,..THIS^,..is kinda how I feel too!,..but,...i realize, unfortunately for me!,...someday,..that day may come?,..till then!,..i'm a total "manual" kinda guy!
Automatic v. Stick
Racer
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 448
Likes: 0
,..this is a tuff one for me and the wife,..who also live in the n. Virginia suburbs. With the as you rightly, point out!,..the horrific traffic here!. We have always had manuals on our "sportscars",..and hope to continue doing so,..but,.i agree,..the shifting, from "1st ta neutral",.."1st ta neutral",..really DOES get old!. Just can't bring ourselves to get rid of our "manual addiction" yet though!. Haven't found ANY "dual-clutch",..or any "auto-tranny", that gives us the sheer driving joy,.that you get with a manual,..so,..i'm STILL hangin' in there, with our "mannies"!,...but,..man,..are you right!, about us havin; some of THE WORST traffic in the world,...very seldom are we EVER able ta shift up past 4th gear?!...I understand those who have thrown in the towel!.
Last edited by geezerman; Sep 7, 2013 at 04:13 PM. Reason: miss-spelling
Racer
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 448
Likes: 0
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,147
Likes: 107
From: Cherry Hill PRNJ
MY GOD, so much for the younger demographic, sounds like every responder in this thread is in their 60's and 70's. no offense intended 
I am 45 years old and consider myself to be young at heart but in truth, let's face it, I am old... 60 or 70, no, but old, yes... DOES NOT mean I have to act like it though...
I am ordering the 7 spd manual, I have owned a C4, two C5's and one C6, the only vette I HATED and regretted buying was one of the C5's that was an auto. Why did I buy it? Tired of shifting, traffic, etc etc... Problem was, it took all the FUN out of it, at least for me. If you are content with the auto, have at it, truth is, it will be faster than 99 percent of us that are not professional shifters, but again, for me it was about the connection to the experience. I am excited for the rev matching feature however (never was good at heel toe, small feet, lol) To each his own, I thought I would like the auto when I bought it back in 98 in my 1st C5, I hated it so bad, I had to sell it 4 months later just to buy another one with a stick, good luck in your decision
I am 45 years old and consider myself to be young at heart but in truth, let's face it, I am old... 60 or 70, no, but old, yes... DOES NOT mean I have to act like it though...I am ordering the 7 spd manual, I have owned a C4, two C5's and one C6, the only vette I HATED and regretted buying was one of the C5's that was an auto. Why did I buy it? Tired of shifting, traffic, etc etc... Problem was, it took all the FUN out of it, at least for me. If you are content with the auto, have at it, truth is, it will be faster than 99 percent of us that are not professional shifters, but again, for me it was about the connection to the experience. I am excited for the rev matching feature however (never was good at heel toe, small feet, lol) To each his own, I thought I would like the auto when I bought it back in 98 in my 1st C5, I hated it so bad, I had to sell it 4 months later just to buy another one with a stick, good luck in your decision
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 6,813
Likes: 287
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
C7 cries out for the manual. If you absolutely have to get an automatic wait a year. You don't want the obsolete A6 that they stuck in there for one year. Something better is coming.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,096
Likes: 153
From: "Atlanta" Ga.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,355
Likes: 12
Has anyone else here taken their Corvette up and down the road pictured here?
Here is one of my favorite places to take my Corvettes and I have been doing so since my first in 1985. If you think you need a manual transmission to get excitement on this road in your Corvette then you are NOT doing it right.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q37oDfSfQlk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q37oDfSfQlk
Pro
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 737
Likes: 149
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,408
Likes: 145
From: Northcentral, Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '09-'11
Plenty of valid reasons to get the automatic over stick. But when I see people writing they are too old, or too lazy to shift...Well, I just have a hard time understanding that. If you are a senior citizen, and/or have a disability, okay fine. But writing yourself off because of a number is another story. Don't' fall into that trap. Okay...finished with the sermon...Get what makes you happy!
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 11,825
Likes: 2,474
From: Ft Lauderdale
Tech Contributor
It's not a matter of being old or lazy...that's rediculous.....for me, I've reached a stage in my life where I'm over rowing a gearbox. I've done that. Raced, rebuilt cars and used sticks all my life. Now I don't want to. I drive to relax, listen to music, see the sights and go places. I CHOOSE an AT, not because I'm on life support.
Too many enthusiasts here that refuse to understand we all are at diff life stages and impose their opinion of what's right and wrong. But hey, that's what forums do.....
Too many enthusiasts here that refuse to understand we all are at diff life stages and impose their opinion of what's right and wrong. But hey, that's what forums do.....
Last edited by Glen e; Sep 7, 2013 at 09:17 PM.
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
From: Delevan NY
My automatic Z51, mag ride is complete today - looking forward to city traffic , mountain passes, or whatever comes along. Paddle shifting sounds like fun, even though my old C3 4 speed kept me pretty excited. My wife doesn't drive, but my daughter (lead-foot) has already asked for it. This is a car I'll likely have for a long time, so the auto is a better fit. I admire all Corvettes, though I have my favorites, so how you shift it matters little to me. Just don't grind the gears.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 831
Likes: 1
From: N Jury
Based off the latest cr and driver test it seems the DCT BMW m6 with DCT was slower than the torque convertor Audi RS7 and planetary non torque convertor automatic ..
I believe the automatic c7 could very well be the quickest.
I prefer the rev matching m7 myself yet I do remember the jaguar f type v8 with a torque convertor transmission was the equal as mentioned by car and driver or possibly road and track....compared to the DCT Porsche Boxster S on the track..
For those that prefer automatics...the technology today makes that possibly the quickest corvette...although I have yet to read a report on any c7 z51 MRC automatic..
I believe the automatic c7 could very well be the quickest.
I prefer the rev matching m7 myself yet I do remember the jaguar f type v8 with a torque convertor transmission was the equal as mentioned by car and driver or possibly road and track....compared to the DCT Porsche Boxster S on the track..
For those that prefer automatics...the technology today makes that possibly the quickest corvette...although I have yet to read a report on any c7 z51 MRC automatic..
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,025
Likes: 68
From: Waverly Tennessee
As others have said, you can use it either through the remote at any distance that you could unlock the doors with it, or you can do it through the app. I believe with the app, you get 5 years free, after that you lose it if you don't have an OnStar subscription. Don't quote me on that, but I believe that's how it is with all of their auto start equipped cars.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 9,217
Likes: 153
From: Ft Mill, SC
One thing to keep in mind is if you order a 2014 with the holdover A6 ( albeit with some improvements) from the C6, it's a vastly improved version from the first year 2006 C6. If the C7 gets an 8 speed auto in 2015/2016 etc, GM may have dialed it in carefully and it will be a great piece or it could be a POS like the first year A6 was compared to huge improvements in later versions. My 2006 A6, which I recently replaced with a 2012 CTS-V A6, is light years behind the CTS-V. The first year A6 does not have rev matching on downshifts when using the paddles & literally lurches when downshifted and has terrible lag when hitting the paddle on upshifts. On a plus side for modern day 8 spd auto's, I recently test drove a new BMW 335i with 8 speed auto & it shifts pretty close to their DCT in the M3. So if GM goes to an 8 speed with the C7 in the next year or so, it might be a great piece, but one still has to contend with the possible unpleasant learning curve that may happen.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 14,611
Likes: 3
From: Retired Suffolk County Police Dept NY South Carolina
I ordered my 96 CE with automatic for two reasons, I have bad knees and stop and go traffic on the LIE was a PITA. I moved to SC 7 years ago and traffic jams with stop and crawl traffic is rare. I have a lot of time to make up my mind because I am waiting till my lease on the Volt expires in 2015.
Paddle shifters are a nice alternative if my knees get worst but I was viewing the YouTube video posted by Wes Milby and noticed something that swayed me toward the 7 speed. About 30 years ago I had a hydraulic clutch fail in one of my cars and was able to start the car in 1st then shift gears by matching revs and was able to drive to the dealer for repair. The c-7 has computer controlled rev matching so theoretically after you use the clutch to start out in 1st you should be able to drive without the clutch.
After viewing the video of the power top that can be lowered by the remote and can be raised or lowered while the car is moving (up to 30 MPH)
Paddle shifters are a nice alternative if my knees get worst but I was viewing the YouTube video posted by Wes Milby and noticed something that swayed me toward the 7 speed. About 30 years ago I had a hydraulic clutch fail in one of my cars and was able to start the car in 1st then shift gears by matching revs and was able to drive to the dealer for repair. The c-7 has computer controlled rev matching so theoretically after you use the clutch to start out in 1st you should be able to drive without the clutch.
After viewing the video of the power top that can be lowered by the remote and can be raised or lowered while the car is moving (up to 30 MPH)
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 6,813
Likes: 287
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
One thing to keep in mind is if you order a 2014 with the holdover A6 ( albeit with some improvements) from the C6, it's a vastly improved version from the first year 2006 C6. If the C7 gets an 8 speed auto in 2015/2016 etc, GM may have dialed it in carefully and it will be a great piece or it could be a POS like the first year A6 was compared to huge improvements in later versions. My 2006 A6, which I recently replaced with a 2012 CTS-V A6, is light years behind the CTS-V. The first year A6 does not have rev matching on downshifts when using the paddles & literally lurches when downshifted and has terrible lag when hitting the paddle on upshifts. On a plus side for modern day 8 spd auto's, I recently test drove a new BMW 335i with 8 speed auto & it shifts pretty close to their DCT in the M3. So if GM goes to an 8 speed with the C7 in the next year or so, it might be a great piece, but one still has to contend with the possible unpleasant learning curve that may happen.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 11,825
Likes: 2,474
From: Ft Lauderdale
Tech Contributor
And they would be correct...I thnk chev is looking to grab more of the non enthusiast owners to make this work...lotta MB two seat owners that drive to the golf club and not much else.....as much that is detested here, that is a huge, more forgiving market......
Racer
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 487
Likes: 1
From: San Jose California
Does the A6 allow shifting from the stick? My Infiniti is an A and has paddles, but it allows the same thing (up/down +/-) from the stick. In sport mode it is a manual automatic (if there is such a thing), and doesn't slip back into auto unless I take it out. I like using the stick for that way better than the paddles. I've had a couple manual Porsches and had one auto. Hated the auto, but I don't like the idea of a tightly geared 7 speed to have to run through from stop light to stop light. If I have to get an auto, I want control over where I am in the power curve, stompin on the accelerator to shift down is just lunacy. In a tight situation, I want to be cruising at 3-4 grand and when I step on it the car totally responds. I't nice to have the car "ready" for the stupidity that lurks on the road. I hope they did this somewhat right.