718 review - test drove today
Discussion
Android auto has similar issues, I think for common reasons. With no USB connection battery life is very short when using for navigation, and Google argue that any Apps allowed must have an interface safe to operate in a moving car. They (and Apple) would come in for a lot of flack if using apps caused accidents.
Krobar said:
Forgot to mention there is a consolation prize for Android users with the 718 nav. The Boxster I tried had full RSAP with data support. This means Android users will get a stronger signal than Apple users for both data and calls even if the phone box is used (Phone box is a pointless option if you have a phone with RSAP). Also means the built-in car data stuff does not need its own sim card either. Downside is no Android Auto of course.
What's RSAP?RSAP = Remote Sim Access Profile
It is Bluetooth but works very differently to the normal HFP (Hands Free Profile). Instead of the phone sharing audio and call functions with the car the phone hands its sim card to the car. Apple don't support it supposedly due to security concerns but the real reason is believed to be consumer control and lock-in as they would rather you use your IPhone than let another device take hold of the sim.
In the 718; RSAP means you don't need a separate sim card for the car and you get better data and phone signal. The signal is better than you will get in the phonebox too as the phone box attempts to magnify the antenna through the car antenna which isn't as good as using the car antenna with the car phone. The downsides of RSAP are gone as long as you have the wifi hotspot function since the phone can connect back to the car using wifi for any data services it may need and hence benefit from the stronger 4g signal too.
It is Bluetooth but works very differently to the normal HFP (Hands Free Profile). Instead of the phone sharing audio and call functions with the car the phone hands its sim card to the car. Apple don't support it supposedly due to security concerns but the real reason is believed to be consumer control and lock-in as they would rather you use your IPhone than let another device take hold of the sim.
In the 718; RSAP means you don't need a separate sim card for the car and you get better data and phone signal. The signal is better than you will get in the phonebox too as the phone box attempts to magnify the antenna through the car antenna which isn't as good as using the car antenna with the car phone. The downsides of RSAP are gone as long as you have the wifi hotspot function since the phone can connect back to the car using wifi for any data services it may need and hence benefit from the stronger 4g signal too.
Krobar said:
RSAP = Remote Sim Access Profile
It is Bluetooth but works very differently to the normal HFP (Hands Free Profile). Instead of the phone sharing audio and call functions with the car the phone hands its sim card to the car. Apple don't support it supposedly due to security concerns but the real reason is believed to be consumer control and lock-in as they would rather you use your IPhone than let another device take hold of the sim.
In the 718; RSAP means you don't need a separate sim card for the car and you get better data and phone signal. The signal is better than you will get in the phonebox too as the phone box attempts to magnify the antenna through the car antenna which isn't as good as using the car antenna with the car phone. The downsides of RSAP are gone as long as you have the wifi hotspot function since the phone can connect back to the car using wifi for any data services it may need and hence benefit from the stronger 4g signal too.
Thanks for the info.It is Bluetooth but works very differently to the normal HFP (Hands Free Profile). Instead of the phone sharing audio and call functions with the car the phone hands its sim card to the car. Apple don't support it supposedly due to security concerns but the real reason is believed to be consumer control and lock-in as they would rather you use your IPhone than let another device take hold of the sim.
In the 718; RSAP means you don't need a separate sim card for the car and you get better data and phone signal. The signal is better than you will get in the phonebox too as the phone box attempts to magnify the antenna through the car antenna which isn't as good as using the car antenna with the car phone. The downsides of RSAP are gone as long as you have the wifi hotspot function since the phone can connect back to the car using wifi for any data services it may need and hence benefit from the stronger 4g signal too.
I run a 718 CS, and have a Galaxy S8+. The car came with a Sim, but I can't recall who the provider is (Vodafone? O2?) nor how long the initial contract lasts for before renewal is required though I think it may be just 3 months. I really should read up on what came with my car.
So you suggest with RSAP then, I should remove the Sim from the car (if it's still even being used by the car ...) and allow data connectivity through my phone.
The phone connects to the car automatically through bluetooth, is there anything else I would need to do for RSAP to be enabled or does the RSAP capability happen through bluetooth automatically?
Tim bo said:
Krobar said:
RSAP = Remote Sim Access Profile
It is Bluetooth but works very differently to the normal HFP (Hands Free Profile). Instead of the phone sharing audio and call functions with the car the phone hands its sim card to the car. Apple don't support it supposedly due to security concerns but the real reason is believed to be consumer control and lock-in as they would rather you use your IPhone than let another device take hold of the sim.
In the 718; RSAP means you don't need a separate sim card for the car and you get better data and phone signal. The signal is better than you will get in the phonebox too as the phone box attempts to magnify the antenna through the car antenna which isn't as good as using the car antenna with the car phone. The downsides of RSAP are gone as long as you have the wifi hotspot function since the phone can connect back to the car using wifi for any data services it may need and hence benefit from the stronger 4g signal too.
Thanks for the info.It is Bluetooth but works very differently to the normal HFP (Hands Free Profile). Instead of the phone sharing audio and call functions with the car the phone hands its sim card to the car. Apple don't support it supposedly due to security concerns but the real reason is believed to be consumer control and lock-in as they would rather you use your IPhone than let another device take hold of the sim.
In the 718; RSAP means you don't need a separate sim card for the car and you get better data and phone signal. The signal is better than you will get in the phonebox too as the phone box attempts to magnify the antenna through the car antenna which isn't as good as using the car antenna with the car phone. The downsides of RSAP are gone as long as you have the wifi hotspot function since the phone can connect back to the car using wifi for any data services it may need and hence benefit from the stronger 4g signal too.
I run a 718 CS, and have a Galaxy S8+. The car came with a Sim, but I can't recall who the provider is (Vodafone? O2?) nor how long the initial contract lasts for before renewal is required though I think it may be just 3 months. I really should read up on what came with my car.
So you suggest with RSAP then, I should remove the Sim from the car (if it's still even being used by the car ...) and allow data connectivity through my phone.
The phone connects to the car automatically through bluetooth, is there anything else I would need to do for RSAP to be enabled or does the RSAP capability happen through bluetooth automatically?
I've done a few hundred miles in the Boxster S loan car I've got so I thought I'd add my thoughts to this thread.
Handling is pretty much peerless as you'd expect. The ride quality with PASM on 20" is superb. Far better than my BMW on 19" passive suspension. in fact, that felt pretty much like PASM in sport mode. I'm not sure why anyone would choose to use that for road driving, but the non PASM cars on 20" wheels fall in between. Personally I think it's a worthwhile option. It's incredible how compliant the car is while being so flat through corners etc.
Standard seats are my biggest gripe. I've found them to be the most uncomfortable seats in any car I've driven. I guess height and build are major influences on that, but at 6'1" and not particuarly powerfully built I found them uncomfortable. I've had a play around with them and manged to resolve lower back pain and improved the constant neck pain. I think part of the problem is that the outer bolsters taper all the way up while the seat narrows which forces your shoulders forward and due to that your neck. It's a shame that the adjustablility is so limited on the manual seats and are only improved by going for the electric ones. I guess that's an intentional Porsche option thing At least with the manual seats on my BMW I was able to control the angle of the seat base and extend the forward part of the seat to improve thigh contact, plus the side bolsters dropped away before my shoulders which kept them in a more natural position.
Sports exhaust - still not convinced it makes an appreciable difference. Sure it makes it slightly louder and a bit bassier, although I'm not sure making the S engine a bit more bassier is an improvement on the sound. The engine sounds best in Sport mode irrespective of whether the sport exhaust is activated and that makes a bigger difference over PSE in normal mode by far.
Sports Chrono - given the choice between this and PSE, I'd go for this. Unlike some, I quite like the clock. Only downside with my loan car is that it has a white dial so is permanently reflected in the windscreen. I think the position of the clock on the 981 makes more sense between the vents to avoid this, although you're more likely to notice its absence on the 718, or indeed a 911 where it's placed on the dashboard. Maybe that's another clever options marketing ploy As far as the manatino style dial is concerned, it's far more facile than pressing a button on the centre console. I've found turning the sports exhaust off a bit more tricky then turning that dial while having to take my eyes off the road, so can appreciate how much simpler the dial makes it to turn between modes. The individual mode is actually quite useful, bit the elements you can assign are pretty limited. I've just got it set to sport without PSE. Personally, I'd rather it had more available customisation options. I drove and M4 before choosing a Cayman and it had a lot more flexibility in the various options available. For me, I'd like to keep the Sports sound for the exhaust and then use the throttle response and gear change speed form the normal mode. I've started using the sports response mode a bit more. It's actually not as gimmicky as I first thought it would be. really useful to be able to cruise along in normal mode and then at a press of a switch go into all power for an overtake without having to however behind a car in sport or sport plus with the engine screaming waiting for an opportunity. Launch control is still a gimmick. Never used and most likely never will. I'm not sure what use the dynamic engine mounts are in real road driving terms.I didn't find this car had such noticeable vibrations from the engine while idling, maybe that's a benefit or something I've imagined.
Engine - been done to death really but I assumed I'd be asked so will add a few comments. Does it sound like a screaming flat 6? No. Will it ever sound like a screaming flat 6 if you change the exhaust? No. Does it sound crap? No. Sounds different and has it's own qualities in that respect. What it does have is torque. I've always driven turbo perfomance cars and the 718 is by far the best turbo car I've driven. I didn't find the S had noticeable turbo lag once the engine was on song, although maybe a difference story for the non s. Whether there is some lag, the available torque certainly makes up for it.
Apple CarPlay - actually found this quite good. Especially to send texts. Big downside was that assigning the diamond button on the steering wheel to advance tracks on the PCM doesn't actually do that with CarPlay. Ironically, muting the volume via the wheel pauses a track. I would hope this is a software issue that can be resolved with an update.
There's probably a load more things I could say, but it's already an epic post. I'll add anything else later
Handling is pretty much peerless as you'd expect. The ride quality with PASM on 20" is superb. Far better than my BMW on 19" passive suspension. in fact, that felt pretty much like PASM in sport mode. I'm not sure why anyone would choose to use that for road driving, but the non PASM cars on 20" wheels fall in between. Personally I think it's a worthwhile option. It's incredible how compliant the car is while being so flat through corners etc.
Standard seats are my biggest gripe. I've found them to be the most uncomfortable seats in any car I've driven. I guess height and build are major influences on that, but at 6'1" and not particuarly powerfully built I found them uncomfortable. I've had a play around with them and manged to resolve lower back pain and improved the constant neck pain. I think part of the problem is that the outer bolsters taper all the way up while the seat narrows which forces your shoulders forward and due to that your neck. It's a shame that the adjustablility is so limited on the manual seats and are only improved by going for the electric ones. I guess that's an intentional Porsche option thing
At least with the manual seats on my BMW I was able to control the angle of the seat base and extend the forward part of the seat to improve thigh contact, plus the side bolsters dropped away before my shoulders which kept them in a more natural position.Sports exhaust - still not convinced it makes an appreciable difference. Sure it makes it slightly louder and a bit bassier, although I'm not sure making the S engine a bit more bassier is an improvement on the sound. The engine sounds best in Sport mode irrespective of whether the sport exhaust is activated and that makes a bigger difference over PSE in normal mode by far.
Sports Chrono - given the choice between this and PSE, I'd go for this. Unlike some, I quite like the clock. Only downside with my loan car is that it has a white dial so is permanently reflected in the windscreen. I think the position of the clock on the 981 makes more sense between the vents to avoid this, although you're more likely to notice its absence on the 718, or indeed a 911 where it's placed on the dashboard. Maybe that's another clever options marketing ploy
As far as the manatino style dial is concerned, it's far more facile than pressing a button on the centre console. I've found turning the sports exhaust off a bit more tricky then turning that dial while having to take my eyes off the road, so can appreciate how much simpler the dial makes it to turn between modes. The individual mode is actually quite useful, bit the elements you can assign are pretty limited. I've just got it set to sport without PSE. Personally, I'd rather it had more available customisation options. I drove and M4 before choosing a Cayman and it had a lot more flexibility in the various options available. For me, I'd like to keep the Sports sound for the exhaust and then use the throttle response and gear change speed form the normal mode. I've started using the sports response mode a bit more. It's actually not as gimmicky as I first thought it would be. really useful to be able to cruise along in normal mode and then at a press of a switch go into all power for an overtake without having to however behind a car in sport or sport plus with the engine screaming waiting for an opportunity. Launch control is still a gimmick. Never used and most likely never will. I'm not sure what use the dynamic engine mounts are in real road driving terms.I didn't find this car had such noticeable vibrations from the engine while idling, maybe that's a benefit or something I've imagined.Engine - been done to death really but I assumed I'd be asked so will add a few comments. Does it sound like a screaming flat 6? No. Will it ever sound like a screaming flat 6 if you change the exhaust? No. Does it sound crap? No. Sounds different and has it's own qualities in that respect. What it does have is torque. I've always driven turbo perfomance cars and the 718 is by far the best turbo car I've driven. I didn't find the S had noticeable turbo lag once the engine was on song, although maybe a difference story for the non s. Whether there is some lag, the available torque certainly makes up for it.
Apple CarPlay - actually found this quite good. Especially to send texts. Big downside was that assigning the diamond button on the steering wheel to advance tracks on the PCM doesn't actually do that with CarPlay. Ironically, muting the volume via the wheel pauses a track. I would hope this is a software issue that can be resolved with an update.
There's probably a load more things I could say, but it's already an epic post. I'll add anything else later
Enjoyable epic post, thanks!
Which gearbox is in the loan car - PDK?
Not sure you have written anything I don't agree with, and glad I didn't get PSE. There is a touch more lag from the 2.0 at 2000 rpm, but from 2500 rpm up it is not really distinguishable from the 2.5 (just less torque of course). I've driven a lot of turbo performance cars over the years, and agree that these engines are about as good as it gets for driving dynamics. I wished the NA 6 was still available when I ordered my car, but 3000 miles in, I don't think I would want to be without the mid-range torque. Possibly not the best compromise for a sports car, but for an all round daily drive I think they did a really good job.
The standard seats suit me, but I have to admit I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief when I got to try them for the first time at a PEC day. I had already committed to my final spec by that stage, and didn't know if I would find them comfortable for long journeys. Best seat fit I have ever had as it turns out.
How far off is your Cayman now?
Liam
Which gearbox is in the loan car - PDK?
Not sure you have written anything I don't agree with, and glad I didn't get PSE. There is a touch more lag from the 2.0 at 2000 rpm, but from 2500 rpm up it is not really distinguishable from the 2.5 (just less torque of course). I've driven a lot of turbo performance cars over the years, and agree that these engines are about as good as it gets for driving dynamics. I wished the NA 6 was still available when I ordered my car, but 3000 miles in, I don't think I would want to be without the mid-range torque. Possibly not the best compromise for a sports car, but for an all round daily drive I think they did a really good job.
The standard seats suit me, but I have to admit I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief when I got to try them for the first time at a PEC day. I had already committed to my final spec by that stage, and didn't know if I would find them comfortable for long journeys. Best seat fit I have ever had as it turns out.
How far off is your Cayman now?
Liam
I have had my 718 for 4 weeks now and done 4,000 miles as its my DD. I'm glad I went for the sports seats over the standard ones as I had a feeling they wouldn't be comfortable for long journeys. I wished I could have gone for the fully electronic ones but not at over £2k.
I'm also glad I opted for pdk.
Biggest grip is the satnav which doesn't have RTTI.
I'm also glad I opted for pdk.
Biggest grip is the satnav which doesn't have RTTI.
I test drove a manual base with sport chrono and a PDK equipped S, also with sport chrono. Unfortunately they weren't back to back so trying to compare properly was difficult. I couldn't really see the benefit in SC on the manual and actually didn't detect any noticible DIFFERENCE in throttle response between sport and sport plus on the manual. On the S, I found sport plus to be too brutal for road use in auto mode and sitting at high revs all the time would make you look like a right t
t! I prefer to use one driving mode all the time rather than constantly fiddle. I'm pretty sure the car always started up in normal mode, which I found annoying. I tried the 'whoosh' button a couple of times but not launch control. I like the look of the clock but it's in an awkward place in my opinion to actually see. Shame you can't spec the clock without SC for a reasonable cost or else I might have sprung for it. I found the steering wheel to be cluttered with the mode switch and buttons. I would have preferred to be able to change the mode from the multi-function wheel, which is what I do on my present car.
The base model had standard passive suspension. I found it perfectly acceptable on the mix of roads I drove. The S had PASM and the ride and handling were also brilliant. I preferred the subtle dropped look even if it's only - 10MM and often drive on some pretty twisty B roads so wanted the best set up possible so PASM is preferred.
Both cars had 14 way electric standard sports seats but on the longer of the two test drives in the S, I started to get uncomfortable. A few mins sat in the sport plus seats was enough to convince me....
The S had sports exhaust and the base had a standard exhaust. I don't like shouty exhausts and the noise from the standard exhaust in Sport mode on the both cars was enough for me. I was told that the sports exhaust was essential for resale but no thanks, particularly as there is no performance benefit.
The base car had entry and drive and lane warning. I found the latter useful but having a stupid key shaped object stuck in the dash was ugly. Just give us a button!!!!!! There's enough space on the centre console with all the blanks for crying out loud. Even with Porsche's extensive list of options I don't think you could actually rid the console of blanks.
My PEC day is in the next month so hopefully I will get to nail down my spec. I've gone for a base model with a manual, sport tex sport plus seats, pasm and no sport chrono. Hopefully I'll also be able to finally banish pdk from my potential spec sheet. I dislike autos in general and find the paddles awkward so I'm hoping that the instructors can train me to like PDK! I've also not seen the sport tex so I'm hoping to settle on that too.
t! I prefer to use one driving mode all the time rather than constantly fiddle. I'm pretty sure the car always started up in normal mode, which I found annoying. I tried the 'whoosh' button a couple of times but not launch control. I like the look of the clock but it's in an awkward place in my opinion to actually see. Shame you can't spec the clock without SC for a reasonable cost or else I might have sprung for it. I found the steering wheel to be cluttered with the mode switch and buttons. I would have preferred to be able to change the mode from the multi-function wheel, which is what I do on my present car.The base model had standard passive suspension. I found it perfectly acceptable on the mix of roads I drove. The S had PASM and the ride and handling were also brilliant. I preferred the subtle dropped look even if it's only - 10MM and often drive on some pretty twisty B roads so wanted the best set up possible so PASM is preferred.
Both cars had 14 way electric standard sports seats but on the longer of the two test drives in the S, I started to get uncomfortable. A few mins sat in the sport plus seats was enough to convince me....
The S had sports exhaust and the base had a standard exhaust. I don't like shouty exhausts and the noise from the standard exhaust in Sport mode on the both cars was enough for me. I was told that the sports exhaust was essential for resale but no thanks, particularly as there is no performance benefit.
The base car had entry and drive and lane warning. I found the latter useful but having a stupid key shaped object stuck in the dash was ugly. Just give us a button!!!!!! There's enough space on the centre console with all the blanks for crying out loud. Even with Porsche's extensive list of options I don't think you could actually rid the console of blanks.
My PEC day is in the next month so hopefully I will get to nail down my spec. I've gone for a base model with a manual, sport tex sport plus seats, pasm and no sport chrono. Hopefully I'll also be able to finally banish pdk from my potential spec sheet. I dislike autos in general and find the paddles awkward so I'm hoping that the instructors can train me to like PDK! I've also not seen the sport tex so I'm hoping to settle on that too.
Edited by ONtheROCS on Monday 31st July 05:16
ORD said:
Good write ups!
I cannot remember any Porsche seats that are properly comfortable. They tend to push your shoulders forward, which is not very pleasant! They seem to be made to fit racing drivers rather than normal size folk.
Not sure about that - my son is one and doesn't like the car because of the (in my case) standard seat.I cannot remember any Porsche seats that are properly comfortable. They tend to push your shoulders forward, which is not very pleasant! They seem to be made to fit racing drivers rather than normal size folk.
LiamH66 said:
Enjoyable epic post, thanks!
Which gearbox is in the loan car - PDK?
Not sure you have written anything I don't agree with, and glad I didn't get PSE. There is a touch more lag from the 2.0 at 2000 rpm, but from 2500 rpm up it is not really distinguishable from the 2.5 (just less torque of course). I've driven a lot of turbo performance cars over the years, and agree that these engines are about as good as it gets for driving dynamics. I wished the NA 6 was still available when I ordered my car, but 3000 miles in, I don't think I would want to be without the mid-range torque. Possibly not the best compromise for a sports car, but for an all round daily drive I think they did a really good job.
The standard seats suit me, but I have to admit I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief when I got to try them for the first time at a PEC day. I had already committed to my final spec by that stage, and didn't know if I would find them comfortable for long journeys. Best seat fit I have ever had as it turns out.
How far off is your Cayman now?
Liam
It's PDK. Haven't done a huge amount of manual driving in it so far, though. The main use I've found for the paddles is actually getting into a higher gear faster when cruising. In normal mode it seems to hang onto the gears a bit longer than necessary at a slow pace. Mainly situations where I'd want to go up a couple of gears in a manual at once when you've got to your cruising speed.Which gearbox is in the loan car - PDK?
Not sure you have written anything I don't agree with, and glad I didn't get PSE. There is a touch more lag from the 2.0 at 2000 rpm, but from 2500 rpm up it is not really distinguishable from the 2.5 (just less torque of course). I've driven a lot of turbo performance cars over the years, and agree that these engines are about as good as it gets for driving dynamics. I wished the NA 6 was still available when I ordered my car, but 3000 miles in, I don't think I would want to be without the mid-range torque. Possibly not the best compromise for a sports car, but for an all round daily drive I think they did a really good job.
The standard seats suit me, but I have to admit I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief when I got to try them for the first time at a PEC day. I had already committed to my final spec by that stage, and didn't know if I would find them comfortable for long journeys. Best seat fit I have ever had as it turns out.
How far off is your Cayman now?
Liam
Looking at September for the new plate on the Cayman now. Could possibly get it sooner but seems more sensible to wait for a 67 plate.
Pinball said:
LiamH66 said:
Enjoyable epic post, thanks!
Which gearbox is in the loan car - PDK?
Not sure you have written anything I don't agree with, and glad I didn't get PSE. There is a touch more lag from the 2.0 at 2000 rpm, but from 2500 rpm up it is not really distinguishable from the 2.5 (just less torque of course). I've driven a lot of turbo performance cars over the years, and agree that these engines are about as good as it gets for driving dynamics. I wished the NA 6 was still available when I ordered my car, but 3000 miles in, I don't think I would want to be without the mid-range torque. Possibly not the best compromise for a sports car, but for an all round daily drive I think they did a really good job.
The standard seats suit me, but I have to admit I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief when I got to try them for the first time at a PEC day. I had already committed to my final spec by that stage, and didn't know if I would find them comfortable for long journeys. Best seat fit I have ever had as it turns out.
How far off is your Cayman now?
Liam
It's PDK. Haven't done a huge amount of manual driving in it so far, though. The main use I've found for the paddles is actually getting into a higher gear faster when cruising. In normal mode it seems to hang onto the gears a bit longer than necessary at a slow pace. Mainly situations where I'd want to go up a couple of gears in a manual at once when you've got to your cruising speed.Which gearbox is in the loan car - PDK?
Not sure you have written anything I don't agree with, and glad I didn't get PSE. There is a touch more lag from the 2.0 at 2000 rpm, but from 2500 rpm up it is not really distinguishable from the 2.5 (just less torque of course). I've driven a lot of turbo performance cars over the years, and agree that these engines are about as good as it gets for driving dynamics. I wished the NA 6 was still available when I ordered my car, but 3000 miles in, I don't think I would want to be without the mid-range torque. Possibly not the best compromise for a sports car, but for an all round daily drive I think they did a really good job.
The standard seats suit me, but I have to admit I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief when I got to try them for the first time at a PEC day. I had already committed to my final spec by that stage, and didn't know if I would find them comfortable for long journeys. Best seat fit I have ever had as it turns out.
How far off is your Cayman now?
Liam
Looking at September for the new plate on the Cayman now. Could possibly get it sooner but seems more sensible to wait for a 67 plate.
ONtheROCS said:
Hopefully I'll also be able to finally banish pdk from my potential spec sheet. I dislike autos in general and find the paddles awkward so I'm hoping that the instructors can train me to like PDK!
When I did a half day warm up at the PEC in my PDK 981 the instructor said "Leave it in Sport. It's the fastest way. Keep both hands on the wheel at 9 and 3, you shouldn't need to move them at all."Edited by ONtheROCS on Monday 31st July 05:16
Not a paddle shift or manual gear change the whole time. Kick-down... perhaps.
DJMC said:
When I did a half day warm up at the PEC in my PDK 981 the instructor said "Leave it in Sport. It's the fastest way. Keep both hands on the wheel at 9 and 3, you shouldn't need to move them at all."
Not a paddle shift or manual gear change the whole time. Kick-down... perhaps.
I've heard the PEC track is quite tight so that probably is the case but it just bores me on normal roads.Not a paddle shift or manual gear change the whole time. Kick-down... perhaps.
ONtheROCS said:
I've heard the PEC track is quite tight so that probably is the case but it just bores me on normal roads.
Me too. But when I want a little fun, which usually means hearing the engine scream, I tend to use the gear lever rather than the paddles and drive it like a manual. Of course it can change gear faster than a manual and there's no issue with crunching or messing up a take-off. My last manual was a hugely enjoyable E46 330ci but I don't miss it a bit.HighwayStar said:
In normal auto mode PDK is about economy... it's the way it's set up so it won't be in what you feel is the right gear as you approach a corner and probably change up when you don't want it to. Going to the paddles or full manual gives you control of proceedings. Sport auto is a decent halfway house I guess but when pressing on the paddles are the way to go... PDK is my first DCT box and there did come a point where I felt I really needed to make a conscious effort to learn how to get the best from it and therefore the car. Sport and manual, fabulous... I'll have to drive a proper manual one day though.
I've no doubt the shift algorithm will be modified from 981 but I suspect it will have similar characteristics. In Normal it will change up rather early and you'll need to do downshift overrides, in Sport it'll suit sporty motoring much better, but hang on to the lower gears just a bit too long when you've regained cruising speed. A point to note Sport disables coast mode - and many will prefer to have engine braking when pressing on. HOWEVER on the motorway coast mode does yield significant economy benefits, so it may be better to use Normal. HighwayStar said:
In normal auto mode PDK is about economy... it's the way it's set up so it won't be in what you feel is the right gear as you approach a corner and probably change up when you don't want it to. Going to the paddles or full manual gives you control of proceedings. Sport auto is a decent halfway house I guess but when pressing on the paddles are the way to go... PDK is my first DCT box and there did come a point where I felt I really needed to make a conscious effort to learn how to get the best from it and therefore the car. Sport and manual, fabulous... I'll have to drive a proper manual one day though.
I did notice the lower revs in corners. Should have remembered to put it into sport when I was pushing on a bit. Just find it a bit odd that it hangs on sometimes before changing when I want it to change. Seems like there's a lot to learn regarding getting the most out of PDK. Gassing Station | Boxster/Cayman | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff