BMorearty

On my Boxster with PDK I usually just let the automatic transmission do its thing. Once in a while I use the paddle shifters, though. But I never know when you're supposed to downshift to first when coming to a stop.

Are you supposed to downshift right after you've stopped? Or while coming to a stop? Downshifting into first feels very wrong before I've come to a complete stop, since I used to drive a manual.

El Crampitan

I just pull both for neutral, or let the box do it's thing. To your point, shifting down into first very rarely has the right feel to it.

AlexCeres

You can just let pdk do it’s thing. If you want it to be more aggressive change to sport / sport+
the turbo 4 cylinder have a lot of low range torque and you very rarely have any need to use 1st while rolling. Hairpin uphill turn maybe, like in a multi level parking garage …
the NA 6 cylinder is a different story, and 1st is a real driving gear. Whip it. Whip it good. It runs to over 30mph. Don’t lug the engine. Drive in 1st.

GregWormald

Unless you want the engine braking you can just leave it in second and the PDK will go to first by itself.

worf928

This —^.

Drive it like it was a a manual. You only select 1st gear to start from a stop, by accident, or when you want to impress your passenger with your mad rev-matching skilz.

Engine brake in 2nd, ‘click’ both paddles to select neutral, brake to a stop. When it’s time to go, click either paddle and mash the go pedal.

BMorearty

Thanks for the help, folks. I had forgotten I can pull both paddles to put it into neutral. It makes sense to drive it like a manual when using the paddles, and in a manual I would fully engage the clutch when pulling to a stop.

AlexCeres

meh. you rarely if ever need to engine brake a modern car, and I've literally never used the paddles to select neutral in a PDK car. The box will do the right thing. If it's not, then you're in the wrong mode for your intentions.

BMorearty

That's good to know. To be honest, one reason I've been engine braking is because my Boxster, which is only 3 weeks old, started two days ago to have a terrible squeal when I brake. The manual warns about this and says it's normal because they're high performance brakes, but man when I spend that much money on a car I really don't want such an ugly braking sound. I'm going to talk to the salesman who sold me the car and see if anything can be done but I'm doubtful, given that it's highlighted in the manual. I was also thinking of staring a new thread about it here on Rennlist.

clutchplate

I flick it into first when I'm driving 25 mph through a downtown and I want my car to sound like a coffee grinder.

AlexCeres

sounds like you might need to bed the brakes in a little. there are a number of threads to search on for details about that. you can start another. steel or ceramic ?

BMorearty

Steel. I’ve never heard the term “bed the brakes” so I will look up those threads.

BMorearty

Ok so I just looked that up. Sounds promising! But it doesn’t sound easy to find a place to do that.

FLCAYMAN

Exactly this. I don’t think I’ve used first gear, other than getting underway of course, since my S2000. Coming from a C7 to my CGTS40 I quickly realized I had to put the 2-1 back into muscle memory. 🤣

AlexCeres

the squeakiness of the steel brakes will sort itself out naturally in time too. But if it’s bothering you, then you can accelerate the bedding in.
I’ve really only been tempted to do this with ceramics which tend to squeak for the first few thousand miles. But as you say, it can be tough to find a safe place to do this in urban areas.

Max718-19

I can’t find my paddles. Heel to toe all the way home from work and always used first gear starting out. I will look for the paddles tomorrow. Anyone know what the far left pedal does? I only have two feet constantly trying different combinations of the three pedals is exhausting.