[Smokin19]

There is no wrong answer, as long as it's a Camaro.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by UnknownJinX

I find the opposite, even though I am used to shifting a manual trans.

Either way there's going to be some 'adapting' involved. I found knowing that only one 'lever' was involved and exactly where to find it came more naturally than choosing which paddle to pull.

In a separate instance I found myself grabbing the upshift paddle a second time (and maybe a third) when the transmission hadn't immediately responded to my first request for an upshift. That would drive me absolutely nuts.

But I guess I can see where paddles might suit others better, particularly if they have more AT driving on their recent driving resume than I have (that'd be almost anybody else).

Using the level is a bit weird because you still aren't using an H-pattern shifter, and depending on the manufacturer, the direction you push/pull the shifter in to upshift/downshift in is different. Very confusing if you are new to a car. Most paddle shifters seem to be consistent (unless you use the weird ones in some of the older Mazdas).

I get this. Back in the 1960s when I was still in university I was actually sketching up some thoughts for a not-quite-H-pattern shifter for one of the automatics of the day for that exact reason . . . it was more of an 'M' or a 'W' pattern, as I recall.

For the most part, I stick with the automatic mode

I don't think I could ever make myself drive an AT car that way. Don't think I ever could . . .


Norm

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by Staves

Don’t experience this at all. Backroads in sport or track mode, A10 is a beast. Zero complaints.

I get this - and it seems that short-term excitement really is enough for a great many drivers.

I guess that longer-term satisfaction with your own part in the process of driving gets lost in the excitement and subsequent bragging rights.


Norm

[lt4camaro]

Originally Posted by TheRealJA105

Exactly this, my Camaro was the only auto sports car I've ever owned and being Callaway supercharged it was fast and fun, but after 4 years I just really missed a manual.


Using the shifter for manual mode completely removes one of the distinct advantages of the auto while on the track, and that is keeping both hands on the wheel. The paddles are great for track driving once you get used to the shift lag. But if you are just trying to make it feel like your still driving a stick I guess i understand. However I always cruised around on the street in manual mode I still preferred the paddles. The paddles felt more "Ferrari" to me and I guess i preferred that feeling over pretending to be in an 87 IROC with a stick


I'm number 2

I also feel it much more natural to upshift, downshift with the shifter while in manual mode versus the paddles. Its so awkward trying to up shift from a slow start and turning, I find that unless your just driving on straight road it feels unnatural to paddle up or down when or during any turns of the wheel. I also do not do a lot of two hands on the wheel driving and never do any road course . Because I have such a passion to clutch, to shift and consider myself very good at it even when drag racing from a dig, I prefer to use the shifter to up or down shift and never have to be in a awkward position to shift as one hand is on the shifter and the other on the wheel just like when you drive a manual trans in spirted or competitive situations. My decision on getting the A10 was because I want to be hard to beat on the drag strip or on the street and so my wife can drive the car if she wanted or had to.

[lt4camaro]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

Either way there's going to be some 'adapting' involved. I found knowing that only one 'lever' was involved and exactly where to find it came more naturally than choosing which paddle to pull.

In a separate instance I found myself grabbing the upshift paddle a second time (and maybe a third) when the transmission hadn't immediately responded to my first request for an upshift. That would drive me absolutely nuts.

But I guess I can see where paddles might suit others better, particularly if they have more AT driving on their recent driving resume than I have (that'd be almost anybody else).


Agree with you Norm very much so, I also much rather just notch up or notch down the shifter as my hand is already there while the other is on the wheel. Being a spirited /active manual trans driver (very passionate about it)
Its the only natural comfortable way to change gears. Until I get AFM tuned out , driving in auto mode does not work for me though. The more I drive this 10 speed auto in manual mode ( the correct way to never get v4 interruption) the more auto mode disappoints me. Cannot wait to tune it out and enjoy the true auto mode driving when I want to.


I get this. Back in the 1960s when I was still in university I was actually sketching up some thoughts for a not-quite-H-pattern shifter for one of the automatics of the day for that exact reason . . . it was more of an 'M' or a 'W' pattern, as I recall.



I don't think I could ever make myself drive an AT car that way. Don't think I ever could . . .


Norm

I get it

[KingLT1]

Originally Posted by PnCRedJwl2SS

I'm a little surprised no one has mentioned the manual mode in the A8 and A10. And no...I'm not talking about using the tap-shift paddles behind the steering wheel. In my opinion, using these is not much like driving a manual transmission at all. I'm talking about using the shifter, both for putting the car in manual mode (slap it to the left) AND for up/down-shifting.

Now, before everyone protests that only someone who hasn't driven a stick would compare these two, I owned two manual transmission Camaros, a 1983 Berlinetta (5-speed) that I drove for 20 years and a 2002 Z28 (6 speed) that I drove for 7 years.

Using the shifter (push forward to up-shift and pull back to down-shift) is very satisfying in terms of having control over what gear you're in and when. You can downshift with perfect rev matching every time, and switch back to automatic mode immediately whenever you want. Closest experience to driving a manual you can get in an automatic--just no clutch. Best of both worlds!

Yes, driving a pure manual and knowing how to blend gas with clutch is a point of pride and really enjoyable, but not dramatically more enjoyable than manual mode in the automatic.

I've also found maintenance costs for my automatic transmission Camaros (a 2010 2SS and my current 2017 2SS) to be lower, so far.

My two cents...

Exactly...today's Automatics are far more fun to drive then the basic 2/3/4 speed stuff from the past. I drive mine in Manual mode a lot when I am in the mood for spirited driving. There is a lot of hidden capabilities that the A8/A10 have that many do not know about. I personally like that I can either hold the left paddle or pull the shifter back in M mode and it will skip shift down into the optimal gear for making a pull. You can do the same thing also by pressing the accelerator 2 times to the floor quickly. I prefer to use the Shifter myself. A8's also have the ability to start from 2nd gear which can give you a big advantage in a dig race on the street.

Today's manuals also have computer controlled torque management intervention on the shifts and clutch release on take off. So they are not like driving a true manual like you get in 4th gen, C5/C6 cars.

Either way I like both and ideally would like to have a Manual and a Auto car...but if I could only have one it would probably be a A10.

[joeyazzata29]

I never had a M6 Camaro but I had manual race cars, never in my life would I imagine getting an auto camaro but seriously the 10 speed is that good, sometimes I think about how fun it'd be having the stick but the 10 speed also is enjoyable. Car prob spends less than 5% of the time in "D" lol

I road course my car and to me, using gears 2-8 with the paddles all the way around the track is more involving than riding around in 3rd gear for the whole lap with the exception of 1 or 2 long straights with the stick.

[joeyazzata29]

.

[Bruiser SS]

The A10 is a game changer for me. First auto Camaro I've ever owned and it's amazing. Don't regret it at all.

[joeyazzata29]

I gotta say tho with this transmission, no lag with the paddles at all. Dont use the shifter in manual bc its backwards imo the upshift/downshift direction

but this transmission NEVER hunts for gears, stumbles, gets confused, it drives like a 6spd auto, it can do multiple up and downshifts. you can be cruising in 10th tap the paddle 5 times and youre in 5th in one shift, I think the A10 is amazing. Its crazy to think the ZL1 version is even better

[UnknownJinX]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

I don't think I could ever make myself drive an AT car that way. Don't think I ever could . . .





Norm

For daily driving, I just don't feel like wrestling against the shift logic for the most part. It really depends on the transmission. Some automatic transmission's logic is pretty good if you are just driving around town.

Spirited and track driving are a different story.

Another thing with automatics is that you can only downshift sequentially. Most of them don't allow you to skip gears in manual mode. Tapping the paddle 5 times to go from 10th to 5th sounds kind of silly to me. I would want it to be able to skip to 5 straight somehow. I think Koenigsegg has a car with the Light Speed Transmission that does this. When you double tap the paddle, it will upshift or downshift to the lower gear possible for that speed.

Sent from toaster or something

[Staves]

Find paddles and shifting manually is ok once in awhile but with 10 gears, I usually just put in D and sport mode and go. If I wanted to constantly shift, I’d have gotten a manual and only 6 gears to deal with. The A10 is amazing. If you’re a die hard manual person, no need to apply. But I love the A10 personally. Don’t think I’d have regrets getting either transmission in an SS.

[JT58]

I love my manuals. I loved the new 2017 Camaro I saw on the lot so much I bought it even though it had the A8. I had manuals exclusively up to that point. I thought what could go wrong with 8 gears that shift rapidly fast. I loved it at first- then the transmission started slipping- tach going up and down when at cruising steady speed. Then the dreaded shudder started. It would shake the car very bad when it was fully warmed up. It went to the dealer over and over and it spent more time at the dealer than with me driving it. It was not repairable at the time, I ditched the car after only 6K, went back to manuals and lost my confident in automatics now. I loved the 6 speed in my 2016 Camaro V6, M6 and love it in my current C6 Corvette now.

[Bosse'sBoss]

I always enjoyed driving my MT sport cars, and some of them I even track them ( '05 Infiniti G35 coupe, Porsche 911 Carrera and my '11 Mustang GT. But one day my wife asked me to get an automatic sport car instead, first I got a 5th gen Camaro ZL1 and then a Corvette C7 Z51, and I felt I really was missing the shifting driver's involvement, then I went and test drove a Porsche Cayman S (6 cylinders) with the very accurate and fast PDK DCT, and didn't felt impressed at all, felt like I was playing just a video game with the paddle shifting. Afterwards immediately went and got my 6th gen Camaro SS with the awsome shifting 6MT. No regrets, I'm a happy driver again.

I'm 56, for me age is not a factor of having fun and enjoying your driving.