[Fliz]

I went to test drive Boxsters this weekend and was set on an MT but the dealer only had PDK cars. So I tried a PDK and really liked it. It was fun to play with and very fast shifting. But, I gotta say, I think I still want a manual. Just wondering if any other former MT drivers switched and went for the PDK in a 718 and why?

Cheers,
Fliz

 

[krehm1990]

I went to test drive Boxsters this weekend and was set on an MT but the dealer only had PDK cars. So I tried a PDK and really liked it. It was fun to play with and very fast shifting. But, I gotta say, I think I still want a manual. Just wondering if any other former MT drivers switched and went for the PDK in a 718 and why?

Cheers,
Fliz

Hi Fliz. I have owned and drove a manual transmission car most of my life due to that I like to control the shifting of the car. I currently autocross race a 2006 Mazda MX5 (STR) with 6 speed transmission. It is a hoot to drive! Autocross racing is a timed event with precision driving the focus. You generally shift once from first to second and that is it for a majority of the courses. This last weekend, there were three sections where I needed to shift to third and back to second. This cost you time. I originally thought about a manual for my 718 Cayman S, but after driving one with a PDK and how much I liked it, realizing that I will be autocrossing the car, I went with the PDK. For me, it is the best of both worlds.

With that said, get what makes you happy.

Kurt

 

[Lurker]

See now that's a real tough one. It really comes down to the individual. You'll find the purists that'll say manual or nothing. But you'll have the ones that are open to choices and say "well.. this time around I felt PDK was the better decision to make".

Nobody's wrong, it's all up to you!

 

[Fliz]

I don't autocross and don't spend a huge amount of time in heavy traffic.... and my gut says manual... so I think I have a decision.

Thanks for the feedback folks!

 

[Nitemare]

Manual vs PKD

I am lucky enough to have both a 2017 manual and a PDK Boxster S's.
Driving both, the PKD is faster because of the time it takes to shift.
I'm not new to manual trans. I traded a 2013 manual 750HP Vette, for one.
My wife has a 2015, Z06, with a manual. I really like rowing a shifter. I
AutoX the manual Boxster S and have been happy with it. The PDK will
make it's debut this Sat., with SCCA. I think with the Sport Crono and Sport plus
it will be faster than the manual. Time will tell. I have always thought, for me,
if it's a sport car, it must(has) be a manual. The PKD is changing my mind. It
shifts so fast and in the manual position is pretty cool, and fast. You have to make
that choice yourself. Drive both for a long drive, before you decide. I admit, it is hard
to get used to driving the PDK with all the choices the computers give you.

 

[Porsche2018]

Drove manual cars for 30+ years and was dead set on a manual 718 Cayman S but then I drove the PDK......I placed an order for a 2018 Cayman S with PDK. The PDK equipped car is so much quicker and the shifting is smooth. I also intend to drive it around town and in traffic......PDK all the way.

 

[fergusor]

I'm from the UK and therefore driven MT cars all my life. Like most people I was going to order the MT 718 Cayman but there were none at the OPC. So I took out a PDK and was converted. I was impressed with the speed of the changes, the rev matching in Sport mode, the better fuel economy and CO2 levels... and the 0-60 times. It also meant I got launch control when I ordered the Sport Chrono pack and the boost button on the drive mode dial. I've had the car for three weeks now and don't regret getting the PDK at all. I did start to doubt my choice closer to delivery date but going back I would spec it all over again.

 

[autobahn]

I have driven manuals almost exclusively the last 5 years. 2 years ago before I moved I had 6 cars, all manual transmissions.

PDK is incredible and it pairs perfectly with the car/engine.

I'm going PDK.

 

[ZuffenHouseRules]

The 718 has sweetest shifting manual...the tactile feel of slotting into gear is closer to a Ferrari than any of my prior Porsche shifters. Also the dual-clutch and 6-speed gearbox harmonize nicely with the 2.5 S engine. The clutch wants to be let out without any throttle (like a Carrera GT), that is a bit tricky at first.

The PDK is amazing, brilliantly fast. But I've driven manuals long enough that it just wouldn't feel like a sports car without....

 

[Cinnamon]

I was set on the PDK even before visiting the dealer... I felt it important that my wife feel comfortable driving "my" car -- she can drive a manual but nowadays has trouble with her knees and the clutch is a challenge. Say, if we drive to a destination resort and she wants to go off shopping by herself...
Also we had experience with the somewhat similar transmission in our Smart car, a single-clutch version with much slower shifting. I think it works fine despite the bad talk about it, as it feels like there's a little robot stirring a manual gearbox for me. There is no doubt at all the PDK is vastly superior.

So I traded in my 5-speed manual BMW M3 for the Cayman... and having tried the PDK I was delighted with its operation that has particular advantages for a turbocharged engine... no lifting off the throttle and losing boost on shifts. I know I'm going to continue to be pleased with this choice.

Doug

 

[aeronca65tl]

My wife doesn't drive a manual trans......and after all these years, she ain't gonna learn!


I have four street cars with manual gearboxes (Miata, MGB, Lotus 7 and MG Midget) plus two vintage race cars.


So I decided that this time it would be nice to have something neat that we could both drive. We're also planning on doing a long, cross USA tour next year and naturally we'd like to share the driving. I'd prefer not to do a cross-USA trip in my wife's (automatic) Honda CRV.


Our Cayman is on order and we plan on picking it up at PEC/Atlanta and driving it back to New Jersey: that's our "warm up" for the much longer trip.


Once I had fixed on having an auto-box I started looking at cars with dual-clutch gearboxes. I considered the Alfa 4C, the Audi TT, some VWs, and even a used Ferrari or 911. But the Cayman with PDK was the most appealing. Really, I chose the idea of buying a dual-clutch automatic first and then that lead me to the Cayman. By the way, if the Miata or Corvette were available with dual-clutch gearboxes, I might have chosen one of them.


I have a little seat time in a PDK Boxter and I like it very much. A close friend has a PDK Cayman and he's quite happy with it. So even though the idea of a "slush box" if off-putting to me, I also understand the PDK is really a computer controlled manual box....and thus, isn't really a slushbox. I guess I draw the line at torque convertors.

 

[TheLip]

I just ordered a Cayman 6MT and had no interest whatsoever in the PDK as I have only ever driven manual transmission cars. This despite the fact that my commute is on the 101 & 405 freeways in LA, which are amongst the busiest in the US. But when I went to test drive the 718 all I could find at first were PDK equipped cars so I gave it a try. I really didn't like it. It clunked when shifting, there was a noticeable pause before the shift occurred, and when I opened the window to hear the engine note, the car made a very noticeable whine. I was going to cross the car off my list but figured I owed it to myself to try a 6 MT. I finally found one and took it for a test drive. It was a revelation! The car came alive and I ordered it. I will be daily driving it in heavy traffic and can't wait because I will also be driving it in Malibu Canyon and on the PCH and anywhere else I can find.

 

[4802]

But when I went to test drive the 718 all I could find at first were PDK equipped cars so I gave it a try. I really didn't like it. It clunked when shifting, there was a noticeable pause before the shift occurred.

Don't get me wrong, I've nothing against manual gear boxes, but irrespective of anything else a PDK equipped car will change gears far quicker than you ever will in a manual & that's a fact.

 

[GregW]

<snips>It clunked when shifting, there was a noticeable pause before the shift occurred, and when I opened the window to hear the engine note, the car made a very noticeable whine.

My 718 Boxster does none of that, although I have read similar reports elsewhere. In both manual and auto mode my shift is noiseless, very quick, and often so smooth I have to look at the dash to confirm I've shifted. I wonder if there's few cars out there that have been totally trashed on test drives. My test drive convinced me to go to the PDK after 50 years of manual shifting.

Greg

 

[Oskar Jansson]

It clunked when shifting, there was a noticeable pause before the shift occurred.
.

It was broken.

 

[4802]

I'm with Greg & Oskar, the traits described by "TheLip" are to me totally unrecognisable. As I said, I've nothing against manual gearboxes & have used one for most of my driving life. I'd previously tried twin clutch gearboxes in Audi's & whilst they were O.K I wasn't really a huge fan. But once I tried a PDK box that was it, for me there was simply no going back. I had it on my last car & it was simply a must on this. I still like Porsche manual boxes & I can see why some might choose one for greater interaction. But it doesn't matter who is driving a manual, they couldn't even hope to get anywhere near the speed of a PDK change. I read somewhere that a PDK box actually changes gear three to four times quicker than a human blinks. You only have to look at acceleration comparisons between manual & PDK to see how much faster PDK is. How much quicker I wonder would a GT4 have been around the Nurburgring if it hadn't been hampered by only having a manual gear box. As it is, it has the PDK equipped 2.5 engined four pot 718 snapping at it's heels. It's rumoured that Porsche are now thinking of offering the next GT4 with a PDK option & if they do I can guarantee which version will be used to set a ring time & it won't be the one with a stick shift.

(The use of "hampered" is purely in regard to ultimate performance. Please don't anyone take it as an insult).

 

[Pythonposse]

My 718 Boxster does none of that, although I have read similar reports elsewhere. In both manual and auto mode my shift is noiseless, very quick, and often so smooth I have to look at the dash to confirm I've shifted. I wonder if there's few cars out there that have been totally trashed on test drives. My test drive convinced me to go to the PDK after 50 years of manual shifting.

Greg

After what my SA had me do to a car on the test drive I was convinced to never consider a demonstrator as a purchase.

 

[TheLip]

The salesperson told me that the car had arrived the day before. It pretty dirty so I am thinking that it hadn't gone through whatever process the dealership puts cars through before putting them on the lot, including checking that everything works right. The high pitched whine was the worst part. It wasn't during the shifts; it was during acceleration.

And I agree with Chilli that the PDK shifts quicker than I can. But since I won't be racing for pink slips, that is unimportant to me. For me it is about feeling that extra connection with the car while driving.

 

[ZuffenHouseRules]

We are The Manual Gearbox Preservation Society.... (sung to the tune of The Kinks 'Village Green Preservation Society')

 

[Gallatin]

We are The Manual Gearbox Preservation Society.... (sung to the tune of The Kinks 'Village Green Preservation Society')

I'm in!!! How do I join?