Originally Posted by sandwedge

I don't care for that either so I use the gear lever all the time. Hardly ever touch the paddles for two reasons. The throw is too long (Porsche can learn something from Benz on this) and shifting the PDK with the gear lever feels quicker and closer to a manual. Probably because your right hand is sort of doing what it used to do.

Not directed at you but I'm surprised at how many posts pop up here on a regular basis from PDK drivers who don't know how to use it to get the performance and feel that it was designed for. Some don't have sport chrono paired with it and complain about it being sluggish and boring. No joke. PDK without SC may be worse than TIP. Others have SC but seem afraid or at least hesitant to use sport plus mode. Others have tried sport plus but only in auto mode and off the track and wrote off sport plus for that reason. I would too and I could go on.

What transferred me from a die hard manual to the PDK was a sales guy at Champion Porsche in Pompano Beach in FL. I was skeptical but he basically told me that after the oil temp is warmed up, there's only one PDK configuration for must have manual guys and that's sport plus, manual mode and shift with the gear lever. Forget the buttons on that worthless wheel and forget the paddles on the sport wheel. That did it for me.

I know there are some that absolutely must have that third pedal but there is a viable option which is to learn what the PDK can do and how to make it do it and it's clearly the future based on an abundance of sales figures of manuals vs. PDK or other makers with similar dual clutch options. Speaking of options, again....Ferrari and Lambo won't give you that third pedal anymore no matter how much you're offering to pay. Not an option. Period. It's a dying technology which I think was part of my willingness to adapt to the future rather than stubbornly insisting on holding on to the past. Another way of looking at this never ending issue. That's all.

Originally Posted by Scottc714

Great post Sandwedge...thanks for the education...seriously. It just shows how much I dont know about the newer cars. The tiptronic in the 6TT was ridiculous for anything but fast driving. I almost never drove the car in auto mode, mainly because i didnt want to be in 5th gear by the time I got to the end of my street I live on. Just felt like I was driving a car and not a 911 turbo. The tip had its merits too but in the end I did find my right hand wanting to reach for the shifter. There was even times i would shift with my left thumb and have my right hand on the shifter . Clearly it was time to move on.
I had no idea the newer cars could be shifted at the lever. Is it just a - + situation? Forward- upshift, back- downshift? Hell my wifes Maxima shifts like that in sport mode and its a blast to drive. Had I had that situation in my 996 I could have probably lived with it. Honestly I have not researched any of the newer cars. I wanted the most viseral newer car and found that in the 997.1 manual. Just didnt want to stray too far from my good ole 993 I guess. Again very informative post...

Originally Posted by Petza914

Umm, you did have that on your 996 tip. If you moved the shifter lever to the left side of the gate where the + & - were you could've shifted it that way. It wouldn't have shifted quickly like a PDK does in the sport modes, but it would have given you manual control over the shifting, like I have in my Cayenne.

Originally Posted by Scottc714

Not an option on a 996tt 911 but i am aware it is on a Cayenne. On the 996tt coupe the shifter just locks in the M mode but doesnt allow + and - up and down shifting. Can only be manually shifted at the steering wheel buttons:crying:

Originally Posted by sandwedge

Interesting. Didn't know that. Thought you could shift the TIP manually with the gear lever just like with the PDK. So to answer your question....yes, with the PDK you move the shifter to the left into manual just like on your 996 TT but you can also shift with the shifter. As you said, move it forward for + and back for - . And again, regardless of the mode you're in, normal, sport or sport plus, you control at what RPM the shifts occur as long as you're in manual mode. The only difference is the speed of the shifts. In normal it rolls over lazily like an old fashioned automatic. I'm never in that mode, manual or auto. In sport mode, a little quicker but still a bit lazy so I'm never in that mode either except when in auto mode when warming up or talking on the phone.

So to hammer it home. Manual mode, sport plus and forget buttons and paddles on the steering wheel will make the transition from manual to PDK easier imo. Strong emphasis on "my opinion". To some there will never be a good enough substitute for 3 pedals.

Originally Posted by Petza914

I found that hard to believe so looked up some pictures of 996 TT shifters and of course yiure correct, no + and - indicators on the manual side of the gate. That's weird as I drove a 993 many years ago that would allow manual lever shifting and the 997.1 does too I believe. Odd that the 996 (or at least the turbo) didn't.

Learned something new today. Thanks.

Originally Posted by ChristyT

Cool, thanks. Patiently waiting to hear back from Carmax and hoping the local 991 doesn't sell in the meantime!

Originally Posted by Redhot2474

Originally Posted by Rockchalk

ChristyT did you get a chance to drive this at CarMax? I'm having it transferred to my local CarMax (for free) and wanted to know if there's anything I should be aware of when it comes in and I get a chance to take a look? Looking for my first 911 and not sure this is the "one".