Manual/Tip

Hi all. Newbie question for you ....I am looking at getting into a 2-3 year old model. Wanted your opinions on gearbox options. I travel around 20k a year and do a fair bit of town commuting (so aut seems good) but I want to feel involved with the car and dont want to loose on residuals...any comments would reall help my choice.

I drove my 996 tip every day for 3 years including business miles and loved every minute of it. Believe me you can still have great fun and full engagement in it. Its one of the best auto boxes I have ever driven - it has some sort of memory that selects different modes based on your driving style. And it works. But when you just need to munch miles and potter in traffic it can be a pussycat. I havent lived with the manual though so its hard to compare .... Neil

I did 28K in a C4S manual and 27K so far in the TT over the last 3 years. Town driving, motorways, A-roads. There is no issue with driving it. Compared to older cars the clutch is light, so no left leg judder. It comes down to which format you prefer. I would always pick a manual becasue I prefer being in direct control, but there is little to choose between them for everyday road driving. If you put the tiptronic in manual mode, you choose the gears with the switches, so you are in control. Of course there is no chunky gearlever to move, or clutch to press, or heel 'n' toeing to be done. I don't think it makes any difference to the residuals, as far as I can tell.

Thanks Guys...Gonna keep trawling the OPC ...quite fancy a C4 although I like the lines of the C2 a little more. Thinking of going for an auto (if the residuals are not an issue ...as you mentioned). Cheers Take care

Hi Jonny, I have a 996 C2 Tiptronic. Have used it on a daily basis around town, long hacks to Wales etc and a good few Track days. Tiptronic is personal preference but more convenient than a manual for the obvious reasons. Maybe the manual would have/feel like you have more control when driving hard but I have never had a problem on the road or track in either Auto or Manual mode. Neil and Stuart have mentioned the intelligent programming that remembers and alters the points to how your driving and you can change gears from the switches on the steering wheel. The computer also knows HOW your diving and braking and chamges accordingly, ie. far less likely to change gear on corners etc. due to lateral forces it measures. Very clever! I understand that the Tips are less prone to RMS failure, however, saying that I have just had mine replaced by OPC in Stratford under Porsche Extended Warranty. They delivered the car back on Friday and then a bang & smoke from the engine but that is another post! I also had a PSE fitted about a year or so ago, sounds great - never too noisy around town or on a run. Recommeneded! All the best, Rob

My 2002 C2 is the first Tip i've owned - always manual before. I must say it really is superb. I mainly drive it in manual mode, but in full auto it's flawless. I've tracked it , and it does cope well, in auto, but is excellent in manual. And you can't over rev the engine with a Tip. BTW the box is made by Mercedes... My Auto box did however die a couple of weeks back - needed a new torque converter. Shame Silverstone OPC couldn't diagnose what was wrong with it when I took it in a week earlier - the incompetent muppets then said when it had lost all drive that it needed acomplete new gearbox. I took the car back from them & had an independent look at it - it only needed a new torque convertor. BTW a tip box from an OPC is around £7.5k fitted.... I shan't be going near Silverstone OPC again. David

I have had a 993 and 986 both have been Tip and I am on the lookout for another Porsche and this will be a Tip also It suits my style of driving as I leave it in auto mode ,but on occasions for a bit of fun I switch it over, last week I drove the DSG gearbox and have to say this is the best auto box I have driven seamless change,I heard Porsche are considering puting this into cars in 2007 . Brian

Cheers guys... Beershark....saw your "Mice" post earlier in the week...very strange...suggest you stop carrying all that cheese around on the back seat!!...glad everyone resisted any "Mickey-mouse 911 jokes" David, saw your post too....amazing, a live report...hope that's sorted now. Cheers Kitchens too. Will take all your comments on board . Take care all