Many, if not all, of my cars were purchased on the basis of your magazine’s reviews. I have noticed that you shower a lot of praise on Golfs and Polos that are fitted with Volkswagen’s dual-clutch transmission (DSG). However, you fail to mention the numerous international recalls and investigations VW has faced with this type of gearbox. Apparently, DSG is plagued by problems (example: mechatronic failures).
I am interested in buying a Golf with the DSG ‘box and would like your unbiased opinion on the reliability of this transmission
KD SOORUTH
Pietermaritzburg
Answer: The DSG is a lovely gearbox in daily use. However, theoretically, there are more parts that can go wrong with a DSG than a manual unit, and the failures are potentially more costly. Given the amount of DSGs in use on our roads, we have received very few complaints. Therefore, it would not be appropriate to cry wolf about DSG problems without having actual proof of frequent failures (and excluding the problems caused by owners failing to replace the transmission oil as per the servicing schedule).
In the end, it depends on the buyer profile. If you plan on keeping the vehicle for an extended period of time, we’d rather suggest the Golf manual. If, however, you plan to keep the vehicle only while its maintenance plan remains in effect, you might as well opt for the “statistically” higher-risk option. Then again, both types of transmissions are subjected to the same durability testing, so should have the same lifespan from an engineering point of view.
