VW Virtus GT: Want to buy it but worried about the DSG gearbox

I really want to own a DSG/TSI combo considering this might be my last ICE car. But my head says to go for the 1.0 TSI AT variant or book a Harrier/XUV700.

BHPian BleueNinja recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi folks,

I have booked the Virtus 1.0 Topline AT. However, I am in a bit of a dilemma and I would appreciate feedback from learned folks on this forum.

I really want to go for the GT variant but is the DSG gearbox really as bad as it’s made out to be? I frequently travel during nights on the highway, so is there a decent enough chance I might be left stranded? There was an option to book 1.5 MT but, I didn’t want to splurge huge money on a car yet miss out on creature comforts.

My second query is, should I go for XUV700 AX5 MT? or Tata harrier XT? I am not comfortable waiting for a year for a car and with Tata, again reliability is in question over here. I am a sedan guy and the only reason why an SUV is in the picture over here is because of my frequent highway travel and to be honest, the peer pressure being created by family and friends to go for an SUV.

Head says to go for 1.0 TSI AT or book Harrier/XUV700 but, I really want to own a DSG / TSI combo considering this might be my last ICE car.

Here's what GTO had to say about the matter:

The DQ200 DSG has a high failure rate and is inherently a flawed design. VW-Skoda can keep harping about improvements & magical new "oils" all day long, but I reckon 6 - 7 out of 10 DQ200s will fail in the long run. The only reason we don't hear of many failures of the current crop of DSGs is they're not old enough (or have as many km on the odometer). Let these DQ200s cross 3 - 4 years of ownership and you'll see complaint threads come up all over the place on our forum.

If you buy the DSG, do so with your eyes open. Take the max extended warranty. We bought a DSG car last year (but the supposedly more durable DQ381 DSG), and are mentally prepared for 2 DSG failures over our typical 10-year ownership period. I've even told my brother that one failure will be within the 6-year warranty period (no cost) and one outside of it (1+ lakh).

Some of us have made peace with the occasional headaches of owning European / German cars, as few others can match their driving pleasure, premium quality, stability, safety etc.

Go for it. YOLO (you-only-live-once) and all that. I am personally okay with enjoying a German car for 361 days of the year and enduring a headache for 4 days. It's still a 99 : 1 ratio of joy : pain.

Here's what BHPian Rajeevraj had to say about the matter:

This has been a dilemma for folks ever since the DSG DQ200 made its first appearance in a relatively mass-market car in the form of the Polo TSI and then the Vento TSI back in 2013.

There is no concrete answer to this question. The DSG does have a higher failure probability and there is a good chance it will fail at some point. Having said that, if you like it, there is no reason for not going for it. I have said this multiple times in the past - at least in my view, the joy of driving the TSI + DSG combo on a daily basis overrides the risk of potential failure. Of course, that is just my personal view and it has worked out for me. My Vento TSI is into its 9th year and close to 70k km so far and have not had any issues. Of course, I know that it can and probably will fail at some point.

In addition, since both VW and Skoda are now putting it in all their key models- Kushaq, Taigun, Slavia, Virtus, maybe they have done something and have higher confidence.

Your heart wants it- Go for it. A DSG can only be bought by the heart, never by the mind.

Here's what BHPian noopster had to say about the matter:

My advice is simple: don't touch a DSG with a barge pole. Virtually everyone who has owned one has had mechatronics failures. While some are easily fixed, others will cost you time, money and peace of mind.

In fact, I'm mistrustful of all double-clutch units, even settling for a diesel Seltos with 25 BHP less than the turbo petrol just because mine came with a conventional torque converter instead of the 7-DCT. It's just not worth the hassle in my opinion. A car should start every time and never break down, and having a low-reliability piece in the mix really messes up things!

Here's what BHPian androdev had to say about the matter:

Not taking calculated risks in life is as unwise as being reckless. If you have stomach for it, you should go for it by all means. For the right driver, DSG is super special and you will thank your decision every time you drive it.

More than the risks of failure, don't buy DSG if your driving is mostly within city crawling traffic. It's meant for enthusiastic driving with bursts of accel/deceleration - if you know what I mean. It is worth all the risks and headaches for such drives. Look elsewhere for sedate cruising or urban congested commute.

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