new 981

[banjo]

so after a long search i finally bought a 981.

its a mint low mileage car with sports seats,bose,20" wheels and pdk.

the car looks and drives superb however after only a few hundred miles im thinking that i made a mistake getting the pdk.

i just dont get it...i thought i would like it but i dont,it just feels like a very good automatic..but thats all it is,already i want to change it to a manual.

anyone thought the same but learnt to like it over time?

 

thanks

[Nick]

I have gone from PDK to manual and love the manual and have no regrets. The PDK wanted to change up all the time and this was quite annoying in slow moving traffic as mine shunted between 1st and 2nd. On the plus side PDK is the popular choice, faster and more economical.

[SpannerMan]

50 minutes ago, Nick said:

I have gone from PDK to manual and love the manual and have no regrets. The PDK wanted to change up all the time and this was quite annoying in slow moving traffic as mine shunted between 1st and 2nd. On the plus side PDK is the popular choice, faster and more economical.

 

Seen a few cars with PDK issues of that nature recently.  

 

There does seem to be an expectation from a lot owners that PDK should offer silky smooth gear changes at all speeds.  Unfortunately I’ve never known a double clutch gearbox of any manufacturer that does.  

[Windymiller]

9 hours ago, banjo said:

so after a long search i finally bought a 981.

its a mint low mileage car with sports seats,bose,20" wheels and pdk.

the car looks and drives superb however after only a few hundred miles im thinking that i made a mistake getting the pdk.

i just dont get it...i thought i would like it but i dont,it just feels like a very good automatic..but thats all it is,already i want to change it to a manual.

anyone thought the same but learnt to like it over time?

 

thanks

Give it a few hundred more, perhaps a longish road trip to really ‘learn’ your car ?

 

and then maybe try a long long drive in similar traffic and roads to your usual drives in a manual 981 if you can ‘borrow’ one and see what you think. 

 

In the 987 on test drives I found the (push button) PDK soulless, but taking the 718 GTS for a 60 minute play at the PEC I found PDK the perfect match to the turbo engine. 

 

I have a 987 manual and love it for its ‘analogue’ nature. I think the 718 PDK is the epitome of ‘digitalised’ motoring. Never having driven a 981 I wouldn’t dare to comment on the ‘perfect’ blend....  ?

 

PS - congrats on becoming a Cayman owner nonetheless - you’ve still bought a fantastic car AND it’s a Porsche ??????

Edited August 22, 2018 by Windymiller

[banjo]

1 hour ago, Windymiller said:

Give it a few hundred more, perhaps a longish road trip to really ‘learn’ your car ?

 

and then maybe try a long long drive in similar traffic and roads to your usual drives in a manual 981 if you can ‘borrow’ one and see what you think. 

 

In the 987 on test drives I found the (push button) PDK soulless, but taking the 718 GTS for a 60 minute play at the PEC I found PDK the perfect match to the turbo engine. 

 

I have a 987 manual and love it for its ‘analogue’ nature. I think the 718 PDK is the epitome of ‘digitalised’ motoring. Never having driven a 981 I wouldn’t dare to comment on the ‘perfect’ blend....  ?

 

PS - congrats on becoming a Cayman owner nonetheless - you’ve still bought a fantastic car AND it’s a Porsche ??????

thanks,all good advice.

 

i test drove a 981 S  pdk with sport plus and liked that but the bugdet wouldnt stretch to an S.

[mr pg]

12 hours ago, banjo said:

so after a long search i finally bought a 981.

its a mint low mileage car with sports seats,bose,20" wheels and pdk.

the car looks and drives superb however after only a few hundred miles im thinking that i made a mistake getting the pdk.

i just dont get it...i thought i would like it but i dont,it just feels like a very good automatic..but thats all it is,already i want to change it to a manual.

anyone thought the same but learnt to like it over time?

 

thanks

Are you just leaving it in auto mode most of the time? That's fine when just commuting, in traffic, etc, but when given the chance to enjoy the car put it in sport/sport+ and manual and it feels very different. You're now controlling it. I've done Wales trips and four euro tours in ours, and love the way you can change the nature of the car for driving through an unknown city to twisty alpine roads.

[banjo]

16 minutes ago, mr pg said:

Are you just leaving it in auto mode most of the time? That's fine when just commuting, in traffic, etc, but when given the chance to enjoy the car put it in sport/sport+ and manual and it feels very different. You're now controlling it. I've done Wales trips and four euro tours in ours, and love the way you can change the nature of the car for driving through an unknown city to twisty alpine roads.

hi

 

yes have used the sport button and its better.

think i will give it a month and if im still not convinced will sell and get a manual.

[twopointnine]

8 hours ago, banjo said:

hi

 

yes have used the sport button and its better.

think i will give it a month and if im still not convinced will sell and get a manual.

 

For the next month then just use ‘Sport’ all of the time, with manual gear shifts when you feel you need to - maybe you’ll come to like it more?

[banjo]

2 hours ago, twopointnine said:

 

For the next month then just use ‘Sport’ all of the time, with manual gear shifts when you feel you need to - maybe you’ll come to like it more?

i think pdk is just too modern for me and im just an analogue guy.

[Mk1]

It appears that you have not fully explored the PDK`s functions and capabilities ... ?

 

Why not visit the Silverstone Porsche Experience Centre with it ... ?

 

I moved from a manual Cayman R to a PDK 981 Cayman S ... no regrets at all.  

[banjo]

39 minutes ago, Mk1 said:

It appears that you have not fully explored the PDK`s functions and capabilities ... ?

 

Why not visit the Silverstone Porsche Experience Centre with it ... ?

 

I moved from a manual Cayman R to a PDK 981 Cayman S ... no regrets at all.  

i tried a 981 S with flappy paddles and liked it but the budget wouldnt stretch so ive got a base model with the steering wheel buttons.

[DJMC]

Put it in Sport, push the gear level to the left, to manual, then use the gear lever.

Just like a manual but better!

Try not to wiggle your left foot about.

[Daz]

How about lookingbat the cost of a sport wheel with the paddles. I have them on my 987 and it works well.

[Windymiller]

10 hours ago, banjo said:

i think pdk is just too modern for me and im just an analogue guy.

Perhaps a 987 S manual would be ‘more your thing’?

 

theres one up for sale on this site currently from a member - looks lovely ???

[banjo]

11 hours ago, Windymiller said:

Perhaps a 987 S manual would be ‘more your thing’?

 

theres one up for sale on this site currently from a member - looks lovely ???

my last car was a 987 S manual but i much prefer the looks of the 981 so will be sticking with that.

a GT4 is "more my thing" 

[Woodhouse]

I've had my 981S PDK since April and have driven about 2k miles but I'm still not bonding with it.  Yes, it's quicker than my 987S, the tech is better, it rides better on 20 inch wheels with PASM than my PASM 987 on 18s but the dead feel to the steering and the PDK really kill the analogue feel I love about my 987.

 

I've tried the gearbox in manual, normal, Sport and Sport Plus but even in manual, it still doesn't give me the direct connection to the car that a proper manual does, whether shifting with the stick or flappy paddles.  

 

As a manual guy for 40 years, I took the plunge and went for an auto (C Class MB) when I changed the family barge last year and love it so its not that I have a complete aversion to autos.  But the Cayman is a fun car only, not a daily, and I feel it is too compromised and synthetic.  My 987 is sharper handling too despite the 981 having PTV but that may just be down to a more agressive custom geo on the 987.

 

I'll give it a while longer as I spent 3 years looking for a high spec Cayman R  before settling for the high spec 981 after finally accepting that the R spec I wanted doesn't exist. But if I still feel this way next spring, I'll sell it and stick with the 987.

Edited August 25, 2018 by Woodhouse
Clarification

[Mk1]

To me ... bonding with a car can only be achieved with decent seat time.  

 

The past two years have seen 8k in a manual CR and 9k in the 981 CS. Most journeys are at least two hours, many are four ... most without exiting the car ... with not a dual carriageway / motorway in sight. 

 

As regards the PDK ... one of my favourite modes is ... when in Sport, using the brakes to induce dropping down the gears and then recovering the initial speed with those super smooth upshifts. After several miles the `systems` have `learned` what you want ... superb !

 

In comparison ... heel and toe in the CR whilst extremely satisfying (if / when I got it right) was rather laborious and hence less safe ... for this driver. 

 

 

 

 

[banjo]

after a few weeks and several hundred miles the car is up for sale.

i keep thinking i will get used to the pdk but i dont and pretty livid with myself after spending soo long trying to find the right car.

its on ebay if anyones interested 

[Beanoir™]

2 hours ago, banjo said:

after a few weeks and several hundred miles the car is up for sale.

i keep thinking i will get used to the pdk but i dont and pretty livid with myself after spending soo long trying to find the right car.

its on ebay if anyones interested 

 

Thats a shame, but I understand completely why.  I think the DCT in my M5 is great, but it’s a different car.  I can’t get into another Cayman at the moment, so just bought an old Impreza and I’m absolutely loving the manual gearbox again, M5 hasn’t moved from its spot for over a week!! 

 

What’s you plan for a replacement, try for a Cayman R again? 

[banjo]

1 hour ago, Beanoir said:

 

Thats a shame, but I understand completely why.  I think the DCT in my M5 is great, but it’s a different car.  I can’t get into another Cayman at the moment, so just bought an old Impreza and I’m absolutely loving the manual gearbox again, M5 hasn’t moved from its spot for over a week!! 

 

What’s you plan for a replacement, try for a Cayman R again? 

981 S........with a manual box......already seen the car id like to buy but its at other end of country and i dont have the extra cash either at the moment.