A8 Shifting
Advanced
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 96
Likes: 13
From: Wilmington, NC
It has taken a while to find a sweet spot I like. Sport setting and manual shifting of the A8. In auto mode the A8 is ok except for maybe 7th gear and definitely 8th gear. At highway speeds the car basically idles and exercising a little throttle off idle occasionally in 7th and virtually all the time in 8th feels like the car is stuttering for a second depending on your highway speed. This is the major reason I run A8 in manual mode specially at highway speeds.
Around town the A8 auto works extremely well - smooth and quick shifts as long as I am slow enough to stay out of 7th and 8th gear.
I understand GMs interest in maximizing fuel mileage for CAFE, but really two overdrive ratio gears? These are equally useless on the track as well.
Please do not consider this a complaint. The Z06 has lots of flexibility to appeal to a wide spectrum of drivers. I just like a more sporty feel, including ride and handling and a little manual shifting.
What's your sweet spot in terms of setting up the car?
Around town the A8 auto works extremely well - smooth and quick shifts as long as I am slow enough to stay out of 7th and 8th gear.
I understand GMs interest in maximizing fuel mileage for CAFE, but really two overdrive ratio gears? These are equally useless on the track as well.
Please do not consider this a complaint. The Z06 has lots of flexibility to appeal to a wide spectrum of drivers. I just like a more sporty feel, including ride and handling and a little manual shifting.
What's your sweet spot in terms of setting up the car?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 164
Likes: 12
What's your sweet spot in terms of setting up the car?[/QUOTE]
I don't have mine yet, its on order and I originally went with the M7 but switched to the A8. I have been reading that the tranny can be quirky. I rented a 2015 C7 convert for a couple of days with the A8 and it worked great. That being said my Sierra Denali 6sp has been kinda weird since I bought and the dealer says it normal but it does do abnormal things at times. I'm not surprised to hear the A8 acts up too. A friend of mine has the A8 in his Z06 and says it can be weird at times.
I'm driving a Charger Hellcat right now with an A8 and have to say its amazing. Fantastic in town and the freeway, shifts very quick and doesn't do anything weird.
I wonder if GM will bring out an update or if I should go M7 and call it a day, although I prefer a A8
I don't have mine yet, its on order and I originally went with the M7 but switched to the A8. I have been reading that the tranny can be quirky. I rented a 2015 C7 convert for a couple of days with the A8 and it worked great. That being said my Sierra Denali 6sp has been kinda weird since I bought and the dealer says it normal but it does do abnormal things at times. I'm not surprised to hear the A8 acts up too. A friend of mine has the A8 in his Z06 and says it can be weird at times.
I'm driving a Charger Hellcat right now with an A8 and have to say its amazing. Fantastic in town and the freeway, shifts very quick and doesn't do anything weird.
I wonder if GM will bring out an update or if I should go M7 and call it a day, although I prefer a A8
Last edited by FitFam; Jul 10, 2015 at 07:12 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 967
Likes: 6
From: Downers Grove IL
I love the A8 better than PDk (fast and boring), the rev match down shift in manual mode is awesome fun. The full auto is intuitive and shifts way faster than me but I like the manual paddle mode.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 859
Likes: 98
Why not? 6th is good for 215mph, which you'll never see on any track. Might as well use the other gears to make the car more economical.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 840
Likes: 22
From: Dade City Florida
No issues with A8
A8 is great whether you are using the paddles or auto mode. No issues what so ever. Shifts are quick, effortless and smooth. This is from a guy who would have never been caught dead in an automatic sports car. It was well worth the wait!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 5,027
Likes: 320
From: N. CA
Yes, the A8 was worth the wait....from 2005 when I decided my next Corvette Z06 would have the paddle shifter....had a 2001 6-speed.
And it works very well and I use it mainly in paddle shift mode, but when I don't want to be bothered...bingo full auto is there to the rescue.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,129
Likes: 229
From: Colorado Springs, CO/Augusta,GA Colorado
Is your order status at code 3000? If you want an A8, then go for it. Are you keeping the Charger Hellcat? If you are, then why not just get the manual Z06 and not worry if the Auto will be as good as the one you have in the Charger now, since you would have obviously bought them for different reasons. I'm sure you are aware that the 6 Speed in your Danail is different and probably not a good comparison..
I don't have mine yet, its on order and I originally went with the M7 but switched to the A8. I have been reading that the tranny can be quirky. I rented a 2015 C7 convert for a couple of days with the A8 and it worked great. That being said my Sierra Denali 6sp has been kinda weird since I bought and the dealer says it normal but it does do abnormal things at times. I'm not surprised to hear the A8 acts up too. A friend of mine has the A8 in his Z06 and says it can be weird at times.
I'm driving a Charger Hellcat right now with an A8 and have to say its amazing. Fantastic in town and the freeway, shifts very quick and doesn't do anything weird.
I wonder if GM will bring out an update or if I should go M7 and call it a day, although I prefer a A8[/QUOTE]
I don't have mine yet, its on order and I originally went with the M7 but switched to the A8. I have been reading that the tranny can be quirky. I rented a 2015 C7 convert for a couple of days with the A8 and it worked great. That being said my Sierra Denali 6sp has been kinda weird since I bought and the dealer says it normal but it does do abnormal things at times. I'm not surprised to hear the A8 acts up too. A friend of mine has the A8 in his Z06 and says it can be weird at times.
I'm driving a Charger Hellcat right now with an A8 and have to say its amazing. Fantastic in town and the freeway, shifts very quick and doesn't do anything weird.
I wonder if GM will bring out an update or if I should go M7 and call it a day, although I prefer a A8[/QUOTE]