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Why the hate for the shaver/nubbin/gear selector?

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Old 02-26-2019, 01:24 AM
  #1  
Curt Wohlgemuth
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Default Why the hate for the shaver/nubbin/gear selector?

I really want to know. Is it purely aesthetics? Or do people regularly / often use the gear selector to, uh, shift gears?

The only auto transmission I've driven in 30 years was a loaner Macan, when I took my car in for service at the dealer (okay, excluding cheap rental cars). It never occurred to me to shift with the gear selector; if I used "manual" mode, I was quite happy with the paddle shifters.

Educate me please!
Old 02-26-2019, 01:44 AM
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Porsche911GTS'16
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I’ll bite. For me, it’s first and foremost the loss of the ability to shift with the gear selector. I like that function in my 991.1 PDK and I use it interchangeably with the paddles to shift when in manual mode.

Aesthetically, the nubbin is hideous to my eyes. It looks cheap, it is less functional than its predecessor and it just adds to what is already an unharmonious interior (for instance, the analogue/digital dash). There are a lot of ways to skin the dual clutch shifter cat as Jaguar, BMW, Mercedes, etc. all have their respective take on it. The nubbin is the worst of the bunch, to me. Huge downgrade from the 991.
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Old 02-26-2019, 03:51 AM
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arek
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I regularly shift my Turbo S using the lever. It's more engaging compared to paddles and I like having one control (that doesn't move) for both up- and down-shifting.

I'm ambivalent about the looks. Don't love it, don't hate it.
Old 02-26-2019, 03:56 AM
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ipse dixit
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I don't like the execution because it's a compromise solution that doesn't really offer a compromise.

If one wants to do away with a traditional shifter lever (a la a stick like in a MT), then just have a shifter - maybe a restyled PDK shifter like the one found in the Panamera.

If one wants to simply do away with the shifter (a la Ferrari) then wipe it entirely from the center console and just stick with buttons and the paddles.

Having the castrated shifter lever takes the worst of both situations and highlights everything that is wrong with both solutions.
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Old 02-26-2019, 04:22 AM
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bmcginn
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I was in your camp until I sat in the 992. It looks and feels weird.
Old 02-26-2019, 05:40 AM
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Cromo
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Originally Posted by Curt Wohlgemuth
I really want to know. Is it purely aesthetics? Or do people regularly / often use the gear selector to, uh, shift gears?

The only auto transmission I've driven in 30 years was a loaner Macan, when I took my car in for service at the dealer (okay, excluding cheap rental cars). It never occurred to me to shift with the gear selector; if I used "manual" mode, I was quite happy with the paddle shifters.

Educate me please!
I never used gear selector on my past cars.
My AMG C43 Coupe do not have any gear selector at all. I don't miss it.

I don't love 992 shaver but it's ok for me.
Old 02-26-2019, 08:06 AM
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I'm an MT guy, so I don't have a dog in this hunt, but the nubbin does look ugly and out of place to me. It's undersized, so it leaves that huge expanse of black plastic. It removes functionality, and it looks ill-suited for its sole remaining function of shifting to drive and reverse - it looks too small to put your whole hand around, so do you grasp the thing with a couple of fingers and your thumb? Or maybe you're supposed to slap it back and forth? And all this when Porsche has a perfectly good looking and fully-functional solution from the Panny. I just don't get it . . .
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Old 02-26-2019, 08:26 AM
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captainkirk
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Nubin is just plain ugly. Love upshifting/downshifting with the pdk lever, Porsche even fixed it in 991.2 (the direction was weird imbo prior to 991.2 - aka in 997.2-991.1).

And then I love manual also..

See all my posts hatin on the nubin.
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Old 02-26-2019, 08:28 AM
  #9  
gary.lee
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They should have used the shifter from Panamera. About the same size but far more elegant

The shaver is just weird to nth degree.
Old 02-26-2019, 09:02 AM
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Senna01
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I really don't get it guys. I sometimes use my daughters Mini Cooper S (auto) which doesn't have paddles, but has a push shifter/lever.
I hate using the dam thing. I also hate using my PDK lever on my 991.2 C2S.

The paddles on my C2S are fantastic to use. And I'm sure they will be great to use on the 992 also. Very convenient, your hands are literally on the steering wheel all the time, whats not to like for goodness sake.

Maybe they should bring back shifters on F1 cars lol.

I don't have an aesthetic problem with the Nubin, save for the fact they should have got rid of it all together. As per most new Ferrari's and McLarens, and just add a couple more buttons, like D and R.

Last edited by Senna01; 02-26-2019 at 09:54 AM.
Old 02-26-2019, 11:52 AM
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Personally in cars with automatic transmissions (including PDK) I like shifting with the shift lever. I am not a paddle fan but I do use them occasionally. I use both.

With BMW having the shift level in the left position vs the drive position also changes shift patterns.

The toggle switch on the 992 reminds me of a prius
Old 02-26-2019, 12:00 PM
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Senna01
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Originally Posted by ClassJ
Personally in cars with automatic transmissions (including PDK) I like shifting with the shift lever. I am not a paddle fan but I do use them occasionally. I use both.

With BMW having the shift level in the left position vs the drive position also changes shift patterns.

The toggle switch on the 992 reminds me of a prius
I think the nubin on the 918 looked more like a Prius affair but that didn't create anywhere near as much stink as the 992's nubin.

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Old 02-26-2019, 12:09 PM
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gary.lee
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Originally Posted by Senna01
I think the nubin on the 918 looked more like a Prius affair but that didn't create anywhere near as much stink as the 992's nubin.

​​​​​​
This will be the layout of 992.2 hybrid.
Old 02-26-2019, 12:29 PM
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ABusLux
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For me the problem is just the hideous looks of the shaver. If I want to override the PDK I use the paddles.
Old 02-26-2019, 12:50 PM
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Dennis C
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Originally Posted by ipse dixit
I don't like the execution because it's a compromise solution that doesn't really offer a compromise.

If one wants to do away with a traditional shifter lever (a la a stick like in a MT), then just have a shifter - maybe a restyled PDK shifter like the one found in the Panamera.

If one wants to simply do away with the shifter (a la Ferrari) then wipe it entirely from the center console and just stick with buttons and the paddles.

Having the castrated shifter lever takes the worst of both situations and highlights everything that is wrong with both solutions.
+1

I drive my 991 in manual mode 90% of the time or more, and I always use the paddles. I'd rather have buttons or a dial than the little shifter nubbin in the 992.


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