[Steve48]

If you’re like me, I’m sure you did a lot of research on this platform before ownership. I read countless articles, watched several YouTube videos, and lurked on forums like this before finally making the plunge. But, was there anything that surprised you (good or bad) once you got to know the car better?

 

[Porsche Lee]

I was surprised how good the engine sounds.

 

[AppleInOrbit]

When I purchased my 718, the dream was to replace it with a 911 or something better eventually.

But after just 2 months of ownership, I can't imagine myself parting with my 718. I'm surprised by how perfect of a package it is, especially given where I live.

 

[AVM]

Tex Sport seats are amazing!

 

[craig66]

The brakes and their interaction with the car and the PDK. I always believed brakes were just to slow you down but after experiencing the effect of braking on the car and the PDK and the amazing downshifts that occur as you are braking, As you brake and the car slows the PDK immediately kicks in so that you are iin the right gear as soon as you take your foot of the brakes. This totally blew me away. The harder you break the more instant and dramatic the response.

I was expecting the power, I was expecting the torque, I was expecting the rapid shift of the PDK and I was expecting the perfection of the whole Porsche package but the brakes and their ability to help you shift the weight of the car and "arm" the PDK just blew me away. That being said the list of what makes it the perfect moving space is endless but most of it I was expecting and was not at all disappointed

 

[Scubaregs]

43MPG (UK) on my motorway commute if I stick to 65-70mph.

 

[CaymanMatt]

I love the Alcantara. I had not demoed it before ordering so I really didn't know what to expect. Now I'm glad I have it.

 

[CupraLeon]

How good the suspension filters out bumps,ride comfort, 10 hour drives without any fatigue or a ‘broken’ back.

 

[GTS18BGTS]

Yes the suspension was a pleasant surprise. Not the best of roads here in places, but the suspension soaks up pretty much everything without a hitch. During the state inspection the mechanic needed to look at the pads which required removing the wheels. There's a lot of negative travel dialed into the suspension which I'm sure helps keep the tires firmly planted on washboard roads. I'm sure this smooths out the bumps felt inside the cabin.

 

[Steve48]

The brakes and their interaction with the car and the PDK. I always believed brakes were just to slow you down but after experiencing the effect of braking on the car and the PDK and the amazing downshifts that occur as you are braking, As you brake and the car slows the PDK immediately kicks in so that you are iin the right gear as soon as you take your foot of the brakes. This totally blew me away. The harder you break the more instant and dramatic the response.

I was expecting the power, I was expecting the torque, I was expecting the rapid shift of the PDK and I was expecting the perfection of the whole Porsche package but the brakes and their ability to help you shift the weight of the car and "arm" the PDK just blew me away. That being said the list of what makes it the perfect moving space is endless but most of it I was expecting and was not at all disappointed

OK that was news to me...tried it out this morning (braking more forcefully) and sure enough, the PDK downshifted rapidly. VERY COOL!!!!!

 

[DriveInHouston]

How good the suspension filters out bumps,ride comfort, 10 hour drives without any fatigue or a ‘broken’ back.

I have a bad back, courtesy of the lady who rear-ended my first Mustang GT and I can't be comfortable sitting in my $1000 study chair with all the ergonomic tuning for more than a couple of hours. I drove from NYC to Houston, 8-10 hrs every day and I was as fresh getting out of the car as when I was getting in. The 18-way seats and the suspension ARE incredible.

OK that was news to me...tried it out this morning (braking more forcefully) and sure enough, the PDK downshifted rapidly. VERY COOL!!!!!

Hit the brakes hard, I mean HARD, from reasonably high RPM, say 4k+ until you get a double downshift. This is PDK nirvana... Mind the people driving around you...

 

[MLJJ]

When that happened the first time I thought the anti-lock brakes had kicked in!

 

[AVM]

Seems this type of thread is about the 'little things that add up' to everything we all love about our 718's.

In that vane, I want to add one more thing that I learned on this forum. Namely, hitting the steering paddles simultaneously throws the car into neutral. When I initially learned this I honestly did not appreciate just how nice a 'little' feature this represents. I now find myself using the feature constantly.

AVM

 

[DriveInHouston]

When that happened the first time I thought the anti-lock brakes had kicked in!

First time it happened to me was on the Harris Hill Raceway near Austin, driving a rented GTS MY16 (non turbo). On my last lap I was coming to the hairpin 'full and by' as they used to say in sailing and hit the brakes hard from 75-77 mph. I got the double downshift just before the apex and just about lost it...

'Did the car do this? Did it?'

Thankfully I was practicing late apex turns and I had the width of the road to pull myself together before the next turn...

 

[DriveInHouston]

... hitting the steering paddles simultaneously throws the car into neutral. ...

AVM

I've done it, waiting at the light.

@AVM, have you put it in neutral while in motion?

If yes, did you then hit one paddle to get it back in gear, while still in motion?

If yes, what gear did you get?

 

[AVM]

First time it happened to me was on the Harris Hill Raceway near Austin, driving a rented GTS MY16 (non turbo). On my last lap I was coming to the hairpin 'full and by' as they used to say in sailing and hit the brakes hard from 75-77 mph. I got the double downshift just before the apex and just about lost it...

'Did the car do this? Did it?'

Thankfully I was practicing late apex turns and I had the width of the road to pull myself together before the next turn...

DIH

Your post reminded me of a recent Chris Harris video. At about the 2:30 mark, Chris references the 'drift on demand' feature of the Ferrrari 488 Pista 'supercar.' Ferrari calls it the 'side slip angle 6.'

Sounds like the more modest 718/981 models have a similar feature that we simply call 'hitting the brakes hard.' ? ? ?

AVM

 

[Porsche Lee]

Agree on the PDK as well. Genius engineering in that.

 

[AVM]

I've done it, waiting at the light.

@AVM, have you put it in neutral while in motion?

If yes, did you then hit one paddle to get it back in gear, while still in motion?

If yes, what gear did you get?

DIH


Yes, while at prolonged stops the feature is excellent. . . my wife loves fountain Diet Cokes from McDonalds, and I spend more time than I would like in the drive through daily.


However, to your point, you can absolutely hit the paddles while moving and the car will shift into neutral. Once you hit the ‘+’ paddle, the car will automatically find the most appropriate gear. To me, this solved a HUGE problem I had using the ‘manual’ PDK feature.


Namely, with a true manual, as you approach low speeds/stops you naturally hold clutch (car in neutral). With the PDK manual feature, finding neutral was never an option and I found myself constantly frustrated as I approached low speed/stops. The double paddle ‘hit’ into neutral solved my frustration.


Hope that helps


AVM

 

[Naptown]

The comfort. Even with 20” wheels it’s very enjoyable on a long trip.

 

[Silversword]

I'm still pleasantly surprised by how well it corners. I love how the steering is so quick and communicative.