PDK on track
06-20-2022, 12:52 PM
#31
Do real GT3 cars even have auto mode? None that I know of. What kind of pros are we talking about here? Ones who are driving street cars?
I guess you could justifiably run in Auto and probably be quicker up until you run into the kind of problem that the OP is talking about. But as soon as that becomes an issue you're going to want to start shifting manually. I have never driven an auto on track that did nothing but irritate the heck out of me with its gear selections, but I also haven't driven an auto on track since 2013 (R35 GTR and Mclaren 12C and the McLaren in auto was simply terrible) so its fair to say a newer Porsche gearbox is probably a lot better.
Who am I to comment anyway, I have a manual car and feel shame when I use auto blip. Auto shifting is worse than that.
I guess you could justifiably run in Auto and probably be quicker up until you run into the kind of problem that the OP is talking about. But as soon as that becomes an issue you're going to want to start shifting manually. I have never driven an auto on track that did nothing but irritate the heck out of me with its gear selections, but I also haven't driven an auto on track since 2013 (R35 GTR and Mclaren 12C and the McLaren in auto was simply terrible) so its fair to say a newer Porsche gearbox is probably a lot better.
Who am I to comment anyway, I have a manual car and feel shame when I use auto blip. Auto shifting is worse than that.
I actually prefer manual transmissions, but the PDK has been fantastic.
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964C4 (06-24-2022)
06-20-2022, 09:35 PM
#32
Sorry, but I have had the exact opposite experience. I have taken a bit of instruction and have yet had a single pro level instructor say leaving a PDK or a DCT in auto will be faster on a road course than manual shifting for anyone other than a basic driver. For the fastest lap time, they always advise and use manual mode..They actually make a point to demonstrated why manual is faster and safer. Basically, No matter how smart PDK is, it cannot predict what the best shift point or gear position is for the track ahead of you, Auto is 100% of the time reacting to a situation. Lap after lap it will always make the same miscalculations, where in manual mode you can select what is best before it is needed.
I agree with @Lacquer above! My opinion is based solely on my PDK experience with my '22 CGTS4.0. I've got 3 track days, 1 track sprint, and about a half-dozen autocrosses in it.
Another vote here for PDK in manual mode on track. PDK is great, but it doesn't know what's ahead. On track, it's doing a great job with the gear selection 90% of the time, but that other 10% it's not in the gear I'd be in, or it's changing up/down at an inopportune time. On the street I normally leave it in Auto mode, but if I'm out for a back-road ride with friends in their cars, it goes into manual mode for the same reasons. And when it comes to autocrossing, I've not had great experience with the automatic PDK gear selection - so I quickly gave up on leaving it in Auto there as well.
For someone new to track or AutoX, by all means leave it in Auto - that's one less thing you'll have to contend with! But as you gain experience, give the manual mode a shot.
Another vote here for PDK in manual mode on track. PDK is great, but it doesn't know what's ahead. On track, it's doing a great job with the gear selection 90% of the time, but that other 10% it's not in the gear I'd be in, or it's changing up/down at an inopportune time. On the street I normally leave it in Auto mode, but if I'm out for a back-road ride with friends in their cars, it goes into manual mode for the same reasons. And when it comes to autocrossing, I've not had great experience with the automatic PDK gear selection - so I quickly gave up on leaving it in Auto there as well.
For someone new to track or AutoX, by all means leave it in Auto - that's one less thing you'll have to contend with! But as you gain experience, give the manual mode a shot.
06-21-2022, 12:20 AM
#33
My guess is Lars Kern wouldn't be caught dead using auto mode on a lap record attempt.
It's a bit hard to see but he's definitely shifting manually in the GT4 RS Lap.
Same on the GT3 Lap
It's a bit hard to see but he's definitely shifting manually in the GT4 RS Lap.
Same on the GT3 Lap
Last edited by Reedy; 06-21-2022 at 12:24 AM.
The following 2 users liked this post by Reedy:
Larry Cable (06-21-2022),
slilley (06-21-2022)
06-21-2022, 09:01 AM
#34
My guess is Lars Kern wouldn't be caught dead using auto mode on a lap record attempt.
It's a bit hard to see but he's definitely shifting manually in the GT4 RS Lap.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjSXWcj2XUA
It's a bit hard to see but he's definitely shifting manually in the GT4 RS Lap.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjSXWcj2XUA
06-21-2022, 03:38 PM
#35
Rennlist Member
Do real GT3 cars even have auto mode? None that I know of. What kind of pros are we talking about here? Ones who are driving street cars?
I guess you could justifiably run in Auto and probably be quicker up until you run into the kind of problem that the OP is talking about. But as soon as that becomes an issue you're going to want to start shifting manually. I have never driven an auto on track that did nothing but irritate the heck out of me with its gear selections, but I also haven't driven an auto on track since 2013 (R35 GTR and Mclaren 12C and the McLaren in auto was simply terrible) so its fair to say a newer Porsche gearbox is probably a lot better.
Who am I to comment anyway, I have a manual car and feel shame when I use auto blip. Auto shifting is worse than that.
I guess you could justifiably run in Auto and probably be quicker up until you run into the kind of problem that the OP is talking about. But as soon as that becomes an issue you're going to want to start shifting manually. I have never driven an auto on track that did nothing but irritate the heck out of me with its gear selections, but I also haven't driven an auto on track since 2013 (R35 GTR and Mclaren 12C and the McLaren in auto was simply terrible) so its fair to say a newer Porsche gearbox is probably a lot better.
Who am I to comment anyway, I have a manual car and feel shame when I use auto blip. Auto shifting is worse than that.
Sorry, but I have had the exact opposite experience. I have taken a bit of instruction and have yet had a single pro level instructor say leaving a PDK or a DCT in auto will be faster on a road course than manual shifting for anyone other than a basic driver. For the fastest lap time, they always advise and use manual mode..They actually make a point to demonstrated why manual is faster and safer. Basically, No matter how smart PDK is, it cannot predict what the best shift point or gear position is for the track ahead of you, Auto is 100% of the time reacting to a situation. Lap after lap it will always make the same miscalculations, where in manual mode you can select what is best before it is needed.
06-24-2022, 02:16 PM
#36
Rennlist Member
Curious if anyone is experiencing oil seeping from the PDK oil pan. The dealer has already replaced it once and after two track days it has started again.
06-24-2022, 02:20 PM
#37
06-24-2022, 04:27 PM
#38
Rennlist Member
06-24-2022, 05:00 PM
#39
Rennlist Member
06-24-2022, 05:10 PM
#40
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
06-24-2022, 06:05 PM
#41
Instructor
Honestly I have a hard time believing anyone is out shifting PDK with manual or paddle shifters. If you are running in Sport+ AND you've driven the car hard for over 5k miles, then it should be shifting optimally. I've had zero issues and actually have learned from hearing/feeling how the PDK shifts through different sections (it is not how we tend to manually shift).
06-24-2022, 06:59 PM
#42
Rennlist Member
06-24-2022, 07:11 PM
#43
All those advocating shifting a PDK manually, instructors or members; how many own a manual, how many instructors own a manual, how many have run back to back? My experience has been that most are better served leaving the PDK in Auto if all they are interested in is times.
06-25-2022, 06:41 PM
#44
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
To clarify my original post, there are a few places at my home track where I manually shift specifically in a very fast chicane where auto tends to upshifts mid-turn & unsettles the car. After reading the entire thread I realize what’s happening is the transmission seems befuddled and isn’t selecting the next gear accelerating out of certain corners with the turn started in 3rd gear. I never experienced this happening in my 991 GT3 with stock PDK tune and a 991 TTS with a Cobb PDK tune at this same track.