How "instant" is the tiptronic gear change for a 996 turbo
Discussion
I am looking to buy a 996 Turbo, and all the good examples I find seem to be tiptronics.
I was just wandering if the gear change really is instant or if there is any pause between the push of the button and the actual change up or down.
And does tiptronic improve or worsen the driveability and the fun factor? If anyone with experience could give me their opinion.
Many thanks in advance for all your feedback
I was just wandering if the gear change really is instant or if there is any pause between the push of the button and the actual change up or down.
And does tiptronic improve or worsen the driveability and the fun factor? If anyone with experience could give me their opinion.
Many thanks in advance for all your feedback

fastf355 said:
I am looking to buy a 996 Turbo, and all the good examples I find seem to be tiptronics.
I was just wandering if the gear change really is instant or if there is any pause between the push of the button and the actual change up or down.
And does tiptronic improve or worsen the driveability and the fun factor? If anyone with experience could give me their opinion.
Many thanks in advance for all your feedback
The standard Tip is a little slow. If you want to use as combined day and fun ride, suggest you contact Ken at 9e for their Tip upgrade, otherwise stick to manual.I was just wandering if the gear change really is instant or if there is any pause between the push of the button and the actual change up or down.
And does tiptronic improve or worsen the driveability and the fun factor? If anyone with experience could give me their opinion.
Many thanks in advance for all your feedback

fastf355 said:
all the good examples I find seem to be tiptronics
Nice manuals are not difficult to find....You just won't normally find them at the bottom of the market.
Its been that way for a good while and the price difference between tip and manual will probably grow as the tip becomes increasingly out of date as a gearbox and enthusiasts looking for a weekend toy want a manual for the weekend as they drive a tip/auto/pdk etc in their weekday car.
The problem is that most people don't understand how to drive the tiptronic. To be fair that is partly Porsche fault by lack of instructions in the manual.
In a 996 turbo 2002 onwards the control unit has 250 driving programs - when you first start the car, it is in its slowest setting e.g. For smoothness and economy. After a spirited drive it will move into different programs. In order to shift the fastest you have to put it into the top program and this can be done by double stamping on the accelerator quickly.
Turbos have adaption values for boost as well so a car that is driven slowly will respond slower as well until it has been given the beans.
Take a manual and a tiptronic same turbo and I bet I will beat the manual car driving a tiptronic.
We upgrade them to take more power and quicken the shifts as well.
Remember the 997 turbo tiptronic is faster than a manual.
In the end it comes down to personal choice, but it does help to know how to drive one first.
Ken
In a 996 turbo 2002 onwards the control unit has 250 driving programs - when you first start the car, it is in its slowest setting e.g. For smoothness and economy. After a spirited drive it will move into different programs. In order to shift the fastest you have to put it into the top program and this can be done by double stamping on the accelerator quickly.
Turbos have adaption values for boost as well so a car that is driven slowly will respond slower as well until it has been given the beans.
Take a manual and a tiptronic same turbo and I bet I will beat the manual car driving a tiptronic.
We upgrade them to take more power and quicken the shifts as well.
Remember the 997 turbo tiptronic is faster than a manual.
In the end it comes down to personal choice, but it does help to know how to drive one first.
Ken
fastf355 said:
I am looking to buy a 996 Turbo, and all the good examples I find seem to be tiptronics.
I was just wandering if the gear change really is instant or if there is any pause between the push of the button and the actual change up or down.
And does tiptronic improve or worsen the driveability and the fun factor? If anyone with experience could give me their opinion.
Many thanks in advance for all your feedback
See the constant auto vs manual arguments on here, and you will see that others views won't really help you.I was just wandering if the gear change really is instant or if there is any pause between the push of the button and the actual change up or down.
And does tiptronic improve or worsen the driveability and the fun factor? If anyone with experience could give me their opinion.
Many thanks in advance for all your feedback

You need to make your own mind up.
Yes the Tip is a auto with fancy buttons to allow you to override the gear change and it is indeed not as fast as the PDK box but always remember PDK make faster changes than a manual box and i would argue that in majority of gearchanges (as alluded to in 996ttalot post) a Tip is faster as well. Although i have never driven a Turbo i reckon the Tip/Turbo combination isnt too much of a bad marriage due to the performance of the engine, but i standby to be corrected. But as MTR says, you need to make your own decision and most importantly try and get a test drive and with a Turbo, take it out of the town into the country, its there where the Tip will win (or not) you over.
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