mike96ss

I do too. Exhaust is always set to "Track" and I use all the gears. Will have to try 1-3.

themonk

jwreed50

Yep, the M7 might seem like a lot of gears, but it's only a lot if you run through all of them!

I just use whatever gears seem appropriate for the driving conditions.

twilhelm39

I would go 1st to 3rd all the time in my C6, but I love shifting my Z51 so much I always go 1-2-3-4

DickieDoo

1-3 is better in my opinion than 1-4. 1-4 is just too tall a shift and always seems like it's lugging.
If you like 1-3, then try 3-5

Bill Dearborn

I usually shift 1 to 2 somewhere between 10 and 14 mph especially if in heavy traffic where people are driving slow. I also do the 1 to 2 shift above 20 mph if the traffic isn't as heavy and moving along at a moderate pace. Rarely get hit with CAGS although sometimes I forget and shift to 2nd between 14 and 20 with the shifter being pushed toward 4th. When that happens I just push forward on the shifter and then pull it into 2nd before I let the clutch out. Typically when running around town I am in 4th before the car gets to 30 mph and in 5th by the time it gets to 35 and 6th when it is running above 40.

The C7 engines can easily handle GM's recommended minimum 900 rpm engine speed so they really don't lug when run that low. They are one of the few cars on the planet that you can feather the clutch to start moving in 4th gear and once the car is moving with the clutch all the way out go wide open and not have to shift until you hit the rev limiter at 150 mph. C6Z would go all the way to 160 due to having another 500 rpm at the top end.

Bill

Walt White Coupe

Exactly how I liked to drive my C6 Z51 when just normal driving. I found shifting from 1-3 was much "smoother" than 1-2. Now I've got an automatic and love it.

sdurg24

I have used the 1-3 shift on all four of my Corvetts whenever the skip shift occurs due to the CAGS kicking in. I learned to feel the shift interrupt coming on and simply do a "U" shift into 3rd. Like many others I knew that if the engine had enough torque to handle the 1-4 than 1-3 would be a snap. Now I do it often in my C7 with Z51 and it just feels natural.

JerryU

Hmm, wonder why installing a ~$25 CAGS eliminator isn't one of the first cheap mod owners would install? Granted the C7 is not as bad as the C6 but it's not hard. Perhaps the PDF I provided a link for in post #4 on this thread made it look more difficult than it is. I went overboard by putting insulation around the one piece long one I bought. Some are two piece, sell for $20 and just use plastic wire ties to keep it from hitting the exhaust.

FWIW, do as you wish.

FLS2K

Funny how we all drive differently. Nice to have options.

I never skip gears up-shifting. In addition, after 25,000 miles, I've never once been forced into the 1-4. I can't imagine shifting out of 1st at under ~2400RPM when the 1-4 is active. Just me.

LIStingray

it frankly doesn't matter whether you have a Base, Z51/GS or Z06 - the cars have so much torque that around town at light throttle, 1-3-5-6-7, and if already rolling 2-4-5-6-7 work great and save wear and tear.
I find 4-6 too big of a gap, so I always end up using 5, 6 & 7 (if I need to get to 7), but around town, unless I am getting on the car, it is generally 1-3-5 or 2-4-5 and shifting between 1,500-1,800 rpms. 6th isn't very useful below 50 mph, so it isn't an around town gear; and 7th is really only a 65 mph or higher flat road gear.

AORoads

^^^I agree.

dbirdhouse1

yup

Wideout

bigblock427

While the transmission is cold I shift from first to third.