Well, to be fair......I cost myself a TON of money, but I learned a valuable lesson.

Let me preface by saying that PDK is a fantastic Dual Clutch system and for anyone who either just doesn't want a manual due to stop-and-go commutes, back issues or whatever it's a fantastic piece of technology.

Having said that, I bought my '09 C2 PDK 6 months ago......a week after their release.

I had reservations because I have always driven manual cars with the exception of a couple of BMW 5 series sedans.

After 6 months and 6500 miles of trying to convince myself that I had made the right choice I finally faced the facts: I had made the wrong decision for me.

With the rather huge hit I was taking by trading the car so early I couldn't afford to trade for another '09.

So, yesterday I traded an '09 C2 with PDK for an exceptionally clean, Meteor Gray '07 C2S with manual tranny, sports chrono plus and 16,000 miles.

I agonized over this due to the massive hit I was taking, but at the end of the agonizing I realized I'd rather spend the next 4-5 years driving the car I want rather than trying to convince myself I loved not having to shift gears.

It's too early to say for sure if I won't somehow regret *this* decision as well, but my initial reaction is that the '07 C2S feels slightly slower than the '09 C2 PDK in certain gears/rev ranges....like nailing it in second out of a 45º turn, but the '07 S 6MT offers a more visceral, attached experience that is what I expect from a Porsche.

Oh...and I greatly prefer the sound of the '07's engine under hard acceleration to the muted sound of the DFI C2's engine.

Just wanted to share my experience, even though somewhat embarrassing, so that anyone else weighing the PDK option would have one more piece of info that may be of help.

 

Wow, bold move but I am sure there will be many to come.

I am well aware that the PDK equipped cars are quicker, but it is too video game like for my driving tastes. Driving a Porsche is suppose to be fun, and a glorified automatic just won't do it for me.

Once again, great move!

 

Wow, I definitely commend you there. Not sure if I would have been able to do the same if I was in the same position.

I agree that new cars these days take away the whole driving experience. Even the 997 with all its PASM, PSM, etc. doesn't feel as raw as let's say a 964 or 993. I do agree that many of these fail safe mechanisms are beneficial and drops lap times, but it also seems to drop the driving experience.

I figure the PDK is for people that want a Porsche, but not drive it like one (no offense to those out there with one). My dad is 62 and wasn't initially interested in a Porsche, but after seeing the PDK he's now interested in the new 997. The same goes for my mom. I'm sure there's similar situations out there.

The PDK opens up the door for buyers with a different profile (i.e. those who admire Porsche's but do not necessarily fit the "I wanna hit the track or open backroad" profile).

Don't get me wrong, the PDK is a great move for Porsche, but it's falling into the same trap as the GT-R. Yeah, it's fast, but there's no challenge driving it.

 

I recently went through the same experience (I test drove the C4S w/PDK) but the manual wins at the end for me.

Congrats and enjoy her in good health.

 

Well I just traded my Vette w 6spd manual for a C4S PDK.

Hope I didn't make a mistake. My wife tells me it's not a real sports car since it's not a manual.

Almost all the C4S Cabs across the country were PDK, so it would have been not to get one or order a 2010.

So far I'm liking the PDK, but very different from a manual. I do like to shift though.

Interesting I paid extra on the Vette to get a 6spd man, then I paid extra for the PDK on the Porsche--go figure.

 

Great move for doing something that makes yourself happy.

Being well aware of the fun of manual shifting, I'm still looking forward to a next gen GT3 and hope that PDK will be offered.

As for not driving a manual and hence not driving a real sport cars, then all of the current Ferrari and Lambo are not true sport cars anymore.

 

Tim, you can get a Ferrari and Lambo with the good old manual transmission. The dual clutch paddle ****ters just seem to be more popular.

BTW the next gen GT3's are available, no PDK option. Coming to BBC next week?

 

Hi Ed,

I didn't mean the 997.2 GT3, but the one that will come in a few years.

Yes, will come to next BBC for sure. Have a good long weekend.

 

I guess Formula 1 isn't a sport since every car in the field is equipped with automated "paddle shift" transmissions...not stick anymore...personally, I love PDK and drive my car very aggressively, and find no disappearance of the sporting nature of the car...spending a lot of time with it will surely convert people that think that stick is the only way to drive a "sports car."
I recently upgraded from a 2007 Aston V8 Vantage stick, which, while good, was severely less of a sports car than the 2009 PDK Carrera 4S...just my humble opinions.

 

I went from '07 C2S tiptronic to '09 C2 6 speed. Much happier with my new car. It's more fun to drive. I'm sure I'll be faster in PDK but just not the same.

 

Agreed...Tiptronic wasn't much fun...PDK is a whole different animal.

 

I'm with you a 100% I am just bummed at the amount of coin that must have been dropped to do this. Sometimes I feel like an old fart at 45 and unable to change as I just can't seem to adopt auto/manual trannies. I was in this camp when the SMG came out in the BMW M3's and I am still like this now. I just like to have full control of the car. If I made the car shift so smooth and perfect it was me that did it..not a mechanical device. The funny thing is I love technology and I am not afraid of it. It's just in case of automobiles I love the visceral feel of shifting myself.

Dave

 

I undestand it is totally different transmission and much improved, however pretty similar experience on user end. I'm the limiting factor not the car or the transmission.

 

I commend you on revealing your entire thought process on this, it may end up saving a lot of other people a lot of money. I, for one, will definitely spend a lot more seat time w/ a PDK (extended test drive?) before buying one in the future over a manual.

 

I love how people love to change the whole context of someone else's post...and then everyone else follow's suit. I don't recall anywhere where I mentioned "not driving a manual is not driving a real sports car".

I do remember saying that PDK takes away the whole raw driving experience.

Two totally different statements.

Everyone's got their own opinions and the way they interpret it, I guess