Are Spyders Becoming Extinct At OPCs!

[Andy Fagan]

ORIGINAL: MrDemon http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/porsche/cayman/porsche-cayman-r-987-gen-ii--in-white-manual-sports-chrono-exhaust-and-carbon-seats-----------------2012/1616601# looks perfect to me

Thanks Mr D. Already talking to this guy and nearly at a deal. There is also this one too which has just appeared http://ucl.porsche.de/ucl/plsql/uk/clients.show_car?sid_=51336344VY7ZPA2JZGYTY6IR779AOCO&pnr_=1&lnr_=1&caller_= EDIT.... I forgot the obligatory pic so here goes...

 

[kitchens]

If you want i could pop over and have a look at the car for as far as looking for the obvious paint etc .Not a mechanic .I stay approx 15 miles away and have a decent relationship with dealer principle and sales staff . If it was my money the slightly higher mileage looks a better deal esp if new tryes are being fitted and does have warranty till 2015 one from the dealer would give you 2 years from now same thing warrant wise . Brian. Just noticed says Press Car so no idea if it was reg Glasgow or Reading them bought by dealer or sold on to a private buyer then sold back into dealership ..I suppose you can ask the question yourself

 

[flat6]

ORIGINAL: kitchens Don't knock these prices the higher they go the better for us all ...can be no bad thing to see values rise especially the very rare RED ones [][] Brian

Indeed[]. The 3 OPC cars that are not so compelling and are hanging around with their prices slashed, is influencing the other sellers I reckon. When those cars are gone, all it'll take is for OPC's to start asking £40+ K again on some new stock and the indies and privates will start asking £39K again[]

 

[MrDemon]

I would sell mine for 45k , any takers

 

[VvrooomM]

ORIGINAL: Andy Fagan

ORIGINAL: MrDemon http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/porsche/cayman/porsche-cayman-r-987-gen-ii--in-white-manual-sports-chrono-exhaust-and-carbon-seats-----------------2012/1616601# looks perfect to me

Thanks Mr D. Already talking to this guy and nearly at a deal. There is also this one too which has just appeared http://ucl.porsche.de/ucl/plsql/uk/clients.show_car?sid_=51336344VY7ZPA2JZGYTY6IR779AOCO&pnr_=1&lnr_=1&caller_= EDIT.... I forgot the obligatory pic so here goes...

Shocking colour, glad no one on here is daft enough to have one!! Surely you might as well buy an S if you don't go buckets. I've owned my PDK Spyder for a year, never drove a manual and did my silver stone experience in a PDK ceramic cayman. The brakes on that were noticeably sharper. As for PDK, I'm still undecided. I came from a Z4MC, E46M3 and two MX5's - all manual but had been itching to try a paddle shifter. Sport and Sport plus are mapped wrong for me so hardly ever use them, in auto it gets caught at junctions and roundabouts where you approach and want to nip out as its asleep in 7th. Have found a gentle dab on throttle as you approach gets it ready just in case there is a gap. Paddles were a must have for me, the steering wheel is pretty smart but lacks the phone and audio buttons you might expect. Must go out and launch it, still not done it in 12 months. Manual is in the frunk and I can't remember how. Also need to track it, think gearbox might come into its own on there. 12 months in - I'm sat on the fence about PDK

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: Andy Fagan Still on my quest to find a Cayman R but have had a couple of disappointments. I am even starting to consider a PDK gearbox now and was wondering what any of you guys with one think of them? Also are there any issues with maintenance and/or resale?

What is your usual preference in a car manual or auto? Personally I am not a fan of auto boxes and whilst PDK's are a completely different ball game my current preference for weekend joy riding is still a slick manual For some reason when discussing the subject with local OPC salesman he said if he was buying a 987 it would be a manual and if he was buying a 981 it would only be a PDK as he claims the second gen PDK's are so brilliant now the manual is no longer his first choice[&o]

 

[Andy Fagan]

Always preferred a manual but never had a PDK. I think I'd need to live with one for a week or so to give it a fair trial.

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: Andy Fagan Always preferred a manual but never had a PDK. I think I'd need to live with one for a week or so to give it a fair trial.

Definitely worth getting a dealer loner for a 48 hour test drive should be doable

 

[flat6]

ORIGINAL: VvrooomM I've owned my PDK Spyder for a year, never drove a manual and did my silver stone experience in a PDK ceramic cayman. The brakes on that were noticeably sharper. As for PDK, I'm still undecided. I came from a Z4MC, E46M3 and two MX5's - all manual but had been itching to try a paddle shifter. Sport and Sport plus are mapped wrong for me so hardly ever use them, in auto it gets caught at junctions and roundabouts where you approach and want to nip out as its asleep in 7th. Have found a gentle dab on throttle as you approach gets it ready just in case there is a gap. Paddles were a must have for me, the steering wheel is pretty smart but lacks the phone and audio buttons you might expect. Must go out and launch it, still not done it in 12 months. Manual is in the frunk and I can't remember how. Also need to track it, think gearbox might come into its own on there. 12 months in - I'm sat on the fence about PDK

That was certainly was my impression of PDK, slow unless prep'd or already on a charge. It'd also leave me on the fence if I had to manipulate it to keep it awake, such as dabbing the throttle as you describe. BUT, have you spent much time driving it mainly in manual mode? I haven't tried that and was thinking i'd have to do that if I had PDK (and actually, leave it in auto on the track, in Sport Plus mode). Any comments on using it in manual mode?

 

[flat6]

ORIGINAL: daro911

ORIGINAL: Andy Fagan Always preferred a manual but never had a PDK. I think I'd need to live with one for a week or so to give it a fair trial.

Definitely worth getting a dealer loner for a 48 test drive should be doable

Andy, you might need more than a week to get used to it. I had a PDK GTS for a week but maybe i'm a slow learner but it took some time to remember what gear I was in when driving in manual mode so ended up looking at the display a lot to double check. No doubt it would become 2nd nature but as it was just a loaner with no plans to buy PDK at the time, I left it mainly in auto and kept switching sport mode on and off whenever I wanted it to hang onto gears, which was a lot of faffing about. Test drive as many as you can but you might have to take the plunge based on a judgement. You might not be in love with it after just a week. As VrooomM says, he's still deliberating on it after a year. I doubt you'll get a used car i.e. a 987 on sale, for a 48 hour test drive. If you take a 981 demo on a 48 hr test drive you will be kidding yourself slightly as the newer PDK reacts quicker to throttle response (in terms of deciding for a down-shift) than the original version.

 

[Dylan1]

The pdk in 981/991 is a completely different animal as you say. The first gen pdk was not brilliant IMO but the loaner 981 I had for 6 weeks was brilliant .but obviously not the one in the spyder.

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: dyllan The pdk in 981/991 is a completely different animal as you say. The first gen pdk was not brilliant IMO but the loaner 981 I had for 6 weeks was brilliant .but obviously not the one in the spyder.

Apparently different clutches and more sophisticated software have transformed the Gen 2 version of PDK but I still think it is very much which way you lean as I do like a manual shifter still even on my daily driver If I was getting a 981 I would definitely want a week in a loan car before finally taking the plunge. There was no used car premium on 987 PDK cars v manuals but according to the sales people that should no longer be the case with 981's despite the locator today showing 68/112 981's are PDK - 60%[&o] That's still says to me 40% of us want to stick with the stick Same survey on 991 and the result is a resounding success for PDK [&o] 123/140 = 88% of 911's have it so I have no doubt buying a manual would be a major kick in the wallet come sale time

 

[VvrooomM]

Manual setting is good but it still kicks down automatically if you push too hard on the loud pedal which seems odd. You obviously can't over rev, it sometimes seems to let you load the downshifts with a satisfying blip and pop as it changes but other times it doesn't. Whilst I've had it a year I've only covered 4k. It definitely makes the driving experience smoother but I think I still miss a manual gearbox. []

 

[billy1]

ORIGINAL: flat6

ORIGINAL: VvrooomM I've owned my PDK Spyder for a year, never drove a manual and did my silver stone experience in a PDK ceramic cayman. The brakes on that were noticeably sharper. As for PDK, I'm still undecided. I came from a Z4MC, E46M3 and two MX5's - all manual but had been itching to try a paddle shifter. Sport and Sport plus are mapped wrong for me so hardly ever use them, in auto it gets caught at junctions and roundabouts where you approach and want to nip out as its asleep in 7th. Have found a gentle dab on throttle as you approach gets it ready just in case there is a gap. Paddles were a must have for me, the steering wheel is pretty smart but lacks the phone and audio buttons you might expect. Must go out and launch it, still not done it in 12 months. Manual is in the frunk and I can't remember how. Also need to track it, think gearbox might come into its own on there. 12 months in - I'm sat on the fence about PDK

That was certainly was my impression of PDK, slow unless prep'd or already on a charge. It'd also leave me on the fence if I had to manipulate it to keep it awake, such as dabbing the throttle as you describe. BUT, have you spent much time driving it mainly in manual mode? I haven't tried that and was thinking i'd have to do that if I had PDK (and actually, leave it in auto on the track, in Sport Plus mode). Any comments on using it in manual mode?

To get the "best" out of PDK you do need to work it - but that's hardly an arduous task compared to a manual box. I like the manual mode and use it everywhere but in town or on motorways. Super flexible and much quicker to react than a manual, obviously.

 

[jdpef356]

I had a long weekend with PDK in a Cayman. Let me first say that I have been driving since the mid 60's and have only ever owned one Auto/Tip (BMW 325 Sport) which I quickly sold again because I felt disengaged with the driving experience. The Cayman experience fared little better, although the short time I had the car gave little chance for a 'real' test. I found myself having to look at the display (I think someone else said this) to try and find where I was/which gear I was in. Perhaps some basic instruction of How to drive a PDK would have helped before setting out. It took me some time to sort out and to be honest I guess I really never did get the best out of it. I would also say that had two cars, a manual and a PDK been sitting side by side and they said 'take which you like for the weekend' the PDK one would have still been sitting on the forecourt. (Reluctance to change I thinks its called) I can see (some of) the advantages - if you really want to go quick (they say it changes gear more quickly than I can - no surprise there then) If you do a lot of City driving (which I don't) you won't suffer with a hot left foot. etc etc............... As I said before I just felt disengaged with the drive - I think some tuition may have helped but doubt I would have ever been swayed to part with my money for PDK over manual.

 

[billy1]

People like different things. And some people are simply not prepared to even consider changing regardless. What I would say is that it takes more than a test-drive to get to grips with PDK. Personally I'm still somewhat on the fence - in that I wouldn't spec PDK or pay a premium for it - but it's no longer a deal breaker like, for example, Tiptronic was.

 

[rob.kellock]

I do like automatics... for my daily driver. Sitting in traffic jams, the urban crawl it is a far more pleasant experience. I had a 987S PDK for a week last summer whilst the Spyder's mystery fuel gauge problem was looked at in depth and also, earlier this year a 981S PDK for a couple of days when it was finally fixed. I'm afraid I can't remember what the red Cayman was (flat6 - you had it too, can you remember?). I thought the 987 system had some quirks; a traditional auto is better in traffic. You also can't do what I lazily do on the motorway which is when you catch up with another car and it then pulls over, just put your foot down and carry on - the Spyder is quite happy to do this in sixth gear at 60mph and your passenger doesn't notice. PDK car drops 3/4 gears and goes mental. Which is fun at first but terrible for fuel economy. They also stay in 1st gear too long at low speed which can be awkward / attention grabbing in car parks. PDK suits the 981S well. The system has fewer of the quirks and it suits the digital nature of the car - its steering, the electronic dial in the instrument cluster, its general modernity. I haven't bought one though...

 

[MrDemon]

ok in the right car, in a Cayman R or Spyder a PDK is NOT the right box. you adapt quick with PDK, what the issue is though, you lose the skill to drive a manual well. When I had the DCT box (better than a PDK box imo) every time I stopped at a junction in the Spyder a day later I forgot to press the clutch in and it takes 2 seconds to work out why you have stalled. All in all it makes you lazy and it's dull. Jurno's love it because they hoon about for 1/2 an hour and don't take it home with them, I like playing with a loan car for half a day, but by Midday I am done with it. Clicking a micro switch with one finger does not seem to do it for me.... Sports plus is also Stupid and normal has you in 7th by the time you have got off your drive way. At least the DCT had 7 modes so you could choose where in the revs it changes gear and that was a great feature. Porsche need to make the PDK true manual or make it with a dial you can a just so you can choose , say to change at 5.5k as a example. for me I hate having to go though all the gears to get from 7th to 2nd and it blipping and poping on every one (again ok for a laugh but after 1/2 a day it tiresome and annoying) and if you do click it down fast when you are coming to a round about fast it does get upset. better to hoon upto a sharp turn in 6th brake hard, do the perfect heal and toe downshift to 2nd and off you go, now that's driving. Now PDK and these auto boxes have 8 gears ffs what car can ever need 8 gears, up and down, up and down all with in600 rpm of each other.

 

[flat6]

ORIGINAL: rob.kellock I'm afraid I can't remember what the red Cayman was (flat6 - you had it too, can you remember?).

The reason you can't remember was that it was a forgettable 2.7 (no disrespect to those who have a 2.7 981 but the chassis is so good that it feels too slow to me to have an engine that can't push it to maintain the thrill). Would it have been better with a PDK - maybe not. An OPC saleman said to me he prefers a manual if it was a 2.7 and a PDK in a 3.4. I think that was both for 981 and 987. The reason was because the smaller engine didn't have the power to work the PDK, so better to have a manual to work the engine more how you feel you need to. Extrapolating that concept, I expect a PDK in a turbo, which has much more power and also a lower rev limit to an normally aspirated car, the PDK is the perfect marriage as it's hard to keep up with when that engine needs an upshift. Our cars in the middle it appears the decision is harder to make. A lot of good feedback from people Andy. Hopefully it's given you a lot to think about when you are test driving one.

 

[billy1]

ORIGINAL: MrDemon ok in the right car, in a Cayman R or Spyder a PDK is NOT the right box.

I do wish that you'd stop trying to present your OPINION as FACT. The FACT is that for some buyers (over half Spyder buyers in fact), the PDK was the right box. You seem to have no respect for opinions other than your own.