Auto vs Stick: my test drives
07-04-2011, 01:55 AM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Auto vs Stick: my test drives
So I'm looking into getting a 2011 GS 3LT. Every car I have owned has been a stick, and they do get annoying after a while in stop-n-go traffic. The knees aren't getting any younger, and this will be more on the DD than GQ side, like 65-35. So I was thinking, maybe I'll shoot for something a little more civilized and go with the auto.
My first GS test drive was an auto. I noticed the auto shifting was a bit mushy, took too long to downshift into the right gear on a pass. Did not at the time understand the paddle-shifting, due to the useless salesman, so only drove it in "D".
Second test drive, a week or so later, was a stick, standard coupe, just drive around the block. Didn't really click for me, as it was the first time with a different (from my Jeep) gearbox, and we just went around the block, no fwy. Didn't really jump on it.
Today I drove a stick and an auto in the same day. It's with the sales guy who sold my mom her Camaro SS, so I wasn't just some random dude off the street. So we hit the fwy, and I jumped on it, up to about almost 100MPH. Fun! The shifting was smoother than I thought the first time I drove the M6.
Then I got in the auto. Even with paddle shifting, it was anti-climactic. As regular manual drivers know, you just have more control of the car with your hand on that stick, more feedback from the car, and a more intuitive feeling as to when and where you should be shifting, largely from the resonance that comes up that stick.
Interestingly, I was driving my mom's Camaro today, and suddenly realized that it, too, is an A6 with paddle shifters, albeit different from the Vette's (they hide behind the steering wheel). Well, something occurred to me as I was driving around in sport/manual mode: How the hell do you shift on turns?!?!?! I felt like my hands were handcuffed to the wheel, because if you take your hand off the wheel and let it slide back as one normally does coming out of a turn, you lose the shifters!
On a manual, you'd be in second, right hand on stick, left hand operating wheel, and can shift into 3rd at will. But it is kinda out-of-control feeling, hitting it out of a corner, and waiting for that wheel to stop turning so you can shift! I'd imagine you get used to it, but I like my hand on that stick at all times when driving hard!
Anyone else notice this? I really was leaning A6 until today, bit now I am back to wanting a stick. But man, those 10.5 qt oil changes!
My first GS test drive was an auto. I noticed the auto shifting was a bit mushy, took too long to downshift into the right gear on a pass. Did not at the time understand the paddle-shifting, due to the useless salesman, so only drove it in "D".
Second test drive, a week or so later, was a stick, standard coupe, just drive around the block. Didn't really click for me, as it was the first time with a different (from my Jeep) gearbox, and we just went around the block, no fwy. Didn't really jump on it.
Today I drove a stick and an auto in the same day. It's with the sales guy who sold my mom her Camaro SS, so I wasn't just some random dude off the street. So we hit the fwy, and I jumped on it, up to about almost 100MPH. Fun! The shifting was smoother than I thought the first time I drove the M6.
Then I got in the auto. Even with paddle shifting, it was anti-climactic. As regular manual drivers know, you just have more control of the car with your hand on that stick, more feedback from the car, and a more intuitive feeling as to when and where you should be shifting, largely from the resonance that comes up that stick.
Interestingly, I was driving my mom's Camaro today, and suddenly realized that it, too, is an A6 with paddle shifters, albeit different from the Vette's (they hide behind the steering wheel). Well, something occurred to me as I was driving around in sport/manual mode: How the hell do you shift on turns?!?!?! I felt like my hands were handcuffed to the wheel, because if you take your hand off the wheel and let it slide back as one normally does coming out of a turn, you lose the shifters!
On a manual, you'd be in second, right hand on stick, left hand operating wheel, and can shift into 3rd at will. But it is kinda out-of-control feeling, hitting it out of a corner, and waiting for that wheel to stop turning so you can shift! I'd imagine you get used to it, but I like my hand on that stick at all times when driving hard!
Anyone else notice this? I really was leaning A6 until today, bit now I am back to wanting a stick. But man, those 10.5 qt oil changes!
07-04-2011, 02:04 AM
#3
Ironic you mentioned that! I love sticks & thought an auto tranny was not in the cards for me however I broke my hip a year ago & had to have 4 operations. Finally I got my fake hip in May after being bed ridden for a year & also got an opportunity to buy a great low mileage C6. The bottom line is I cannot walk yet & may not for months so I ended up buying the auto C6. At least I get to drive a C6!
07-04-2011, 02:05 AM
#4
Le Mans Master
So I'm looking into getting a 2011 GS 3LT. Every car I have owned has been a stick, and they do get annoying after a while in stop-n-go traffic. The knees aren't getting any younger, and this will be more on the DD than GQ side, like 65-35. So I was thinking, maybe I'll shoot for something a little more civilized and go with the auto.
My first GS test drive was an auto. I noticed the auto shifting was a bit mushy, took too long to downshift into the right gear on a pass. Did not at the time understand the paddle-shifting, due to the useless salesman, so only drove it in "D".
Second test drive, a week or so later, was a stick, standard coupe, just drive around the block. Didn't really click for me, as it was the first time with a different (from my Jeep) gearbox, and we just went around the block, no fwy. Didn't really jump on it.
Today I drove a stick and an auto in the same day. It's with the sales guy who sold my mom her Camaro SS, so I wasn't just some random dude off the street. So we hit the fwy, and I jumped on it, up to about almost 100MPH. Fun! The shifting was smoother than I thought the first time I drove the M6.
Then I got in the auto. Even with paddle shifting, it was anti-climactic. As regular manual drivers know, you just have more control of the car with your hand on that stick, more feedback from the car, and a more intuitive feeling as to when and where you should be shifting, largely from the resonance that comes up that stick.
Interestingly, I was driving my mom's Camaro today, and suddenly realized that it, too, is an A6 with paddle shifters, albeit different from the Vette's (they hide behind the steering wheel). Well, something occurred to me as I was driving around in sport/manual mode: How the hell do you shift on turns?!?!?! I felt like my hands were handcuffed to the wheel, because if you take your hand off the wheel and let it slide back as one normally does coming out of a turn, you lose the shifters!
On a manual, you'd be in second, right hand on stick, left hand operating wheel, and can shift into 3rd at will. But it is kinda out-of-control feeling, hitting it out of a corner, and waiting for that wheel to stop turning so you can shift! I'd imagine you get used to it, but I like my hand on that stick at all times when driving hard!
Anyone else notice this? I really was leaning A6 until today, bit now I am back to wanting a stick. But man, those 10.5 qt oil changes!
My first GS test drive was an auto. I noticed the auto shifting was a bit mushy, took too long to downshift into the right gear on a pass. Did not at the time understand the paddle-shifting, due to the useless salesman, so only drove it in "D".
Second test drive, a week or so later, was a stick, standard coupe, just drive around the block. Didn't really click for me, as it was the first time with a different (from my Jeep) gearbox, and we just went around the block, no fwy. Didn't really jump on it.
Today I drove a stick and an auto in the same day. It's with the sales guy who sold my mom her Camaro SS, so I wasn't just some random dude off the street. So we hit the fwy, and I jumped on it, up to about almost 100MPH. Fun! The shifting was smoother than I thought the first time I drove the M6.
Then I got in the auto. Even with paddle shifting, it was anti-climactic. As regular manual drivers know, you just have more control of the car with your hand on that stick, more feedback from the car, and a more intuitive feeling as to when and where you should be shifting, largely from the resonance that comes up that stick.
Interestingly, I was driving my mom's Camaro today, and suddenly realized that it, too, is an A6 with paddle shifters, albeit different from the Vette's (they hide behind the steering wheel). Well, something occurred to me as I was driving around in sport/manual mode: How the hell do you shift on turns?!?!?! I felt like my hands were handcuffed to the wheel, because if you take your hand off the wheel and let it slide back as one normally does coming out of a turn, you lose the shifters!
On a manual, you'd be in second, right hand on stick, left hand operating wheel, and can shift into 3rd at will. But it is kinda out-of-control feeling, hitting it out of a corner, and waiting for that wheel to stop turning so you can shift! I'd imagine you get used to it, but I like my hand on that stick at all times when driving hard!
Anyone else notice this? I really was leaning A6 until today, bit now I am back to wanting a stick. But man, those 10.5 qt oil changes!
07-04-2011, 02:15 AM
#5
I shift my A4 like a stick at the track, just no clutch pedal - awesome!
I've had the shift tables re-tuned as well as the rear gears upgraded. This is no ordinary automatic (see mods .)
I live in a beach resort at the end of a long peninsula. Several miles of stop/go driving at less than 20mph. Not much fun in a manual
I've had the shift tables re-tuned as well as the rear gears upgraded. This is no ordinary automatic (see mods .)
I live in a beach resort at the end of a long peninsula. Several miles of stop/go driving at less than 20mph. Not much fun in a manual
07-04-2011, 02:17 AM
#6
Race Director
Member Since: Feb 2011
Location: Cold Hell, Minnesota...for now
Posts: 12,109
Received 396 Likes
on
226 Posts
St. Jude Donor '15-'16-'17-‘18-'19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
Ironic you mentioned that! I love sticks & thought an auto tranny was not in the cards for me however I broke my hip a year ago & had to have 4 operations. Finally I got my fake hip in May after being bed ridden for a year & also got an opportunity to buy a great low mileage C6. The bottom line is I cannot walk yet & may not for months so I ended up buying the auto C6. At least I get to drive a C6!
07-04-2011, 02:24 AM
#7
Le Mans Master
The paddle shifters keep your hands on the steering wheel where they belong.
Who in their right mind shifts DURING a turn? One either shifts before the turn or after, not during.
With the paddles, there is always a paddle available and one quickly learns exactly how to use them to greatest advantage.
I've driven stick shift cars for more than 55 years - got hundreds of thousands of miles in manual-shift sports cars - including more than 500K miles in Corvettes, and more than 300K miles in Porsches...
Make mine an A6.
Who in their right mind shifts DURING a turn? One either shifts before the turn or after, not during.
With the paddles, there is always a paddle available and one quickly learns exactly how to use them to greatest advantage.
I've driven stick shift cars for more than 55 years - got hundreds of thousands of miles in manual-shift sports cars - including more than 500K miles in Corvettes, and more than 300K miles in Porsches...
Make mine an A6.
Last edited by 4thC4at60; 07-04-2011 at 11:30 AM. Reason: Typo
07-04-2011, 02:48 AM
#9
Drifting
Thread Starter
For the record, this decision would be easier if I had a third car that was an auto for those trafficy rides. But that stick was fun today. 
And BTW, had a torn Achilles several years back and all I had was a stick. Didn't drive a car for nearly 5 months.
And BTW, had a torn Achilles several years back and all I had was a stick. Didn't drive a car for nearly 5 months.
07-04-2011, 02:58 AM
#10
Thanks. My downfall was getting a bone infection on the 1st op. The rest of the op's were trying to get rid of the infection & save my natural hip. Now, I got a 36mm ceramic hip with cross laced polyethylene socket. Lets hope it goes well but I got to say, in the past 10 days I have felt some looseness in my hip. The doctor told me on the phone he felt I tore a butt muscle & it will tighten up but as you can imagine, it worries me.
07-04-2011, 03:17 AM
#11
I'm a hardcore manual driver too, but you should have BOTH hands on the steering wheel except when shifting, especially if driving hard . And you shouldn't be shifting in the middle of a corner . As far as steering, some folks like to steer up to 1/2 turn without moving their hands (like F1 drivers have to do), but I don't. I personally don't like more than 1/4 turn so my arms don't cross (remember there's an airbag in front of them), then just 'feed' the steering wheel between my hands. And by that I mean my left hand never leaves the 6 to 12 o'clock area, and the right one never leaves the 12 to 6 o'clock area.
Hey folks, have one question on the A6. If you select 'sport', and click a paddle, does the tranny goes back to auto mode after not clicking a paddle after a while, or after you clicked one, it stays in that mode until you move the lever out of 'S'? And does the ECU blips the throttle on downshifts in S mode when downshifting with the paddles? The other question is if the tranny upshifts at redline when in 'S' mode using the paddles. Thx.
. And you shouldn't be shifting in the middle of a corner . As far as steering, some folks like to steer up to 1/2 turn without moving their hands (like F1 drivers have to do), but I don't. I personally don't like more than 1/4 turn so my arms don't cross (remember there's an airbag in front of them), then just 'feed' the steering wheel between my hands. And by that I mean my left hand never leaves the 6 to 12 o'clock area, and the right one never leaves the 12 to 6 o'clock area. Hey folks, have one question on the A6. If you select 'sport', and click a paddle, does the tranny goes back to auto mode after not clicking a paddle after a while, or after you clicked one, it stays in that mode until you move the lever out of 'S'? And does the ECU blips the throttle on downshifts in S mode when downshifting with the paddles? The other question is if the tranny upshifts at redline when in 'S' mode using the paddles. Thx.
07-04-2011, 04:37 AM
#13
Safety Car
Member Since: Nov 2007
Location: Tarpon Springs FL
Posts: 4,446
Received 308 Likes
on
198 Posts
FL Events Coordinator
I'm a hardcore manual driver too, but you should have BOTH hands on the steering wheel except when shifting, especially if driving hard . And you shouldn't be shifting in the middle of a corner . As far as steering, some folks like to steer up to 1/2 turn without moving their hands (like F1 drivers have to do), but I don't. I personally don't like more than 1/4 turn so my arms don't cross (remember there's an airbag in front of them), then just 'feed' the steering wheel between my hands. And by that I mean my left hand never leaves the 6 to 12 o'clock area, and the right one never leaves the 12 to 6 o'clock area.
Hey folks, have one question on the A6. If you select 'sport', and click a paddle, does the tranny goes back to auto mode after not clicking a paddle after a while, or after you clicked one, it stays in that mode until you move the lever out of 'S'? And does the ECU blips the throttle on downshifts in S mode when downshifting with the paddles? The other question is if the tranny upshifts at redline when in 'S' mode using the paddles. Thx.
. And you shouldn't be shifting in the middle of a corner . As far as steering, some folks like to steer up to 1/2 turn without moving their hands (like F1 drivers have to do), but I don't. I personally don't like more than 1/4 turn so my arms don't cross (remember there's an airbag in front of them), then just 'feed' the steering wheel between my hands. And by that I mean my left hand never leaves the 6 to 12 o'clock area, and the right one never leaves the 12 to 6 o'clock area. Hey folks, have one question on the A6. If you select 'sport', and click a paddle, does the tranny goes back to auto mode after not clicking a paddle after a while, or after you clicked one, it stays in that mode until you move the lever out of 'S'? And does the ECU blips the throttle on downshifts in S mode when downshifting with the paddles? The other question is if the tranny upshifts at redline when in 'S' mode using the paddles. Thx.
07-04-2011, 07:04 AM
#15
Go Canes!
It will only downshift automatically to 2nd gear though. You need to manually put it to first at a stop.
07-04-2011, 07:40 AM
#16
I had a 2006 A6 and I think the paddle shifter is a gimmick. IMHO, it was not responsive enough. It took way too long to upshift or downshift. I hit the rev limiter several times because it did not shift fast enough. I understand they improved on the delay in 2008 but I have not driven one to compare. I just picked up a 2011 GS stick and now I am a happy camper. I will not go back to an auto as long as I am able to drive a stick.
07-04-2011, 07:46 AM
#17
07-04-2011, 08:00 AM
#18
Burning Brakes
First, the paddles are not a gimmick. Shallow thinking, friends.
The auto is NOT a manual, so don't try to compare it as if it were. Same goes in reverse.
If you must get an auto, think about what you would lose if the paddles were not there; how could you drive the car in 4'th gear if you wanted to? You couldn't. The car would select the highest gear it could and usually that means not much torque. Should you want to dial up some torque, you would have to step on the gas to drop gear. How many does it drop? You don't really know, and besides, you would be going way too fast.
With the paddles, you can decide to drop and hold a gear with they type of torque you are looking for so that the car feels a lot more responsive.
Is an auto a stick? No, but having the paddles gives the driver a lot more control over the car's behavior than if they were not there.
As you can tell, I have an auto and I can EASILY find the merits of the paddles. I could have gone either way when I bought the car but would not have bought if the auto did not have the paddles.
Is it that hard for you die hard manual drivers to understand that choice is GOOD? Nobody is saying you made the wrong decision in getting your manual trans sports car, so maybe reciprocate a bit, mk?
The auto is NOT a manual, so don't try to compare it as if it were. Same goes in reverse.
If you must get an auto, think about what you would lose if the paddles were not there; how could you drive the car in 4'th gear if you wanted to? You couldn't. The car would select the highest gear it could and usually that means not much torque. Should you want to dial up some torque, you would have to step on the gas to drop gear. How many does it drop? You don't really know, and besides, you would be going way too fast.
With the paddles, you can decide to drop and hold a gear with they type of torque you are looking for so that the car feels a lot more responsive.
Is an auto a stick? No, but having the paddles gives the driver a lot more control over the car's behavior than if they were not there.
As you can tell, I have an auto and I can EASILY find the merits of the paddles. I could have gone either way when I bought the car but would not have bought if the auto did not have the paddles.
Is it that hard for you die hard manual drivers to understand that choice is GOOD? Nobody is saying you made the wrong decision in getting your manual trans sports car, so maybe reciprocate a bit, mk?
07-04-2011, 08:09 AM
#19
Team Owner
To me there is no comparison between the Vette's Auto and Manual transmission. It is the manual 6 speed all the way. I have heard all the reasons people go for the auto and that is fine but the bottom line is most do not like shifting gears and working the clutch.
