by, say, Jatco (used by Nissan) are of lower quality than Aisin (used by Toyota). Also using proven tech with your own 'twist' (but utilising decent R&D) also appears to work, e.g. Mazdas using their own TC auto boxes.

[@n00baTr00pa]

Picked up my Cerato Gt Hatch 2 days ago and too it to Newcastle yesterday. No stress with all of the large hills there, just have to realise the transmission is smarter than you. Sport mode definitely helps in traffic.

[@Sim.L]

I love DSG's such a great gearbox to drive with.. I even love the farts. would hate to replace one though.

[@donnamarie3617]

Interesting John. Perhaps the same applies to my Mitsy Outlandish cvt, rather than leaning on the transmission when going down a hill, maybe I should just use the brakes from time to time. Thanks for the advice, and yes, even I miss your luscious ladies!

[@javic1979]

DSG might save a bit of fuel but needs regular servicing. The 8 speed ZF auto is fast shifting up and down with rev matching, keeps the torque converter locked at speeds above 25km/h. so in the long run its a cheaper option for the owner. In the USA vw is using this gearbox in more cars

[@jamesfrench7299]

My Laser automatic has excellent engine braking when selecting next gear down. The key is not to use it to slow down, only as brake assist to maintain control down hill.

[@JordieG8]

If you listen to the exhaust note on a DCT during and upshift you can hear a burble type sound. That sound is caused by a significant reduction in ignition timing which causes a momentarily torque reduction so the shift can be completed.

[@jamesfrench7299]

I think that snort sounds obnoxious.

[@JordieG8]

@@jamesfrench7299 with the right exhaust is sounds fine IMO.

[@brucegibbins3792]

The first three cars I bought, the first in 1967, were manual shift. These were American cars new in the late 1930s assembled locally. The first auto was a 1955 DeSoto V8 with two forward gear transmission operated by a miniscule lever on the dash. From then I would never own, but often drove company cars with either stick or three on the tree shifters. Any car I subsequently bought and there have been consecutively thirty three of them, all were auto shift transmissions. I can still quite easily and confidently operate a stick shift car as I've done when circumstances required I do. I've noticed over the decades, that even in the 70s cars were offered with Auto as being optional, now it seems that its manual that is now the shift option. There has always been show pony car drivers, mostly kids, or adults acting like teenagers, slipping into rally car driver fantasy mode, tear arsing around, double clutching and missing shifts because there driving techniques are learned from watching motor sport events on their Mums TV. God, or whoever is up there shifting space junk around, spare us all from boy racers and their behind the wheel fantasy world of driver competence because, they are driving as dangerous dorks and that ain't funny. Looking at all the small white crosses pushed into the ground, dotted along the side of our highways, youngsters are killing themselves off in growing numbers. On quite nights, I can here traffic on the motorway across the valley. Often, cars with, I suppose you could describe as, sports exhausts chop down a cog and throttle hard followed by the siren sounds of the highway cops.

[@rogersmith7396]

Manual trans cars have higher resale value.

[@1HiddenSecret]

I love classical manual transmission, and I love air braking whilst pressing the brake....

[@richardsmith579]

I worked with people, many of them women, who regularly held their cars on hills using the clutch. They were happy to sit on a hill in traffic holding their cars on the clutch, and sometimes I even smelt the poor clutches burning. Obviously I said absolutely nothing, as I value my life. This method of driving is as normal for some people as curbing the wheels when parking and turning around. I now drive a six speed DSG and I’m careful on hills, only moving forward when there is a proper gap to fill. In over fifty years of driving I have never replaced a clutch, even after driving over 150K miles, and the DSG seems as good as new at 40K. Oh, and never slow down using the gears, brakes are cheaper than clutches. I know driving instructors who practically ate clutches teaching their pupils how to drive.

[@AutoExpertJC]

Mechanical sympathy paves the road to longevity/reliability...

[@mickeydee3595]

If you rev match on the down shift then there is barely any wear on the clutch (manual)

[@jadomi2076]

@@mickeydee3595 and it's fun too

[@mickeydee3595]

@@jadomi2076 its amazing, especially in a 6.0L v8 commodore 😁😊

[@labourlawact7826]

@@AutoExpertJC You are SO right John! That's why I'm still daily driving my 2001 Nissan Sunny. I don't believe in new cars and neither do I in wasting time and money on planned obsolescence.

[@Scuppun]

6sp manual.... great to drive if you know how to properly drive one. DCT is good, but I would take a manual any day of the week. More fun to drive, especially on winding roads.

[@josephhalwagy6435]

Great advice John and thank you I have a six years old 2L diesel Ford Kuga with WET clutch powerSHIT (6DTC450) with 75km on it. It really is a great transmission gearbox and I am happy with it power/performance and economy/comfort. However, I firmly believe these DCT transmission needs much more frequent oil and oil filter service than standard autos to ensure their relatively trouble free longevity. I do mine every 30Km at a cost of about $400 My experience is that these DCT tend to quickly learn drivers behaviours and change gears accordingly...... I find this annoying because my driving behaviour (use of the acceleration and brakes) significantly differ, when for example my 90 years elderly is with me in the car or I am in the car alone. Hence I clear the transmission stored learned driver behaviours every 5km by disconnecting the battery for 30m and cross fuse the car battery terminal connectors Any views on the above would be appreciated Please note I am a medical research scientist, not a mechanic.......... I hope what I am doing is OK? Regards Joe

[@MrFister84]

Wow that's a lot of oil changes.

[@josephhalwagy6435]

@@MrFister84 I am sure, or at least I hope, you know I meant 1000's of kms

[@AdamMansbridge]

I'm glad that my cars are either proper auto with a torque converter or a revvy little manual

[@chachar7458]

and I'm glad mine is a DCT.

[@michaelloach9461]

Thanks Mr C. I'm just getting used to a 7 speed DSG & it does require a different technique. I have noticed that when doing questionable speed in sport mode it will not go into 7th. I do prefer a manual but it isn't available on my car. I know this sounds archaic but I just don't have the feel of the car with the DSG. I know the DSG is better but I just feel disconnected. Ho-hum that's the price to pay.....All the best....

[@imidsikkey]

Generally the opposite happens with modern transmissions during down shifts. Torque converter or dual clutch. So what usually happens is, you get a blip of the throttle so that when the 2nd gear is selected from 3rd, the revs can match what they otherwise would have been wound up to by the road. That way you don't get a shock as the engine gets spun up. Better on your crank bearings, transmission, diff, engine/gearbox/diff mounts and bushings. But note, not all transmissions do this. But a lot are starting to.

[@Trevorfoggia]

Hi John, am I right in thinking if e driver relies more on transmission for breaking rather than breaks, this would unsettle the balance of the vehicle? I’ve had DSG gearboxes for years - the first being a SEAT Altea turbo diesel sport and have been driving right foot accelerator left foot breaking ever since. Doing so really balances the car nicely.

[@declancrowley2155]

Hi John, does the rule about not creeping forward with a DCT apply to my Ioniq PHEV? Given that the electric motor is stationary until I apply throttle, there isn't the same friction as with a running engine connecting to a stationary transmission.

[@johnbambo9036]

Having had a 986s 6 speed manual and now a 981s PDK, would comment that, at least as far as Porsche is concerned the dual clutch is an amazing thing. Did test drive a 981s 6 speed manual and on the right road, yeah, the manual is still king but just and as a gear box to live with day to day the PDK wins any argument, plus it's quicker and more fuel efficient. I use the paddles almost exclusively, the changes are lightening quick and rarely does the gear box get caught out. Absolutely agree that in stop start driving the PDK is less smooth than a conventional auto (by degree) and operates more like a manual. Easy option then is to drive it like a manual in these situations. (ie no clutch slip) just anticipate when traffic is slowing and moving and don't let the transmission crawl. Anyway just my experience.

[@davidebsworth7139]

Hi John. Great information, but everyone needs to know that brake pads are cheaper to replace than gearboxes. So many people over think it. Cheers

[@AutoExpertJC]

Totally agreed.

[@aussietaipan8700]

I was taught many ice ages ago when I was learning to drive that gears are for going and brakes are for slowing/stopping.

[@AutoExpertJC]

Good advice.

[@mickeydee3595]

Problem is, when being taught manual new drivers are never taught how to rev match on the down shift. I never was taught and it was a skill I had to self teach.

[@dj_paultuk7052]

Eco mode on some, Say a Mercedes DCT will disengage the drivetrain when lifting off the throttle. They call it "Coasting mode". This removes ALL engine braking clearly, so you need to use the brakes more. But also it allows you to coast for some very long distances before throttle is needed again and so saving fuel. I didnt like it at first when i got the car new, but eventually got used to it and used it daily when driving for work and saving fuel to get max mpg.

[@The-Wise-One]

Just looking and test driving 2021 hyundai sonatas. It's has a DCT, the newer 23 i test drove was very smooth, no jerks or crunches. But the 21 used one i drove with 42000km, a hyundai executive driven i was told (😂), on slowing down at red light's i find the shift from 2 to 1 had a crunch, small jerk forward, maybe this is the gear slip. Should this be seen as the transmission wear? It was only a short test drive within the first 10mins. Would be car warranty cover this? Or is this hyundai executive driven advise?

[@madmick3794]

I have to admit when driving a DCT most days, my boss has some dry and wet clutch cars, when going down hill off throttle the cars are very aggressive in their down shifting.

[@onthebuses]

I will stick to old fashioned manual 🥃🥃

[@vernpilkington7665]

Agree

[@Scuppun]

Yep

[@labourlawact7826]

Any and every day! ☺👍

[@JordieG8]

Yeah! Oh wait, my left knee hates me.

[@roafelix8198]

@onthebuses Sorry but I will stick to electric vehicle supersport.

[@csjrogerson2377]

My dad told me to use the gearbox to slow the car down circa 1975. I was kinda savvy at 16 and told him that was bollox coz that's what brakes do and they are cheaper than gearboxes. I still drive a car hard and wear out brakes - never worn out a gearbox.

[@RustyDice]

Yeah mine said the same - think it dates back to when most cars had drum breaks which could either over heat or simply be terrible. My dad suggested a mixture of both to manage the effectiveness of the drum breaks. Not really necessary with disks. I only gear break my manual when I'm going down hill and don't want to be riding the break pedal.

[@rogersmith7396]

If you slow or come to a stop in high there will be no acceleration available and you will load the entire drivetrain. Main bearing burn out.

[@markharvey3]

I have an OS kona 1.6T with the dry DCT and it does perform well in 2nd gear or above, however when going from a standing start to get across a busy roundabout or enter a fast traffic flow, the DCT is the most horrible experience I have had. The gap between putting my foot down and the car moving can be a random 1 to 3 seconds delay that I can't predict which it will be (even in sport mode). I have asked the service department about it numerous times and told, that just how it works, to be honest it's enough to not want another DCT.

[@hinan187]

Try heavy foot on accelerator in these situations will resolve the issue.

[@miceinoz1181]

My first DCT was in a 2007 Passat diesel. Once I got used to feathering the throttle at initial startoff, it was smooth and brilliant. Never used manual shift, did not need it. I do not tow with it. I have never driven a smoother, better more efficient gearbox. No jerks on gear changes, smooth as silk changes up and down. Yes, in heavy stop start traffic it can get confused as to which gear you want next, and I got a small delay for it to get the right gear. Now, unfortunately I have a Fix Or Repair Daily (FORD) powershit gearbox. Sadly, not much chop and has poor serviceability record. Seems not all DCT's are equal.

[@adriankaczmarek5141]

This video is relevant to me from Monday lol

[@privatedata665]

We like our DTC ....so far . We use the hold button religiously .

[@Rangeman001]

No sweeter feeling than nailing that heel toe downshift just before a corner and then powering out of the corner, snick snick into the next gear.. ahhhh. James go back to a manual : )

[@Bleste011]

What is the reliability on a Kia Cerato GT with its 7 speed dct? I also use the Auto Hold function if I'm stuck in traffic on a hill or heavy traffic in peak hour to prevent the car to crawl. Plus I also use the Smart drive mode which is about 50/50 between Eco and Sport. What are your thoughts. Thanks 👍

[@DarcyFerrier]

My mate has a Cerato GT and he absolutely loves it. Shifts feel fantastic. Great little pocket rocket of a car.

[@Bleste011]

@@DarcyFerrier Got my Cerato brand new this Tuesday. Great car

[@The_Travelling_Jonoberries]

John going forward with the vehicle development, won’t they(vehicle manufacturers) no longer produce DCT or manual transmissions? Do we currently have these on the EVs?

[@mortimusmaximus1st]

Good morning..I'd like to hear your opinion and expierience on dealers dislosing what type of auto is in a car. Are they telling a customer if it's a dct and should they have to.??

[@cristyzorro269]

*Love the channel and your work* however you missed the Honda DCT . This one has a torque converter.

[@Peter57808]

Talking about throttle and gear inputs at the wrong time and today's interlocks that prevent shit from happening. My last drag bike made about 700hp, the gearbox was made so that it could be changed from fifth to first. This was so you could do the burnout in 5th then change to first with one movement of the shifter to stage the bike. It made for an interesting experience if you hit the shifter another time while in 5th at 196mph and found first gear!

[@Robert-cu9bm]

Motorbikes run different gearboxes to cars. They're a constant mesh box.

[@Mark_Bridges]

So was there a sudden, spectacular disassembly of the gearbox or engine?

[@Peter57808]

@@Robert-cu9bm yes but they still have issues

[@Peter57808]

@@Mark_Bridges yes when shifted from 5th to 1st then it all went bang in a big way.

[@Peter57808]

@@Robert-cu9bm only in the fact that they are sequential and cannot be changed above or below one gear at a time.

[@paulaxford6754]

For a moment I thought I was on the wrong channel due to the lack of sarcasm! On DSGs though they will shift up and down on their own terms and can't benefit from double-clutching. As you drop in speed they're going to shift down whether or not you beat them to it with a manual selection. They will rev-match on completed downshifts to save the relevant clutch while slowing down. I didn't watch the entire video but certainly agree to use brakes as they're intended. My only advise on the VW in particular is to keep the brake pedal firmly planted while at a full stop so that it doesn't start to feather the 1st gear clutch. With the annoying stop-start system I think some drivers may use a light foot to keep the engine running. Do you still drive the Kona EV?

[@mlgboy1]

Great video John and very important lessons for driving with a DCT transmision however I would love to hear your equivelant take or thoughts for the same elements with a ZF gearbox. How different would these scenarios be for a ZF? and do the same wear reducing mesures, ie braking, apply in place of using down shifting to slow the vehicle down?

[@kenmace7477]

+1

[@351tgv]

[cleaning up the spieling and gramma errors] I have a torque converter 6-speed auto with paddle shifters. In D you can use the paddle shifters to manually upshift however it's also based on speed, example: you are in 4th gear but want to early upshift to 5th you need to be doing 60km/h as the transmission will not upshift until you hit the minimum speed. In the reverse (downshift) let's say going from 3rd to 2nd the transmission will not allow that downshift to happen until road speed is less them 35km/h. Note: that the transmission still shift to what gear ratio it thinks is best based in it's programming so let's say your in 6th gear and then force a downshift to 5th after a period of time the transmission will upshift back to 6th gear (again depending on road speed). When in sports auto the transmission will do it's own thing and there is a difference as the transition will hold in-gear for acceleration to redline. If you take control via paddle shifters the transmission switches to sports manual mode so you then have nearly full control but again of road speed gets to low and your in a high gear it will downshift, example: no way to do 60km/h in top gear as the engine will be at near idle (very low torque). When in Metro conditions I leave the transmission in D and let it do it's own thing, on the highway I drive in sports manual mode for 2 reasons: 1: controlling the transmission 2: engine breaking Once you get up to speed you can leave it in 6th gear for fuel economy as the engine has more then enough torque to sustain top gear and at 110km/h the engine speed is 1,900rpm an since it's a turbo at 2000rpm it has 345Nm so more then enough to overtake without the need to downshift to a lower gear, the torque curve is 345Nm from 2,000 to 4,500rpm so in terms of kW power conversion at the fly wheel there is more then enough to pull 6th gear and get speed quickly. When doing downhill you can downshift back to 4th gear to get some engine breaking without the need for constant brake action the engine can sustain around 4000rpm with no issues and at the same time your not overheating your brakes plus added advantage is no turbo lag if you need a bit of acceleration. of course everyone drives different and this is my style. Can you so that in a DCT? YES But one downside without the torque converter to soak up the heat and lumps and bumps the clutches get hot so you would hope that they are of a wet design especially if driving in heavy stop start traffic.

[@javic1979]

My amarok has the 8 speed ZF auto, its very quick shifting and in auto mode speeds above 25km/h the torque converter stays locked or just a quick half second decouple as it up-shifts on light throttle. loaded to the max you can manual shift using max throttle and be able to short shift up into the next gear at less than 1600rpm. slowing down it will stay locked until 25km/h, manual shift as your slowing it will rev match. it wont down shift above 3400rpm (the 420TDI cuts out at 4500rpm) manual shift will skip 1 or 2 gears if you floor it but will hold gear upto 95% throttle, there is like a extra spring you can feel to push it 100%. once you drive a vehicle with a 8 speed ZF for a day or 2 other autos feel very old and slow. even the new ford 10 speed feels unrefined and the 6 speed ranger shifts like a 90's commodore

[@351tgv]

@@javic1979 - and VW have thrown that all away with the next gen Amarok by using Ford running gear. The issue with the Ford / GM 10-speed torque converter is not the actual hardware as the gear ratios are closely spaced with direct drive being 7th gear and 8, 9 & 10 all being over-drive gears. The driver does have the ability to manually lock out those over-drive gears if they want to since Ford does not offer "sequential shift" mode but instead offers "lock-out" mode. Of course that is all dependent on the driver and if they want to control the transmission.

[@javic1979]

@@351tgv I've been looking at the specs and seen reports of the v6 on the dyno. the ford has more power than the current 580 TDI Amarok on paper but it's got high driveline losses (around 25%) so it actually transfers less power to the ground vs a stock 580TDI. like anything new the tuners are keen to play around with a new engine to book in customers. I think the 10 speed is more marketing wank than a better gearbox. efficiency is important but if its not getting to the ground what's the point? high gear lockout is just like the 1960's auto, useless for heavy towing apart from going down hills. if ford don't want owners to self shift why not offer them a desired RPM adjustment to rase and lower the shift points. like up-shift at 3500 and downshift at 2000. if a had that in my amarok id hardly ever use the manual shift at all. the main reason why I manual shift is i don't like it revving to cut off 4500 before shifting up to the next gear at full throttle, being able to set the trans to max shift at 4200 would make it a faster animal over 0-100km and better for towing

[@MrrrrMime]

Isn't downshifting in a manual as you slow down using the powertrain to slow down though? Sounds like John said this was a bad idea or did I understand incorrectly?

[@benharris7957]

Hey John, what about down hill descents ? For example the the Toowoomba range in QLD if you don’t use your gears going down there you will burn out your brakes out.

[@Mark_Bridges]

Yes those long descents are the exception that John didn't mention but probably should have.

[@jameshill3920]

Would it be possible to do a session on towing with a DCT

[@85priesty]

Caveat, having enjoyed (Audi) VW TDi 2.0 with one of the original DSG's, where they rolled backwards on hills, and with the incredible turbo lag from the 125kw 2.0, peak hour traffic, if you have to merge quickly, sport mode, otherwise it would require too much concentration to deal with the approximately two second turbo lag. I've not driven any new DSG models (mine was one that did three gearboxes in as many years, compliments to Audi for replacing the third one out of warranty) but they're definitely an adjustment. I will never buy another vehicle with a dual clutch because as far as I'm concerned the trade off for fuel consumption versus a torque converter...I'd take the nicer drive (particularly in a small capacity single turbo diesel) any day. But sport mode made the car predictable because it would sit at 2000rpm, annoying...but at least I knew if I needed acceleration it would actually happen when required because the turbo would be ready to go...particularly on gravel roads, it was safer knowing when it was going to take off as opposed to going from gutless to full torque whenever the car felt like it. Things have probably changed, but you don't get any engine braking in a diesel DSG or DCT. Things have obviously improved...but if you want fast acceleration and good "engine" braking. Dual clutches suck in traffic...they are awful trying to reverse up hill, they change gears slightly faster. But on the school run, learn to deal with them running on low revs...but I hate the damn things.

[@metalmoto4803]

They're great on highways but suck in peak hour traffic getting to said highway. I'm on my first dsg car (golf diesel) and it's taken me ages to get used to it. I've stalled it a few times with the traffic trying to keep it rolling. Now I know why vw/audi drivers leave a gap, oh yeah turbo lag I got the 103kw 😅

[@madfjuuri]

I used a 2011 VW Tiguan 2.0TSI (124kw I believe) and I can echo the sentiment. For normal driving, 99% of the time, D mode was sufficient. But in extreme circumstances (overtaking in suboptimal conditions for example) I always switched to S. The power delivery delay in D was just enough for me to not trust it 100% of the time. DSG maintenance was expensive IMHO but other than that the car was a good drive.

[@85priesty]

@@metalmoto4803 the 103kw motor is a better drive in a standard manual. The 125kW was quick, and fun, but not worth it. Although I've only driven the 103kW in a proper manual, but was much less, well, crap when it came to the lag

[@MrFister84]

It would be cool if DCT's could work together with the safety sense sytems most modern cars have these days to help predict what the driver will be going to want in terms of gearing.

[@davidbrayshaw3529]

I love manual transmissions. At the age of 14, I could seamlessly shift through all four gears in my VW Beetle paddock basher without even thinking about using the clutch. I could perform the same task aboard a Deutz tractor also. "Doubling the clutch" is as instinctive to me as drinking water. Yes, it is undeniable that brakes are there for a reason, so are transmissions. They both are there for a specific purpose, they're not interchangable. But let's be honest, working a gearbox on public roads is about the only legal driving pleasure left. And while I'm being honest, after 33 years as a licensed driver and with and additional 4 years on that as a paddock hoon, I've never once had to change brake pads, a clutch or repair a transmission. Yep, I know that a fair bit of fuel has gone out the tail pipe as a consequence of my exuberance but I'll be darned if every nailed downshift hasn't put a smile on my (and sometimes others!) face. And so far, touch wood, it's cost me nothing. Viva la manual!

[@labourlawact7826]

I drove semi's with 16 speed ZF "crush" box. What a load of fun through the mountains, etc! Clutchless, or double clutch. Whatever you fancy ☺

[@ivanolsen8596]

With you all the way on that one, who wants to be a stab and steer robot?

[@Grant80]

My wife uses a DCT in her car. Unfortunately she can’t use the paddles due to her disability although sometimes have hits up shift and the sings it’s head off. How much pain is the car in if she’s going say 60 and the sounds like it wants to do say 65K?? She often hits the down shift paddle to correct it

[@tweake7175]

one thing overlooked is that the dsg tunes itself. every now and then it gets its knickers in a twist and will behave differently which makes it horrid to drive. the difference in engine braking between manual and dsg is huge. i highly recommend wearing the brakes out because the dsg is expensive to fix. so avoid high load gearchanges where possible. with a manual your never going to wear a gearbox out engine braking.

[@rogersmith7396]

The brass synchros wear very slightly with every shift especially at high RPM. 1st and 2nd always wear out first as they receive more use.

[@tweake7175]

@@rogersmith7396 yep, and 30 years of use later they are still not worn out.

[@dj_paultuk7052]

If you buy a car with a DCT, especially a used one. Its worth getting all the software updates done. I used to have a 2016 Merc A220d 2.2d with the 7sp DCT. When i first got the car new the gearbox was just awful, and they had only just released it at that time. In that 1st year i had 4 software updates. And it was not until mid 2017 where yet another software update was done upon which it was "perfect". I mean it was a real dream in all scenarios. Just really annoying that Mercedes did not develop the software first before releasing that gearbox. I suspect other makes maybe similar.

[@DaveMuller]

When I first started manual, engine braking was taught as normal. I probably took it too far and engine brake all the time, and even downshift manually in a regular auto. I should probably stop, but what a bad habit to break especially on the auto where I really dislike the way it shifts.

[@farnarkleboy]

Learning to drive in three on the tree Fords Holdens and Valiants on dirt with drum brakes and, engine braking was a necessary part of the equation The VC Valiant I learnt in seemed to be keen to swap ends if braking ,clutch in, on dirt but slipping it down to second or first would smooth out the imbalance somewhat.

[@noelanderson8915]

That's very interesting John. I drive a 97 Honda Civic Manual, I usually select third gear and go the 12k+ UP and DOWN the range road that takes me from Cairns up to the Tableland. Coming down, this limits my need for braking. Now, after all of that, my question is, Is it okay to select a gear, especially when coming down the hill in the Auto, so as to limit that braking or do you suggest just using the brakes when you need to slow down. My plan is to get an auto for my next vehicle, Thanks. 😀

[@andoletube]

There is a case for using the transmission for very sustained hill descents. If you ride the brakes all the way down, you can really cook your brakes, which can lead to having no brakes at some point (brake fade), and also the extreme heating of the rotors and pads can earn you an expensive rotor/pad replacement. Brake rotors can warp/crack under very high temperatures. Brake pads can glaze over and lose most of their capacity to grip the rotor. Granted this is a rare scenario, but I have been it situations where the descent was unusually long (like it would have been 10 minutes of sustained braking) and I definitely always engine brake in such a situation. I wouldn't say it taxes the transmission anymore than the ascent up the same hill did.

[@noelanderson8915]

@@andoletube my old bomb has drums on the back. That's why I use my gears in descents and really the road is not that steep that you would be riding the brakes, just a jab here and there on the slower corners. I sometimes have cars, SUVs and Utes, come up close behind me because I am not using the brakes, so they don't see the lights come on. I usually ease off when coming up to a red light or coming from 80 to 60, even dropping a gear and constantly have cars come up close because they don't seem to be able to work out my csr is slowing. They roar past me in some cases, only to have to brake suddenly because of the red light or the 60 zone. Guess I'm OLD school.🤣

[@jeffruebens8355]

The Hyundai and Kia dry dual clutch transmission has recently been replaced with a wet dual clutch. Hopefully more reliable, and less odd for bumper to bumper traffic creeping along and getting hotter for the clutch plates.

[@AndyG73]

Theirs must be a better overall design (as regards reliability/robustness/longevity) than the likes of the VAG DSG and especially the Ford Powershift DCT because (at least here in the UK) you don't here of widespread failures. Still, for mostly use in heavy, slow moving traffic, I'd still plump for either a car with a decent TC or CVT auto given their far better suitability and smoothness in such conditions. In theory, (well-designed) CVTs should provide the best of performance, mpg and reliability, though perhaps not on the noise front when pushed hard. Probably why both Toyota and Subaru use them, albeit for mainly different reasons on very different performing cars.

[@rogersmith7396]

The wet clutches in my Japanese motorcycles are indestructible.

[@tano1747]

Brakes yes normally. But gear shift to lower gears for descending long mountain ranges. Because heat soaking the brakes over long periods will eventually boil the brake fluid... In both halves of the split circuit at once. So complete brake failure is on the cards if you don't use the gears on long descents. I have spoken to a guy who went through this experience. Apparently rather exciting at the time.... The rule of thumb is to use the same gear descending that you needed ascending. But in normal day to day driving, sure... Brakes are cheaper.

[@scottmoore6957]

I believe John means when using the transmission to slow down, that will wear things out. i believe this is like travelling along at 60 and you see a red light and select second gear and let the clutch out. this does put stress on the clutch as it tries to match the engine speed to the input shaft gearbox speed and also the syncros when you are trying to select such a low gear at speed that also wears these out (as you push the shifter into a gear the syncro synchronizes the output shaft speed and applicable input shaft speed). this same theory applies to DCTs as they use similar technology. i would also be wary of people behind you if you do this as not using the brakes means you are not illuminating the brake lights and may catch people off guard (your asking for a car accident)

[@dederen1492]

Yes some scenario like that,people talking about slowing down with transmission.Rarely take the normal use in traffic that letting the car slowing down in gear is enough to take off speed and keep going after without stopping. Exemple with a petrol engine,you are on 2nd at 3000rpm,getting of the gas (not completly off instantly,just enough for the car slowing down) and using the engine as brake if you don't need to slow that much will never wear the things out quicker. Going to 3rd at 3000rpm in to 2nd and droping the clutch,then yes that will wear out quicker. An other exemple on light down hill,getting of the gas and using the engine to prevent pick up speed will do nothing,clutch is already engage.But like almost all people does in lowers rev less engine braking so need to drop down gear...

[@whysah_WD]

It's more like exiting the highway: cruise control off in 5th gear, change to 4th gear to further slow down, change to 3rd gear and in the meantime have power readily available to pull off if the road ahead is clear. The surprise is more in manual car accelerating while DSG is thinking 🙂

[@dederen1492]

@@whysah_WD That most like require heel and toe for that if you want too keep rev at a certain level for pull off if needed.That is not a technique used often so yeah in that case having low revs help to no put excessive stress on the transmission.

[@jcvarj2]

Is DCT easier to maintain compare to CVT?

[@hyballs]

It will be interesting in a year or 3 to read...or listen to peoples comments on how much it cost to fix the DCT in the car they recently bought...or are about to buy.

[@rogersmith7396]

"Extended Warranty".

[@martinmcgoldrick1357]

What can i do to extend the life of my 7 speed, maintenance free DSG gearbox

[@TheSouthern75]

Hi John. I have mostly driven a conventional manual and or a conventional automatic. We recently bought a Kia Rio Gt as a run around. It’s not a bad car but i do feel that it shifts out of first too quickly. I find it’s in second halfway through a corner (from a standing start) but you need to give it a bit more beans it just has nothing. It seems a bit unsafe for me. Also it needs to be at absolute zero before it shifts back to first. I find this really annoying in the really quiet back streets. Is this just me needing to adapt more or could it be programmed to hold first just a little bit longer and engage it a little bit earlier?

[@AutoExpertJC]

It's a cheap runaround and your expectation appears to be 'perfection'. This is a good way to be disappointed.

[@TheSouthern75]

@@AutoExpertJC Perhaps, but it is fun in sport mode.

[@AutoExpertJC]

Yeah - so live with the imperfections.

[@TheSouthern75]

@@AutoExpertJC Fair call

[@surfvid]

Can’t help but notice the Knipex Pliers Wrench JC, how do you rate them?

[@AutoExpertJC]

13 out of a possible 10. Knipex products are awesome.