Considering a C5 as a daily driver
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St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
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How is the traffic in your area? If heavy, go with the auto. If not bad, go with the manual. Nothing wrong with the auto - you still get a lot of performance out of the car.
Team Owner
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From: Knoxville, TN
CI 3-4-5-6-7-8 Veteran
St. Jude '03 thru '26
I have one of each and love them both.
I have a vert and a coupe and love them both.
And one is more "show" and one is more "go".
One is a "every other daily driver" and one is the OTHER "every other daily driver".
OH, but my wife's two vettes are both manual and verts
I have a vert and a coupe and love them both.
And one is more "show" and one is more "go".
One is a "every other daily driver" and one is the OTHER "every other daily driver".
OH, but my wife's two vettes are both manual and verts
Advanced
Joined: May 2005
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I always had a manual, and always enjoyed rowing through the gears - rush hour traffic and all as my car is a DD. An opportunity to get my first corvette appeared, although it was an auto. After careful consideration, I took got the car. Probably the only car I would've bought that wasn't a manual.
While the car is fun to drive, at least once a day I think to myself "I wish it was a 6-speed" and my next one certainly will be. I have also started to take the car to the track (road course, not 1/4 mile) and the auto does not do well, if that is any consideration for you.
While the car is fun to drive, at least once a day I think to myself "I wish it was a 6-speed" and my next one certainly will be. I have also started to take the car to the track (road course, not 1/4 mile) and the auto does not do well, if that is any consideration for you.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Originally Posted by falconfling
It would depend on what kind of traffic your daily drive is.
My '03 annie is a six speed and I wouldn't have an auto for anything...
except commuting in stop and go, slow and go traffic. Its bad enough having some meatball panic stop 3 inches behind you, without fighting a clutch for an hour or more. If your commute is a clear lane on a good day, there's few sounds as good as hitting the shift points and listening to the rumble of the exhaust.
Gary
My '03 annie is a six speed and I wouldn't have an auto for anything...
except commuting in stop and go, slow and go traffic. Its bad enough having some meatball panic stop 3 inches behind you, without fighting a clutch for an hour or more. If your commute is a clear lane on a good day, there's few sounds as good as hitting the shift points and listening to the rumble of the exhaust.
Gary
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From: New Jersey
St. Jude Donor '05, '12-'13, '15-'16, '21
Nothing like the 6-speed, but its really going to come down to whats going to be the most efficient for you as a DD. I see your in the Atlanta area. Last time I was down the congestion was little like driving in LA. In that situation I would want an automatic.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Keller, TX
St. Jude Donor '07
Transportation = Auto
Recreation = Manual
Unless you enjoy your 'recreation' as much as I do... then buy the manual and tough it out in traffic. To me heavy traffic in a manual isn't that big a deal. I live in the D/FW area, so I do experience plenty of traffic.
If you already have a strong preference one way or the other, go with it.
Recreation = Manual
Unless you enjoy your 'recreation' as much as I do... then buy the manual and tough it out in traffic. To me heavy traffic in a manual isn't that big a deal. I live in the D/FW area, so I do experience plenty of traffic.
If you already have a strong preference one way or the other, go with it.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,060
Likes: 19
From: Ocean Springs, MS
St. Jude Donor '07
Atlanta traffic can be pretty bad which would make me lean toward the auto. I also already have a 4-speed '68 Z28, 4-speed '64 Corvette vert (soon to have the body reinstalled), and an '81 Corvette auto.
I think I'm going to concentrate on the color and live with the transmission in the car I decide to buy.
Thanks to everyone.
I think I'm going to concentrate on the color and live with the transmission in the car I decide to buy.
Thanks to everyone.
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Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Alpharetta GA
I'm in Alpharetta, also. My DD is a M6, and I love it! I work in Alpharetta, too, so my daily commute isn't bad. When driving down to the perimiter area a few times each week for meetings though, it still isn't bad down Georgia 400.
Nick
Nick
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 10,233
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From: Baltimore suburbs Maryland
I have a 6 speed as my daily and I do suburban country road, highway, and then inner Baltimore City driving every day. And once in a while hit the 1/4 mile strip. I don't mind the 6 speed.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,479
Likes: 13
From: Dallas/Grand Prairie Texas
Originally Posted by The Nuts
The majority are with the auto's because....more automatics were offered and sold than 6 speeds(biased opinions). A very good driver can beat an automatic, it's just that it takes more skill, I'd rather learn and be skillfull than lazy. Either way, you're talking +/- a couple tenths of a second. I'd definitely choose the transmission depending on your driving habits and traffic situations around you. Personally, I have a six speed and have no problems with stop and go traffic, the clutch is hydraulic, and not very heavy at all(try driving a 5.0 mustang with a cable clutch and a Tremec TKO trans and compare 
). Bottom line.....you want a sports car like a Corvette and get the full potential and thrills out of the car, get a manual....you want an automatic, buy a Cadillac CTS-V! 
). Bottom line.....you want a sports car like a Corvette and get the full potential and thrills out of the car, get a manual....you want an automatic, buy a Cadillac CTS-V! The Manuals get 3.42 gears and supposedly don't loose as much HP through the drive train.
The Auto's get either 2.73 or 3.15 gears and loose a little more through the drivetrain.
As I said, if both were equal HP and equal gears who would win?
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 160
Likes: 0
From: Tampa Fl
St. Jude Donor '06
Originally Posted by TripleBlackxTwo
Transportation = Auto
Recreation = Manual
Unless you enjoy your 'recreation' as much as I do... then buy the manual and tough it out in traffic. To me heavy traffic in a manual isn't that big a deal. I live in the D/FW area, so I do experience plenty of traffic.
If you already have a strong preference one way or the other, go with it.
Recreation = Manual
Unless you enjoy your 'recreation' as much as I do... then buy the manual and tough it out in traffic. To me heavy traffic in a manual isn't that big a deal. I live in the D/FW area, so I do experience plenty of traffic.
If you already have a strong preference one way or the other, go with it.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,060
Likes: 19
From: Ocean Springs, MS
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by EZ99B5
I always had a manual, and always enjoyed rowing through the gears - rush hour traffic and all as my car is a DD. An opportunity to get my first corvette appeared, although it was an auto. After careful consideration, I took got the car. Probably the only car I would've bought that wasn't a manual.
While the car is fun to drive, at least once a day I think to myself "I wish it was a 6-speed" and my next one certainly will be. I have also started to take the car to the track (road course, not 1/4 mile) and the auto does not do well, if that is any consideration for you.
While the car is fun to drive, at least once a day I think to myself "I wish it was a 6-speed" and my next one certainly will be. I have also started to take the car to the track (road course, not 1/4 mile) and the auto does not do well, if that is any consideration for you.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,060
Likes: 19
From: Ocean Springs, MS
St. Jude Donor '07
Bought a car
Originally Posted by 64roadster
Ok, my employer gives me a company car budget and I can have our fleet dept order a new vehicle for that amount or I can buy any car I want at auction as long as I don't exceed the same amount.
I have decided I would really enjoy a C5 convertible... so, my question is automatic or 6-speed? What do you recommend?
I have decided I would really enjoy a C5 convertible... so, my question is automatic or 6-speed? What do you recommend?
Automatic transmission... the color was more important to me than the transmission and this car has an automatic.
Thanks to everyone for your opinions, suggestions, and voting in the poll.
