Lets cut the bull$hit REAL quick.

Your daily driver HAS TO be automatic. With the bizarre array of sedans, SUV's, Trucks, motorcycles and jet packs, you simply cannot predict traffic patterns anymore. No sooner have you feathered the clutch and grabbed the clutch and the guy ahead of you is slamming on his brakes while the other guy is changing lanes. Auto transmissions in stop and go traffic are 100% faster and more efficient than an old 4 speed. If you own a 4 speed and do ANY kind of city driving, be prepared for LOTS of clutch feathering, pedal pounding, lurching starts and a few stalls. (Ive been driving stick for 35 years, its not like Im a newb) . Stick shifts are NOT for guys who need to multi task on their drive in to the office....

HOWEVER...............................

If you live rural, deal with less than 50 cars on your way to work, or just pick a few day to go in early...................a MANUAL TRANSMISSION is a gift from Zeus himself. I LOVE the feeling when I get on a on ramp and can control when my 468 grabs the next gear. Its like a video game where Im trying not to blow up. After a shitty day at work, NOTHING can beat the feeling of going WOT, grabbing gears, missing the redline and downshifting (and maybe skidding a bit).

SO, the BLUF.....

If you just want to drive to work and look sexy, auto is the way to go. Auto is great in heavy traffic and avoids rear end collisions. (cmon,, if you drive stick you know how impatient you are) Auto is great for a daily driver and commuter in moderate traffic.

Manual transmissions are 100X more FUN! They required way more attention in traffic and can be a major pita in anything but light traffic.

 

I have driven manual transmission cars for years as a daily driver and never found it to be a problem and stalling was an extremely rare event. I now drive my manual strictly in the city in light and heavy traffic. I have no desire for an automatic.

 

Ditto

And I can't remember stalling a manual any time in at least the last 20 years.

 

I agree and guess what.......my '71 Corvette Convertible 4-speed IS my daily driver.
So I just screwed up the argument that your daily driver can't be a 1971 Corvette and a 4-speed.

 

The "automatic" versus "manual" question comes up time & time again. It`s like asking which color looks best on a Vette. Each has it`s own merits, and drawbacks. So it`s all a matter of personal preference. The ONLY person who can answer correctly, is the one who asked!
(By the way.... the best color is Steel Cities Gray)

 

51 here, and much prefer a stick. My 79 was an automatic, and while I liked the car, I was not overly fond of the transmission. It broke after I installed my SBC 427 - so I quickly decided a manual transmission was in my future. Absolutely no regrets. I drive this car often, as long as the weather is good. For a while, I was doing 85 mile commutes one-way to work - The stick was not an issue for me. Not at all sure why anyone would think a DD HAS to be an automatic. It is just a preference, plain and simple. Go with what you want.

 

SOooooo.... an automatic it is...

 

I am 67 and my 75 Stingray is a 4 speed, it had to be that way or I wouldn't have bought it. My 70 Dart Swinger 340 is a 4 speed, it had to be that way or I wouldn't have bought it. The 64 Lemans convertible I am looking at is a 326 automatic and I am good with that. It is also a fact if the Lemans had GTO badging it would also need to be a 4 speed. Surprising how a chrome and paint emblem can change a person's mindset. Bottom line is a Vette has to have 3 pedals.
Jerry

 

Toy = Manual
Daily = Auto

Age is only a number. It's the number of knee operations that you have to count.

 

I have driven manual transmission cars and trucks all my life, including daily drivers, and its as simple as can be. You climb in the vehicle, start it up and drive it. Whining about shifting in traffic is as bad as whining about lots of other things, but its still whining. And if anyone ever made an automatic that shifted properly I might consider it. I have a 2015 F150 automatic, and its nothing but aggravation, because its constantly trying to downshift for fuel economy, so it bogs on slight grades, and then over-revs to catch up when you get tired of the bog.....what a bunch of B.S. Unfortunately, manual transmission are no longer available on F150.

Look, if you like an auto, fine. I don't, .....fine again.

 

Re-read my original post,, then let me know what you think I like.. Don't get all worked up over a simple question..
Shift On Dude,, Shift on

 

No matter what you go for, then go for an OD transmission, and min. 3.73 rear :- )

 

Obviously this is my opinion:

Corvettes are sports cars. Sports cars require manual transmissions. That really is the end of it for me.

The only reason I bought my 72 with an automatic is because I have a T56 6speed ready to drop in it.

 

Dude, you live in Skacattwoon! Theres like, what, 10 other people with cars there? Traffic cant be a problem by you.

Im kidding. I live in a Suburb outside Syracuse and about half of my drive traffic light controlled. Between summer construction, idiots blocking the intersection and just plain congestion, there are times I have to stop 20 times every 30 seconds. Thats just a lot of foot work.

Again, just kiddign about the Canada joke. (kind of)

 

Somewhere around 250,000 people in Saskatoon, so yeah, there is bumper to bumper traffic during certain times, everywhere is traffic light controlled. And I'm a woman.

 

Stick a Tremec TKO500 in it

 

Here in so cal, you get stuck in traffic. When it happens, being in our little Honda is no big deal, my dog could step on that clutch. If I'm in my C3, it's gonna be a long and painful drive, left leg aching on the one hand and worrying about overheating on the other, so I do my best to avoid it at all costs. But an automatic, no way.

James Taylor said it best:

Damn this traffic jam, how I hates to be late
hurts my motor to go so slow
Damn this traffic jam
Time I get home my supper be cold

 

A woman driver? See, when I say that kind of stuff they make me go to sensitivity classes and ****.

But honestly, driving in light traffic and moderate stop lights is manageable with a 40 year old 4 speed transmission. Its when you travel city block by city block, moving 6 feet at a time that a manual transmission becomes a curse. (Having a loping cam and disconnected vac advance doesn't help much either) My town only gets that congested twice a day and occasionally with construction (which is damn near all summer). Another problem I have in bumper to bumper traffic is the LONG nose of the Corvette. Cars are often only separated by 12-18 inches, and with that long nose, Its really hard to judge, so I hang back a bit, which further hinders traffic. Mind you, I dont live in NYC or some other super congested city, just a large suburb in upstate NY.

I stick to my original post. Manuals are great for fun but a PITA in heavy stop and go traffic.

Lest not even get started on talking about driving in the snow.....

 

My 6t8 was a 4-speed now a 5-speed. Bought a 69 300hp auto to fix up and flip, really enjoyed driving it so much that I still have it 6 years later. Now it's a 434 with a 200r4 and a hoot to drive. T

 

That's because it takes a bit of EFFORT and it's harder to text.