Manual vs Auto
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 52
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Manual vs Auto
Hey Fellas, would love some opinions.. I live in New York, I commute to the city pretty much 7 day a week. the C7Z would be my 3rd car but would be on daily driver duty 2/3 days a week. I am 31 and feel like my generation almost missed out on the manual cars so I never LIVED with a manual let alone race car, no stranger to speed as I've been in a 991 turbo and 997 turbo both modded for many years, but never a RWD manual car so to be honest I'm kind of scared. I once rented an A8 Z for a week in Vegas and absolutely loved it. Being its my 3rd car, and I'm looking for something FUN, but something I can commute back to the city a few days weeks, is a Manual the car for me or an Auto 8? Thanks in advanced guys.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,762
Likes: 1,017
From: MOUNTAIN HOME Arkansas
My’14/‘16/‘19 have all been M7s. I live in a small (13k) town & few stoplights. Driving in NY is a WHOLE other deal. You said you liked the A8 so that should be your first choice under those conditions (city). Remember, if you go to the backroads & want to drive aggressively you can always use the paddles (Manual Mode) to get your thrills. Just one guy’s opinion.👍
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 99
Likes: 29
My Z is my daily and it’s a 7spd. I enjoy it and only wish I had a DCT when I’m stuck in a lot of traffic. If it’s a car you plan to semi daily I think you’ll be fine as long as it’s not hours in traffic on those days. Not a fan of the auto box in the Z. If it doesn’t bother you and you deal with a lot of traffic, that’s the way you’ll probably want to go. Autos are also more plentiful and have bigger discounts then the remaining sticks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 7,382
Likes: 3,501
From: Lake Havasu City Arizona
Either one. If you like a manual, stop and go traffic won't bother you a bit. I'm an outlier. Makes no difference to me, but as far as reliability the manual in these cars has proved to be the most reliable. 
Think long and hard on this. Remember if you buy it, you have to live with it.
Think long and hard on this. Remember if you buy it, you have to live with it.
Last edited by joemessman; Mar 4, 2020 at 08:23 AM.
CF Senior Member<br><img src="/forums/images/ranks/4k-5k.gif" border="0">
Joined: Feb 2020
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2022 Corvette of the Year Finalist -- Unmodified
2021 C7 of the Year - Unmodified Winner
My vote would be M7 all the way. Unless you get a Range device or tune out the AFM, many of the A8 car have proven to be troublesome. Aside from that, rowing through the gears on a Z06 is amazing and the rev match feature (should you chose to use it) is way cool. There is a bit of nostalgia attached to a manual gearbox too. The interaction and overall driving experience is greater in my opinion and is a strong reason why people purchase these types of cars in the first place.
Last edited by Loki 6; Mar 4, 2020 at 08:39 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 1,369
Likes: 1,341
From: Kingston, Ontario
Comes down to preference. M7 all the way but if you have to drive this in New York city traffic it becomes how much traffic can you tolerate with a 3rd pedal. I don't know how far your commute is but this becomes a personal decision at this point. None of us can tell you how much traffic is fine in a manual, only you can make that decision.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 211
Likes: 38
From: London, UK
Being based in the UK there were/are very few of these for sale, so I had to 'settle' for an A8.......in an ideal world I'd have got an M7 but I'm certainly not disappointed to be in an A8. One thing I would say about the A8, is that when using the manual paddle shift mode, don't expect the gear changes to be instant....there is a slight delay. As long as you're aware of that and can drive accordingly, there's no reason why you wouldn't love an A8, especially when driving in traffic.
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Safety Car
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 4,748
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From: NJ
Being in the NY metropolitan area myself I can tell you that the main reason I went A8 was traffic. If you get in a traffic jam once in a blue moon it's not that big a deal, but when you are sitting day in and day out it gets old really quick. The A8 is a great trans. The paddles allow you to shift if you want and they are lots of fun. While some here talk about the issues with the A8, there are also plenty of issues with the M7. They seem to eat torque tubes which is a major job to repair and also pilot bearings, also a huge job . The issue with the A8 is a shudder when it goes into 4 cylinder mode. It will not go into 4 cylinder mode if you are in manual mode (using the paddles). I always drive in manual mode unless the car is cold or I have to do something with my hands for a second or two. Using your hands for a second or two is not an option with an M7, so if you have to answer your phone for instance you will have a hard time with the M7. I have always had manual trans cars including two past generation Z06s....loved them right up to the minute I got stuck in traffic.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,540
Likes: 51
From: Lexington Park Maryland
I thought most who commute to NYC drive a dedicated "Commuter Car"....... Something scary that's big, kinda fast, with dents and rust in order to give that "I don't give a $%#^ attitude". Something similar to a mid 1980s Caprice Classic or a late 1970s Chevy Blazer. Buick Roadmaster wagons work well too....
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,013
Likes: 228
I have both (currently) A8 stock C7Z and my modded M7 C7Z. The manual is more fun no doubt and I’m in Houston Texas (think horrible traffic) and I slightly prefer the manual even as a dd. Now on the other hand I’m selling my M7 because I’m more into roll racing and I definitely appreciate the A8 for that purpose. The A8 is significantly faster on rolls (mod for mod) and I’m tired of losing to the modern auto’s. For non racing and fun buy a manual, for digs/rolls, cruising buy an A8. Both has pluses and minuses.
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2017
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From: Warren Oregon
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 16,671
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From: NJ
Until you run your buddy and are pulling car lengths on him and each manual shift is another car lol. Those tenths mean alot at 100 plus.
Although if I lived in a rural area I would've let that go and gone manual. But f that at the shore... traffic 3/4 of the year is brutal stop and go. I would barely take the car out on weekends. It sucks.
I almost ordered an M7 this time around after having my A8 16Z for 3 yrs. But after speaking to many people who have both manuals and autos I was reminded why I jist can't do it. I manually shifted the auto in my Jeep for a full day simulating clutch in whole deal. After about 20 minutes of stop and go I was like -wtf was I thinking?- no way..
The manual guys barely take their cars out here. Truth.
Although if I lived in a rural area I would've let that go and gone manual. But f that at the shore... traffic 3/4 of the year is brutal stop and go. I would barely take the car out on weekends. It sucks.
I almost ordered an M7 this time around after having my A8 16Z for 3 yrs. But after speaking to many people who have both manuals and autos I was reminded why I jist can't do it. I manually shifted the auto in my Jeep for a full day simulating clutch in whole deal. After about 20 minutes of stop and go I was like -wtf was I thinking?- no way..
The manual guys barely take their cars out here. Truth.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 611
Likes: 189
From: Pawleys Island, South Carolina
Until you run your buddy and are pulling car lengths on him and each manual shift is another car lol. Those tenths mean alot at 100 plus.
Although if I lived in a rural area I would've let that go and gone manual. But f that at the shore... traffic 3/4 of the year is brutal stop and go. I would barely take the car out on weekends. It sucks.
I almost ordered an M7 this time around after having my A8 16Z for 3 yrs. But after speaking to many people who have both manuals and autos I was reminded why I jist can't do it. I manually shifted the auto in my Jeep for a full day simulating clutch in whole deal. After about 20 minutes of stop and go I was like -wtf was I thinking?- no way..
The manual guys barely take their cars out here. Truth.
Although if I lived in a rural area I would've let that go and gone manual. But f that at the shore... traffic 3/4 of the year is brutal stop and go. I would barely take the car out on weekends. It sucks.
I almost ordered an M7 this time around after having my A8 16Z for 3 yrs. But after speaking to many people who have both manuals and autos I was reminded why I jist can't do it. I manually shifted the auto in my Jeep for a full day simulating clutch in whole deal. After about 20 minutes of stop and go I was like -wtf was I thinking?- no way..
The manual guys barely take their cars out here. Truth.
I used to live in CT, I would not drive into NYC with a vette if you paid me and it was a A8, roads suck, people suck, parking sucks...........JMHO.
Buy whatever you want, its your decision, but driving a 650hp monster in stop and go traffic is no fun, so for me I would get the M7 and not drive it into the city at all.
Good Luck
Pro
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 650
Likes: 219
From: Lake Worth FL