LlBr

Gotta get the money and conduct a research study.

Might be cheaper just to hack into Porsche HQ and get their Customer Satisfaction files.

Bob Rouleau

At first I found the buttons backwards since I was used to other paddle shift cars. Once I got used to the Porsche system, I liked it and prefer it to conventional paddles. At PSDS they say "thumbs up" to remind newcomers that you upsift with the thumb. I find myself using the console shift lever quite often, too many years of driving a manual tranny I suppose. I almost never use automatic mode FWIW. I dislike auto trannys, the delay to downshift annoys me.

CBejbl

Not too bad for me. I've had several cars with paddles and it does not take too much thought to use the "buttons".

I most often use the "stick".

RED HORSE

I like mine just the way it is. Works fine for me and I drive in manual mode 90% of the time.

Betternotbigger

Hilarious

First you PDK guys jump upon the manual crew every time we dare to justify our choice of transmission. Now you bicker amongst yourselves over your choice of buttons or paddles.

Don't let me stop you...

No flames please, just joshing you FWIW I think the paddles look and feel the part more but I like the multifunction wheel and you can only get that with buttons. So Porsche still aren't providing the best choice IMO.

stevepow

It was just opposite of my 550i (pull Upshift, push Downshift), which is what I "learned" on. That took a while to erase in my head. But otherwise I think it is an elegant design - very Porsche. I liked the 550i setup as well, although the SMG was no where near as nice as PDK.

Never cared for the idea of opposite function paddles - although they were OK on the M cars I have driven, I prefer both "buttons" to allow up/down.

Nice that we have a choice with Porsche and can even switch it out if needed - have it your way - like Burger King!

Mike in CA

Actually, while you can find many posts where guys who own manuals say they would never own PDK, I think you'll find very few posts from PDK owners saying manuals are a bad choice; slower maybe, but not bad. Heck, most PDK people like me, have driven manuals for decades, but know when it's time to move on. ( Now I'm joshing you!)

stevepow

That is funny - both are funny really. Most of us have "been there done that" - tried the different options - probably grew up on MTs - great that we have the choices - and come to an informed decision. Yet, all the evangelizing and explaining is like someone trying to convince their mom or...I don't know. I'd say wife, but that probably doesn't apply to everyone's wife - fortunately not mine.

I bet my mom never uses the shift buttons in her car - God, I hope not. I like them though; they remind me of my BMW.

ADias

Exactly right.

DMoore

Craig:

So true! As a proud owner of several Campy Record-equipped bikes (I'm up to 3 Baylis', with a new Wizard on order) I agree completely. I own two PDK equipped cars and after the first half-hour never gave another thought to the shifting. It's now completely intuitive.

Maybe all the PDK button-bashers are ShimaNO riders????

BTW - where was your avatar photo taken? I really do need to go spend a little time with Uncle Wally at PVSC and get current again.


DMoore
'09 C2S PDK
'10 P4S

ADias

This thread is now 27 to 7. I think that the outcome is clear. Beware that many onlookers may distort the outcome. The poll should require PDK owner identification and vote declaration.

Pincomar

To start with it was a nightmare. But 2,000 miles later I had figured it out. Today, I would never switch to paddles. I love the wheel controls. It is frustrating that my BMW works the other way around (push for down). I really wish all cars could be the same. (I just never use the BMW manual controls.) I also watched quite a bit of LeMans this weekend and the Porsche LMGT2 cars all have sequential gearboxes that are push for down!

Mark.

yemenmocha

Maybe I have bad steering technique but I like my thumbs in that location, somewhat firmly, and I had to be overly cautious to not shift by mistake. Paddles eliminates this worry entirely, and is more aesthetically pleasing.

socalsteve

Im sorry and with all due respect, but your "roadie" friend is wrong with Campy shifters and the way they work.

It is push DOWN to go faster with a thumb lever, but to go slower (into a bigger rear cog) the brake lever gets moved SIDEWAYS. The 2 movements in no way mimic the way the buttons work on a PDK.

I am not a fan of anything that does not have a 3rd pedal on a sports car...But, if I had to chose a way of shifting (non manual) the PDK is very, very logical and laid out quite nicely.

stevepow

The notion of "push (or pull) to go faster" is odd to me - doesn't seem very sophisticated - especially with the bicycle analogy. Push up to a higher gear while just getting started is like putting on the brakes or riding in mud. I'm sure the car struggles similarly - lugs, just with more ponies than my legs. Downshifting to go faster - to accelerate more, is pretty common.

Shimano is strange though - not intuitive unless you are a "sprocket head" - push to get a larger sprocket, pull to get a smaller one - but that's upshift on one set and downshift for the other set and who thinks in sprocket sizes and inverse relationships while riding? Well, I may now, but I'd rather not. So, on my bike, Left shifter is Porsche, right shifter is BMW (and probably everyone else).