# Considering buying new TTS. Manual. Experiences or Opinions.



## MisanoTTS (Apr 17, 2018)

Good morning all,

I'm a new member so first of all would like to say hi and look forward to spending a lot of time here, viewing and contributing to the group.

My question is, I'm currently considering purchasing a new TTS Black Edition from my local dealer and wanted to gather your thoughts and opinions on whether to go for the Manual or S-Tronic? As the one they currently have is a manual and fits in with my budget.

I suppose it's all down individual taste but would like to know if anybody had the same dilemma and what their thoughts were afterwards. Did you make the right choice or would you swap next time?

I've always thought a manual would be the most fun and up until my current car, I've always had a manual. However, since having an automatic with paddles on the steering wheel with my current car, for most of the time it's very relaxing and easy to drive, so I've grown to like it. The paddles are not bad when you want to have a bit of spirited driving, but nowhere near what I used to enjoy with a manual.

Almost all new cars are now selling far more as autos/semi autos as oppose to a manual. So would I be making a poor choice financially?

Has anyone driven both? Which option did they prefer?


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## J400uk (Dec 6, 2009)

I've got a FWD Manual TT Sport at the moment and have been out on a test drive of a Quattro S-Tronic this morning...

Controversial but it wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be! It's still the original 6-speed version of the DSG which I think I had in my old 2006 Mk5 Golf GTI, rather than the newer 7-speed version used elsewhere in the range. Decent gearbox but no longer the latest and greatest. Seems to hesitate on occasion and not always the sharpest changes.

I had gone off my Manual a bit recently after the Clutch unexpectedly failed last month. Audi replaced under warranty FOC but it was giving me second thoughts on the car, hence me looking at alternatives. However I think I've decided on balance the Manual is definitely more fun to drive and it's a really smooth and slick gearbox. The original clutch seemed to have an annoying delay when making fast gear changes, but the new one is spot on and you can easily make quick progress if you want.

No doubt most will be along shortly to recommend the S-Tronic, but I think both are worth a try and it depends on your preferences really


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## MisanoTTS (Apr 17, 2018)

Yeah, supports what I'm thinking.

In terms of enjoying the car, I think most people will agree the manual makes you feel more connected to the car, in a similar way to riding a bike. Whereas, the auto option, I'm sure would be quicker in terms of going through the gears, but lacking that feel after a while. As in, you get used or the novelty wearing off quicker. I definitely think a real positive for the auto is perceived reliability and maybe that's why they are becoming more and more popular.

Appreciate your input.


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## Ben-S (Dec 24, 2016)

There are some cars and their manual gear boxes that are so lovely I'd not want to miss on if buying. The Porsche Cayman is one of those imo - such a lovely mechanical feeling with a short throw. The box in the TT is not one of those imo. Not bad, but not a properly lovely thing to not miss out on. In that context the stronic makes the most sense for me simply because the manual is not that good so the 'head' benefits of the auto win over the 'heart' of the manual.

One thing in my vanilla tt I have noticed - the drive select mode makes a big different when driven in automatic. When in town or stuck behind traffic on a country road S mode is too keen to drop a gear or hold a gear too long making the car feel unsettled. When cutting loose on open road it really benefits from S mode being engaged. As such my method of choice when driving a fun B road is to select dynamic and leave the gearbox in S when free to make progress and drop back to D when going through towns and villages and stuck behind other traffic.


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## Rev (Nov 17, 2015)

I think they both have pros and cons, depends what you'll be mostly using the car for. Manual is more fun, more of a connected experience, but it can be annoying in traffic jams and so on.

I think like Ben says, if I went manual it'd have to be a very good manual, or I would prefer the s-tronic. If I'm going to sacrifice the convenience of auto I want it to be for a good manual, not a run of the mill one.

But in the end there isn't a huge difference, as long as you actually go on drives which make the most of the manual, seeing as the fun would make up for the inconvenience factor. If you don't then s-tronic is a clear winner.


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## Toshiba (Jul 8, 2004)

Agree, manual box in the TT is not a good one. 
The 6 speed DSG is not bad, just dated by comparison to the newer 8 speed ZF in most Audis. 7 speed allows for better cruising speed/lower noise on the motorway. The 7 speed has a higher Nm rating but unless you are planning stage 2 remap it's irrelevant.

TTS DSG every time... look to hold money better too.
Never understood the more connected comments, it's not like your sat in the rear or on the roof with DSG cars, you have just the same level of control with the exception of the pointless bouncing the engine off the rev limiter...


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## GoodThunder (Jul 19, 2016)

To me all the hesitation comments about DSG sound like they come from people who were mainly driving manual cars before.

The automatic box just reacts on your input and some other conditions, it can't anticipate. It doesn't know whether you're going to keep accelerating or if you're planning to ease your foot and go cruising next moment. You have to articulate your intention either using drive modes or flappy pedals or just using your accelerator pedal more vigorously.

I can certainly understand people who prefer manual, it's just a different experience and choosing one over another is pretty much a matter of taste. But I can also tell you that the DSG in mkIII TT(s) is very good. It's properly quick and has two clutches for a reason. And it switches gears in a tiny fraction of what it takes to switch them manually. And driving it in M using flappy pedals is a real pleasure.

I used to drive many manual cars but after trying the TT with DSG I can hardly imagine myself on manual again unless it's a vintage collectable.


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## MisanoTTS (Apr 17, 2018)

Thank you for the input everyone.

It's defintely giving me food for thought.

I currently drive a jag XF 3 litre diesel s with a 8 speed Auto box. It has dynamic and sport mode and the gear changes are without a doubt quicker than it would be in a manual. Just don't feel it's as exciting to drive as previous manual cars I've had. Maybe it's the car, but it's certainly a quick car.

Perhaps it's a case of the grass appearing greener! I'm terrible for that!

Value everyone's input though. I think If possible, it would be worth seeing if I could test drive both options and get a feeling for them. Slim margins either way probably, but agree with the post about the S-Tronic box being more popular on holding it's value.


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## J400uk (Dec 6, 2009)

Toshiba said:


> Agree, manual box in the TT is not a good one.


Sorry but that's a ridiculous comment. VAG Manual 'boxes are widely regarded to be the best in the business



olly2016 said:


> To me all the hesitation comments about DSG sound like they come from people who were mainly driving manual cars before.


Before my Manual TT I'd had 3x DSG Golfs, S5 Tiptronic and BMW ZF8. Still stand by my comments :wink:


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## Toshiba (Jul 8, 2004)

Regard as by whom? idiots who are clueless or brand blind??? 
Ford boxes are x10 better, BMW boxes are better, Merc boxes are better, infact exactly who's boxes are they better than....? Rover??

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/enthusia ... rG#image=1
but I'm sure you know better :wink:

And the R8 box probably is/was the best Audi box by a long way, but it's too widely spaced and the throw is annoying to live with.. The only good Audi boxes are 3rd party ones :wink:


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## J400uk (Dec 6, 2009)

don't agree 

Mercedes manual gearboxes are atrocious and no one buys them

BMWs far too notchy with tight pedal boxes

VAG generally very good, read a review of an Ibiza or Golf and the gear change will always be complemented. Don't think the R8 is relevant here as it's the opposite end of the scale.


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## Toshiba (Jul 8, 2004)

Hmm none of them made the list... but yet 3 BMWs did... strange.
R8 is part of the "VAG manuals", so the relevance is by the parent company not position in the range.

Before my DSG Audis i had manuals... :lol:
Always buy what works for YOU.


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## mark_tts (Feb 16, 2011)

i tried the tts auto then ordered it with the manual box.

not because it was cheaper but its what i liked more (i thought it was way more fun).

im sat in heavy traffic frequently and the manual box is great.


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## RuuTT (Apr 22, 2010)

I have a manual TTS as well. I do like the box very much. Like others said, for me I just feel more connected to the car and engaged in the driving with the manual. Objectively the DSG will be quicker but I wouldn't swap with one myself.


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## phazer (Apr 2, 2018)

I've ordered my TTS in manual, test drove before ordering and the box is more then good enough but then I like Audi manuals. Sure there will be others that are better but IMO it's up there.

I'm not a fan of auto/dsg boxes but I get why so many people like them, that said I took a Golf R out when the Mk7 was released and the 6 speed was a hateful thing. I hear the 7 is much better.

End of the day you gotta buy what works for you


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## Blade Runner (Feb 16, 2018)

MisanoTTS said:


> Good morning all,
> 
> I'm a new member so first of all would like to say hi and look forward to spending a lot of time here, viewing and contributing to the group.
> 
> ...


I ordered a manual after test driving both, but I am not that impressed by dsg-type auto gearboxes (having had one previously in a golf gti). As you said, driving a s tronic car in manual mode is definitely not the same as driving a manual. Its not a rational question to ask though. A bit like asking people if they prefer beef or pork before you select something from the menu. Only thing that matters is what you prefer.

Regarding vag manual gearboxes, they are actually fine. I have had 2 mk 7 golfs and an S3.
Ok, not as good as porsche or honda (or maybe even ford) but better than merc and especially bmw (which are diabolical in my experience). Just hope that audi put a better clutch in the manual tts than vw do in the manual golf R.


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## falconmick (Mar 12, 2018)

Fully agree with Blade Runner, personal preference. I had two MK7 Golf Rs, 1 dsg, 1 man. Clutch on man is known weak spot on 7R, more than likely same on Audi. Manual is more involving and more control BUT dsg is better in UK traffic jams and with so much power there was too much gear changing for me (lazy man). In the end I'm a dsg/s tronic man now. Further point, many sales staff have no idea how to use stronic/dsg correctly and it is worth learning. Good luck.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## J400uk (Dec 6, 2009)

My clutch went after 15k miles but I was told by Audi the new one is a revised part, so presumably anyone ordering now won't have issues 

Pretty sure it's the same one shared by all the performance MQB cars. Leon Cupras for example are having the same problem too


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## E.L.Wisty (Sep 19, 2018)

falconmick said:


> many sales staff have no idea how to use stronic/dsg correctly and it is worth learning. Good luck.


Hi Falconmick. I just got my first TT, a Mk2 3.2 DSG , having always had manual boxes in my previous cars. As I've now got the DSG I wondered if you could expand on this a bit about how to get the best out of the DSG box, that would be really helpful?

I've hardly had a chance to get out in the TT yet but have noticed that the box takes a little getting used to for smooth getaways - mostly a case of re-calibrating my right foot but I have experienced the gearbox "caught in two minds" issue when coming to a stop in traffic or at a junction, feathering the brake and moving off again before completely coming to a standstill.

In reverse, it takes a second or two to start moving then it takes off, so I am learning to be patient and control it on the brake when parking (much as one would with the clutch in a manual car).

Cheers


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## no name (Feb 16, 2014)

Go manual, its one regret i have

When the dsg works properly there's no competition but it just doesn't

Nothing worse than booting it, it jumps 3 gears and then you're struggling at 800 rpm

It takes a while to learn how it works and feels.


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## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

placeborick said:


> Go manual, its one regret i have
> 
> When the dsg works properly there's no competition but it just doesn't
> 
> ...


Its a little bit jittery the VW & Audi DSG (S-tronic) I will give you that. It suffers from the "two minds" syndrome that almost every automatic transmission has. Its just that its more pronounced on VW and Audi transmissions. 

You don't have the same freedom of being in the gear you really need like you can in a manual. Also my TT is very choppy/jerky on the throttle response and application when Im cruising at low speeds (5-8mph). Say a stationary traffic or looking for parking space.

However I take these faults over shifting gears any day. It depends if your car is daily driver or Sunday car. If its a daily no way MT is better than AT. Especially if you drive in the city. Well at least thats my stance on manual transmission.


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## E.L.Wisty (Sep 19, 2018)

captainhero17 said:


> placeborick said:
> 
> 
> > Its a little bit jittery the VW & Audi DSG (S-tronic) I will give you that. It suffers from the "two minds" syndrome that almost every automatic transmission has. Its just that its more pronounced on VW and Audi transmissions.
> ...


Yes that's pretty much how mine is. Sounds like it's just the way they are! Slightly missing the fine control you get with a manual's clutch but I've not covered many miles with the DSG yet so will see how it gets on.

Any tips for getting the best out of it? I think some folk here have mentioned using paddles and/or manual mode at low speeds to get more control?


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## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

E.L.Wisty said:



> captainhero17 said:
> 
> 
> > placeborick said:
> ...


Any tips?
Some gear modes are more choppy for me than others. The worst mode is S-mode. The only thing you can do is to learn the throttle/pedal response for your car. And learn to apply the gas gradually when accelerating to small speeds. Over time you will learn how your car acts and recognise when it wants to start acting up.

There isnt much else. The paddle shifters are not helping since Audi has a very weird transmission software that doesn't let you be in charge of the gear changes for too long if it disagrees with your choice of gear. To prevent the engine from stalling if too high gear/low rpm or to prevent engine damage if you throttle it to high rpms.

P.s- not to pry or anything but your signature shows you have a MK2 TT and not the MK3 one. Is this a writing error? This is MK3 forum and I just say that so I can ensure that you get the most relevant information for your model.


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## phazer (Apr 2, 2018)

My TTS manual is a daily driver and I do city traffic and it's not a bother at all. Yes stop start can be a bit of a chore but it's the traffic I find problematic  I'd still take it all day long over the clumsy DSG/STronic.


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## E.L.Wisty (Sep 19, 2018)

@phazer - yes I've always been more of a manual fan - there's just something very satisfying about doing a perfecty timed heel'n'toe shift! Never had an auto before, but I couldn't resist the car 

@ captainhero17 - Cheers for that - yes those are the techniques I ending up using when I took it out in traffic! It is a Mk2, my bad - being new to the forum (and to TTs) I'd searched for DSG and ended up on this thread without realising it was in the mk3 section


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## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

E.L.Wisty said:


> @phazer - yes I've always been more of a manual fan - there's just something very satisfying about doing a perfecty timed heel'n'toe shift! Never had an auto before, but I couldn't resist the car
> 
> @ captainhero17 - Cheers for that - yes those are the techniques I ending up using when I took it out in traffic! It is a Mk2, my bad - being new to the forum (and to TTs) I'd searched for DSG and ended up on this thread without realising it was in the mk3 section


No prob mate. Just enter the MK2 section and then use the search tab above (once you entered the MK2 section) to look up your topics and questions. That way it only shows you topics within MK2 category. Thats how I look up stuff.


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## Blade Runner (Feb 16, 2018)

E.L.Wisty said:


> captainhero17 said:
> 
> 
> > placeborick said:
> ...


I'm sure there are lots of useful tips on here dotted around in various threads, but I am also aware of a 'consolidated' thread (all 12 pages of it) on the Golf R forum that pretty much addresses every user concern on the DSG. It was started in Jan 2016, so most of the comments relate to the 6 speed DSG in the pre-facelift mk 7, but I think most of the comments will be relevant. The thread started off as "How to avoid those DSG WTF moments" but developed into an excellent guide. I am very much a manual fan myself, but it is a good read nonetheless.

https://www.vwroc.com/forums/topic/11881-understanding-and-using-your-dsg-box/


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## E.L.Wisty (Sep 19, 2018)

Thanks Blade Runner, that's great, just what I was looking for. I will settle down for a good long read! Much appreciated.


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## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

Blade Runner said:


> I'm sure there are lots of useful tips on here dotted around in various threads, but I am also aware of a 'consolidated' thread (all 12 pages of it) on the Golf R forum that pretty much addresses every user concern on the DSG. It was started in Jan 2016, so most of the comments relate to the 6 speed DSG in the pre-facelift mk 7, but I think most of the comments will be relevant. The thread started off as "How to avoid those DSG WTF moments" but developed into an excellent guide. I am very much a manual fan myself, but it is a good read nonetheless.
> 
> https://www.vwroc.com/forums/topic/11881-understanding-and-using-your-dsg-box/


Im sure that the information is 100% relevant given the shared technology. Good find mate!

P.s- I hope magazines do a re-review of the new TT now with 7 speed DSG. I really want hear/see if they made it less clumsy. I always felt like this car needs 7th gear in AT. Given how it was made in 2015 and 7speed wast not such a big deal back then. Now you have cars with 8-9 speeds.


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## blackcatz (Feb 16, 2017)

This was a dilemma I had when choosing my TTS.

I had a manual mk2 TT before this and it's certainly very satisfying changing gear yourself. We're lucky enough to also have a SLK350 in the household and I wouldn't want that with a manual box - the auto suits the car so I don't think I'm biased either way.

I ending up choosing the DSG box and about 99% of the time for me it was the right choice, it's quick, can be as easy to drive as you want it to be and does seem like it'll hold its value better than a manual. For the other 1% it whilst you're getting used to how it works and it's limitations (as some else has said it can't read your mind in advance) it can be frustrating.

For me it was the right choice, but ultimately if you can I'd suggest you try before you buy go see what suits you best.

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