[Atebit]

I live at the top of a pretty steep hill. In my other cars I like to downshift to avoid riding the brake all the way down. In the Boxster (base), downshifting the PDK doesn’t seem to provide any engine braking. Is there something I’m missing or

 

[dekilla]

If i manual shift down with my PDK base Boxter, engine will break. But you have to shift down two or three times going above 5000-6000 rev. I use that for slowing down when coming to speed limit or crusiing to trafic lights, as i will do with a manual gearbox.

With low REVs i can not feel an significant enginebreak.

 

[aeronca65tl]

Be sure it's not in auto-restart (disable this by pushing one of the buttons on the console). Otherwise the car goes in coasting mode and will give no engine braking. If you press the "Sport" button it will disable coasting too.

 

[Toyman_PA]

The PDK in the Cayman S is a very close-ratio 7-speed. You probably need to downshift twice or more to get the desired effect. I really depends what gear you are starting down the hill in.

 

[Viffermike]

I'll echo the previous replies, OP: You need to go down 2-3 gears for the desired effect.

I have a 2.0 PDK 718. During my recent driving tour of Colorado, I'd routinely traverse up to 15-degree descents using as much engine braking as possible. From 5th gear (40-60 mph or so), I'd need to be in third to have the desired effect up to about 10 degrees; then I'd need to slow down and/or use 2nd. From 6th, the effect was even more pronounced.

 

[Semitone]

In general, having driven manuals my entire life before the 718/ PDK, I hate the coasting function. Reminds me of the college days when we would shift to neutral downhill to save gas. Thank God those days are over.

I go straight to sport mode when I get in the car. The car feels so much better to me. It’s a sports car and I think “ normal” mode is total crap. If I was that concerned about gas I would have bought a hybrid. Porsche needed to create “ normal” mode for fuel efficiency standards but if you are driving your car in normal mode you are doing yourself a disservice, IMO.

Going downhill...just pop the PDK in manual mode... Actually, just drive it in manual mode, it’s more fun anyway.

 

[Atebit]

Thanks for the replies. First thing I always do after starting is turn off auto-stop. I really need to buy that little memory box. ?

I’ll check out how “low I have to go” this weekend, assuming we don’t get 15 more inches of rain.

 

[ZS-REU]

Going from my previous 3.4 Cayman S with 10.5:1 compression against the 2.5L turbo engine with lower compression ratio (8.5:1?) I could feel that there substantially less engine braking in my 718 C GTS.
I too often drive down steep hills and where it used to hold the same speed downhill in 3rd gear, now I have to use the brakes more often or scream the engine in 2nd gear which I don't like.
This is the only negative i found compared to the previous 3.4. But all the other good stuff more than makes up for it.

 

[ZuffenHouseRules]

Going from my previous 3.4 Cayman S with 10.5:1 compression against the 2.5L turbo engine with lower compression ratio (8.5:1?)

Actually a quite high-for-turbo 9.5:1 in both 2.0 and 2.5. For comparison:

911 Turbo: 9.8
911 Carrera: 10
GT2 RS: 9.0
GT3 RS: 13.3

 

[Third]

I have a somewhat related question. If I use the paddle shifters to downshift, how do you return the transmission to fully automatic without having to wait for it to do so on it's own?

 

[Ian718]

I have a somewhat related question. If I use the paddle shifters to downshift, how do you return the transmission to fully automatic without having to wait for it to do so on it's own?

Put the shifter in M then back to D. It's a very quick side to side motion.

 

[johan]

I have a somewhat related question. If I use the paddle shifters to downshift, how do you return the transmission to fully automatic without having to wait for it to do so on it's own?

Put the shifter in M then back to D. It's a very quick side to side motion.

There is a couple of ways to do it.
Be in auto and use the paddles after your needs, after a short while it goes back to auto by it self regardless the gear your in.
There is 2 two small red lights on the dash showing if your in auto or over riding the auto.




Or us the stick and put in back to auto when your done.
And then you have Ians suggestion

 

[Third]

Thanks. If you pull and hold the upshift paddle on an Audi, the transmission will drop back to fully automatic. I was hoping I might be able to do something similar with my Cayman without taking my hands off the wheel, but I haven't been able to find it. Perhaps moving the shifter from D to M then back to D is as close as I'm going to get.

Thanks again for your replies!

 

[johan]

Thanks. If you pull and hold the upshift paddle on an Audi, the transmission will drop back to fully automatic. I was hoping I might be able to do something similar with my Cayman without taking my hands off the wheel, but I haven't been able to find it. Perhaps moving the shifter from D to M then back to D is as close as I'm going to get.

Thanks again for your replies!

As I mentioned above, its basically the same on 718.
Be in auto, use the paddles to shift up/down, the red light to left of the M goes on (over ride/manual mode)
Wait a few seconds and it will go back to auto and appropriate gear or you shift back to the appropriate gear and wait a couple of seconds - The red light to the right of the D goes back on.
Its all in the manual


*edit*
If you press both paddles quick, you go to neutral

 

[Third]

As I mentioned above, its basically the same on 718.
Be in auto, use the paddles to shift up/down, the red light to left of the M goes on (over ride/manual mode)
Wait a few seconds and it will go back to auto and appropriate gear or you shift back to the appropriate gear and wait a couple of seconds - The red light to the right of the D goes back on.
Its all in the manual


*edit*
If you press both paddles quick, you go to neutral

Right, but I don't want to wait those "few seconds" (actually it's 6 seconds as I've read in the manual). I want to downshift entering the highway, for example, then immediately (not 6 seconds later) return to fully automatic. It appears the only way to do this is to move the shifter from D to M and back to D quickly. Thanks.

 

[GregW]

Right, but I don't want to wait those "few seconds" (actually it's 6 seconds as I've read in the manual). I want to downshift entering the highway, for example, then immediately (not 6 seconds later) return to fully automatic.<snip>

I hope there is an answer for this--I have the same "want".

 

[Third]

I hope there is an answer for this--I have the same "want".

Right! It seem like a big oversight on Porsche's part. Especially since Audi, their sister company, provides the feature to be able to toggle between fully automatic and manual gear selection without taking your hands off the wheel.

 

[johan]

Well there is the option to use the override, but that means you have to switch down to the gear you want, then switch back up to seventh
(or what gear your supposed to be in)


Also you can switch to Sport mode for more aggressive shifting and step on the gas, when your done go back to Normal mode.
Or does the sound to loud in Sport mode?



I cant see the problem here, but that's me....

 

[GregW]

It's not a problem really, more like an inconvenience.

Cruising along and I want to slot into a faster lane, or pass a slow car, or as third said merge onto the highway. Since I know in advance, I downshift once or twice and then accelerate. A second or so later I'm where I want to be but one, two, or three gears too low. I would like to go back to auto right away.

Waiting for the PDK to decide to shift down rather than up when I hit the gas just isn't the same; nor is having to shift up manually and then wait even longer for automatic.:crying:

 

[Third]

It's not a problem really, more like an inconvenience.

Cruising along and I want to slot into a faster lane, or pass a slow car, or as third said merge onto the highway. Since I know in advance, I downshift once or twice and then accelerate. A second or so later I'm where I want to be but one, two, or three gears too low. I would like to go back to auto right away.

Waiting for the PDK to decide to shift down rather than up when I hit the gas just isn't the same; nor is having to shift up manually and then wait even longer for automatic.:crying:

Exactly!

It comes down to this ... In some instances I'd like to quickly select a gear, then just as quickly, when I decide and without delay, return control of the transmission back to the car. It so happens I can do that by taking a hand off the wheel and using the shifter, but I don't think that was by design. I think Porsche simply overlooked the need, or certainly could've felt it was unnecessary. Surprising to me since Audi programs this into their upshift paddle. (My old 335ix before it worked that way too.)

Maybe it's just one of those things you have to have had in order to know what you're missing.