Cool.

"jkm7680" (jkm7680)
02/06/2016 at 21:00 • Filed to: None

So, I discovered today that my Jetta has a shift indicator.

In the center display, it tells me what gear I’m in and whether I should downshift or upshift. Which is especially useful since the gearing is all strange compared to my last car.

Also, hill start assist is really weird. I stalled twice on hills because I forgot it existed and confused myself.

Pictured: Not what I’m talking about.

DISCUSSION (19)

Steve in Manhattan > jkm7680
02/06/2016 at 21:05

‘84 Turbodiesel Jetta had an upshift indicator. I didn’t pay much attention to it.

Vicente Esteve > jkm7680
02/06/2016 at 21:10

Fun VW Fact: If you start off, the gear-change indicator will flash the little arrow until you get to about 3K RPM, where it will turn off. If you rev closer to redline, the gear-change indicator flashes again to tell you to shift.

The “Eco” shifting light can also be a performance shift light!

jkm7680 > Vicente Esteve
02/06/2016 at 21:12

Haha, I forgot which rpm it tells you to switch from first. But it was higher than I remember.

Do you know if it’s based off fuel economy?

Vicente Esteve > jkm7680
02/06/2016 at 21:16

It’s based on how much throttle input there is and RPM position.

jkm7680 > Vicente Esteve
02/06/2016 at 21:18

Ah, thanks.

Wacko > Steve in Manhattan
02/06/2016 at 21:28

My 97 jeep TJ has that too

I don’t listen to it either.

Spaceball-Two > jkm7680
02/06/2016 at 21:36

So is the Jetta a commuter and the Audi the project car?

jkm7680 > Spaceball-Two
02/06/2016 at 21:37

Well, the Audi is no longer.....

Spaceball-Two > jkm7680
02/06/2016 at 21:39

I thought you told me you were keeping it?

jkm7680 > Spaceball-Two
02/06/2016 at 21:40

Wait, did I tell you what happened to it?

Spaceball-Two > jkm7680
02/06/2016 at 21:40

No sir.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > jkm7680
02/06/2016 at 22:09

A few months ago I was test driving VW’s pretty seriously and thought it was a neat feature. I don’t find it all that useful - I’m used to driving an old 5-speed Ranger at work that doesn’t even have a tach - but I was thinking it would be nice for teaching my wife how to drive it.

I recall the Golf Sportwagen having a very aggressive hill assist. You’re right it feels weird. The Subaru that I ended up with has a more mild assist that just holds the brakes for either half a second or until you touch the gas. So you can still roll backwards or hold a small grade with the clutch halfway engaged if you want to. I prefer it to the VW assist.

For me, the VW transmissions are somewhat touchy in general. I test drove a Jetta, Golf SW, and GTI over a few weeks and stalled each of them at least once. I’m now 4 months and 7,000 miles into the Subaru and just stalled it for the first time last week. It is good a letting you know a stall is coming and stomping the left pedal almost always saves it. But the shifter is way too notchy and the throws suck. Shifting in the VW was way more satisfying. Both could learn a thing or two from Honda.

jkm7680 > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com
02/06/2016 at 22:14

It is pretty aggressive. Sometimes I expect it to be more aggressive and I don’t give it enough gas and vice versa.

VW transmissions are pretty touchy though. With the A4 and A6 I had before the Jetta, I’d stall maybe once a month or less and with the Jetta in 100 miles I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve stalled about five times. It’s just a really different feel, not that it’s a bad thing. It’s just really strange feeling compared to what I’m used to.

I’m getting better, but it feels just like re learning how to drive manual. Probably because it’s the newest clutch I’ve driven with. (The other two had well over 100k on them.)

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > jkm7680
02/06/2016 at 22:16

Here’s my shift indicator:

Kinja'd!!!

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > jkm7680
02/06/2016 at 22:23

You’re right it’s he difference between transmissions in some cars. Even though I wasn’t stalling, it still took me a good 2 months to get used to the Subaru clutch - it’s so much heavier than the Hyundai I came from. Also going from 5 to 6 speeds took some time.

Last year a coworker asked me to take her Accord for a drive with her to help diagnose a steering issue. Stalled it backing out of the parking space. That was embarrassing. She looked at me and was like “your Hyundai is a manual, right?”

One that always feels right though is a diesel Ram 6MT. So much torque you have to basically have never driven a manual before to screw it up. We have one at work that I only end up driving 2-3 times a year, but it just fits like a glove from the moment it turns over.

jkm7680 > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com
02/06/2016 at 22:30

Agreed, for instance the clutch in my A6 was extremely heavy. But when I first got into the Jetta, I almost shoved my foot through the floorboard first time I pressed it. For me 5 speeds and 6 speeds really depend on the car. In my A6, it was powered by a torque-y twin turbo V6. At 40 mph in 6th gear, the thing would launch forward at an alarming rate. I never had to downshift when passing on the highway or on a two lane road.

With the Jetta, in 5th gear you can feel the car accelerating quickly, but not quite as much. With the A6, having a 6th gear was useful and beneficial. With the Jetta, I feel that a 6th gear would defeat the purpose. (Or at least the purpose I’d be using it for.)

I’ve always wanted to drive a manual dually Ram for some reason, haha.

smobgirl > jkm7680
02/06/2016 at 22:46

I kept stalling with the hill start assist in my Fiat too. I couldn’t ever get used to the different feel of starting like that so I eventually just turned it off.

jkm7680 > smobgirl
02/06/2016 at 22:48

See, I don’t have that option haha. There’s some Rosstech (OBD tool) stuff that can be fiddled with, but I think I’ll just have to get used to it.

smobgirl > jkm7680
02/06/2016 at 23:10

That's annoying. But I scratched the Focus and Fiesta off my list for lack of a scan button on the radio, so I'm a little on the picky side.