This is getting difficult for me because I am looking for a new LSX car but I thought I had it narrowed to a M6 car because I am a manual guy but now I am reading about all these A4 cars with 3600 stalls getting ridiculous times. But I haven't ever owned a fast car with an Auto my last 3 cars all have had either a M6 or M5 so I dont know what it would be like. Is it slower on roll races? Does gas mileage go down big time with the Auto? Any help would be great as I have been shopping for an LSX car for a while now(month and a half).

I dont have to DD the car because I have an M6 LT1 Z and a company car already so that wont be a decision when purchasing. I plan on making this a fair weather car too IE really clean ride with a ton or power

 

i am a manual guy myself and swore i would not go auto. But a to good of deal come along on a auto ss and honestly i am not hating it. Dont get me wrong i would still like a standard but the auto is real nice easier to stage plus do to knee replacemenst a lot easier on knee. The gas mileage isnt to bad. Just put a stall in and 12s here we come.

 

I am gonna keep an eye out for both right now especially if the the right deal comes around. I hope I can narrow it down to something in the next couple weeks

 

if you like having fun while driving go m6...if you want consistent numbers at the track go with a stalled auto. i wouldnt drive an auto fbody unless its stalled imo

 

I have an Auto with a SS3600. Thing hits hard and is a BLAST to drive around town. Don't let M6 guys fool you (those are fun too).

It's just fun when you get on it (even from a low roll) and the converter winds up and shoots you almost like a slingshot. You don't get that feeling from a M6 car, although you do lose some topend effeciency.

If you want to do top speed runs or autocross go M6. For dragstrip go A4. For fun, either one will work.

But I will say if you are not going to stall the Auto, don't bother with it and go with the M6. The factory Torque Converter is what makes them pigs.

 

After having owned both an auto and a manual, I can honestly say that its a hard toss-up, since they both have some good pro's and cons.

Auto - Best bet for the novice-to-expert drag racer. Lot of fun, as you said, on a big stall. Gas mileage can be a negative, especially with a high gear and a stall.

Manual - Great cruise around fun, a blast for auto-crossing. More gearing for better fuel efficiency even with a big gear. Slightly rougher on a rear-end when drag racing and can be a bit of a nuisance on a daily driver in rush-hour traffic.

Personally, if it was an everyday car - I'd go manual. If it was a drag race car only, I'd go auto.

good luck

 

Thanks guys, I am leaning towards M6 now because of the MPG and the thought of AutoXing it.....a friend of mine always wanted me to bring the Z down there and run it but I dont feel real comfortable with the way it handles with a 90% stock suspension.... I drive a good distance on the weekends when me and my friends want to go somewhere nice for dinner(45-60 miles one way-Columbus, OH) as I live out in the sticks So fuel economy is the gonna be second major decision I guess

 

Years ago I preferred the manual transmission. I believed it was superior (various reasons) because I was comparing it to a stock automatic transmission with a stock torque converter. After owning 2 different cars with automatics, the addition of a quality aftermarket torque converter COMPLETELY changed my view. No way would I take a manual transmission performance vehicle again if a choice exists.

 

Hands down the M6 if this car will be driven 95% or more on the street.

 

Yeah with a quality high stall converter and the rest of the cars being identical the auto car will beat the manual from any roll that is under the stall speed. And they are a blast to drive and quicker with more consistancy at the drag strip.

That being said my wife's 98 SS and our 03 'vette are sticks and are great for cruising around.

 

Too bad they didn't give us the 4L80 from the factory!

 

The only thing more awesome than that would have been a Dana 44 or 12 bolt behind it! Can you imagine!?

A modern version of the 89 TTA driveline would be killer. The 200-4R trans and 9 bolt were tough units.

 

If I am able to sell my 69 Camaro I would buy an 98-02 LS1 Camaro with the M6.I am planning on using a nitrous system and with a manual the nitrous seems to hit harder,opposed to an Automatic with nitrous.Im talking about using the nitrous in 2nd gear and bypassing first gear though.Im not talking at the drag strip.Street performance is why I would go with the M6.There's no mistake on the drag strip that a Automatic transmission is darn near impossible to beat.

 

M6 for me although it was a hard decision. Then I realized that I needed to learn to drive a stick and I wouldn't be racing the car that much so a manual worked out. Now I definitely don't regret my decision, although I've always wondered what it would be like to drive a stalled auto camaro.

 

Auto for going straight.

Stick for anything else.