@Gary_C and @rp3583 (and others in the same situation)
The DCT is an automated manual transmission , not a manual nor an automatic slush-box. And yes, this transmission is something different and yes, everyone should learn to drive it. What I will say here, most of it, is in the owner's manual and from my experience (and others experience) with the DCT (many here who love their DCT did this):
- the DCT needs 1000 miles to "break in". This means that during this period, you don't drive at steady rpms, you switch from D to S frequently and you don't baby it. In this break-in period your car will "learn" how to shift, because don't forget, it's software "driven" and its components need this period
- while on highway, don't use cruise control and "play" with the rpms (change from D to S and back, accelerate from 50 to 70 and then let go, then from 60 to 75 a.s.o). Don't let it "run" at the same rpms for long time.
- if you experience shudder at take-off, push harder the gas pedal, don't "feather" it and in time (sooner or later) the shudder will go away
- if you experience "lag" at the "get go", let a full second between the moment you take off the foot from the brake and when you push the gas.
- when accelerating, push the gas pedal in a fluid motion, don't "floor it".
- if on steep inclines, put it in S and push the rocker downwards to change to a lower gear. I don't know how well you know Montreal, but let me say it has some steep roads here, like San Francisco so I think I know how to handle the DCT to do what I want in hilly areas. It is not me who's complaining about it, it is you.
If after 1000 miles of driving the car as I mentioned above, you still experience problems, get it to the Ford dealer and ask him to help you fix it. If he says "it's normal", well, he's wrong. Change the dealer and fight to get them fix your car. I did this, many did it. If you are here to complain only, full of frustration about the DCT but you don't want to change anything because "you drove many other cars and expect that DCT acts as a slush-box", well, you deserve everything that comes to you, IMO.
P.S. And yes, I call it stupidity when someone is paying +25K $ (in Canada) for a car and all he does is looking after what Motor Trend and others like them say (and let me state that even them said the DCT is not for everyone) and not looking after what car owners have to say in forums like this one. So it is not exactly "calling names", it is what I think about it. We live in 2012 and not in 1990, internet is for exactly these kind of things, not only for entertainment.