Help with understanding the PDK
- Thread starter chaser
- Start date
Hi guys,
I was out driving my 718 Cayman yesterday and had a play with the manual gear selector on the PDK (this is the first time I've had an automatic, let alone a PDK).
One thing I noticed was I couldn't select 7th gear using the paddles. Is it not possible to select the 7th gear in the manual setting? The display was only showing 6 and when I tried to change to 7th nothing happened. I can't remember if I was in normal drive or Sport/Sport+, would this make a difference? I can't find anything about it in the owners manual.
I've not driven on a motorway yet so not sure if it goes to 7th in automatic mode, will be trying that tomorrow.
Your help with my understanding would be great.
Thanks,
Richard.
I was out driving my 718 Cayman yesterday and had a play with the manual gear selector on the PDK (this is the first time I've had an automatic, let alone a PDK).
One thing I noticed was I couldn't select 7th gear using the paddles. Is it not possible to select the 7th gear in the manual setting? The display was only showing 6 and when I tried to change to 7th nothing happened. I can't remember if I was in normal drive or Sport/Sport+, would this make a difference? I can't find anything about it in the owners manual.
I've not driven on a motorway yet so not sure if it goes to 7th in automatic mode, will be trying that tomorrow.
Your help with my understanding would be great.
Thanks,
Richard.
Brian_Innes
Member
Richard,
I likewise had to learn how the PDK operated in the various modes. I am a life-time manual shifter so it was all new for me also.
Everything has more or less been said already. In auto "D" mode 7th gear will select normally when road speed dictates, usually around 45mph on a light throttle. In Sport mode you'll not see 7th being selected unless you are risking a prison sentence for exceeding 100mph on public roads.
On my holiday trip south on the motorways I selected 7th in Sport mode manually on the paddles at 65 - 70mph. Otherwise the 6th gear was held at this speed in Sport.
You'll never need 7th in Sport Plus mode Richard, unless you are contemplating lapping Nurburgring or Le Mans.
In the interests of smoothness, I never use the throttle kick-down. I prefer to select manual mode, shift to the appropriate gear with the paddles or central stick as you would in a manual, and rocket past slower traffic up-shifting when it suits. This is a much smoother and less dramatic method than the kick-down in my opinion.
Brian
I likewise had to learn how the PDK operated in the various modes. I am a life-time manual shifter so it was all new for me also.
Everything has more or less been said already. In auto "D" mode 7th gear will select normally when road speed dictates, usually around 45mph on a light throttle. In Sport mode you'll not see 7th being selected unless you are risking a prison sentence for exceeding 100mph on public roads.
On my holiday trip south on the motorways I selected 7th in Sport mode manually on the paddles at 65 - 70mph. Otherwise the 6th gear was held at this speed in Sport.
You'll never need 7th in Sport Plus mode Richard, unless you are contemplating lapping Nurburgring or Le Mans.
In the interests of smoothness, I never use the throttle kick-down. I prefer to select manual mode, shift to the appropriate gear with the paddles or central stick as you would in a manual, and rocket past slower traffic up-shifting when it suits. This is a much smoother and less dramatic method than the kick-down in my opinion.
Brian
Blink982
New member
New member here. I recently tried PDK again and found that Auto (sport+) was simply unusable as it blasts through gears then sits at ridiculous revs at the NSL. I experienced similar with DSG in Audi. I loved the PDK in auto mode but I fear I would just get bored with it as I have plenty of A/B roads near me so I have ordered a manual base 718.
Maybe I'm just too used to manuals and will take a long time to get used to an auto car. I'm hoping to try PDK at the PEC when I get my invite and maybe the instructors will give me some tips to getting along with PDK but at the moment, I think I'll stick to manuals while they're offered.
Roll on November.
Maybe I'm just too used to manuals and will take a long time to get used to an auto car. I'm hoping to try PDK at the PEC when I get my invite and maybe the instructors will give me some tips to getting along with PDK but at the moment, I think I'll stick to manuals while they're offered.
Roll on November.
Brian_Innes
Member
My 718 CS is my first PDK car. I'd never thought I'd say it, but for me, PDK in manual paddle-shift mode is best on the Highland A & B roads where I live. I shift the gears manually as I would in a manual car, and I use the Sport mode most of the time as it includes the throttle blipping on downshifts.
Sport Plus mode is best for the track, and again I use the paddles to shift the gears at my own choosing. Auto, "D" mode I use only in high density rural road traffic, and in towns and cities. "D" mode is also good for extending the fuel range by utilising the coasting facility. Like on those occasions when we get caught short on low fuel looking for super unleaded fuel stations for example.
I also enjoyed the PEC experience. You'll have fun with the 0-100-0 launch control starts and emergency braking on the PDK car if you get the chance.
You'll not be disappointed with your 718 manual.........it will be well worth the wait.
Brian
Sport Plus mode is best for the track, and again I use the paddles to shift the gears at my own choosing. Auto, "D" mode I use only in high density rural road traffic, and in towns and cities. "D" mode is also good for extending the fuel range by utilising the coasting facility. Like on those occasions when we get caught short on low fuel looking for super unleaded fuel stations for example.
I also enjoyed the PEC experience. You'll have fun with the 0-100-0 launch control starts and emergency braking on the PDK car if you get the chance.
You'll not be disappointed with your 718 manual.........it will be well worth the wait.
Brian
Blink982
New member
BJ Innes said:
I'm not far from the Highlands myself so probably drive on some of the same roads.
I find the paddles awkward to use, it's maybe the way I hold the wheel but it just doesn't feel natural. I always feel like I'm having to find the paddles, perhaps they're not big enough but I suspect it's a habit thing and I'm just struggling to come to terms with an auto.
I haven't bothered spec'ing sport chrono with the manual and after my test drive of the CS I think I would have doubts with PDK as I don't track my cars.
I got out and used the PDK this weekend so have a better understanding of it now.
I managed to get it to engage 7th gear, both in Normal and Sport. Also felt the difference in the dampers when I went into Sport+ mode.
When I picked up the car I asked my salesman about running it in and he said there was no real need to do it. He mentioned that the cars at the Silverstone Experience Centre are subjected to a hard like from day 1 so I gave my car a bit of welly a few times. Didn't really go over 5500 rpm but got a good idea how the different modes affect the acceleration... very impressed. Will be a bit more careful not until about 2,000 miles (which most people seem to do).
I managed to get it to engage 7th gear, both in Normal and Sport. Also felt the difference in the dampers when I went into Sport+ mode.
When I picked up the car I asked my salesman about running it in and he said there was no real need to do it. He mentioned that the cars at the Silverstone Experience Centre are subjected to a hard like from day 1 so I gave my car a bit of welly a few times. Didn't really go over 5500 rpm but got a good idea how the different modes affect the acceleration... very impressed. Will be a bit more careful not until about 2,000 miles (which most people seem to do).
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