NoGaBiker

I took delivery in April 2015 of a car I'd ordered eight weeks earlier, on Valentine's Day (purely coincidental -- I think my smokin' hot wife got me, like, a card that year. ) Eight weeks from order to pickup, to the day. Very timely and efficient, but then I'm pretty close to the port of Brunswick.

In the initial "Here's the new car" thread (https://rennlist.com/forums/991/8714...-ducktail.html) I speculated about the PDK, my first experience with it other than test drives, after a couple decades of Porsche clutched manual ownership. Thought I'd revisit the questions that were raised, in case someone else is on the fence about making the transition. I know this is a futile request -- I'm only a little naive -- but please, please, please wait a couple of posts before turning it into a PDK-Great/PDK-Sucks bloodbath.

Here's the original exhange:

So here's where I am now:

Ambivalent.

I went through a period maybe 30-60 days in where I was crestfallen; the new had worn off, I was still having trouble knowing just what gear I was in when pushing it, I was easily confused as to which direction to pull the lever or which paddle to pull, and made more than a few 2nd to 1st shifts in the neighborhood with PSE on when I meant to ease up into 3rd, embarrassing me no end in front of neighbors I didn't know who thought I was intentionally revving as I went past them. Also, I was once stuck in slow moving traffic with a new Jag F-Type convertible and as my lane cleared and I rolled past him, meaning to shift up into third I went down into first right as I got abreast of him, causing him to angrilly rev his back at me.

So for a couple of months I was asking myself, WHAT HAVE I DONE??? Selling at a loss, waiting on another allocation, building the same exact car but with a manual, waiting 8 or more weeks for it to arrive... it was all too painful.

Fortunately, I let inertia keep me from doing anything.

So today I'll report that I like the PDK. In fact, I really like it. I've only tracked it once and found it to be fabulous. The shift directions have become second nature. The confusion over which gear I'm in has evaporated and my whole cognitive process has changed. Now, instead of struggling as I did at first to try and do this by the numbers ("let's see, I think I'm in 4th and this is a 2nd gear corner coming up, so I need two blips on the right paddle... NO, the left paddle!") I now, like most of you I'm sure, simply feel my fingers or my whole arm taking over from my conscious brain and doing whatever needs done to get in whatever gear needs gotten into. Just like I do with H-pattern transmissions. Whew!

As to the "will I keep doing it in manual or become a guy who lets the computer take over when I'm loafing in traffic" question: That one's easy. I 100% of the time, without variance, select the gears myself. Part of the startup procedure is to hit the Sport+ button as soon as it cranks, and then pull the shifter back and left for Manual. Where it stays till going back in Park.

And to be clear, this is not some "As God Is My Witness, I'll Never Let The Computers Take Over No Matter How Much Better They Are Than Me!" Luddite contrarian position. If the computer did in fact do it better than me I'd probably have surrendered control by now. In fact, on my track day (I'm a 20+ year track veteran, former instructor, but don't go very often these days) I switched to Auto after the first few laps because Sport+ Auto was better than me on the track. It can perfectly time shifts for milking the full 7800 rpms out of the motor, where I either shift a few hundred short or bang the limiter when I'm in the heat of steering and braking. So I'm not opposed to the computer doing the work.

But it can't do what I like best on the street. And that's staying in the sweet part of the powerband, even when I'm just loafing along. By sweet part, I mean above 2500, even when I'm just juking along in traffic. This causes the car to sound much better, allows me to control the childish but oh-so-intoxicating burble, blat, SPLAT of the PSE by downshifting when it will be most satisfying. It allows me to already BE in the exact gear I want for squirting into that little opening in the lane next to me, where the auto, as fast as it is, still has to get my command through the go-pedal and then shift. And of course, you can't run Sport+ on the street in Auto -- it holds all shifts to redline. But Sport is a close second choice, so I'd be okay with Sport and Auto for street driving if I didn't like to shift it myself.

So... Would I do it again? Or would I jump back into a manual?

Hmmm...

Let's say I was ordering again so I could do either one with equal ease. If the manual on offer was the current 7-speed, I think I'd go PDK again. I'm just not crazy about the 7. If the manual was a 6, I think I might go that way, pending driving one and seeing what it feels like. Ironically, if I were getting a new GT3, only place a 6 is available on 911s now, I'd still get PDK because it would be a track weapon.

But that's how close this decision would be for me. It's a good place to be, where either choice would be fine. That means if I decided to get a pre-existing car (either used or already at the dealer) I wouldn't care which it was.

I think that if I were to move backwards (year-wise) into a 911/50, it would have to be a manual, even with the 7-speed.

And that's about it. Sorry I can't be more definitive as to which I'd choose. But I'm not planning to make a change any time soon anyway.

Cheers!

Al.Fresco

Very fair assessment. Always enjoy your posts. I too have come to appreciate the PDK.

ZF and Porsche did a nice job for sure.

Oh....and you are not alone with a couple embarrassing downshifts to 1st in the early days.










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mtony

Glad to hear I'm not the only PDK in manual mode all of the time person. The auto mode bothers me in a couple of situations. If I'm in sport mode and hit the interstate, it won't shift into 7th gear when I want it to, and it results in droning. The the other issue is if I want the auto in sport mode, it also forces me to have the extra induction and exhaust noise (I have PSE). I can turn the PSE off, but it still gives me the induction noise. The regular auto mode to me is basically worthless, since it shortshifts and keeps you well below the part of the power band where more torque is available.

In manual mode, I can always mix and match without any of the above issues.

Glad you're enjoying your car. Love the color combo!

djcxxx

I think you summed it up extremely well. I always drive in manual unless traffic is heavy because I enjoy listening to the engine work as though it were an old school manual, even on downshift. The PDK trades practicality for the pleasures of the third pedal, but it is not a slush box auto so the pleasure of revving the engine and rapid gear change remain. The MT still offers the most direct and involving experience, but depending on your use and environment there can be a significant downside. To me there is only one issue which is that Porsche continues to offer both transmission choices so the complainers about PDK can keep it to a minimum.

RobC4sX51

Great read NoGo! I can relate in every way except I'm a bit lazy! I have had seven 911s including my current 991. All were preowned and each put a huuuge (with a Trump accent smile on my face. The last two 911s (previous was a 2010 C2S w PDK & SC) have been PDK. Sometimes I miss the left pedal, but mostly just keep both hands on the wheel and both eyes on the road, and let the computer function the way the engineers designed it to do! I regurlay use sport mode for in town driving and even highway but over-ride it to 7th for the economy, noise, and most importantly, the oil temperature. On the track, sport plus in auto is the best, as you mentioned. To scratch my itch I'm thinking of getting a 2010 Boxster S with a manual! Just for fun! And my wife could enjoy it too! Thanks again for the post. Enjoy in good health & happiness.

Rob in Louisville

J.Ho

The Porsche PDK is sublime.

tstafford

Awesome write up.

And I agree that the PDK on the track is amazing. It nails the shifts (other than the thump the GT3 gives during WOT).

JustBud

I only have had my car a few months but I would say your assessment is spot on...... I concur completely. Funny thing is I am planning on trying to nab a 911/50 and I have consciously thought about what I would want and I came to the exact same conclusion as you have, with that car it will be a manual..... and maybe I can get to hang out with the cool kid N/A crowd.... (just kidding, don't want to start any grief in this thread)

Needsdecaf

The good thing is that there is no bad choice. PDK is sublime and is not a detriment to the car in any way. The 7MT is not without it's flaws either.

Just depends on what makes you happy!

GSIRM3

I agree with your assessment. Been driving 911's since the mid 1980's, all manual. My 2015 GTS is PDK and I love it. Pretty sure I would not go back to a manual, but I do understand why some still prefer the manual.. Having a choice is great.

PantsFire

I would love a 911R or the latest Spider as a second 'driving' car, to roar around the hills and get the back end out and make a lovely noise then manual all the way. But on congested city streets and busy motorways the automatic allows for a less stressful drive, so for my main vehicle I'd always drive Automatic.

Need4S

As implemented in the Turbo, to me, PDK=Pretty Darn Kool. I use the auto feature in normal mode, and don't find it short shifts too aggressively. Maybe it's because the turbo has so much torque, even at relatively low rpm. Auto mode is perfect to help minimize wear on the engine and other drivetrain components when the car is cold. When warmed up, the shifts quicken, and if driving in heavy traffic, I often just leave it in auto. Much of the rest of the time I flick the lever to manual mode so I can control revs and power delivery to my preference. Of course it rev matches in a way I can't do easily with a manual. And it is quick around the track, with never a worry about selecting too low a gear for your speed. That said, I still do like driving a stick, so if they offered a Turbo or GT3 with a stick, the choice I'd make would depend on the intended use of the car and how they were to drive.

KenTO

I just ordered my next car with PDK. All my P Cars have been manual up until now. Back when I was first looking at 911s in the 993 era, no-one ordered an automatic unless the car was for your wife. Real men drove MTs. I test drove a 997 with PDK when it first came out and hated it, those stupid buttons on the steering wheel drove my crazy. I was used to paddle on the left for downshifts, paddle on the right for upshifts. At the time I ended up getting a Maserati GranTurismo S instead (the one with the transmission from the Ferrari 599GTB). Please tell me Porsche has done away with the button switches on the steering wheel. I have ordered a new Targa GTS, will it have the traditional left downshift, right upshift paddles? Thanks.

PantsFire

paddles all the way, with a very satisfying movement

Bemo

You strike again, OP.

First it was a peace-making attempt at NA vs Turbo reconciliation, that went well.

Now let's get into PDKs vs Manuals, deal!

Here's my take:
Driven and DO enjoy both. At this stage in our life and, given increased traffic in the area we live in, PDKs and triptronics will rule this household.