SeanInLA

thanks Likemystoppie? !
Max cost of 10K isn't bad if it lasts 200K.

good information, keep us posted if you see any issues, it's new so I expect some, if not props to Porsche

Likemystoppie?

No problem Sean. Last night I was talking to our Master tech- he said that Porsche does NOT want the tech's working on the PDK system. They are not allowed to break it down and work on it.

Asking why- he said b/c Porsche wants to understand what went wrong in the first place, and the only way is to control certain variables. Thus replacing the entire unit is a REAL situation. Said that for the 17 years he's been working for Porsche, everytime they release a new product, or some new technology, they're very protective of it- at least initially.

He said there should be no real issues with it at all.

Hope that helps.

- Chris Sanner

Edgy01

When is the last time anyone had to pay personally to replace a tranny in a Porsche? I've been driving Porsches since 1974 and NEVER had a tranny problem, like a bad synchro, or anything. BUT, if you abuse your transmissions, all bets are off (and there are plenty of drivers out there who do). This is another significant reason to buy a new Porsche when getting a PDK,--you will know the history of it. Porsche doesn't go to full rate production on an option like that until they are certain it will be bulletproof!

Likemystoppie?

I couldn't say it any better then that!

996FourEss

A cross-check would be whether anyone has info on the VW Group reliability stats for DSG tranmissions and replacement costs. VW has been using the BorgWarner version of it (Believe Porsche's is supplied by Getrag), but should at least be another data point on the transmission?

Alan Smithee

As I noted earlier in the thread, there was an issue with early 997 Tiptronic units. I had a failure (unabused car; hard to abuse an electronically controlled transmission anyway), and there was a recall that followed it. This was basically a carryover from the 996, so hardly as complicated and complex as the PDK...it should have been bulletproof.

Apples and oranges, really. The 911 puts almost twice as much power through their version, which as you noted is not the same transmission anyway. Just basic labor and parts costs differ significantly between VW and Porsche as well.

996FourEss

Alan, I know, i know, and it is transverse FWD / AWD versus longtitudinal, etc, but it is the only transmission of its type that has been in production for more than two years.

In the finance world, you would have had hedge funds developing strategies based on that kind of data correlation and billed as geniuses until about two months ago....

Anyway, outside of the Bugatti transmission, that is the only data we have. Rest is speculation (although agree would not rest too much on the data, hence my statement "a" data point)

Likemystoppie?

Alan might have had a Tip issue, but it's certainly the 'exception' not the 'rule'. And like stated before- THAT'S WHY IT HAS A WARRANTY.

You guys kill me sometimes. Sometimes I wish I could buy you guys a drink and poke fun at ya at the bar.

all in good fun.... LOL

SeanInLA

How has the PDK been? I haven't been around here much, but now that they might be on 2009 clearance discounts, it's worth a look.

Chris from Cali

PDK is great. I drove cross-country with it, all kinds of conditions - hot, cold, rainy, fast, slow, bumper-to-bumper, on the track, etc. No problems at all. I've used all the shift modes in both manual and automatic. The only thing I haven't tried is launch control - no need so far.

SeanInLA

Dumb to ask if the PDK is reliable?

Chris from Cali

Did you just read my post????? It's reliable. The only glitches so far have been some electronic stuff that's easy to sort. The mechanical bits seem pretty solid considering Porsche thrashes the hell out of them with their track cars.

SeanInLA

Thanks Chris from Cali - Just saw your post.

My previous post was a response to cole328 who noted "stop the good fun and call it like it is....some people on here ask the dumbest of questions......."

Chris from Cali

Ah... same-time posting - the end of western civilization... lol

Macster

Almost certain my next Porsche will have PDK transmission. I plan on budgeting for PDK fluid changes every 45K miles or so, but do not plan on any other expenses.

Supercars with F1-style transmissions can go through a clutch in under 10K miles.

But Porsche PDK a different system.

As others have pointed out Porsche PDK clutches are wet clutches and controlled by computer so unless computer malfunctions hard to see how driver could abuse clutches. Unlike of course the old style manual transmission equipped car with the driver operated clutch that of course is subject to all sorts of abuse.

I would not treat PDK fluid as "lifetime" fluid though. Clutches will wear and shed material and this abrasive and if not filtered out this can result in wear in the very sensitive hydraulic valving the transmission I'm sure contains. Periodic change of the fluid is good PDK longevity insurance.

In fact I'd be inclined to change PDK fluid between 5K and 10K miles and then say every 50K miles after.

As for no parts being offered this is not uncommon. All PDK parts intended for use in complete PDK assemblies for new cars with a few assemblies set aside to cover replacement of those few that die in the field in existing cars.

Like engine failures early PDK failures will be handled on a replacement basis with the old PDK transmssion shipped back to factory for analysis and possible rebuild/remanufacture to serve as a replacement transmission in the future.

In a few years -- as happened with M96 engines -- the factory will release procedures for checking out and repairing at Porsche dealerships PDK transmissions that have what the factory has determined to be repairable problems that do not require full replacement of transmission.

Sincerely,

Macster.