Coming from a manual transmission...i wondering if its the same driving with the pdk.. We got to be mindful of the revs on downshifts?? Is it possible to over-rev/mishshift with the pdk?? I have had cars with tiptronic but never bother pushing those semi-auto cars.

I coupled my base model with sport chrono and paddle shifter and hope to do some spirited driving after break in

 

It is impossible to over-rev a downshift with a PDK car.

First, you cannot miss a shift. You cannot accidentally go from 4th directly to 2nd, for example.

Second, the computer will prevent a downshift if the resulting RPM will exceed redline. It simply won't shift down until the formula will result in a safe shift.

Third, assuming the variables are there for a safe downshift, the computer will blip the throttle during the microsecond the clutches are engaged in order to rev-match the new, lower gear.

The system is brilliant. You really should demo it, I'm sure your local dealer has one available to try.

Personally however, despite all the whining over "real-men drive stick shifts", I have found that driving the PDK in automatic (but still with all other Sport buttons pushed) is the fastest way from here to there. It really is a brilliant system for 99% of the time and it all happens faster than you can think, let alone faster than you can mechanically cause it to happen under either manual PDK or a manual 7 speed car.

But to each his own. If working the pedals and shifter are your way of compensating for some other shortcoming, go for it and be energized by it.

 

My experience is that the computer mapping in the latest PDK does what I was about to do, and if that involved downshifting, better than I (or I bet any human) could have done, for the reasons given above. You can entertain yourself in manual mode but I cannot imagine being more efficient than the car.

PS Wait until after break in before approaching corners and braking hard in Sport +, cause the guy in the transmission wants to make perfect racing shifts to the highest RPM available without over revving so you can accelerate out of the corner at the fastest speed possible. He is scary good going down through the gears. But he is so cold hearted he's willing to have you right near the top of first gear and shift again in a second or two just before you hit the rev limiter. Clearly related to the guy who does the launch control.

 

Chuck
, but true!

ChuckJ

 

Thx tats good to know! But seems like i could do without the pad shifter steering wheel eh? i was split between multifunction n that.. I hope i didnt make the wrong choice

 

"If working the pedals and shifter are your way of compensating for some other shortcoming, go for it and be energized by it."

Not sure I get the point of this comment by TTCarerra other than to insult others that made different choices.

Glad you like the PDK. I did not and went with the Manual. I drove it a number of times being fully aware that it has become the more popular choice.

I prefer the burst of acceleration when upshifing a manual, especially the wonderful manual in the 991. I like trying to get a perfect rev-match on downshift. It simply gives me something to do besides steer the car.

The PDK was boring to me. It may be very nice when trying to go as fast as you can but I rarely do that and I am sure than most other Porsche owners don't either.

The PDK is very nice sounding when it downshifts but with upshifts it was simply too smooth with no "bump" between gears. Frankly, it may be better when it shifts at red-line but I am not sure when or how often I would do that given I would be going probably 80mph or more by the time I get out of second.

Having said all this that doesn't mean I think those that chose the PDK made a bad choice, or have some personal issues they are dealing with.

__________________

 

I know a few PDK guys with paddles (not the dreaded oh so inferior buttons) who claim to always shift manually. I always thought it was the PSE pop on upshifting, and the brapp brapp prapp on downshifting. Never speculated other reasons, but I guess some folks know shortcomings.

 

Bingo, and I had the same thought on reading his comment. Is PDK faster than me? Certainly... But my goal isn't to drop the 0-60 time or get 'perfect' shifts at the expense (to me) of a large part of the fun. I grew up driving sticks and feel like a large part of the interaction with the car disappears without it.

Not sure what that has to do with manhood or shortcomings, but I was going to pass on the 991 entirely after driving with the PDK and then (fortunately, or unfortunately if you as my wife...) I got to take out a manual and was sold.

 

991 is awesome in any case whether it be pdk or stick

that aside...any ideas to deal with the wheel gap on the base

Im not a fan of dropping on spring as it will kill the shocks in no time...and there aren't any coils out yet mmm.. is it possible to order the factory sport suspension on its own with the 19" carrera rims?

 

but doesn't the fact that the new manual blips the downshift for you remove a lot of that fun? if you want a manual to shift, then you get a manual; if you want the tranny to do that work for you, get the pDK.

this half manual just doesn't make any sense at all to me - after all, upshiftng manually is fun, but it is the downshift that engages you in the drive.

of course, having said this, i drive my PDK in manual 99% of the time so i guess i am half waying it as well???????

 

From what I've read, it only does that in Sport-Plus mode? (Though I'd think it would make more sense to make that an on/off setting somewhere instead or even let you map it to which modes you do/don't want that enabled in... I'm not sure why Sport-Plus would mean you want that happening either?)

I didn't notice it when test driving the MT though I'll be sure to comment on it if it does that on mine - with about 1 week remaining to delivery!

Speaking of half-waying, I used to have fun shifting without the clutch, just rev-matching by familiarity of the sound. That was fun... Uh, and I won't try that with the new car anytime soon! But you know, in that sense even the manual is cheating, right?

 

My car does not have the auto rev-matching. It was built in August.

I wouldn't mind if it did as I understand it will only be in sport plus mode. I wouldn't use sport plus mode much anyway as I don't feel much difference between that and regular sport

I might use the sport plus feature and auto rev-matching ( if I had it) when at the track when I want to concentrate on speed, not shifting. This is the same way I feel about the PDK; it would be nice when driving the car hard.

 

No, my apologies. I was not making fun of you and others who respect people's choice of PDK.

I was making fun of people who go out of their way to disrespect a choice of PDK and are champions of the "real men drive stick shifts" argument.

If a manual is for them, great. But some of them have an intense need to incite 3 to 5 page threads bashing PDK and the people who chose them, as if they are people who cannot walk & chew gum at the same time, let alone make a perfect downshift in highly-spirited driving.

Those are the small people I was making fun of.

 

Newbie question here. Does sport-plus come standard in a 991s MT or is it an option that i have to order? if an option, which option (sport chrono or something else)?

 

Sport-Plus comes with the Sport Chrono option whether you go with a manual or PDK. It is available on the Base or S.