Originally Posted by 3-Pedals

When you drive a PDK-S GT3, you realize that the engine was designed around that transmission. The upshifts and downshifts are just so intoxicating and visceral that I think one should own both Manual and PDK-S GT3. Manual GT3 is more fun but the driving experience is like a completely different car. If you utilize the flat foot shifting and the auto blip, you are really not driving the manual the way it is intended. When you are coming to a tight corner at 100 mph at 4th and want to rev match and down shift to 2nd, you realize how much skill is required to execute this properly. One second too early you are too slow, one second too late, you will understeer or make a fool of yourself. It is not easy. Most people I took rides in who own 6MT dont come close to driving the car this way. They still enjoy moving the shift lever but the car is doing all the hardwork. PDK-S is a very serious transmission, the amount of pace you can carry is just unparalleled. It gets you as close to driving a race car as you will get short of paying $1-2M for those limited run hypercars.

Now, my opinion on the manual transmission itself in this car is a little different. I drove 6MT 991.2 GT3 3 times at this point and I find the shifter a bit vague and loose. It is leaps and bounds better than what you get in BMWs or Subarus but comparing it to my C7 ZR1 or GT350, it does not feel as mechanical/bolt action rifle like. The reason for this is mostly due to cables vs linkage rods. Cables will never feel like a linkage rod. This can be addressed using Numeric Shifter/Cable upgrade and I'm sure if you did this, the issue would be resolved.

The other issue with the transmission is the clutch. It is very very soft. Way too soft. Porsche made the manual in a way that it distances itself from PDK. The clutch is made so that it is easy to drive around town. The engagement point is too high. If 997 unassisted clutch is 10/10 in terms of engagement point/pressure required, my C7 ZR1 is 8/10, GT350 is 6/10 and the GT3 is 3-4/10. I was very surprised how light it is. The clutch is not something you can really fix and it is what it is.

I am going to own a 992 GT3 in 6MT form next to my RS. I came to the conclusion that I cant really replace the RS. Driving the RS with left foot braking is a completely different experience that I feel that I'd miss if I got rid of it.

Originally Posted by GrantG

I realize many people have a preference for PDK on the track - just wanted to assure anyone on the fence that the 992 Manual is wonderful on the track.

Originally Posted by localmotion411

I have a PDK 992 GT3 and after having two 991.2 manual cars I can confidently say that more than a few people would love this PDK over the manual. It is a completely different PDK than the 992TTS I just sold.

I also have a 991.2 3RS currently and much prefer the 992 engine/trans combo. It’s unreal, so smooth but nasty when you get into it. They gave the car electronically rather than vacuum exhaust valves so they can control them throughout the rev range so the car feels way more advanced than I thought it would.

I used to be a huge manual advocate but am really struggling with what to get on my Touring order; the new PDK/engine combo is that good.

I highly suggest driving as many variants as you can to get a feel for the differences. My feelings are that the manual, while great in its own right, comes at a pretty big expense to the engine performance. And the PDK is far from boring (it was soooo boring in the TTS).

Originally Posted by python

What makes a porsche special?

reliability, manual, premium feeling, and low key.

manuals command a 20-60k premium over PDK.

anyone can get an automatic transmission/electric with pretty much any model, but not everyone can get a manual.

lastly, it is possible that the 992 will be the last generation of manual transmissions ever made on a 911. In that case, a manual will fetch a 100k-200k premium once supply runs out.

Originally Posted by michaeldorian

I came to the same conclusion driving both. Now I want a GT3 Touring while keeping the PDK!

Originally Posted by Johnny5Alive

LOL at the manual on 991.2 and 992 is a bad transmission.

When I sold my 991.2 PDK I got 20-30k less than I would have if it were a manual.

Originally Posted by 3-Pedals

And there goes your faulty reasoning. You associate good with "value" and possibly people like you are very common. So many people buying these manuals because "they command more" yet they dont actually use the cars the way some hardcore manual owners do. I have personal passenger seat time (wont name them as at least one of them used to be on this board) in other people's cars and all they were doing was rowing through the gears with auto blip on and flat foot shifting thinking they are Senna. I even joked with one about heel and toe and his answer was "he has a S2000 for that which he doesnt care wearing the engine/transmission". Go figure. 9000 rpm. Light flywheel. You have to be very precise in how you can execute these heel and toe downshifts in this car or very quickly its bye bye gt3. It is absolutely fun but it is not easy, not even close.

Originally Posted by Johnny5Alive

I have a lot of manual cars including a 91 NSX and an 82 911 with the 915 transmission. Want to discuss needing to know how to drive, then call me after you’ve done a track day in a 915 air cooled 911. I have plenty of seat time on the track. I’ve done many track days in my cars and bikes. I don’t know anything about you and you don’t know anything about me. So let’s not lecture each other here. I don’t need the condescension that I don’t know what “good” is.

But I do know 2 facts:
The manual in the last and this gen GT3 is a good transmission. Pretty sure Chris Harris and anyone with a relevant opinion has stated this. If anything you are the only person claiming it’s “not a good transmission.” Since “good” is a relative term here you’re entitled to your opinion, but fact remains, every reviewer has loved this transmission. When Chris Harris drove the PDK 992 GT3 the first thing he said was “I wish it were a manual.” He also owns a manual 991.2 touring.

My PDK 991.2 GT3 sold for 20-30k less than a comparably equipped same miles manual car. This fact of “value” does not indicate causation of the transmission being “good” as you say but you cannot dismiss the correlation.

By the way, I loved my PDK GT3 and was glad I chose PDK. I chose manual this time. Also glad I chose it.

Originally Posted by Johnny5Alive

Lol ok. Owning stinky dirty old cars is nothing worth bragging about.

Ok you win. The manual sucks.