Would you buy a TIP?

I have owned several p-cars but I am considering a 2001 TIP cab. New girlfriend doesn't drive stick and after getting divorced after 27 years of marriage I think I have to at least consider someone else's feelings but my own. Wait, that's my ex channeling through me. Seriously though any thoughts and or comments appreciated.

I would not, the question is.. would you? would you still enjoy the car with the Tip? It's your car and your cash.

02+ yes, I personally don't like the older tip If you aren't facing regular gridlock, buy the manual and teach the girl how to drive (preferably pick up a car which will need a clutch soon, negotiate that into the price, and when she burns it replace)

I'd teach the girlfriend to drive a stick, unless you drive in heavy traffic everyday.

no... but I would buy a Doppelkupplung

No. I wouldn't have anything to do with my left foot.

I own a 03 C2 and a Turbo that are Tip's and I love them!

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you can brake... I love driving with one foot on the gas and one on the brake.

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While I never really liked the TIP, when I replace this 996 with a 997, I am definitely going to consider the PDK. While I have not driven one, I do have a DSG in my Jetta and love it. A Turbo PDK, now that could be really nice.

Definitely no, not while I have 2 legs but you're the one going to live with it. Try a few; if you cant get excited by the test drive don't buy ........

Years ago, I learned on the Boxster Board, that guys would teach their wives and girlfriends to drive stick while in the tub. If this doesnt work, the tip is fine. I still have a tip Boxster, had a manual 996 for a long time. My next, I can go either way but if I get a TT it may be tip.

I have a 996 that I use as a daily driver in the NYC metro area. While I love the 6 speed, I wished that I had opted for a TIP. Driving a manual in NYC traffic is bruttal and not very relaxing.

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having driven the PDK, I suggest sport Chrono PLUS..... note the PLUS!! would I buy a tip.... sure, I have a friend who runs in "A" group at the DE's that gave me a ride in his lowly C2 stock Tip - that sucker was fun fun fun ! driving and setting up for corners required a little differant footwork, but he is way faster than me so do drive one though.... and not for 10 minutes... put a couple hours behind the wheel. Like I said above, a PDK w/o the plus.... drove like my Dad's old Dodge Monaco... i didnt like it at all - completely disconected x 10

I would never buy a tip Porsche in my life. And I would never let my girlfriend try my 6spd either. It's just not worth it.

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Isn't an '01 tip an e-gas car? It'll probably cut the throttle when your left foot is on the brake.

Oh yeah... that's what I did with mine...

I was lucky, My wife drives stick, Her Audi is a 6 Speed. She rarely drives the 996 but I have no issue with her doing so. Cayenne is the first slushbox I have owned in a long time.

I was in a very similar situation - my wife tried and tried but couldn't master the manual tranny. After replacing my left hip just prior to my P-car purchase I decided to go w/ the tip. No regrets whatsoever and she gets to drive the car too. As others have said, if you commute in traffic it's a no-brainer. Mine is an '02, so I can't comment on the Mk1 tips...

I just wouldn't put her in that situation.... she means to much to me and I love her way too much. She deserves accuracy!! The car that is...

Yes, have one and is the first non-stick car ive had ina very very long time. It takes a bit to get used to but still can be driven hard without issue. Much nicer when you get stuck in tri-state traffic also.

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I'd like to hear a little more about the details associated with this? I want to teach mine how to drive a stick but figure I'll pick up a $500 craigslist beater to do that.

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I heard the cops were cracking down on this activity.... You might do better up by the airport....maybe $50 !! be careful

Some guys use a blade, some an electric razor, some grow beards. It doesn't matter. Maybe the real question is, if your GF left you next month, how would you feel about owning a car with a Tip? Would that be your preference? If not, let her buy a Tip for herself. Then you two can go in her car when she wants to drive.

I bought my 99 Cab with a Tip so my wife could use the car. Don't get me started on teaching her to drive a stick - that would likely end in a messy divorce! I really like the Tip. After you get used to it you can do some interesting things with it. I also have a theory (completely unsubstantiated) that the Tip cars have fewer RMS issues due to less shock loads on the drive end of the crankshaft.

This thread is making me laugh so much, thanks guys... Back to the OP question, I won't buy a Porsche tip neither. My wife does not drive stick but it did not stop her from buying me her Bro-in-law 996 Cab. I tried to teach her a few times, but she declined so that was it... I am glad things turned out this way

All this TIP hate....geez. I have to admit its a bit girly...but when you get stuck in traffic 8/10 times on the road, its a blessing.

+1. I drive in NYC everyday and the Tip is a lifesaver. Killed the clutch on my last P-car.

I live in SF and I drive a 6 speed manual - and I love it. TIP would be great for the traffic and hills (which is hard on the clutch), so if I could steal one, I'd consider it, but by choice I'm all stick

Would I buy a Tip again? Hell no!!! The extra weight, the indirect driveline, and not being able to sleep at night if I needed to rebuild the trans (or just repair) that sourcing parts seem to be a nightmare was enough for me!!! All I got was this silly "handle" from owning one....

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No "money shifts" with a TIP... ............

I've owned several stick cars, but I could never shift as fast as my tiptronic S does and it goes right to red line in every gear when stomped. You can still shift when you want but you can't turn the stick off.

if you asked me a year ago, I look at you weird and say, hella no - no tip for me. Then a tip shows up on my search with a new engine, in great shape, local, great seller, great options.... Long story short - I love it. Yes its for sale, but more b/c I made the mistake of test driving a turbo 996 (Never do that if you own a NA) then it being a tip.

No I would consider a DPK on one of the newer cars, but a tip is not for me. However, I you like 'em, go for it....

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In fact the 99-01 tip weighs LESS (minor amount granted) then a 6sp complete with clutch assy. Just saying.

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you just think you love them, you haven't really experienced LOVE yet. nothing in the world like gettin on the open road & winding her out & listenin to her purr in each & every gear

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You could change your name to 'Shifty'. That might clear things up.

Tip is a great option for 1) wife that wont learn a stick 2) heavy traffic. She wouldnt drive my M5 (manual) either. I asked her one day " what if we were out and I have a heart attack or something and you have to drive me to the emergency room?" Her reply " you have lots of life insurance"

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you da man, if you can drive a 6-speed in san fran, then you can drive one ANYWHERE!

to me if you get a tip, your defeating the whole purpose of having a sports car.

Depends on how much traffic you have to deal with and how cute your non-stick driving wife/gf is...

Seriously, you need to introduce your g/f to the joys of a six speed. Teach her on another car and take her down to a repair shop and show her the inner workings of a clutch, pressure plate, throw-out bearing, and so forth, so that she can understand what she is doing when she presses on a clutch pedal. The Tiptronic transmission is at best a compromise. The sophistication of the PDK tranny has made the Tiptronic obsolete. I'm a die hard Porsche manual tranny guy, from the 4-speeds in a 356, to the 901 trannys in the early 911 cars, to the G50, and ow 6-speeds made in Japan for Porsche, you have a fairly bulletproof manual tranny there--and you just can't say the same for the Tips. If you truly want our opinion, you have to post a photo of the g/f--so we can be fully judgemental!

I wouldn't buy a Porsche with an automatic no matter what they call it. I drove a dingleklunker (or whatever PDK stands for), it's an automatic, period. Flipping paddles doesn't feel like shifting a gearstick. If I want an automatic I'll get a Bimmer or a Benz, and get a quiet, smooth ride and 4 doors too. My gal can drive any stick (even a broomstick I think) but she can drive my Porsche home from the cemetary after they close up my grave.

My opinion is that I would buy a tip as long as I'm not using the car for track events. The paddle shifters in my wife's new Subaru Outback are fun.

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Best post in this thread!!

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This would be entirely and extremely funny if I were not crying..... Whoa, whoa, what? An auto lighter than a manual. Where did you see the data or did you weigh both? HEHEHE

I too felt getting a tip would be blasphemous. After test driving and then buying my 2001 C2 tiptronic, I had second thoughts every once in a while that a manual might have been a better choice. That is until driving my sister's manual. It just was not worth all that extra work. The tip can be shifted quickly and without effort, if you need to. I doubt I would buy a newer manual model now. With the newer PDK transmission that is now in large numbers, I am thinking manuals are on their way out. Just not sure when.

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I am not sure they are on their way out. But, I do believe that the newer PDK cars have a better chance of holding their resale value as compared to models with TIP.

No tip for me. I also wouldn't compromise my car choice to suit the female. You should buy the car you really want and it's fine if it's a tip. I've never driven one, but Hurley Haywood supposedly prefers them so who am I to argue. I imagine it's a lot like driving any automatic...mash the throttle to go and mash the brake to stop. I do have it easy because my female prefers a manual box. Even if she didn't though then I would have my car and she would have hers. I personally have never found it hard work to drive a manual, even in traffic. The 996 is so tractable you can leave it in first and idle along at a walking pace. Keep enough distance between you and the guy ahead and you don't have to declutch much. The Porsche 6 speed is a dream to use.

I have had two Sticks and now three TIPS. It really is a Where do you drive and How do you drive choice. And I will add how healthy are you? If you are an older fellow like me with lower back issues the TIP makes driving much better. Over the years TIPs have gotten much better. The TIP "S" in my 2000 C4 is great for me and it has overcome all the little issues I had not liked in the earlier Porsche's. ( though I am still getting use to the Steering wheel switches). PDK looks to be even better - and more efficient that the torque converters. So it comes down to choice & personal preferences. And for those who say you need to Shift to enjoy driving a Porsche - I say your spending to much time on the drag strip - go find some country roads.

I taught my wife how to drive a stick 25 years ago, so that's not an issue. Even though my car is a Tip, she really doesn't drive it much, so that's not an issue either. I bought my car used. My car is a Tip because I liked the rest of the car and the transmission didn't matter that much to me. However if I had found two identical cars at the same price, one a stick and one a Tip, I probably would have chosen the stick. That being said, I don't have any regrets with my choice.

I bought a tiptronic just because it was there looking for a daily driver. I'd probably buy a 6 speed or PDK if the time comes I'm looking for a car and the physical condition of the car is good or new. I do miss shifting and some times I don't miss shifting. 6 of one half a dozen of the other. For performance 6 speed does the turns right while PDK or tip is strange. Although the PDK has performance numbers better than a manual trans. Tiptronics aren't an IMS thingy.

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I do not understand.

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^^^What he said. I find myself having regrets at times, but then after some thought (while driving) I kinda like the Tip in some ways. Still a possibility I'd get a Tip again if I had to choose, but half of me really want a manual.

Sex while driving is easier with a tip.

If YOU want a Tip, get it. However, DON'T get a Tip just for the GF. There are a few guys here that bought a Tip so their wives could drive the car. Almost all of them reported withing a month of purchasing the car that their wife said.... I don't like driving the car because.... the car is too low..... the car rides too rough.... the car is too loud. So these guys were stuck with a Tip they didn't want. You have been warned.

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Best advice in the thread......

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Well said from the man with the honda

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Good one! That ^ is true, however it is by "nesessity"..... not by "choice!"

I bought an '02 C4S tip about 4 months ago... to me the choice of transmission was really a non-factor in my decision making process when shopping for the car. As someone stated early on in this thread, the '02 was greatly improved, so for anything older than that I would have only looked at the manual. he TIP is a few tenths of a second faster 0-60 by most professional reviews, and is a godsend in traffic. While the manual may maintain the "purity" of driving and can be a bit more fun when enjoying a spirited run, the TIP does a pretty good job. The TIP is very quick and responsive to shifting, and in automatic mode the car pretty well picks up on your driving style of the day and adjusts. For the most part I only use the manual controls to downshift when approaching a turn and to ensure I hold the lower gear through turns if needed. One often overlooked feature of the TIP is when "stabbing" the gas pedal in automatic mode, the car will automatically downshift to the lowest acceptable gear for fastest acceleration. What this ammounts to is on the highway, if you are in 5th and want to pass quickly, press and release the gas then reapply acclerator and by the time your foot is 1/4 back down on the accelerator you are in 3rd (and most likely well on your way 95mph if you were crusing at 70 to start.) Like I said early on, I would have taken either transmission on a car '02 or newer, and for me felt there were many other more crucial factors to weigh when comparing cars. Given two IDENTICAL cars I would most likely take a manual, but again it was kind of a non factor in my decision making process.

Buy what you like. I wouldn't choose based on what my wife could drive, though. I do find it very strange that so many guys have wives and girlfriends that seem to want to share the experience of driving their Porsche and they won't let them. I love that my girl can drive my 6-speed manual and I'd never do anything to discourage her from enjoying it with me. IOW, y'all that have women that you won't let drive your Porsche probably don't know how good you have it--for every guy like you, there's a guy lusting after one of these vehicles and his wife won't let him have one.

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+1. And for yet another good reason: doesn't sound as good as manuals.

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Not true, check the published weights from Porsche and remember that tips also carry an additional center radiator to cool the transmission. Bottom line tip cars are heavier than similarly spec'd manual cars. Not true. The tip is a few tenths slower 0-60 than the manual. You are thinking of the new PDK which is indeed quicker. The tips in the 996 are a standard automatic transmission (torque converter and all). As such they carry a greater parasitic loss penalty. Finally the tiptronic first gear is taller than first gear in a manual car (3.66:1 vs 3.818:1). The added weight of the tip cars, plus the extra parasitic losses from the torque converter, plus the taller first gear all cause the tips to be a few tenths slower to sixty and a few MPH slower in top speed.

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+1 It's your car, get what works for you! Good luck in the search... either way

I have a tip in my '04. The best way I can describe it is "Lathargic". Unless you put your foot in it all the time, or shift it in manual mode with the steering wheel buttons, the shifts are rather slow and kinda kwerky!........but I don't mind it

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I know, I know.when are you getting back in a p-car?

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Not sure yet. There are a few things up in the air that need to be settled before I can do anything about a P-car. 1) My wife is still in Dallas because she can't find a teaching job in Greenville, SC where I am working. They cut 85 teaching positions from last school year versus the coming school year, so there are not any openings. I am still traveling back and forth from Greenville to Dallas every other weekend. I have been doing that for about 15 months now. 2) We still have to sell the house in Dallas. Once those two things get resolved, then maybe..........

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Tim, life has certainly thrown you more than your fair share of curve ***** over the past few years. I admire your positive attitude throughout. God bless you, my friend.

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Thanks Ray, I appreciate the kind words and well-wishes.

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+1.life ussually doesnt seem to get simpler as time progresses....the law of entropy at work. With twins on the way...feelings of Serpico where I work..the development of my first ulcer, tight budget ahead...sole breadwinner now, quitting smoking ala CHANTIX, I understand the position your in..stress leads to more stress. But I have a happy home and work is stable so I cant complain many have it worse than me.

Yes, the past few years have been trying. Congrats on the twins! My wife and I had twins. How is the quitting smoking going? Is CHANTIX helping? I need to quit smoking, too.

I'm glad to hear you guys are quitting. Just quit. I like to say I quit cold turkey but it was more like I replaced one bad habit with several good ones. Do 20 pushups every time you need a cigarette. Run around the block. Join a new gym. Keep track of your physical performance. Taking seconds off my 400 or mile times, increasing the number of pullups and pushups, basically reintroducing physically challenging activity and keeping score etc, really forced me to reassess the need to smoke, since all it did was slow me down, make me weaker. Two years later and I'm still off cigs, and the girls do like the abdominal side effects!

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Thanks...I cant wait. Chantix is really good stuff. Basically fills the nicotine receptors and gives you a bit of a smokers high all day...and makes the taste of cigarettes terribel. It works and I was smoke free before for 9 months...Im quitting again for good now as kids are on the way. First week of it you continue to smoke and the second week is an increase of chantix dose and cigerrettes are useless and give you know smoking effects. Irritability is one side effect i had and super cool vivid dreams!!! I looked forward to going to sleep.

I have a trip and enjoy it immensely. Of course, I drive it in Atlanta all the time and last time I had a manual my left leg was sore by the time I got home. I think it comes down to where you are driving. Metro area you will be happier with Automatic...the tip works well once you get used to it...or (even while in AUTO mode) you can still shift manually (good for passing without the need for flooring and waiting). If weekend car, track car or you feel the need to be 0.2s faster in 1/4 mile, then go with the manual. I'd love to have a manual...but practicality and the reality that I'm not going to drag race it weighed heavily in my decision.

TIP No Way! PDK Way. MY 09 C2S is a stick and I like it that way. But I rode in a 2011 Carrera Turbo S PDK with Launch Control last week. All I can say is Holy Cow Batman. Under 3 seconds and I got dizzy in the passenger seat. PDK is something totally different of course but well worth considering I think.

I would consider a TIP if I had a daily commute in stop and go traffic. I would also buy a TIP if I only had 1 leg. I would not buy a TIP simply so my "other" can drive the car. Luckily my wife knew how to drive a manual before I met her. That said, I have autocrossed a very well set up Boxster S, that had a TIP, and found it very easy to drive quickly (left foot braking, no needing 3 feet at once (ie heal-toe downshift) etc and the car seemed very smooth.)

Its a matter of personal preference. Tip or Manual, I wouldnt own any other car. Porsche 4 Life. Personally, I keep the keys outta my girl's hands :-)

Good on you for careful consideration. On the Porsche I had to have the stick for full throttle-blipping-downshift pleasure.... I taught my wife to drive a stick, but that was on an old Golf, ha. Maybe what you need is a spankin' new 997S with PDK.

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I've driven a few loaner cars which were Tips. To each his own but for me, I would NEVER buy a Tip. The enjoyment of driving a Porsche involves being in the gear I want to be, exactly when I want to be.

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AMEN! Couldn't have said it better!

No, but a pdk is different matter. PDK is the wave of the future.

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It's still an automatic...so no, I wouldn't buy anything but a manual for a sports car. If Porsche ever stopped offering manual transmissions, then I wouldn't buy one. If I must get stuck with an automatic, then I might as well just buy a different vehicle altogether. You can rationalize how much more efficient, quicker, easier, etc. an automatic (Tip or PDK) is. I don't care. I buy a sports car for fun and until they can connect MY brain (not some computer) to the transmission, I'll take a manual, thank you!

My first choice would be to have a manual transmission in a 911, but I would not hesitate to buy one with a PDK if it was optioned correctly. I drove a PDK equipped C4S Cab a while back and I was very impressed.

I have never owned a car with an automatic since I was 16. So, now more than 40 years later, my record is intact. I'll buy an automatic when manuals are no longer available. Otherwise, it will be a 6MT (7MT, 8MT???) Whatever. Just no auto, as good as PDK is, I just can't do it. Yeah, Tim I know - all I really need is reverse and 1st...

Phil G - in your sig is a BMW with Steptronic- which is an automatic.. I assume someone else in your home "owns" that one

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Yep, although my wife can drive a manual well, she wanted an automatic for her work car. I gotta admit, I do like her car and the steptronic with paddle shifters is terrific. But, it's hers, not mine.

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Just like a bunch of gearheads focused on the manual vs. tip argument and NOT focusing on what the OP said ------- OK, here's what I see is wrong; "New girlfriend doesn't drive stick" = OK, then you get to drive another car that's automatic - like a bimmer or VW "after getting divorced after 27 years of marriage" = Congratulations! "I think I have to at least consider someone else's feelings but my own" = WHY? Come on man - grow a set!!! Your Porsche is "YOUR PORSCHE" not our Porsche. Lay down the ground rules EARLY about the P-car. Like - "No not even to the store and back". If you're as meticulous about your cars as I am, just imagine how you'd feel the first time she comes home with a door ding from the mall or (worse) a crunched fender and then says "don't worry honey, it's only a car" and then goes upstairs to try on her new clothes. Avoid the inevitable ensuing break up and JUST SAY NO! My $.02

The Tiptronic S with paddle shifters is quick. You can downshift, upshift whenever you want in the "M" mode. You can cruise in 3rd, 4th or 5th and downshift to speed up. The PDK is probably one of the best transmissions on the market. I had the opportunity to drive a MY10 Carrera with PDK, and the shifting is instantanous and is faster and quicker than the manual. The critics say the MY10 Turbo with PDK is probably the best sportscar out there for price, speed, fun and enjoyment. You can continue to shift your gears up and down in traffic, while I cruise along wiht my TIP S enjoyimg my day.

996 Pilot, grow a set? Really? Congratulations on the end of a 27 year marriage? Nice. i don't know you at all but I appreciate you drawing a conclusion about my manhood and the things i value in life. To the rest of you thanks for the insight on the differences. I certainly understand the decision is ultimately mine but these forums are good for getting the opinions of others (most of the time) since most of us already know what we think?

"New girlfriend doesn't drive stick" = Yes she does or she wouldn't be a new girlfriend, just tell her stick in the bedroom is pretty much the same as the stick in the car. Stick in the car just needs a little left foot action first.

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Oops - a bit sensitive on the topic. OK then the POLITICALLY CORRECT ANSWER to follow; New girlfriend doesn't drive stick = Don't you worry about that I'll sell my car immediately and find one that is compatible for both of us. Do you have a choice of color honey? after getting divorced after 27 years of marriage So sorry to hear this - I'm here for you if you ever need someone to talk to. I think I have to at least consider someone else's feelings but my own It's good you're exploring the intricacies of your own feelings as well as that of others. Best to always put her feelings in front of yours as ultimately your happiness is derived from her happiness. Live in harmony my friend. OK so my bottom line -- do your (scientific) research plus go drive a tip or better rent one for a few days (high end rentals DO exist). If you like it, buy it. Asking folks on a board to tell YOU whether a tip is better (or worse) than a manual is like asking the board to recommend an oil (brand and weight) or the best color car to buy. All of the rest of the data offered (eg., relationship, personal, etc.) here is subject to the responders feelings and responses. You offered it in a PUBLIC forum. Finally, I apologize if I offended you in any way.

996Pilot, Ok, you're hilarious. Not offended.

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sounds like a PIG is it the heaviest 911? I have not kept up on this thread (and frankly surprised all the talk over "I would never" and I would if it was a PDK".... oh and "get a new girlfriend", grow a pair") where was I? OH right I still say i would buy one.... but manual will always be first choice for me... PDK is cool, but alsa stil an automatic and for the money.... I'ld rather have a 2nd or third car thank you - was looking at a 997.2 C2S yesterday and I gotta say, they look great, but I am heading towards an older car and the auto's were not offered (remember )

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Do some research on "sportomatic". (the original PDK (or maybe PSK (Porsche Singlekupplung ??)))

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It was the only "S" model they had with PDK. I drove a C2S Coupe with the manual tranny, so I wanted a "S" with a PDK to compare against the manual. Not a straight up comparison, but better than comparing an S with manual to a "base" (non-S) with PDK.

I wouldn't buy a Porsche (or any other car) with a torque converter, and I'm not just being romantic or old fashioned. The PDK is not an automatic to me as it will shift immediately into the gear of my choosing (provided that the car won't over-rev or stall in that gear) and stay there, while there's also no power loss. I would love to spend more time with "a clutchless manual" on track as I really do think one of these boxes (BMW's SMG, Ferrari's F1, Porsche's PDK or AUDI/VW's DSG) can make a competent driver faster on track as the cognitive load of shifting is greatly reduced, as well as tactile feedback from steering wheel with both hands and one pedal at a time - helps. I've owned over a dozen manual Porsche's, and driven/instructed in most of the above mentioned with various transmissions. Generally speaking, torque converters are not conducive to sports car driving, whatever that may mean...

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this might be the most useless information you have posted in a while

I do what I can!

Didnt read the whole thread hope nobody posted same: Not in a million years. John

I like my 6 speed, but wouldn't mind a PDK.. Guess I'm not a true purist.. But where do we draw the line? Should we all be driving cars with no syncros? Got to double-clutch, that's how it should be, right?

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.... or worse yet, an air cooled Porsche!!! Sorry Ed, I couldn't resist.