L99 AFM -- It's REALLY a tough choice, for some. Step Inside.

[radz28]

6L80E It's not offered in the Z06 that I've heard. That's only been a stick car, I think because the redline's so high. Maybe things have changed since I last looked...

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by bballr4567

I currently own a 00 Formula that I bought while I was deployed. It is a manual and it was the only way I was going to buy a sports car. I have never driven a Fbody manual prior to that but I had drove an auto previously about 2-3 times and that made my choice right then. I hadnt drove a manual in over 4 years by the time my midtour leave came around yet I could NOT wait to get in that car and have fun. Did I have to reteach myself how to drive a stick? Yes. Was it fun? HELL YES.

To me an auto robs you of most of the fun. Its just that connected feeling that you get when you know that you control the car and what its doing. The feeling of downshifting from say 5th to 3rd at 45ish and then letting all hell loose is one of a kind. With an auto you just mash the gas and go. Manual is totally different. Youve got to push in the clutch, move the shifter to the precise place for the right gear, start to rev match the engine to where YOU think the RPMs will be, then you disengage the clutch and just let all those damn horses loose.

People used to get the manual for MPG purposes but now that the auto is on the block with the same MPG, if not better, then I see more people getting the auto for the ease of driving.

did any of the autos you drove have a stall? or a (reverse) manual valve body? or a trans brake? swap a converter on an auto and its a whole new ball game.

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

I think when talking about the Auto v. manual, we need to keep in mind this is not your average pedal-only automatic anymore.

Suddenly, I think the fun-factor becomes subjective - because automatic drivers now have control over their shifting as well. Not in the exact same way...but control nontheless.

Originally Posted by bballr4567

Ehhhh Ive never drove a padel shifted car but I just dont think it could possibly be the same as driving a manual. The car wont let you downshift past a certain perimeter and so on. Just not what *I* want in a high HP car.

Id see that there is NO WAY the car will let you shift to say 3rd at 4500 RPMs and leave it there and then romp on it. Id have to drive the car to expierence it first.

PLUS, the wife cant drive a stick. She can move the car if she has to but cant get it going down the road.

paddle shifters arent the same as manual cars no, but where the "feeling" really pays off is the fact that when im coming up to a corner, i dont have to disengage the clutch, shift the gear over, then reengage. i just tap a button and im in a different gear. 4500 rpms is nothing, but the parameters you are talking about do exist, they are safety features to keep you from blowing out your motor. my 4l60e will let me shift into any gear at any rpm, its also tuned to do that, but i just have to be aware of my speed and engine rpms when i shift.

Originally Posted by gtahvit

I have no idea how this works on the Camaro/GM cars

But on the mazda3 I test drove with the autostick, (maybe not the same as paddles) it would shift into the next gear if you redlined for more than a second or two. Same thing with the down shift . If the engine started to bog, it would automatically down shift

a lot of cars equipped with autostick/tapshift/etc will do that as a safety feature so you arent redlining the motor and tearing something up, i hate it, cus a lot of times it will shift before the redline if you hold it for too long. if im out playing around, i dont want the car thinking for itself, i want it to do what i tell it to do...lol

Originally Posted by Skyman 08

Like others have said, you have SOME control over the shifting, but not so much as to damage the engine or drivetrain... I am sure the Computer will prevent anything like that...
but with a true manual you are free to downshift from any gear at any rpm... just be prepared to pick up the pieces if you screw up and downshift the 6 speed and miss 2 gears.... It can and does happen!

click click.... BOOM!

[bballr4567]

Originally Posted by CamaroSpike23

did any of the autos you drove have a stall? or a (reverse) manual valve body? or a trans brake? swap a converter on an auto and its a whole new ball game.

Yes, it is a whole new ball game because then it because a modded car. Sure a TC isnt THAT big of a add on but it still is. I was talking stock for stock.

I have yet to ride in a stalled auto and seriously cant wait. I will probably love it and want to sell my car to get one.

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by bballr4567

Yes, it is a whole new ball game because then it because a modded car. Sure a TC isnt THAT big of a add on but it still is. I was talking stock for stock.

I have yet to ride in a stalled auto and seriously cant wait. I will probably love it and want to sell my car to get one.

its awesome. trust me. try riding in a stalled auto with a reverse manual valve body and a trans brake, launching at 4k...lol

which to an extent, a manual is nothing more than a human controlled stall depending on how you want to look at it. because YOU choose the "stall" speed you want to launch at. lol

[bballr4567]

Originally Posted by CamaroSpike23

which to an extent, a manual is nothing more than a human controlled stall depending on how you want to look at it. because YOU choose the "stall" speed you want to launch at. lol

HAHAH That is true.

Doesnt a highly built drag trans (TH400 is one right??) have to be shifted anyways? You just dont use a clutch, correct??

[boxmonkeyracing]

Originally Posted by bballr4567

HAHAH That is true.

Doesnt a highly built drag trans (TH400 is one right??) have to be shifted anyways? You just dont use a clutch, correct??

depends on the shift kit. roommate has his setup for the bump style you see in the dodge in fast and the furious.

btw 11 second car with only 350 hp at the wheels. . .lol. how about them apples for the gt500 killer guys. . .

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by bballr4567

HAHAH That is true.

Doesnt a highly built drag trans (TH400 is one right??) have to be shifted anyways? You just dont use a clutch, correct??

TH400's are whiny. if you are going with a GM 3 speed, stick with a TH350, if you must have a 4spd, a 700r4 will do you just fine. sometimes, actually most times yes, the "auto" trans has to be shifted, its called a manual valve body, and most times its a reverse manual valve body...

Copied from another post of mine:

reverse manual valve body...

instead of being (and this is for an A4)
p
R
N
4
3
2
1

it is reversed so it is
P
R
N
1
2
3
4

and as i stated above, its a manual valve body, so i have to make every shift manually. whichever gear i put my auto in, it stays...regardless. i just dont use a clutch or mess with the time delay with powershifting. jus slap the stick and go. (i say "slap" cus i also have a reverse lockout so it wont inadvertently go into reverse when im downshifting)
also, running a reverse valve body is the only way to run a trans brake as you effectively put the trans in 1st and reverse at the same time, which allows you to spin the trans and stall up the motor to your ideal rpm, then when the light drops, push a button and you go.

Originally Posted by boxmonkeyracing

depends on the shift kit. roommate has his setup for the bump style you see in the dodge in fast and the furious.

btw 11 second car with only 350 hp at the wheels. . .lol. how about them apples for the gt500 killer guys. . .

it doesnt depend on the shift kit, it depends on the valve body.

and you wouldnt be talking about an 11 sec LT1 with only bolt-ons would you?

[bballr4567]

Ahhhh gotcha Spike. I just picked a trans as I dont know the autos that well. I knew the other was a 700 something. HAH

Informative post for sure.

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by bballr4567

Ahhhh gotcha Spike. I just picked a trans as I dont know the autos that well. I knew the other was a 700 something. HAH

Informative post for sure.

forgot something, i didnt clarify on my last post about TH400's vs TH350's before i went on about 4spds, TH400's are 3 spds as well, they are just a Heavy Duty version.

700r4/4l60= same thing if anyone says anything. however the 4l60e is an electronically controlled version that came out for the 94+ f-bods

here's some more info for gm trans'


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_GM_transmissions

[Scotsman]

I'd take an SS Auto over the clutcher any day, especially living in SoCal. Saves me a little extra at the pump AND I still get to control the gears. I've driven stick before, and I'm not great at it and neither do I aspire to be. For me an auto does the trick. I know Chevy released preliminary fuel economy numbers for the SS but was it the auto or the stick? I think it was the auto?

EDIT: Found this on the Camaro webpage from Chevy.com

1 Based on GM Testing 3.6L DI VVT V6 estimated MPG 26 highway, and 6.2L (L99) V8 estimated MPG 23 highway, and 6.2L (L99) V8 estimated MPG 23 highway. Official EPA estimates not yet available.

So there's no real savings with either transmission, they're the same. I'm sure things will change after EPA runs their numbers. Then we'll have a more "accurate" reading of what we can expect in real world driving.

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by bballr4567

Like I said, Im not sure how it will work either. Its my understanding that OTHER cars with paddle shifts still control what perimeters will let you shift and so on. It could be totally different with the new car. I have no idea. Im trying to search the issue right now.

Im not sure on your A4 but in my old car (01 Grand Am) I couldnt shift into 1st or 2nd if I was going faster then 5MPH. Car just wouldnt let me. Im sure that your transmission is the same.

Regardless, Id like to hear exactly how the paddle shifter will work and what the guidelines are (or if there are even guidelines) and so on.

I'd like to hear that too. Don't forget, paddle shifters are only a user interface, they don't have anything to do with what transmission you have, what programming is in the transmission control module, etc. They can just work like my truck's column shifter works when I shift from D to 3, 2, or 1; or they can be programmed to be more obedient, giving you the gear you requested even if it's not a gear that the computer is happy with. The computer can probably increase the line pressure for firmer shifts when in paddle mode. It can delay in case you need a second to paddle to your selection, or it can shift ASAP...all depending on design and programming.

I'm sure the Camaro will be setup decently.

[MajorTom]

a lot of cars equipped with autostick/tapshift/etc will do that as a safety feature so you arent redlining the motor and tearing something up, i hate it, cus a lot of times it will shift before the redline if you hold it for too long. if im out playing around, i dont want the car thinking for itself, i want it to do what i tell it to do...lol

I'd just like to point out that you say you don't want the car thinking for itself when you're out playing around. That's why I buy stick cars.


Also, people who say "You have to disengage the clutch, then shift the lever into precisely the right spot, then slowly reengage the clutch" like it's this huge process. When you drive one for any length of time at all, it doesn't seem like that at all. Your muscle memory kicks in and you do it as one quick motion. Especially when downshifting for a turn.

It's part of the beauty of it. You practice that and the reward is much greater because you're part of the process. Rather than just tapping a button or sliding a lever. There's nothing quite as visceral as using all four limbs to control the car while power sliding through a turn. Something those who opt for the automatic will never quite get to experience no matter how much they believe their modded trans will be "just like a manual". I almost feel sorry for them.

[69 Hugger]

I'd like to see GM let you build your camaro "Ala-Carte Anybody out there got any juice with GM to pitch an Ala-Carte Camaro Wasn't there a Chevy commercial a few years back ? "Have It Your Way At JKJ Chevrolet" I'll be humming that the rest of the night.

[catmaster1]

When i ordered my car i think it was $900-1000 less for the manual than the auto. The other thing to keep in mind is if you are planning to drive the car at high speeds 120+, the integrity of the auto wont be there. In fact i believe that is why they put speed limiters on the auto's. So the tranny dont grenade on ya at triple digits.