Four speed automatic
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Four speed automatic
I currently drive a Honda 2001 S2000. A very good sports car depending on your flavor. I have been researching corvettes for about six months both on the internet and personal friends who own currently or have in the past. Way back when, I drove a 1969 with 400 hp so the corvette mystique has been experienced and is not now motivating my decision in this direction. Now to the question; several friends have indicated that the four speed automatic transmission is one to stay away from and to limit my search to the 2008 model year and beyond. What say you?
Last edited by Ed1949; Aug 18, 2020 at 03:39 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 11,351
Likes: 2,445
From: Eastern
In actual fact, the 2005 model year was the last one to have the 4 speed auto.
2006 was the introduction of the 6 speed auto with paddle shifters on the steering wheel. 2006-2013 model years stayed with the 6 speed auto.
2008 introduced the LS3 engine with an increase of 30 hp to 430 hp for the base model The 2005-2007 base model had the LS2 engine with 400 hp.
The rule of thumb is always buy the newest corvette model within your budget.
Each year, there were improvements to the interior, the engine change in 2008, to better steering, to a beefier rear differential in 2006 and beyond.
2006 was the introduction of the 6 speed auto with paddle shifters on the steering wheel. 2006-2013 model years stayed with the 6 speed auto.
2008 introduced the LS3 engine with an increase of 30 hp to 430 hp for the base model The 2005-2007 base model had the LS2 engine with 400 hp.
The rule of thumb is always buy the newest corvette model within your budget.
Each year, there were improvements to the interior, the engine change in 2008, to better steering, to a beefier rear differential in 2006 and beyond.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 660
Likes: 52
I did not want the 4sp auto as it didn't fit my driving style. Owning euro cars that have shiftable auto like the Tiptronic in our Audi are a lot of fun to drive so when I started searching for a Corvette I had to have the six speed plus I wanted the LS3 instead of the LS2. My 09 has not disappointed me one bit! Although the 6spd is no dual clutch it's still a blast to drive in the manual mode using the paddles. The rev matching while downshifting for the corners works flawlessly . If your not going to be using it in the manual mode then it makes pretty much no difference for the most part however I'm in the manual mode 80% of the time and I wouldn't by a Corvette or any other performance car without that feature.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2017
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The A4 is solid, GM used it a long time before the C6. Nothing wrong with the LS2 either.
The 05 had some early model bugs but I think people on this forum over state the 08 and up and newest model year you can afford.
Most changes were not be noticeable if you are just using the car to drive around for fun trips or even daily drive. The most noticeable difference is the steering wheel change to the 06 and a small center trim update in 08 If you never open the hood or drive it hard I don't think you know which year you are driving.
The 05 had some early model bugs but I think people on this forum over state the 08 and up and newest model year you can afford.
Most changes were not be noticeable if you are just using the car to drive around for fun trips or even daily drive. The most noticeable difference is the steering wheel change to the 06 and a small center trim update in 08 If you never open the hood or drive it hard I don't think you know which year you are driving.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 4,929
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From: Etobicoke (Toronto) Ontario
Just as a side note, a different measuring system was used in '69 to rate HP. Today, that 400 HP engine would likely be rated as 320 HP.
Last edited by FatsWaller; Aug 19, 2020 at 08:19 AM. Reason: typo in HP rating
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Palm Harbor not far from Sebring Florida
St. Jude Donor '11
Oldtimer
I really cannot answer your question as to the A4, as up until now all but one of my Corvette's have ben automatic (not including my C6). It sounds as though you are looking at an automatic over the manual gear box, so I have heard the A4 is a dependable transmission, but if I had to select one over the other I would look at a 2006 and up. As mentioned previously the A6 is a good transmission and if you still want to have some control of shifting it does come with what I call a poorly designed paddle shift setup. I modified my '07 paddles by switching the wiring and adding custom billet paddles. Seeing you did not mention HP requirements, it does not seem to be an issue, so either the LS2 (2005-2007) or the LS3 (208-2013) are both good engines and reliable. For a daily driver you would not notice any difference in the 400hp to the 430hp. Finally seeing you did not mention any budget issues, I always say find the newest and lowest mileage car available with the most options you are looking for. Good luck.
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Drifting
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,928
Likes: 359
From: Dayton, OH
I did not want the 4sp auto as it didn't fit my driving style. Owning euro cars that have shiftable auto like the Tiptronic in our Audi are a lot of fun to drive so when I started searching for a Corvette I had to have the six speed plus I wanted the LS3 instead of the LS2. My 09 has not disappointed me one bit! Although the 6spd is no dual clutch it's still a blast to drive in the manual mode using the paddles. The rev matching while downshifting for the corners works flawlessly . If your not going to be using it in the manual mode then it makes pretty much no difference for the most part however I'm in the manual mode 80% of the time and I wouldn't by a Corvette or any other performance car without that feature.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,372
Likes: 311
From: Bristol, VT
Coming from an S2000 I'm surprised you'd be interested in automatic transmission, but it sounds like you are, so other posters have covered that pretty well. I will say that I recall reading an engineer saying they had a hard time actually getting the 6 speed cars to perform faster acceleration times since the small block has enough torque to not really need more than 4 speeds from a performance perspective. Even the manual cars are more like a performance 4 speed transmission with 2 over drives (4th is 1:1) tacked on to get that great cruising mileage. Whether or not the comments were made to sell more 4 speed cars on the lot before 6 speed was available or not, I don't know, but I it was a decent amount after the fact when 6 speed cars were already available, so I like to give the benefit of the doubt that it was a real technical claim vs. marketing.
Also coming from an S2000 I think you may appreciate the steering upgrades made in 08 and newer cars to improve feel and feedback, since the S2000 is so prized in that area. Any modern Corvette will feel quite large compared to an S2000 though, but they feel smaller closer to the limit and when you get used to them.
Also coming from an S2000 I think you may appreciate the steering upgrades made in 08 and newer cars to improve feel and feedback, since the S2000 is so prized in that area. Any modern Corvette will feel quite large compared to an S2000 though, but they feel smaller closer to the limit and when you get used to them.
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Four speed automatic
Coming from an S2000 I'm surprised you'd be interested in automatic transmission, but it sounds like you are, so other posters have covered that pretty well. I will say that I recall reading an engineer saying they had a hard time actually getting the 6 speed cars to perform faster acceleration times since the small block has enough torque to not really need more than 4 speeds from a performance perspective. Even the manual cars are more like a performance 4 speed transmission with 2 over drives (4th is 1:1) tacked on to get that great cruising mileage. Whether or not the comments were made to sell more 4 speed cars on the lot before 6 speed was available or not, I don't know, but I it was a decent amount after the fact when 6 speed cars were already available, so I like to give the benefit of the doubt that it was a real technical claim vs. marketing.
Also coming from an S2000 I think you may appreciate the steering upgrades made in 08 and newer cars to improve feel and feedback, since the S2000 is so prized in that area. Any modern Corvette will feel quite large compared to an S2000 though, but they feel smaller closer to the limit and when you get used to them.
Also coming from an S2000 I think you may appreciate the steering upgrades made in 08 and newer cars to improve feel and feedback, since the S2000 is so prized in that area. Any modern Corvette will feel quite large compared to an S2000 though, but they feel smaller closer to the limit and when you get used to them.
Race Director
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From: Saint Albans, WV
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2013
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From: Chirper Island
I was being facetious if it wasn't obvious.
I was not complaining. It is, by all standards on this forum, the best tranny ever.
The amount of miles I put on it before it failed, is more than most, here, will ever have.