sheatley

I too felt getting a tip would be blasphemous. After test driving and then buying my 2001 C2 tiptronic, I had second thoughts every once in a while that a manual might have been a better choice. That is until driving my sister's manual. It just was not worth all that extra work. The tip can be shifted quickly and without effort, if you need to. I doubt I would buy a newer manual model now.

With the newer PDK transmission that is now in large numbers, I am thinking manuals are on their way out. Just not sure when.

ryangambrill

I am not sure they are on their way out. But, I do believe that the newer PDK cars have a better chance of holding their resale value as compared to models with TIP.

jasper

No tip for me. I also wouldn't compromise my car choice to suit the female. You should buy the car you really want and it's fine if it's a tip.

I've never driven one, but Hurley Haywood supposedly prefers them so who am I to argue. I imagine it's a lot like driving any automatic...mash the throttle to go and mash the brake to stop.

I do have it easy because my female prefers a manual box. Even if she didn't though then I would have my car and she would have hers.

I personally have never found it hard work to drive a manual, even in traffic. The 996 is so tractable you can leave it in first and idle along at a walking pace. Keep enough distance between you and the guy ahead and you don't have to declutch much.

The Porsche 6 speed is a dream to use.

Jacks911

I have had two Sticks and now three TIPS. It really is a Where do you drive and How do you drive choice. And I will add how healthy are you? If you are an older fellow like me with lower back issues the TIP makes driving much better. Over the years TIPs have gotten much better. The TIP "S" in my 2000 C4 is great for me and it has overcome all the little issues I had not liked in the earlier Porsche's. ( though I am still getting use to the Steering wheel switches). PDK looks to be even better - and more efficient that the torque converters. So it comes down to choice & personal preferences. And for those who say you need to Shift to enjoy driving a Porsche - I say your spending to much time on the drag strip - go find some country roads.

kr3678

I taught my wife how to drive a stick 25 years ago, so that's not an issue. Even though my car is a Tip, she really doesn't drive it much, so that's not an issue either.

I bought my car used. My car is a Tip because I liked the rest of the car and the transmission didn't matter that much to me. However if I had found two identical cars at the same price, one a stick and one a Tip, I probably would have chosen the stick.

That being said, I don't have any regrets with my choice.

Pac996

I bought a tiptronic just because it was there looking for a daily driver. I'd probably buy a 6 speed or PDK if the time comes I'm looking for a car and the physical condition of the car is good or new. I do miss shifting and some times I don't miss shifting. 6 of one half a dozen of the other. For performance 6 speed does the turns right while PDK or tip is strange. Although the PDK has performance numbers better than a manual trans. Tiptronics aren't an IMS thingy.

sheatley

I do not understand.

CosmosC4S

^^^What he said. I find myself having regrets at times, but then after some thought (while driving) I kinda like the Tip in some ways. Still a possibility I'd get a Tip again if I had to choose, but half of me really want a manual.

johonole

Sex while driving is easier with a tip.

gota911

If YOU want a Tip, get it. However, DON'T get a Tip just for the GF.

There are a few guys here that bought a Tip so their wives could drive the car. Almost all of them reported withing a month of purchasing the car that their wife said.... I don't like driving the car because.... the car is too low..... the car rides too rough.... the car is too loud. So these guys were stuck with a Tip they didn't want. You have been warned.

Ray S

Best advice in the thread......

Graufuchs

Well said from the man with the honda

gota911

Good one!

That ^ is true, however it is by "nesessity"..... not by "choice!"

dailydriverC4s

I bought an '02 C4S tip about 4 months ago... to me the choice of transmission was really a non-factor in my decision making process when shopping for the car. As someone stated early on in this thread, the '02 was greatly improved, so for anything older than that I would have only looked at the manual.

he TIP is a few tenths of a second faster 0-60 by most professional reviews, and is a godsend in traffic. While the manual may maintain the "purity" of driving and can be a bit more fun when enjoying a spirited run, the TIP does a pretty good job.

The TIP is very quick and responsive to shifting, and in automatic mode the car pretty well picks up on your driving style of the day and adjusts. For the most part I only use the manual controls to downshift when approaching a turn and to ensure I hold the lower gear through turns if needed.

One often overlooked feature of the TIP is when "stabbing" the gas pedal in automatic mode, the car will automatically downshift to the lowest acceptable gear for fastest acceleration. What this ammounts to is on the highway, if you are in 5th and want to pass quickly, press and release the gas then reapply acclerator and by the time your foot is 1/4 back down on the accelerator you are in 3rd (and most likely well on your way 95mph if you were crusing at 70 to start.)

Like I said early on, I would have taken either transmission on a car '02 or newer, and for me felt there were many other more crucial factors to weigh when comparing cars. Given two IDENTICAL cars I would most likely take a manual, but again it was kind of a non factor in my decision making process.

tooloud10

Buy what you like. I wouldn't choose based on what my wife could drive, though.

I do find it very strange that so many guys have wives and girlfriends that seem to want to share the experience of driving their Porsche and they won't let them. I love that my girl can drive my 6-speed manual and I'd never do anything to discourage her from enjoying it with me. IOW, y'all that have women that you won't let drive your Porsche probably don't know how good you have it--for every guy like you, there's a guy lusting after one of these vehicles and his wife won't let him have one.