Very personal decision. I've had many 911's, all manuals until 2017. Then I ordered a 17 C4S with PDK and kept it only about 6 months. Bottom line - for my driving it was boring. While I live in LA with miserable traffic, I don't commute so I'm generally able to avoid peak rush hour driving. Went back to a manual in 2018 and I'm happy again. No question that the PDK is a great transmission - it shifts much faster than I can, the car with launch control and sport response is a missile, and it's a pleasure in traffic. BUT, just not for me.

 

When at Lime Rock wanting to hang with more talented drivers and dedicated track cars I want PDK all day. For every other situation, with the two PDK GT3's I've owned, the PDK felt way boring and uninvolved. It's a tough call on a GT3 that sees some
track. Even a little track could make it worth it.

 

I have four sports cars. Three are manual, one is a PDK. I prefer the manuals. I've never had a complaint about driving an MT. They are more fun and more engaging for me to drive. However, I wanted a bit of a change so I am good with the PDK.

The real plusses for the PDK are:

1.) I love the sport response button. Sort of like launch control for the road. It is a blast to use when passing or just to inject a little bit more excitement.

2.) I like that I can let others use my car and share in the fun without worrying about whether they know how to drive an MT. When friends or family say "nice car", I can toss them the keys and say "Take it for a spin" rather than with the MT, I just said", "Thanks"

Other than that, I don't really find myself using the paddle shifters to shift manually. Sure, I start out that way but it seems I just get lazy and revert back to "auto" mode. Without the leg action, it just doesn't seem as worthwhile. I usually just keep the car in "sport" mode. Maybe 10%-15% of the time I am in "sport plus" Never in WTF it's called..."O" mode. What is that "O' for "Oh my God, I am bored!" mode

I don't regret getting the PDK because I have options. But if I only had one sports car, I personally, would stick with an MT. YMMV

 

My wife was driving manual P cars before I was...get the manual, which it sounds like you want based on your initial post.

 

I didn't have a choice since I really wanted a TTS and it is a PDK only vehicle. So after several 911 variations that were MT including 4 MT TT cars I am now living the PDK.
I do not find it boring and the speed and efficiency of shifting is awesome. No regrets.

 

I do not regret the purchase of the PDK. If you enjoy driving the car hard then this transmission is excellent. If I was going to buy a Miata, I would buy a manual.

 

When I drive my PDKs in manual I can control the shifts so its close enough to a MT for me.

 

Yup

 

Hardcore manual guy and love the pdk despite having one replaced. I now have a pdk fail fund for life after warranty. All pdk's are not created =. I've noticed various character comparing units. For me the coast feature is the bomb. I rarely use sport+ and do use the full auto coast feature on long boring drives. The gas mileage is great when on the interstate. The over rev or missed shift is no longer a fear. In the beginning I fought with the pdk but once I learned and became fluid with the system I was sold. I'm an old guy and get the manual need but after about a million clutch shifts I'm good. In fact my next vehicle will most likely be electric. Resistence is futile.

 

LOL . My reaction exactly. About four years ago my Porsche dealer provided me with a PDK equipped Cayman as a loaner. I live about 45 minutes from the dealership. For the first 15 minutes in the Cayman, I thought that PDK was awesome. After 15 minutes the luster of PDK was already wearing off, and for the final 15 minutes on my drive home, I stopped shifting and put it in auto mode. That loaner saved me from making the error of ordering a car with PDK, because a short test drive in a PDK car would probably not deter me from ordering one.

It's obvious that most people love PDK, since finding manual Porsches is becoming a challenge. It seems like virtually all Porsches dealers only order PDK equipped Porsches.

 

Love my PDK. Have been a long time BMW owner (M635 '85 x 2; M5 2002) with manual trans simply because old school manuals were always faster. But no longer.

Not only are the PDKs much faster, I believe they are safer as well. This car is so fast I want both hands on the wheel if I'm going to stand on it. It is also smart. Love the fact that in Sport mode the PDK downshifts and rev matches for you which is way cool in the twisties. My passengers are always asking me when we go the back roads "are you doing that?" when the car downshifts into corners. Can concentrate on braking points and turn down points much better in this car. All in all, makes for a safer and quicker back roads journey and is as much fun as I could want. Don't miss shifting manually at all and would never consider the experience as "uninvolved".

In stop and go Bay Area or LA Ca traffic, the PDK is much more pleasant. Rowing first and second gears in traffic gets old fast in a manual, not to mention potential clutch wear.

 

Driven both for many years. Both are great and the answer is it’s super personal and depends on use of the car.

One thing I haven’t heard mentioned that I love about the PDK is that it’s essentially the same transmission as the manual that the car shifts for you, not a full auto transmission, and when you drive it for a while, you can repeatably control shift points “manually” with precise throttle control. Once you get the hang of it, and feel out how the car responds to throttle patterns it makes the PDK even more fun and less boring. I love how it feels. Same as manual, not at all; but it’s no normal automatic transmission either!

 

I have one of each. Six speed in my Touring and PDK in my GTS cab. If I weren't daily driving in LA traffic and I could only keep one, it would for sure be the GT3T. But...I am daily driving in LA traffic and thus if I had to keep one or the other, it would be the PDK. Fortunately, I am speaking in hypotheticals and I get to enjoy my GT3 on the weekends. Like others have said, such a personal decision and no wrong answer.

 

No.

 

Pdk is a brilliant transmission. Having said that, I was bored with it shortly after I bought it and sold my 911 with pdk to buy a T with a manual. If I had another car with a manual I would certainly consider a 911 with pdk. Can’t go wrong with either and up to the individual.