Regrets with spec

[jimbo761]

Coming up to three years’ ownership and I’m still very happy with the car. However if I was going to spec it again I think I’d definitely go manual. The PDK is superb in traffic so great for daily commuting and pdk performance is unequalled, providing uninterrupted instantaneous power throughout the gears, but I do find I miss the involvement you get with a manual, more noticibly after a couple of years of ownership.

Flipping the coin, there any manual drivers out there who would now go pdk in retrospect ? Or are there any options you’d add with the benefit of hindsight? For me I think the rear wiper is one, rain-x is ok but clearing the rear screen before reversing in the rain would be handy.

[Ed from Cyprus]

Same here with Cayman 981.
Great car but not enough fun. Paddles don't make difference, not a match to manual.
Recently sold after 3,5 years and looking into something manual and more raw.

[Crispystork]

Own a manual 981 BGTS. No. I would never go auto. I have a VW Golf as DSG with my daily driver and it's great in town and what not. My Boxster is my weekend car and PDK would ruin it for me. Being more in control of the car is part of the fun.

Sure, the PDK is better for lap times round a track, but I would never drive mine on a track. If i wanted pure speed i'd get a super car.

[Wudee]

Had the same. Sold my 991S PDK after 4 years. Found the car too dull and like a fast Audi to drive.
Now own a manual 991.2

[Flying machine]

I had a PDK 981 BS for around 5 years and it was superb as a daily driver, but when it became a weekend car I wanted a manual again, so bought a 981 Spyder, which I absolutely love! So, no I wouldn't go back to PDK for a fun car, but probably would for a daily driver.

[frayz]

Paddles are for canoes

[Twinfan]

Not in a million years would I go for PDK. The Cayster 6-speed is a joy to use, and by all accounts better than the 7-speed in the 911.

As for other spec regrets there are none here, mostly because I added a few extras at the very last minute (including the reversing camera). Best thing I did as the car as perfect, although it's making it very difficult to let go of.

[Over over under steer]

I've a manual 981 Boxster, with the 2.7. Love the relatively low power leading to a real requirement to shift a lot and use the engine - wouldn't change.

WISH I has the following:

- PTV
- PDLS or equiv better headlights
- Extended Leather
- Bluetooth music streaming
- Buckets

[Gio G]

frayz said:

Paddles are for canoes

Should put that on a T-shirt!

G

Edited by Gio G on Tuesday 14th May 07:37

[The_Doc]

93% of 991 sold were PDK

The problem, is going to be finding manual cars in the future.

Ditto an involving non-turbo engine.

Ditto good exhaust note

Ditto petrol engines eventually.

Perhaps the 997 GT3 RS is going to be seen as the high water mark in years to come?

[PPPMAT]

I have Pdk on my 991.1s. It suits that engine in that the power is at the top of the Rev range so it’s easier to exploit. I would go manual if I had the choice but try finding one in a decent colour/spec on a 991.1.

[dreamcar]

Crispystork said:

Own a manual 981 BGTS. No. I would never go auto. I have a VW Golf as DSG with my daily driver and it's great in town and what not. My Boxster is my weekend car and PDK would ruin it for me. Being more in control of the car is part of the fun.

Sure, the PDK is better for lap times round a track, but I would never drive mine on a track. If i wanted pure speed i'd get a super car.

I also have a Golf GTI DSG but my Boxster GTS is PDK. The difference between the two is like night and day, with the Golf the changes are more slurred and slower, in “Normal” it changes up for too early and labours the engine, but Sport mode is like Sport Plus with the Porsche, keeps the engine revs high - the Golf desperately needs a mid range setting such as the Porsche PDK has. Moving off smartly such as a road junction it can be slow to react and pick up too, even with the stop start deactivated. VW’s DSG is by far the most disappointing part of the GTI.

I have no regrets choosing PDK in the Boxster - the only option I really regret not selecting was the 18 way adaptive sports seats plus.

Edited by dreamcar on Monday 13th May 18:43

[Cheib]

PPPMAT said:

I have Pdk on my 991.1s. It suits that engine in that the power is at the top of the Rev range so it’s easier to exploit. I would go manual if I had the choice but try finding one in a decent colour/spec on a 991.1.

991.1 really was the peak of PDK love I think...I’d guess a lot more 991.2’s are manual.I bought my manual 997 GTS at the beginning of 2016...if anything it was cheaper than a PDK car. I started out trying to find a manual 991.1 GTS but there were none around despite most OPC’s having new 991.1 GTS’s looking for a home.

[PPPMAT]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I do quite like it - when you are on it. It works really well for me with an engine that has too end power. I also loved smg2 on the old e46 m3s for the same reason. I love the clips on youtube of the 991.1 gt3 banging through the gears holding on for dear life - looks great fun to me but probably only when you are really trying.

I don’t think it ruins the experience but it is a different flavour for sure.

[DS240]

I’d already ordered the 987 Spyder but drove a pdk specced one before delivery. I seriously worried about my choice after driving the pdk... not because I liked the auto but because I think it completely ruined the car and made the whole drive utterly boring.

Thankfully when my manual one arrived, it was like a completely different car. No regrets about manual.

I could maybe understand a pdk choice on a non GT 911 if it did a lot of daily stuff rather than being a sunny day sports car only.

However on a sports car I would want a manual. On the family car more than happy for the auto to do its thing.

[Crispystork]

dreamcar said:

I also have a Golf GTI DSG but my Boxster GTS is PDK. The difference between the two is like night and day, with the Golf the changes are more slurred and slower, in “Normal” it changes up for too early and labours the engine, but Sport mode is like Sport Plus with the Porsche, keeps the engine revs high - the Golf desperately needs a mid range setting such as the Porsche PDK has. Moving off smartly such as a road junction it can be slow to react and pick up too, even with the stop start deactivated. VW’s DSG is by far the most disappointing part of the GTI.

I have no regrets choosing PDK in the Boxster - the only option I really regret not selecting was the 18 way adaptive sports seats plus.

Edited by dreamcar on Monday 13th May 18:43

The thing is you're talking about a golf.. which is a family sized medium priced hatchback not designed for speed, vs a sports car. The whole reason I got my golf DSG was not because it shifts well, but because its comfortable round town. Got my cockster for speed, golf for commute

[bcr5784]

If PDK "RUINS" the experience then there is something wrong with the chassis imo. If you "need" a manual gearbox to make the drive fun/engaging then the chassis/steering which (to me) is the MOST important characteristic is deficient in some way. Of course chassis, engine, and gearbox all contribute to the experience - but (for me at least) chassis is king.

[Crispystork]

bcr5784 said:

If PDK "RUINS" the experience then there is something wrong with the chassis imo. If you "need" a manual gearbox to make the drive fun/engaging then the chassis/steering which (to me) is the MOST important characteristic is deficient in some way. Of course chassis, engine, and gearbox all contribute to the experience - but (for me at least) chassis is king.

Chassis "feels" the same regardless of the gearbox. It's more about the feeling of control for me. PDK feels like i'm playing gran turismo in an arcade, not driving a car.

[JayK12]

bcr5784 said:

If PDK "RUINS" the experience then there is something wrong with the chassis imo.

lol

[Crispystork]

JayK12 said:

lol

agree xD