warhawkmcdaniel

Posts from people that have had good or bad experiences would be appreciated.

TXshaggy

Never owned a Ford Focus/Fiesta so can’t comment on the pending lawsuit or transmission performance, doubtful others on the CF forum could either.

Perhaps this would get more traction on a FORD forum.

ClothSeats

I don't think we can draw any conclusions at all from the reports of the Ford Focus DCT problems. The design of the Corvette DCT will be different in many ways because of being designed by different people/organizations for a different application. Most likely they are even learning what they can from the Ford experience to make sure to avoid those problems, even though those problems may not be inherent in the Corvette DCT.

Jeff V.

Stop with the brand snobbery. GM has a generally solid track record with automatic transmissions, and they still managed to screw up the A8. So they're hardly immune.

A co-worker has a Fiesta and he's had the pleasure of getting stuck in an active intersection when the thing overheated coming off the freeway. Among other problems. We've actually discussed swapping his car over to a manual.

This is a difficult technology to get right for mass produced cars that actually get driven. If you're an only-on-Sunday waxer who keeps their car in a hermetic bubble the rest of the week, your biggest challenge will be bitching that your dealer can't get the precise Dexos-whatever to use in it. For other people who actually drive their cars, this is a legitimate concern.

TXshaggy

^^^ and yet the Porsche PDK by all reporting has been a stellar trouble free performance transmission.

thill444

It's a legitimate concern. It's not just Ford, other companies have had issues with DCT transmissions (Nissan, BMW, etc).

Do you want to be a guinea pig or not? Do you think GM will take care of you if there is an issue with the DCT in the C8? Early adopters will need to be comfortable with these questions. I would advocate waiting 12-18 months and let other folks be the beta testers. Not just for the transmission, but for the rest of the all new platform. This car is a major shift for GM there are bound to be issues the first year or two.

vndkshn

As someone who has a Focus with that transmission in the family (my daughter's), it definitely has been an issue. She's had two clutches and 3 control units replaced (it's not just an issue with the clutch disks glazing due to heat/slip). It got her through her last year of undergrad, a year of work, 2.5 years of law school (where that car transported her 180+ miles a day), now that she has started her big girl job she is actively pursuing the buyback program and getting something else.

The chances the trans in the C8 is perfect out of the gate is sadly very low. I personally would feel better if the trans came from a company that has been doing it for awhile and has experience with DCTs (reportedly this is the first these guys have built). As mentioned, both BMW and Nissan have had issues with theirs, but Porsche's is pretty great (but they've been at it longer).

As thill444 mentions, another big concern for me is how Chevy dealers will deal with it. And how Chevy warranty will. This will be completely new technology for the dealership techs, and there is a WIDE range of competence with them. As for warranty, I think back to the issue my 00 Camaro SS with a manual had. It would pop out of 3rd gear under light throttle. Apparently a known issue, they replaced the compressed cardboard(!!!) synchro for 2nd to 3rd with a real metal one and installed an upgraded shift fork. When I asked about the others, they said they had to fail before warranty would fix it. I asked about me paying the labor and parts to do it, the only way they would do it is to complete the warranty repair (meaning trans back in car) and then pull it all apart again to do the others (I call BS, they were going to do them at the same time and double charge).

Doesn't give me a warm and fuzzy about service/warranty.

FringbirdAloha

This forum is so ridiculous now. Laughable.

TXshaggy

Exactly! What we’ve learned from this thread is don’t buy a used Focus/Fiesta...perfect thanks for the feedback. We might as well be discussing the failure of the Edsel!

Jeff V.

A8 shudder
Cracked wheels
Z06 overheating
Dealers who can't do the MRC upgrade correctly

Yeah, we're totally making **** up here.

jefnvk

You gotta start somewhere. Experience doesn't guarantee success either, GM has a long history of building some of the most reliable auto trannys ever produced, and that seemingly didn't work out for the A8 by the complaints of these forums.

Yeah, because no one on a Corvette forum would own a Ford Focus

Oh wait, I do. Manual ST is a fabulous car, BTW, so long as you can get through the 2500 or so miles the Recaros take to break in. I don't have that tranny, but no what Ford did on the Focus/Fiesta in no way worried me more about what will happen on the Corvette. My wife's Cruze has god-awful throttle response and turbo lag, and somehow thinking that would be in any way relateable to Chevy putting a turbo on a Vette is just as silly.

TXshaggy

You must have posted on the wrong thread, this one is about Ford Focus/Fiesta transmission failures.

moon2605

I drove a 2015 Audi R8 with DCT transmission for the last year and a half. Has performed perfectly. 11,500 miles. The only thing i really notice is if you stop on a pretty steep incline maybe a slight jerk when starting. Otherwise as smooth as the transmission in my Ford pickup. When driving hard feels really good . Shifts hard and fast. The pre 2014 R8s had a single disc that were very clunky. I enjoyed the 2015 so much I upgraded to a 2017 R8. I will be surprised if anyone is too disappointed. A lot of people wont even really notice. Before I bought the 17 R8 I talked to Lambo dealer about the Huracan. When I mentioned the clutch he said it should not even be a concern. They have never changed one. I think the new DCTs can be very trouble free. My 2 cents.

C6ness

I'm thinking GM will probably test out that DCT pretty thoroughly given the issues the A8 has had across their model lineup. At least I hope so. They used a torque convertor to smooth out the shifts during normal driving. If the DCT shifts to hard or is jerky people will have a fit.

Foosh

So in defending the DCT experience in your R8, you raise the very concern many have. It wasn't so great in the intro R8s. The same has been true when introduced in many other models. I've said many times, Porsche has been refining the PDK since introduction in 2009. It wasn't nearly as good then as it is today.

moon2605

Not exactly what I said. The early R8s had SCT not a DCT. Single clutch transmissions that I have driven BMW and Audi were clunky. Worked as designed but terrible for a street car. The DCT is a better product simply by design, I do agree all things get better but starting with a DCT is nothing like the SCT. Apples and oranges.

thill444

You would think a Z51 and/or Z06 would not overheat at the track after a lap or two and that GM would do lots of testing for this exact thing.. And yet.

Wass

I have a 2018 VW Golf R with DCT. No problems. Here's one on the Autobahn accelerating to 155 mph. Very fast shifts.

PCMIII

The PDK has been developed over many years. The Tremec in the ME is brand new and a new design.

PCMIII

You forgot the power steering failure that is the subject of a recall. However, it cannot be fixed because no parts are available.