threebikesmcginty
Corn Fed Hick...
- Location
- ...on the slake
No there isn't, it's what they do.
Automatic or Manual..
- Thread starter potsy
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
No there isn't, it's what they do.
Broadside
Legendary Member
- Location
- Fleet, Hants
I agree that the dsg boxes are good and the ford version (powershift) is surprisingly good but at £2k for a replacement clutch and a further £6k if the auto box needs to be replaced it is a risky and expensive option. If you can afford to drive a new car with it then fine but my experience of owning one with over 50k miles on the clock is not good so I avoid them.
I have a boring old Saab in the household with an old style auto box, it’s nowhere near as refined but just keeps on running. The new dsg style boxes still have a lot of reliability issues to overcome.
OP
OP
potsy
Rambler
- Location
- My Armchair
Thankfully nowadays my mileage is only around 6k per year
Hopefully it will be reliable for a good few years if I do get one
Hopefully it will be reliable for a good few years if I do get one
I had a CVT on a hire car once and once I got used to it and how to get the best out of it, I really started to like it.
For the people who say they're stupid, I seem to recall Williams building an experimental CVT F1 car in the early 1990s and I think it was Ricardo Patrese who was able to be consistently 2 seconds a lap faster in it than the standard Williams with semi-auto gearbox they were racing at the time so the FIA banned it before they got to race it.
For the people who say they're stupid, I seem to recall Williams building an experimental CVT F1 car in the early 1990s and I think it was Ricardo Patrese who was able to be consistently 2 seconds a lap faster in it than the standard Williams with semi-auto gearbox they were racing at the time so the FIA banned it before they got to race it.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
CVT is OK, but like a slush box it takes an engine with a degree of torque to make it work properly, yet then tended to be fitted to 1 litre shopping cars with less thrust than John Wayne Bobbit.
Globalti
Legendary Member
Really? That's worrying. Mine has done 53,000 faultless miles; does this mean I can begin to expect a lot of problems? What problems?
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Well, you'll have two clutches to replace when they wear out. They're electronically controlled, which makes diagnostics a ballache as it needs to be done electronically. The servos that control the changes are troublesome. Its something I'd avoid if buying a car to keep long term, or when buying a used car. Buyers are wising up to it and once cars are beyond 5 years old or so its starting to affect values an saleability.
Broadside
Legendary Member
- Location
- Fleet, Hants
Sorry bad wording. I meant dsg in general. I have only owned the Ford Powershift, it is prone to needing replacement clutches from 60,000 miles and at £2k that is a big deal. They also require fluid changes every 20,000 at £800 a go.
I think they drive really nicely compared to an older auto but the maintenance bills on an older model are prohibitive so I went back to manual. If you can afford to buy a new or very low mileage one then great but I tend to buy cars with about 40,000 on the clock.
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
Thanks for bringing this to my attention - I'm seriously considering a late used Focus Powershift.
Conflicting reports from googling, but it appears the problems are with petrol Powershifts, not diesel.
Looks like the petrols use a dry clutch which can be contaminated when oil seals fail.
Diesels use a wet clutch, or rather clutches.
Conflicting reports also on oil changes, but three or four years or 36,000/48,000 miles appears to be the most popular advice.
An oil change is not cheap, although I see the Essex-based Ford dealer Gates offers a fixed price of £299.
That I can live with, a blown up gearbox costing thousands would be a lot harder to take.
Decisions, decisions.
Broadside
Legendary Member
- Location
- Fleet, Hants
Mine was a diesel Galaxy which I think had the wet clutch. Now you mention the oil replacement cost, I think it was actually in the £300-£400 ball park. I didn’t have the car long because the clutch issue became apparent the first time I went on a long motorway run so I took it back to the dealer to sort it out but when they heard the symptoms they asked to take the car back and offer a full refund. This was signal enough for me that it was going to be horrendously expensive for them to sort out and that’s without them paying an hourly labour bill!
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
Something rings a bell the early Galaxies had a version of the VW/Audi 1.9tdi engine, if so, it likely had a VW gearbox as well.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
The Galaxie was a yank luxo barge 
The TDi Galaxy was horrible. The TDi sounds so much better than TurgID, which was a pretty accurate description.
The TDi Galaxy was horrible. The TDi sounds so much better than TurgID, which was a pretty accurate description.
mustang1
Legendary Member
- Location
- London, UK
Yup, I don't think VW are hugely reliable. When I meant quality, I should have said cabin quality, the materials, lack of "plasticiness", the way the dials and buttons feel, stuff like that.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
That's not quality though. That's simply feel and appearance, and is no way in indicator of the efficiency, reliability, or longevity of the vehicle.
