Reading the post about DSG vs. manual tranmission, I couldn't help but wonder how many people are actual driving A3's with manual transmission. I drive a 6 speed A3 and I couldn't even imagine owning a DSG or any type of automatic. Sure, it's a bit of pain in traffic and I live in NYC, but it's really driving. You and the car are one. When you get to shift up 5 gears in a row, you just cannot beat that thrill. And then there are small country roads, getting up an incline... I could go on. It seems that just about everybody in Europe drives the manual, but here, it's such a small minority.

My friend just bought an A4 and went back and forth on the DSG vs. manual. He ended up with the DSG so his wife could drive (she's not so great on the stick.) Now he just wants to borrow my car all the time. As a matter of fact the only drawback I see in driving the manual is that teaching people to drive a stick is a tedious process...

So how many of you are driving the 5 or 6 speed A3?

 

6 speed here....that was no contest. It was ordered with the 6MT and it was one my my main criteria. All of my Audis have been manuals.

 

<-----Is a left pedal user too! Thats the way - uh huh uh huh - I like it - uh huh uh huh

 

I hope your friend knows that the A4 does NOT have DSG. It has Tiptronic, which still has a "traditional" automatic with a torque converter. Our '99 Passat had Tiptronic, and it is very good as far as traditional automatics go (much better then our current Mazda6), but still nothing like the DSG in an A3.

 

6MT

 

Standing to be counted.....

 

DSG here and loving it.

 

I have a DSG... I wish it was a six-speed!!!

But! I wouldn't trade my V6 and Quattro for it. Damn Audi for not putting a proper gearbox in the A3 3.2 quattro.

The DSG is much better than a real automatic though... much better.

 

Manual. Wouldn't have it any other way.

I get to drive a DSG GTi every week, and while it's an absolutely outstanding transmission, just doesn't do it for me.

 

There is no other way . . . . . . at least one acceptable to me.



Cheers!