PTS

I ordered my Touring in manual months ago. I have thousands of miles on the 911R and have driven a manual 991.2 GT3 and find them to be of the best manuals I've driven. You're a rare breed in that you find the manual in these cars sub optimal. So we are collectively curious as to why. Genuine curiosity, not to bash for a differing opinion

3-Pedals

Hi Dave,

Not sure which Corvette you have driven. The only one I have driven is my C7 ZR1. The manual transmission has almost no slop in it while in neutral or in gear and requires quite a bit force to get it into gates. The gates are very mechanical and you feel metal to metal contact. It transmits quite a bit NVH even in idle which I like (you can feel the torque tube rotate). The best way to describe the shifter feel is like a bolt action rifle.

The clutch is quite a bit stiff, I’d characterize it 80% stiffness of 997 GT3 clutch whereas 991.2 GT3 clutch is about 30% stiff ness - purely subjective comparison.

The throws of the 991 GT3 (and I also tried out 718 Spyder and 718 GT4) are a bit too long. It does feel too refined/soft/easy. This is again clearly done on purpose by Porsche but I think numeric shifter cables and numeric shifter together will transform the shifter action so I am not too concerned.

I am not really looking for easiest transmission to drive. I want the transmission to be more work. I want it to be challenging. I want it to allow me to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. It took me 10,000 miles to master heel and toe in the ZR1 (but part of this is because its a supercharged car and has 700+ ft lbs torque). I am fine with this. I guess everyone is different.

But what is more objective is a linkage rod based transmission will inherently be more direct and have less slop than a cable based transmission. Not only cables might not be perfectly adjusted from factory, but they do stretch. My lift’s cables or my zip line platform’s cables are all the same. Linkage rod is one thick rod that directly connects shifter to the transmission shaft. There are two bolts on this entire route. One on the shifter in the car, one in the transmission shaft. The less connections and the less flex material has (the rod has none) the more direct feel is but you do get NVH as a side effect (and GT3 I drove had almost no NVH from the shifter).

Scrappy1972

Sounds like you’d enjoy a Countach. STIFF clutch and no linkage at all. Add to that weak brakes, no power steering, a mostly non functioning AC and small side window openings and you’ll feel like every drive was earned.

SCCAForums

I wouldn't completely agree with that, actually when you reference bolt action rifle, I think more the Dodge Viper Trans... a bit more notchy/secure than the other's in my experience. As for which corvette, I've honestly driven/raced them all, C3, C4, C5, C6 & C7. Frankly, my favorite trans was the ZF box in the C4 (go figure it was German built too). But don't get me wrong, the Dodge unit was probably the 'beefiest' in my experience. And the Chevy unit is a fantastic blend of strong, reliable and consistent. But the GT3 trans has been the only trans to date that seems to do everything perfectly... and does it without all the notchyness of the Viper and heavy clutch. I don't mind a heavy clutch, or a notchy strong trans... but ultimately... just looking for it to consistently handle repeated quick shifts... and the GT3 was by far the easiest to do that, in my experience.

I don't mind a stiff clutch... I just prefer Porsche. And honestly, the Corvette and most late model clutches now a days are much more forgiving to our calfs.

.
I remember reading this by early .2 GT3 owners.. I never noticed that... I would actually like to have the throws of the two cars measured, I'd be surprised if the GM throws were shorter than the GT3. Neither felt particularly long to me though.

Challenging? We're speaking two different languages... the GM trans aren't challenging in my experience, their fantastic. Just the GT3 even better, and at twice the price of entry, it had better be.

Agree here, nothing should be better than direct mounted shifter, you do realize the C5, C6 & C7 are also linkage attached? With the rear mounted trans, none are mounted directly to trans any longer.

Either way, the best part is at least we are debating 'which manual' is better... vs. Manual vs. PDK.

Cheers!
Dave

merc5326

Grant, does this lighter flywheel produce any clatter / inconsistent idle like a true SMFW or does it has the same characteristics of the 991.2? Thanks!

GrantG

It’s a dual-mass flywheel, so it’s damped (quiet and smooth). Not as light as SMFW
though…

merc5326

Ok, so very similar to your previous car?

GrantG

More similar than different, but can rev (and revs fall) more quickly.

Checkmate

After reading all of this....shouldn't we all be glad we have Manuals at all?

I would take a crappy BMW shifter anyday over having an Automatic in my weekend car.

TexasPorschelover

Agreed. My 997.1 RS was certainly the most fun I ever had with a manual gearbox - much more fun than my 991.2 GT3. The PDK is as engaging to me as the current manual gearbox and in certain situations even more so because I feel I can drive the car so much more aggressively.... the PDK allows for total concentration on my line and the road while pulling max performance from the powerplant. The current PDK gearbox is a masterpiece. I went PDK this time and I am at total peace with that. .

Htownbdr

Don't see too many like you/us. I have the PDK in the 15 and battled for a long time on PDK or Manual for the 992. Drove some 991.2 Manuals and decided I can love the PDK, I can bang gears in other cars and I am buying this car the way I want it and not for resale so went with PDK again.

TexasPorschelover

I wouldn't assume a manual gearbox is positive to PDK on resale. PDK is superior in many ways and there are fewer PDK's being delivered to North America it seems so more scarce.

jayely1

Many way except the most important

TexasPorschelover

everyone has an opinion. Im over it.

ShakeNBake

Blipshift has a great shirt (yesterday 1/11/22) on this.