Would you ever get to 3rd gear in the city?

[julian718]

Hi
Of the 718 Cayman range, from base to the new GT4, in regular city life (I live in Ealing London) would I get use more than first or second gear?
It may sound like a dumb question but I generally don’t know, and from most reviews that comment on the high gear ratios as a disappointment, is that the case, that 3rd gear and above would just never get used in city living?
Thanks in advance.

[bcr5784]

Probably not. The base car is doing around 2000 rpm at 30mph (in 3rd) just about where lag is at it's most intrusive. The GT4 would fair better - it will pull cleanly from 2000 revs, but I suspect you wouldn't bother changing up unless you wanted to be continually going up and down between 2nd and 3rd for the hell of it.

Edited by bcr5784 on Monday 24th June 14:40

[anonymous-user]

julian718 said:

in regular city life (I live in Ealing London) would I get use more than first or second gear?

Don't listen to the mad internet twaddle. It's a car - it drives like a car.

[bcr5784]

rockin said:

Don't listen to the mad internet twaddle. It's a car - it drives like a car.

It's a car that happens to do 115mph (manual) in 3rd and, in the case of the turbos, whose engine isn't very happy at the revs you will be doing in heavy traffic in 3rd gear. But the real solution is to try it - I have. Toodle along at 2000 revs or just below in third and try to accelerate reasonably briskly. It's not just me saying this - see https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[Prestonese]

I've owned a manual 981 GTS living in central London. You'll need strong legs and patience. Or just drive around everywhere in 2nd gear. You can use 3rd to coast a bit but like bcr said, you will be rowing back down to 2nd pretty quickly when the speed drops to below 20mph.

I didn't mind it but central London driving is an acquired taste.

[hunter 66]

Just get PDK , works well in London or on track

[anonymous-user]

hunter 66 said:

Just get PDK , works well in London or on track

This!

[anonymous-user]

OP - just go and drive the cars.

The clutch on manual Porsches is quite heavy and, as others have said, if that's a problem to you get a PDK. I consider PDK particularly well suited for the base 2 litre car.

I have no difficulty in town with my manual Boxster. And, shock horror, I don't drive everywhere in 2nd gear.

[frozen-in-wiltshire]

not relevant to a 718 probably - but have driven around london in two generations of 986 boxster S manuals - and spent most of the time in 2nd or 3rd. engine is so torquey that you can tootle along in 3rd at low revs a lot of the time. no trouble.