Covet My Vette

I am 72, a former auto racer, and very comfortable with my manual 6 speed in my Corvette. Sometimes, I wonder if I would like an Auto with paddle shifters!
What do you think those of you who have had both?
Thanks, Covet My Vette

saplumr

Do you have any fun driving your other family auto vehicles or are they nothing more than luxury transportation? There's not a chance under the sun I drive an auto Corvette!

4SUMERZ

Having had both manual and automatic sport cars, more fun can be had with the manual IMO.
The paddle shift is OK, but sluggish, there is a lag between hitting the paddle and the shift to the next gear. This can be fixed with a trans tune.

The reason I decided on an auto with paddle shift was twofold.

1) I thought my wife might like to drive the vette occasionally (wrong on that count)
2) I got really tired of shifting in general, but city traffic and constant shifting became tiresome.

There are days that I wish I had the manual, but all in all, I do enjoy the paddles for playing a bit. I keep in "S" mode 99% of the time.

Covet My Vette

I think I might be disappointed with the paddle system. Have you used it on a track day day at the race track? If so how did it perform?

BWF07

It all comes down to how you plan to use the car. If you live in a high traffic area where you are constantly shifting between 3rd & 4th and then 4th to 3rd, then maybe the auto would be the way to go. At least it was for me. All my other Corvette's have been manual, but I simply got tired of the stop and go traffic and the constant shifting.
Now if you live in an area where you have some nice back roads that have some great curves, then the manual might fit right in.
Finally if you plan to track the car and it is the drag strip, then auto all the way. you don't need the paddles, simply put it in Sport mode and let it do the shifting. a lot more consistent then a manual, but if you plan to go to the road courses, then manual would be my pick.
The paddle shift in the Corvette, is not a true paddle shifter. You can however have the transmission tuned to be a much better shift then the factory settings.

TerryL

If I had a 58 Fuelie roadster I'd have a four speed. It would be sacrilegious not to. As a DD in a city of a million people I had to have an auto. The paddles are an extra. The very day I bought it in Napa, I drove north on 101 to Leggett where I hooked up on hiway 1 for a very very fine ride all the way south! Aaah, what a flat cornering machine and the paddles, used them just like a stick sometimes even lifting the gas between shifts, up and down. I could tell it could use a tune, just like every TorqueFlite auto from yesteryear benefitted from a shift kit as they were called. Still, I felt no sadness not having a stick. Once you're at speed, high gear is high gear. Cornering with an auto may be easier than a stick (being easier to brake steer) for example. In traffic, a stick is merciless! Gas (or idle forward) brake, clutch, repeat, over and over and over and.....

cagotzmann

I own a 2010 GS Vert auto and I have driven both the manual and auto's at Spring Mountain. I am faster in the C6 auto than in the manual. You get used to the slight lag in the shifting but the bigger problem I have found there are times when its wont down shift due to higher revs and you get the big "X". I found that I needed to shift later compared to the manual allowing the revs to drop more before the shift to work. I also am a 2 foot driver with the auto. Left foot brake, right foot gas. I like both at the track. Now with the C7 2014 the manual with auto rev matching makes this car almost as good as a auto for stop and go street driving.

Covet My Vette

The new upcoming Z06 will have 8 speeds, true paddle shifting and gobs of power. It also takes a wheelbarrow full of money to buy one. Worth every penny, especially when compared with cars that cost double and triple the price with no better performance. A guy can dream!

ls1121

I have driven manual transmissions for many many years. I now have an A6 w/paddle shift and I like it. If my Corvette was my weekend car it would be OK to have a stick but........it gets old real quick. Besides auto transmission cars are faster than manual cars, no human can beat out the computer.

ProfessorDeath

If I drove my Corvette as daily transportation, I may opt for an auto if I had to negotiate traffic twice a day. Seeing as I neither have to deal with traffic nor do I drive my Corvette daily, M6 for me!

rtadallasvette

I did full auto and then switched to paddles at the track and it makes so much difference. We didn't have timing lights but the car just felt faster and lighter. Apex's were so much easier coming out being in the higher rev gear. Just something more to think about racing with a clutch and stick I think.

Tbong

I wanted a 6M. I wanted to be as much a part of the "driving experience" as possible. I don't mind the Auto in our other cars. but not on a Vette or motorcycle. That said, I don't have a commute and do not live in a high traffic area. If either applied and I used the Vette as my DD I would have looked for the Auto. or rather just bought a luxury performance vehicle instead

Covet My Vette

I think I would miss my 6 speed! I have only had my Corvette for three months and it felt so good to throw shifts again after several years of no manual transmission cars!
Thank you all for your excellent and thoughtful responses.
Covet My Vette

dvilin

I have a 6 speed manual and love the driving experience. I took a C7 out for a test drive with the auto and I just do not understand why anyone would buy a Vette with the auto paddle shifters.
I have heard all the reasons, traffic, faster, sore leg, etc. but for driving a Vette the manual 6 speed is the way to go.
Drive one of those paddle shifters yourself and you will agree.

theblue

I have a twin clutch DSG in my Audi A3 and I love it, but never in my vette, it's just not that type of car, and especially not an automatic with paddles.

Covet My Vette

Thanks guys for your input! You have all given me enough info to satisfy my curiosity re: paddle shifters.
I agree that it would almost be a sacrilege to turn my beautiful six speed into an automatic!!!
Covet My Vette

phileaglesfan

Drive an A6 equipped C6 before you beat it up too much. For normal day to day driving the auto is better. Chances are the average or even above average Corvette owner can drive an automatic equipped C6 faster than a manual equipped. We like to think we are fantastic drivers but the fact is that most of us are not, not good enough at least to make a difference.

I'll use the paddles when I'm in the mountains or going up an on ramp. I had a manual in a CTSV and had to dump it because of an issue with my left hip.

rckt

You can't beat an auto. Use the paddles when you want or just leave it in auto. I had M6, now have A6, both C6s. The auto rocks especially getting on it :-)

CessnaDriver

What will you use it for more than half the time it is used?..Fun driving only get the manual, practical use of the vehicle dealing with traffic get the paddles.
If you live in an area with little traffic and not too many traffic lights than practical use of the vehicle may mean you can get the manual.

saplumr

If it's your only means of transportation the auto may be your best bet. If it's a toy why take all the fun out of it! Seems like some of the auto guys get stuck on the fact about how fast the auto is (or how fast they think it is)....like all they do is race.