George_L

I asked this question on another thread but thought I might get more comments and views with it's own thread. Some background, I have been in the market for an M7, ZTK, 3ZR, Comp Seat preferably Sebring Orange for a while. I thought I had found the perfect car about 3.5 hours away. It looked great and seller agreed to have a MacMulkin Corvette Tech look it over since they were only about 20 minutes away. Long story short, he found 3 big issues. The insulation blanket along the firewall was badly damage requiring the engine to be pulled, the dash was starting to delaminate (so small I could barely see it) and the front bumper had been relaced and was not aligned correctly. The Carfax was clean and it had less than 4K miles. I passed and have been continuing my search. I'm finding the M7 cars to be in very short supply with some asking over $300K. Yesterday an elite Corvette dealer near me listed the exact spec I'm looking for minus the M7. This guy only sells the best of the best (mostly fully restored C2's) and he says the car is incredible. I'm starting to warm up to the idea of an A8 but would appreciate some input, especially from anyone that has driven both the M7 and A8 in ZR1's. I had a 2014 with an M7 and loved it. Have you gotten bored with the A8? Anyone regret getting the A8? Is this transmission any different from the one in the Z06 because of the extra power. I know in the end it is my decision but your opinions will be very helpful. Thank for all of your help. The ZR1 community has been great answering all of my questions. It is like you are a close knit family, I haven't had any rude remarks to my dumb questions.

range96

As you might expect I'm biased toward the 7M and posted my views on that in the other thread.
Having said that, I'm sure you would not get disappointed with either transmission, the slush box being slightly faster due to gearing. I think your decision should hinge on meeting most of your requirement and foremost the condition of the car. I doubt you would get bored with the A8 as very few hardcore manual shift aficionados claim. I think for terms of collectibility the 7M wins hands down.

BELVIN20

As a M7 ZR1 owner, my preference is for the M7. Even as many say the A8 is a little faster, but to me the driving experience is with a manual, this is the main reason the C8 does not appeal to me. All the Corvettes that I have owned have been manual cars, I have driven automatics, but the feel to me is not there. The decision is ultimately yours, the ZR1 is the ultimate beast, nothing drives like it. I suggest if you get a ZR1, don't wast it as a garage queen, the ZR1 is meant to be driven, don't be a owner who says one day, I wish I had driven it more. My 2 cents.

George_L

I fully agree that the 7M will be much more collectable and is probably a $20K now on similar cars. Thanks for the input.

SBR

Don't settle on something that deep down you really don't want for instant gratification. Wait for the right car and when it comes up, buy it even if it is a bit more than you want to pay. You'll be much happier in the end.

TheRobSJ

For my particular uses, four years into owning it, I am still for the most part happy I chose the automatic. Drive to work, run some errands, or some other around town kind of stuff? Silly to use a ZR1 for that kind of stuff, but I sometimes use it for that. Don’t miss a manual at all there. Not one bit. It executes almost imperceptible shifts. Smoother than even the venerable ZF8 that is used in so many other vehicles.

On a track, the automatic cracks off lightning fast upshifts. No risk of a money shift. It downshifts as you’re braking for a turn. For the most part, I can honestly say I couldn’t choose the gears any better myself with the paddles. So I just leave it in D. Would a manual be more “involved” with the experience? Of course. But the car is just so damn fast, braking zones come up quickly, and I don’t want to be juggling heel toe downshifts and taking a hand off the wheel.

On a twisty backroad or a coastal highway at a moderate pace, maybe have the top off too? Sure those are times I wouldn’t mind having the manual. Dial up the pace where the car is just so damn fast it feels like the road is way too small for the car, again I would rather not take my hands off the wheel.

Zjoe6

If you're going to spend that much money get what you want. Don't settle. The M7's are out there, just be persistent.

kevin nevius

The ZR1 was and still is my dream car, and i'm so proud to own one.

I very purposefully sought out my car with the A8, for the following reasons:

- After owning several high HP Corvettes (the last a Katech C6 Z) and all being manuals, I found it increasingly difficult as the power increased to make full use of it with a manual transmission. I am a purist as most here are, but at these power levels you are simply slowing the car down with a manual IMHO. A drive in any A8 equipped car in performance shift mode is all it would take to convince you.

- I have done some limited track time with this car, and plan to do much more - and personally in a car this capable, prefer to have my hands on the wheel in high speed / high G applications.

- In daily driving applications, especially in traffic, the A8 is effortless and is (for me) much more enjoyable. Do I miss a manual on occasion - you bet, but am I grateful I chose the A8.....every single day.

There is a very good reason GM decided to offer this amazing car with the A8, and that the A8 was used in development to set some very impressive times (such as the VIR record). Gear ratios are not the only reason the A8 cars are faster.

All the best,

kev

NicD

Everybody has their own preference and nobody is going to change somebody else's mind but I'll throw in my 2 cents...

I have been driving and tuning C7s since 2014 when they came out and have driven more of them than I can count. I like banging gears but I like winning more... when I bought my 16 C7 Z06 I specifically ordered the A8 for that very reason and didn't regret it for a single second. I don't care how fast you shift that manual trans, it's going to lose to the A8 in EVERY scenario. When the C7 ZR1s came out a few years later I ordered it with the A8 for the exact same reason as the previous 3 years with the Z06 had proven to me I made the right choice.

Again I love banging gears, my TT Viper is still a manual trans and I don't think I'm ever going to change that, you generally don't see guys swapping out an auto for a manual trans but you do see the opposite.

range96

In traffic, especially inching in bumper to bumper, you can't beat the automatic.

With rev-matching turned on heel and toe is no longer a challenge. With my C6 (and C4) ZR1 I did heel and toe, but with the C7 ZR1 I got lazy and just turn on rev-matching.

You do loose some hp due to the torque converter, but you make it up by getting more torque by the increased rpm.

The 7M will run slightly less temperatures when drove hard on a track.

Gearing is not the only, but the main reason the A8 is quicker (not faster) than the 7M.

Shifts are quicker with the A8, but not as quick as the C8 DCT.

Drag racers will prefer an automatic, road racers the manual.

kevin nevius

Great points in your last post Range, but I was just using your words, not mine! LOL

But "slush box"?............have you ever driven an A8 car? (I think I might already know the answer to that question).

range96

In my dictionary slush box just means it has torque converter and the clutches are activated by pressurized ATF.

NicD

Not sure what you mean by this, the A8 is both quicker and faster by all counts.

I know plenty of road racers that prefer the auto at this power level.

ffr1352

The z06 A8 is very similar in performance to the zr1 A8 , so rent one off Turo for a day to see if you like it? A8 is not nearly as good as a DCT. M7 in zr1 performs just like M7 in z06. Non ztk has much better ride on street than ztk. The only time i hate the A8 is if you are spinning rear tires in turn/launch its hard to cut the power quickly to prevent oversteer while an M7 is quick to pull in the clutch and hit the brakes. If you plan to drive where congested get the A8.

range96

Can't remember where I saw the reference for A8 being quicker, but not faster. I do remember it was a reliable source (not internet noise).

3rdgrey

Over the years I had both. I prefer an auto to a stick any day. I don't like shifting in traffic. I drive my ZR1 to get coffee or to run errands. I've never felt or believed a stick was higher-end, if anything, the cheaper route. Either way, buy what makes you happy.

1Sikstik

I've preferred manuals all my life but I'm satisfied with the A8 in my ZR1. It is quick and in track mode the shifts are aggressive. I wish it shifted like the DCT in my C8 but its pretty good. I don't track it so I can't offer any perspective on that. I usually choose to drive it over my C6ZR which made an impression on me regarding how I always looked at automatics. Its a blast to drive but in the end its a lot of money to not get what you really want, but I am not disappointed in my decision at all.

rob62

Do A8's have a rev match? If not, pity.

George_L

You don't need rev match with an auto.

Michael A

If you are a true manual person, you are a true manual person. That's not going to change just because it is a ZR1. You can ask all the opinions you want, but it all boils down to whether or not you are a true manual person.

The traffic argument falls on deaf ears for a true manual person. I just drove into downtown Los Angles a few days ago, with the 10 freeway closed in both directions due to an earlier fire that made national news...with a car with a manual transmission. As you might expect, the roads were gridlocked. I still preferred the manual. Why? I am a true manual person. It gives me something to do in traffic that I enjoy, which is clutching and shifting.

So ask yourself if you are a true manual person? There's your answer. It's as simple as that.