Planning to get a 997 PDK

[Flying V]

Hi Guys,

Currently I own a 996 GT3 MK1 which is a car I never see myself letting go. Its unfortunate I just can't use it as much because the car is to "raw" for everyday use. Anyway I plan to get a 997 PDK. I test drove one and I was totaly speechless. Besides the sporty / comfort feel, I feel it is just a different creature all together compared to the previous 997. The torque, accelaration and power delivery is just amazing. The PDK transmission is something else. So much different compared to the previous tip tronic tanny tecnology. Even SMG technology of other car makers doesn't even come close. The PDK allows the power to be in a continous flow when shifting gears and shifting is smooth and very fast.

Unfortunately I was only able to test drive the car for a few miles. Just incase any of you guys have taken delivery of your PDK and has had more time in testing this new technology, I would like to get your inputs and experiences particularly if you've seen any "qwirks" .

Godspeed!

Flying V

[B R A N D X®]

Hi Guys,

Currently I own a 996 GT3 MK1 which is a car I never see myself letting go. Its unfortunate I just can't use it as much because the car is to "raw" for everyday use. Anyway I plan to get a 997 PDK. I test drove one and I was totaly speechless. Besides the sporty / comfort feel, I feel it is just a different creature all together compared to the previous 997. The torque, accelaration and power delivery is just amazing. The PDK transmission is something else. So much different compared to the previous tip tronic tanny tecnology. Even SMG technology of other car makers doesn't even come close. The PDK allows the power to be in a continous flow when shifting gears and shifting is smooth and very fast.

Unfortunately I was only able to test drive the car for a few miles. Just incase any of you guys have taken delivery of your PDK and has had more time in testing this new technology, I would like to get your inputs and experiences particularly if you've seen any "qwirks" .

Godspeed!

Flying V

I purchased one of the white/stone C2 release cars with PDK about 3 weeks ago and I really am enjoying this transmission. I do sometimes miss rowing gears on backroads and the harmony it creates b/w man, machine and road, but I still have my Manual 6 speed M3 for those days.

The PDK is truly amazing and with about 1,000 miles on the odo I have found no flaws thus far.

Cruising on the HWY........go to the true overdrive 7th gear and get 35+ mpg, tearing it up on backroads.....once you get used to the reverse nature of the shifter and paddles.....you can seamlessly shift without power loss at blindingly fast speeds.

If there had been the exact same, manual tranny, car available on the lot the day I bought mine sitting next to the PDK equipped car I purchased I know I would have gone the 6MT route, but upon reflection and three weeks in......I believe I am glad that option wasn't available and that PDK was *forced* upon me.

PDK will not be for everyone, but it is amazing technology and I am thoroughly enjoying my new car even if it is only the base C2.

I miss the red calipers of my BXTR 987s though! :rolleyes:

If only I had a three care garage!

I'm 42, this is my first post here, a white 911 has been my dream car since I was 13 so.............welcome me to the family ya'll! :D

Edited November 9, 2008 by B R A N D X®

[Flying V]

Hi Guys,

Currently I own a 996 GT3 MK1 which is a car I never see myself letting go. Its unfortunate I just can't use it as much because the car is to "raw" for everyday use. Anyway I plan to get a 997 PDK. I test drove one and I was totaly speechless. Besides the sporty / comfort feel, I feel it is just a different creature all together compared to the previous 997. The torque, accelaration and power delivery is just amazing. The PDK transmission is something else. So much different compared to the previous tip tronic tanny tecnology. Even SMG technology of other car makers doesn't even come close. The PDK allows the power to be in a continous flow when shifting gears and shifting is smooth and very fast.

Unfortunately I was only able to test drive the car for a few miles. Just incase any of you guys have taken delivery of your PDK and has had more time in testing this new technology, I would like to get your inputs and experiences particularly if you've seen any "qwirks" .

Godspeed!

Flying V

I purchased one of the white/stone C2 release cars with PDK about 3 weeks ago and I really am enjoying this transmission. I do sometimes miss rowing gears on backroads and the harmony it creates b/w man, machine and road, but I still have my Manual 6 speed M3 for those days.

The PDK is truly amazing and with about 1,000 miles on the odo I have found no flaws thus far.

Cruising on the HWY........go to the true overdrive 7th gear and get 35+ mpg, tearing it up on backroads.....once you get used to the reverse nature of the shifter and paddles.....you can seamlessly shift without power loss at blindingly fast speeds.

If there had been the exact same, manual tranny, car available on the lot the day I bought mine sitting next to the PDK equipped car I purchased I know I would have gone the 6MT route, but upon reflection and three weeks in......I believe I am glad that option wasn't available and that PDK was *forced* upon me.

PDK will not be for everyone, but it is amazing technology and I am thoroughly enjoying my new car even if it is only the base C2.

I miss the red calipers of my BXTR 987s though! :rolleyes:

If only I had a three care garage!

I'm 42, this is my first post here, a white 911 has been my dream car since I was 13 so.............welcome me to the family ya'll! :D

Hi BRANDX! Welcome to the wonderful 911 family! For me regardless what kind of 911 you have...you can never go wrong with a 911. Once you've owned one, its hard to imagine to live without one!

I'm glad to hear you now own you dream car. I recall when I was younger, each time I would visit my best-friend I would always come across this house with a brown 911 parked outside. I always said to myself one day I will have one!... Currently I have on order a Macadamia Carrera 2 S which I will be taking delivery mid-December. What can I say...dreams can come true! Although the Macadamia color is an acquired taste color and not everyone likes it, I just love the retro look it gives to the 911.

Thanks for your inputs / feedback regarding the PDK transmission. I'm sure you will have more great driving pleasure coming your way.

Godspeed!

[RFM]

Take note that the 7th gear ( overdrive ) shifts only in automatic mode, not in manual mode.

[B R A N D X®]

Hi Guys,

Currently I own a 996 GT3 MK1 which is a car I never see myself letting go. Its unfortunate I just can't use it as much because the car is to "raw" for everyday use. Anyway I plan to get a 997 PDK. I test drove one and I was totaly speechless. Besides the sporty / comfort feel, I feel it is just a different creature all together compared to the previous 997. The torque, accelaration and power delivery is just amazing. The PDK transmission is something else. So much different compared to the previous tip tronic tanny tecnology. Even SMG technology of other car makers doesn't even come close. The PDK allows the power to be in a continous flow when shifting gears and shifting is smooth and very fast.

Unfortunately I was only able to test drive the car for a few miles. Just incase any of you guys have taken delivery of your PDK and has had more time in testing this new technology, I would like to get your inputs and experiences particularly if you've seen any "qwirks" .

Godspeed!

Flying V

I purchased one of the white/stone C2 release cars with PDK about 3 weeks ago and I really am enjoying this transmission. I do sometimes miss rowing gears on backroads and the harmony it creates b/w man, machine and road, but I still have my Manual 6 speed M3 for those days.

The PDK is truly amazing and with about 1,000 miles on the odo I have found no flaws thus far.

Cruising on the HWY........go to the true overdrive 7th gear and get 35+ mpg, tearing it up on backroads.....once you get used to the reverse nature of the shifter and paddles.....you can seamlessly shift without power loss at blindingly fast speeds.

If there had been the exact same, manual tranny, car available on the lot the day I bought mine sitting next to the PDK equipped car I purchased I know I would have gone the 6MT route, but upon reflection and three weeks in......I believe I am glad that option wasn't available and that PDK was *forced* upon me.

PDK will not be for everyone, but it is amazing technology and I am thoroughly enjoying my new car even if it is only the base C2.

I miss the red calipers of my BXTR 987s though! :rolleyes:

If only I had a three care garage!

I'm 42, this is my first post here, a white 911 has been my dream car since I was 13 so.............welcome me to the family ya'll! :D

Hi BRANDX! Welcome to the wonderful 911 family! For me regardless what kind of 911 you have...you can never go wrong with a 911. Once you've owned one, its hard to imagine to live without one!

I'm glad to hear you now own you dream car. I recall when I was younger, each time I would visit my best-friend I would always come across this house with a brown 911 parked outside. I always said to myself one day I will have one!... Currently I have on order a Macadamia Carrera 2 S which I will be taking delivery mid-December. What can I say...dreams can come true! Although the Macadamia color is an acquired taste color and not everyone likes it, I just love the retro look it gives to the 911.

Thanks for your inputs / feedback regarding the PDK transmission. I'm sure you will have more great driving pleasure coming your way.

Godspeed!

Thanks for the kind words and warm welcome! Personally I love the Macadamia color. It's gorgeous in person and quite unique. You're not lkley to see yourself coming and going very often as I will in my Carrera White or in Arctic SIlver.....and that can be a good thing!

[B R A N D X®]

Take note that the 7th gear ( overdrive ) shifts only in automatic mode, not in manual mode.

7th gear *is* available in manual mode.............I know.....I drove 45 miles in manual mode...in 7th gear on the way home tonight. My goal coming home was to see just how good the gas mileage was that could be achieve; you know....in case gas goes back to $5.00/gallon!

I averaged 30.5 mpg on the commute.

Not bad for a Carerra!

[AlienGG]

Take note that the 7th gear ( overdrive ) shifts only in automatic mode, not in manual mode.

7th gear *is* available in manual mode.............I know.....I drove 45 miles in manual mode...in 7th gear on the way home tonight. My goal coming home was to see just how good the gas mileage was that could be achieve; you know....in case gas goes back to $5.00/gallon!

I averaged 30.5 mpg on the commute.

Not bad for a Carerra!

Insane!

[AlienGG]

Do you like the buttons? I'm a bit skeptical about them.

[B R A N D X®]

Do you like the buttons? I'm a bit skeptical about them.

Other than their operating backwards from what's logical/accepted I think they are perfect. My previous Porsche...987 Boxster S.....was manual shift as is my M3, but I have owned two BMW 5 series cars and currently own an '08 X5 with Steptronic Auto trannies. Switching back and forth b/w the X5 and the Carerra requires some thought for the first few miles since the gear shift levers operate opposite from one another

Fortunately I usually just leave the X5 in auto mode so.....

I guess if you think in terms of pushing the gearshift lever or buttons forward or "up" to upshift and downward to downshift it makes sense, but from a momentum standpoint Porsche's design is not correct.

But yes, I think the placement and feel of the buttons is excellent.

Also, if you want to upshift or downshift through multiple gears at once you can simply hold the button depressed until you hit the gear you want.

PDK is pretty amazing.

[mbilfield]

In December, I bought an '09 Carrera 4 Cabriolet- white, black an terracotta interior with PDK. Formerly had a 2000 Boxster and '87 911 Cab. This new car is the finest I've driven or owned. The handling is amazing. The PDK is nothing short of fast, smooth, exhilarating. Fun to drive in or out of traffic. Two minor comments: using oil every 700 miles is surprising in that I never experienced this type of oil consumption. Also, when re-fueling, I find that I have to let air escape a few times in order to completely fill up. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone. :o PDK

[gagausa]

Got my 2009 C2S with PDK, LOVE IT! got about 1,000 miles on it-- no problems.

[stevepow]

So far I am enjoying mine (200 miles only) - I came from a 550i with SMG - PDK is way more "evolved". I still miss a manual sometimes from my M3 and M5(e39 - the real M5) days, but really PDK can out shift me any day and is much more fuel efficient than I would be. It is a brilliant piece of engineering and software. More astonishing than fun - if you are a hard core stick man, manual is going to be more satisfying.

Quirks - that was SMG ;-) The quirkiness to me is the "backwards" push/pull that I need to get used to in M mode, but I can live with that no problem. The great thing about PDK is that it is never really in pure manual or pure automatic. You can still kick down in manual and it will shift down and get moving immediately. You can shift manually at will even in auto mode, and for a tripping downshift through multiple gears, just pull back the button and hold it - zoooommmm. Yeah, its a cool toy.

Edited June 7, 2009 by stevepow

[apmarks]

I just picked up my 09 targa4 with PDK. I test drove manuals and the PDK, but I felt, I would use the car more because of the traffic in my area. After sitting in traffic for an hour, you really appreciate the auto mode vs. the stick in my previous 03 Carrera4. If you don't sit in traffic, the 997 manual is so much better than the 996 manual. You can't go wrong with the stick and the 4000 could be used for other options. The PDK is special and the manual shifting with the buttons becomes intuitive. You cannot shift manually as fast or a smoothly , but the manual is still great. Easy bluetooth, nav, ventilated seats, heated steering wheel, Lexus technology finally comes to Porsche, and you still get a great driving car.

[psloss]

I have 3,500mi on my 997.2 C2S PDK and I love it. It is so much smoother than my 2006 M5 w/SMG was. The only complaint I have is the rough downshift from 2nd to 1st when in automatic mode with Sport Chrono mode engaged. It is very rough, depending on deceleration rate. Does anyone else have this problem? My dealer says they all do it and Porsche has released no updates.

[Loren]

I have 3,500mi on my 997.2 C2S PDK and I love it. It is so much smoother than my 2006 M5 w/SMG was. The only complaint I have is the rough downshift from 2nd to 1st when in automatic mode with Sport Chrono mode engaged. It is very rough, depending on deceleration rate. Does anyone else have this problem? My dealer says they all do it and Porsche has released no updates.

I would talk the dealer into re-programming the PDK using the latest PIWIS version (241). If there is a fix it would be in the latest version - either way it would not hurt anything to do that.

[porschecanuck]

I have 3,500mi on my 997.2 C2S PDK and I love it. It is so much smoother than my 2006 M5 w/SMG was. The only complaint I have is the rough downshift from 2nd to 1st when in automatic mode with Sport Chrono mode engaged. It is very rough, depending on deceleration rate. Does anyone else have this problem? My dealer says they all do it and Porsche has released no updates.

I have the same problem. Did you get it fixed with a software update?

Edited August 5, 2009 by Loren
Removed ALL CAPS post - please do not post in ALL CAPS

[MWS]

I've had my '09 C4S for about three and a half months and have about 9000 miles on it as my daily driver. I will be taking it in for the 10K service in about ten days and hope to have the PDK reprogrammed at that time. I will post comments after that.

Currently, my comment about the transmission overall is that I love it. It is very fast and the "Launch" feature puts your stomach in the back seat. WOW!

The transmission performs much better when driven aggressively. In stop and go traffic at low speeds it seems to have trouble sometimes deciding between 1st and 2nd gears. It will hesitate sometimes when starting from a full stop or a slow rolling start. I've had it roll backwards when stopped on hill while it tries to engage first gear. None of this happens, however, if I have been driving aggressively or if I have it in either of the sport modes.

Somewhere else on this board someone commented about a noticeable "clunk" when the transmission downshifts from 2nd to 1st gear. I have also noticed this but I think only when driving in Sport-Plus mode. I don't recall it happening in Sport or normal mode.

I don't mind the paddles. To me to push forward on the paddle to up-shift and pulling back on the paddle to downshift is intuitive. I know others will argue this point. I've never had a paddle shifter before. It may simply be a matter of what you are accustomed to driving.

I never use the stick to shift. My complaint about paddles vs a manual transmission is that with the paddles often you are not sure which gear you are in without looking at the indicator on the dashboard. With a manual stick, once you know your transmission, you can tell which gear you are in simply by the feel of the stick. Also the fact that it doesn't shift without your knowledge you should always be fairly certain about what gear you are in. The PDK can whip through the gears so smoothly and so quickly that it is easy to lose track of what gear you are currently in.

The PDK is scary fast. I love putting it into Sport Plus mode and then pulling out to pass someone. The car is so fast I am by them in a second. The whine of the engine combined with being pushed back into the seat creates an incredible visceral sensation.

If I had it to do over again I would still get the PDK. I have not regretted it.

Edited August 9, 2009 by MWS

[ValleyForge]

+1 to all the responses.

PDK is not for everyone, but in town, as a daily drive it has learnt my driving style.

It's so easy to flick the sport mode switch and be reminded of just how hard this car is. Then the sport-plus mode and strap yourself to the missile.

I was a 100% manual tansmission kinda guy, wasn't even pdk-curious, but I'm very sold now.

Edited November 22, 2009 by ValleyForge

[andrewww]

Had my 2008 997.2 C2S PDK a year now. Awesome gearbox, both for in traffic and for on the track. Like having the best race driver shift for you - you just can't do it so well manually. Had a tiptronic loan car from porsche last year for a few weeks (pre the pdk car) - stinker of a gearbox, hated it. PDK a different kettle of fish entirely...

[ADias]

My '10 CS has PDK. Excellent tranny with multifaceted personality. Smooth, or aggressive, fast and efficient. Redundant buttons actually make sense, if one drives with hands in the 3-9 position. I see no compromise vs a manual, just a different option. Pick one and be happy.