I am going back and fourth on PDK or Manual / Wing vs No Wing on a .2 GT3. I enjoy reading these recommendations and hope they keep coming. The road and track article was a lot of fun to read as well.

Currently, I drive a 991.1 GTS Cab w PDK on the weekends and do an occasional track day. I also Race an 84’ Camero V8 Manual in 24 hrs of lemons and Lucky Dog events. Here’s a pic from Laguna and of the GTS in the garage. As you can see I’m living out my fantasy of being a race car driver. Interstate Batteries suit and all.

I love driving my GTS on the street and backroads. I love driving it on the track. The downshifts are bliss when coming to a stop on main st or slowing down from 110mph > 40 at turn 11 at Sonoma. Upshifts are done mid turn when needed without any major disruption to the balance. It’s a very safe way to get around a racetrack where you don’t have to worry about balance issues coming from changing gears.

I also love driving the 84 Camero manual on the track wheel to wheel. The downshifts w heel to toe add a whole different set of skill requirements required to keep the car balanced at the limit. There is never a dull moment in that car as there is always room for improvement as it relates to gear changes.

So PDK vs Manual in a GT3 with my experience as a bias:

If I were daily driving it in NYC the stop and go traffic day in and day out would push me towards PDK. You need to be on your toes watching out for potholes / pedestrians / dump trucks / police cavalrymen etc. Adding the manual gear box IMO would be a lot to handle. The more nimble you are the better. You would also only live in 1st and 2nd since those gears are long from early reports. Advantage PDK.

Now, I would hope you would get out of the city to stretch her legs on the weekends. If so - Advantage Manual. No question.

I would also hope you would go to the track on occasion. PDK is faster, safer and easier than a manual but I don’t see PDK having an advantage here. Why - #1 you and I are not race car drivers so even though PDK is faster it’s not faster night and day. #2 PDK takes less skill to become ‘good at shifting’ so you will get bored of it as there are less variables to master. In comparison It’s always a learning experience in the Camero but pretty straight foreword in the GTS. Advantage Manual.

So my Vote or Score or whatever is 2 to 1 in favor of manual.

There is a reason why people look disappointed after hearing your Porsche race car is an automatic. I think it has something to do with the removal of one of the most engaging parts of driving....the shifting!

Good luck with your decision. You are a lucky man to have to decide.

 

who said i am successful. some of use got lucky and married well. i need validation and cars with BIG wings help

 

I divorced well.

 

Smartest of all.

 

I am with Mooty. Marrying well works just fine

 

Edit: buy pdk

 

i like PDK a lot
add manual for variety
if only one i like pdk.
YMMV

 

Great article. I agree that no one should buy a GT3 because it sets good lap times. Get a proper race car that doesn’t weigh 1,450 kg and spend the spare on a trailer.

 

thanks for the great post! I'm jealous. Now that my practice is slightly more settled I hope to have much more time for track activities this year.
Although I still haven't decided I know I'll be a happy man either way!

 

I'm still trying to find a sugar mama! Then I can proceed to woo her and take HALF.


Thanks mooty! One thing I knew for sure was needed the big wing for breakfast and assorted food and drinks items like your pic!

 

Here is my 0.02

Track: PDK all the way
Street: Manual

Love PDK on the track but not on the road, manual makes the driving more involving.
If traffic is a concern, you are not driving the right car in traffic...

My .2 GT3...
My initial order was with PDK as I was planning to track it. I got the Radical in September and I saw the light... Called my dealer and switched my GT3 to manual as it won't see the track!

 

I know I’m the weird one, but I love Manual for the track. I recently drove the 991.2 GT3 and Turbo (both PDK) on roads and tracks in Europe and I missed Manual most on the track. I missed it on the roads too, but most glaringly it made the track driving less interesting (still great, but with a large part of driver involvement and participation missing). I only really appreciated PDK for its launch control (which I now see is also included with the new Manual) and in traffic jams (which as you noted is no place to enjoy a Porsche with either gearbox).

 

manual...come on.

If you want engagement in the NYC area though, why not something like a 996 GT3? That way you can atleast get some jollies in before exceeding the speed limit.

I considered selling my 7tt and 3tt for a new GT3, but then I realized I'd never get to use more than about 30% of the car's capabilities on the street, and I'm not rich enough to track a new $160k vehicle.

more fun to drive a slower car fast and all that. (yes, the 7tt is too fast for the street also).

 

Salut Pierre.
Lots in common... my GT3 Touring is a scheduled as a late Dec build, early March delivery. Wasn't really shopping GT3 until Touring was announced in Sept and my dealer offered an allocation.

For me, no wing plus manual only was a winning combo!!

Glad to hear your Radical experience is progressing well. Robert runs a great program, plus now your trailer graphics suits the contents!

 

Yea unless it's wheel to wheel racing I am getting a little bored with the PDK on the track