now I need advice on the 5 speed auto or the 6 speed manual? all my cars are manual and afraid that I am not going to like the auto. don't want to make a mistake// pros con ??

 

It's a personal perference issue. If you like manual transmissions, then I'd buy one. I might consider a PDK (obviously not available on a 996), especially for track use, but for a daily driver or a pleasure car I'd get the manual. Heck, I'd probably get the stick for the track too...

I think the 5 speed tiptronic is a good transmission, it's just not my thing.

 

I 2nd that. It is a preference issue.

If you like driving manuals then go for it, because a tip would never satisfy you. Vice versa if you like automatics, a manual would just annoy you over time.

Regarding track use, if you're a manual guy like me, an automated tranny will bore you on a track, never mind it being a tip or PDK. I simply takes too much away from you.

 

Noxqsaz - It also depends how/when you plan to drive it. I see that you're from NYC. If you'll be using it as a daily driver, an automatic might be a good idea because of the stop-and-go traffic you're likely to encounter on a routine basis. My C2 is a Tiptronic (automatic) and a lot of the time I wish it were manual, but there are many times when I'm greatful that it's automatic. You can drive the car in manual mode which is somewhat of a comprise between manual and automatic, but without a clutch.

 

For 996TT manual is the only option to me. This is a performance machine, you need to get the best out of it

 

No offense, but that's kind of a cliche. I doubt very much that the performance difference would be significant for most drivers.

 

In PDK cars, especially turbos, the automatic is actually faster than the manual. It's impossible for you to shift as fast as the PDK transmission, and it shifts so fast that a turbo doesn't lose boost between gears like it does in a manual. I'm not sure if that's the case for the tiptronic or not...

 

That is true with the PDK, but probably not true with the Tiptronic. However, my point is that the decision should be based solely on preference and need rather than performance, because the performance difference for most drivers would be very small.

 

Thanks guys, I am in the process of moving to florida, I think I'll look for a manual. Are there any production #'s posted per year for the 996 turbo and where might I find them
Thanks again

 

My 997.1TT tip doesn't not lose boost as it shifts. That is why the 997.1 tip is a little faster than the 997.1 6 speed.
I don't miss my 04 6 speed at all. I like being able to just stand on it and GOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

 

Comparing to 996, tiptronic is almost 10 years older.Personally i was advised from people i asked to avoid tiptronic cause is too obsolete.
In contrast, when researched for M3 some BMW tuners told me that SMG is worth the money over the manual...

 

One last attempt to clarify my point:

I'm not comparing Tiptronic to PDK.

Tiptronic transmissions are very well made. Some say bulletproof, so people who tell you to avoid them are ill-informed.

Manual transmissions are more fun, but a person who routinely drives in heavy traffic or shares the car with a spouse may want to consider a Tip. Driving a Tip in manual mode gives you some of the joy of a manual transmission.

Most non-expert drivers won't see a difference in performance over a manual transmission. Some will see an improvement over manual. It all depends on your skill level.

I'm not recommending a Tip over a 6-Speed for people who don't need or want a Tip. My point is that of all of the reasoning behind the decision, performance should be one of the last things considered for most people.