Manual vs Automatic?

I have been looking at 2lt Stingray's and was really thinking Manual transmission, I have a manual in my C3 and I love the feel of it but it is a pain in the *** around Chicago with the stop and go on the highway coming home from work. The idea of getting a C7 is being able to drive more, I drove an automatic yesterday and it was very nice great pickup I was not able to really get on the gas due to very wet roads up here.

Manual - just great fun hammering the gears

Auto - easier to handle with traffic, lots of stop and go around Chicago. Wife might actually drive the car if it is auto.

Still thinking about it looking for opinions.

Jack

 

Well finally a topic that has not been discussed....



...for at least a week. You have all the salient points in your post to make a decision. Ah get the manual-real men drive manuals (just kidding with that last comment)

 

This will get interesting, lol. I went form Z51 auto to GS M7 this year. Seat of pants A8 seems quicker. But I enjoy the M7 better. Main reason I replied though is the wife thing, my wife can drive a manual, we had 2 GT Mustangs, but after 6 months she still hasn't driven the Vette, not sure why but she won't try, therefore I wish I hadn't made the change. My 2cents.

 

Before making your decision, drive the manual C7 with rev match turned on... It will take half of that Chicago pain away, and is much easier than typical sticks!

 

The fact your wife may drive it if you get a automatic, I would get the manual.

 

Okay,

Maybe I do not understand rev match, it was explained that it helps with downshifting and that really never made sense to me because I have never had an issue downshifting any manual car before.

Jack

 

Very personal choice so there’s no wrong answer unless of course you choose and then don’t like whichever you picked.....I’ve had three modern Vettes, all manuals, in searching for a replacement for my 14 I lost to Hurricane Harvey I tried to convince myself to go with an automatic because I could find great deals on 17’s that were what I wanted except for being automatic. I test drove a couple and decided I just get too much enjoyment running through the gears myself so I’ve ordered a 19 GS manual. Good luck on the decision.

 

I've owned 5 Corvette's, 3 have been automatics, and the last 2 manual transmission cars. My 2015 coupe is easy to drive under all conditions, including Houston, Texas traffic. I very happy that my C7 is a manual transmission car.

 

I've seen these threads more times over the years. It is my personal belief that anyone who asks the forum for opinions on auto VS manual should probably just buy the auto.

In spec'ing out 4 Vettes, I have antagonized over different options and colors but never the transmission. Manuals without any hesitation.

In the end, it's is a nice problem to have.

 

M7 w/rev matching is one of my favorite features. If you want hours of reading opinions on which is preferred, go to search.

 

Automatic - Drag racing, heavy traffic environments.

Manual - Everything else.

 

I have a automatic, sometimes I wish I had a manual..

 

[QUOTE=Jack605;1596354455]Manual vs Automatic?



I have never seen this discussed here.

 

WOW! First in with the beating a dead horse emoji!

 

The more relevant question would be - Chrome versus black wheels!


Seriously, good questions, just that it's been posed here numerous times.


Bottom line - get what you feel most comfortable with and enjoy your car.

 

Manual isn't bad in rush hour unless you literally aren't moving at all. I hated it for the first 2 weeks though... Wanted the clutch adjusted... Different shift stick.... Regretted getting a manual and had some embarassing stalls at lights.... After 2 weeks I thought it was easy and flawless and don't miss auto's

rush hour with a manual is fun I try as hard as I can to cruise in 4th or 3rd and when it is bumper to bumper 1st and 2nd gear are your friends

Automatics aren't bad either but it is annoying when people ask why you didn't get a manual 100 times

 

A test drive will not give you a full evaluation of what these modern Auto's have to offer.
They're docile around town with slow speeds and low RPM.
But with aggressive throttle they come alive and shift hard, either in full auto or with the paddles.
At WOT in full auto it will shift with a bang just before the rev limiter and go through the gears like that until you let off the throttle.
The trans also goes through an adaptive process when new and learns the way you drive.
There's also a Performance mode algorithm when you get aggressive with the throttle where it will hang in a gear longer as it would when racing and keeps the RPM's up.
Lay back off the throttle and it will go back into regular auto shifting.
It's also intuitive and doesn't just keep up shifting to the highest gear when driving normal.
It will stay in a lower or higher gear according to speed, throttle and will up shift or down shift accordingly keeping it in just the right gear.

It's not going to replace the experience of manual shifting.
And if you're a die hard manual guy, get the manual.

IMO you need to rent an Auto, or find a way to drive one for an extended time.
It's the only way you'll see what the Auto is like to make a decision to go with it or not.
Good luck either way with the new ride

 

If you ever think a manual is a pain, then you are not a hard core sports car driver and should get the automatic.

I never get tired of mine.

 

You may not, but it isn't much of a help in traffic - rev matching does two main things: matches the engine rpm in up and down shifts and allows for no lift shifting at full throttle.

No offense, but rush hour in Calgary is nothing like rush hour in NYC, LA or Chicago. At least in the urban NYC area, it can take an hour to go 3-4 miles (except cross-town in Manhattan, where it take 90 minutes to go 1.5 miles) - it is literally a crawl - so you are constantly riding the clutch and shifting in an out of first gear. There are some trips where you might see 2nd gear a half a dozen times in an hour (never 3-7)

 

I love a manual car, but as has been stated, it is a personal choice. One feature that I really love with the Corvette M7 is that when you are on an incline and push in the clutch, the brake engages to prevent rolling backwards.
Even after 40+ years of driving standards, big hills in city traffic were always a little stressful.