I'm so new to Porsche.. tomorrow will be 2 weeks.

I have played a bit with my 2004 CS leaving it in drive, and then putting it in what I guess would be called manual.

Any tips when in this mode?

Thanks!
Mark

 

Turn off PSM to see if that makes its it faster
The system basically looks after itself, you cannot damage anything, it has an operating envelope so controlled that even with PSM turned off its still watching and will stop any departure from safe profile (PSM = Please Save ME)

 

'Shifting' question: when using paddle shifter to downshift (eg when going up hill or passing someone), how does one keep it in the lower gear?
The tranny will automatically up shift after a few seconds, which is often not long enough.

 

That's what I was saying , you cannot. The system overrides before over revving or cornering departure occurs

 

Oh, got it.
Doesn't make sense to me, though. Especially in a performance car. If damage control is the goal, isn't a rev limiter/governor sufficient?

 

Its plenty fast and stable as it is, try autocross, it corners like a mad man, remember the Oh SH*T handles in the middle, use them lol

 

A rev limiter wouldn't protect the transmission if you select "1" at 100 mph would it? It needs to protect itself from incoherent shift inputs.

As for the downshift not lasting long enough, I took a few minutes to RTFM and it says it will stay in the selected gear for 7 seconds and then resume as it was. So there's no logic in the amount of time it stays downshifted other than time.

I've noticed that if I'm pulling up a hill and select, say 4th gear, the display will show M4 for the 7 seconds and then it might just go to D4, which would still be the appropriate choice until the hill flattens out.

If you want more control then move the shift lever to M, just don't forget it's there.

 

Is there a "Sport Mode" in that model? That eliminates the upshift problem for me.

 

Our Touareg V10 has sport mode, my cayenne S does not (though it shows in the manual as an option). I understand that turning off PSM will use a different shift map (uses first gear for example)..

 

If the shift lever (on the console) is in the D position, even though you have selected a lower gear with the paddles it will shift up after about 8 seconds. If you move the shift lever to the (I believe) left, marked + -, it will hold the gear you have selected with either the shift lever or the paddles, until it senses damage will be done and takes preventive action.

 

^^^what rbaron said.

Also, turning PSM off does NOT cause the transmission to take off in 1st gear...at least not in an '04 S.

If you're at a red light, PSM OFF and decide to take off in 1st by bumping the steering wheel paddle, the transmission will not take over and automatically go into 2nd when you hit red line. Instead the rev limiter will take over (and you'll look like an idiot if you're racing someone).

For best straight line acceleration I like to:
Keep PSM ON
Drop to 1st gear using steering wheel control
Apply brake
Rev to about 1500
Punch it while letting off the brake and let PSM take over with shifting

1st and 2nd come so quick, it's hard for any human to out perform the computer.

 

On my 04 turbo, when horsing around, leave the shifter in manual mode and either tip up or use the stick (my preference) about 1.5 seconds before you actually want the shift to happen. It takes a little getting used to at first but becomes 2nd nature pretty quickly.

About the only time I use the tips to select a different gear when in drive, is to double-tap it down a couple of gears to get ready to overtake. A tap of the gas pedal does the same thing.

 

It does on mine, and it's an '04 S which was built in '03.

I drove it that way all weekend and I like it far better than the regular shift map.