A4 vs A6
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 200
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A4 vs A6
im sure most of you guys will say the A6 is better, but i rented a ZHZ and wasnt that impressed. I love my vette and won;t ever get rid of it, but I think the A4 is a better transmission. The A6 seemed lazy, it would take a few seconds to change its gear if i wasnt using the paddles
Team Owner
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 82,175
Likes: 1,319
From: McKinney TX
St. Jude Donor '21-'22-'23-'24
Better for what? Better at what?
You can make anything sound better if you use the right constraints.
I had both and I preferred the A6. It was better for me. The A6 holds the lower gears longer if you're driving it aggressively. The A4 won't do that.
You can make anything sound better if you use the right constraints.
I had both and I preferred the A6. It was better for me. The A6 holds the lower gears longer if you're driving it aggressively. The A4 won't do that.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,304
Likes: 4
From: foothills of Northern California
How do you control the trans in the A4? Having never driven one I dont have a clue about the A4.
With the A6 paddles you can select what gear you want to stay in keep the engine on boil and haul ars.
Doesnt the A4 hunt around for gears?
With the A6 paddles you can select what gear you want to stay in keep the engine on boil and haul ars.
Doesnt the A4 hunt around for gears?
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 18,098
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Pro
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 549
Likes: 22
From: Castle Pines Colorado
I had the A4 on my C5 and now have the A6 on my GS. I pay a lot of attention to the tranny because I am very interested in adding a blower. With the A4 in the C5 everything I read was that the transmission is not as dependable as we would want it to be. I talked to some guys about adding a blower to the GS and I was told that I didn't have to worry about the tranny. I was told that it will hold up just fine.
So if you are looking for reliability it sounds like the A6 can take more. I also enjoy the A6 paddle shifters. They are probably my favorite part on the car. I know a lot of people complain about them, but if you drive with a little more force in the peddle they do an awesome job!
Just my .19 cents.
So if you are looking for reliability it sounds like the A6 can take more. I also enjoy the A6 paddle shifters. They are probably my favorite part on the car. I know a lot of people complain about them, but if you drive with a little more force in the peddle they do an awesome job!
Just my .19 cents.
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Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 21,136
Likes: 212
From: Long Island New York
A6 for me. It always seems to be in the powerband. The wide gear spacing of the A4 puts it outside too much of the time. The hole digging, eyeball squashing 1st gear and super tall 6th puts the A6 above and beyond the old, outdated gear box. Technology and evolution are good things. Embrace them.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,116
Likes: 5
From: Livonia MI
Curious how an A4 could feel quicker, as even with the 3.15 axle, there's still less 1st gear total multiplication than an A6 2.56 axle combo. Then second an extra between gear, then third being similar to the A4's second. Doesn't make sense to me.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,610
Likes: 12
The A6 seemed like it took extra time negotiating between shifts. The A4 doesn't do that.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,706
Likes: 5
From: Toronto Ontario
I wondered the exact same thing so I borrowed an 09 A6 from work for a weekend late last summer to see what it was all about and to compare it to my A4 with 3.42 gears and a 3200 stall..
I was really impressed with it and it only had the 2.56 gears. The upshifts and downshift were a lot quicker than I thought and the car was in the powerband whenever I wanted or needed it to be. I really enjoyed the car in "S" without even using the paddles too. It's performance exceeded my expectations and has me looking at moving into an 08/09 A6 of my own with 2.73s and a Chuck C.O.W. tune!
While I haven't heard anything "directly" from anyone within GM myself personally, working for them has provided me with a good deal of "inside" info and the A6 is regarded very highly by GM and is said to be a much stronger transmission. Based on my experience I would definitely agree - and I've been an A4 guy for a long time.
A6 all the way.
I was really impressed with it and it only had the 2.56 gears. The upshifts and downshift were a lot quicker than I thought and the car was in the powerband whenever I wanted or needed it to be. I really enjoyed the car in "S" without even using the paddles too. It's performance exceeded my expectations and has me looking at moving into an 08/09 A6 of my own with 2.73s and a Chuck C.O.W. tune!
While I haven't heard anything "directly" from anyone within GM myself personally, working for them has provided me with a good deal of "inside" info and the A6 is regarded very highly by GM and is said to be a much stronger transmission. Based on my experience I would definitely agree - and I've been an A4 guy for a long time.
A6 all the way.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 11,331
Likes: 18
From: Missouri City Texas
I had the A4 in two Fbodies.
The A6 is far superior. The A4 never felt like it was in the proper place in the powerband.
Two overdrives on the A6 is also pretty nice
Tune the A6 and put a converter in it and you'll be mighty happy.
The A6 is far superior. The A4 never felt like it was in the proper place in the powerband.
Two overdrives on the A6 is also pretty nice
Tune the A6 and put a converter in it and you'll be mighty happy.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,892
Likes: 1,200
From: Ft. Myers FL
Well, I've seen guys get a tranny tune and it really wakes up the A6. You can count on picking up .1 to .2 seconds. However, it's the overall driving that really changes. You give it just a heavy pedal and it'll snap thru the gears. 
There are some good ones out there and are reasonable pricewise.
There are some good ones out there and are reasonable pricewise.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 82,175
Likes: 1,319
From: McKinney TX
St. Jude Donor '21-'22-'23-'24
Showroom Stock LS2 (2005 -2007)
12.21 @ 115.45 - LS1LT1 - 06 A6 - (1282)
12.23 @ 115.58 - 06C6FVR - 06 M6 Z51 - (337)
12.29 @ 114.29 - Proney - 07 M6 - (4504)
12.31 @ 114.82 - CYA Vett - 05 M6 F55 - (679)
12.42 @ 113.90 - DrRichie - 05 M6 Z51
12.49 @ 114.90 - Jschindler - 05 M6 Z51
12.53 @ 113.00 - Wicked07C6 - 07 M6 Z51 - (918)
12.54 @ 113.59 - Tony 63 Vette - 06 A6 - (1514)
12.54 @ 113.74 - Tony96LT4 - 06 A6 Z51 - (1153)
12.56 @ 113.39 - Red Sleeper - 06 A6
12.56 @ 112.00 - Orange C6 - 05 A4 Z51 - (60)
12.63 @ 114.88 - Prankster - 06 M6 - (1625)
12.64 @ 108.69 - DMcRacer - 07 A6 Z51 - (4223)
12.65 @ 111.65 - Zippin Zee - 05 M6 Z51 - (51)
12.66 @ 113.03 - Mdrrandall - 07 M6 Z51 - (1679)
12.69 @ 112.32 - Silverlx - 06 A6 - (876)
12.70 @ 112.43 - Jelsis - 06 A6 Z51 - (456)
12.70 @ 113.00 - Blackmajik - 07 A6 - (1631)
12.71 @ 111.30 - Flyin05 - 05 M6 Z51
12.71 @ 111.00 - Demented - 05 A4 Z51
12.21 @ 115.45 - LS1LT1 - 06 A6 - (1282)
12.23 @ 115.58 - 06C6FVR - 06 M6 Z51 - (337)
12.29 @ 114.29 - Proney - 07 M6 - (4504)
12.31 @ 114.82 - CYA Vett - 05 M6 F55 - (679)
12.42 @ 113.90 - DrRichie - 05 M6 Z51
12.49 @ 114.90 - Jschindler - 05 M6 Z51
12.53 @ 113.00 - Wicked07C6 - 07 M6 Z51 - (918)
12.54 @ 113.59 - Tony 63 Vette - 06 A6 - (1514)
12.54 @ 113.74 - Tony96LT4 - 06 A6 Z51 - (1153)
12.56 @ 113.39 - Red Sleeper - 06 A6
12.56 @ 112.00 - Orange C6 - 05 A4 Z51 - (60)
12.63 @ 114.88 - Prankster - 06 M6 - (1625)
12.64 @ 108.69 - DMcRacer - 07 A6 Z51 - (4223)
12.65 @ 111.65 - Zippin Zee - 05 M6 Z51 - (51)
12.66 @ 113.03 - Mdrrandall - 07 M6 Z51 - (1679)
12.69 @ 112.32 - Silverlx - 06 A6 - (876)
12.70 @ 112.43 - Jelsis - 06 A6 Z51 - (456)
12.70 @ 113.00 - Blackmajik - 07 A6 - (1631)
12.71 @ 111.30 - Flyin05 - 05 M6 Z51
12.71 @ 111.00 - Demented - 05 A4 Z51
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,116
Likes: 5
From: Livonia MI
Don't think anyone's looking for an argument here, just expressing preferences. It's rather well known that less shift's on a torquey drag car is generally preffered. It sure is hard to beat those extra A6 lower gear's on the street though. If I were shopping in the used market, personally I'd skip the 05' A4 and go 06' up A6, as it's later technology. Bettin' most feel this way, leaving the 05' A4 as bit of an odd duck. My daily car is a Pontiac GXP only for the A6. Gotta say that 255 hp V6 really flies with those lower gear's.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,610
Likes: 12
