Quote:
Originally Posted by henwood
Hi all,
I'm new to this site - hello!
Looking for some advice as I'm buying a Boxster S in the next few weeks. People have warned me off getting a tiptronic but aren't ever very specific as to why.
I far prefer manual, so that is my preference, but maybe I need to be less worried about it.
If you have a tiptronic - what is it like to drive in comparison to the manual? I assume it to be less fun in a car like this, but I'm open to persuasion.
Also, are they more likely to go (expensively) wrong?
Any advice gratefully received.
Cheers,
Will
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Since you asked the question of a
Tiptronic owner , I guess I'll answer you with my opinion; Don't knock it till you try it.
Porsche did a great job by installing a performance based transmission in the Boxster. This isn't your grandmother’s automatic in her Ford Granada. A Tip has 5 shifting maps to accommodate different driving environments. You can also set the trans entering a corner to a gear that will net 5400 rpm's by burping the throttle. On hard acceleration the trans shifts at 6400 rpms, the peak hp rpm.
For relaxed driving the trans rolls out in 2nd gear and will be in 5th by 38 mph. Want to get aggressive? Stab the throttle at the light and it'll downshift to 1st and launch you. Don't like the auto mode? Do it all yourself with the shift levers. I've yet to do any better than the auto mode can.
Braking is the same; get aggressive with coming off the throttle and the trans will downshift allowing for engine braking while keeping the rpms up.
I'll run anyone’s manual against my Tip any day, in any situation. I can concentrate on driving the car while leaving the optimum shift points to the Tip. I love it.