First of all, because perhaps the most expensive part of it did not give rest – a DSG robot gearbox with “dry” clutches.
After 100 thousand km, she began to rudely shift between first and second gear, there were some noises such as rustling and sometimes ticking. At 130 thousand, “kicks” and twitching when starting became quite evident.
Volkswagen Golf II
How was the diagnosis made
Experience shared online pointed to clutch wear. For the DQ200 box, the mileage was considered high. Using an ELM327 adapter and a popular Android app, the wear was estimated with care.
The couplings in the DQ200 are normally open. They are compressed by hydraulic actuators, which allow assessment of how worn the clutch disc is. The difference between the rod’s extreme position and the point where 100 percent torque begins to transmit is measured. With a new coupling, this gap is about 7 to 10 mm. A critically small value is 1 mm.
Common wisdom says that if the difference reaches 2 mm, a replacement should be considered. On the Golf, coupling No. 1 measured 1.22 mm, and coupling No. 2 2.08 mm.
Everything seemed to align, but to be sure, a specialist service conducted a diagnostic, which showed wear around 30 percent!
Still, it felt unlikely.
Meanwhile, the price of original clutches rose, pushing the total toward 150 thousand rubles, and the Golf received a signal to fix the box.
They used a BIV flywheel as a replacement, a choice noted for its fair price to quality ratio in the military circles.
How was it repaired
Replacing dry DSG clutches on one’s own is not overly hard, but it requires adjusting rings and, initially, sharpening or purchasing mandrels. Time was pressing. In Moscow, several firms handle gearbox repairs, including DSGs, and the selection was based on value and online reviews.
Disassembly showed the transmission was in decent condition. The military’s assessment indicated that with careful clutch operation, another 50 thousand kilometers could have been possible without intervention. That said, the truth lay somewhere in between.
Vibration when the car started moving came from the dual mass flywheel. There are no sliding friction surfaces on it; it connects to the clutch block via teeth. With wear, the springs in the flywheel compress and jerks appear. Clutch slip was not observed.
The Luk clutch kit included nearly everything needed to replace the assembly, including thrust bearings, forks, adjuster rings and more.
Of course, with the flywheel decided, the clutch was replaced as well. The market for DSG parts is broad, offering remanufactured parts, non-original new items, and original parts. The choice was the middle route: a new Luk clutch kit with a BIV flywheel.
How much was spent
In March 2022, total costs reached 92 thousand rubles: 83 thousand for parts and 9 thousand for labor. Since then, labor prices have stayed the same, while part prices have fallen. Today the same components would cost about 60 thousand rubles. It seems odd, right?
That said, this only applies to non-original parts. An official dealer would have charged much more. Taxes would have added, along with factory prices that would push costs even higher.
By the way, a restored flywheel for the Golf now runs 15 to 18 thousand rubles and comes with a six month warranty. A restored clutch costs around 25 thousand rubles and carries a one year warranty.
The air conditioner began cooling a bit slower. At first, a simple refuel seemed enough, but after a year the radiator needed replacement. The Luzar radiator cost 8 thousand rubles, plus 10 thousand for installation and recharge.
What are the conclusions?
The DQ200 box and its repair were not as terrifying as the horror stories that circulate. The risk remains that a clutch failure could immobilize the car. People often hesitate to confront shocks and jerks in the system and prefer not to depend on a tow in a lonely place. Diagnosing clutch wear is tricky and does not inspire unwavering confidence in the DSG.
Even with the Golf now running like new, the owners became more cautious. They drive it less often and take measures such as battery replacement, impacting overall running costs. The cost per kilometer has risen to nearly 4.5 rubles, even though the car is serviced at a trusted workshop and tires are obtained through the dealer’s programs.
Long downtime ended with replacing the battery, using Totachi, for 7 250 rubles.
When everything is functioning smoothly, the Golf feels fast, precise, and confident. It leaves a strong impression of a well-balanced machine that invites owners to keep the memory of carefree driving for as long as possible.
Volkswagen Golf VII, 1.4T (140 hp), 7
- Manufacturer – Volkswagen AG, Germany
- Year of issue – 2013
- In operation “Behind the wheel” – since December 2013
- Mileage at the time of the report – 132,000km
Operating and maintenance costs (0-132,000 km)
- Maintenance costs: 0–110,000 km 378 499 rubles
- Of which for petrol (AI-95, average consumption 7.1 l/100 km) 345 353 rubles
- Maintenance costs: 110,000–132,000 km 208 020 rubles
- 2021: filters, oil, refill air conditioner 6 516 rubles
- 2022: filters, oil 4 754 rubles
- replacement of clutches and flywheel 92 000 rubles
- air conditioning radiator replaced 18 000 rubles
- battery 7 250 rubles
- hood gas stop 1 400 rubles
- Of which for petrol (AI-95, average consumption 7.1 l/100 km) 78 100 rubles
- General expenses 586 519 rubles
- Costs per kilometer 4.44 dollars
* Excluding transport tax, as well as the costs of CMTPL and Casco policies.
You can ask a question about the operation of an editorial car in our section Park ZR.
- How drivers break the gearbox in an instant is described here.
- Drive can be read in Odnoklassniki