65fastback

NO honestly i do not have my mind made up at all, i have another car i drag race more seriously. THIS ( C7 ) is not a daily driver for me its a weekend / off work/ road trip "fun car" for me. When my wife and i are off work this is the car we are in.

falcon5619

JDSC8VETTE

65fastback

For about a year i owned a 2010 AMG C63 it only comes with the ZF auto ( a very good transmission ), its no DCT but in that car it worked fine because the 6.2 V8 had plenty of torque. I miss that car ... it had quality fit and finish and power & torque! but not much in the looks department and also very very expensive to repair.
Its a very hard decision to make for me as id like to keep my next car for along time and for me....i truly appreciate and enjoy driving both trans types.

furious427

Every car I have ever owned with the exception of my Truck has been a manual. I haited auto's and made fun of people who buy sports cars in auto. Well I just recently bought a 2015 Z51 A8 and to be honest I am loving it. Yes it's not a stick and I will never be able to row through the gears, but for me right now at this point in my life it's about simplicity. Do I sometimes wish I got the M7? No. Do I sometimes miss having a manual? Yes. But I am really enjoying the A8 right now, stressless driving. I bought the range AFM disable, pulled fuse #42, and installed a borla x-pipe and the car is perfect for me.

Sixgun95

Skid Row Joe

I'll be honest with you about just getting something new. I get that. It's fun to upgrade C7 to C7.

But stop and think about it. ......

You're in a GREAT position of waiting just a few short months to assess as best you can whether a C8 purchase may be right for you and your wife.

.You & wife are already enjoying the h#ll out of your Z51 M7 as a discretionary driver.
​​​​​​​
Just hold your horses and keep your powder (money/funds) ready to step into a new C8 with
auto/DCT transmission. Problem solved

JDSC8VETTE

Patman

Well I went from an M6 in my C6 to the A8 in my C7 and I don't regret it one bit. Mine shifts perfectly smooth and when going full throttle it shifts into the next gear so quickly you'd swear it was a DCT. Not a single problem with mine and I'm at 8900 miles now.

RMS127

I love my A8 and I drive pretty much in manual mode all the time so I can hear that exhaust sing! It is a bit laggy when you are just trotting around (doesn't bother me) but when you do get on it, the shifts are damn quickkk.

ojm

Like a political poll the answers are swayed by tone of question, at moment it is 50/50 auto or manual, the C8 will decide it, maybe?

I'm ready to buy, but will wait to at least view the C8. Hard as hell waiting but a C8 is automotive history at our doorsteps soooooon,,,I hope.

Corgidog1

Just as I thought-no responses.

davepl

I've had both. I liked the M7 10% more and drove the A8 150% more. You decide.

davepl

I hated driving my C6Z06 because of the manual, so yeah, I had a C4 auto and went to a C6Z and hated it. Back to a C7Z A8 and love it. Have several TKOs and two M-21 cars, so I'm not averse to sticks, but if you're driving these cars in traffic in town, the M blows.

I forgot my C4 was an auto until you asked it that way, but yeah I went A4 -> M6 and was sad.

Patman

I don't know why we keep having to have this argument all the time. Why can't the M7 guys stop beating their chests and acting like that's the only "fun transmission" to have? I have owned both manual and automatic high performance cars over the years and I can honestly say that I like them both for different reasons. If I could afford it, I'd have both a manual and an automatic Corvette for sure. I also hate it when people think that those of us with automatics cannot drive a manual. Sure, there are some people here who have injuries and can no longer drive manual comfortably. I'm not one of those people, but yet I chose an automatic still. I have no trouble driving a manual, in fact I'm the guy that my work comes and gets when they need a manual car moved in our warehouse because I can jump into any manual transmission car and immediately be able to drive it without stalling it (our warehouse is used to store a lot of high end sports cars for the winter and they are packed in tightly so in the spring they need to be shuffled around in order to get some of them out for their owners)

Walt White Coupe

I enjoy both manual and automatic transmissions. 9 years with a manual in my C6 and now 3 years with the automatic in my C7. What I really like about the automatic with paddles to be able to keep both hands on the steering wheel during spirited driving. The fact that it's faster is just a little icing on the cake.

KCV

65fastback

Dif

I had manuals in all my muscle cars, but when buying my first Vette in 2009 I knew I wanted the Auto Trans.
Reason being they had Paddles for manual shifting, otherwise I would have gone with a Manual Trans.
No the paddles do not replace what it's like to have a 3 peddle stick shift car, but what most don't talk about is how the new Auto Transmissions work.
It's not like the old days of when Auto transmissions just shifted up through the gears trying to reach the highest gear.
These Auto Transmissions are intuitive and adapt over time to how you drive and react accordingly.
I alternate between Auto Mode and Manual Paddle mode depending on the roads and how I want/need to use the transmission.
The A6 and A8 are throttle sensitive when accelerating or decelerating and will go in a higher or lower gear only when the speed or load requires it.
And I like my A8 in my 2016 C7 with the Z51 gearing 100% better than the A6 that was in the 2009.
The amount of throttle and higher rpm also controls how fast the Transmission will shift, the more throttle, the faster it will shift.
Under normal driving in Auto mode, just cruising back roads with twists and turns, up hill and down hill, the trans will change gears accordingly depending on speed.
On flat roads with a steady throttle, the trans will only up shift when speed is increased, otherwise it stays in the gear with the least load so it's not lugging.
Normal stop and go driving at 40-45mph it doesn't shift past 6th gear.
On the other hand, during extended leisurely cruising in V4 at 40-45 mph it will go in 7th and only jump to 8th when reaching 50mph.
All that is with normal driving.

It's a totally different animal using the throttle aggressively either in Auto Mode, or Paddle mode.
In Auto Mode you can use the Paddles with out putting it into Manual Paddle Mode.
The Transmisson will then stay in Paddle Mode for a short period of time after you stop using the paddles, or, press and hold the Up shift Paddle, which then forces it back into Auto Mode.
Also when in Auto Mode, if you get very aggressive with the throttle it will then go into Performance Mode, which essentially puts it in Paddle Mode and holds a gear like you're racing until again, you let off the throttle for a short period of time or, again press and hold the Up shift Paddle, to go back into Auto Mode.
With the shift lever in Paddle Mode, it operates the transmission like a Manual and you need to keep using the paddles, plain and simple, although there is a learning curve when finding out how it can be controlled to your liking and or stopping it from hitting the Rev Limiter because it will not up shift unless you use the Paddles.
Another note when strictly in Paddle Mode and cruising along in a certain gear and start to slow down for traffic etc, it will then automatically go to a lower gear when needed.
Then if you have to speed up again you need to up shift with the Paddles.
On the highway in Paddle Mode and need to pass, 2 or 3 quick taps on the down shift Paddle will get you into a lower gear quickly with minimal lag depending on your speed.
Or in Auto Mode on the highway and need to pass, instead of slamming the pedal to the metal, a Steady Progressive push on the gas pedal will let you safely control how many gears it will down shift depending on the road situation/traffic etc
It's fun going through the gears in Paddle Mode but takes practice to not hit the Rev Limiter.
In Auto mode though with a WOT run, the Transmission will rev to the Red Line and shift instantly before hitting the Rev Limiter.

Again, the Paddles will not satisfy the true Manual Transmission experience for those that like it.
But IMO, anyone thinking of going to the Auto Transmissions in these Corvettes should research what they are like and how they work.
Taking one out for a short test drive is not enough see all the things the Auto Trans does, there's a lot more to it than a transmission that shifts by itself.
If I was in your situation, I would Rent a Corvette with the Auto Trans and put some seat time in with it to get a good feel for what it does and doesn't do for your expectations.
Just my thoughts and experience going from the Manual Trans to the Auto.
Hope this helps with your decision either way

0Sandyeggo Designs

I absolutely love driving my C7 with a manual transmission. It's fun and it gives me a lot of control options. BUT, the times are changing. The cities are more crowded than ever. Traffic is always heavy here in So Cal. And when it gets bunched up unexpectedly there I am inching along while rowing the gears. Thank goodness the C7 clutch is light and the engine provides plenty of torque!

My next car will be a C7 (or C8) with an automatic. Not because it's my first choice but because out of necessity. And trust me, I will miss it...for a while.
Cheers,
Dave