Manual Vs. Auto Trans
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 10,436
Likes: 4
From: Everett Wa
Proven? By whom?
Don't get me wrong in general you are 100% correct but in the end it is all about driver experince. IF you look at the 1/4 mile times it is about a dead heat between the 2. The A6 will be faster in the hands of most drivers on a road course because very few people have the skill to shift a manual properly. But I would bet dollars to dounts the instructors at Spring Mountian can lap the manual faster. From a roll on, when was this tested and by whom?
Don't get me wrong in general you are 100% correct but in the end it is all about driver experince. IF you look at the 1/4 mile times it is about a dead heat between the 2. The A6 will be faster in the hands of most drivers on a road course because very few people have the skill to shift a manual properly. But I would bet dollars to dounts the instructors at Spring Mountian can lap the manual faster. From a roll on, when was this tested and by whom?
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 20,933
Likes: 905
From: salem OR
The A6 will be faster 99% of the time but some people like to shift I think shifting a C6 is fun and smooth the M6 feels faster to most people too.
With a little power both are good with a little more the clutch becomes the downfall and with even more they will both need to be upgraded, and you will go through clutches faster the more you race.
I have almost 30,000 trouble free miles on my A6 and a best ET of 11.0 and 128 MPH traps, I dont beat on it but drive/race it hard dailly.
With a little power both are good with a little more the clutch becomes the downfall and with even more they will both need to be upgraded, and you will go through clutches faster the more you race.
I have almost 30,000 trouble free miles on my A6 and a best ET of 11.0 and 128 MPH traps, I dont beat on it but drive/race it hard dailly.
93 formula, 94 Z-28, 98 camaro SS, 02 z (can't count that one.
all would pull away from the auto in the same car. Stock auto no converter, no problem, don;t even say the auto is faster when both cars are moving,auto is toast when they are rolling.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,682
Likes: 3
I've raced my friends manual 08 Z51 several times... The manual is not faster from a roll... I trapped 121 with just Vararam intake.... We raced at the track several times and he could never pull me when we came out even.... He has Headers\CAI and I have the Vararam.....
We stayed dead even...
We stayed dead even...
Last edited by xstang; May 14, 2008 at 09:27 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,555
Likes: 1,255
From: Saint Albans, WV
Racer
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 477
Likes: 0
From: Dallas Texas
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,613
Likes: 0
Proven? By whom?
Don't get me wrong in general you are 100% correct but in the end it is all about driver experince. IF you look at the 1/4 mile times it is about a dead heat between the 2. The A6 will be faster in the hands of most drivers on a road course because very few people have the skill to shift a manual properly. But I would bet dollars to dounts the instructors at Spring Mountian can lap the manual faster. From a roll on, when was this tested and by whom?
Don't get me wrong in general you are 100% correct but in the end it is all about driver experince. IF you look at the 1/4 mile times it is about a dead heat between the 2. The A6 will be faster in the hands of most drivers on a road course because very few people have the skill to shift a manual properly. But I would bet dollars to dounts the instructors at Spring Mountian can lap the manual faster. From a roll on, when was this tested and by whom?
The pro instructors have alot more seat time in the M6 so I bet they are a bit faster in the M6 but I bet they also dont really want the A6 to take over as shifting the M6 is alot of what they get paid to teach. I still think 99% of drivers should be faster in the A6. As told by the instructors it is simply not fair you have so much more time to focus on your line and braking there are just less chances to make a mistake with the A6.
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Instructor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,613
Likes: 0
Hey, I had an STI before my two Corvettes (C5 Z06 and now C6 Z51 MN6). Awesome car...
What you need to know about the automatic transmission on Corvettes is that it is a torque converter based automatic transmission just like the one on, say, a Pontiac Grand Am... Same shift lag, converter slip, etc etc. The paddle shifters are the same kind of gimmik as that little spot next to "D" where you can push the shifter back and forth to upshift and downshift on other automatics; it still feels just like any other auto.
THAT SAID... If you like automatics, or want an automatic, it will work just fine... It is also easier to drag race. Just don't think that just because its on a Corvette it will perform like the automatically shifted manuals you find on BMWs, Ferraris, Porshes, the new GTR, the EVO10 etc etc...
Personally I'll only buy an automatic car when I am too old to operate a clutch
What you need to know about the automatic transmission on Corvettes is that it is a torque converter based automatic transmission just like the one on, say, a Pontiac Grand Am... Same shift lag, converter slip, etc etc. The paddle shifters are the same kind of gimmik as that little spot next to "D" where you can push the shifter back and forth to upshift and downshift on other automatics; it still feels just like any other auto.
THAT SAID... If you like automatics, or want an automatic, it will work just fine... It is also easier to drag race. Just don't think that just because its on a Corvette it will perform like the automatically shifted manuals you find on BMWs, Ferraris, Porshes, the new GTR, the EVO10 etc etc...
Personally I'll only buy an automatic car when I am too old to operate a clutch
The tuners still dont understand it 100% and it is 2 years old they are still working on the software to change all shift properties like they can in the A4.
I am not an expert but some experts think it is better this way there are advantages and disadvantages to all the paddle shift options my friend hates driving his new M6 most of the time but f*** it shifts fast in kill mode.
Top Gear of all people compared them in one episode and liked the tq converter paddle shift better.
Last edited by SoldSyclone; May 14, 2008 at 02:44 PM.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 373
Likes: 0
It just really depends on preference and where you live. If you prefer manual go for it, but also if you live in a place with a lot of traffic and stop and go action, watch out because you don't want to be shifting every two second.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,922
Likes: 4
From: Cheektowaga NY
St. Jude Donor '08
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,228
Likes: 5
From: Gainesville Georgia
Myself personally, I really like the manual trans. For nice cruises I would love to have the auto. My other car is an auto and I noticed that I take it alot easier when driving around... I drive harder with a stick shift, I can't help it.
Go with whatever makes you happy, as others have stated test drive both, or buy both
Go with whatever makes you happy, as others have stated test drive both, or buy both
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
From: Basingstoke England
Instead these cars typically use either robotised manuals or dual-clutch boxes, each of which has its own challenges. The robomanual can do fast changes, but they're pretty harsh and they're a pain in the butt to park because you can't control the clutch and there's no creep. The dual-clutch boxes can do fast changes between "odd" and "even" gears, but can be dreadful odd-to-odd or even-to-even, and again they're not great to park.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 5,411
Likes: 2
From: N Carolina 08 Z51 Coupe
I like shifting the car and having complete control over the gears. I could care less which is faster, the driver will make the most difference. Choose the one that's best for you.. they both have their advantages..
