AMKV28

I am new to the site and planning to purchase my first Porsche, a 2009 C4S.

I know it is personal preference but I wanted to get feedback from existing Porsche owners on what their experience has been with Manual vs. PDK.

This will be not be a my daily driver and primarily used for summer. Currently, I drive a B8 S4 as my daily driver with DSG.

I am leaning towards the the 6 speed manual as my choice of transmission.

Look forward to any feedback from experienced Porsche owners.

Thanks

chris.hanle

You will get people who will suggest manual only and others love their PDK. Your DSG is similar to the PDK (I think the PDK is superior, with the sport chrono option). If it is not your daily driver and you want to row through the gears and feel a little more conected to the car then the manual is the one for you. I love my PDK but I understand the appeal of a manual car. Small note, when you do a PPI(mandatory) on a manual car you are more likely to have overrevs, but if the DME report is good then either transmission you will enjoy.

997_Toronto

If this is a summer fun car I would suggest manual, cause that's what REAL men drive :P (IMO)

Jackson22

I've owned both--a 2008 C4S with MT, and a 2012 4GTS with PDK. For me, living in SoCal, with our traffic variability, the PDK just makes more sense. I found myself stuck more than once in a nightmare scenario on the 405 with my MT wearing flip flops and wanting to lose my mind. That said, I do miss the MT on the open road (despite the PDK being "superior" in performance). There is just no substitute for the feel and connectivity of a MT regardless of how good the PDK is...and believe me, it's good. So if this was my call, and it wasn't going to be a daily driver, I would go MT. But this is a great "problem" to have, right!?

neanicu

Best test drive both and you'll get the idea.

jeffrec

For me it is manual or nothing at all. While I appreciate Porsche's desire to eliminate the human element and skill needed to drive a manual transmission for the sake of a few more tenths of a second in the 0-60 times, for me there is just something to be said about being one with the car. Anyone can put a car in drive and push the gas pedal (and I know that a 997.2 is not just any car and requires skill regardless of manual or automatic). I'll leave the automatic for my T4Runner daily driver and have fun actually driving my P car everytime I get beind the wheel. For reference I have a 2009 C2S.

stefang

MT for sure. Be aware that the PO might have toasted the clutch tho.

jbossolo

I just came back from Barber a couple weeks ago, Porsche 2-day driving school, followed by a 2-day DE with Alabama region. At the school I drove predominantly PDK cars (Cayman S, Boxster S, Panamera GTS, 991 S), during DE drove my trusty 996 Turbo X50 (manual).

If you'd ask me prior to that experience, I'd tell you manual, hands down. I'm a firm believer in PDK right now. If you're ever gonna track yout car, it's a no brainer. The PDK is faster than any human could ever be, and more accurate. Simply night and day, not even close. It's THAT good.

In a perfect world, I'd have a PDK for the street as DD and ocassional track outing, manual for the street as a weekend, canyon-carving car, and a full-blown sequential for the track.

FullThrottle64

Pretty much agreed, though I still marginally prefer MT for my daily driver.

FWIW, I love the 6MT in my 997. Rev-matching is smooth as silk - the throttle is near-telepathic (at least for me). The PDKs I've driven just aren't quite good enough yet for me to switch over - and certainly not the older 997 PDK.

That said, the OP should drive one of each before deciding. It's your money, and while it's good to get a lot of independent information before writing a check, this decision really comes down to personal preference - it's not as if one of the options is really bad for major technical or reliability reasons.

fbfisher

Enlightening post from an enlightened person, well done!

rodsky

[QUOTE=FullThrottle64;11033004]
FWIW, I love the 6MT in my 997. Rev-matching is smooth as silk - the throttle is near-telepathic (at least for me). The PDKs I've driven just aren't quite good enough yet for me to switch over - and certainly not the older 997 PDK.

QUOTE]

What does this really even mean? If you drive the 997 PDK in automatic its not good enough? In manual mode its very simple, you push the lever and the gear changes (and very quickly). How does it not meet your expectations? Or does your statement only apply to when you have driven one in "automatic" mode. The 991S is a better PDK in automatic mode - yes its a better automatic. The 997 PDK is great as a manual (in sport and sport plus mode) and pretty decent as an automatic (actually pretty good).

I drive my 997.2 in manual and sport plue 80-90% of the time and in auto and sport the other 10-19%. Ocassionally (1%) i put it in Lexus mode if i am with someone and want minimal noise and less jerking when approaching a stop (in auto).

This topic has been beaten to death. Its like blondes and brunettes. Go and drive them both and form your own opinion.

I have owned 3 manual 911's and one PDK. Both are great. My 997.2 is the one i've kept the longest and it aint going anywhere.

1990nein

When you're driving PDK, you will not reminisce about having a manual. This seems to be the case for most. I could agree 100% - until my friend asked me to park his 997.1 manual for him. I only moved the car 10 feet, but the sensation of the shifter vibrating through my hands was absolutely glorious. That connection alone is something I had long forgotten with the PDK, not to mention everything else involved.

PDK will give you unreplicable speed, i.e. "blazing fast f1 paddle shifter stuff." 6MT will give you unreplicable nostalgia, i.e. "classic vroom vroom purr 6 speed".

Having one will make you forget about the other - just choose how you you like to spend your summer days. Take both on an extended test drive?

wheeler

I look at it this way...if you have to pick one, do a manual, I doubt you ever regret that. What? You're going to get tired of shifting...your weekend, fun, performance sports car!? I highly doubt it. It's far from an arduous task. :-)

On the other hand you may get invested in the PDK and realize you're missing something. Now if I could have a second 911, like a cab, I would look at a PDK so my wife could experience the driving...she does not drive a stick and never will (trust me on this one, NEVER).

If you're proficient at a manual then great. If you're just okay at a manual then DEFINITELY get a manual. It will be a learning experience every time you drive it. The way the car delivers power, the anticipation of the take off, the shift, the sound...just no other way for me at this point. You'll drive it just drive it for not other reason that to row the box and make the magic happen.

jmt053

If it was a daily driver, then no doubt a PDK. It took me a while to find it, but my 2011 C4S has the MT and I love it for the weekend drives. Just more driver involvement with a third pedal.

Pors968

I have not driven a PDK car.. Looking at pics and reading, it seems like PDK is efficient/fast shifting tiptronic transmission. Another words automatic transmission. I don't know if I'm missing anything.

I like MT and I'm going to test drive PDK to feel it.