I love my 04 VW, it has had it's it problems, but all cars have issue from time to time.

 

Was just at the dealer for a tire replacement. At least 70% were PDK's including the Turbo S and the 2 Spyders. It was diffuclt for me when I switched. I have driven a manual Porsche 993 as well as BMW's. I loved them. I bought a PDK C4s and was on the fence for a year. I did the Paddle wheel install and now love the car. I can't drive it enough. I had to drive my wife's 750 il to work because I had a nail in my tire and I was bummed.
It may not be for everyone but until you try it hold judgement. Maybe down the road I pick up a used Cayman S or Boxster S or for my manual fix. I may not need it.

 

The future is moving toward DCT, MCT, PDK but I still LOVE my 6spd.

 

lol! Another thread about PDK/DCT vs traditional single clutch manual gearboxes...


I went to my Porsche dealership two weeks ago, and there was not a 6sp manual to be found. Autos and PDK's filled the lot (+1 on the Cayennes, and Panameras are the most popular vehicle there as well).

 

I've been a manual tranny fan for years, but when I traded my '07 for the AMG there was only one choice for transmission. Since then, it has been nice to have an auto for a lot daily driving around town, but I have really missed my clutch pedal. So when getting read to order a new 911 I did my due diligence and drove the PDK. While the launch control was fun, I just couldn't see the attraction - in auto mode it drove just like the AMG with comfort and sport modes, and in manual it was actually more disconcerting with random downshifts in sport plus mode despite a steady throttle position.

Now, if I was buying a track car PDK would 100% be the right choice. But for fun daily and weekend driving, paddles just feel too disconnected from the car. I ordered a 6 speed 2011, so there will be at least one more on the used lots in a few years.

 

I'm a guy that made the jump to paddle shifters only to come back to a manual because I find it more entertaining to drive. I went through an IS-F, M3 DCT and GT-R all in a row. The transmissions on all three were very fast shifting and always got the rev matching right, but I found myself missing the mechanical connection of a stick shift. I have a feeling there will be other guys like me that will realize that ultimate performance doesn't always equal ultimate fun when it comes to street cars.

 

Please explain. I've only ever driven the PDK for a few days, but I drive a DCT in my daily driver as well.

In manual mode, I let the car downshift by itself when I slow down to stop, but upshifts are all manual. It only downshifts to protect itself from a stall (1000 RPMs or so).

What do you mean random downshifts?

 

There are thousands of other guys who agree with you... A lot of them drive Miatas.

(seriously)

 

Call me a cynic, but whether one drives a PDK or manual, one should nevertheless be competent with the latter - hard for a poseur to row the boat with elan.

Also, there is the matter of certain Porsches offered with manual only, perhaps reflecting something of the automaker's soul.

 

You mean that in the future if I want a manual transmission I my have to resort to buying a GT3? Oh the horrors!!

I can't wait!!

 

I feel your pain !

 

Well, we pulled to a stop so the dealer could show me how to engage launch control. After we did that, we just were tooling around with the transmission in M and the Sport Plus turned on. I'd be rolling along in 5th or so and the transmission would just drop to 3rd for a few seconds (5-15 I guess), and then back to up to 5th. I assumed it was anticipating a quick WOT, but as best I could tell I wasn't varying the throttle much or any at all. After the 3rd or 4th time, it started making me a little jittery/nervous if that's the right way to describe it.

 

I can't speak for BMW, but I always thought that Porsche considered itself a "boutique" dealership -- you know, the kind that has cars, but generally customers custom order their car -- people want manual they order manual. People interested in the pdk? It comes in several flavors s, 4, turbo, etc.

With Porsche, the pdk has gotten a lot of press and it perhaps has wider appeal because of it (I think it is a great transmission) or because the Porsche numbers state that it is "faster" accelerating than the stick. I dunno. Does anyone recall what the spread was during the tiptronic era? My guess is it was closer to 50/50 if not more stick than auto.

 

Agreed!

 

It would be nice if Porsche (or any manufacturer of sports cars) would make the jump to the next generation of row-your-own gearboxes, say something similar to a racing GT3 type manual but for the street. I suspect it would give the PDK a run for its money.

Frankly, I think that as good as the Porsche manual transmission is, a change to a better designed shifter (shorter throws) with a more direct connection to the transmission to eliminate any play in the setup would be a step in the right direction. This isn't a complaint, just a suggestion.