Ditto. :yesnod:

 

I have had both, now have an A4 cp. For all the above reasons both are great. This past summer on a trip to Bowling Green Vette factory, heavy traffic some places, I loved the auto. Then I got to start a new Z06 at the end of the factory tour. Now I have the six spd hunger again, so its a tough choice. Mine is not a daily driver, and constant traffic might get old. If you are used to Honda power you are in for sheer enjoyment either way. Good Luck, Skip.

 

I have had both and the only thing I have to say is a Vette is the only car that I have had that has enough power to be a stick BUT a 6-speed is SO MUCH FUN! Sorry not much help here.... :cheers:

 

I did exactly what you're thinking of... learning how to drive a stick on your first 'vette.

I'm betting a lot of people are telling you, "Hey, it's a sports car, and REAL sports cars have sticks". :lol

Well, I succumbed to the peer pressure, but only after making some friends back it up by teaching me on their cars. :jester

So let me tell you what the differences are between the auto and the stick... at least on a C5.

If you are going to use your C5 as a daily driver, and you are worried about whether you will enjoy traffic in your C5, I would argue that once you feel comfortable, and are even minimally proficient with a stick, you'll be fine in traffic. In fact, I learned a lot about how to launch the car in traffic because in stop and go traffic, that's all you're doing! I live in the Washington, D.C. area and our traffic is arguably as worst as Los Angeles', as a point of comparison.

If you are drag racing, while the movie The Fast and the Furious makes mention of "double clutching" and all that stuff, truth be told, it looks like A4 drivers with torque converters do better than most of the guys with a stick. I would argue, as a former automatic driver, that while it is more effective, it's not as much fun (for me, at least) because it removes some of the thrill involved.

Okay, so what about normal driving... around town, and on the highway? Well, around town, a stick can be a little awkward, making what used to be easy (jockeying for a parking space, for example) a little more difficult, but in time, you'll be more comfortable with it. The worst fear I had in "normal" driving was being stuck behind someone making a turn and having to launch and change lanes to get out from behind them. Once you master it, it becomes almost effortless.

Situations like highway driving... well... the C5 has a wide torque band, but I love flogging the car, and there's nothing sweeter than having manual control of the gears and keeping the car in the peak torque range as you hit some turns. It makes a daily drive feel just a little like LeMans. :jester

Basically, having a stick in a C5 makes it more fun to drive. It's scary at first, but it is well worth it to learn how to drive a stick... and unlike your friend's Honda, the C5 has so much torque that if you just gradually let out the clutch, the car will start rolling. As long as you're not shy about hitting the accelerator C5's won't stall on you. This is coming from a guy who stalled on the way home from the dealership after he got his first full tank of gas in the middle of the road, AND who stalled five times at a stop sign two blocks from his house while people waited for him to get his act together.

Now, my friends want me to go to "aggressive driver therapy". :jester

 

Automatics have Park and don't rely as much on the emergency brake which is a poor design; 6 speeds have several choices of shifters while the A4 only has the GM design.

 

After many years with stick cars (yes they are fun to drive!), where else can you just drive out of the dealer, put the stick in DRIVE, tromp on the gas and hold on and in a little more than 12 secs., you are at the end of the quarter mile. No missed shifts, no grinding gears, no nuthing except pure, unadulterated power and acceleration!

I just turned 58 and do not miss the stick at all. In fact, an A4 up against an average M6 driver usually comes out the winner most times assuming everything is equal and in some cases even if they are not equal. If you come from the Ford world like me where AOD(E) means slow, this world is way different. A Camaro at Ennis this past Saturday with the free mods and an aftermarket stall (maybe gears also, but not a lot of mods) was running low 12's, like 12.0 something!. All he did was select Drive!

It will really depend on what you are looking for. Both approachs are great, no matter what! Have fun.

 

As you see, its really up to you... ;)

Currently I prefer A4. Unexpected shifting in curves can be avoided by little experience, often by simply using the lower gear.

My future Vette will have an automatic, too: sequential semi automatic with 5 or even 6 gears, shifted at the wheel, as close as possible to formula 1 style :D !

Maybe you test drive both, A4 and M6, before, but you can't go wrong anyway. Good luck with your choice!

:seeya :cheers:

BTW, I know both worlds, my "second" drive is a Miata, different car with different driving style.

 

Don't forget that many of us modify our factory exhaust for the pleasure of those wonderful exhaust sounds. The manual transmission offers much more sound choices which are simply not available with the automatic. Running through the gears manually is music to my ears.

 

Drag Racing:
A4 = consistancy
MN6 = fun, better performance(with skilled driver) and all other things being equal, like power and weight.

Autocross/Roadracing:
MN6 = only choice



[Modified by kewlbrz, 1:04 PM 2/5/2002]

 

I've never regreted getting the manual, but I wish it didn't cost $800 more than the auto. I will also agree that the manual does have more of the "racer" image, and you will be mocked by EVERYONE (even chicks) if you get the auto. :cheers:

 

Right..... :rolleyes: :p: :rolleyes: :p: :rolleyes:

You will only be mocked by stick guys and then only until they need a lift 'cause they broke stuff. :cry :cry :cry



[Modified by ToplessTexan, 3:46 PM 2/5/2002]

 

My advice?

Ignore this entire thread. Make YOUR choice.

My choice was the A4 and until I moved here from Austin I enjoyed regular (friendly) abuse from SW about my choice.

But it made ME happy and I'd never make an M6 decision for ME.

Isn't keeping me from modding the heck out of my car. I'm a few short weeks from 500+ rwhp.

Tom

 

Drove both when I was looking to buy. I liked the 6 speed but with my big feet....not a whole heck of a lot of room for 3 pedals and 2 feet. I bought the A4 and never regretted it. Buy what you want, not what you hear other people tell you because after you buy it....selling it will be tuff in todays market unless you give it away.

 

Theres a reason why it's called MANual. :p: Plus, theres nothing like pulling up to a toll, throwing your change in, watching the gate lift, revving up to 3,000 rpms, dumping the clutch, and nocking off the next three shifts perfectly at 6,000 rpms. The feeling is amazing (to me). Make the choice you feel best about. You won't start to REALLY enjoy manual till after about a year. It's a constant learning process. I have owned both an auto and manual C5, I like the manual better, but I really wish I could have one of each!

About the F-bod thing....I had a 2000 MN6 SS, with intake and exhaust and I ran a 12.6 and it was my second time at a track and my first manual car. There are some factory freaks out there...and the F-Bods power is terribly under rated in general. I loved cruising around and catching cocky vette drivers off gaurd. But the vette is a WAY better car overall, and has a higher top speed. :)

Anyway, get what you want.

Peace :seeya

 

If you like riding, go with the A4. If you love driving, go with the M6. :D :D

 

Nothing like rowing thru the gears with the manual. Nuff said. :D

 

I recently purchased my first Corvette and for me, the choice was obvious. I knew I wanted a manual and wouldn't have settled for anything else.

The Corvette has excellent road manners and does not require the herculean effort to upshift and downshift that some cars do. As such, driving in traffic is not that bad and wouldn't preclude me from getting a 6 spd. I personally feel that driving a manual adds to the Corvette experience, but that's just an opinion.

Good luck. I'm sure that you'll be happy with whatever you decide, as long as it's a 'Vette! :smash:

 

Safety is an issue that not many people talk about. Say you are sitting at an intersection and some idiot is coming straight at you, you step on the gas and move. With a manual you dump the clutch too fast and smoke the tires or you stall the engine. One of my friend’s employees was in an accident just like that, but in his case the fool just sat there and watches the car come to him and total the work van. When my friend asked him why he just sat there the guy said he didn't know, all he could remember was watching it come at him.

In town driving is better, you lose a throw out bearing and have to replace your clutch because you're in there and might as well. You're parked on a hill and some kids get in it because you left the windows down and they knock it out of gear and it rolls down the driveway and hits something. I know of that one twice, my neighbors Mustang SCCA Improved Touring car hit the car across the street. Another guy I know son "drove" his pickup down the drive way and into the woods twice!

Sticks are fun, but I love my A4. And don't forget the mighty PowerGlide that ruled the 1/4 for many years, they still run them!

 

Bottom line is if you are a stick guy you would know it within a few days of driving one. Many years ago I had a friend rent a cheap little economy car for one day to find out if he liked driving a stick. I spent all night driving it and fell in love with the driving experience one can only get with a standard. I have owned around 9 new cars since and only 2 were not standard. One was a Lexus and the other was a Mark VIII. Both were sold because I missed driving a manual trans. My point is if it were right you would know it, wheather it be a corvette or a honda. Good luck with your new car. :seeya

 

Take my advice here. GET THE STICK. I think it is a sin for any corvette to be offered in an aoutomatic. Lets put it this way would you buy a championship horse and just put it out to stud? What a waste. The reason they offer a corvette in automatic is for the woman out there. There is nothing more exhilirating then dropping your corvette from sixth gear into fourth (well maybe into third) Dont be intimidated by the stick. At first its a little confusing but believe me within three months youll be eating food turning on the radio and turning down your window while shifting at the same time. Without a stick you cannot realize the full potential of the car and anyone who tells you diiferent does not understand the meaning of CORVETTE.(performance) :yesnod: