Did you go with Manual or Auto? Age?

[CanadianRocky]

I figure I will be between 58 and 59 when I get the car. Automatic. I have done the manual shift/clutch thingy in cars, motorcyles, trucks and tractor trailers.

I am going to probably drive the car using the paddle shifter most of the time anyway. Even in the automatics in my Jeep Liberty, TJ and Toyota Tacoma I control the vehicle by moving the sticks.

If I get a desire to shift with a clutch, I will get in my International truck and shift my 18 speed.

[BrianGriffin78]

Originally Posted by Mayhem

wow, more response than I anticipated. Thanks for the opinions & info

I appologize for the tension caused by the question ! It wasn't my intention to get a "war" between the auto/manual fans !

I think some people are certainly aggressive in their opinions but lets not forget to take it as just that "opinions" one of which everyone is entitled to! I don't think anyone needs to be defensive about anything. We'll all pick what we want for the reasons we see fit and theres nothing wrong with either choice!

Again even the above is just my opinion and hopefully nobody took offense to it, but for those who have been upset, just remember there will always be differences of opinions and there will never be a unanimous agreement on any matter, but whether an opinion is completely against mine or not, I don't see it as a reason for me to be offended because theres no reason a person can't feel "passionate" about their own opinion and passionate against whatever they feel was opposite their opinion so long as it is expressed within reason.

From what I read, I feel most of whats gone on is just a lot of miscommunication/misunderstanding/misinterpretation etc... Which is even going to occur more frequently when reading off a forum rather than sitting in a parking lot with a buncha beers and our camaro's

Anyways, I appologize again if I stirred a sensitive debate ! I was just curious to hear some different opinions and to see how age was coming into play.

Personally, I've always been driving autos but as I mentioned previously I went with Manual for my Camaro. I had my concerns as to whether my choice was at all influenced by those around me, or the media portrayals of muscle cars, or all the "Manuals the way of the muscle" bravado business. For the most part I am confident I made my choice for myself in that I am really hoping to experience more involvement and "control" over my driving experience, but I do feel that there is to some extent, a dose of peer influence on my choice as well.

A lot of Muscle Car fanatics come from a different era, and from a place where Manual was the dominant transmission for the "Muscle Car" So I don't really find it suprising to see a lot of die hard Manual fans, it's got a lot more history. The Auto's are a newer technology and so the fan base will not be as extensive and I was curious really to see if the fans of the Manual might tend to favor people who grew up around the old muscle cars more so, and the auto maybe favor those who never learned or aren't the die hard old school "muscle car" guy types. I guess really I was just curious what the influences and diversity in peoples choices was

( I hadn't even considered the knee/back issues as a factor so that was interesting and a new concern for me since I might have an upcoming back surgery for a herniated disc ) - - I hope that won't be an issue. I'm otherwise young and healthy/fit.

I am still currently kinda humming n hawing over the m6/a6 and wondering if I should keep my order as is (currently m6) or switch... Just because I haven't driven stick (My lessons start this weekend) I thought other peoples experience may offer insights that I hadn't considered. I have no doubt the manual will be fun to learn for me, but I do wonder how I'll feel after months/years driving it as a daily driver will impact my comfort level with it.

I may hit up the tracks occasionally, but I am no race car driver, it will be a daily driver (except through winter, I'll be picking up a beater for that) I will get caught up in some bumper to bumper from time to time, rush hour and accidents will happen as well as the downtown city driving. the 26 HP difference isn't a major concern for me as I don't even know how much into the modding I'll go. 400 HP is plenty and I'm sure there wont be a lot of opportunity to push this car to it's limits in daily driving so I'll likely not even see the fruition the 426 offers all that often.

That said, I picked manual for a new experience in my new Camaro, for the "Muscle Car" experience I always wanted to live out myself growing up as a kid watching shows like the Dukes of Hazard, knight rider, bullitt, smokey, whatever... My hot wheels were GTO's and Camaro's, and now I get to have one so I figured I'd do mine up the way I remember them to sort of fulfill that childhood desire.

The auto I know is an easy drive, and I did like the remote startup (but really that's a bit of a gimmic and serves no necessary purpose from my point of view) so it wasn't enough to persuade me. I just hope the excitement/fun/involvement of a m6 turns out to be what I hope it will be ! I really wouldn't know what was missing if I went with the auto, since I've yet to do the Manual driving lessons.

I know a lot of ppl may feel I don't need a Manual or even a 2SS for what I intend to use it for... but for "me" personally, I'd feel better sitting in a 2SS than a v6 and the Manual just felt more coherent with what I grew up wanting to experience.

I wish you could just switch between the two at any given time with no major cost/hassle. !!

Anyways thanks again for the replies sorry for the massive rant! I went a little blog crazy there.

Don't apologize some people have just been very rude and arrogant. I respect both choices people make. The car is nothing less with or without Manual or Auto.

You hit the nail on the head. Better technology with the Auto, back in the day it was not available. Does not take away from the car but just add to it, imo. A smoother ride with no hassles. It really is your preference. But don't let people say it is not a muscle car if it has Automatic. That is just arrogant and simply rude. If this technology was around 30 to 40 years ago more people would be likely driving Auto, imo.

Originally Posted by dimitri

is this aqua blue your car?The color looks really good.

Yes, thanks!

[BackinBlackSS/RS]

Manual, 47yo

[Ghans64]

27 2SS Manual----relatively new to stick bought a brand new VW GTI to learn stick so the clutch was under warranty However, the clutch was fine and I didn't kill it. Husband refuses anything else but manual so we compromised....he wanted yellow I wanted blue.........he wanted manual I wanted auto.

We went with blue and manual. Compromise.

[MACK6519]

I'm 45, my husbands 44.

2SS, Silver Ice, Manual. Love it!

[CanadianRocky]

Meritor makes an AutoShift manual transmission for big trucks. No clutch peddle, but it has a clutch that engages and disengages by using a computer. It can be used either in full automatic mode or manual mode with a paddle shifter.

Lenco's transmissions are Planetary manual transmissions where you select the gear with a stick but do not use a clutch to shift.

I cant have either, so I am going to get a car that will look good when I am wearing my Fedora.

[Jchaluja]

42 yo - Auto

[04ssSilverado]

40/2ss/rs/man6

[ljustin293]

20, M6

[CamaroSS426]

26 male, SS Manual because thats the only way to do it, besides auto was more expensive!

[BrianGriffin78]

Originally Posted by CamaroSS426

26 male, SS Manual because thats the only way to do it, besides auto was more expensive!

Huh? The only way to do it? Not according to GM and the ones building the cars.

[mikel441]

42 - SS Manual........Cuz I like shifting gears! Always have.

[superstockcam]

Manual, 44
________
WENDIE 99

[Hawks]

34, manual