Could anyone let me know their experiences of towing with a VW car or any car with a DSG gearbox please? We are considering buying a VW Caddy Maxi Life with a 2.0l 140ps engine and a 6 speed DSG gearbox. We currently tow with a 2.0l diesel Skoda Yeti. We have no experience towing with an automatic and would appreciate some advice. The VW is alot of money and we do not want to make an expensive mistake.
I think you will find that the Skoda Yeti is a better towcar than the VW Caddy for one particular reason being the towball weight limit as the Yeti has a maximum of 100 kgs. whereas the Caddy is only 80 kgs. Just something I thought you may need to take into consideration.
My Superb estate (2ltr diesel, 170BHP, 6 speed DSG) is both my first auto box and the first car I've ever towed with. The DSG makes light work of towing and is rarely in the wrong gear.
I can't say I'd fancy having to stir a manual 'box whilst towing. The DSG makes for relaxed driving and I can concentrate on the road and those around me rather than having to think about changing gear. Once you get the feel for how the DSG works you can control some of the gear-changes with your foot (lift off slightly and it will go up a gear, put your foot down and it'll go down through the gears).
Mine has flappy paddles on the steering wheel and I'll occasionally use those if I know there's tricky bit coming up where the automatic would put me in the wrong gear or if I'm about go go down a hill when I'll drop down a gear or two to control my descent. Cruise control (if you have it) + DSG is a great combination as it will change gear to maintain the set speed both up and down hill.
I liked it so much we bought my wife a Fabia with DSG box a week after I picked mine up
Our Seat Alhambra (VW Sharan in other words) with 2l diesel and 6 speed DSG box towed to Vendee and back with no problem at all. Really comfortable to tow with. We used to have a C4 Grand Picasso with semi auto, towing a Pennine Quartz 4, and I cave to say the Seat does a much better job with the 'van than the Citroen ever did with the folder. Citroen auto clutch used to get very jumpy when moving off under load.
Rarely use paddles on Seat although we did a lot on the C4.
------------- Alan
2016
February C&CC Theobalds Park
March C&CC Salisbury
May C&CC Adgestone IOW
July Le Clos Auroy, Auvergne France
August C&CC Polstead
August C&CC Oxford
October C&CC Lauder
Thanks everyone. I feel more confident about a DSG gearbox now. I am not sure about the Caddy though. We really like the Yeti but the boot just isn't big enough, we have 3 dogs. Most estates slope down at the back which makes them unsuitable for dog crates. We also have a very narrow drive which limits our choice of towcar considerably.