billyboy47

"FUN FACTOR" FOR ME IS JUST DRIVING MY CAR REGARDLESS THE TRANNY.

vcheng

Nothing new under the sun. Anybody remember this?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsub...t_transmission

windyC6

Wimps ??....Whimps ??....regardless, I resemble that remark. Mines an auto, but thats only cause low mileage and color were most important to me. I will agree though that the manual is the hottest way to go. But the one thing that is absolutely true about a manual is what a PITA they are to drive in stop and go traffic. I don't care how light the clutch is. Going through all that BS while waiting in heavy traffic is a royal pain !!.....

dmk0210

I bought my cars to enjoy driving.

I won't buy an auto until a manual is no longer an option. In fact I've rejected car models that don't have a manual trans option.

The two I own now both have manuals, as every car I've purchased since 1990 had.

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Suns_PSD

If the C8 turns out to be auto only, which as a mid-engine Supercar is highly likely, I will be shopping in time for my very last Corvette, a used C7 Grand Sport manual. Might be tough to find at only 23% of build.

Rapid Fred

Been driving nothing but manuals (even the family cars) for the last 35 years. A lot of fun. Never had problems with commutes, traffic, whatever.

BUT -- I learned to drive a stick as an adult, and so I am really not that proficient. I cannot heel/toe. Under pressure (like an HDPE) I am not particularly quick shifting. So what am I getting at?

For FUN -- as long as it does not have that slushbox feel (and I'm told it doesn't; I'll have to test-drive one) -- I think the 8-speed in the C7, with quicker shifts than pretty much any human can do, locking clutches to impart a more mechanical "feel," paddle shifters, etc. may well be the better choice!

I have driven an advanced automatic in a Mazda and it really did have a much better feel than the automatics I occasionally put up with in rental cars, so I can only imagine what a performance-oriented 8-speed will feel like.

Just curious -- have you actually driven one of these modern automatics?

C6 Snowboarder

Speed was not the reason for my manual tranny selection.. they are a bit more fun to drive .. kinda like sex with a crazy woman. Organism is faster with a sane woman..Fast is not always best.

User Omega

I don't find automagic to be fun. To me it ruins the whole point of a sports car.

To each their own though. If we were all the same, life would be pretty boring.

VET4LES

The Corvette is meant to be shifted. I enjoy ever shift.

COMMANDER2OOO

Well lets see we have auto on headlights, rain sensing wipers, auto locks, park assist, power windows, cars that talk, cars that stop even before u hit the brakes, blind spot sensors, auto start, and now they are fazing out the manual transmission. Put these cars on rails, regulate the speed and they will be completely idiot proof smh. I have 5 cars my Corvette being the only manual of the bunch and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I drive my Corvette, anything else is just transportation lol.

Rjhctrapp

I'd have to loose a limb to be forced in to an automatic, and even at that, I'd still try to drive a manual. My only auto equipped vehicle is my Tacoma. It's my commuter. Everything else has a MAN handle in the console!

JJLAI724

It's just more fun to me shifting gears with a clutch then using paddle shifters.

ruxvette

Nope, gonna install oneof these...12 forward gears...

dmk0210

Heel/Toe is easy. It just takes a lot of practice and it is unique to each car because the pedals are different. I had to learn how to heel/toe my Corvette even though I did it all the time with my Miata and WRX.

Just practice by blipping the throttle every time you brake the car. It will be second nature in no time.


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CadVette

An automatic transmission is also heavier. If you have to get your gas tank fuel pumps replaced you also will be more grateful. At least for us that actually work on our cars. I have been stuck in traffic for up to 2.5 hours at a time in my truck which has a heavier clutch. Sure my left leg got a little sore. Nothing I can't handle. A little discomfort does'nt not mean my leg will fall off. I'm tough enough for that.

Jim2003

My 03 C5 was a 6 sp manual and my 13 C6 is a 6 sp manual. Those cluthes are easy to deal with in traffic. I prefer manual trannys

My 68 Camaro is a 4 sp behind the 327/275 hp. Years ago I had a heavy duty cluth put in, yep dumb. It wore my leg out in traffic. This summer I had a OEM regular cluth put in, wow it is now fun to drive. I have owned this car its whole life all 205K miles and 48'years. Manual steering, manual brakes, and a 4 sp manual tranny test your strength.

The modern day cluthes are so easy and soft as compared to the old cluthes. You can feel the cluth engage with the old style cluth but not with the new ones. My wife laghs at me because I kll the vette too often, but I can not remember the last time I killed the Camaro. Maybe it is the 205K miles and knowing the car so well for so long. It only goes to car shows now so very little driving.

The Clevite Kid

I am both surprised and PLEASED that as many as 23% of the C7 buyers are selecting the manual transmission. Shifting and using the clutch pedal are skills that are going away rapidly.

I went through the no-clutch-assist-spring and the C5-clutch-assist-spring phases and went back to the stock c6-clutch-assist-spring and have learned to like it. Practice makes (close to) perfect .

Amelio

I have always felt a "sports car" was a manual since I was a little kid. My '69 is a 4 speed and my '12 is a manual. To me the enjoyment of grabbing a gear is so satisfying and puts the biggest smile on my face! I also really enjoy down shifting the car prior to a turn and throwing the car into a turn or tapping the clutch to slide the rear. Sure you can down shift with a paddle but its something about the action of shifting that makes it so much fun.

I remember being a little kid in the arcade, I would always gravitate to the car games and more so to the ones that had a shifter! As mentioned I think the art of shifting is going away, sure these new autos are faster but not everyone is a "real" driver and racing daily. Most are daily drivers or weekend toys so who cares if the auto is a little faster. I really laugh when I see these younger kids posting video of people shifting and they say "no lift shift" like its a new thing!!!! I only know this type of shifting and its called "power shifting"! I grew up around old muscle and sitting next to my pops who can bang a gear like no ones business! To me that feeling is worth it and i will always opt for a manual in a sports car thats a toy.

Maybe its a generational thing or how I was raised plus neither of my vettes are daily drivers. I could not imgaine either of my vettes being an Auto. My Buick Grand National is really fun and really fast but its just different, however a manual in that car would not feel right. Besides trying to take a turn in the GN I might scrub the door handles off lol!

Dutch08

Manual all the way for me --


(50 years from now the corvetteforum will be having this discussion about steering wheels.)

06orangeZ51

Manual trans for this guy only! When shopping for my car I passed up several cars due to the fact they were automatics. To me muscle will always be synonymous with banging gears... plus driving a stick car you're more in control. Is she getting a little sideways? shove the clutch in..


AMEN to this! I was a pretty damn quick power shifter years back..I'm scared $hitless to power shift the 'vette though (at least until I get a MGW or Hinson shifter). Broken parts are expensive!

Yep! Had a manual rack in my 87 T/A-with a 245 tire up front and a spool out back-took some effort to drive! The newer hydraulic clutch release systems make the modern stick cars a breeze to drive compared to the old cable systems...