I was talking to real auto collectors and we were covering many topics and the note on Manual Transmission and the Auto Value Penalty.

As of today you can have two cars and they can be just alike except for the tranny. You can generally buy the auto for less. That is just something we have always seen.

Now this is not an argument of that you can only be a man if you drive a stick only. But what is happening is with so few manuals being sold and even less each year younger buyers coming up are going to go for the Automatic because that is all they know how to drive. They also do not want the extra cost of clutch changes and fluid issues. So buying an Auto now may end up being a net gain as the value difference will vanish in the coming years. Now the Manual will never go down the but Auto will become more in demand and you will not be penalized in the value.
What is scary is I see so many kids today that have never rode in a manual transmission vehicle in their life. I grew up on manual school buses and our go cart was a VW chassis. I learned watching the bus driver shift gears and knew what to do by first grade. But today most kid do not even have a vehicle to learn on. A buddy of mine in High School bought a 4 speed Camaro and had to have his Mom teach him how to shift in the plaza parking lot next to the dealer. Then he killed the clutch LOL!

So the long and short here is if you have a manual you will not lose anything. If you have purchased an auto at a slight discount you may get it back in the long run.

Just something to consider if you find a good auto deal.

 

On the C5 Corette automatic was standard equipment and the manual six speed was an option. Cost more then and worth more now because of supply and demand. I have owned both and the automatic was less money to buy. in the used market

 

That was their point. Demand for autos are expected to increase with less people driving manuals.

What it cost to start with is irrelevant.

 

The 4 speed auto is dog water.

In the modern era, autos aren't a penalty.

 

I'm not following your logic here.
Fewer people know how to drive them
Fewer buyers
Price will never go down?

 

Younger people will take intrest and learn to drive them. It’s not rocket science just takes some vacant parking lot time. They will look at like they are purest and getting back to the way sports cars were meant to be. The 6 speed cars are rarer a more fun to drive .

 

This thread is wishful thinking for now IMO.

 

You will always have a group that have to stamp their man card and have a manual. This will retain their value. But as younger buyers come in they will opt for the auto since they have no clue how to drive the other increasing their sales. It is a balance of both.

FYI it is not my logic but those in the collector market. I just put it out there as something that the people in the market are saying. I have no skin in this game.

In my own home I am the only one that can drive a stick shift. My wife and son have no interest. I would love to teach them but they don't care. This is a very common trait anymore.

I agree the 4 speeds will still have a demand but the auto will increase. The added value they claim is that you will buy the auto cheap now and later it will be of the resale value of a manual. So the 10% less you pay now till be the 10% increase you will gain later.

It make sense if you have any logic.

 

Anyone who appreciates a car of this era is going to want the manual experience. Autos are terrible from this time period to boot. I can't imagine buying a car because it is more direct feeling, less nannies, actual gears and then saying "nah, I want the slow, less engaging, auto."

 

So the group that have to have a manual is getting larger AND the group that have no clue how to drive one is also getting larger, increasing sales for both?

 

the auto version of this car dates it another decade, if not more. At that point there are many other cars that are interesting prospects. The C5 is great because of the manual option IMO.

 

Yes, more people have difficulty driving manual transmission cars and thus opt for the automatic. Could they learn to drive a manual, sure. Do they want to is another story.

I had two six speed C5s and one A4 - I personally enjoyed all of them. I did not have to have a manual car to get out and enjoy a high performance car.

Whichever transmission someone goes with is a personal preference and yes, automatic cars are more prevalent - GM just made more and I would infer they responded to what buyers wanted (or what dealers felt a prospective buyer would want). Good nor bad, just the way it is.

Manual transmission cars may command a price premium - so be it. But I would encourage buyers to not discount the automatic cars just because there is no clutch. I will say that newer automatic cars are much better than the A4 cars of the C5 generation, as they should be.

 

It is what is and no right or wrong just choice. Even the C6 an 7 were sold more as Auto if I recall.

I have owned both like the one for fun and the other for daily driving, I have to also consider if I need my wife to drive my car it has to be an auto.

If I road raced it for sure would be a stick but other wise I worry more about car condition vs transmission when buying.

 

Or teach her how to drive a manual????? providing she doesn't have some kinda handicap preventing it.

 

A Corvette is nothing to teach her on. Make a mistake and it could lead to issues. There is a nice Video of a kid taking dad's new Shelby through the garage door and back wall.

Second try to find an old truck or something to barrow is not easy anymore. Most are Auto now.

I learned to be proficient with an old VW chassis at a young age. Mistakes were ok in a field or off road. I moved to larger trucks where I worked at 16 and to cars soon after on the street.

The reality is it is not easy to learn how to drive unless you buy and really want to learn.

It also is a choice if you want to learn to drive great if not it is not that big of a deal. It is a personal choice.

 

I can see the auto getting stronger due to younger folks just not being exposed to manuals and more. When I was in high school it was Cars Guitars and Girls (80s) now who knows what it is.
I don't think the autos with match manual prices but the gap will close. Clean manual C5's are getting harder to find so maybe there will be another price jump for them and the gap stays the same.
I love mine and that's all that counts, I also lost my man card years ago when I sold my 92 GSXR 1100 a real analog ride. (3 major accidents over 40 years of driving) only one involved speeding

 

My first Vette was a 64 auto. After that, the next two (72 and current 04) were manual. Since my C5 is a fun car as the previous 72 was, I enjoy the gear shifting while driving in different traffic situations. If it was a DD driving in today's traffic, I would have an auto.

 

I’m track side at Norwalk Ohio at the NHRA race at this moment watching top fuel.

Few shift here anymore. Not even Tony Stewart anymore. lol.

Most other series that do shift have no clutch for between gears.

 

That's a terrible comparison IMO. You are talking about C5 street cars.

 

This not about just C5 cars but the market in general.

Were racing goes as goes the street cars.