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How few manuals are out there?

83 TEP

Well-known member
Joined
17 Apr 2012
Messages
47
My daily golf R is going soon and I'm looking for a 991.1s with a stick to replace it. There are so few for sale though. I've read all the stories about the box not being the best but I can't believe it's that bad. Just finding one to drive is a challenge.

How few manuals were sold compared with pdks in UK?
 
No idea but the dealers definitely put the screws on when you wanted to buy one new.
'Oh sir, you don't want one of those. It won't be worth anything in the future. Everyone wants PDK."
'I don't and I'm the one ponying up today."
'Sorry Sir we don't have one to test drive"
Etc

Reports on the original 7 speed are poor but Ive never driven one. I have a GTS which is supposedly improved as is the 991.2 so it's important to drive one first.... if you can find one.

How Many Left might help ID numbers :thumbs:
 
Depending on the model, about 5% on the 991.1. Once you look at 991.2 it goes up considerably.
 
Just wrote a post on this.
http://911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=127530




Staring with the Manual Gearbox:
I wasn't too sure if I was going to enjoy the Manual transmission. My current 911 is a PDK as was my previous 997.2. Plus, living in London where the avg. speed is 10mph(!), I was concerned the Manual box might be a bit of chore. I needn't have worried - the .2 Manual Transmission is simply wonderful. It was very interesting to find the bite-point was exactly the same as my old 997.1; yet the physical gear-change feels shorter and more rapid when it engages. Even in traffic, I didn't feel it was heavy / laborious. Obviously it's not as comfortable as a PDK, as the left leg is constantly required to do some work. BUT that work is satisfying and - although this may sound cliche - it does offer a more driver-involved experience. I'm no racing driver, so a Manual gear-change for me will never be as smooth and quick as a dual-clutch PDK: BUT the PDK will never offer the satisfaction of that >Manual > clutch-down > engage control.

If I didn't live in London, I would strongly consider getting a Manual; the linear power-delivery feels smooth and offers great feedback and overall control. I have no idea how I will feel when I get my own car back though; I guess the PDK in Sports-Mode is the ideal balance, but watch this space...
 
Has anyone driven both the .1 and .2 manual - are they that different?
 
83 TEP said:
Has anyone driven both the .1 and .2 manual - are they that different?

Back in 2014 I bought a 6 month old C2S manual which, for a number of reasons, I didn't bond with so I moved it on within 3 months. I didn't want to admit it at the time as I'm a committed manual fan, but I found the gearbox a disappointment and not very nice to use - it seemed vague and the clutch seemed a bit sticky. To be honest, I wouldn't recommend an early 991 manual if asked.

However, following the launch of the 991.1 GTS I got an invite down the Silverstone to drive the new car. Quite a few of the examples they had were manual, and the gearbox and clutch felt much better, so much so that it got me thinking......

Fast forward to last year and I took delivery of my 991.2 C2 GTS - manual. What a fantastic car, and that includes the gearbox. The clutch is light, yet feelsome, and the gear change feels loads better; it's now direct and with a lovely short throw. I know some people say it has one gear too many, but I just drive it as a 6 speed most of the time, preferring 7th as an overdrive type gear purely for cruising.

Only you can decide, but based on my experience a post 2015 manual should be a lovely car. Go for it.
 
I wouldn't worrry about some of the negative press you read about on the 991.1 Manual box.

I have a 991.1 Manual and love it, in my opinion it's much better than the 997.2 Manual that it replaced (I owned 3 of them).

It feels much more solid and purposeful in my opinion, and I don't get the issues shifting in to 2nd when cold that I had on all of my 997.2s
 
83 TEP said:
Has anyone driven both the .1 and .2 manual - are they that different?

I remember Chris Harris having a long term loan 991.1 GTS which was manual. He reckoned the manual box in that was better than the earlier 991.1 manual 'box cars he'd driven.

I've got a manual 997.2 GTS with the "sports shifter" as Porsche call it or the short shift kit as everyone else calls it. I drove my OPC's 991.2 GTS demo which had a manual box (which I nearly bought)...for me the gear change in my GTS is better....but it's definitely something that can vary between cars.
 
Has anyone driven both the .1 and .2 manual - are they that

Just had Numeric Racing short-shift and uprated cables fitted to my disappointing manual. It certainly is a lot more 'rifle-bolt-like' now though quite noisy - even my wife ( who wasn't a party to the expense ) noticed the noise. Sounds same as ever I lied ! I think I will enjoy it long-term. Eibach lowering springs fitted at same time are awesome - much improved stance, no harsher ride ( as promised ) and feels much more planted on the road.
 
Confused.com, having driven a 991.1 I thought the manual gearbox was amazing? (Compared to a 997 anyway) :?
 
I just bought a 991.1 with a manual box and whilst I also find the 7 gears slightly odd I have no problems at all with the clutch or shifting feel etc.

I would suggest it feels slightly tighter than my 997 but I'd just assumed that was because it is 8 years newer.

As said above, I am tending to ignore the 7th gear - for a 180 mph car when would I really need it - 130mph??
 
I've driven a 991.1 manual a fair bit and I think the gearbox is very good, the only time one has to give it slightly more concentration is when changing from 6th to 5th, where there is a small risk of hooking 3rd if you were a bit too casual about it. Had no issues with any other combination of changes up or down. Lovely feel to it overall, great cars, you can feel the build quality.
 
Loving the auto rev match on 991.2 manual and wish there is ON/OFF switch instead on replying on SPORTS/NORMAL mode.
 
not very many

hi
so i'm lucky enough to have a 2012 manual S and have ad for nearly 3 years now and its great and i'd agree not many around.

definitely the box is not as smooth as the finest effort from say honda but there is nothing wrong with it or the clutch.
having come from rs4/m3 manuals in the past its not massively different can be a bit reluctant if cold but nothing major but never had a problem with the wrong gear hooking up.
that said i've used mine almost every day and its got >30k now on it so quite possibly its broken in nicely now rather than being brand new and a bit tight.

the only annoyance is the gearing is a bit long for uk country roads, if you put your foot down in 2nd at 30 it doesn't really get going until 50 or so where the pdk may even go down to 1st. this makes 4,5 & 6 somewhat irrelevant. the only time i've ever used 5th in anger is at the end of a long straight at the track pushing past 140!
but it is fun lifting on and off even at low speeds in the higher gears just to hear the pops and bangs.

good luck searching.
 

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