Pedal Commander

[MTSNKOB]

I guess I'm feeling a bit sensitive with this headache I've got after spending half the day in the showroom yesterday.

Thanks again and I appreciate your words also. Yes, frustrated is a word I would certainly use. In fact, I actually wish I'd never stepped into the dealership in April '21 (eventually getting the car at the end of July '22) and bought the thing. I would usually be shy of buying a new car, new in terms of design or variant, as it's customers of these who are the real-world testers for the manufacturers to get things right for phase 2 etc. After finding all the problems that development couldn't. Suffering all sorts of issues, in some cases! But this was, effectively a face-lift with a few other new bits chucked in. I think I've put the list of issues in a previous thread, but happy to list them again if you wish. Also, I agree, the car is more urgent and responsive in Sport and Sport+, but it can be a bit too much for driving about town etc.,.especially the way the gearbox behaves, and yes, the eco features are switched-off. The difference though is that it doesn't have to be that way, and more often than not, isn't with other manufacturers. The problem stems really from Porsche wanting to be different. Even if their way might not be the best way, it's the Porshe way. This can be seen when you compare features with their stablemates from Audi and VW. The others aren't afraid to share features or be the same, but Porsche, in their arrogance, and need to justify the ticket price, have to be different. The ACC is a prime example, as are elements of the way the gearbox is set-up. 'Porsche knows best' is their opinion. Let's not even talk about the instrument pack, layout and lighting etc.

Anyway, thanks for your words guys. As I said, I'm not here to wind people up, and if I do, I apologise. It seems my experience is a bad one, one which I do not wish to repeat, especially after I sold my previous and superb car for this one. Sadly, I can't really have anything like a 911 and I'm not keen on the Cayenne. The Macan fitted the bill right up until I owned one. To think I rejected a Taycan too, as I wasn't quite ready to go electric. Oh well, it might well have been a bad decision like the one I made... That's the thought I'm clinging on to. Once bitten, twice shy.


Oh, and to cowdray2 - Exactly, not what anyone should expect from any manufacturer, let alone a 'premium' manufacturer. Imagine my surprise yesterday when the dealer said, "A certain amount of moisture in the lights is considered acceptable to Porsche". REALLY?! So yes I'm expecting a battle with the warranty guys over that one!

And wolands advocate - Yes the M440i is very responsive. Much more like a car of that pedigree should be. IMO, the gearbox on the Macan, at least the GTS, is poor, and the throttle response outside of a sports mode, is woeful. We're in a minority with that opinion though.

[On-Track]

I can safely say that I've never heard of a pedal commander, but as someone who comes to the Macan GTS after six years driving a BMW 440i with the excellent ZF 8spd auto, I certainly agree that the way the Macan's gearbox reacts when pulling off or reversing takes some getting used to. The first time I went to reverse out of my drive, I had to check I hadn't accidentally put it in neutral, because the amount of pedal tweakage that resulted in motion in the BMW resulted in precisely no motion in the Macan, merely some revs flare. Felt almost like the clutch was slipping.

Is your drive steeply sloped by any chance? I had a similar problem with my Macan SD. It only appeared on the drive at my mother's house which was very steep and could never be replicated by Porsche technicians. I eventually "solved" it by reversing down the drive. The car would always drive out without difficulty.

I came to the Macan after 24 years of driving automatics (including a Porsche Cayenne for two years). All my previous experience was with torque convertor transmissions whereas the Macan is a double clutch box. At slow speeds it does "slip" the clutch and take off is different to a torque convertor transmission.

[Oscar2]

I guess I'm feeling a bit sensitive with this headache I've got after spending half the day in the showroom yesterday.

Thanks again and I appreciate your words also. Yes, frustrated is a word I would certainly use. In fact, I actually wish I'd never stepped into the dealership in April '21 (eventually getting the car at the end of July '22) and bought the thing. I would usually be shy of buying a new car, new in terms of design or variant, as it's customers of these who are the real-world testers for the manufacturers to get things right for phase 2 etc. After finding all the problems that development couldn't. Suffering all sorts of issues, in some cases! But this was, effectively a face-lift with a few other new bits chucked in. I think I've put the list of issues in a previous thread, but happy to list them again if you wish. Also, I agree, the car is more urgent and responsive in Sport and Sport+, but it can be a bit too much for driving about town etc.,.especially the way the gearbox behaves, and yes, the eco features are switched-off. The difference though is that it doesn't have to be that way, and more often than not, isn't with other manufacturers. The problem stems really from Porsche wanting to be different. Even if their way might not be the best way, it's the Porshe way. This can be seen when you compare features with their stablemates from Audi and VW. The others aren't afraid to share features or be the same, but Porsche, in their arrogance, and need to justify the ticket price, have to be different. The ACC is a prime example, as are elements of the way the gearbox is set-up. 'Porsche knows best' is their opinion. Let's not even talk about the instrument pack, layout and lighting etc.

Anyway, thanks for your words guys. As I said, I'm not here to wind people up, and if I do, I apologise. It seems my experience is a bad one, one which I do not wish to repeat, especially after I sold my previous and superb car for this one. Sadly, I can't really have anything like a 911 and I'm not keen on the Cayenne. The Macan fitted the bill right up until I owned one. To think I rejected a Taycan too, as I wasn't quite ready to go electric. Oh well, it might well have been a bad decision like the one I made... That's the thought I'm clinging on to. Once bitten, twice shy.


Oh, and to cowdray2 - Exactly, not what anyone should expect from any manufacturer, let alone a 'premium' manufacturer. Imagine my surprise yesterday when the dealer said, "A certain amount of moisture in the lights is considered acceptable to Porsche". REALLY?! So yes I'm expecting a battle with the warranty guys over that one!

And wolands advocate - Yes the M440i is very responsive. Much more like a car of that pedigree should be. IMO, the gearbox on the Macan, at least the GTS, is poor, and the throttle response outside of a sports mode, is woeful. We're in a minority with that opinion though.

Thanks for your review, someone with an unbiased opinion for a change well done

[MTSNKOB]

Thanks! I didn't think I was allowed to for a time, earlier!

[worldwidewebs]

I'd be interested to hear more about the Pedal Commander. I know they're pretty popular in the US and even before I've taken delivery of my car I'm pretty sure I'll end up getting one

[MTSNKOB]

I'd put a bit about it earlier in the thread, so feel free to scroll back up but, essentially, it's a smallish box that plugs in between the throttle pedal and connector. It's a one screw job that takes just a couple of minutes once you've located the correct screw. There's an excellent video on YouTube showing how and reviewing the device.

It has a multitude of settings, right from barely move limp-home type mode, and ultra aggressive wheelie mode, all work in all of the standard Porsche drive modes. The mode can be set on the device itself, and then just left in mode, or by Bluetooth on your phone. Mines's tucked under the steering column, so easily accessible. It doesn't plug into the ODB and is powered by the throttle control with the ignition, so it's literally a fit and forget. I've selected my preference and never looked back.

I got mine from Amazon for about £180 and I think it was shipped from Germany in about 2 days. I contacted them with a query, and their customer service was second to none.

They say it shouldn't affect any warranty, but of course, they would say that, but my car was with Porsche for most of the day yesterday, they would have seen it, and they would have noticed the difference between mine and other Macans in terms of throttle response, and nobody mentioned it at all, contrary to other manufacturers who have commented on me having braided brake lines fitted to newish cars etc. Before and not approving of my improvements.

In my opinion, and that of my wife, it has completely changed the car, so much for the better, and was well worth the outlay. Of course, do your homework as with anything, and like most of the other guys on here, you might not have an issue with the factory setting.

[worldwidewebs]

Thanks for the reply, much appreciated. I do like a decent throttle response and so far I don't think I've read a negative review of the PC at all, so yours is just adding to the argument for me getting one!

[Col Lamb]

Do remember that despite the cosmetic changes since its initial release the Macan started on the drawing board some 15 years ago and is based on what is now a very old Q5 platform.

It is also an SUV with all that goes with it, so no even in GTS format with its trick suspension there is no way it will accelerate and handle like a sports saloon with a V8 and 600 horses unless its in the hands of someone with a race license.

As an SUV with pretensions of being sporting is there anything in its price range that compares?

Taycan has been mentioned in the thread, has anyone actually sat in one? The seating is so low this old timer struggles to get out of one.

So if you are comparing a Macan to Sports saloons then there is something wrong with your expextations.

[2japs]

Do remember that despite the cosmetic changes since its initial release the Macan started on the drawing board some 15 years ago and is based on what is now a very old Q5 platform.

It is also an SUV with all that goes with it, so no even in GTS format with its trick suspension there is no way it will accelerate and handle like a sports saloon with a V8 and 600 horses unless its in the hands of someone with a race license.

As an SUV with pretensions of being sporting is there anything in its price range that compares?

Taycan has been mentioned in the thread, has anyone actually sat in one? The seating is so low this old timer struggles to get out of one.

So if you are comparing a Macan to Sports saloons then there is something wrong with your expextations.

Totally agree, that’s why imo people shouldn’t slag off the base or T, just on looks alone I would still rather have those than a Q5 or X3,

One of the reasons I’m looking to return to the Macan is if you don’t go daft on options, you are correct, I think the Macan is good value against other premium SUV.

The one thing I am not doing is a comparison to my S3 which the Macan will replace.

[Neil1911]

Its a conveyance for gentlefolk who occasionally enjoy a turn of speed, not a hot hatch. Comes close though