I would appreciate your advice and comments in regard to the differing driving experience between a tiptronic and manual gearbox.

I understand that it will finally be down to personal choice but:

Is it correct that the manual version offers a better driving experience in the 964?
What are the benefits - down side in each case?
Does it make a difference to re sale value as most Tiptronic's seem to be 1k or so less than manual?

Thanks
Des

 

Drive both. You won't really get a worthwhile opinion from 3rd parties, as ultimately YOU wil be driving your car.

They're both a lot of fun and a good 964, manual or tip, is a lot of car for the money they now command.

 

If you are looking at a 964 then the tip will be 4 speed and manual will be 5 speed . I used to drive a 993 tip ( 4 spd) as daily driver , urban traffic and crawling expressway , I liked it and went to a 996 tip ( 5spd) for the daily grind....that was even better !
I currently run a 5 spd manual 964 and my opinion is that for the 964 , the manual box suits the car better. Performance wise , normal road driving , you won't notice any difference apart from the gearing of course. Price wise its true that tips fetch less money as the enthusiasts prefer manual , however you pay less when you buy and you get less when you sell so it should even out.
Bottom line you have to drive both , I'd hazard a guess that apart from not having to think about clutch replacement , tips are less likely to have had the engine 'buzzed' ie over -revved ...

 

If your buying a uk rhd car and have big feet,you might have a problem in a manual car as the pedals are really close together ! (the rhs footwell is smaller than the lhs)
I chose a manual cus i havnt big feet and only use it as a weekend toy.
If it had been a daily driver and you spend a lot of time in traffic i would of chose a tiptronic cus the clutch is heavy by modern standards.

 

I have a 1991 c2 tiptronic, and have liked the driving experience for 5 years. I use it a lot in the SF bay area, and it is a joy in traffic. The "manual mode" is pretty responsive, and makes it fun to drive on the winding roads around here. That said, I am really missing driving a manual, simply for the feeling of "driving the car". If you do a lot os commuter driving, get a tip, if not, go for the manual.

 

I have a '90C2 tip and really enjoy it. I can row thru the 4 gears when I want, or just leave it in drive when I'm just cruisin' and for the daily commute.

I DE the car and personally, I don't feel that I'm giving up anything. For one thing - I have great torque comming out of the apex of the turn. Also, I run at times in Auto, and the adaptive tranny knows to keep the engine high in its power band. On the high banked straights of the track, it goes right to redline before it shifts.

With all that stated, YOU still must make the ultimate choice!

 

The tip on the 964 is great, but the clutch and change action on the manual is so well weighted that you really feel that you are a working part of the car, rather than just driving it. The action of heel and toeing in my 964 is better than any other car I've driven. The pedal in my 964 is light, about the same effort as my previous '99 Audi A4.

I've got size 12 feet (US 13) and don't have any problems with the pedals in RHD.

Manual gives a better driving experience??? In stop/start traffic no, on the open road yes. IMHO.

 

I've driven both. I purchased a tip and loved it. You loose performance w/the torque converter spooling up, but you'll never have to put in a clutch. I had mine for 4 years and always drove in manual mode. In traffic I'd put it in auto and forget about it. You can downshift and blip the throttle to match revs and all that w/the tip...works great and as I'm a big left foot braker the big brake pedal and not having to use the clutch was great....also being able to change a gear right in the middle of the corner w/o coming off the gas was nice touch. Most feel you've got to have a clutch to be a real sports car...wait until the new semi auto version comes out at Porsche PKD(?) can't remember knew some drivers that developed it in the 962 and loved it..Hans Stuck even won a race in the wet w/it....All that said, I'm now putting in a 6 speed w/lsd into my ride...didn't want to keep the tip w/the 993TT that's being installed....although it could have handled the power.

for a weekender...mannual for an all-arounder....tip. Either way, the 964 is a fabulous bit of kit for the $$.

 

The first time you get burried in stop and go traffic for over 30 minutes the tip will seem like your best friend!

 

I just love the way the Tip kicksdown. Bury the accelerstor, and you get thrown at the horizon. No thinking about which gear, whereabouts you are in the rev range etc. The TIp (do a search) is just about bomb proof. The Tip does take time to get going from a start. I love it. This a subjective, and personal thing though, try and drive both.

 

If you intend to use in traffic only then Tip....

 

Thanks Everyone

As usual excellent points and feedback– Just what I needed.

I will indeed drive both as suggested but your opinions and experiences have been a great help!

Des

 

I wish there was a switchable tranny, so I could drop in the tip when I'm in traffic, and drop in the 5 speed when I'm out for a drive.

I don't know about other cars, but my clutch is a bit heavy, and I'm feeling it when I drive too much stop and go. It's definitely not my old BMW 540i - I could drive that in traffic for days, no problem. 'Course the V8 meant I didn't have to shift very often... should never have gotten rid of that car.

 

Isnt that what a TIP is only with 4 speeds