EVO Mag PDK views

[tscaptain]

I presume that many of you will be regular readers of EVO! Interesting to note that in edition no 125, the eCoty one, that the PDK gearbox is the "winner" of the "Disappointment of the Year" award. Not in my little world it isn't, I love it to bits - but then I didn't have to "unlearn" flappy-paddles. I also love the option to puddle around in normal/auto mode or give the it the full beans in Sport Plus. They also didn't mention the Launch Control which is a real hoot(if you can find space to do it). Am I being over-sensitive about ny new pride and joy or are they being mean and picky? Any thoughts?

 

[pwebb]

mean and picky!

Journos are jumping between cars the whole time, so rarely get the chance to thoroughly familiarise themselves with a slightly different technique. Time will tell but having got used to the tiptronic buttons on the KN, I hope that the pdk will be straightforward when it arrives. I still feel that from my experiences so far the pdk box is a step up from the Fezzas and R8s that I have also tried.

 

[dilloncallum]

Whilst I think many people would agree that the new gearbox is a stunning piece of engineering, the steering mounted buttons are missing the point.

Evo magazine goes by the moto 'The Thrill of Driving' (and I do not work for them).

Over the last few years (as seen in the previous Car of The Years in that magazine) have always sided with the view that the various 911s have been at the top of the performance car tree (although I am not sure that this should have always been the case, much that I love Porsche!)

However having had a Aston Martin Vanquish with automated gearbox (for long enough to see that it is not as bad as Mr Clarkson makes out) and Maserati Quattroporte (not as good as Maserati claim it to be for a luxury car) and driven extensively a Ferrari 360 with an F1 gearbox, I would say that Porsche have missed the point, whereas the above others, even if they are not that great, have hit the nail on the head.

Not only is it the point to be able to change gear as quickly (and smoothly as possible) but also have pleasure doing it.

These steering wheel buttons do not fit into the 'pleasure' part at all.

Had the Ferrari, Aston etc boxes not been invented, the Porsche box may be seen in a different light.

The Porsche buttons are not intuitive to use, whereas the others are very simple in execution and give the user pleasure whilst doing so.

My cousin has a 911 pretty much identical to mine. However he has a Tiptronic whereas my car is manual.

He went away and asked me if I would like to use his car for the two weeks he would be gone. I know that the PDK box is going to be alot better in the way it goes about changing gear itself, but the buttons themselves were awful in the Tiptronic if you like 'driving' at all.

I went to the Porsche driving centre at Silverstone and expected the new PDK box to knock my socks off.

Yes the PDK was very good and much better than the old Tiptronic box, but having driven the car for 5 or 10 mins or so, I felt it was better to let it do its own thing and leave it in auto.

Whilst this is good for those (which I am sure there are many) who liked the previous Tiptronic box, it will not attract others like myself to it in a hurry (not in a 911 anyway).

This box really needs a Panamera or Cayenne, where the 'Thrill of Driving' is secondary to comfort and involvement.

Maybe this is the point and why it has not recieved the universal acclaim from a wider audience.

 

[Ronnie C]

Is it true PDK is designed for older people (or girls) []

 

[Dylan1]

ORIGINAL: Ronnie C

Is it true PDK is designed for older people (or girls) []

i thought it stood for
Por Der Kinder(for the kids!)[]

 

[pwebb]

So, can't decide, am I too young or too old? (Sadly I think I know the answer).

 

[tscaptain]

You and me both, Peter! However, we could probably argue that we're not ageist, sexist or a failed German linguist![] Why not add "disabled" to the list of people Porsche had in mind? Oh, crikey no, that would really upset folk! The point of the discussion was meant to be is the PDK worthy of "Disappointment of the Year" tag rather than an auto/PDK v manual poll. I agree that the buttons/selectors leave a lot to be desired in terms of involvement/"thrill of driving" etc but in isolation, for me, not a reason to pass over a superb bit of engineering. Heh -ho, that's all.
Old man.[]

 

[Dylan1]

personally i have no hesitation in ordering my next porsche with pdk(just waiting to see if the gen 2 cayman s is as good as the 997 gen 2 pdk) -while-i found the actual steering wheel buttons less satisfying then paddles(and too much like the tip) I have tried but response times and feel was fantastic,so dont mind what the "experts"think[]

 

[tscaptain]

Yes, agree 100%, Dylan. Makes you wonder what market research Porsche carried out if, according to EVO, the buttons were "designed to make those customers used to the old Tiptronic steering wheel buttons feel comfortable". Still, you never know, by the time you order your next one they may have listened to the customers and brought out a replacement wheel with a big up paddle on the right and.........sorry, daydreaming there, they most probably won't![]

 

[Ronnie C]

ORIGINAL: tscaptain

...Still, you never know, by the time you order your next one they may have listened to the customers and brought out a replacement wheel with a big up paddle on the right and.....

techquipment.... get you wallet ready!!!!

 

[Dylan1]

indeed!!personally,having had manuals and tips i dont need the "comfortable"feeling of pdk being like the tip buttons and prefer the paddles like i had on the m3-much more involving -so as you say i dont know who they asked in their research[] !!but may change before i get around to persuading linda of the need to change!!

 

[tscaptain]

Well the cynical answer is probably that they didn't ask anyone for their opinion as they were too busy trying to keep it hush-hush so that the sale of Gen 1's didn't dry up late 07 and into 08![]

 

[jonathanw]

Well guys I am very happy with my PDK. having had tiptronics since the launch in the 964 I have always found the steering wheel buttons easy to use and the current PDK is a doddle. Forward to go up the gears and back to change - its just so easy. I have never rowed a car with paddles so I cant compare but it seems to me that with the buttons on the steering wheel they are always easily "at hand" .

I find the poodling about in town the regular PDK setting is fine but press the sport button and it flies. Not yet used the sport plus yet as she hasn't done 1k miles yet.
There is no question that this gearbox is a quantum advance over the previous tiptronics.

Maybe I am an old f**t or G O D (grumpy old doctor) but I love the PDK

 

[Dylan1]

Maybe I am an old f**t or G O D (grumpy old doctor) but I love the PDK

that makes two of us at least jonathan[]

 

[tscaptain]

Make that three, except my G.O.D is growing old disgracefully[]

 

[dereksharpuk]

Well I don't care what EVO says. I have now done many more miles than them in my PDK Cab and love it. I am even warming to the steering wheel buttons, though still would prefer paddles.

That just goes to show that you should not accept all that you read in the magazines. For example, PCM 3 is rubbish, but initially seems not bad.

 

[garyw]

ORIGINAL: dereksharpuk
That just goes to show that you should not accept all that you read in the magazines. For example, PCM 3 is rubbish, but initially seems not bad.

and has just won an award for the best interface for an in car communication systems.[]

garyw

 

[dereksharpuk]

ORIGINAL: garyw

ORIGINAL: dereksharpuk
That just goes to show that you should not accept all that you read in the magazines. For example, PCM 3 is rubbish, but initially seems not bad.

and has just won an award for the best interface for an in car communication systems.[]

garyw

Well I am surprised because PCM 3 is a backward step for the following reasons:

1. It still will not accept full digit post code.
2. The database is insufficiently populated. Try putting in 33 Sunnycroft High Wycombe. I could do that with PCM 2.
3. Unlike PCM 2, PCM 3 will only accept 1 speed limit warning. In PCM 2 I put in 30, 60 and 70 mph.
4. Unlike PCM 2, the main page cannot be configured.
5. One can only configure 1 page of the 3 in Trip.
6. Having selected a desitination, one cannot see it on the map, merely the whole route. If it is a long route one cannot see exactly what the destination is, just that it ends in a large town.
7. Worse still, the shortest route is hardly ever the shortest. There is something wrong with the software.
8. When you select multiple routes (3), it supplies them, but often the mileage is the same for all 3, even if they are different distances.

Want any more examples?

My cheap Garmin from Halfords (cost £150) is significantly better.

The trouble with magazine articles is that the writers only have limited time in the car. They never get to see the more detailed bits that owners do. Yes, at first glance PCM3 is great: clear screen. fast update, HD for storage. But........................

 

[tscaptain]

Er, right, so we can safely say that Derek doesn't like PCM 3. [] But not terribly relevant to the thread which was started to canvas views on PDK and that article, but interesting none the less! Had a long drive today all in "manual" and like Jonathanw and Derek I'm now finding the buttons almost second nature, certainly not getting it the wrong way round as they suggested would happen in the magazine. Come PDK owners, let's have your thoughts, there must be more than the four of us on the forum!

 

[mottle]

PDK is the best!!! my c2s is magnificent and it took less than a week of driving to sort out the so called backward button/paddle shift. Its getting very boring reading articles on how the pdk controls are backward. If there is any any jounalist reading this heres a thought, go and test it for longer than a day then write your column. It is by far the slickest,quickest most smooth gear box ive EVER had the pleasure of using. So stick that in your pipes and smoke em!![]