I have a 991 7 speed manual that I like well enough but have never really been thrilled with. My girlfriend just got a great deal on a used 2012 991S PDK, loaded with options for $87,500 and it had only 3000 miles on it. The MSRP on her car was $119,000. It was truly a great deal for her. Anyway, the point it I was able to do a lot of back to back driving on both cars and have come to some conclusions. If I were to pick a comfortable car for day to day commuting I think I prefer hers. Hers has ventilated seats, auto tranny and all sorts of gadgets. It's a nice way to commute around town. However I found that the tranny seemed "lost" at times and was always hunting for a higher gear which was maddening. I tried the paddles for a few minutes but just didn't feel comfortable with them so I just stuck the auto in D and left it at that. My car doesn't have nearly the bells and whistles but for a sunday morning drive in no traffic I definitely find my car more fun and rewarding to drive. Ideally I would like to have both and in a way I do since I can drive hers on occasion. In fact, if I had to choose just one I may even still choose hers because it's just so comfortable day to day but it's just not a better drivers car in my opinion.

 

If you drove the PDK in auto mode, you really didn't experience what its about. PDK is not automatic transmission, yes it offers that as an option but if you truly want to see how PDK is, try a weekend in manual mode the whole time. And if you don't like the paddles, try the shift ****. Once you do some hard driving with PDK and experience how incredibly fast the shifts are, I don't know how pressing a clutch can bring more fun...

 

I am not sure I would say the car was loaded with a $119,000 sticker. At least not for a Porsche.

Did it have sport chrono and if so did you drive in sport or sport plus mode. If you drove in sport plus and thought the car was always searching for a higher gear then you should be a professional race car driver.

 

You clearly don't grasp the full potential of the pdk yet. Give it some time, get to know it in all its modes. You'll find it's nearing perfection for almost any occasion.

 

Yes, it has sport Chrono and yes I did use sport plus and sport. My opinions are my own and I don't intend to start another tired PDK vs Manual debate. I like her PDK very much and would choose it as a daily driver but just not for pure driving pleasure. I have owned 7 911's going back to 1992 which include a 1988 targa, 1990 cabrio, 1995, cabrio, 1997 993 S (should have never sold this one), 2007 997, 2009 997, 2012 991 and I have enjoyed each (except for that 1988 car whose AC was awful). I just prefer manual for driving pleasure but love PDK for daily driving.

 

Nothing wrong with liking a manual I do to. What I don't understand is how you could say that the PDK in sport plus feels like it is searching for a higher gear or feels lost. If you are saying in the normal mode the car feels less sporty then I would agree and that is one of the things I like most about the car. I don't always want to drive around like I am in a race car. With a manual you can shift when you want or how aggressive you want. I guess we have to push a button. I am OK with that. YMMV.

 

"Once you do some hard driving with PDK and experience how incredibly fast the shifts are, I don't know how pressing a clutch can bring more fun... "

People always stress how "fast" the PDK shifts. I really don't get that. Any automatic is faster than manual shifting but that is not what the enjoyment of a manual is about.

Frankly, I like the slight pause between shifts.

Acceleration should be like this...


Regardless of whether it results in the fastest time.

Note: Hope I embedded this video correctly. Not a Porsche but really cool in my view.

 

While you may prefer to accelerate and shift like the video I would personally stop short in declaring how it "should be".

 

JamesKen.

I guess I assumed that is goes without saying that the "should be" is simply my opinion.

 

Fair enough.

I would probably say that I would prefer a manual most of the time. It is just that percent of the time that I am really stomping on the go peddle in the mountains on tight twisty roads that I prefer the PDK. The thing is I bought the car for that purpose even though that is not what I am doing most of the time.

While I have not been yet I imagine I will prefer the PDK on the track also.

 

I think that this is a MAJOR difference between the PDK and manual transmissions. The slight pause when changing gears in the manual lets you hear the pops and crackle of the PSE. I find myself wanting to make that "pause" as loooong as possible to hear all the sounds! I don't think a PDK can do that since it is designed to shift as quick as possible. For everyday driving, I enjoy the "slower" shifting much more.

 

A little technique, lifting off the throttle just a bit before manually shifting the PDK, can provide the same effect. Pure delightful fakery with no purpose beyond sensory delight. Not that I would do that or anything. Much.

 

I don't think that it is the same thing. Lifting off the throttle still keeps the transmission engaged. Pushing in the clutch (to shift gears) completely disengages the transmission. The sensory delight is different. Much.

 

Nothing quite like breaking a few laws and endangering lives for the fun of a video for the dim witted.

 

It sounds awful!!!