Abe Froman

Two routes:
A) Accessible performance (PDK)
B) Accessible fun (6MT)

golftime

Who am I to argue with the sausage king?

Ben Z

Yes, five at last count. Paddle shifting I find awkward and alien. Using the lever to select gears was the only way I found remotely akin to the experience of a 3-pedal manual, and it was far remote. After a few minutes of what to me is faux-manual shifting, I put PDK's in automatic and leave them there. I like either an automatic or an old-school manual, and in a sports car I want the latter.

Granted the terrain here is flat, and I almost never find myself in a traffic jam. If I had a daily rush-hour commute I would still only buy a 6MT Porsche, but I would probably have a mundane sedan with automatic for my DD.

CAA

In the event a moderator's online in the next two days could you please make this topic a stickie? This has to be the 9000th time this has been discussed.

As you were.....

fast1

Yes but there are always new members, and this is all new to them.
To answer the OP's question, the last time I drove a PDK was as a loaner when I was having my car serviced. The car was a 981S. The distance from the dealership to my house is about 45 minutes. For the 1st 15 minutes I loved PDK, for the next 15 it was OK, and for the last 15 I stopped manually selecting gears and drove it as an automatic. So it took me about 30 minutes of driving to discover that PDK wasn't for me, but based on the number of Porsches being sold with PDK, I'm certainly in the minority.

CAA

Point taken - how many posts are required for a new member to access the search function?

sandwedge

As someone else pointed out....kind of a tired subject but maybe not since all these threads seem to have one thing in common. Going by how many of those who casually give the PDK a try describe the experience, they don't know how to use it to get the most out of it. For example, sport plus mode is hardly ever mentioned except to point out that "it's for track use only as it holds the gear to redline". True in auto mode but untrue in manual where it'll do what you tell it to do, just a lot quicker than in regular sport mode. I'm in sport plus/manual 95% of the time and it's really a lot of fun. I rarely use the paddles as the throw is too long for my likes. Porsche could learn something from Mercedes here imo. The shift lever feels more precise and connected and also lets your right hand rest where it does in a true manual.

AutobahnMac911

In terms of changing gears (i.e. transmission), the PDK is the "better" transmission in that it is more precise, faster, more consistent and you will likely never have to worry about over revving the engine by selecting the gear as the computer will override. Dealing with daily driving and traffic - PDK all the way. Want the most effective transmission for lower lap times where you can focus on turn in, weight transition and perfecting your exit speed rather than dealing with missed throttle and shift timing leaving you to deal with a gear change at turn in rather than perfecting your line - PDK is king.

All that said, I disagree with 95% of current Porsche buyers and would only ever buy a manual. Why? Personal preference - imperfect as it may be, a manual transmission requires significantly more driver involvement and for me the Porsche is a machine for enjoying the role of driving whether on the road or track, I have other cars for simple transportation. Admittedly, my car has turned primarily into a track (DE) car and I could absolutely turn faster lap times by having a PDK or for that matter - turning the keys over to Hurley Haywood, but sloppy and slow as I may be, I pay for my Porsche to enjoy driving it and I get the greatest reward by the constant interaction demanded by a manual transmission.

This isn't a question for any of us to answer, we're all way too opinionated and all wrong and all right, depending on perspective. Get what is right for you my friend and whatever provides you with the greatest driving enjoyment.

Ben Z

+1. Tbh driving a PDK I don't lament the lack of a clutch pedal as much as rowing the lever. Instead of a 2-position gear lever I wish it had a short-throw, tight H pattern. Kind of an updated version of the Sportomatic transmission Porsche had in the 60s.

Dennis C

I don't think the manual vs. PDK discussion will ever go away. There are advantages and disadvantages to each gearbox, and any prospective buyer should think about what they really value in a car, and use that as a guide to help with the decision. How will the car be used? What other features are important? It's also important to spend some time behind the wheel with each gearbox to help with the decision.

I recently bought a 991 with PDK. It is my first PDK car; my previous 911s were 6MT cars. I would say that I fell soundly in the manual transmission camp, and I always thought that I would only own sports cars with a manual gearbox. Living at altitude (~8,000 feet), I prefer turbo cars. When I upgraded from a 997 TT to a 991 TTS, a manual gearbox wasn't an option. The 991 TT and TTS cars are only available with PDK. I ultimately prioritized all the other things that are part of the 991 TTS package over the manual gearbox, and I bought a PDK car.

I see the argument in favor of the manual gearbox. I must admit that I occasionally miss the action of the third pedal and manually rowing the gears. That being said, I see the argument in favor of the PDK gearbox. The precision of the shifts and the almost telepathic way that it anticipates the correct gear for you is amazing if you drive it in fully automatic mode. It's a wonderful piece of engineering.

I often see posts that mention that PDK isn't as involving for the driver as a manual gearbox. I don't agree with this. If you want PDK to be involving, it can be. It's involving in a different way than a manual gearbox, but involving nonetheless. If you choose, you can control exactly when the car upshifts or downshifts. I actually found that it required me to think more than a manual gearbox when I first started to push the car with PDK. It's not quite as intuitive as a manual gearbox to me yet. I'm sure it will be as I log more miles in the car.

The thing that really allowed me to come to terms with PDK was time behind the wheel. In the fall of 2014, I rented a 991 C4S cabriolet with PDK in Germany and drove it around Europe for a week (including Stelvio Pass!). In 2015, I was fortunate enough to spend some time on the track in a 991 GT3 with a PDK gearbox. These two experiences definitely made me more comfortable with the PDK system. The PDK system really shines when you push it, not when you are puttering around town or taking a 2-mile test drive at your local dealer.

I don't think my comments will change anybody's mind one way or another. I thought they might help a little bit if somebody is on the fence with a decision on a PDK car.

fast1

If he owns a MT, just a couple of posts, but a couple hundred for a PDK owner.

mjsporsche

Well said!

PDK is akin to the self driving cars being tested. If you do not want to drive a sports car, then a PDK is just fine.

fbfisher

My 993 was a Tip, needed it for the leg room (I'm 6'6" tall). I made the most of it and had a good time.

My 997.2 GTS was a PDK. Fun and fast, I loved the computer perfectly matching revs for me on the downshifts. While not my daily driver, I did appreciate it when stuck in Los Angeles traffic. It's a super fast and fun car.

My 997.1 C2S is a 6MT. I'm enjoying it more that either of the other two for all of the reasons people prefer 6MT. I've not yet mastered heel toe downshifts, but the feeling of getting it right when matching revs on downshifts to overtake a car on the freeway or going into a turn in the canyons is far more satisfying in this car.

My 911 have been toys to be enjoyed, never tracked any of them, my fun is limited to street driving. 6MT gives me the most opportunity for fun. I'm glad there's a PDK waiting for me when my left knee gets too old for the 3rd pedal.

Keep the redundant threads coming!

fast1

A friend of mine bought an E series MB a couple weeks ago. The car just about drives itself. He took me for a drive on the highway, and engaged cruise control. His car would slow down and resume speed automatically. If he wanted to change lanes, all he had to do was to hit the lane change stalk, and the car would execute the change without driver input. Can the fully automated car be far behind?

the_buch

I'm saddened that some of my grandsons (aged 4-9) may never get to drive. It's one of life's great pleasures, particularly if you are lucky enough to own a Porsche.