PDK Driving ...
Discussion
Hi...
Anticipating buying a 981 Boxster....will probably be with the PDK gearbox.
As i have never driven one how does the gearbox work? i understand and have driven automatics Park Drive Neutral etc but how does it work when put into Manual?.does the car stay in the gear selected or will it override if not in the appropriate gear?
As a side note what is the feeling about a 9 year old car with only 18000 miles on the clock? what if anything would be a worry about that?,
Anticipating buying a 981 Boxster....will probably be with the PDK gearbox.
As i have never driven one how does the gearbox work? i understand and have driven automatics Park Drive Neutral etc but how does it work when put into Manual?.does the car stay in the gear selected or will it override if not in the appropriate gear?
As a side note what is the feeling about a 9 year old car with only 18000 miles on the clock? what if anything would be a worry about that?,
Manual stays on the gear you select unless you:
- Slow down enough that revs will reach tickover (gearbox will automatically downshift). Technically speaking the PDK won't let you stall the engine.
- Depress the accelerator past kickdown (gearbox will downshift to the optimal gear & auto shift up). I find kickdown is not noticeable enough in the 9x7, not sure about the 9x1, in that it's hard to find full throttle just before kickdown.
The gearbox will also ignore downshift requests if it would cause the engine to go over the limiter.
- Slow down enough that revs will reach tickover (gearbox will automatically downshift). Technically speaking the PDK won't let you stall the engine.
- Depress the accelerator past kickdown (gearbox will downshift to the optimal gear & auto shift up). I find kickdown is not noticeable enough in the 9x7, not sure about the 9x1, in that it's hard to find full throttle just before kickdown.
The gearbox will also ignore downshift requests if it would cause the engine to go over the limiter.
The benefit of kickdown is you can kick down more than one gear at a time. With paddles on sequential you have to change each one.
Not that either is a particular hardship, but I've found when track driving a dab of throttle to kick down gears prior to cornering actually works pretty well.
Not that either is a particular hardship, but I've found when track driving a dab of throttle to kick down gears prior to cornering actually works pretty well.
bcr5784 said:
It will also change up if you reach the rev limit while accelerating. Personally I wouldn't (and didn't) use kickdown - far better and faster to change down manually prior to (for example) an overtake.
I'm pretty sure it doesn't change up when you are in manual mode, it just bounces off the limiter. Will double check thoughThere are a couple of other things with the older PDK I like, if you are careful when you approach a roundabout or junction where you can blend into the traffic it stays in second for long enough to make it nice and smooth. The later PDK in the GT3 would drop into first earlier (which didn't matter cause you could then rev it more!)
Also found that in manual (981) the shift up times change (quicken) if you are pressing on, but if you're just at a small throttle input it's relatively slow to change. Still quicker than other brands though.
Lastly the 981 is even a bit 'uncouth' in manual and sports plus, you can feel the kick as you change up, the GT3 was seamless (and quicker) at all times but the earlier PDK is a bit more fun perhaps.
I drive my 981 in manual and sports all the time, once the oil has warmed. Maybe in a long traffic queue I'll drop into auto, but that's about it.
OP: I think you'll love a Porsche PDK if you haven't tried one, I did. The DSG in Audi's just left me cold.
Other opinions are available!
Edited by robj4 on Wednesday 31st March 11:57
Edited by robj4 on Wednesday 31st March 12:00
Mine will stay on the limiter in manual unless I kick down.
It doesn't actually bounce off the limiter like a manual car does, it's much smoother than that, perhaps to protect the transmission? Though the owners manual suggests this behaviour changes in Sport/Sport+ I haven't tried all of these combinations.
In the earlier 9x7 the jolt when shifting only comes in Sport+ and even then, only if you're not cornering hard. This was even mentioned in some review Chris Harris did many years ago and Porsche's claim was to avoid upsetting the car if you shifted mid corner. Personally it doesn't bother me but I prefer the smoother shifts.
It doesn't actually bounce off the limiter like a manual car does, it's much smoother than that, perhaps to protect the transmission? Though the owners manual suggests this behaviour changes in Sport/Sport+ I haven't tried all of these combinations.
In the earlier 9x7 the jolt when shifting only comes in Sport+ and even then, only if you're not cornering hard. This was even mentioned in some review Chris Harris did many years ago and Porsche's claim was to avoid upsetting the car if you shifted mid corner. Personally it doesn't bother me but I prefer the smoother shifts.
As a side point, if you’re planning on using manual mode quite a bit, would strongly recommend making sure your potential purchase has the Sports Design steering wheel - this includes the paddles for changing gear in manual mode. Cars without have buttons on the steering wheel which are completely useless imo.
My car's a manual but I've driven some PDKs.
I think the PDK always uses every gear whereas a manual driver will often be skipping the intermediates.
This is what makes PDKs quick, the computer shifts gears so much faster than a human being and exactly the right rpm. Some will talk about the "weight penalty" of PDK but the shift speeds easily turn that into a net gain.
PDK quicker driven in manual mode? I very much doubt it. Like all autos the manual down-change can be handy in preparation for an overtake but that's about it IMO.
I think the PDK always uses every gear whereas a manual driver will often be skipping the intermediates.
This is what makes PDKs quick, the computer shifts gears so much faster than a human being and exactly the right rpm. Some will talk about the "weight penalty" of PDK but the shift speeds easily turn that into a net gain.
PDK quicker driven in manual mode? I very much doubt it. Like all autos the manual down-change can be handy in preparation for an overtake but that's about it IMO.
SWGT3 said:
As a side point, if you’re planning on using manual mode quite a bit, would strongly recommend making sure your potential purchase has the Sports Design steering wheel - this includes the paddles for changing gear in manual mode. Cars without have buttons on the steering wheel which are completely useless imo.
Absolutely a good point, there’s a reason why the 718 moved to paddles only. The 981 steering wheel buttons were horrendous.If you can up the budget slightly you may find you can edge into 718 territory. If you can it’s truly worth the extra, the 981 is a dinosaur in comparison and the push/pull gear changes are also the right way around (e.g. pull back to change up).
I agree with Schmed, the manual gear change feels weird to me, but this is probably because I am used to left paddle changing down a gear and right paddle changing up. If you haven’t driven a paddle car before then maybe you wouldn’t notice as you aren’t used to etc. One thing I would say is that the pdk is very good in my opinion, in sports mode it holds onto the gears and I have really enjoyed driving.
It’s a brilliant bit of engineering. The shifts are smooth in normal use. Sometimes a perceptible gentle “clunk” when it goes into 1st from 2nd, but you have to really be tuned in to feel it.
Razor sharp.
Usually use it in auto mode until warmed up or if I am in slow traffic. Move to manual quickly and use the paddles (981 Boxster S).
Brutally fast when at the top end and in Sports Plus mode (only Sports Chrono?), but I wouldn’t have a problem with Sports being the highest mode in the slightest. That’s what I default to the most.
Personally, I really don’t like paddles that move with the wheel. I’ve been caught out a few times in tights turns, having to look at the wheel to figure which one to pull. Much prefer my previous car which had nice (and slightly larger) stationary paddles. But that’s not the problem of the ‘box!
It suits the car and the free reviving engine. I’ve read enough about manual ratios being too tall, but not having experienced one, I can’t truly comment. Suffice to say, absolutely no quibbles about the gearing with a PDK.
Perhaps a touch anodyne? In my opinion, yes. But that, to me, is the result of its highly polished and uber-competent nature. Somehow makes me appreciate the more mechanical and connected feel of an older single clutch robotised manual even though it’s worse in most measurable ways (apart from weight + complexity). Weird.
Enjoy!
Razor sharp.
Usually use it in auto mode until warmed up or if I am in slow traffic. Move to manual quickly and use the paddles (981 Boxster S).
Brutally fast when at the top end and in Sports Plus mode (only Sports Chrono?), but I wouldn’t have a problem with Sports being the highest mode in the slightest. That’s what I default to the most.
Personally, I really don’t like paddles that move with the wheel. I’ve been caught out a few times in tights turns, having to look at the wheel to figure which one to pull. Much prefer my previous car which had nice (and slightly larger) stationary paddles. But that’s not the problem of the ‘box!
It suits the car and the free reviving engine. I’ve read enough about manual ratios being too tall, but not having experienced one, I can’t truly comment. Suffice to say, absolutely no quibbles about the gearing with a PDK.
Perhaps a touch anodyne? In my opinion, yes. But that, to me, is the result of its highly polished and uber-competent nature. Somehow makes me appreciate the more mechanical and connected feel of an older single clutch robotised manual even though it’s worse in most measurable ways (apart from weight + complexity). Weird.
Enjoy!
Schmed said:
SWGT3 said:
As a side point, if you’re planning on using manual mode quite a bit, would strongly recommend making sure your potential purchase has the Sports Design steering wheel - this includes the paddles for changing gear in manual mode. Cars without have buttons on the steering wheel which are completely useless imo.
Absolutely a good point, there’s a reason why the 718 moved to paddles only. The 981 steering wheel buttons were horrendous.If you can up the budget slightly you may find you can edge into 718 territory. If you can it’s truly worth the extra, the 981 is a dinosaur in comparison and the push/pull gear changes are also the right way around (e.g. pull back to change up).
Give it a rest. The 718 is a Golf in drag. The 981 is a true Porsche with a proper engine.
Chris722 said:
I agree with Schmed, the manual gear change feels weird to me, but this is probably because I am used to left paddle changing down a gear and right paddle changing up. If you haven’t driven a paddle car before then maybe you wouldn’t notice as you aren’t used to etc. One thing I would say is that the pdk is very good in my opinion, in sports mode it holds onto the gears and I have really enjoyed driving.
??? The paddles in the 981 and 718 work in exactly the same way, left down, right up.What he was talking about was using the gear leaver in manual... it is against what is conventional and natural.
981 pull back to change down, push forward to change up.
718 back, change up, forward to change down.
I never use the stick for changes so it’s a none issue for me (981). I doubt I’d use it if is was the correct way around.
OP... The rest is Schmed’s usual rant, if he had his way no one would buy a 981. Buy what makes you grin like an idiot and enjoy
HighwayStar said:
Chris722 said:
I agree with Schmed, the manual gear change feels weird to me, but this is probably because I am used to left paddle changing down a gear and right paddle changing up. If you haven’t driven a paddle car before then maybe you wouldn’t notice as you aren’t used to etc. One thing I would say is that the pdk is very good in my opinion, in sports mode it holds onto the gears and I have really enjoyed driving.
??? The paddles in the 981 and 718 work in exactly the same way, left down, right up.What he was talking about was using the gear leaver in manual... it is against what is conventional and natural.
981 pull back to change down, push forward to change up.
718 back, change up, forward to change down.
I never use the stick for changes so it’s a none issue for me (981). I doubt I’d use it if is was the correct way around.
OP... The rest is Schmed’s usual rant, if he had his way no one would buy a 981. Buy what makes you grin like an idiot and enjoy
My query was really based on never having had an auto box for my car as opposed to a hire holiday one....
Sounds like it’s def the way to go ...and the ability to use it like a manual is a bonus ...
Thanks again for the pointers...am now on the lookout for one to call mine....
icekay said:
ClaphamBoxS said:
Just on my second point is 18000 miles in say 9 years going to be an issue..,?
I wouldn't worry about it so long as it was still serviced, plenty of cars that age have barely been driven.Gassing Station | Boxster/Cayman | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff