I think you are correct. It first showed up somewhere around '04 in the Audi TT.

 

Hey hey now LOL

On a serious note, it does sound like these transmissions are getting pretty sophisticated and there's no doubt in my mind they are fast and practical but I think only the minority of people buying these cars actually race on a track. It's not about being the fastest on the street but just about a fun driving experience and to me, rowing the gears is still part of that.

That said, I will always own one car with a DCT because my wife simply can't drive a manual and it's the perfect compromise so I can still have fun as well. I definitely like it a LOT better than conventional auto's and drive in manual mode all the time.

 

To each his own. Let's stop beating this PDK vs manual tranny topic to death. The sad truth is that manual trannies are dying a slow death. I have always driven manual on congested roads during my first 10 years of driving and I personally dont miss it that much. Manual gear shifting can become quite tedious and uncomfortable for daily driving in stop and go traffic after thirty minutes and I would like to see how many of the true manual lovers can endure that wear and tear on their left foot and still keep smiling. How come I hear no one miss carburator cars, leaf-springs, drum brakes and driving without seat belt. People would eventually have to change their way of life (that includes driving) with changing trends and technology. Just like in the era of IM's, twittering, facebooking how many would go to the post-office to mail a letter with postage stamps.

 

True but I don't intend to buy a turbo to sit in stop and go traffic. As a matter of fact, I avoid traffic at all times and ride my motorcycle to work

 

....your point is well taken. It is just that I am frustrated with these countless threads on PDK vs manual.

 

Manual trannies are good for one thing: FUN

If rev matching, powershifting, and rowing the gears is what makes you smile, or if you are a track guy who loves the rewarding experience of stick, then you should'nt have to justify it at all! It's about the fun and if you bought this car strictly for fun and for YOU then get what makes YOU happy.

I personally have to go PDK in the '10 because I take performance over fun. Theres a big performance gap between PDK and regular stick and it's enough for me to justify it. It is also a semi-daily driver and PDK in traffic is a no brainer compared to an hour playing with the clutch. Plus, I do find paddle shift to be fun enough that it's perfect for what I use it for.

I would maybe like to get a stick cayman or corvette maybe just to satisfy the side of me that likes manual here and there.

 

I agree that there is quite a lot of talk about it. For some reason, I just get sucked into these discussions ??

 

For me rev matching perfectly does make me faster at track...while trying to learn at track I was bumbling around and disrupting balance of the car right before the turns and sometimes in the turns slowing me down...just slamming the brakes and downshifting from 4th to 2nd without worrying about disrupting balance of car would be more enjoyable and faster for me.

also Im sure heel/toe is pretty easy for most of the experienced guys but for me it wasnt all that much fun trying to learn this technique at the track when I had other things on my mind...you cant practice this well on the street as there arent too many places where you can just mash on your brakes.

Even with the flawed SMG in M3's I could tell it was much easier to drive at the limits...and trust me I could never shift as fast and smooth as I can with PDK...if you take out visceral feel and emotional attachment to "shifting", I dont see any advantages to manual myself...for me I just want convenience on the street and faster lap times on the track and nothing else matters....

 

ah well, perfectly said

 

PDK is the future and it's music to my ears that Porsche is using new technology to make superior cars.

As long as they still offer manual cars (which they do on their whole 911/boxster/cayman lineup) then I don't see what the fuss is. You want something fun and love shifting, go manual. You want top dog performance and no clutch, go PDK. Simple. Porsche gives you the option, unlike Nissan where it's DSG only on the GT-R.

 

Definitely. If both options continue to co-exist, they address the entire public. I just hope it remains that way. I could care less if SUV's are auto only though.

 

I have not had the pleasure to try the Porsches PDK tranny, but my bro has a E92 M3 with the DCT. In essence its the same thing. I myself have a 2003 6speed VW R32 with a short-shift. The double clutch on the M3 beats the manual in terms of speed, accuracy, my ability to match revs etc etc. It has exceeded my expectations in every aspect, but for some weird reason its the R32s 6speed that brings a smile on my face.....go figure

 

+1 for 6 speed turbo

 

If I were to buy a new car I would get a PDK no question. I have a MT6 in my turbo, because I wasn't thrilled with the Tiptronic tranny. I have an Audi A3 DD with a DCT and I love it. I've driven manuals most of my driving life although I have also driven Powerglide, Dynaflo, Fordomatic, Hydramatic cars in the past. If you take the trouble to read the owners manual and do some experimenting and practice you should find the SMG and DCT transmissions to be every bit as involving and fun as a regular manual.

For track applications an F1, SMG or DCT type of transmission can't be beat. I've been told this by those who should know! Bill Auberlin and Hurley Haywood for example.

 

I have a 997.1 Turbo with a manual box and love it, would not trade for a 997.2 with pdk if it was offered. I drove the pdk and was bored, stomp on gas and steer....um now what do I do?
To each his own, and get what makes you happy, but definately drive both before you decide.
I would happily lose to a 997.2 pdk on the track, but I would have a better time!!