auto or not to auto that is the question.

[aboatguy]

When I move back to sea level I will get a manual Corvette. However, I will keep my 95 A4 for its stop light abilities and prowess in the ice and snow!!

I used to drive a 70 Chevelle Baldwin Motion 454 SS with a M22 and it was scary to drive in the winter, I replaced it with a 5.0 GT in the early 80s and it had a 5 speed same problem, fun in the summer however, in rain or ice it sucked.
Currently I am stationed in Colorado and we get snow, sleet and ice, since I don't do slow cars I picked an A4. The late C4s with all of there electronics makes winter driving safe and fun.
The best part is I have the ability to program my car to shift the way I like it.

Mike

 

[MBDiagMan]

As far as answering the original post, you should get what YOU like and it makes no difference what the other guys want.

That said, for ME I would NEVER buy a sports car with an automatic. I don't even buy sedans or pickups with automatics for my own use. My wife drives a/t's. Both my kids I raised right, however, they both learned to drive sticks and they both prefer sticks. Their ages are 21 and 25. Both of them are some of the best people I've ever seen with a manual transmission. Of course, they had a good teacher.

To me, buying a sports car without a manual transmission is like a date with a girl who insists on you keeping your hands off and won't even let you kiss her good night. In both situations you are missing out on most all of the fun.

Have a great day,

 

[gmjunkie]

I have Both!!When I bought my 78, 28 year's ago, I had never owned a automatic. Alway's a 4sp. and thought I wanted automatic!! Oh well it was still Fun and I still own it!! But my 03 is a 6sp., and now I won't get anything But!! junk!!

 

[LlanoBill]

I have two LT4’s right now. The last C5 I had was an auto and as all have indicated, it is a mixed bag as to preferences. I don’t drive in a lot of traffic and prefer the shift, even though most times I use 1-3 &5, you can’t beat 6 for highway cruising. The other side is I had to replace the flywheel, clutch & plate at a chevy dealer some 1200 miles from home just to get the coupe home. Ouch!!! All that said, my next one will be an auto, unless I find another LT4 I can’t live without. :L Just MHO. You should decide for your self.

 

[kingman]

No winners or losers here.

As far as l'm concerned the tranny must fit the car. If l bought a C1 or C2 the answer would only be a manual.

Up to and including the 74 again it would be manual, but from 75 to 83 it really didn't make a difference and where it made a difference is in your mind.

The early C4's l would go with the auto until 89 and then back to the manual up until maybe the 94 and then go back to the auto unless you bought a LT4 or GS.

The C5's except for the Z-06 would be auto and like wise for the C6's

That is only my opinion which is worth a bag of peanuts!

Alan

 

[vette-dude]

Guys and Gals,

This thread was started in 03 of 2004. The author never answered and told us what the heck he bought - if anything - or what he has decided. I think we should just let this one burn out and move on. He probably is happily driving his 4 speed Rustang somewhere in La La Land.

Randy

 

[gmjunkie]

Guys and Gals,

This thread was started in 03 of 2004. The author never answered and told us what the heck he bought - if anything - or what he has decided. I think we should just let this one burn out and move on. He probably is happily driving his 4 speed Rustang somewhere in La La Land.

Randy

otfl otfl otfl junk!!

 

[Vettefan87]

Yeah it is personal preference, an auto does not make a vette less then one that is a manual. I am kind of sick of people saying that. While you guys are replacing clutches, and synchros I am still driving my A4.

 

[MBDiagMan]

For those who must change clutches and synchros frequently, you should indeed drive an automatic because you are not proficient with a manual transmission.

I have driven well over a million miles in passenger cars and pickups with manual transmissions and driven them to high mileage without EVER replacing a synchronizer and only OCCASIONALLY replacing a clutch.

Driving an automatic, on the other hand, requires FREQUENT fluid and filter changes that are totally unnecessary with a manual transmission.

I thoroughly enjoy driving most anything with a manual transmission and true, that is my main reason for driving them. I also, however, drive manuals because of the decreased maintenance necessary.

Have a great day,

 

[Vettefan87]

Passenger cars, and pickups are certainly not Corvettes. I will take my automatic over a manual per the labor argument. I don't know what is so frequent about a 30,000 mile or so filter change in an auto transmission, when I know people in this area doing a clutch change every spring.

 

[r nissim]

auto or?

i got an auto coupe in october traded it for a6 speed vert in april. the 6 speed is so more more fun to drive!

 

[MBDiagMan]

Passenger cars, and pickups are certainly not Corvettes. I will take my automatic over a manual per the labor argument. I don't know what is so frequent about a 30,000 mile or so filter change in an auto transmission, when I know people in this area doing a clutch change every spring.

Again, if a driver is having to do such frequent clutch jobs THEY HAVE NO MANUAL TRANSMISSION SKILL and should be driving an automatic.

A Corvette is no different than any other car when it comes to transmissions and clutches. I have yet to open up my transmission and have replaced the clutch ONCE in my C4 at 123,000 miles.

Now, just to be fair, I have been driving manual transmission vehicles of all kinds, with about half of my mileage in high performance cars for 42 years. When I learned to drive, manual transmissions wer common, if not the norm and there were plenty of people that knew how to drive them and how to teach people to drive them. I even drove a few crash box (unsynchronized) transmissions and except for my first car, which I drove as you would expect a 14 year old to drive it, I even could make those things live.

Now days there are VERY few kids who are taught to drive a stick. I taught both my kids and they are great man trans drivers, but they are in the extreme minority.

I guarantee you I could drive an equal car to your automatic car and go everywhere you go and drive right along next to you and I will make my clutch and transmission last as long as your automatic, and I won't be messing with automatic transmission maintenance along the way.

Have a great day,

 

[jeffyc]

manual tranys need their fluid changed also

 

[MBDiagMan]

Yep, but not near as often and there's no messy filter to deal with and no torque converter to turn to the drain position, etc.

Comparing automatic transmission service to a drain and fill of a manual transmission is like comparing heart surgery to removing of a hangnail.

Have a great day,

 

[Vettefan87]

Sorry but launching burns up clutches, and these people do not drive like grandpas. These guys beat this crap out of there cars during the racing season, that is after all what these cars are made for. Then when you are running H/C/I and nitrous on top it makes clutches and syncrhos go out very quickly. Sorry but I will just get my tranny built for a couple grand and just have to worry about changing the fluid, and be done with it.

And where is this messy filter? All it does is plug into the bottom of the tranny. With the newer cars nowadays there is a drain plug in the pan, drain the fluid then drop the pan. It is just like chaning the oil.

 

[gmjunkie]

Sorry but launching burns up clutches, and these people do not drive like grandpas. These guys beat this crap out of there cars during the racing season, that is after all what these cars are made for. Then when you are running H/C/I and nitrous on top it makes clutches and syncrhos go out very quickly. Sorry but I will just get my tranny built for a couple grand and just have to worry about changing the fluid, and be done with it.

And where is this messy filter? All it does is plug into the bottom of the tranny. With the newer cars nowadays there is a drain plug in the pan, drain the fluid then drop the pan. It is just like chaning the oil.

I gess I'v been miss'n the Drain Plug in the pan for the Last 30 + years, and the Drain Plug in the converter all so!! I know my eye's are gett'n bad!! But Truth is very,very few vehicles now Days have plug in Converter or Transmission pan!! I'v changed Fluid and Filter on at least 9 C4's and 7 C3's this summer and not one had a plug in Pan or Converter!!! I did buy 2 Subru Outback's this year, a 95 and 97 with automatic's! The 95 did have a plug in pan but not in Converter!! junk!!

 

[MBDiagMan]

The only a/t's I've ever seen with plugs in the pan were Japanese or German cars and junkie is right, the newer cars don't have a plug in the converter.

No plug in the converter means that when you REMOVE the pan to drain the oil and change the filter you not only have a huge mess to deal with, but you are only draining about half the fluid.

As far as driving like a Grandpa, in EQUAL cars, I'll bet that I can keep up with your butt, vettefan87, and my car will last longer at the same time. I have driven like a wild man since I was 14 and learned how to do it without abusing equipment.

Have a great day,

 

[gmjunkie]

As far as driving like a Grandpa, in EQUAL cars, I'll bet that I can keep up with your butt, vettefan87, and my car will last longer at the same time. I have driven like a wild man since I was 14 and learned how to do it without abusing equipment.

Have a great day,

I 2nd. That!! Any Kind of Road,Any Day!! junk!!

 

[kingman]

Back to the Orig Topic!

It all comes back to the same thing, do what ever makes you happy. I happen to live in a congested state with a lack of decent winding roads in my area.

What l fear most is hitting a deer and not a ticket.

Alan

 

[Vettefan87]

I gess I'v been miss'n the Drain Plug in the pan for the Last 30 + years, and the Drain Plug in the converter all so!!

My brothers 4Runner has one, and I did not say anything about the converter, re read my post then comment. What don't you understand about NEWER cars, I don't consider C3's C4's new.

Anytime you wanna go MB, and I can guarantee you won't end up in front of me, just ask the bro