Palting

Curious as to the actual real world experience, particularly on the track in manual mode.

RED HORSE

Can't comment on track performance, but I have over 500 miles on a new C2S Cab with PDK. So far it is great. Had an interesting experience in Dallas traffic last Friday where we were caught in traffic from a wreck for about an hour on the Interstate. We were moving veeery slow, with lots of starts and stops and never over 5 mph. Transmission performed great. Love it. Drive in manual mode most of the time and as has been posted here shifts are progressively more aggressive with Sport and Sport + mode engaged.

benjy3

I just got back from a customer test morning at Fontana Speedway, and I must report that the PDK transmission is in an entirely different class to all others; Audi DSG included. My instructor claimed that using the shift buttons he is barely any quicker than leaving the trans in drive mode. Really fantastic and such a great transmission for real world road driving. Even the great auto transmissions in the larger Mercedes, Jaguar and Aston Martin cannot compare to the PDK. I hate to say it but I think the manual stick shift is pretty much obsolete.

jjl

common sense would dictate choosing the PDK, it's faster, more fuel efficient, and easier in traffic than the manual...still, i'd be a bit concerned that i would get bored driving it sooner than i would a manual. before, shifting was part of the joy. i'm torn. i'd have to test drive both before i made a final decision, but leaning towards PDK... my wife could drive the car as well.

Le Chef

I don't see why. There are still a number of people who prefer shifting their own gears and depressing the clutch pedal.

The fact that PDK is faster left in "D" says it all. If you get more satisfaction driving a car with the shifter in "D" than shifting your own gears then I guess the stick shift is obsolete.

Personally I still like to tie my own shoe laces, tie my own tie, cook without using a microwave, and shifting my own gears. When I can no longer do any of those things I will probably have stopped enjoying living and will be ready for the abattoir.

mdrums

I've have my Carrera S PDK for a month now.....LOVE IT!

Fahrer

I am curious about the reported 0-60 times for the manual and dual clutch cars. In the past, Porsche has alway been very conservaative with the acceleration times compared with the 0-60 times shown in the car magazines. These car magazines generally abuse the clutch for this test and can shave off about 1/2 second. The new dual clutch, I believe, has a launch mode which will extract the fastest time for that model?

Is Porsche comparing that to their conservative launch for the manual or what is often done at the car magazine test?

Likemystoppie?

How will you be using the car? Tracking? DE events? Or just stop light dragging?


Coochas post a few pdf files on here (via his site) to see Porsche's information on the new PDK.

The PDK with Sport Chrono has launch mode.

Palting

Thanks for the replies, guys.

I love the physical act of moving that gear shift around to precisely pick the needed gear. However, I also am impressed by the write-ups and the improved performance of the PDK over the manual transmission. Launch mode would be one of my particular likes. But, there are a few characteristics I am not so fond of with theTiptronic while driving on the track, and was wondering if these characteristics carry over with the PDK. I drove a friends 2005 996 TT with tiptronic at MiD-Ohio, and here are my pet peeves with the tiptronic using the Keyhole as only one point of reference:

1. Full auto. So, you're hard on the brakes, then turn in, then throttle steer around that long sweep towards the apex in third gear, and the tiptronic suddenly downshifts to second while you are feeding in more gas. It does it smooth, but somewhat unnerving when the power curve changes right when you're delicately trying to balnce the car around a sweep.
2. Manual (in the tiptronic), to compensate for the above. Hard on the brakes, revs go down, punch the button to downshift to second just like you would with a manual tranny..........and nothing happens for several heartbeats as the car thinks first if it's a wise thing to do before actually doing it.

I was able to make the car do either of the above consistently, so one could actually learn to drive it well either way. I guess, in a nutshell, what I'm asking is does the PDK keep the gear you've chosen or shift to the gear you want it to, or does it behave like it knows better than you even if you have it in manual mode?

cole328

Palting - In my limited test drive of the PDK, all of those mentioned annoying characteristics are now gone. To even use PDK and Tiptronic in the same sentence should be a thing of the past, as they are completely different driving characteristics now. I still love shifting my car, but when it comes time for a new one in a couple of years, I'll be hardpressed NOT to consider the PDK, especially once the second generation comes out. I am personally skittish about having the first version of anything.

mdrums

I have been a Tip driver for 2 years both on street and at a track. I now own a S with PDK. The PDK is NOTHING...ABSOLUTLY...GET IT ALL YOUR HEADS...NOTHING... like the old Tiptronic.

You can reach down and pop the stick forward to go up throught the gears or pop it backwards to go down through the gears...or use the paddles on the steering wheel.

Use still have to select the gears wit the PDK in manual mode it is just that you are not moving your left leg! the shifts especially with Sport Chriono Plus engaged are oh so lighting fast.

lgascoig

I picked mine up last night. I didn't have a 997 before, I had a Subaru WRX (5-speed) but after having driven stick for the last decade here are my extremely initial thoughts on the PDK.

At idle the car feels like it's going to stall (almost). My brain says to push in the clutch and I have to fight it and instead hit the gas. My driveway is pointed downhill, so throwing it in reverse I have to give it gas to get the car out. Feels very weird with no clutch pedal.

Driving around city streets, limited freeway in automatic mode the gear changes are amazingly quick. It picks a higher gear than I would driving stick but you can always click and downshift it (or just mash the gas pedal). I haven't given the paddles a proper workout yet but in the limited use I gave them they seem ok. It will take a while to get used to them.

My feeling is that the performance will win me over and I'll gradually get used to driving the PDK. For those of us with city commutes it's nice to have your left leg just chill out.

f4 plt

First, I have driven Porsche and other sports cars for well over 40 years and basically always a "stick" guy. when the Cayman S first came out I got it with the tip ... so my wife could also enjoy it. Well the 5 speed tip was boring to say the least and the rocker switches to manually change gears not the least bit exciting. I traded it when I got the chance to order a 2007 GT3. I liked being back rowing the gears. The GT3 was bought back (repeated oil leaks as in 4 RMS in 11 months) and I got another Cayman S with six speed hat a great car. Well I drove the Carrera S with the PDK and yes even old guys can be taught new tricks. "It ain't your father's tip" what a great transmission combined with improved suspension, steering and engine response on the 2009 vehicles. I've now driven the PDK vehicles twice and each time am re-impressed with its quick, smooth shifts in the auto mode. I can semi row the gears with the shifter and the paddles are done right. Oh did I mention I have a 2009 Carrera S on order and yes with PDK.

As for a good point on the tip. My wife has it in her Cayenne GTS and it is a six speed tip and yes although it has the same rocker switches as the tip has in other Porsche models you can shift gears also by bumping the shift lever forward or backwards which you can't in either the Cayman or the Carrera

mdrums

Put it in sport mode and the car will shift in auto more like you are use to.

Palting

Again, thanks for the replies.

I love throwing that shift lever, but I'm leaning towards a PDK when the time comes for that new car. I still need to find real world experience on the track from an enthusiast and not from mags before I get won over, though.

So, one of you guys get over to a track and track that thing. It's how it was meant to be driven!!