Arthur Chandleer

My new crystal red Stingray has all the luxuries you could ask for -- and many that I would not have ordered if the car had been "bespoke." It's truly a class act.

Only one feature made me hesitate -- and for many hours sitting in the showroom, I did dither: my Stingray has an automatic transmission.

I've been driving stick shifts (Toyota MR2, C6 Corvette) for the last 12 years, and vowed I would never go back. The sense of intimate connection with the car was something I thought I would never compromise on.

Yet -- here was this beautiful, ultra-cool Corvette with everything else that I wanted.

So various rationalizations came to mind:
"Well, my wife is far more comfortable with an automatic."
"I'm getting older. How much longer will I be able to drive a stick shift?"
Etc. All bs, of course; but you know how it is when you're trying to talk yourself into or out of something.

As it turns out, I don't miss the manual transmission that much. The reason: over the years, driving a stick had become so routine (I almost said "automatic") that I was rarely conscious of shifting gears. I would drive into San Francisco and back, including heavy traffic, stopping in steep hills, etc., all the while thinking about other things. Occasionally I would be aware that I was driving a stick shift, and I was pleased. But now that I have an automatic, I scarcely notice the switch.

The Stingray has a paddle shift option, supposedly simulating a manual transmission. It's a joke. I tried it, and will never use it again. I imagine it's like a serious bicycle racer being given a bike with training wheels.

4thC4at60

You don't know what you're doing if you dismiss the paddle shift.

I have more than 125,000 miles in my C6, driven mostly using the paddle shifters.... tremendous control..... a gear is a gear is a gear.

Learn to use it.... then get back to us: 86 in second gear is 86 in second gear - just as 125 is 125 in third - manual or paddle shift.

2vetteEd

I have both a C6 Callaway and a C7 Stingray. The Callaway is an auto with paddle shifts, and the C7 is the 7 spd. I confess that I'm more at home with the auto, especially in the traffic conditions we have here in South Florida. (Miami & Ft. Lauderdale)

My new Stingray is a Premier Edition, and those only come with the 7 spd. I bit the bullet and brought it because I felt having the car was more important then worrying what transmission it has.

Enjoy your new toy. I read somewhere recently where more Corvettes ARE sold with automatic transmissions then manuals.

ldepalma

Ummmm, not really. That anology doesn't work. 125 is 125 wheather in a Vette or a smart four or a VW. It would be better to think this way - a sports car is better felt when driven like a sports car i.e. shifting with a clutch vs. paddles. I beleive this is what the OP was after IMO anyway. Just sayin'....

stingray238

I had a similar dilemma. All of my cars had a manual. All of my wife's cars had autos with paddle shifting.

I generally found that I was in auto mode or sport auto mode most of the time and before going around curves and highway ramps I put the transmission in full manual mode, pick the gear that would give me enough torque to keep the wheels driving and lightening the front end a little.

I'm sure the C7 auto is better than mini or subaru's, but it's not the same. I got the M7.

She can't drive the c7, but she's had 14 years to practice on the eagle talon and 350z and hasn't so the vette is all mine.

Specracer

I'm still old school when it comes to shifting preference! I raced a car with a manual shifter for years and still like that experience! My new C7 will have the 7 speed manual! However, I have driven cars with the paddle shifters and like that as well! Probably all sports cars (race cars) use paddle shifters today! Faster shifts, hands on the wheel makes for no shifting mistakes on the track and today's duel clutches are so fast! Like I said though, I like that feeling of manual shifting!

BlueOx

I've loved my C6's M6 but with my bum left knee, my sometimes bum back, and my right shoulder about to be scoped, I'm going with an auto. I make no apologies.

ByByBMW

Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner. (Only it's my right knee, for the moment.)

Mike Mercury

we're on Corvette #7; they've all been automatics. My C7 will be an automatic.

Boomer111

I have to admit my sons IS-F with 8 speed paddles is very impressive to drive. While not a C7 granted, the discussion is regarding manual vs paddles.

While I can and do appreciate the advantages of the paddle cars ( I owned a paddle shifter M3) I will always be a gear jammer type.

08 MN6

Larry/car

My C4 that I'm currently driving while waiting for my C7 is an automatic. The C6 I traded was a six speed manual. The automatic is boring, can't wait for the seven speed manual to arrive.

rpanesar

I would hop into a DCT Z06 any day...if there ever is any such thing

Captain Richard

After driving a few cars with a true dual-clutch paddle-shift system, I ended up buying a C6 Z51 auto, figuring that while it did have a torque converter, it should provide a similar experience.

Bottom line: It does, but not under real performance driving. Yes, you get to choose your gears, but only under normal driving. When you gun it, take corners hard, or try to do rapid shifting, the automatic paddle-shift system starts to show it's deficiencies. It lags bad, mis-shifts, or gets stuck in gear until you completely let off the gas. Maddening really.

This is why I've given up on Corvette automatics with torque converters for performance road/track driving. They just aren't responsive or consistent enough for what I want to do with it. If you just want to cruise or hit up the drag strip, the auto is fine. But for me, my upcoming C7 will be a stick, plain and simple, since it looks like we won't get a dual-clutch in the C7 after all.

I will say this, though: I've LOVED having an auto in DC's awful traffic. Man, what a relief.

Michael A

I guess you can only drive left handed, and right footed. We'll give you a medical pass on this one.

Michael

rotherd31

Like Mike, my C-7 will be #7. 1-6 were sticks, #7 will be an auto. Just suits my cruising style better nowdays.......as I tend to drive less miles with my *** on fire than I did in the past!

W88fixer

I drove sticks for 37 yrs, the last being an 85 Mustang GT. Wasn’t too exciting driving at 45 to work, short shifting because there was no where to go.

My son has an older ZO6, although I don’t have a lot of seat time, I found it easy to go from 2nd to 5th instead of 3rd during hard cornering. Having another gate in the 7speed probably won’t help.

Wife is tired of sticks. With the torque converter multiplication, the auto has some advantages. Happy we’re getting the A6. Don

YakovC6

The automatic is not what it used to be. And the manual is not what it used to be. With time they act more and more the same. The automatic is not bad anymore

KNDVETT

With a little difference with it being my left leg and back exactly why my C7 is an auto. I had the C6 out a few nights and could barely depress the clutch...it's heck gettin old. At least I feel young.

musclecar6

I have a 2012 CTS-V A6 sedan and a 10 GS 6spd manual coupe, LPE supercharged. When I finally go to a C7 in 2017, it will have an A8. I drive the CTS-V 4 times for every time I drive the vette. Too much work to keep shifting, especially with the A8 on the horizon that probably will be close to if not equal the right now rapid fire upshifting and rev matched down shifting of a DCT.

Jay_Davis

The C7 automatic paddle shift did not behave like that at all.