Leawood911:
SuzyF:
Oh my....
Looking forward to another pointless discussion which transmission is better....
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Suzy
Oh my - another person who thinks that a PDK paddle is like shifting a manual! On a car forum no less...
By all means begin by ridicule and totally confusing the topic. Pretty funny since you consider leather and color options substantive. Transmission choices are far from pointless. To defend the PDK as being 'just like a manual' you must be able to avoid facts and simply attack with non-sense so I am able to follow your logic to that extent.
Yet this point is far from that discussion, substantive it may be. Far from it.
I am simply trying to keep the definitions correct. Do you seriously think using PDK paddles is the same as shifting a manual transmission? I would love your input in this simple question. A girls opinion. It has nothing to do with which is better. They are different, that is all. They are well defined in terms of what they are. J
ust trying to maintain some order in the definition of the terms else people might think RC favors the real manual.
First of all I like to say that I think both manual and PDK are equally good. It comes down to preference, which one to choose for a potential buyer.
You are of course right when you say that shifting with a paddle is not the same as shifting with a MT and a clutch, that said, for me the most important fact is that you can control the gearbox yourself. My Boxster is a manual and most of the time I like it, but there are occasions where I would definitely want a PDK. When I drive a PDK-equipped car, I never think "I wish I had a manual".
Regarding the subject if shifting with paddles should be called manual shifting, i think both options can be seen as controlling gears manually. The benefit of a PDK is that you don't need to operate the clutch yourself. The benefit of a MT is that it involves the driver more in the driving experience. But.... To me that shifting is only a very small part of the driving experience. I can have equal fun on both track and street with a PDK and still have the benefit to use an "auto-mode" when I want to drive in a more relaxed way or when driving in traffic.
The heel and toe part is mentioned often in these kind of discussions, but let's be honest. Heel and toe is only necessary when driving 8/10th or more, to get the most out of the car. In daily use, no one needs to use that technique. Yes it can be fun to learn, but once you have that feeling and it becomes a kind if second nature, it's not more fun than shifting without that technique, since it doesn't add to the driving experience anymore. At least that how I feel about it.
The thing is that ten different people can have ten different opinions on this subject, but we all know that the days of the MT are slowly coming to an end. It's been overtaken by technology and if that is good or bad... I don't know. Manufacturers like Porsche need to move on and keep up with the technologies their competition is offering. Stagnation is going backwards.
But is shifting with paddles, the same as shifting with a clutch and a gearlever? To me it is. Should we call it the same? Maybe not, but I don't know how to call it differntly to be honest.
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Suzy