bigthaw

sold my mint 04 auto...did not at all like the way it shifted..my 2cents, got a 6speed Z51 C5 coupe...awesome control and easy to shift...not a DD though... 60% of production is autos, $900 xtra option for the 6 speed...
get what makes you happy

grantv

I'm also 54. Would I buy an auto? 0% chance. But if you're OK driving one, don't worry about age or anyone's opinion. Especially if you live in a congested area. I'd still go stick, but do what makes you happy.

rjwvetttt

After moving to FL I'm so glad I bought a auto over a stick. Have always owned stick but they suck here in the heat and traffic with the snowbirds. I'll never go back to stick.

Vetteman Jack

Have you even driven an A4 C5? If not, give it a try. If you do not like it, get what you feel is your first choice, an MN6. And don't be afraid to travel a good distance to find the right car. I bought my last C5 and traveled from Missouri to NJ to pick it up. Drove the car home and had a blast.

And BTW, just because someone chooses an auto over a manual does not make them a geezer. There are good reasons why a buyer picks one over the other and really, there is no wrong decision here. Both the auto and manual cars are a lot of fun to drive.

Mike98SilVert

If you want a manual transmission then you will regret buying a Corvette with an auto transmission regardless of how great of a deal or nice of a car.

MSG C5

I'm the original owner of my C5 vert and when I bought the car new in 2004, my wife begged me to get an automatic transmission in case she wanted to drive the car. In my 14 years of ownership, she has driven the car once! Fast forward to summer 2018 when I added to the stable - a C7 Z06 coupe and this time I went with the M7. I really enjoy it and the C7 Automatic Rev Match is an awesome feature.

However, the A4 in my C5 has been bullet proof. I had it tuned after the warranty expired when I added my Calloway Honker CAI and low temp stat. It has proven to be a lot better than the problematic A8 that is currently being used in the C7.

I also live in Florida and now that it's snowbird season, the local business area roads are always packed so I like having the option of driving my C5 vert with automatic transmission during heavy traffic, mostly near the area beaches.

If you find the right car, don't be afraid to choose the A4, however if shifting is in your blood, keep looking.

BAT

I dunno, my A4 is fun to drive. I had a tune done, that also changed the factory shift points, which certainly helped.
I intentionally searched out an auto, only so my wife could also drive it (she refuses to learn a manual). I wanted to be sure we both could enjoy the car. Hind sight being 20/20, had I known she wouldn't drive it, I would have looked for a manual. For me, wouldn't have been a deal breaker though, if the right one came along.
I also don't feel the need or desire to put those down who do have or prefer an auto. Each persons wants are unique and their own. If a manual is YOUR only option, and also a C5, then stop whining about how far the MN6's are and go for a ride or jump on a plane.

bigfish_Oh

I accidently bought my first corvette in sept. If it wasn't fully optioned and a manual I would not have have even considered it for a second. I had to much fun with 4 speed 64 & 68 GTO convertibles 40 years ago. I did not know this would be so much more fun to drive.
When we first got computer games, the kids were naturally good with controls and played more than I did. So we raced and I lost. I made them run in manual mode and they had no concept of shifting !(When I was their age I was driving grain trucks and tractors).
planning on a 5speed for my '76.

Whipitnow

That car is a FL car ? I have a hard time believing that. That looks more like a Texas car for sure, you need to top it off with some bull horns mounted on the front...

Grandpa1

I'm almost 70. I wanted and bought an automatic. It is a 2003 vert and my wife and I love it. I have driven sticks since I got my drivers license in 1964. No more.
Get what you want not what others want for you to get.
Good luck!

Yello95

Now now....lets be nice... newbie ....and while you are criticizing someone's Vette, you may want to take a minute to use spell check ...how about also posting a pic of your wonderful Corvette...that is if you have one...

Whipitnow

OK' I'll do back and fix my spelling.... Sorry.

Yello95

...same here....i use to love shifting gears...now i hate it....it got boring for me to continually push the clutch pedal and shift gears......and btw...like your Vette

Yello95

I was about the spelling...
So if i move to Texas , do i " need to top it off with some bull horns mounted on the front"...
Where exactly would i mount the horns? just sayin...

Wade Wilbur

If you've actually driven them both and prefer the stick, get the stick. But take a hard, honest look at the driving you'll be doing. I had a Jeep Rubicon in the DC area with a stick and the traffic jams were just plain hell. With the heavier Vette clutch, I imagine it wouldn't take long for the romance of a stick shift to wear off if you are driving in heavy traffic daily.

rjwvetttt

Here's a better look of the Raging Bull.
Let us know when you finally get a Vette if you ever do.

f6john

Josephu

Our club hits 2 parades a year. Sure glad that I have an automatic.

knewblewkorvette

It's waaaaayyyyyy higher than that.
At last count, just 3.9 percent of cars sold in U.S. were built with manual transmissions
Still, automatic vehicles are becoming more and more ubiquitous in the U.S. Just 30 years ago, 71 percent of vehicles on American roads had automatic transmissions, and today it’s more than 96 percent. Further, Edmunds.com reported that 67 percent of car models manufactured for the 2013 model year were [i=left]only[/i] available with automatic transmissions.
I've owned 4 C5s, 3 6-speeds and 1 auto. The 6-speed is much more fun to drive.

Yello95

Looking forward to seeing your horns...