fast1

Your dad would learn to love it if he were still racing. For the street it's not necessary unless you do a lot of stop and go driving. Then PDK becomes a no brainer IMO.

the_vetman

The manual vs. PDK debate continues.........

Anyone read the Panorama issues last year?

The purists will say PDK is for girls. The TT/comfort-seeking people will say they're blown away and it's better.

BTW, why is it so god-damn hard to drive a manual in stop-and-go traffic, as people say over and over and over and over again?? Is this just another "American" thing? Seriously, wth did we ever do before automatics became mainstream?


EDIT: fast1, the last part was not a dig at you. I'm referring to the fact that I hear the same argument over and over again, and honestly I'm tired of the PDK vs. manual debate.

fast1

BTW, why is it so god-damn hard to drive a manual in stop-and-go traffic, as people say over and over and over and over again?????? Is this just another "American" thing? Seriously, wth did we ever do before automatics became mainstream???

No one said it's hard. Tedious would be the word I would use. Given the choice between shifting 100 times per mile or having an automatic, I'll choose automatic. If you feel otherwise, more power to you. Fortunately, I don't have to make that choice since I live and work in the country. So it's a manual with a clutch pedal for me. BTW with the exception of sports cars, torque converter automatics became the norm about 50 yeras ago.

the_vetman

I think I probably over-reacted (again, not to you personally). Yeah, I personally like to shift and didn't mind when I lived in different cities. The only situation I don't like is on steep hills. I can manage just fine but am wary of people who creep up behind me at the light.

I've heard that reason (needing a PDK or auto in traffic) literally dozens of times and used to think "well, I don't mind... what's the problem?" but it's become pretty old (for me) lately. For those who complain, I feel that they bought a sports car and not a luxury commuter... but who the heck am I to say?

Agree that automatics went mainstream a long time ago.

orthojoe

+1. Oldest excuse in the book. Heard it way too many times. Unless the clutch is heavy (GT3), that excuse doesn't hold any water for me either. Whatever the case, let's not let this thread degenerate into a manual vs auto debate. That wasn't the point of the thread.

stevecolletti

You get used to the GT3 clutch after about 3-4 hours. It is nowhere near as stiff as the clutches found on the 1960's/70's muscle cars.

IMO, they've made most current clutches (and brakes) too soft and vague... they feel too much like game controllers.

the_vetman

I concur. I unintentionally test-drove a 2010 GT3 with CF buckets a couple of months ago (was just walking around killing time). What a machine!!!! It crossed my mind to buy it on the spot... even though I'm getting a Spyder. Review/take on another forum.

Once I regained my sanity, I thanked the salesman and left in my Boxster S. All I can say is, my poor car..... Everything felt soft and un-sporty... especially the pedals and shifter. Note that my car is definitely not stock.

stevecolletti

An unintentional test drive???? I like your dealer.

the_vetman

Yeah.. didn't mean for it to happen. Was at the dealer for service (forgot what... I think warranty related stuff) and was walking around checking out various cars. Maserati sedan (fatty), Gallardo (horrible rear visibility), MP4-12C, F430 (nahhh), GT3, GT3 some more...

I was sitting in it (primarily to check out the bucket seats) when a salesman asked whether I'd like to take it out for a test drive. I almost said no... but couldn't resist. I even told him that my next car will be a Spyder or a GT3 RS but most likely a Spyder.

Like I said, what a machine!!! I'll most likely keep the Spyder for many, many years but that drive of GT3 will haunt me forever... I'm probably gonna try to NOT drive a GT3 anymore for the fear of back to back comparisons with my Spyder (few weeks away).

Who knows... maybe I'll save up and eventually get a GT3 RS to complement the Spyder. Spyder (DD and track), GT3 RS (track).... though maybe I should buy a house 1st!!! Renting sucks... except when you move around a lot.

Thanks for indulging in my musings.

medtech

[QUOTE=the_vetman;9723007]
BTW, why is it so god-damn hard to drive a manual in stop-and-go traffic, as people say over and over and over and over again?? Is this just another "American" thing? Seriously, wth did we ever do before automatics became mainstream?
/QUOTE]

VM,

I don't think we had this kind of traffic, congestion, etc., back then.

Me personally, I've just bought mostly automatics over the years. I therefore am not super comfortable with shifting. I love it on the open road, but constantly going btwn 1st & 2nd 50-100 times on my morning drive is not pleasurable for me. At the same time I think ALL automatics before PDK sucked (including Tiptronic). Lastly, my track car is my DD, (I cannot afford a dedicated track vehicle). So PDK IS the HOLY GRAIL to me. Even on the track (in full auto mode) I have no complaints about it whatsoever.

But neither one is better than the other in the end. To each their own...

the_vetman

Yes, I agree.

On the track, I think it's faster/better for the vast majority of people (myself included) to leave it in "auto" with Sport Plus on. The incredibly quick shifts and how the computer utilizes the optimal shift points cannot be duplicated by the masses. That is, if it doesn't lead to overheating - in which case you just upshift a little earlier (with some other mods).

good hands

I wouldn't even consider a PDK until it becomes standard in NASCAR

To the OP's rant there are a lot of enthusiasts ( Porsche people included ) that have never driven one and don't even understand how different it is from a tiptronic. The intuitiveness and smoothness on the track just blew me away.
I think the bottom line is that it is still new and until it becomes more mainstream people aren't going to understand it, and the only way they will is for them to drive one.