onsickm

This is not another PDK vs Manual debate but I am looking for real experience from members. Anyone here who bought PDK before did you like it? OR do you wish you went for Manual if you have to do it over again?

I have had multiple 6MT cars last being M3 but I never felt 6MT built for the M3 and didn't like it much. Everytime I test drove a DCT M3, I wish I went for DCT but was looking for user experience which I don' think I found on the M3.

I heard for Porsche, it is different animal and 6MT is built well for Porsche but again I am not sure if I will enjoy it.

I am looking to hub into 997.2 and see alot of deals on PDK but not much on 6MT which makes me wonder if I pickup a PDK, It will hurt the resale value.

Any user experience in both for 997 is really appreciated!!

voiceprint1

This is more of a subjective debate, there are many threads on rennlist, but the best I can offer is that the PDK, while not perfect, when pushed hard, can be pretty amazing paired with a 997.2, which I feel is one of the best platforms from Porsche.

I will put on my flame proof jacket now.

onsickm

My question is have you tested 6MT and decided to go with PDK with no regrets?

Austin997.2

My father has a manual 996 he is 68, as he got older he didn't like driving it in the city because of traffic then he moved to the mountains and he said the hills have been too hard to deal with. He is now selling it.

I have a 997.2 PDK. I am definitely from a different generation and neither of my parents had a manual until my father got a 996 by which time I was out of the house. Manuals don't have the same nostalgia for me because I have never really been around them. Frankly, it sounds like a pain in the *** to me, I just want to go fast. But I am in no way knocking people who like manuals I just don't have the attachment.

Great apropos clip:

Dennis C

I owned a 996 C4S with a manual transmission, and a 997 turbo cabriolet with a manual transmission. They were both fantastic cars, and the manual transmission was a joy to operate. The 997 had the OE short shift kit, which was really nice. If you like to shift gears, a Porsche manual transmission is hard to beat.

My current 991 turbo s cabriolet has PDK, as this was the only option available for the car. It's a fantastic transmission, and it is very well matched to the vehicle. The 991 turbo s reaches red line in first gear in less than a second under full throttle, so a manual transmission would be difficult, especially during hard acceleration. I really like PDK and I appreciate it even more as I learn to drive it effectively.

Do I occasionally miss the manual transmission? Absolutely. I grew up driving them, and I still like the engagement. Do I regret buying a car with PDK? Absolutely not. PDK is wonderful and it works in this platform, as it does in the 997.2 cars.

If driving a proper, 3-pedal manual transmission is very important to you, then don't buy a PDK car. Keep searching until you find what you want. If this is more of a secondary issue or a resale value issue, then I think you should strongly consider a PDK car.

voiceprint1

I did not drive MT, but as other might echo the PDK has the "feel" of a manual gearbox, and it offers amazing response to inputs (my opinion).

I can't talk anyone out of a manual, but give the PDK a chance and you might enjoy it.

Wayne Smith

I bought the PDK because I no longer trust my mostly numb left leg. I missed the MT for a long time. But then I realized I can drive the PDK like an MT, less the heel and toe and rev matching.

Once you get past the macho BS of driving a clutch, the PDK is pretty amazing. Three years and 65K miles later I know I made the right choice. But this is really a personal decision you have to make for yourself. Test drives are great, but they won't answer your question. It takes more time to adapt philosophically to the PDK.

Good luck with your decision. Either way, you can't go wrong with a 997 8)

snake eyes

I came from Stick Shifts only - Pontiac GTO, c6 z06, and a Lotus Exige s260 sport.

my first Porsche was a 2010. 997.2 C4S PDK sport chrono - no regrets ( I track my cars)

I just purchased my second Porsche - 2012 991.1 PDK Sport chrono plus C2S

As you can see I love PDK now.

Yes the 2012+ 991.1 PDK is significantly quicker than the 997.2 PDK. - NO automatic transmission can touch it or BMW DCT.

However, the 997.2 PDK is faster than almost all auto's matches the ZF (better on downshifts) and matches the current DCT from BMW.

I drive a lot of cars.

BTW the new 10 speed in the ZL1 is faster than the 997.2 upshifts PDK but no match for the 991.1 - also referenced by engineer shift times.

las911

I was a crazy purist with my last Porsche being a 2007 GT3. I decided to sell it after the coolant hose deal hit me. Went a few years and a 2011 Turbo S crossed my path. This car is not available except with sequential shift. I loved the car so much I decided to go with it and I really like it. When you are in traffic, you shift it to automatic. When you want to have fun, slide it over and work through the gears.


Garage:
2011 Turbo S - "The Beast"
1984 944 5 Speed Manual
2012 Formula Continental RFR F2
1995 Van Diemen FC
1994 Van Diemen FC

Blu311

I cannot knock the PDK, as you can see above, almost everyone with a PDK loves it. The PDK (I have never owned one but I have driven a few PDK and other DCT cars), is faster, more convenient, more efficient, and for some just as fun if not more fun than the manual.

But I need a manual car in the garage, to me its therapeutic. Driving a sports car with a manual is one of the great joys of life. You should know if you are a manual guy or not, if you are not, that's ok, you'll enjoy the PDK.

onsickm

That's right and maybe the reason for my question. I enjoy driving manual once in a while but I have driven Both on M3 and sold my 6MT after 6 months of ownership whereas my DCT stayed with me for 2 years. I was trying to convince my self that 6MT is the "better" transmission while owning but it really never did it for me.

Thanks guys for the feedback you've provided.

tomc_mets

Similar story, except that we never owned a car growing up, so no nostalgia for manual. Never learned to drive one. I like using the buttons. If it gives me 0.1% more available brain power to focus on the other maniacs on the road, I consider that good thing...T

2011-sy-carreras

I have driven manual since my first car in the late 70's. All German and for a brief time a manual Acura Legend in the late 80's. My first hydraulic manual transmission (SMG) was a E46 BMW M3 and got use to it. It was good for it's time, but my current PDK is much better and a huge improvement.

I really think it's an America thing and rooted on all that got behind an American high torque automatic. Europe is way past that notion. They were always behind the wheel of higher reving and low torque engine design. Reving out engines thru gears to make power. We were mostly low reving and tons of torque at low rpm's

A torque converter auto transmission did not work in Europe and mostly all manuals up to early 2000's as daily drivers. Here in the states, mostly all American made cars were sold as automatics. Low reving and low end torque compensated for the lack of a high reving V8.

Those days are gone and high revs and HP are closer aligned between American and European engine designs.

European drivers never experienced our automatics of the past. We are the other way around and remember automatics taking away power and engine rev control. Hydraulic manual gear boxes with computer programmed gearing is the modern day manual. No loss in performance.

I'll not go back to manual. PDK will shift and drive much better than I ever will on the track and as a daily driver. When I choose to, I can run thru gears like all my previous manual gear boxes.

I have'nt studied it, or taken a poll, but my gut tells me most of the porsche manuals are being shipped to the U.S.. I think it's hard for many of us to get past the idea that an automatic, is really not the automatic torque converter we all lived thru here in the States. I've gotten past it quickly when stuck in traffic.

Glyndellis

I have a manual daily driver and a PDK 997. I love the PDK and we have owned it for 3 1/2 years. It's great to drive and I don't miss the clutch for one minute.

Engared

I've driven a few PDK cars.

It's perfectly good for an automatic but it's honestly no where as fun as a manual. I find with a PDK, you have to be going really, really fast for the car to feel exciting. On the other hand, my manual is fun even when I'm going the speed limit. On long drives, I sometimes downshift+ rev match just for fun. With a pdk, you just press a button... no where close to being as engaging as the 6 speed.

Sums up my opinion on PDKs vs Manuals.