Corgidog1

I probably would enjoy driving a 15 speed dump truck more than an automatic-lol.

iclick

Well, clutch pedal of my C2 427 made my left thigh bigger than the right, but the C7 pedal resistance indeed won't build much muscle.

JerryU

Reminds me of my first 7 speed (actually an 8 speed but two were the same ratio) my Dodge Colt Turbo! It was like an Dump Truck with a two stick shifter! A 4 speed with to speed overdrive box!

My second, only a 7 speed was the Doug Nash trans that came in my first Vette, a 1988. It was a rugged 4 speed with electronically activated overdrive. The overdrive was switched on and off with a button integrated into the the top of the shifter. However it would not engage in 1st. But you could shift from 1st to 2nd, the engage overdrive, then disengage overdrive and go to 3rd, The 3rd overdrive, etc. Fun occasionally but typically just went through 4 gears then activated overdrive!

Have only had a standard shift as my DD for ~60 years!

Kevin A Jones

I've always loved manuals and drive one every day. Also hope manuals are always available in Corvettes. Perhaps there should be a sticky thread for M7 owners to pound their chests, pat one another on the back, joke about and trash A8s so this same old tired discussion doesn't keep coming up here every few days.

VetteDrmr

You mean like this?

Have a good one,
Mike

jimjimsC7

This debate is really getting old, drive what you like and what suits your driving style the best. The claim that it's not a sports car if it doesn't have a manual is ridiculous.

Kevin A Jones

How many manuals do you think GM could possibly sell being that only 18% of the driving public can operator one?

saleen556

bsterling9

I work in the automotive field and one of my duties is to manage the VIO (vehicle in operation) data as well as their associated drivetrains. There has been a steady decline in M/T's being produced by the manufacturers for the past 15 years. Obviously, I think it's due to the advancements in the automatic technologies and that traffic in most areas is at an all-time high and people are tired of working out their left legs. I hate to see this trend, but there's no denying it. Some of our products we sell are clutches and flywheels, so it directly impacts us as a company.

HorsePower Junkie

Auto trans guys, this is simply just voicing personal taste, personal opinion, voicing personal choice, all in fun, absolutely not trying to convince you to set your A8 on fire, and come over to the dark side and buy a stick shift car.

Autos shift quicker, um ok. That's not what it's about for stick shift guys. Manual shift owners just like shifting. Not saying an auto trans car is a bad car or a bad choice, they are just not for those who like to shift a stick car, and paddle shifting doesn't do it for them.

Auto trans cars are great for those who like them, or need them as they get older and auto becomes a necessity, and the same goes for stick cars, it doesn't make them a bad car either.

Some like blondes, some like brunettes, some like hot spicy redheads... it's all in the eye of the beholder. So it all gets to the same answer, which is, Chevy doesn't make a bad Corvette in any form, they are all America's sweetheart no matter what color it is or how you like to shift!

I'll take one if each please... a stick, an auto, a blonde, brunette, and a redhead too please!


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davepl

^^^ Everything you've said about shifting your own gears can be said about other tasks that used to fall to the driver, like setting timing advance and mixture on the fly.

And if your answer is "Shut up dummy, I just like shifting" that's awesome. If your answer is that it makes it the better or superior car overall, that's all I ever take objection with.

Big Lebowski

lol, so true!

Vette E Boop

Higgs Boson

That's always your default logic on this topic, comparing the manual to very old technology like setting timing and mixture (I still set timing and mixture, btw, just with a laptop now instead of levers)....

So going in the other direction with your logic, in the future, when you don't steer, gas, brake, shift, or otherwise, will you appreciate the automotive experience? After all, the technology advancement argument will eventually reveal everything we do and experience today will become extinct. It's just not a strong argument against manuals when people buy them in spite of what benefits an automatic provides.

You like the auto. Enjoy it. Nothing else needs to matter to you. Why does it?

dvilin

[/QUOTE]

Okay....

davepl

Nothing else does matter. I drive an auto when it suits me, I drive a stick when I chose. Each has their purpose.

Any participation in the mechanical operation of the vehicle serves either to make the vehicle faster or more enjoyable to drive. Since neither transmission offers a demonstrably faster lap time in the Z, enjoyment should be the only factor.

That's it. That's all I claim.

I have a '69 Camaro RS/SS 396 M20. It's probably my slowest car. And yet there's not much more fun than sidestepping the rear end just the right amount on a fast 1->2 shift. But I don't make any claim about that other than its fun for me.

When I go to the road course I derive enjoyment from trying to find the right line and carrying as much speed into the corners as I can manage. To me it would not add enjoyment to shift my own gears. If it did, I would.

And that's where I part with most of you. I will simply say "to me it would not add enjoyment" but others will make grand, sweeping conclusions about which is the better car, and therefore, the more manly driver.

And my analogy of timing and mixture remains the default because it's apt. You can be as much or as little involved in the operation and function of the vehicles as you want, whereas I only want to pilot it. Just don't try to pass it off as somehow objectively "better" for all.

I also own a P100D which can drive itself, so if you want to reduce it to absurdity, you could ride in a Tesla around Big Willow on Autopilot. I don't know what that would prove though.

Higgs Boson

I guess most of this forum's problem with the topic is that anyone who owns an A8 assumes all M7 owners are of the opinion that A8's are inferior and all M7 owners assume A8 owners are of the opinion that M7's are inferior, which simply isn't true.

The bolded part of your quote is the assumption that drives all transmission threads sideways. It's a predisposition a member has when they click and approach every post with that mentality.

I don't think the A8 is "inferior" I just prefer the M7. This seems to be how most people feel about their transmission choice but the threads always devolve into some primal motivating factor, manual transmissions are more manly and automatics are for aliens from the future, neither of which are true.

pdiddy972

Pics or it didn't happen...

davepl

Nope. It's not because of "assumptions", it's simply because the M7 users say shitty things about A8 users.

For example, by post 8 of this thread, "I know some guys can't shift anymore because of bad knees and such..."

Pick any M7/A8 thread and use your browser to search for the word "You". Most times it'll be an M7 user telling you what it means about the owner that he drives an A8.

I'm actually not speaking of you, I didn't know which trans you had before this thread and don't care now, you're not vocal about A8s so you're not part of that problem.

Judgment Day

Okay, so I just got home from my car getting serviced and drove through this non stop rain we've been getting.

As far as dealer customer order allocation vs stock ordering, unfortunately I was unable to get that information. I didn't see the guy I usually talk to until my car was ready for pickup. So we chatted a bit and that was it.

I did however count the showroom C7s and tallied up the stock for whatever its worth:

26 total C7s (which is actually a little lower vs what I saw last year)
15 Automatics @ 57.69%
11 Manuals @ 42.31%

A lot more even than I suspected. I believe one of those automatics were sold (LBR). This particular dealership usually has their Corvettes indoors, so no C7s outside that I can see. Decided to look on their website, and they a total of 43 available: 22 Manuals vs 19 Automatics. So if the site is accurate, there were a few vehicles unaccounted for, with the manual transmission actually taking the majority.