The Skoda Thread

[rogerzilla]

I think the current DSGs are pretty reliable, although there is still much more to go wrong than with a torque converter auto. The really problematic ones were the 7-speed dry clutch types (as fitted to many older VAG automatic cars - something to bear in mind if you're in the market for a £5,000 auto, which is about as low as it gets for anything not utterly worn out).

 

[Gunk]

I think the current DSGs are pretty reliable, although there is still much more to go wrong than with a torque converter auto. The really problematic ones were the 7-speed dry clutch types (as fitted to many older VAG automatic cars - something to bear in mind if you're in the market for a £5,000 auto, which is about as low as it gets for anything not utterly worn out).

I’ve had a couple of them and both have done over 120,000 without any issues, they just need a service at 100k

 

[Reynard]

Auto boxes... *pfeg*

This girl loves driving and loves manual gearboxes.

 

[Jameshow]

Auto boxes... *pfeg*

This girl loves driving and loves manual gearboxes.

I agree certain cars need a stick shift!
Lotus, mini, 3 series, mx5, e type etc

Autos are for exec saloons / MPV / 4x4

 

[Reynard]

I agree certain cars need a stick shift!
Lotus, mini, 3 series, mx5, e type etc

Autos are for exec saloons / MPV / 4x4

Mind, while there are some godawful auto boxes, there are some equally ghastly manual ones.

The shift on a Mk1 Fiesta is just horrible. It's SO vague and there was a ridiculous amount of play in the linkage. Yuk. Felt like stirring rice pudding - and that was an insult to rice pudding.

OTOH, the auto box on a friend's Audi 80 also got on my wick; drive at a constant (slow) speed e.g. in steady traffic in a 30 mph zone, and it was kicking up and down the gears unable to make up its mind.

 

[Gunk]

Lotus, mini, 3 series, mx5, e type etc

I‘ve owned 6 BMW 3 Series over the years. 5 tourings and 1 Convertible, the only manual was an E46 330i convertible and it was the most disappointing, my current 330d touring has the 8 speed auto and it’s the best one yet.

 

[Rusty Nails]

Auto boxes... *pfeg*

This girl loves driving and loves manual gearboxes.

I can tell you're never getting an EV.

 

[Reynard]

I can tell you're never getting an EV.

Unless it's a Formula E car, then likely not.

 

[Rusty Nails]

Unless it's a Formula E car, then likely not.

Serious question, although a bit OT, will the drive to stop production of ICE cars lead to F-E taking over from F1? I was thinking about the expense of developing new engines.

 

[Reynard]

Serious question, although a bit OT, will the drive to stop production of ICE cars lead to F-E taking over from F1? I was thinking about the expense of developing new engines.

I don't think so.

Parts of the automotive industry see EV as an evolutionary dead end, largely down to infrastructure problems that are never likely to be overcome. And this was already being talked about at least 25 years ago i.e. who pays for it, where do you put it, how do you access it, all that sort of stuff. Never mind that EV is effectively passing the buck, and handing the problems to different industries.

Me personally? As a former automotive engineer? I prefer the hydrogen / synthetic fuels options.

F1 is looking down the synthetic fuels road, and Indycar has been running on ethanol for donkey's years.

 

[Jameshow]

Mind, while there are some godawful auto boxes, there are some equally ghastly manual ones.

The shift on a Mk1 Fiesta is just horrible. It's SO vague and there was a ridiculous amount of play in the linkage. Yuk. Felt like stirring rice pudding - and that was an insult to rice pudding.

OTOH, the auto box on a friend's Audi 80 also got on my wick; drive at a constant (slow) speed e.g. in steady traffic in a 30 mph zone, and it was kicking up and down the gears unable to make up its mind.

Indeed r50 and r53 00-6 mini have awful boxes r50 had a midland box from the old rover parts bin gears made of chocolate, r53 Cooper S had a getrag 6speed which is so stiff and notchy!

 

[Jameshow]

I don't think so.

Parts of the automotive industry see EV as an evolutionary dead end, largely down to infrastructure problems that are never likely to be overcome. And this was already being talked about at least 25 years ago i.e. who pays for it, where do you put it, how do you access it, all that sort of stuff. Never mind that EV is effectively passing the buck, and handing the problems to different industries.

Me personally? As a former automotive engineer? I prefer the hydrogen / synthetic fuels options.

F1 is looking down the synthetic fuels road, and Indycar has been running on ethanol for donkey's years.

Interesting take ..

 

[Drago]

Despite decades of trying no one has figured how to make synthetic fuels in market-satisfying quantities, without using many times more energy than the fuel itself provides the end user, and at a cost that would have people wanting to buy it. Never say never, but if past performance is any indicator of the future it doesn't look like it will ever be more than a niche product.

 

[rogerzilla]

Everyone seems to hate CVTs. The original Mini autos had them, as do many smaller cars.

 

[Reynard]

Despite decades of trying no one has figured how to make synthetic fuels in market-satisfying quantities, without using many times more energy than the fuel itself provides the end user, and at a cost that would have people wanting to buy it. Never say never, but if past performance is any indicator of the future it doesn't look like it will ever be more than a niche product.

Crude oil-based fuels are just as energy intensive.

You have to drill for them, pump them out from the depths, transport the oil (even pipelines still need pumps as this stuff is really gloppy), then you need to go through the whole fractional distillation process to separate out the different components. After, stuff still needs refining to meet specific gradings, then transported yet again to get to where it is distributed to the public.

So same difference, really.

I believe this is all covered in the A-level organic chemistry syllabus, but also pops up in various places on mechanical engineering undergrad courses.