duxsi

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It's not often that someone refers to PDK as Automatic - refreshing.
No regrets here, as I decided to take a swan song with my 7Speed MT.
At the time of purchase word on the street was that MT's were going to be shelved.. only to be revived numerous times.

stout

PDK is, unquestionably, excellent. And I love that it offers people who can't (or don't wish to) use a manual gearbox to enjoy these cars on equal terms. I also prefer it on track, the autocross, and the autobahn.

Unfortunately, that's about 2% of my driving.

So I regretted ordering PDK years ago in a Cayman S. Fabulous on track or at an autocross, but I found myself bored on the street—to the point that I stopped driving the car and regularly stole my better half's pig-nosed GTI four-door just to enjoy shifting for myself. So, it's super personal, but every Porsche since then has had three pedals. The day they get rid of them, I suspect something will change when it comes to my affection for Porsche, much as whatever interest I had in Ferrari largely died when Maranello produced its final gated manual. Nice cars, incredible engines, lots of passion, but…no longer dreamy. For me, anyway. At that point, I may only look at new Porsches for track-day toys or pure daily drivers (Taycan, Macan, Panamera GTS, etc). YMMV…

jskenefick

I don't know if I'd call it regret. I looked for months to find a 991.1 GTS with a manual. Had a line on two and both were sold before I could make a deal on them. So I grew impatient with waiting, had sold my 996 and I took the PDK that was otherwise the right one. Would I rather have a manual, yes. Is the PDK excellent, mostly. I don't like that it upshifts so quickly, but in manual mode it is excellent. Same with Sport + if you are somewhere that you can wind it out in every gear. Launch control is always a hoot. But if given a choice of otherwise identical cars I'd always take the manual.

519Kris

Went from a manual 987.2 to a PDK 991.2. I certainly feel a little less connected driving daily. The shifting it does is beautiful. Taking it to the track I could focus more on my braking and line and working on making all of that clean (all while feeling like I’m cheating..). Sport+ worked beautifully on the track. Driving in manual mode still feels funny to me, disconnected and awkward, not sure if I need to drive that way exclusively for a while.

macanakey

Our 997 & 993 have MTs. Our 991.2 is a PDK, so we've got both driving options. I really enjoy the manuals for fun, weekend drives, but I'm at the stage in my life where I don't want to drive a manual in stop & go rush hour traffic. So, I'm lucky enough to have my pick, depending on my whims & traffic expectations. The PDK shifts far faster & more smoothly than I ever could. I see many posts where people say they feel disconnected from the vehicle unless it's a MT, but I don't feel that way at all.

Balr14

When it comes to feeling disconnected, I feel just the opposite of most. A manual transmission is so old and I've been driving them for so long, I don't even notice it any more. I couldn't tell you if one was better than another, it's such a sub conscience action. With the PDK and other modern manuals, you have so many modes and settings and you are always aware of the nuances of each one and figuring out which settings are best for a given environment.

Bob Z.

And probably the only one that feels that way.

519Kris

Ah! I should have been more clear, driving the PDK in manual mode feels disconnected. Driving a manual transmission feels completely natural and subconscious. My only going theory is I have something physical beyond the sound of the engine reminding me of what gear I’m in.

991.1 Guy

When I was searching for my 911, I was indifferent as to transmission mainly because I knew I loved driving manuals but I also wanted to experience what, in some respects, is Porsche's crowning technological achievement. The PDK is arguably the best dual clutch transmission made. It has been a unique and good experience, though there is a learning curve in order to operate it to its full potential in various situations. While I am impressed with the function of the PDK, next time I would choose the MT.

Carlo_Carrera

Not the only one.

Balr14

I used to be a diehard manual transmission driver. But, I don't like to lock myself into the mindset that a car has to have specific features or equipment. I don't drive very much anymore, but when I do I like to experience new and different things.

991.1 Guy

You bring up such a good point about knowing which gear you’re in by the position of the lever. I find myself having to look down too often to see what the “number” is.

737gdog

This reminds me of SNL’s Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey. Sorry, I couldn’t resist!

rhody718

When I started my journey into the brand a month ago, I was deadset on getting a manual Cayman. In the end, I bought a Carrera T PDK. The problem I've really found is that there are truly no "bad" options through the lineup. Even the flat 4 Cayman S was a blast to drive; cylinders and sound be damned the thing roared and felt like a rocket ship.

While I only "settled" for the PDK because the car had every other spec I wanted and the price was just right. Ripping through gears with the paddles is still a blast, and I won't get fatigued/annoyed in traffic. Plus it will be better for track days

AlexCeres

Indeed. There are no bad options. It's mostly the flavor you feel like today. A few might be dishes not suited to one, personally, like shell fish.