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Serious question - Is the European car of the year actually decided on the car's merit? Or is it just a case of lunching with the correct people? In the industry I work in, you can "win" all sorts of awards depending on who you buy lunch for.
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It makes a change. Usually the ECOY is just a bunch of people deciding which FIAT should win it this year.
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The Polo is worthy. One of the few new cars with a spare wheel and actually a much better Polo than Polos have been for a long time. But the fact that it only beat the IQ by 10 votes (347 v/s 337) despite no Japanese journos on the panel says it all to me.
HJ
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At least this ECOY is a car I would actually consider buying this year. Practical, good safety and a good private buy prospect.
Some of the previous ECOY have been odd choices. And what the hell use is an IQ anyway, it barely meets the description of a car! More of a shopping cart.
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Nice car - pity about the DSG.
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What's up with the DSG version? I'd consider getting on of these (petrol only though).
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The Polo won because there wasn't anything better this year, just like the Pug 307 a few years back. The IQ is a very clever design but not something I or many others could buy, indeed I can't actually fit into the larger ones such as the Auris.
I'm surprised that the C3 Picasso didn't do better, though the judges especially the French would have given that lots of support.
How far off until the Koreans have a car of the year?
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Nice car - pity about the DSG.
May I make a sincere request? - could you tell me why you say that please?
I thought that DSG was supposed to be great. On paper it seems good.
You know a thing or two about cars, so I am genuinely prepared to be educated here.
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Well Alanovitch & LDO, I'm speaking personally and I believe each to his/her own - whatever turns you on - one mans meat etc., etc., etc.
The only experience I've had of these types of automated manuals is when I road tested a Citroen C3 a few years ago ... Ah! but hang on - I've also read (here) about other ppl's experience of them - good & bad and have made a judgment based on that as well as the C3 experience.
I like autos' - proper auto's like in my 1.8 Almera, I don't like CVT's either.
With the new Polo, I would be prepared to evaluate it, and I might even be pleasantly surprised being its got the vorspung durch technik fitted as standard.
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Alanovitch and LikedDrivingOnce deserve an explanation. I think Perro is alluding to the reliability of the DSG box. But I'd be happy to be corrected by him.
HJ
Edited by Honestjohn on 01/12/2009 at 19:55
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Regarding the DSG gearbox. I've driven a few VAG cars with them and find the driving experience to be similar to a good conventional torque converter automatic.
There is a taxi company I regularly use in Hamburg which run a fleet of identical DSG equipped Passat TDI estates. Some of them have clocked up over 400,000km without problems with the DSG, so it does appear to have matured into a reliable technology.
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>>> I think Perro is alluding to the reliability of the DSG box <<<
No Sir! ... I have absolutely no experience of the DSG (type) gearboxes whatsoever where reliability is concerned, its the drive-ability that concerns me friend - even your Monty Don lookalike on the road test video mentions (and I quote) "Hunting for the right gear and mechanical hubbub" but, as I say - each to his/her own.
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Perro, I'mm surprised. My experience of DSG is limited to my parents 2.0d Octavia (6 speed) and my friend's 1.4 TSi Glof (7 speed), and both are silky smooth up and down the box, with imperceptible, pretty much instant changes.
About the only thing is a slight hesitation if you just floor the glof, but it's dead easy to drive around. If the story about the 400k taxis is accurate, I'd serously look at a DSG box next time round.
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Thanks for the reply. I was interested in what you have to say, and it seems a good enough reason to hold your particular viewpoint.
I drive an automatic, of course, and am a fan of them for their smoothness and ease of use. However, I do get frustrated by the fact that you pay a threefold penalty for driving an auto, i.e.
a) They cost more to buy
b) The fuel economy is significantly worse than a manual
c) The auto box saps power and blunts performance.
I've no idea whether Dual-Clutch Transmissions like DSG and Ford's Powershift are the future or not. I'd like to think that we could invent something better than the Torque Converter + Planetary Gearset that constitute "proper" Autos at the present time.
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>>> They cost more to buy
>>> The fuel economy is significantly worse than a manual
>>> The auto box saps power and blunts performance.
My 32" LCD TV cost me £850 whereas I could have bought one for under £400, ya pays your money & takes your choice - same with automatics, I'm prepared to pay more for them.
I can get over 40 MPG out of the Almera - when mimsing and many auto's these days match their manual stable mates in the economy stakes - especially the DSG's!!
As for sapping power, yes - in some cars they do, but the Almera is an 1800cc DOHC jobbie with VVT so it performs quite well IMO.
What I would suggest LDO, is to hire a car with the DSG box for a day or so - you may even like it.
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I think the new Ford Fiesta is a real cutie and I place the new Polo in the same category.
>>..whereas I could have bought one for under £400..>>
Most TV manufacturers offer same size screen sets in two or three price bands - the more you pay the superior the performance and electronics.
Your £850 set, for instance, is probably full HD rather than HD Ready (not the same thing).
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>>> Your £850 set, for instance, is probably full HD rather than HD Ready (not the same thing) <<<
Ah! I didn't know that Stuart - Thanks ... its also 100 Hz and good sound qualty (for a flatty)
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I'm probably in a good position to comment, as my "fleet" currently comprises a VW Touran DSG, a Mazda 6 auto (traditional auto box with a tiptronic style function) and a Smart Roadster with "old fashioned" automated manual.
The worst of the three is easily the Smart, it's the least smooth and the worst at knowing which gear it "should" be in. So I can understand concerns over automated manuals. I usually drive it in manual mode.
However, the DSG is different gravy as a gearbox. Changes are faster and smoother than the auto in the Mazda. It's brilliant on the move. The only problem I have with it is that, allied with the diesel 2.0 PD in the Touran, it gives a small "lag" when setting off in 1st, however I blame this on the engine rather than the 'box, as a manual diesel FIAT Stilo I had behaved the same way. It jsut needs a slight adjustment in the driver's style to overcome, but when I change that car I'll only consider another DSG with a petrol engine.
It would be a mistake to judge DSG boxes on the basis of experiences with other automated manuals. They're an absolute class above and could even be considered superior to tourque converters. Of course, reliability of the unit is up for question as they haven't been around long, but I haven't heard any horror stories yet.
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"but I haven't heard any horror stories yet. "
Read some VAG forums.
My second one needed a new mechatronic unit after about 20,000 miles - £1,000+ just for the part. A friend's needed £1,500 spending on it after it refused to change from 1st. this was from a friendly VW garage who he knows and were prepared to spend time to investigate and fix rather than replace - a replacement would have been £4,000+.
That said they do provide excellent mpg and a very smooth gearchange. The only jerkiness I had with mine was when the mechatronic unit was on it's way out. Due to these experiences I would be nervous about having one outside of a warranty.
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