PDK - Do you have doubts before taking the plunge ?
997 Turbo / GT22004–present Turbo discussion on the current model Porsche 911 Twin Turbo. Sponsored By SharkWerks, Inc
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PDK - Do you have doubts before taking the plunge ?
Overall I like my PDK. It does have some great features but it also has some room to improve . I have written about it mostly in the 997 section but I am more curious if anyone is taking the plunge into PDK sight unseen .
What I have noticed is that the strengths of PDK (faster shifting, launch control, great for traffic ) reveal some of the weakness in the manual . On the other hand the weaknesses of PDK (30 mph in 6th gear /normal auto, an abrupt sport auto downshift to 1st, and 7 gears vs 6 which means more shifting if going manual mode) tout the strength of the manual --it's simplicity.
Since i have both cars I catch myself dreaming how to fuse them into one ideal component but face the reality that neither are perfect ... or maybe I'm just too picky .. but i will call out the flaws of BOTH.
The big difference is that the discounts on 997S cars were very good so rolling the dice was NOT in the approx 160K price range at MSRP (as with the Turbo -- with some nice options) .
If you are set on the PDK car I do urge you to drive one . I also recommend the paddles vs the buttons .
So if ordering a PDK 2010 what's the sentiment ? Excited, nervous, confused, ready, confident , all of the above, none of the above ?
What are your expectations of the PDK Turbo ? Anyone clinging to the manual? Anyone ditching all thoughts of the manual? Anyone buying both ?( Just kidding) .
But I'd like to hear the anticipation ideas on PDK as well as welcoming the newest Turbo .
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Well I'm not in the market for a new car right now but after driving the PDK on track, my mind became made up. My next Porsche will be PDK. More attention to the road and driving, less attention to shifting and messing with the clutch. With smoothness and precision is how the PDK goes about it's job.
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Larry
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Gone but not forgotten
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1974 911S
There's no right answer here, but in my drives with the PDK I was in heavy traffic 80% of the time and it seemed an awful lot like.....an automatic transmission. I like the feel and the involvement of a manual.
That said, I didn't try a PDK on the track. I'd be very interested to hear from people that have.
Can someone explain to me how PDK handles a shift from 4th gear to 2nd gear? For example...coming into a turn from a long straight, slowing before the apex, shifting to 2nd to accelerate out? Does PDK require you to shift from 4-3 then from 3-2, or can you skip 3 entirely?
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07 997 Ruf Tuned Turbo
05 955 Cayenne Turbo - waiting for delivery
04 996 GT3 - sold, looking for replacement
02 996 Turbo - gone, but not forgotten
bbywu...in response to your question. You can either hit the buttons or shifter twice. Which would be lightning quick in itself....
or you can put it in sport plus. Sport plus is incredible. You can't even use it in traffic or on the street. It is just ridiculous how well it holds gears and drops to the lowest gear possible when needed under braking. I used it for autocross. Its crazy.
But if you try to use it in regular traffic, it just looks like you are forgetting to upshift, because it basically wont until you hit redline every time.
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Its not the destination that I care about, just the drive to the destination. -me
There's no right answer here, but in my drives with the PDK I was in heavy traffic 80% of the time and it seemed an awful lot like.....an automatic transmission. I like the feel and the involvement of a manual.
That said, I didn't try a PDK on the track. I'd be very interested to hear from people that have.
I think there's more involvement with PDK than manual but not in auto normal mode. The fact that there are so many choices offers a level of interraction where the driver can opt for the most boring automatic to the highest caliber of shift speed . It's my opinion that the normal auto mode needs to be tweaked because many drivers will opt for sport auto out of sheer boredom in normal mode. Driving sport auto in traffic will make arough downshift into 1st gear and at 55 mph will blip into 6th gear rather than 7th . in short "sport" really means sport .
Some have posted that right foot pedal control can kickdown the gears in normal auto but I feel that most do not buy a Porsche to drive 30 MPH in 6th gear .
Manual mode is wonderful except with 7 gears it does mean more shifting than a 6 speed .
I don't see why anyone wouild use sport plus on city roads . Some have suggested that they do but red line gear changes are not part of city driving.
Bobby --to downshift two gears --hit the paddle twice . I also find taht if I hold the paddle and press the accelerator simultaneously the car will hit the more aggressive gear but prefer not to have control of selecting the gear.
PDK thrives on speed shifting as well as rev matching on downshifts into braking . It also has a built in program which will IGNORE over revs . That in itself is worth the price alone because a money shift is a virtual impossibily.
Conclusion --PDK will get you there faster . PDK will make gridlock traffic easier. BUT PDK has room to improve too . Expect a time period of adjustment . In my case I loved some aspects and loathed others but despite 1600 miles and almost trading it in on a Gt3 .. I kept the car and intend to keep it longer.
The new PDK experience -- ups and downs included -- overall have made the car worth buying and a heck of a lot of fun .
Definitely my next car will a Turbo PDK! PDK is just as enjoyable as my manual to drive. The thing is that with the power of the new turbo, you need to keep your concentration on steering rather that playing with the shifter as the other poster mentioned. And I will be keeping my base manual carrera in case I crave to row the gears. I keep on holding on ordering the Turbo as I have heard rumors of a Turbo S coming! May be the reason why 2010 Turbo has only a slight increase in HP.
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Overall I like my PDK. It does have some great features but it also has some room to improve . I have written about it mostly in the 997 section but I am more curious if anyone is taking the plunge into PDK sight unseen .
What I have noticed is that the strengths of PDK (faster shifting, launch control, great for traffic ) reveal some of the weakness in the manual . On the other hand the weaknesses of PDK (30 mph in 6th gear /normal auto, an abrupt sport auto downshift to 1st, and 7 gears vs 6 which means more shifting if going manual mode) tout the strength of the manual --it's simplicity.
Since i have both cars I catch myself dreaming how to fuse them into one ideal component but face the reality that neither are perfect ... or maybe I'm just too picky .. but i will call out the flaws of BOTH.
The big difference is that the discounts on 997S cars were very good so rolling the dice was NOT in the approx 160K price range at MSRP (as with the Turbo -- with some nice options) .
If you are set on the PDK car I do urge you to drive one . I also recommend the paddles vs the buttons .
So if ordering a PDK 2010 what's the sentiment ? Excited, nervous, confused, ready, confident , all of the above, none of the above ?
What are your expectations of the PDK Turbo ? Anyone clinging to the manual? Anyone ditching all thoughts of the manual? Anyone buying both ?( Just kidding) .
But I'd like to hear the anticipation ideas on PDK as well as welcoming the newest Turbo .
not in the market for new exotic but there must be something to PDK or auto-clutch seeing that Scuderia, new 458, and upcoming McLaren mp4-12C only offered with auto-clutch i do love my 09 Turbo 6M (600hp); feel more involved, but sometimes do "fluff" the gear shift. you definitely have to pay more attention with 6M it will be a tough decision when the time comes! on the other hand 5 yrs from now, 6M may not be offered!
will pass on Turbo though if "dry sump" does not return; will lean towards GT3 RS, Ferrari, or McLaren what would your next exotic have, 6M or double-clutch, now that you have done both?
Last edited by 997tt RS 2.7; 10-18-2009 at 04:15 PM.
not in the market for new exotic but there must be something to PDK or auto-clutch seeing that Scuderia, new 458, and upcoming McLaren mp4-12C only offered with auto-clutch i do love my 09 Turbo 6M (600hp); feel more involved, but sometimes do "fluff" the gear shift. you definitely have to pay more attention with 6M it will be a tough decision when the time comes! on the other hand 5 yrs from now, 6M may not be offered!
will pass on Turbo though if "dry sump" does not return; will lean towards GT3 RS, Ferrari, or McLaren what would your next exotic have, 6M or double-clutch, now that you have done both?
From what i understand the PDK is far more pleasant to drive than the Ferrari street car unit . As for my next car .. it's so hard to say . If I had to pick one I don't think I could do so that easily . The more I drive the PDK the harder the decision would be .
From what i understand the PDK is far more pleasant to drive than the Ferrari street car unit . As for my next car .. it's so hard to say . If I had to pick one I don't think I could do so that easily . The more I drive the PDK the harder the decision would be .
458 Italia to have double-clutch (7speed with NO economy gear); should work similar to PDK but quicker (60 millisec) McLaren MP4-12C will also have double-clutch (with pre-load gearing?) i agree it's gonna be a tough decision passing up on the technology; bound to get better with improving software 6M pretty much maxed out (ie. 2010 GT3 RS)
Drove a 2009 C2S with PDK and loved it, I'm gonna have it on my next Porsche. However I feel that the tactile nuances of driving a sports car are being lost with all the technology in cars today. I had the privilage of
being a passenger in a manual Cayman S with a Porsche driving instructor
and it was an artform to watch him shift, steer, brake and accelerate.
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2006 Carrera 4, JIC Coilovers, RSS drop links, IPD Plenum, Hardwired V1
Just kidding) . 
May be the reason why 2010 Turbo has only a slight increase in HP.
it will be a tough decision when the time comes! on the other hand 5 yrs from now, 6M may not be offered!
(ie. 2010 GT3 RS)
Linear Mode
