Weim911

Hey, I have a 2015 PDK 991 C4S with 234 miles. I was wondering if anyone has noticed a very abrupt (in comparison to the rest of the gear shifts) gear change from first to second in auto mode (I have noticed it in sport and non-sport driving mode). It might just be my foot and trying to add more power right when the gear box wants to shift to second, but I've felt it a couple of times now and it feels unusual. None of my passengers have noticed it. It happens at about 2500 RPM only. Again, it might just be me trying to give more power right when the tranny is trying to shift but I was just curious? If it is me, then I will try to stop torturing the car with my foot.

mtony

Pretty sure you're noticing the dreaded hesitation between 2500 and 3000 rpms. Just as it hesitates, you shift, and it feels like when you hit a bump in the road.

MarcusG

Hi Weim,

Some people feel the hesitation. Others don't. I've driven PDK 991's that do it and a couple that don't. The PDK is technically not an automatic even though you can drive it that way.. dual clutch etc.

For the most part at 234 miles everything in your car is brand new. It'll drive twitchy and tight. I've noticed that over the last 8 months of ownership that shifts have become smoother and the motor has definitely loosened up. To tell you the truth is't never going to shift like a Cadillac in full auto mode. Even in non sport. Put it in Sport and come to a complete stop hard from 30-40 mph and you'll notice how hard the PDK will finally shift down into 1st right before your forward momentum ends.
The PDK is trying to to a lot of things a traditional slush box doesn't do. You will notice over the next few thousand miles that the PDK under "spirited" driving or an occasional track day that the gearbox is really intuitive. It'll down shift or upshift like it's reading your mind many more times than not. I'm not saying it's perfect and do exactly what you want every time but that's why I love being able to override the auto mode with the paddles at any time.

With all that said compared to other dual clutch full autos it's really light years ahead of other manufacturers. To be honest he latest version of the BMW is really good. I still prefer the PDK.

After you are satisfied with however you are going to "break in" your car (that's a totally different thread ) just throw that baby in Sport Plus manual and full pedal down indent go for it while shifting manually. The car will literally throw it's self forward during manual gear shifts. It's amazing. Hopefully with more miles your car will loosen up and shift a bit smoother for you. Every car is a little different and believe it or not all cars don't react the same to dealer software updates. It is what it is!

addysdaddy

Try shifting a 4k rpms and see if you still feel the hesitation.

wanderfalke

Give it a little more time to break in and learn your driving style.

Weim911

Yeah. I'm definitely going to wait and see what it does in the next 2000 miles. At any other rpm it shifts fine. It's just at about 2500 when from 1st to 2nd it's like clunk, here's second. Deal with it. Again, maybe it's just how my foot depresses the pedal because it doesn't happen every time either.

I don't think it's this hesitation that people are talking about. I get that from a stop and it's definitely just the computer trying to figure out how to put the power down in a pdk. That I consider totally normal and if I wanted it to stop I would just turn traction control off.

TTCarrera

When you say Sport and non-Sport, you didn't say whether you are in Sport or Sport Plus mode. Sport Plus definitely has quicker/harder shifts.

Key Left

It has hydraulic clutches...what can you expect?

OldGuy

I had this happen to me yesterday during the first time in Sport plus mode. I missed the gear lever in the 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd shift.
I am going back out tomorrow to do some driving and record what happens

Weim911

Haven't had the car in sport plus yet. This is always when the pdk is in auto and not manual mode.

CSK 911 C4S

13 C4S - Normal and sport modes are pretty smooth. Sport plus is a bit harsh.

MarcusG

Sport Plus in the the PDK is the designated "Track" mode for the gearbox. It will hold the shifts all the way to redline.

You really don't need to wait. Put your car in Sport Plus, pull the gear selector towards you into manual and use those paddles with full throttle but not all the way into detent. The shifts will literally throw your car into the next gear with a wonderful push. After that you won't want to drive it in manual in any other selection. It's too much fun in Sport + and manual.

Just a note. If you are in Sport + and in manual mode and put your foot all the way into detent, the gearbox will automatically override you and downshift.

Key Left

Aren't robots fun?

OldGuy

Its so much fun F1 has been doing it for years! Plus you have control if you grab the lever before redline. The only difference between that an a manual is you dont have to push in the clutch.

There was a discussion in the power kit thread, that the slowest Carrera S model is the plain S with MT, then the next quickest is the Plain S with PDK, then the S with MT and power kit and the fastest Carrera Non GT3 TT is the X51 PDK.
5 years ago when the PDK came out there was good reason to get a MT. Reliability of the PDK was unknown. Track performance wasnt documented yet. But the first thing that WAS apparent was that 997.1 GT3 guys COULD NOT catch the regular Carrera S PDK cars. In fact the more affluent track guys even the GT3 guys were buying low option Carrera S PDKs and stripping them and heading straight to the track. I am guessing if you go to the track even just a few times a year you wouldnt want to be SLOWER on PURPOSE would you? By not getting the PDK?

Some one put it best when he said that THE BEST perfomance BANG FOR YOUR BUCK is the PDK!

Probably why all those race car drivers put sequential boxes in their cars. And why Porsche only puts PDKs in GT3's. Who wants a SLOWER GT3?

Key Left

Who needs 60 more pounds of weight? The extra-high heat? The fuel inefficiency of a hydraulic system (at least 10%)? The extra $4K cost? Oh, and the Porsche claimed extra mileage over the MT is all down to coasting? Who wants to coast a sports car? And besides, the best mileage any auto gets, and I do mean any, is in cruise control mode (+7 to + 14%). Guess what class? The Porsche PDK cannot coast in cruise in cruise control mode..... Now let's hear it for robots!!!!