Poll: Manual or Tip

[PlayersExpress]

Everything with my car is finally being settled after a full MONTH with my insurance company dragging their feet.

I've been in the process of looking at newer 05 and 06 Boxster S's and 02-04 996s.

I just test drove both a 99C2 Conv. w/ 38k mi which was a 6spd and a 02 C2 Conv. w/ 23k mi at my local dealer.

Both cars had their ups and downs, but my hardest choice (not between another boxster or a 911) is whether to buy a 6spd manual or a Tip as a daily driver out here in the suburbs.

If you guys had to buy your cars again or buy another one, would you get a 6 or a tip and why?

I know it all comes down to personal preference for the most part, but I enjoy the benefits and feelings of both.


So many choices.....

[Hawke]

Mine is a daily driver, and I have to drive all over Sydney in peak and other traffic. Tiptronic works fine.

Today I had to do a trip down the coast south of Sydney, and on some of the twisty highway bits, under hard braking, it kicks down just fine, and stays in gear on the exit. Cant see why you would want to move a stick.

[skadakia15]

Mine is a daily driver as well. It's a stick and if I had to do it again I'd go stick again. There are times when it's annoying in traffic to have to keep shifting up and down but for the rest of the time the stick is well worth it IMO.

[Boxtaboy]

Manual tranny for me. I would not even consider a TIP, and I lived with my car in NYC for over 5 yrs. In the suburbs, I wouldn't even hesitate a second to choose the manual over the auto tranny. It's just more fun, and there's no power sapping torque converter.

Now if you were comparing a PDK to a manual, then it's a closer matchup, but still, I'd choose a manual because I like the feel of doing the shifts and clutch control myself.

[mikehkang]

+1 for manual.

[eightsandaces]

Of course I knee jerked for the six speed, however, if I lived in a big city with stop and go traffic, I'd likely prefer tip but I'd buy pdk as tip is crap.

[mikefocke]

Alfa, Alfa, Porsche 914 were manual.
First Boxster was TIP. Totaled. Second Boxster is TIP. Lived in suburbs when the second was bought. Now live in semi-rural. I enjoy it, don't feel the need to shift for myself but maybe 5% of the time...and 80% of that is to get the revs up for the health of the engine. Like the buttons.

[PlayersExpress]

Originally Posted by reluctantmechanic

a month???!!? That's outrageous. Did they ask you to make a sworn statement under oath?

Yes they did, I made several sworn, recorded statements. Almost 2 hours worth to be exact, then a theft affidavit (State Farms own), they got the police report, they had both an adjuster come out and check the car, and a audio specialist to look at the wiring. The car got vandalized on Memorial Day, well I was still awake and it was 2am so it was technically June 1st, and today is June 29th and they told us it will take them a couple of days to get back to us with the numbers.

[Lil bastard]

My '99 is a TipS and it's been a joy to own. I live in the city and the Tip is ideal for that. When I get the urge, the steering wheel toggles more than scratch the itch.

Lots of people (and several of the comments made here) seem to forget that this isn't just the proverbial 'SlushBox', this is a ZF produced and Porsche massaged, selectable automatic with adaptive memory which adjusts it's shift points to suit an individual driving style. Thats a major difference from other automatics.

The Tip S is more maintenance friendly and it seems like RMS and IMS are somewhat mitigated by the fluid coupling of the Tip vs. the direct coupling of a clutch.

Also, Expressway cruising is a lot nicer with the Tip, set and forget. If an emergency threatens, there's one less task to perform. No clutch and downshift, just get on the binders straightaway.

Some of you know I bought a 964 C4 Cab 5-Spd. this month and drove it from Popano Beach FL some 1,900 miles home. Most of this was Interstate, in 5th gear w/ cruise control, basically the same as driving a Tip S. But, around town, I admit it's gets a little annoying to have to constantly row, usually due to the MORONS I am sometimes obliged to share the road with.

Also, since with the air-cooleds maintaining the proper oil pressure is so important (the air-cooleds are really oil-cooled), I find the gearing is just slightly off. In normal urban travel, I find myself in 2nd gear much more than I would have thought as driving at 30-35MPH in 3rd gear comes very close to lugging the engine and the oil pressure is just at the minimum recomended mark - 3.5 Bar, whereas 2nd gear places the oil pressure safely in the 4+ Bar range. In 2nd, the RPMs are in the mid-2000 range (2600-2700), but drop to 2000 or slightly below in 3rd getting dangerously close (IMHO) to the lugging/low oil pressure threshold.

I love the 964 in a classic sort of way, but it would be a better car for the driving I'm doing were it a Tip S.

I'm not promoting the Tip S in any way, just not dismissing it as easily as some others. I'd recommend driving them both, with as unbiased a mind as you can muster and then decide. I think the right combination will make itself evident.

Cheers!

[rick3000]

I get bored driving automatics, a manual is more fun. A stick shift more than makes up for bumper to bumper traffic when you're on a great road. But you're the one that has drive it, and if you're always in traffic then it's really your preference.

[mikefocke]

Here is my preference. Here is the argument for the other view. Your choice depending on your needs/preferences.

[Paul]

Half the fun of driving a sports car is blipping the throttle to downshift while braking for the next turn.

Maybe I'll consider a TIP when I'm over 90....