How good is the tiptronic?

Any info would be appreciated. Not sure if I want tiptronic over manual.

 

Worth a read.

http://www.rennteam.com/showflat.php...0&page=0#46478 is worth a read.

General opinion is that if you do a lot of town / traffic driving its probably the better transmission option. For the open road the manual is better.

Thats a very general view - personally I would always have a manual Porsche - I had a Tip Boxster S for a while & wouldn't have it again - simply because a manual is more in keeping with the nature of the car.

 

Thanks for that. Just need to find a manual now.

 

A good friend of mine has just been through the same decision.

He ended up, subsequent to test driving both, going for a Tip. Which he is very impressed with. Changes gear very quickly and smoothly.

996 Cabriolet Tiptronic.... nice car.

My only real suggestion is to do as he did - and get out there and try both a manual and a tip and see which YOU prefer.

Shades

 

Driven a 996C2 cab tip quite a lot... (not mine)

Top down, cruising round, it's nice, very smooth, very easy to drive in total auto with the occasional downshift on the wheel buttons before entering a bend etc.

On track, allowed me to learn the limits of a 911 (and only one grasscutting excursion ) without worrying about locking the backend under downshifting, was nice to learn about one aspect of a 911 at a time (ie the balance before "pressing on" too much) - was like driving a big expensive go kart when you only have to worry about two pedals..

If I was buying a cab, maybe I'd consider tip, but on a coupe I'd definately go manual.

my 2p worth...

Ian

 

I got a manual. Tiptronics are for those with a limp wrist
Cman

 

If it wasn't for the US, there wouldn't be a Tiptronic. It is not a pseudo racing set up as BMW and Ferrari bill their systems, it is a sop to the Septics who need a free hand for their burgers - albeit an extremely effective solution.

A bit like cup holders. You have to pay extra for serious wheels, sports exhaust and Xenon lights but the blinking cup holders are standard!!

 

Very interesting to read all your opinions.

My gut says manual.

Still undecided whether the car should have a metal or cloth roof yet. I oldest I want is an S plate. I think the cab may be slightly out my reach at the moment.

 

Personally I think the 996 Cab has a butt-ugly rear end..really awful. 993 was better.
So if you want a 996 it has to be a coupe IMHO
Cman

 

I've got a C4 Tiptronic, its very good and from what I have read on many of the Porsche BB's they seem less prone to problems than the manual gearbox and clutches. The one thing I would say is that I rarely use the up or downshift unless I'm caning it. It is pretty intelligent in Auto mode, it doesn't change up mid corner and automatically changes down when braking. If I was to do it again I'd go for the tiptronic.

And no my wrist is not limp in any shape or form

 

Can't fully make my mind up about the 993 and 996. Guess I like them both but can't say which I prefer.

What are the servicing costs like?

 

Its so bad that its 0-100 times are faster than the manual version

 

996 versus 993 ......late 993 has better exterior than early 996 and 996 has infinitely better interior than 993, for me it was a no brainer I was not paying 40K for a 993 that looks like its from the 70's inside so I went for the 996, which obviously was more expensive but it felt like I was getting something nearer the value for the cash I was shelling out.
Any Cab is usually not as nice as the Coupe as long as the roof is up, even with the hard top. When I bought mine in 2000 there was no Cab C4 version so I went with the Coupe(with sunroof) as I deemed 4wd more important to getting the roof down based on where I live, 2500 feet up in Central Europe .

 

The tips are quicker through the gears, but my opinion is that it is not in keeping with the character of the rest of the car. You don't see many 996 turbos (sure you see some), and it is not even an option on the really focussed cars like the GT3, GT2 and even the Carerra GT. Consider the F1 paddleshift and the SMG - all appear on the most hard core versions. The tip is a great solution, but for me the experience of a manual box is better. A bit like saying that you may be able to lap faster in a CL65 than a Caterham Superlight but the latter will be more involving and invigorating.

The 993 is approx twice as expensive to service as a 996. If you are going for a Cab, it may be worth trying a Boxster S - not much in it day to day if you don't need rear seats.

 

As has been said - drive both of them & see which you prefer.
Make sure you do a lot of varied driving...around town....open road...motorways & back roads etc to get a feel for both.

 

I'm too tall for the Boxster. I believe the 996 has more legroom than the Boxster.

 

I've tried a Boxster and I didn't fit properly. Hoping the 996 fits me better else I will start looking into a V8 Espirt

 

Drove a manual and tip 996 and went for the tip. The Tip-S is a good box.. its still an auto. The Manual burns through clutches!

I went from a M3 SMG to the Porsche Tip and it realls is quite intellegent and fun to drive. I'm sure the mnaual would be more fun on those few occasions at 4am when the winding roads are clear... however we live in the real world!

The 993 cab is a bad choice, they are not supposed to be all that good.

 

996 Tip has dozens more programs than the Boxster, which is very crude in comparison(just the tip box we are talking about here). Don't judge the 996s' tip box based on a boxster test drive.
Space is very much at a premium in the 996...I've 34" legs and can't fit in a sport seat equipped 996...seats are too high...ok in the standard 'leccy seats though.
Cman