[oldman]

Originally Posted by GTIanZ28

This thread is going to go downhill fast.

But, I agree with you. Row your own in a sports car. None of us are Fernando Alonso. And, I'd bet that outside of racing even Alonso enjoys a great manual trans.

For the drag racers, stop light champs, and weekend track warriors the auto makes sense for consistency sake.

IMHO manuals are still more enjoyable to drive..... Though for the auto guys I must admit that the Subaru Impreza rental car I'm driving right now is actually a really decent car. Pretty fun and very convienent to drive even with the cvt transmission (+ I'm getting 30+ mpg). I actually prefer the awd handling characteristics more than my now sold gti. I can see why the WRX/STI's have such a fan base.

amen.

[oldman]

Originally Posted by suzook

The manual is slower. Why buy a slower car???

There are the same speed thru the traps, so they are just as fast as each other in a drag race. The auto is slightly quicker. One would only know during a 1/4 mile drag race with an auto 1/4 mile.. which will never happen in my car. I have a few other race cars.

The A8 is great, the A10 will be even better. My last Camaro (LS1) I knew I would be racing it so I got the auto. Had Percision Industry build their FIRST A4 torque converter for my ride and was into the 12s, bone stock + converter including the stock GSC tires. My local Texas track also sucks.

My Challenger was also auto, cause I built it from there, supercharger, engine, trans, converter, gears, suspension, performance tires. Neither the LS1 or the Challenger are anywhere as fun or as engaging as the M6.

[oldman]

Originally Posted by pkssauce

Isn't that what manual mode is for?

I've only owned sticks and this order I went auto. This will be my daily driver in a lot of stop and go traffic. I look forward to having the auto for the daily drive, and the manual mode for the thrill rides.

Please manual mode is still an auto. From the 60s people have been modding their auto trans to be more responsive to the shifter via shift kit. But it is still an auto!!!!!! and any pretending is just that.

[JDP Sales]

I've definitely run into some situations where a manual would have been nice. A lot of my issues with the transmission are due to my inexperience with it also, im sure. When its time to lay the hammer down though and walk away from a Hellcat (by way of putting power down better than most Hellcat drivers) the A8 is MONEY!!

All the best,

Jared Royce
801.545.4215

[oldman]

Originally Posted by mcsoul

My wife would get to enjoy the car too if I got one with an Auto and I like that.

My 17 year old daughter drives the M6 SS to school and the bookstore daily. I think all kids need to drive manuals. It gives them a feel of the machine and the road. It forces them to pay attention to traffic, traffic lights and looking past the turns. You teen is NOT texting in a M6 Camaro.

Plus there are more than a few young Texan males that are in awe of the the 90 lbs girl with 500 HP under the hood.

She used to drive the supercharged stripped Challenger for the last 1.5 years. She likes manuals, so the Challenger is being sold.

[GPz1100]

^^Agreed. Driver's Ed should only be using cars with 3 pedals.

[oldman]

Originally Posted by GMapologists

I 100% agree with LesBaer. In fact, anyone that actually DRIVES these cars for themselves, knows the A8 has terrible lag and cannot compete with the 6spd stick, and the claim that the A8 can compete with DCT is just laughable.



Anyone who has actually shifted the A8 and a DCT for themselves knows that the information you posted is absolutely FALSE. Buy the stick if you want to shift. The A8 is terrible when shifted.

As 1le said, the A8 probably needs a tune. My Challenger's Nag5 trans was terrible with the slap shift and stock calibration. But tuned with upped shifting response and shift firmness, it would chirp into the next gear and be very willing to downshift. No not as good as a M6, but far better than stock. Heck I think the trans tune + converter + gear was as good of a mod as the supercharger!!!!!!!!

[Eric SS]

Originally Posted by oldman

My 17 year old daughter...

Plus there are more than a few young Texan males that are in awe of the the 90 lbs girl with 500 HP under the hood.

It sounds like you are happy about guys ogling over your underage daughter. That's the last thing I would want.

[raptor5244]

I enjoy both transmissions but I think the decision really comes down to the type of driving you do. If your Camaro is your weekend warrior or you just don't get stuck in city traffic most of the time then it is great, manual all the way. However, I just switched from a Gen5 1LE to a 2SS A8 and I have to admit I sometimes I would like to shift but I would dread it when stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. Also, I felt like there is no space to wind out a gear. When you get a manual there is that urge to hold the gear and wind it out and even if you find an on-ramp to do it you have to shut it down within 7 seconds or you will be going 100mph plus. I actually considered a lower horsepower car that I can wind out from time to time. I think a little Miata or FRS would be a nice 2nd car for when you want to rip through the gears on the street without getting arrested.

[KILLA BEE]

Just get a damn Auto, throw on a Myoshimo CAI and make up for the .2 seconds. BOOM have a good day.

[Speedy1975]

This is an age old debate I think. In years past you couldn't have given me an automatic in a performance car. However, with the newer tech in the autos with their fast shifts, paddles, and manual modes, it makes them much more fun to drive. I have a 2009 Challenger built up with a RPM built manual 6 speed trans and McLeod RXT clutch and I LOVE driving it. Especially joy rides around town winding out the gears to hear that sexy blower whine and roar of the Magnaflow exhaust. However, put-putting around town in traffic sucks and it's about 3-5/10ths slower at the 1/4 mile drag strip than a comparably built automatic and that's with TONS of practice driving on my part. For the Dodge, the problem with the 1/4 mile performance is in the programming. My tuner informs me I shift just as fast as an automatic according to the data logs I provide, but the computer does some specific things in the Challenger like closing the throttle blade when the clutch is depressed regardless of whether I flat foot shift the car or not. Bummer. I would have never wanted the NAG1 5 speed the Dodge came with, but now that they use the 8 speed it's a much harder decision as to which I would buy today but I would lean toward the auto.

The 2SS Camaro replaced my daily driver 370Z (I know..... hair dresser's car LOL but it was a blast to drive). The 370Z was the first performance oriented car I had with an auto trans. The manual mode and paddles sold me on the auto, so when I got the 2SS it got the auto as well. I personally enjoy clicking off gears in manual mode and things will be much easier when I take the car to the drag strip as well. I do find myself having to remember there are paddles on the wheel rather than just using the stick to shift though. Automatics are also typically much easier on drive line hard parts due to the torque converter and automatic trans absorbing some of the shock loads at launch vs. a manual car.

For track outings the auto will be the one to have, but I think most of us put a lot more street miles on our cars than track miles. For me it's a coin toss as to which is more fun to drive, but will admit the driver will feel more connected to the car in the manual.

I do find it interesting that a lot of modern guys, at least on the Challenger side, swap in an automatic in place of their manual transmissions while the older folks with classic muscle cars swap autos for manuals.

[stars_fan]

Originally Posted by Eric SS

It sounds like you are happy about guys ogling over your underage daughter. That's the last thing I would want.

[oldman]

Originally Posted by Eric SS

It sounds like you are happy about guys ogling over your underage daughter. That's the last thing I would want.

when you have a teenage daughter, then and only then will you understand that they spend 99.99% of the time thinking what boys think about them. Plus the word is not ogling, it is rather cowering due to intimidation. The all know who has the bad ride on campus, and she has the personality of a small island dictator.... can't wait to carry her gun. This is Texas after all. think about it, how many girls can and do actually drive a V8 manual muscle car to HS?

Kind of reminds me of my mom, when her car was in the shop, she would take my 69 Z/28 Camaro to middle school. She was the science / chemistry teacher. She use to say the car had too much zoom zoom... large mechanical cam..

[oldman]

Originally Posted by Speedy1975

I do find it interesting that a lot of modern guys, at least on the Challenger side, swap in an automatic in place of their manual transmissions while the older folks with classic muscle cars swap autos for manuals.

For drag racing, the auto is faster, cheaper, more consistent and way easier on the drivetrain and bushings.