140dsg v 180dsg handling characteristic

Gasgas · Jan 3, 2014

Your thoughts please ,we have just borrowed our dealers 140 DSG and drove down to holkham to spend the night after placing our order for a180 DSG.The camping aspect was great fun and perfect for us,however I'm not so sure about the driving experience ,it's not how I remembered it. I would like to say that Leading up to our purchase we hired a 140 man highline and drove it to Brittany for two weeks camping and it was brilliant to drive, we then drove various 140/180 vans and kombi's both man and auto, we also drove a 140 man and a 140 DSG California and on the basis of all our approx 30 minute test drives we decided to go for the 180 DSG (we have never driven the 180 DSG California ) .The drive down to norfolk on the motorways and A roads was enjoyable in spite of the rain and wind the problem that I have apart from all the little rattles was that on the lanes and narrow B roads the steering felt really light and you couldn't always feel the road through the wheel.Sorry if I'm rambling but the question I want to ask is will the 180 DSG feel the same and if so can it be corrected ? For instance by lowering it and changing the suspension ? The rattles can be sorted I'm sure but I was hoping for a bit more of a sure footed drive, or was it just me or the demo that I was using perhaps incorrect tyre pressures ?

James · Jan 3, 2014

I can't comment on different engines as such, I can see the full California handles very differently to a Beach or a Kombi - it's a much heavier vehicle and in my experience certainly around town has to be worked quite hard in comparison.

The steering is light, but I assumed that is because it's a van and it needs to be. I have always found my Beach, all things considering a good handler with a good chassis. It certainly doesn't mind being chucked around a bit.

James

Custardtart · Jan 3, 2014

It's funny - I've got a 140 beach and the steering is lovely - never even thought about it - but the rattles - they've driven me bonkers!

Last one - passenger seat - had to go back to the dealers maybe half a dozen times before it was fixed - no criticism of the dealer (they were excellent) just how hard it can be to find/fix rattles.

Andy · Jan 4, 2014

I find that the tyre pressure has quite an influence on steering, too hi & steering is very light too low & it gets heavy.

Gasgas · Jan 7, 2014

Tested a 180 dsg caravelle today and loved it ,great drive loads of feedback through the steering wheel completely different to the 140 dsg we tested I think it must have been the tyre pressures after all .How differant is the drive in a 180 dsg Cali to the 180 dsg ?

Gasgas · Jan 7, 2014

How differant to drive is the 180 dsg Cali v 180dsg velle ?

surfbus · Jan 7, 2014

The Caravelle has "speed dependent" power steering controlled by an electric pump.
Presumably this will affect the responsiveness of the steering and the amount of feedback at various speeds. When I first got my 'velle, I remember thinking it was very light but now I find it spot on.
I've not driven a T5 with "standard" power steering, so not sure if it would tend to feel "heavier" or not.

Bill

Gasgas · Jan 7, 2014

Is speed related power steering called servotronic or is that power related ?

surfbus · Jan 7, 2014

Is speed related power steering called servotronic or is that power related ?

Yes, the speed related power steering is called "Servotronic" and is standard on the Caravelle.

Bill

surfbus · Jan 7, 2014

Hi Gasgas.

I stole this from the T4 Forum. It sounds plausible.

Re: What is Servotronic steering
Servotronic still uses the normal hydraulic PAS system. All it does is open and close a valve in the rack dependant on road speed so at lower speeds it requires less effort to turn the wheel and at higher speeds, the steering is heavier and therefore less sensitive

I'm taking no chances with my new Cali order and have included "Servotronic" as an option so it will hopefully have the same "feel" as my Caravelle.

Bill

smgcowfoldparts · Jan 8, 2014

To be honest I have never noticed any real difference between a 140 and 180 California. The California is heavier than a Caravelle so will feel different to drive but I wouldn't say it was drastic. We have fitted a lot of sets of lowering springs to California's and customers always have the same positive feedback for us once it is done.

cheers