.1 pdk to .2 manual thoughts, awesome buying experience Fresno PNH
08-23-2018, 07:25 PM
#1
.1 pdk to .2 manual thoughts, awesome buying experience Fresno PNH
After a lot of thinking and a long search, I finally ended up trading my .1 pdk gt3 for a manual .2 and am very satisfied.
I ended up finding the car on Rennlist classifieds and worked with 2 dealerships with excellent reputations for a very fair deal and perfect buying experience. German_Saint from Porsche Fresno had the car that I wanted. He posted it for sale in the classifieds. I PM'd him an offer same day. He called me in a few hours and we finalized the deal. He's friendly, honest, and also a fellow driving enthusiast so I felt very comfortable buying from out of state without seeing the car in person. Due to my work schedule he sent me all forms/documents I needed in the format it was easiest for me to get back to him (mostly through text messages) and it was just as easy as going to a local dealership. I had a 2015 gt3 to trade-in that I bought from Porsche North Houston a few years ago. German_Saint also helped arrange for me to trade that car back in to JWrightPNH at Porsche North (where I do all my local Porsche transactions and servicing) in Houston where I live. I simply dropped it off and both of these guys handled all the nitty-gritty. Due to my work schedule I had variable availability the week of delivery so JWrightPNH at North Houston graciously accepted delivery of my .2 from Fresno and even had it inspected (Texas vehicle inspection) and washed before I got there to pick it up. Couldn't have asked for better service or a better buying/trading experience from either parties.
I am actually glad all these people are selling or trading back their .2's. It gives people like me an opportunity to pick them up slightly used since there were not enough to go around.
I thought I would share some of my thoughts of the transition between .1 and .2, pkd to manual, colors, seats, engines, ride/comfort, etc since this comes up a lot and there has been a lot of debate in different threads. Hopefully it is helpful to someone at some point.
Pdk vs Manual: I actually wavered on this decision just about every week and had made an offer on a pdk car a week or 2 before buying this manual. No matter how long I debated back and forth I never had a definite preference. I don't really have a favorite but I believe it all comes down to personal preference and purpose of car. One of the reasons I traded was because I was not having as much fun in or driving the .1 pdk as much as I use to. I hadn't driven a manual car in 5 years and I can tell you my drive home from the dealership was as much fun as I have had on public roads in a long time. I didn't even speed (because I didn't have plates at this point or else I would have). Well maybe just a little speeding but definitely not excessive. PDK can be used in manual mode but something about having a clutch, matching revs, and heel-toeing just can't be replicated even in the faster PDK. Having said that, if I were using this car primarily for track or if I were serious about tracking I would have definitely gotten another PDK. I will use the .2 as an extra car, a fun car, a driver's car, for the road and for frequent short trips to the track but not at 9 or 10 tenths. For this kind of use at least for me who didn't grow up driving manuals and who does not have another manual car, I believe it was the right pick and the one I will get the most enjoyment out of.
Engine: I thought this was going to be the most drastic change and reason for upgrading but it ended up getting overshadowed by quite a margin by the manual transmission. However, I did not go above 6,000 RPM and spent most of my time at or around 5,000 as I really didn't want to get pulled over and as you know in these cars you can blink and hit triple digits without even realizing it. Obviously, I did not go to the track (although I thought about it). Don't get me wrong the engine is an incredible beast and the best I have driven for sure, but it made me realize the .1 was no slouch either. They are close. However I did notice an appreciable and welcomed increase of torque in second and third gears below 3-4000 which gives some more grunt during street driving. It's not excessive but it is enough to say that the GT team thought it was an issue and addressed it. Going from .1 to .2 PDK would be a harder choice to make. I would have probably still upgraded because if I didn't I would still be thinking about it, but even if I didn't I don't feel like I would be missing out on that much. Again, I haven't been on track yet but this is my initial impression.
Noise/comfort/"raw" factor: I had a feeling I was going to love driving a performance-oriented manual again and I knew the car's engine was going to be bananas, but I didn't think it would feel as different as it does from this perspective. I essentially thought it would be the same car in terms of .1 to .2. However, I think the .2 is definitely quieter in lower revs/rpms or docile driving and more comfortable as well. I had a Carrera S before the .1 gt3 and I thought those 2 were worlds apart. That transition made me realize that GT cars are not daily drivers at least for me. Previous to that I daily'd an e92 M3 and then a 991.1 CS both of which I thought were almost as comfortable as sedans. The .1 was noisy, raw, and really drove like a propper sports car. Unlike most on this board, I never had the pleasure of driving a 997 or earlier so I can't comment on those. The .2 probably feels closer to the .1 than to the CS, but that gap has definitely narrowed. I could see myself daily driving the .2 much more than daily driving the .1 although I won't do it - IMO it takes away from the special feeling of driving it spirited or on occasion. I don't see this as a positive or a negative, just a noticeable change. Both engines sound damn good. Can't pick a favorite and probably couldn't pick which one was which out of a random sample at this point.
Manual/clutch: My favorite change and the factor that made me most happy with purchase. I admit I was a little scared before I started driving. I hadn't driven a manual in 5 years. I'm not a race car driver and did not grow up with a manual. I daily drove an e92 m3 for like 3 years that saw little/some track use but a lot of traffic, daily wear, and spirited driving spurts. I had never driven a manual Porsche before. This manual and clutch is like 200% better than the BMW manual and clutch. Took off with no problem. BMW was much easier to stall. I was comfortable in less than 5-10 minutes. Rev-matching easily after that. Turned the sport button on for 10 seconds just to make sure I was matching correctly and then turned it off. This is why I bought the manual again, not to have the computer do it for me. It was like riding a bike after you haven't in a long time. I don't see what all the fuss is about regarding the clutch. It feels natural to me. The catch point is a little high but it didn't bother me much and I adjusted pretty quickly. I don't mind it being light. Easier on the knee and while in traffic. The only big difference for me was pedal placement and the relative height of the brake compared to gas. This was different for me from my M3 and it made heel-toeing (at least on the freeway and street) awkward. Not that you really need to but it's just fun damn it. I was able to adjust my technique and see some success but will take much more practice especially before any track use. I'm looking forward to it!
Bucket seats vs 4 ways: I thought the 4 way seats in the .1 were some of the most comfortable seats in a sports car I have ever sat in and did not expect the buckets to be as comfortable. I didn't believe other people when they said they think the bucket seats are comfortable. I am now a believer. For some reason I fit perfectly in them, my posture is exactly how I want it to be when driving, and I thought they were more comfortable than the 4-ways. Less mushy. I spent about 40 minutes in them. Getting in was not difficult - I use the same method to get in as the 4-ways: grasp side bolster with left hand, and then just sit down in the middle. Getting out wasn't effortless but was harder than 4-ways. If I buy more GT cars, I will be buying buckets.
Interior full leather vs plastic dash: My .2 has full leather, .1 with plastic dash. I didn't even notice really. They are both nice. Leather is probably a little nicer but I didn't buy the car for looks, I bought it for feel. Honestly I noticed the red marker on the top of the steering wheel more. Having said that, I will probably spec both the leather and the red marker again but wouldn't feel bad if I were not able to.
Other options: Just the essentials and what I wanted. Extended fuel tank, lift, steel brakes. These were my only must-haves along with the buckets. Don't see the need to spend 10g's on ceramics. Steel performance is excellent and I like red better than yellow unless yellow car. Bose sounds pretty good. Would get that again to - it's better than base on .1 for sure.
Color/Appearance: All my other cars were white or black. I loved the look of my white .1. I thought for sure I would get a white .2 or maybe a GT Silver. I saw an all black .2 in person and thought it was really sharp. I don't know how but I got a Miami Blue car (without seeing it in person) and I love it. I wanted something not so serious looking. Something fun. Fits the manual. Whoever said pictures don't accurately describe this color was right. Not in a good or bad way, it just doesn't photograph accurately. Pictures make it look either too blue or too green. It's neither a pure blue or green. It's in between falling more on the side of blue but you have to see it in person. I was afraid everyone would be looking at me and it would be too conspicuous but it didn't really turn anyone's heads which I don't mind at all. Would buy this color again but still love white. This color fits this car though. Apart from color - I like the looks of the front end of the .1 better. I think it looks slightly more agressive. I didn't think I would like the looks of the back of the .2 due to the black humps but I don't mind them in person. Wings look almost the same to me from inside or outside but I prefer the .2. The higher wing on the .2 does't impair my field of vision when looking in my rear-view any more than on the .1.
Hope that helps someone. Happy Driving!
I ended up finding the car on Rennlist classifieds and worked with 2 dealerships with excellent reputations for a very fair deal and perfect buying experience. German_Saint from Porsche Fresno had the car that I wanted. He posted it for sale in the classifieds. I PM'd him an offer same day. He called me in a few hours and we finalized the deal. He's friendly, honest, and also a fellow driving enthusiast so I felt very comfortable buying from out of state without seeing the car in person. Due to my work schedule he sent me all forms/documents I needed in the format it was easiest for me to get back to him (mostly through text messages) and it was just as easy as going to a local dealership. I had a 2015 gt3 to trade-in that I bought from Porsche North Houston a few years ago. German_Saint also helped arrange for me to trade that car back in to JWrightPNH at Porsche North (where I do all my local Porsche transactions and servicing) in Houston where I live. I simply dropped it off and both of these guys handled all the nitty-gritty. Due to my work schedule I had variable availability the week of delivery so JWrightPNH at North Houston graciously accepted delivery of my .2 from Fresno and even had it inspected (Texas vehicle inspection) and washed before I got there to pick it up. Couldn't have asked for better service or a better buying/trading experience from either parties.
I am actually glad all these people are selling or trading back their .2's. It gives people like me an opportunity to pick them up slightly used since there were not enough to go around.
I thought I would share some of my thoughts of the transition between .1 and .2, pkd to manual, colors, seats, engines, ride/comfort, etc since this comes up a lot and there has been a lot of debate in different threads. Hopefully it is helpful to someone at some point.
Pdk vs Manual: I actually wavered on this decision just about every week and had made an offer on a pdk car a week or 2 before buying this manual. No matter how long I debated back and forth I never had a definite preference. I don't really have a favorite but I believe it all comes down to personal preference and purpose of car. One of the reasons I traded was because I was not having as much fun in or driving the .1 pdk as much as I use to. I hadn't driven a manual car in 5 years and I can tell you my drive home from the dealership was as much fun as I have had on public roads in a long time. I didn't even speed (because I didn't have plates at this point or else I would have). Well maybe just a little speeding but definitely not excessive. PDK can be used in manual mode but something about having a clutch, matching revs, and heel-toeing just can't be replicated even in the faster PDK. Having said that, if I were using this car primarily for track or if I were serious about tracking I would have definitely gotten another PDK. I will use the .2 as an extra car, a fun car, a driver's car, for the road and for frequent short trips to the track but not at 9 or 10 tenths. For this kind of use at least for me who didn't grow up driving manuals and who does not have another manual car, I believe it was the right pick and the one I will get the most enjoyment out of.
Engine: I thought this was going to be the most drastic change and reason for upgrading but it ended up getting overshadowed by quite a margin by the manual transmission. However, I did not go above 6,000 RPM and spent most of my time at or around 5,000 as I really didn't want to get pulled over and as you know in these cars you can blink and hit triple digits without even realizing it. Obviously, I did not go to the track (although I thought about it). Don't get me wrong the engine is an incredible beast and the best I have driven for sure, but it made me realize the .1 was no slouch either. They are close. However I did notice an appreciable and welcomed increase of torque in second and third gears below 3-4000 which gives some more grunt during street driving. It's not excessive but it is enough to say that the GT team thought it was an issue and addressed it. Going from .1 to .2 PDK would be a harder choice to make. I would have probably still upgraded because if I didn't I would still be thinking about it, but even if I didn't I don't feel like I would be missing out on that much. Again, I haven't been on track yet but this is my initial impression.
Noise/comfort/"raw" factor: I had a feeling I was going to love driving a performance-oriented manual again and I knew the car's engine was going to be bananas, but I didn't think it would feel as different as it does from this perspective. I essentially thought it would be the same car in terms of .1 to .2. However, I think the .2 is definitely quieter in lower revs/rpms or docile driving and more comfortable as well. I had a Carrera S before the .1 gt3 and I thought those 2 were worlds apart. That transition made me realize that GT cars are not daily drivers at least for me. Previous to that I daily'd an e92 M3 and then a 991.1 CS both of which I thought were almost as comfortable as sedans. The .1 was noisy, raw, and really drove like a propper sports car. Unlike most on this board, I never had the pleasure of driving a 997 or earlier so I can't comment on those. The .2 probably feels closer to the .1 than to the CS, but that gap has definitely narrowed. I could see myself daily driving the .2 much more than daily driving the .1 although I won't do it - IMO it takes away from the special feeling of driving it spirited or on occasion. I don't see this as a positive or a negative, just a noticeable change. Both engines sound damn good. Can't pick a favorite and probably couldn't pick which one was which out of a random sample at this point.
Manual/clutch: My favorite change and the factor that made me most happy with purchase. I admit I was a little scared before I started driving. I hadn't driven a manual in 5 years. I'm not a race car driver and did not grow up with a manual. I daily drove an e92 m3 for like 3 years that saw little/some track use but a lot of traffic, daily wear, and spirited driving spurts. I had never driven a manual Porsche before. This manual and clutch is like 200% better than the BMW manual and clutch. Took off with no problem. BMW was much easier to stall. I was comfortable in less than 5-10 minutes. Rev-matching easily after that. Turned the sport button on for 10 seconds just to make sure I was matching correctly and then turned it off. This is why I bought the manual again, not to have the computer do it for me. It was like riding a bike after you haven't in a long time. I don't see what all the fuss is about regarding the clutch. It feels natural to me. The catch point is a little high but it didn't bother me much and I adjusted pretty quickly. I don't mind it being light. Easier on the knee and while in traffic. The only big difference for me was pedal placement and the relative height of the brake compared to gas. This was different for me from my M3 and it made heel-toeing (at least on the freeway and street) awkward. Not that you really need to but it's just fun damn it. I was able to adjust my technique and see some success but will take much more practice especially before any track use. I'm looking forward to it!
Bucket seats vs 4 ways: I thought the 4 way seats in the .1 were some of the most comfortable seats in a sports car I have ever sat in and did not expect the buckets to be as comfortable. I didn't believe other people when they said they think the bucket seats are comfortable. I am now a believer. For some reason I fit perfectly in them, my posture is exactly how I want it to be when driving, and I thought they were more comfortable than the 4-ways. Less mushy. I spent about 40 minutes in them. Getting in was not difficult - I use the same method to get in as the 4-ways: grasp side bolster with left hand, and then just sit down in the middle. Getting out wasn't effortless but was harder than 4-ways. If I buy more GT cars, I will be buying buckets.
Interior full leather vs plastic dash: My .2 has full leather, .1 with plastic dash. I didn't even notice really. They are both nice. Leather is probably a little nicer but I didn't buy the car for looks, I bought it for feel. Honestly I noticed the red marker on the top of the steering wheel more. Having said that, I will probably spec both the leather and the red marker again but wouldn't feel bad if I were not able to.
Other options: Just the essentials and what I wanted. Extended fuel tank, lift, steel brakes. These were my only must-haves along with the buckets. Don't see the need to spend 10g's on ceramics. Steel performance is excellent and I like red better than yellow unless yellow car. Bose sounds pretty good. Would get that again to - it's better than base on .1 for sure.
Color/Appearance: All my other cars were white or black. I loved the look of my white .1. I thought for sure I would get a white .2 or maybe a GT Silver. I saw an all black .2 in person and thought it was really sharp. I don't know how but I got a Miami Blue car (without seeing it in person) and I love it. I wanted something not so serious looking. Something fun. Fits the manual. Whoever said pictures don't accurately describe this color was right. Not in a good or bad way, it just doesn't photograph accurately. Pictures make it look either too blue or too green. It's neither a pure blue or green. It's in between falling more on the side of blue but you have to see it in person. I was afraid everyone would be looking at me and it would be too conspicuous but it didn't really turn anyone's heads which I don't mind at all. Would buy this color again but still love white. This color fits this car though. Apart from color - I like the looks of the front end of the .1 better. I think it looks slightly more agressive. I didn't think I would like the looks of the back of the .2 due to the black humps but I don't mind them in person. Wings look almost the same to me from inside or outside but I prefer the .2. The higher wing on the .2 does't impair my field of vision when looking in my rear-view any more than on the .1.
Hope that helps someone. Happy Driving!
08-23-2018, 10:47 PM
#5
Rennlist Member
Great post. You echo my thoughts on the difference between the two cars almost to the T. We have so much in common too. I also traded my white .1 for a manual Miami Blue .2. I ended up doing the entire transaction with John from Porsche of North Houston after seeing the car on the forum.
08-23-2018, 11:00 PM
#6
Im glad I hyped up the manual but that wasn’t my intent. I was really torn between pdk and manual and was ready to trade in the manual again for a pdk if I didn’t like it. To my pleasant surprise I loved it right off the bat. Not so sure about how I will feel with it on track. I was just beginning to build competency and speed with the pdk on auto mode. Shifting manually will add a whole other element. On the street though hands down the manual is more fun at least for me.
08-23-2018, 11:02 PM
#7
Will try to take some that look accurate but it’s hard to photograph for authenticity. When the color first came out before ever seeing it I thought naaa never. Im glad I waited and changed my mind.
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08-23-2018, 11:09 PM
#9
Great post. You echo my thoughts on the difference between the two cars almost to the T. We have so much in common too. I also traded my white .1 for a manual Miami Blue .2. I ended up doing the entire transaction with John from Porsche of North Houston after seeing the car on the forum.
John from Porsche North Houston is great - he went out if his way to help me and I didn’t even buy a car from him. Nicholas from Porsche Fresno was a pleasure to work with as well. One of the easiest amd most efficient transactions I have completed and he was always available to answer questions no matter how trivial.
08-23-2018, 11:17 PM
#10
Rennlist Member
Haha yeah I actually saw that. You are the one who convinced me to get off my *** and start looking harder and making offers. After you bought it I was like... dooough that could have been mine and it was right down the street!! Hope you are enjoying yours.
John from Porsche North Houston is great - he went out if his way to help me and I didn’t even buy a car from him. Nicholas from Porsche Fresno was a pleasure to work with as well. One of the easiest amd most efficient transactions I have completed and he was always available to answer questions no matter how trivial.
08-23-2018, 11:54 PM
#12
Nice write up, glad you’re enjoying the 6MT it’s a sweet transmission! Congrats
08-24-2018, 12:05 AM
#13
Awesome, congrats! You basically worked with two of the best dealers out there so not a shock that they took great care of you. Kudos to both dealers.
08-24-2018, 02:40 AM
#14
Rennlist Member
OMFG. Net it out. Good? Bad?
08-24-2018, 02:58 AM
#15
Pics or it didnt happen