Petza914

Totally doeonds on how you'll be using the car. If it's a fun car where driving involvement is what's going to make you enjoy the car and feel more connected to it (me), then the Manual is the way to go. If you'll be using it on a track and focused on improving lap times and focusing on ideal corner lines, then the PDK is going to be faster and also save an accidental overev. If using the car to commute and sitting in traffic, PDK wins again. I prefer a manual in all my fun cars 2 997s, 2 928s,1 914) and wish my Cayenne Turbo S had that as an option, but didn't.

It's all personal preference.

GTSpure

Compromise?
The best sports cars in the world (including all Porsche RS / CUP models and Ferrari / F1 and Exotic Car models mostly use dual-clutch / PDK).
Moreover, the 997.2 PDK will never be faster than any 911 manual that has been and will be.
Regarding excitement. I drive 95% of the time in Manual mode. All these years I have driven MT. From experience I can say that manual mode in PDK does not fall short of the feelings of traditional manual gearbox.
The PDK's responses are amazing, instead of manual there are paddles (it's cool, feels good and mostly keeps hands on the wheel and eyes on the lines).
As for the third pedal, I honestly say, it is often missing. At the same time we will remember that everything has advantages and disadvantages. Right now the third leg is in a rest pedal and maintains body balance in sharp turns.

Doug H

I actually wonder if some of the above with opinions have even driven pdks or spent much time in pdk cars?

I agree with the guy above that made the turbo analogy (manual for NA, pdk for Turbo). This is spot on. Manuals are great for slower, perhaps light weight momentum, open top cruiser cars, but completely out of place in high end exotics and cars with super car performance.

The guy in the Carfection video is young and perhaps still excited by a shift at 150mph. After 26 years of racing cup, challenge, spec, open wheel and etc., a high speed shift going in a straight line does not even remotely sound exciting. I was like WTF when I heard that and just tuned him out from that point forward.

I drove manual Porsches from my first SC at 16 in 1983 continuously until I traded my last manual 911 (997.1 Turbo manual) for a 997.2 Turbo pdk in 2010. Hated the Tip and never once had a Tip except in Cayennes.

I got spoiled in newer Italians and exotics where a manual would be so far out of place as to be downright annoying (love my Challenge' sequential though). Paddle shifting on the steering wheel is SO much more at home and feels right in highly strung, low seating position sports cars. A manual in my Perfomante or 458 would be so out of place it would be a joke and downright annoying and comical. The paddles give you that super car, race car like feel, sensation and instant reaction time and sound dang cool on downshifts at speed.

I would in a heart beat take a manual in a air cooled 911, but the GTS is right on the borderline performance wise and definitely no manual in a newer 911 turbo.

I actually thought the manuals in my 3 996 Trubos and 997.1 Turbo were pretty useless in 1st and almost 2nd and needed taller gearing, but one of those had 750hp at the wheels, one was a Ruf 550 and etc. so first and second gear was pretty much useless and impossible to keep out of redline when on it hard. Paddles in a sub 3 second 0-60 car are actually very rewarding, very race/exotic car like feel and right at home with the super car level of performance.

Balr14

Manual transmissions were great in the muscle cars I drove years ago. Now, it's just an annoyance that detracts from the performance of the car. I can drive my son-in-law's BMW if I'm ever in the mood for nostalgia. I get over it in about 15 minutes. I think manual transmissions are the compromise, offered just to satisfy those that still want them. They are not nearly as good as the manual transmissions offered in the past.

carbonduc27

I was REALLY wanting a manual but found a perfect 997.2 PDK that I could not pass up. I have driven DSG, SMG, DCT cars and am happy with flappy paddles but the PDK is far and away the most intuitive auto manual I have had the pleasure of driving. It upshifts, downshifts, and hold gears just as I would hope and the modes and driving style really does change the driving experience. I know people will say the PDK car is less engaging but honestly the car is so good and so enjoyable to drive and feels so connected I am getting 95% of the driving fun.

I am happy with my purchase and enjoy my morning commutes. I like driving auto sport and then downshifting myself on the paddle if I see I need to get on the gas (so I don't have to gas it to get the gears to kick down).

Sporty

It'd be nice to have one of each - depending on your mood/drive that day -ha!

Ironman88

Nice post carbonduc27!

Brings to mind the one primary complaint and real frustration I have always had with driving an "automatic" - especially driving it aggressively, is when at certain inopportune times you find it not being "in the right gear" - leaving yourself to either mash hard on the throttle, or reach out in a manic rush to the shifter to get the car to do what you need it to do. THIS to me was ALWAYS the primary reason to REJECT an automatic and always choose a manual. Automatics were just a big stupid compromise. A manual shift was the only real way to properly control engine speed, application of the power, and thus the car.

With the PDK however - in my experience with it - it literally is NEVER in the wrong gear. That to me is perhaps the most ingenious aspect of it and the technology. Its seemingly intuitive ability to do the right thing at precisely the right time. In fact, it is so fast with the changes and properly adapting to what's going on, it usually is reading the need far ahead of me and reacting in accordance with that. Just incredible.

carbonduc27

Spot on Ironmann, I am having to get my Audi A7 ZF8 transmission retuned because it shifts waaay too early and is always wants to drive around in 1100rpm. IF you want to pass a car or get on the freeway you had to kickdown so much that it launches you into the car in front (I am at stage 2+). The PDK is amazing and even though I have the cobb tuner I DID NOT get the PDK tune yet. I like how it drives stock which is not normally the case.

atallguy

Thank you— you just answered one of my bigger concerns for going with something other than a manual in that you never find the PDK in the wrong gear. That’s extremely encouraging.

qikqbn

atallguy.... maybe you can share your manual vs auto car history. You mentioned your Dad's 280zx, but that was a long time ago. Can you really explain your own desire to own manual or pdk? That might be where your answer is.

For many of us our 911's are just one of many manual transmission "sports" cars we have owned over the years. For many of us it is not about out right speed and quick shifts, but the involvement and the escape of getting lost in the drive. To focus just on driving. To feel and understand every input and the cause and effect. To put the stress of life and work out of your mind and just enjoy the mechanical process of driving. For many of us the manual is the way to go to fully immerse in the experience. As you can already tell... different strokes for different folks and there are many reasons to chose either transmission.

At the end of the day, only you can answer that question. There is no wrong answer. But, as for me, as long an my knees, hips, back or general health do not give out, then I will only be driving manual shifted Porsches. Good luck on your search and decision.

Lemarp

There's really no wrong answer. Everyone is going to feel differently about the topic. Really should just drive both and decide for yourself. If you go automatic with the PDK, it's one of the top automatic transmissions out there.

Some say don't buy manuals if you're driving in traffic frequently, others say it's not a proper sports car without a manual. I fall into the latter camp personally but for every 1 of me, there's probably 10+ that fall into the former. I will say that spending too much time on the forums when I was younger and reading about the debate, I think it really boils down to the person.

atallguy

Thanks—it started with the 280zx. It included older Honda’s to an Acura Legend and more. My favorite car I ever “owned” (I think my dad loved it too and figured it would eventually become his which it did) was a 1995 Acura Integra GSR manual. That was so incredibly fun to drive and my first sports sedan.

it’s been a long time since that car and everything else has been an automatic. Have had cars since with push lever “manual” modes and never really used them. I’m undecided on which direction honestly—I know I want the excitement and engaging behavior and response that I had with the GSR but not certain I need a manual to get that.

Ironman88

A couple of thoughts come to mind:

I don't think you can make a wrong decision with either transmission - but at this point, you may want to confirm your direction firsthand with a test drive of a PDK 997.2.

These cars are pretty scarce - I'm sure you're seeing that. When you figure in other key priorities - cost / budget, number of miles, condition, equipment, acceptable color choices - the number of potential choices you'll have (# of actual cars) may be very limited. If you're open to either transmission option, you'll no-doubt significantly improve your chances in getting a great car.

Good luck with the process.

ADias

Q: If The original transmission had been an auto manual/sequential dual clutch transmission and 100 years later a manual clutch-pedal/stick-shift was introduced would the latter have any takers?

sandwedge

Sounds like the PDK in auto/normal mode. Not familiar with the Audi A7 ZF8 transmission but doesn't it have different modes like the PDK? Manual mode where you instead of the car decides where it shifts and the equivalence of sport and sport plus mode which does away with the stupid just above 1,000 rpm shifts?