Driven

The PDK is alright for actual quick shifts, but there's a feeling about it that makes it seem like it's just a fancy automatic.

Plus, the stock setup has push buttons on the steering wheel that move with the wheel. IIRC, pushing the button towards the dash is upshift, push the button from behind the wheel is downshift. Not terribly intuitive.

There is a paddle setup you can buy to replace the buttons with, but then they get in the way of the wipers/turn signal stalk... so, sometimes you grab the paddle, sometimes you grab the wipers.

Basically, the PDK sucks, except for it's actual performance use.

Saki GT

Yeah, some Porsches have the buttons in the wheel, and some have the paddles... Don't forget you can also push the shifter to change gears - lots of ways to be fancy with your automatic!

S2020

here's another perspective.
sometimes a certain car is not offered in manual and if you want that car, you have to buy a car with paddles.
therefore, you have to chose b/t car A (only offered in paddle) and car B (offered in manual). If car A is so much better than car B, then the manual fun bonus is outweighed by the overall fun package.

Saki GT

This is why you should buy experiences, not things.

ealand0001

True, people on the internet just yelling 'manuel is moar fun,' aren't really listening either. For 90% of my driving...a manual is less fun and I have literally only owned manual cars for my first 37.5 years on this earth.

PS: not saying manuel isn't cool. He's a cool guy.

s4play

Almost 90% of our cars in the garage is manual. I'm a lover of the 3-pedal car and nothing will ever make me give it up.

I've had 3 R8's (v8/v10) and have been telling everyone this is my last exotic since they no longer made a proper manual sports car since the newest R8's are going to paddle only like Ferrari, Lambo, Porsche, etc.

Last weekend I got a chance to test drive the McLaren and it totally changed my perspective. My heart was set on a 458 since I thought it was the best paddle shifted car ever however the McLaren is not that far behind. The shift experience and perfect downshifts are so fast I would dare to say the thrust in that car at anything above 3000 rpm feels like my Hayabusa ~ WOW!

Yes I will still love my manual cars but to say it's better than the paddle shift is not trust. Both are great at doing one thing, putting a smile to my face now!