Decided I'm going to get the SS...now, completely unbiased, LS3 or L99

[plus1zero]

I'm almost afraid to ask since I know how some of these threads turn out, but...here goes.

Just got my beater over the weekend and flip flopped for weeks deciding if I wanted to go back to a truck or upgrade to an SS since most of my DD will be in this little malibu now. I'm going to look at a 2010 2SS/RS tomorrow night, it may be a little more than I want to spend though.

My question is this, what are the advantages of the LS3 over the L99? Everyone on this site seems to eat it up, but both my dad and my uncles owned muscle cars back when they were big in the 60's and 70's, and they said owning a manual is fun until the new wears off and you'll be sick of it. My dad said he learned to drive a manual first but when he got his Corvettes he always went auto even though he knew how to work them. He said get whichever you want, some people love manuals but I'm afraid you'll get tired of having one.

My 2LT/RS is pretty unique looking and loaded to the gills, and I'm looking to trade for a 2010 with a little more miles (30's) within 2-3000 dollars tops. For those of you with an LS3, do you ever get tired of the stick? Or those of you with an L99, did you ever regret NOT getting an LS3?

Thanks in advance

[hrpiii]

I have an L99, never looked back and enjoy it every time I get in and drive. I have no desire to "roll" through the gears at anytime. Shift to "D", and foot to the floor....LOL.

You will get a bazillion correct answers. I think you should only consider how you will be driving the car and where you will be driving the car. Long open highway, do I need LS3, downtown heavy traffic, do I want an LS3... NO and NO. But that is my preference.

[nyrfan]

I love my L99 but HATE the AFM!

[bw26ss]

if your not afraid to tune the car and you want an automatic, get the l99. If you don't want to tune, then get the ls3, I have l99 with a tune and love it, but I didn't like it before the tune, because of the afm of course.

[thahemp]

The only unbiased info you can get here is that the A6 suspension starts off much better, and the LS3 power starts off much better. The rest is (biased) personal preference.

[menendez1293]

I personally am a manual guy. I have driven both the L99 and LS3 and while the L99 was a nice car I loved every moment of that LS3. To me there is nothing like holding it in a lower gear and just going through them. But my cruze eco DD and 2LT/RS and manuals and I do not regret choosing either of them like that.

[ayceman]

I have an L99, and while the performance is certainly there, and the automatic can certainly be tuned, it will be at the possible cost of your warranty. If you change out the exhaust make sure you get a J Pipe or the drone will become annoying, and again you want to turn off AFM, guess what only a tune will effectively and permanently turn it off. Now if you are going to be sitting in traffic every day that is stop and go then yes the manuel might get old. The advantage of the LS3 manual is that you have complete control over how the car shifts and when it shifts and it allows you to be fully involved with the driving experience of your car, 426 horses as well instead of 400 and if you practice and become good at shifting you will be slightly quicker stock and there is that added proud of yourself pride factor you will never deal with AFM. The advantage of the L99 especially being a 2010 is that you will little to no wheel hop, it does have tap shifters so you can still have some fun, Torque hits at 4300 RPM instead of 4600 which is why the 0-60 time tend to be better in the L99. If you are willing to get a tune on the L99 especially tuning the A6 it will become an even better car, and if you look at the top bolt on times on the fast 1/4 you will see the L99 more than holds its own. Best thing you can do is drive both and get a feel for them and then make your decision.

[plus1zero]

Originally Posted by ayceman

I have an L99, and while the performance is certainly there, and the automatic can certainly be tuned, it will be at the possible cost of your warranty. If you change out the exhaust make sure you get a J Pipe or the drone will become annoying, and again you want to turn off AFM, guess what only a tune will effectively and permanently turn it off. My recommendation is get a manuel with the 1LE package, that is the one to get. You get outstanding out of the factory Gears and suspension, I doubt with the handling you will tire of having to shift your gears. There is nothing wrong with the L99 it performs well especially since it has VVT. But the fact that you can get the 1LE package only with the manuel if I were to do it all over again I would get the stick with that package.

Would love a 1LE, but it's out of the question. Can't afford that much money right now.

[ROD_SS]

I bought an LS3 before even taking one for a test drive. Months before the order, I test drove an L99, it was fast. Manual doesn't bother me

[PsychoZL1]

The big question is do you want a Manual (LS3) or the Automatic (L99)?

Originally Posted by plus1zero

For those of you with an LS3, do you ever get tired of the stick? Or those of you with an L99, did you ever regret NOT getting an LS3?

So far I enjoy driving stick! Not to mention the Camaro has been the best car with a manual transmission that I have ever owned.

Also, I did try an auto, but IMHO it didn't seem like it had a lot of power unless you really got on it.

[plus1zero]

Originally Posted by PsychoRS

The big question is do you want a Manual (LS3) or the Automatic (L99)?

L99..but I hear about how much more fun a manual is

[PsychoZL1]

Manual is funner to drive IMO. Not so much in heavy traffic, but like I said in my edited post it has been easier to drive than other manual vehicles I've owned. That and rowing through the gears is always fun in a sporty car!

[ayceman]

Originally Posted by plus1zero

Would love a 1LE, but it's out of the question. Can't afford that much money right now.

revised my answer a bit since I noticed that the 1LE is not a possibility I hope it is of some use.

[thahemp]

I feel like a passenger in the vehicle when I drive an auto. You know when you can see your passengers head bobbing back and forth because they can't predict your shifts (no matter how smooth you are)? That's how I feel when I push the accelerator in an auto car.