dad

Unless you're going to run it at the track fairly often the standard shift
is not acceptable. Driving it in a parade is the pits, driving it in
stopped/slow moving traffic ****s, and most female counter parts hate it
when they have to drive. Even the 05 automatic has an excellent algorithm
for weekend racing and the new 6 speed automatic should be even better
although not worth $1200+.

The only reasons to have a standard 6 speed is because you want it or plan
to race, it don't make any body parts larger. It also has a non-lockout
reverse gate that you have to hit when you shut it down or it can "damage"
your cars battery. If there is any motion when you try to put it in reverse
it locks out the gate with a shot pin. Nothing to tell you that a hard right
and up didn't get you reverse but 5th gear. The electronic scolding you get
when you exit reminds you that your battery will be dead when you return.
After a year it is still unclear as to whether you're in reverse or not, so
I always let the clutch out a little to make sure, that's called unnecessary
clutch wear. It is the only thing about the C6 I don't like, got used to the
limited rear vision. The corvettes I've owned were '57 3sp, '58 4sp, '59
4sp, '61 4spd, '63 4sp, '64 auto, '72 4 sp, '92 auto, '97 auto, '04 auto,
'05 6 sp, and the last stick for me. Times change and the change in traffic
is the biggest negative for a stick plus the technology of the new
automatics is awesome. In those changing times my use of the Corvette went
from playing to traveling and the automatic fits that criteria better.

One last note, if you were to be involved in a collision and the engine is
killed you are locked in the car. By not pushing the button to shut the
engine off the doors remain locked. After a stunning collision I'm not sure
most of us think "I must push the engine off button to get me and my
passenger out of the car." That holds true for the emergency workers that
are trying to get your doors open if you are uncurious or dead. This may be
true in key ignition switched cars also I just never thought about it. In
that case though you and your rescuer can see the key is in the run or off
position. You need to make your passengers aware that the emergency handle
may have to be used to get out of the car if you have an accident. Not a
small thing in my mind and should be utmost in the drivers responsibility to
make his passengers aware and safe.

--
Dad
05 C6 Silver/Red 6spd Z51
72 Shark Black/Black/4spd

vandervecken

I personally like the 6-speed even in town. Although the stick shift car
is clearly harder to drive in city traffic it's just not all that hard.
(But then I've driven sticks all my life.) Clutch effort is reasonable
and the stick is nice - if not the slickest I've driven - once it breaks
in. The short throws and fairly light effort help in traffic. The car's
touchy throttle does make a stick version difficult in very slow (crawl)
traffic.

I drove an '05 4-speed auto in town and liked it less than the stick.
It's an excellent auto but when you're used to the crisper response of
the stick, the auto just doesn't seem right in the Corvette. The *SNAP*
throttle response just wasn't there. YMMV.

Dad, my example of the 6-speed does not work as you describe. Maybe
there were some midyear changes? On mine there's no lockout or special
gate into reverse, you just move the shifter normally. (Of course I've
never attempted it with the car moving.) I've never missed either a 4-5
or a 6-5 shift. If you shut down the car and it's not in reverse the DIC
indicates 'SHIFT TO REVERSE' but there's no other scolding. At least as
I understand it, leaving the car parked not in reverse is roughly
****agous to leaving the ignition on, the battery will drain slowly and
eventually go dead. I know of nothing that could 'ruin' the battery but
perhaps I need to be enlightened here.

Note also that the '06 model uses more refined logic in this matter and
I am told it can be parked without being left in reverse.

-- V
'05 F55 6-speed droptop black/black/cashmere
"Happiness is four hunnert horsepower an' a stick shift"

rs

^6 speed stick. always

unless
a. you're a fat slob and always eats and drinks while driving
b. You're a woman
c. You are missing limbs like a left foot or a right arm
d. you smoke a pipe while talking on the cell phone

on second thought get the auto. its obviously not an issue since thats
all you've owned and leave the real vettes to us.

RS
94 SIX SPEED Artic White

dad

Works that way on my trips down south about 3 time a year. Most have at
least one and sometimes 4 dead stop accidents which take up to 2 hours of
crawl driving. Ever been through what we call Malfunction Junction on I75 in
Dayton Ohio, or Cincinnati? Listed close to the top for frequency of
accidents in the USA. I have to plan on hitting them at 1:00 to 4:00 in the
morning and then I run the risk of drunk drivers. http://www.cincinnati.com/news/bridge/news_bridge_main21.html


Explain the difference between the "touchy throttle does make a stick
version difficult in very slow (crawl) traffic" and "*SNAP* throttle
response", never mind, it don't exist with the auto.


Sorry you misunderstood, there is a special gate to reverse, as always, but
it is not defined as well as it has been in the past. It's just there, no
lever to lift or button to push to get to the gate, just find it like the
old VW. Just finding it some times is hampered by just a slight movement of
the car allowing the lockout to keep you from entering the reverse gate. I
give up on trying to put a car in reverse while moving forward with any
speed sometime back in the 50's. Not sure why you would suggest that.

Remember what the hang tag said? Also stated in most unread owners manuals.
My guess is that the numbnutz that set it up was making it like the
automatic being put in park everytime.

Humm, now why would they change that? Maybe it has been a problem? I wonder
if that bit of logic can be reprogrammed so the "must be in reverse" bit of nonsense can be eliminated.

--

Life is a ***ually transmitted condition that is always fatal.

dad

I know a wonman with no use of her right arm that autocrosses a 6sp
Corvette. She's only a little over weight. Is she a real vetter?


Ever hear the one about the porcupine and the Corvette?

vandervecken

Traffic's lighter hereabouts. Stop-and-go is very rare and crawls on
major roads are uncommon. My long trips are through the Deep South and
traffic mostly moves smoothly on my favorite routes. And if something is
clogged up I detour instead of sitting there waiting.


Well, I didn't state that too well, did I? My meaning as to crawl
traffic is clear. I also felt the auto just did not respond to throttle
as quickly and positively as did the stick. Yes, one leads to the other.
Just personally, I'd rather work on refining my touch on the fast pedal
than lose the *SNAP* response when I want it.


The hang tag, in my glovebox, says the same thing the manual said both
times I read it cover to cover. It [the manual] says if I goof "the
battery will drain and could be damaged" (page 2-20). Yes, a battery can
in theory be damaged by being drained flat. But this strikes me as a
typical warning worst-case overstatement. You're still just leaving the
ignition on.


They changed it because lots of people complained about it, of course.
Also perhaps because there's an insane amount of truly wacky
misinformation about it floating around that might be hurting sales.
That does not invalidate my personal opinion that it's okay for me - and
maybe 10,000 others who bought stick-shift C6's that year, every one of
whom accepted that design. Yes, I'd prefer it work otherwise. But to me
it's not a big deal.

-- V

mt

Dad,

Nice list of vettes!

Which one, did you like the most and why?

dad

OK if you get any warning and can turn around, I've got my share of one
finger waves when I go through the median. Also when I went another route I
was unlucky enough to hit another detour that put a bunch of cars out on an
unmarked detour in the mountains, lots of fun. Been making that run since
'88 and you can't out guess them all, you'll get stuck in traffic about once
every trip even though I run them at odd hours and never on holidays. Still
easier than the stick if you're driving an automatic.

Not the ignition, retained power.


Didn't read or hear many of the wacky accounts you refer to but do know it's
possible to get out of the car without it being in reverse and not get any
warning. It is then possible for anyone to get in, start it and drive it
away without the fob. Not a good thing by most accounts, and can't happen
with the auto. That item by its self killed some sales, seldom do I see GM
change things due to misinformation. It was odd to see the C5 drop in price
until the fob/reverse issue came up and then the C5 went up in price. At
that same time there were C6's on the lot under MSRP and the gouging
stopped.

Matters little, the question ask was stick or auto, my choice now after
having the stick would be to get the automatic. It's a good question now
that it is split about 50/50 although it may be lower because of the added
cost for the auto this year. Looks like the auto will be available soon in
the Z06 at about the right time to trade.

--
Life is a waste of time
Time is a waste of life
Get wasted all the time
Have the time of your life

dad

The '61, just liked the small block with duel 4's, it and the C6 I'm driving
are the same color combination to remind me of all the good times. Had it
when I got married, great woman, and we had our sons, great guys. Not so
much the car I guess, just a great time in my life, but if I could have any
of them back it would be the '61, the '72 is next.

--
IMPORTANT: This email is intended for the use of the individual
addressee(s) named above and may contain information that is
confidential privileged or unsuitable for overly sensitive persons with low
self-esteem, no sense of humour or irrational religious beliefs. If you are
not the intended recipient any dissemination, distribution or copying of
this email is not authorized (either ********ly or implicitly) and
constitutes an irritating social faux pas.

Unless the word absquatulation has been used in its correct context
somewhere other than in this warning, it does not have any legal or
grammatical use and may be ignored. No animals were harmed in the
transmission of this email, although the kelpie next door is living on
borrowed time, let me tell you.

dennis willson

Well I enjoy a stick more than an automatic. But for a car that is
driven everyday in traffic an automatic is more convienent. I find that
I'm less aggrevated when I get to work when I drive the automatic than
when I drive the stick. Not that I find the stick difficult or anthing
like that. It's just when I drive the stick I have more of a "I want to
be moving, lets go" attitude where with the automatic I'm a little more
laid back.

Maybe it's because so many if the race cars have been sticks (I did have
one automatic I did grudge racing with), I don't know for sure.

Dennis