From FTD: Well done!

:D :D :D

:cheers:

Well in monetary form that is about $1,700 dollars in aftermarket power adders!

Very funny and interesting thread including;
"tip whore"
"lets get back to the regular postings . . ."
"Ive had my fair share of manuals in the past"
and "now any crappy rice burner has tip anyway"
GOLD

'Rowing' is slowly becoming a thing of the past. What we're seeing is just the beginning.

In order for car cos. to maximize range (mpg) and minimize emissions, it's becoming increasingly important to turn over as many operating duties to the computers as possible. Add to this that it broadens the appeal in the marketplace for a respective car (which is why Porsche created the Sportmatic and Tip to begin with).

All the malarky about manliness, skill and control is just that. I'm sure there were many who clung to their start cranks when the electric starter came on the scene too, and lest we forget, there are still plenty of guys out there claiming that the only true Porsche is an aircooled one.

Power? Sure a torque converter parasitizes some power, so what? Charles and Jake are always saying power and torque curves (usable power) are more important than max power anyway, but we've yet to see any stats there. I've seen guys in Tip Boxsters and 911's spank the crap out of many on the track driving a manual. In fact, the 911 Turbo is quicker with a Tip than a manual (and this assumes a highly skilled driver doing the cog swapping).

The Tip is very well designed and produced, there are very few reported failures. And, over the life of the car, it's less maintenance intensive and less costly to own than the manual.

There's no wuss factor in driving a Tip, nor are there any man points to be had for driving a manual - anyone can be taught to do it! The best drivers in the world, F1 and Indy car drivers, now only push buttons in response to a light on their steering wheels. And that light is controlled by the computer making the driver the weak link in the chain.

There's nothing to lament, it's just evolution. Porsche knows this and that's why the 2012 911 is expected to do away with the manual altogether, relying on the PDK and a 7-step CVT (continuously variable transmission) as the only tranny options.

The Tip Boxster is a great car, and so's the manual. But it's not a contest, each has it's merits and it's weaknesses. To quote Stephen Stills: "Love the one you're with"!

:cheers:

Kudos on the well written response. I specifically looked for an auto when shopping for my boxster. When I was a kid, my first car(mgb ltd) had a manual and I loved it. It was easy to do burn outs(tires were cheap back then), But as I got/get older, I just don't have the energy for a full time manual tranny. One less thing I have to be concerned/aware of when I am driving.

Now I do have one big complaint with it, Every now and then, mostly when turning or backing up, I hit the buttons on the steering wheel. It has almost caused an accident as I am used to gassing it in 2nd gear on take off, and when its in first I tend to go a little too fast. But other than that I love it. :cool: I really think its state of the art and very intuitive.

Lil-B, sums it up rather nicely. Wife and I both love our 2.7 TIP and both remarked while driving today how much enjoyment we get out of this car. I drove a 911SC manual since 1988 and it was always a bear with downshifts with those cylindrical syncs. The newer cone shaped sync's were supposed to be better along with the hydraulic clutch. I drove a PDK and it is fabulous and maybe someday.... ;)

For those that enjoy getting that shift just right which adds to their enjoyment of the car, I say have fun and keep on keepin on. For those who enjoy driving a manual but feel compelled to woof on those of us that drive TIPs, I say go whistle up the cats a** and get back to your driving and leave the rest of us alone.

AKL :dance:

I have a 2000 S tip. Too good a deal to pass up and extremely low mileage.
It had the color and options I wanted. But...it was a tip. I drove it and loved it right away. Bought it and couldn't be happier. I think I've driven it twice in full auto mode, as it's alot of fun to shift manually.
Each to his own they say...

+1 on loving a Box with a Tip. It's a great driver. While I do think that shifting a manual is major fun, I really wouldn't trade my Tip for anything.

LB nailed it. I drive a 5 spd but would have bought a tip if in the right car. A modern tip trans is so good (PDK is incredible) that the old manual trans seems like a bit of a dinosaur on a modern Porsche.

Yes the manual trans will reveal more RWHP on a dyno. Yes a well driven tip will often turn faster laps on a track. Drive what suits you best. My next Porsche will have PDK.