TCZ

My 911 is MT, but I also drive my wife's VW Gti with DSG, which is a pretty good dual clutch tranny. I enjoy the DSG for a change but find that I often get lazy and just let it shift itself. I can imagine doing the same if I had a 911 with PDK.
*I have also driven exotics with PDK and they are pretty fun
As always, personal preference.....

fast1

My only caveat to those who have never owned a PDK, is to take a very long test drive before ordering the option. What seems amazing for the first 30 minutes, may get boring later on. Anyway that's the way it worked for me. On the other hand if I used my car as a DD in stop and go traffic, I'd order PDK in a heartbeat.

ric-ko

When the automate the steering, too??

Gosh-- if we could program the car to go around the cones, we could lower track times and not be in the car at all!

I test drove the PDK and I found it boring-- I wasn't driving it, a computer was. My wife had an "auto-stick" in one of her cars and we used it twice-- the day we bought it and the day we sold it.

It really is personal preference, but a lot of folks are citing the convenience (not having to shift in traffic, knees hurt, etc...). I hope they never get rid of the manual. But when they do, I expect that the driver will soon be the next part to go!

sandwedge

Quick quiz: How many different PDK modes are there and how many of those did you use?

As for your expectation that those who favor PDK over manual are about to expire, sports car enthusiasts as a whole is clearly a dying breed - literally - if you're right. Porsche PDK sales for its sports cars represents over 80% last I heard. Neither Ferrari, nor Lamborghini has offered a manual - period - for years. In fact, the last year Lamborghini offered a manual option, those orders were so rare that when one came in, the factory contacted the buyer to make sure it wasn't a mistake.

Things evolve. Sometimes it takes a little getting used to but more often than not it's for the better imo. Do you also prefer the operational involvement of a typewriter over computerized typing?

vern1

Some people do actually prefer a "manual" typewriter vs a computer

These arguments are useless

I have never driven a pdk. Am sure its awesome, am sure I would enjoy the tech marvel that it is for a little while but I have no interest. I like the interaction of my left leg and right hand and the millions of variables it entails. "Better" is a subjective view

And all you old dudes who cant work a clutch anymore, get off the couch!!

Cheers and happy NY everyone

ianstewartshouse

Lol all you young guys who dont want the gimmicks go drive a model T Ford

Seriously in the few months ive been on here it seems like it comes down to choice how far up the tech slope you go as PDK is only part of a very long list of driver aids.....

goofballdeluxe

Well, people are also far more fat and lazier than they were in times past. Sometimes things evolve, but not always for the better.

The driving population is dumbed down and lazy, so from a business perspective, it makes total sense to make dumbed down cars. Give the diluted masses what they want: large cars that can be driven fast with no effort, for large lazy people who don't like making much effort.

Better? In some sense yes, because with PDK any 90 year old granny can drive as fast as any pro driver in a straight line, all you need is some cash and a right foot. Zero skill needed.

Does that make for a better sports car? Who knows, but it sure makes for cars that make it very simple to go fast with no skill or effort, as most our population prefers to drive with very little skill, involvement or effort

ogun228

Hmm!

I suppose most of the anti PDK and manual advocates are still using film cameras too.

Well I currently own 3 film Leicas that I take out of the closet maybe twice a year, run them through the gears ( apertures and speed) just to keep them from gumming up, fondle them a bit, marvel at the tactility of the switch gears, shake my head, thinking you can't beat german engineering for that feel of quality and the overall goodness of their products.

Then, I carefully repack them and put them away until the next fondling session and happily go back to my digital marvels that do it all and leave me only the issue of composition and mood.

Begin to see the parallel? Can't stop progress, people, just can't. In 15 years most cars on the road will be electric or run on unobtainium. Wanna place a bet on that?

The cars considered best in the world all come with their version of dual clutch: Ferrari, McLaren, Bugatti, etc. Ask why?

Manuals are moribund, like it or not or don't care.

KNS

What's strange is, when you look at the collector car market, whether it is a Porsche, Ferrari, C2 Corvette, or whatever, made five years ago or 50 years ago, the manual commands a premium over an auto - every time.

One of the things that concerns me is the PDK replacement cost. There is a guy over on the Planet-9 forum with a broken PDK in his Cayman. The dealer wants 20K to replace it. The car is worth 25K. No one that he has found repairs these things. He has located a couple of used transmissions at dismantlers but is hesitant to put a used box in his car. Crappy situation to be in.

KNS

Germany's Federal Council has voted to ban internal combustion engines by 2030. More and more electric cars - I do believe that will happen. Will probably spell the end of the 911 as we know it.

sandwedge

I don't buy it. If fat, dumbed down, lazy people was the reason for the popularity of the PDK, why was the TIP/manual sales ratio the exact opposite of the PDK/manual sales ratio?

fast1

Maybe people weren't fat, dumbded down, and lazy when the tip was offered.

goofballdeluxe

Because the tip mechanics, and its performance numbers, were far off compared to the manual.

PDK is not only far superior in tech and performance compared to the tip, but the tech and performance with the PDK is better than the manual as well.

PDK also lets novice drivers speed effortlessly, whereas a manual requires a teeny bit of skill and effort.

I think PDK is a great choice for almost all drivers in this American society actually. Most people would rather text than drive, and an automatic lets them do that with less effort

Cloudspin

That guy can't have looked very hard. A factory rebuilt PDK with a two year factory warranty can be purchased from several Porsche dealers that sell parts online for $7,100. That is with the factory LSD option; less without it. The Indy who replaced the one in my C2S paid $5,200 for my replacement unit (with LSD & PCNA warranty) and marked it up 20%. Granted he buys a fair number of them as he builds race cars and converts some of them from 6MT to PDK for obvious (to racers) reasons. With labor, mine cost well under $9k out the door. A fair chunk of change to say the least but much less than $20k.

sandwedge

That's what I thought you would say and it makes no sense given how you described the driver to whom you attribute the success of the PDK.

What you describe is a driver who clearly doesn't care about performance but wants comfort and ease of operation above all else. This kind of driver has been around forever.....not just since 2009 so why didn't they buy the tip when it was available? Because your premise is misguided imo. The PDK is outselling the manual 8 to 2 because it's cutting edge technology combined with amazing performance. Not because of a sudden influx of fat and lazy drivers who want a minimum of involvement when they drive.

It's good enough where it converts a lot of previous manual die hards that would have nothing to do with the tip (me included). There's the answer as I see it.