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A little off topic but... they have some seriously old funny looking Fiat cars in the Italian provinces. When I was driving the family DD for like the 3rd time the actual metal stick shift came out of the floor . There is no carpet, I am looking down and holding the metal stick. It was rolling in neutral and luckily I wasn't going that fast, I just rolled to a stop. I am not technically skilled but could I have tried to shove it back through the metal square hole in the floor while the car is rolling in neutral? Sorry... for the hijack but this brought back this image
You'll like the mn6, until the first time you race a 3.42 equipped A4 through the quarter mile and he takes you by 2-4 cars OR MORE.
Comparably equipped A4's own the mn6's through the quarter mile on the track.
Furthermore they're far more consistant on time.
Just last night I ran a WS6 trans am on a time trial. WS6 equipped ( exhaust, intake, 6 speed).
It was a brutal slaying........he was beaten by 1.5 seconds and about 10 car lengths.
This was with traction control turned ON.
The lanes are not wide enough, and my car goes squirrley when it hits second gear laying a posi traction line down about 30 feet long when traction control is turned off. It'll run the quarter faster with traction control off since there is no fuel shut off ocurring , however you put yourself in a danger zone to hit the wall.
I'd rather sacrafice a few tenths than wall out.
As far as reprogramming , its a piece of cake for a good tuner who installs a 3.42 in a previously equppied 2.73.
He will also bump your redline/rev limiter, up up a bit so when your rpms drop on a shift, they dont drop as far and youre closer and quicker to your power band.
Straight line 1/4 mile , or from red light to red light, the comparably equipped A4 owns the mn6's. This is a fact.
My driving is mostly in town and I really enjoy shifting although I'm rarely in the car for more then 20 minutes at a time. I also appreciate getting 31.5 mph @75 in sixth gear when I do drive it out of town, which makes the people I work with heads explode. Even though they know nothing about these cars, the assumption is it must be a real gas hog since its a Corvette.
Yeah, I get the same reaction when I tell people I'm getting 30+ mpg on long trips. Some of them just seem to think I'm lying about the gas mileage. After all, Corvettes are known for their poor gas mileage, right? My wife and I took a trip a while back covering about 20 states and over 7100 miles in my MN6 and we averaged over 31 mpg for the whole trip. In the western states where there was room we were covering ground at speeds that were somewhat above the posted limit most of the time (as were most everyone else!) I love the 6 speed but if I were driving in a lot of traffic most of the time, I'd probably opt for the auto.
LOOK,.....you must simply ask yourself, am I a "drag guy" or a road "racing guy"?????? If you want to drag you want the automatic. period!!!!!! If its roadracing well then 6 spd. is just ok, and always remember anything you ask here can only be verified at the track!!! any track. go to your local track (50 mi. radious) and always check there!!! Its easyer than you think! and youll dig it!!
LOOK,.....you must simply ask yourself, am I a "drag guy" or a road "racing guy"?????? If you want to drag you want the automatic. period!!!!!! If its roadracing well then 6 spd. is just ok, and always remember anything you ask here can only be verified at the track!!! any track. go to your local track (50 mi. radious) and always check there!!! Its easyer than you think! and youll dig it!!
Heck I have not been on a track in a long long time... and it was a Drag Strip.... in my youth I raced in SCCA with a MG and enjoyed it...
I am now in my 60's and have 5 Corvettes parked in the garage ONE is an automatic...I use it when my knee is absolutely killing me...if it only hurts
I still hop in one of the manual tranny cars...
I like to drive and honestly I will admit that I did a day last week driving the Power Tour and leaving town after the day was over when I got stuck in bumber to bumber traffic I sure wish I had a automatic to go along with my V8 ...BUT what the hell ...whats a little pain ..in a few months I will have forgotted the knee hurt BUT I sure will remember those nice curves
when I downshifted and nailed the gas on my way out of the turns...
My first C5 was a '97 coupe with an A4 and 3.15 gears. It definately changed my view of automatics, but after a little more than a year, the lust for a six speed returned and I traded for a 2002 MN6 coupe. I'm willing to wear out my leg if I run into traffic, but it doesn't happen much and I'm still young enough to take it. It really boils down to personal preference.
Im thinking about getting a C5 A4. I like manuals but with the type of driving I do(city), I think I might like an auto better. My question is how is the gearing in the A4's with a 3:42 rear end? I like the 6 spd alot but, it seems like after 4th gear and about 145, the car just stops pulling as hard. Im guessing that 5th and 6th are less proportionally taller than 1-4. 1-4 is great but, after that its over. With an auto im worried that ill lose even more accelleration in this area. Is 4th gear in the A4 geared well for performance or gas mileage? What do A4's pull like past 140?
I talked to another member about his A4 and he was helpful but, I want to get a few more opinions, especially with the gearing and pull at 140+.
NOW NOW HOW OFTEN ARE YOU GOING TO GO 140,,,MAKES ME WONDER WHO SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BUY THIS TYPE OF CAR