Embrace the Future??
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 565
Likes: 143
From: Bedford VA
Embrace the Future??
Wife says I can order new C7 as soon as I complete some Honey-Do's. Pretty sure of color (interior not so much) and options I want. The problem is the transmission. I have a M6 in my '01 and love rowing the gears. I'm one of those old guys going with chrome wheels and my question is should I embrace the future and go with the A8 or will I be sorry. I'm particularly interested in how this transmission does when in manual mode. Are shifts pretty much instantaneous or are they somewhat sluggish as in every other paddle shift (non-performance car) I have driven?
Instructor
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 180
Likes: 19
From: Andalusia Pa
Love the A8 transmission,very quick with the paddles but I use drive most of the time...guess I'm lazy!!
Last edited by Steve Garrett; Sep 9, 2015 at 09:33 PM. Reason: No need to requote the OP, especially when you're the next person posting.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,223
Likes: 878
From: PERCUSSIVE MAINTENANCE: The art of whacking the crap out of an electronic device to get it to work.
I love rowing gears but got the A8 because it's my daily driver. If you deal with much traffic, you'll love the A8. I use the paddles all the time. The rev match works excellent with the A8. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 753
Likes: 166
From: Buffalo Minnesota
Wife says I can order new C7 as soon as I complete some Honey-Do's. Pretty sure of color (interior not so much) and options I want. The problem is the transmission. I have a M6 in my '01 and love rowing the gears. I'm one of those old guys going with chrome wheels and my question is should I embrace the future and go with the A8 or will I be sorry. I'm particularly interested in how this transmission does when in manual mode. Are shifts pretty much instantaneous or are they somewhat sluggish as in every other paddle shift (non-performance car) I have driven?
Racer
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 496
Likes: 142
I'm very happy with the A8 so far (approx. 650 miles) and find shifting with the paddles to be virtually instantaneous and definitely faster than I could shift a manual. But it comes down to personal preference.
Good luck with your decision and I highly recommend Torch Red/Adrenaline Red because, as others have said here, its the fastest color combination...
Good luck with your decision and I highly recommend Torch Red/Adrenaline Red because, as others have said here, its the fastest color combination...
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,941
Likes: 499
From: Northern Virginia
There are multiple threads about the A8 vs. M7. Search and read.
Here are a few:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-a8-vs-m7.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...the-truth.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-a8-vs-m7.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-v-z06-a8.html
But in the end, it all comes down to personal preference. Some people love shifting manually, others prefer the auto for various reasons. What I, or anyone else, thinks really has no bearing on what you will like better.
Me, I find driving a manual more involving, and more fun. I'm not concerned about a couple of 10ths difference to 60, or the 1/4 mile. I'm interesting in having fun driving my street car, and find automatic transmissions less fun to drive. YMMV
There HAVE been a few failures of the A8, but very few, and they were fixed under warranty.
Here are a few:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-a8-vs-m7.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...the-truth.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-a8-vs-m7.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-v-z06-a8.html
But in the end, it all comes down to personal preference. Some people love shifting manually, others prefer the auto for various reasons. What I, or anyone else, thinks really has no bearing on what you will like better.
Me, I find driving a manual more involving, and more fun. I'm not concerned about a couple of 10ths difference to 60, or the 1/4 mile. I'm interesting in having fun driving my street car, and find automatic transmissions less fun to drive. YMMV
There HAVE been a few failures of the A8, but very few, and they were fixed under warranty.
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Drifting
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,324
Likes: 35
From: Vernon Hills IL
There are multiple threads about the A8 vs. M7. Search and read.
But in the end, it all comes down to personal preference. Some people love shifting manually, others prefer the auto for various reasons. What I, or anyone else, thinks really has no bearing on what you will like better.
Me, I find driving a manual more involving, and more fun. I'm not concerned about a couple of 10ths difference to 60, or the 1/4 mile. I'm interesting in having fun driving my street car, and find automatic transmissions less fun to drive. YMMV
But in the end, it all comes down to personal preference. Some people love shifting manually, others prefer the auto for various reasons. What I, or anyone else, thinks really has no bearing on what you will like better.
Me, I find driving a manual more involving, and more fun. I'm not concerned about a couple of 10ths difference to 60, or the 1/4 mile. I'm interesting in having fun driving my street car, and find automatic transmissions less fun to drive. YMMV
Exactly. I will happily give up a couple of tenths because I have more fun every time I drive the car. After all, how often will you spend on the track or strip? If it'll end up as a race car then shut my mouth, but if you're just going to be tooling around that M7 is pretty darn nice to row!
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 45,267
Likes: 8,542
From: Rochester, NY
But in the end, it all comes down to personal preference. Some people love shifting manually, others prefer the auto for various reasons. What I, or anyone else, thinks really has no bearing on what you will like better.
Me, I find driving a manual more involving, and more fun. I'm not concerned about a couple of 10ths difference to 60, or the 1/4 mile. I'm interesting in having fun driving my street car, and find automatic transmissions less fun to drive. YMMV
There HAVE been a few failures of the A8, but very few, and they were fixed under warranty.[/QUOTE]
If you can test drive both as I did and you will go with the M7.
Me, I find driving a manual more involving, and more fun. I'm not concerned about a couple of 10ths difference to 60, or the 1/4 mile. I'm interesting in having fun driving my street car, and find automatic transmissions less fun to drive. YMMV
There HAVE been a few failures of the A8, but very few, and they were fixed under warranty.[/QUOTE]
If you can test drive both as I did and you will go with the M7.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,162
Likes: 114
From: Prosper, TX
I love my A8, but the manual shift aspect is no better than any other auto. Leave it in full auto, and the shifts are extremely crisp, tight and fast! Get it for the auto, but not for the 'manual mode' in the auto. If you like a manual, stick with the M7.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,789
Likes: 500
But in the end, it all comes down to personal preference. Some people love shifting manually, others prefer the auto for various reasons. What I, or anyone else, thinks really has no bearing on what you will like better.
Me, I find driving a manual more involving, and more fun. I'm not concerned about a couple of 10ths difference to 60, or the 1/4 mile. I'm interesting in having fun driving my street car, and find automatic transmissions less fun to drive.
[/QUOTE]
I also like my Z51 split spoke chrome wheels.
Me, I find driving a manual more involving, and more fun. I'm not concerned about a couple of 10ths difference to 60, or the 1/4 mile. I'm interesting in having fun driving my street car, and find automatic transmissions less fun to drive.
[/QUOTE]
I also like my Z51 split spoke chrome wheels.