Re: Steptronic gearbox problem.

> > > Modern autos can really be quite superb. Locking out the TC whenever
> > > possible improves efficiency. The race between DSG and conventional > > > autos is not over... > > > I've experience the great and the shocking with a TC auto recently - Jag > > S-type 6 speeder is superb. The 4 speeder in a Focus is shocking. > > Strange isn't it that Jag seem at the forefront in speccing their autos > where parent Ford seem to end up with the dregs?

Well, the original 'new' S-Type had a Ford box, which was notoriously unreliable, in typical Ford auto style.

What I did notice in particular is that the Focus had stupid amounts of 'creep' at idle, whereas the S-Type appeared to be much more intelligent in this respect.

> I'd prefer to stick to my Sillyspeed, though - it works very well once > > you've mastered it. > > I've only ever used a SMG for some time - and that was truly dreadful. A > brief drive of a DSG gave me hope, though.

Many of the Sillyspeed complaints (aside from questionable reliability) seem to stem from users keeping their 'toe in' when changing. You do need to lift slightly as you change, in manual mode, and you can 'sense' when it's going to change in auto mode and slightly back off to smooth things. This only happens at partial loads, though - if you have your foot flat to the floor, the (up)changes are amazing.

Down changes are something that makes you feel like a driving god, though, as the ECU gives a perfect 'blipped' downchange, even on full throttle.