Triptronic 2nd gear

Hi everyone with an automatic gearbox. Have you ever noticed that the gearbox never changes to first gear, even at a standstill? I just bought my Targa from 2002 and was a bit upset about the acceleration when at a standstill, what I discovered is if I switch to 1st gear with the triptronic shifter it goes off like a rocket. Is it by design that it never goes to first gear when in all-auto mode? a bit puzzled about this, could probably find it in the manual, but it is in the car and the internet is quicker (or at least more comfortable) Nic

This is by design and is documented in the manual. It will only use 1st gear automatically when the engine is cold. If you want to pull away quickly using the automatic option (in 1st), you can manipulate it. I think it's something along the lines of in neutral, select down to first and then move the box into auto and it stays in first (but only for 7 seconds)....so do this just before you need to pull away. Cheers, GD

Thanks GD, This is exactly my experience, I live in Dubai and I dont think the engine is ever quite cold with average temperature around 40 Degrees celcius I actually made the experience that when you are completely still you can just set it to first gear and until you press the speeder it will stay in manual mode and then go automatic after you have pulled away. Anyway, this makes sense and is really much nicer to drive with, it is a bit annoying having 320 bhp under the bonnet (boot) and feeling it is accelerating a bit too slow. Nicolai

There was a great article in Total 911 last month about living with a tip...might be worth seeking out a copy. In summary, they say it's best to either concentrate on driving it in automatic or semi-automatic and with time you will find the car quicker to drive than the manual. I have been concentrating on using the buttons and it is very quick once you get used to it.

April or March issue? TB

If you floor the throttle from standstill in auto mode the box will automatically shift down to 1st and shoot you off the line. On a safe piece of straight road you can try this out and watch the dashboard lights change down on your LED's. You have to bury the pedal into the carpet for it the press the micro switch that enables the box to downshift. If it doesn't do this, with the car stationary and the engine switched off you can press the pedal down with your hand and hear the micro switch click. If it doesn't then you have a fault. The box also learns your style of driving and has several modes from economy to sport. I found the best way to drive it was in manual mode using the steering wheel buttons to change gears. I also found it used to labour the engine terribly in auto mode and would almost refuse to change down unless I really prodded the accelerator pedal.

The second gear at standstill is actually a ratio between 1st and 2nd. The other trick is to just floor it at the lights and it switches down to 1st right away. 40'C is still very cold for an engine that reaches 1000's'C when combusting. Read somewhere on here that racers force the lower gears by taping down the -ve tip control on the stearng wheel and keep the car in M mode.

The combination to get 1st in auto mode is: At a standstill and in D, press "-" (ie. go into 1st and M will be selected on the dash) Pop the stick into N (neutral) Before the lights change, pop it back into D (1st stays lit, but you now have D on the dash, rather than M). Accelerate and the car will change up automatically for you. I agree with Marcus, if you floor it from stationary, the car will quickly change gear. I do this occasionally, but if I need to pull out from a dangerous junction, I prefer the method above as it's a bit frightening with the 'box hunting around gears On another point, I'm fairly sure that if you manually select 1st and accelerate with the car with M on the dash, the 'box will automatically change up into 2nd at the red line (if you don't do it manually). I must add that I have never done this personally though, so don't blame me if you damage your engine!!!! Cheers, GD PS April edition (issue 35). White cover with the 993 Turbo cab....it mentions the Tip article in small writing in the bottom left hand corner.

Yes you're right GD it will change up just before the red line and will never change down to enable an over rev, which is all very good. It means that a tiptronic Porsche is better than a manual one because it hasn't been red lined to death and over revved 8) and you can also easily use left foot braking (faster than taking your foot off the gas pedal and switching). I've lit the touch paper now 8) It's also waaaaay faster in the wet when you setoff from the lights because you wont wheelspin it and/or miss a gear 8)

that's the fireworks show about to start and; we only drive at the speed limit in here we would never take our cars anywhere near the red line we never miss gears we never wheelspin and we never ever drive fast in the wet lol and i'll be so disappointed if i find out if any of this is true

I thought it would have created a bigger stir from the 911 community. I'll take my wooden spoon back. :angel:

GD wrote April edition (issue 35). White cover with the 993 Turbo cab....it mentions the Tip article in small writing in the bottom left hand corner.[/quote] Thanks, will try to get a copy. In M the box will change down for you when you slow right down as well, then you don't look stupid as you try to pull away in 5th. 25mph down into 4th 20mph down into 3rd 10mph down into 2nd(all approx) Mine changes up to 2nd at about 5800rpm but the other [auto] up changes are about 6800 just below the red line. I only tried this out to see if it was working, i don't drive like this normally. :thumb: TB

Jokes apart, even that Im a long long time user of auto boxes ( some good, some bad ) when buying my first Porsche I was on the lookout for a tiptronic. Drove a few testdrives and found it sluggish to go - very easy to drive, very fun, but noticed that 2nd gear thing. Since I noticed it , I start to think about buying a manual and I did. Dont get me wrong : Im now on the re-learning curve of a manual box, im 20 seconds slower than a auto but I think its more fun. Horses for Courses though But this was to tell you that I found it normal, spoke to a couple of sellers and they say its by design ( too much torque in 1st gear, would be very brutal ) .. and I can see that in a manual : 1st is onyl to get the car moving .)

I suspect this is because of the torque curve with the different gears. If I didn't have the M25 to deal with, I would still have a manual. At times I miss the manual, but 9/10 I'm happy with the Tip. It's very fast and great going around corners (eg. click into M and then select either 2 or 3, depending on the sharpness). However, I really miss 6 gears.....and I keep accidently pressing the +/- buttons in the car park!