Dual clutch transmissions: Innovation or headache?

Dual clutch transmissions (DCTs) might seem like a newer piece of fuel-economy boosting auto technology, but they can trace their roots back to before the Second World War.

They appeared in racing vehicles in the 1980s and made their production-vehicle debut in 2003 in the VW Golf. Today several automakers employ them, primarily in midsize and small passenger cars, in the battle to meet stiffer fuel-economy and carbon-emission regulations.

Basically, they are a computercontrolled manual transmission without a clutch pedal. In place of the manually operated clutch (located between the engine and transmission), an electro-mechanic-hydraulic module does the job of activating shift rods and gears as demanded by an on-board computer or when over-ridden by driver-operated paddle shifters.

DCTs come in two styles: dry and wet, with the latter using transmission oil to bathe the running gears and shafts. The big benefit is that they reduce the weight and power loss of a traditional automatic transmission by eliminating the need for the heavy and relatively inefficient torque converters.

VW has had the biggest success with DCTs, but other makers such as Ford have struggled with several early production issues, the largest being the lack of driver satisfaction with normal performance.

When there’s no clutch pedal present, most drivers expect a smooth, seamless acceleration through the gears from a stop.

However, DCTs deliver a completely different feel as their internal controls snap gears from one position to another in a rapidfire, sometimes choppy, manner. It can be especially notable at lowspeed, light-throttle applications.

VW and Ford, as well as the other manufacturers using this technology, have continually developed improvements to their controllers’ software, and dealership representatives are now much better at explaining the operating characteristics of DCTs, leading to increased owner acceptance.

Also keep in mind most carmakers don’t offer a complete choice of major internal repair parts, leading to the need to replace the entire unit at a high cost if there us a total failure. As well, DCTs tend to inflate the purchase price of their vehicles, so it’s worth doing a little math homework before signing on the dotted line to purchase one.

DCTs can improve fuel efficiency by more than 10 per cent, so you need to calculate how that will affect your transportation budget versus the acquisition cost over the time you’ll own the vehicle.

The wet type of DCT requires fluid replacement at regular intervals and mostly uses fully synthetic fluid. While this doesn’t represent the largest maintenance bill you’ll ever get, you should check the recommended intervals and the costs in order to factor this into your buying equations.

Many DCT users who’ve become accustomed to their operation find they provide the performance and driver control of manual transmissions (for vehicles equipped with paddle shifters) without the legnumbing ache of clutching during stop-and-start commutes.

It’s worth more than a cursory road test to find out for yourself if you can live with one.