PDK Transmissions
 

A buddy is looking at Caymans with this option and wanted to know about their reliability etc, anybody have one and can you share your thoughts about it, good, bad or ugly, what's your experience with it?
Finn

The transmission is a bit of technological wonder, instantaneous shifting, automatic throttle “blips” on the downshifts, and the computer steps in if you do something truly stupid. I had a chance to drive a turbo cab with one for a few hours, and it was outstanding.

A major consideration should be that currently not even the dealers are able to repair these gearboxes, there is no availability of parts, and even the diagnostics are only available in the latest PIWIS version. PCNA has totally cut off the independent shops from working on these gearboxes. At this time, and for the foreseeable future, the only repair is a replacement; not a problem while the car has a warranty, but what do you do when it does not have one? One of these gearboxes sells, in a crate, for about $15k or so, plus installation. Just a thought.................

Whats PIWIS ?

PIWIS is the newest Porsche computer that they rent to the dealers for an enormous price that connects to the computers within the cars and reads out the codes, does tests, etc. The OBD2 port has to (by law) be open to independent access (Durametric s/w, code readers, etc) so independent mechanics can work on the engine/emission on the cars but apparently the law doesn't say anything about the security or transmission systems and those are proprietary.

Our 2010 has about 8k miles and half of those are probably from running it on the track. Zero faults and we just changed the fluid and it looked identical to the new stuff going in. I'm thinking this transmission is very well made and what drained out had zero debris of any sort in it. My only complaint is that we want a limited slip and short of buying a whole pdk from Porsche directly to swap in, it's not going to happen.