Auto or 6 speed manual.
Discussion
Done a quick search but not found anything conclusive..... I guess its down to personal taste so need your input please. Pros and cons for and against both. Life expectancy , costs etc etc.
Cheers.
Steve........... P.s. i am currently looking at a car from Chris Grahams, 1999 c5 6 speed manual.
Cheers.
Steve........... P.s. i am currently looking at a car from Chris Grahams, 1999 c5 6 speed manual.
Clutch isn't heavy, I've had no problem driving through London with it. The manual needs a different shifter to the standard one which has too long a throw. Takes less than an hour to replace but once you've fitted the Hurst/B&M/whatever its a significantly better machine. Standard shifter knob is a bit square and should be swapped out too unless you've got farmer's hands ! Other than that you're good to go for hundreds of thousands of miles.
Automatics ?!? No thanks !!
Automatics ?!? No thanks !!
Good question something I wanted to know!
Thing is I am buying a C5 in the next few months. But I don't have a garage so it will be stored at my parents. I want to pay for insurance for them on it as they have always had yank cars, but now retired. But my mum is about 5 foot and is very slim and not very strong. Could she handle the manual? I really would like a manual but don't want to be selfish and would probably get an auto if not.
If I were you mate and you are the sole driver I would go manual. But cannot back up why as I have never driven an auto, so my opinion should be flushed
Thing is I am buying a C5 in the next few months. But I don't have a garage so it will be stored at my parents. I want to pay for insurance for them on it as they have always had yank cars, but now retired. But my mum is about 5 foot and is very slim and not very strong. Could she handle the manual? I really would like a manual but don't want to be selfish and would probably get an auto if not.
If I were you mate and you are the sole driver I would go manual. But cannot back up why as I have never driven an auto, so my opinion should be flushed
Auto is nice for a starter car if youve never driven LHD and want stress free driving... But i would get a manual as the kick down is a little hard to control and is unpredictable. With all that torque its can be a little daunting not being totally in control. Next time its a manual for me.
I have a 1999build / 2000 reg Vette V8 symphony from Chris Graham, unmistakably conducted by a six-speed manual with a hurst shifter and the CAGR removed. With the custom "blue flame" sports exhaust, there is an wonderful explosion on every gearchange when the chokes have switched off. First gear can be tight when cold and I beat the synchro most times by skipping 5th when pottering sleepily (4th crunch 6th - always use fifth stupid boy SeeFive) but that's about it.
I wouldn't have it any other way in any car - had a 3 speed auto transam that had a mind of its own (commonly known as a kickdown and freewheel autobox) before I grenaded the motor on a third to first kickdown at 95 and scrapped it at 5 years old (too young and too much money - not any more). I hear that the Vette 4speed auto is very good from those that drive them - I did test drive one with Chris, and bought the manual due to personal preference. Even when I raced Karts it had to be gearbox class and not centrifuge, but that's just me I guess. That's what it comes down to in the end, your preference.
The only problem now is that after two years in a left hook manual, whenever I drive my wife's Eurobox, I tend to open the driver's door looking for third
. LHD and RHGearchange will be second nature in minutes in a Vette, but try not play elaborate tunes for a couple of weeks as it made my arm ache after years of left hand shifting. Like weightlifting, build up slowly....
Following up on the second poster enquiring about gearbox weight, the Vette / Hurst short shift is a little heavy, but not a signal box as described by Clarkson. Clutch is reasonable as stated earlier, nice roomy footrest too but you might want to let your mum try one out first before buying if she drives in heavy traffic. IIRC there are three spring types with the hurst - I think mine are set heavy.
ETA: 80000 miles, original clutch, no problems. You will probably pay a little more for a manual as they are rarer.
I wouldn't have it any other way in any car - had a 3 speed auto transam that had a mind of its own (commonly known as a kickdown and freewheel autobox) before I grenaded the motor on a third to first kickdown at 95 and scrapped it at 5 years old (too young and too much money - not any more). I hear that the Vette 4speed auto is very good from those that drive them - I did test drive one with Chris, and bought the manual due to personal preference. Even when I raced Karts it had to be gearbox class and not centrifuge, but that's just me I guess. That's what it comes down to in the end, your preference.
The only problem now is that after two years in a left hook manual, whenever I drive my wife's Eurobox, I tend to open the driver's door looking for third
. LHD and RHGearchange will be second nature in minutes in a Vette, but try not play elaborate tunes for a couple of weeks as it made my arm ache after years of left hand shifting. Like weightlifting, build up slowly.... Following up on the second poster enquiring about gearbox weight, the Vette / Hurst short shift is a little heavy, but not a signal box as described by Clarkson. Clutch is reasonable as stated earlier, nice roomy footrest too but you might want to let your mum try one out first before buying if she drives in heavy traffic. IIRC there are three spring types with the hurst - I think mine are set heavy.
ETA: 80000 miles, original clutch, no problems. You will probably pay a little more for a manual as they are rarer.
Edited by seefive on Thursday 7th September 23:23
It depends what you want. To be honest, autos suit the big V8s. I had a manual '87 Z28 and it has=d a sweet T5 box that was a pleasure to use. My '98 Z28 was an auto but I found a cracking push-down billet knob that made changing gear a really easy experience. Shine went off the manual a bit when I had to replace the clutch because it wasn't cheap.
The auto is brilliant for daily commuting because you never have to faff with the clutch in traffic and hills don't exist. the kickdown is also a lot faster than wondering what the lowest gear is you can get away with without breaking something and it's almost instantaneous and the computer will always select the fastest gear. The only let-down with the manual was when competing with a Merc AMG when using the auto as a manual in hilly twisty bends was a bit jolty.
I found the Z06 shifter somewhat ponderous and like many, I replaced it with an aftermarket short shifter but although it was light years better, I still would never say it was a pleasure to use.
When it came to buying the Mustang though, I shunned the automatic in favour of the (far sweeter) manual shifter and as it was to be supercharged, I felt it needed to be a manual. In traffic, I still yearn for the auto but it's down to your own preference at the end of the day and what you use it for.
The auto is brilliant for daily commuting because you never have to faff with the clutch in traffic and hills don't exist. the kickdown is also a lot faster than wondering what the lowest gear is you can get away with without breaking something and it's almost instantaneous and the computer will always select the fastest gear. The only let-down with the manual was when competing with a Merc AMG when using the auto as a manual in hilly twisty bends was a bit jolty.
I found the Z06 shifter somewhat ponderous and like many, I replaced it with an aftermarket short shifter but although it was light years better, I still would never say it was a pleasure to use.
When it came to buying the Mustang though, I shunned the automatic in favour of the (far sweeter) manual shifter and as it was to be supercharged, I felt it needed to be a manual. In traffic, I still yearn for the auto but it's down to your own preference at the end of the day and what you use it for.
Big V8's
Go with the auto.
I can be pottering around town and in heavy traffic.
I would never have a manual in a big V8.
Get on a bit of open M'way there is nothing like a good kickdown when up around 130.
Still kicks in the pants.
New auto boxes like my 4l60E will let the motor run to red line under kickdown mode.
Also, i am sure the big V8 autos are quicker on 1 - 60 and quarter mile than the manual counterparts.
It's just acceleration from the word go, no slacking of even for a split second while gear changes are taken
my 2p worth
Go with the auto.
I can be pottering around town and in heavy traffic.
I would never have a manual in a big V8.
Get on a bit of open M'way there is nothing like a good kickdown when up around 130.
Still kicks in the pants.
New auto boxes like my 4l60E will let the motor run to red line under kickdown mode.
Also, i am sure the big V8 autos are quicker on 1 - 60 and quarter mile than the manual counterparts.
It's just acceleration from the word go, no slacking of even for a split second while gear changes are taken
my 2p worth
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