Who owns a Golf GTD / GTI / R?

Soldato
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mine isn’t a facelift, it is the 7 speed. Unless they tweaked some thing with the 7.5, which might be your question :o

Oh, I thought all of the pre-facelift models had the 6 speed. My A4 has the 7 speed and it can be a bit rough on initial pull off if it feels like you haven't given it enough throttle, but it's nowhere near as dim as the 6 speed in the Golf R I test drove.
 
Soldato
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Does anyone know if the 7 speed box in the facelift Golfs is any better?
I have the DQ380/381 7 speed (seems to be some debate on which versions are fitted here) in my vRS and it's anything but clumsy and jerky. I was half expecting to regret not getting a manual but this box is so good I don't see me going back to a manual any time soon.

Whilst mine isn’t a facelift, it is the 7 speed. Unless they tweaked some thing with the 7.5, which might be your question :o

As a 1.4 though, yours is a low torque dry clutch box, it's absolutely nothing like the wet clutch DQ380 series boxes being fitted to the 2.0TSI cars now. It's a completely different gearbox, about the only thing in common is the number of gears.
 

mjt

mjt

Soldato
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I have the DQ380/381 7 speed (seems to be some debate on which versions are fitted here) in my vRS and it's anything but clumsy and jerky. I was half expecting to regret not getting a manual but this box is so good I don't see me going back to a manual any time soon.



As a 1.4 though, yours is a low torque dry clutch box, it's absolutely nothing like the wet clutch DQ380 series boxes being fitted to the 2.0TSI cars now. It's a completely different gearbox, about the only thing in common is the number of gears.
Fair enough! Do the mk7 R/GTIs share the box with the 7.5s, or did this come with the facelift?
I’d be looking at 2015-2016 cars.
 
Soldato
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Fair enough! Do the mk7 R/GTIs share the box with the 7.5s, or did this come with the facelift?
I’d be looking at 2015-2016 cars.
Pretty sure prefacelift will be the DQ500 6 speed box, facelifts then switched to the DQ380 7 speeds is my understanding.
 

mjt

mjt

Soldato
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Pretty sure prefacelift will be the DQ500 6 speed box, facelifts then switched to the DQ380 7 speeds is my understanding.
Which then goes back to my initial question; other than regular servicing, anything to worry about? Do these lunch themselves like early DSG units and Audi ones? The last thing I would want to see is a red cog and mechatronics failure..
 
Soldato
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I've not heard much in terms of failures on the 7 speed but they'll all be within warranty at the moment anyway.

Not sure what you mean by 'audi ones' - there hasn't ever been a specific audi dsg box, they're all used across all the brands.

These days, a correctly serviced DSG box should be no more worrisome than any other automatic really.
 

mjt

mjt

Soldato
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I've not heard much in terms of failures on the 7 speed but they'll all be within warranty at the moment anyway.

Not sure what you mean by 'audi ones' - there hasn't ever been a specific audi dsg box, they're all used across all the brands.

These days, a correctly serviced DSG box should be no more worrisome than any other automatic really.
I was referring to those horrid Multitronics. Good to hear not many horror stories with DSG at the moment. In any case, I’d be looking at pre-facelifts out of warranty. Manuals are cheaper anyway as I guess they’re undesirable?
 
Soldato
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I think the manuals are regarded as less able to take big power increases compared to the DSG boxes, though this isn't really an issue unless you're going beyond a basic remap in them.

The difference in price is probably mostly down to the fact the manuals were cheaper new in the first place and a lot of the Golf R market is populated with returned lease cars that were selected on the basis of "wow Golf R for a fiver a year" and so were all basic basic spec.
 
I haz 4090!
Don
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Well, mine is going back on the 1st March. Didn't think I'd be able to hand it back so early but it turns out mine was one of the last made before they had to tweak the power slightly to meet emissions, so it's held its value relatively well (albeit still quite eye-watering depreciation). Don't want the worry of it being on the drive when I move so I've swapped it for... a Polo.
 
Associate
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14 Jun 2008
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I have the DQ380/381 7 speed (seems to be some debate on which versions are fitted here) in my vRS and it's anything but clumsy and jerky. I was half expecting to regret not getting a manual but this box is so good I don't see me going back to a manual any time soon.
DQ380 is the FWD box the 381 is the 4WD version.
Fair enough! Do the mk7 R/GTIs share the box with the 7.5s, or did this come with the facelift?
I’d be looking at 2015-2016 cars.
The 7 speed box came with the facelift on the R and GTI-PP

Pretty sure prefacelift will be the DQ500 6 speed box, facelifts then switched to the DQ380 7 speeds is my understanding.
Pre facelift was the DQ250. The DQ500 is used in the RS3 and TTRS.
 
Soldato
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Sounds like the MK7.5 Golf R uses the same 7 speed DQ381 as my B9 A4. I think it's a really good gearbox and doesn't seem to get confused like the older dual-clutch boxes from VAG.

My 2010 Polo 1.4 had a really poor 7 speed box in it. At the time I wasn't sure if it was down to the 85BHP engine the car had, but in hindsight it was probably just a poorly designed box that needed more R&D.
 
Associate
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Anyone know how much it will be to change the xenon's on 2014 gtd at garage. Current ones seem abit on dim side.
I would do it myself but am lazy now :p and seems a lot of effort to just change a bulb even with going through the wheel arch.
 

mjt

mjt

Soldato
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DQ380 is the FWD box the 381 is the 4WD version.

The 7 speed box came with the facelift on the R and GTI-PP


Pre facelift was the DQ250. The DQ500 is used in the RS3 and TTRS.
Indeed, what my brief research uncovered. Didn't find much on reliability though; any thoughts/experience?
 
Soldato
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I really like the DSG box on my 7.5R, only used manual mode a few time. It auto changes at optimal times, so manual mode would only benefit on a track when I might want to change early or late. I guess when over taking the kickdown looses a little time that manual mode would remove, but it's not like over taking is hard with over 300bhp and instant gear changes..
 
Soldato
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I guess when over taking the kickdown looses a little time that manual mode would remove, but it's not like over taking is hard with over 300bhp and instant gear changes..

I find when overtaking it's better to preemptively put the DSG into sport mode as using kickdown is kind of slow and generally causes the car to lurch whilst the gearbox tries to figure out what you're trying to do. Either that or drop a couple of gears using the shifters.
 
Soldato
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I find when overtaking it's better to preemptively put the DSG into sport mode as using kickdown is kind of slow and generally causes the car to lurch whilst the gearbox tries to figure out what you're trying to do. Either that or drop a couple of gears using the shifters.

I don't get a lurch, but I almost always use sport if I am going to overtake. I more compare the small delay as it drops two gears as the calm before the storm
 

dod

dod

Soldato
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I find when overtaking it's better to preemptively put the DSG into sport mode as using kickdown is kind of slow and generally causes the car to lurch whilst the gearbox tries to figure out what you're trying to do. Either that or drop a couple of gears using the shifters.
That's exactly what I do usually. Got the estate rather than the hatch though
 
Soldato
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16 May 2006
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The sound deadening/insulation under the bonnet of my MK6 GTI is sagging and making a mess of my engine bay. Seems to be a common issue. If I straight up remove it will I have any issues in the summer?
 
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