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Whats better? An Automatic SS or a 6-speed manual?

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Old Apr 28, 2003 | 08:02 PM
  #1  
Zpeedracer's Avatar
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Whats better? An Automatic SS or a 6-speed manual?

I'm thinking of buying a SS and selling my current older camaro which is an automatic, I am just starting to learn to drive a manual and have been believeing for some time that manual was better, but I want to know from you guys what you guys think is better?
Old Apr 28, 2003 | 08:13 PM
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get ready for this post cuz it will be on fire.....everyone who has autos will say autos are best and everyone here who has stik will say they are the best....but let me put the facts on the table

stik
higher et traps
loses less power to rear wheels
more fun on street
better to drive in snow

auto
more consistent at track
your wife/gf can drive it
no as fun on street
in snow your screwed
and everyone will laugh at you cuz ui cant drive a stik

well some facts are there the rest is just cause STIK is the best
Old Apr 28, 2003 | 08:29 PM
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man..there's a thread just a little down the way that goes over this in great detail.

http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...hreadid=111556


There are several threads about this. The search feature up at the top works well.
Old Apr 28, 2003 | 08:45 PM
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I like to row the boat, any automatic I own, if ever again, will be a beater. I'd rather replace a clutch than the whole trans, and I'd rather not deal with torque converters either.

If you like to drag then consider the automatic, but what do YOU really want? You can always change your mind down the road, not that it would be fun to swap, sit back and figure out which you'd prefer.
Old Apr 28, 2003 | 09:23 PM
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Once again, this is the first of these this week, I am sure it will come up again. If you do a search, you will find hundreds of these posts, with the same outcome. Just do some reading, you will find all you need..
Old Apr 29, 2003 | 01:52 AM
  #6  
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What do you want out of the car? I had a 69 Firebird with a TH400 and I really missed not shifting, it makes me feel seperated from the car. Plus being a road racer at heart, its the only way to go.
Old Apr 29, 2003 | 02:11 AM
  #7  
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I mainly wanted to street race etc. Here's another question, If two SS's were exaclty the same etc, except one was stick and one was automatic, who would have the advantage and likely to win a street race if they raced each other?

Last edited by Zpeedracer; Apr 29, 2003 at 02:15 AM.
Old Apr 29, 2003 | 02:37 AM
  #8  
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Usually automatics do better in the short distances because of shift times (or lazy stick drivers), stick will usually have more top end because of more transfered power to the ground (no slippage in the trans).
Old Apr 29, 2003 | 02:53 AM
  #9  
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Originally posted by stik6shift98
get ready for this post cuz it will be on fire.....everyone who has autos will say autos are best and everyone here who has stik will say they are the best....but let me put the facts on the table

stik
higher et traps
loses less power to rear wheels
more fun on street
better to drive in snow

auto
more consistent at track
your wife/gf can drive it
no as fun on street
in snow your screwed
and everyone will laugh at you cuz ui cant drive a stik

well some facts are there the rest is just cause STIK is the best


and everyone will laugh at you cuz ui cant drive a stik




Wanna race hot shot
Old Apr 29, 2003 | 03:18 AM
  #10  
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Well I will say Stick is better then Auto, and both my Z and my 69 C10 are both Autos... I can drive Stick but the problem is, when I bought my Z, I could not find a Stick for sale untill 2 weeks after I bought my Car, I started seeing private party adds for 2 cars total and then then 1.5 months later, Local Chevrolet dealer had gotten in a 2001 Firebird Formula M6, which they still have, but since I just bought my car, I did not want to take a huge loss now...

I learned to drive with a Stick, but sometimes, I never miss stick especially in Bumper to Bumper Traffic, otherwise, I prefer stick... One thing I do like about Autos is the fact that you can take off w/ out ever stalling your car.... Eventhough I don't drive a Stick everyday but I did for 4 years...

I would have boughten an M6 car if I could have found one but there is nothing wrong with either.. Just like other people are saying, it is a lot more fun to shift gears and plus you have more control over a Stick versus Auto.... But Autos have the advantage when you want to take off quick, Just Floor it....
Old Apr 29, 2003 | 04:04 AM
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I'm confident that an M6 is better for street racing.

1) Most street races aren't from a dead stop.

2) Even from a stop, street cars are limited because they normally don't run slicks and don't do burnouts. On normal radials, an M6 car is capable of launches very similar to those of A4s. But you really have to know what you are doing.

3) The M6 is a faster car from a roll. Better gear ratios..no converter slippage..less HP loss through the transmission..

M6s dyno higher..and I believe they are capable of faster and quicker ETs than A4s when stock. In my experience, the difference has been .3-.4 and 2-4 mph in the 1/4...but again, this is only when the driver of the M6 really knows what he is doing.

The domain of the A4 is the dragstrip..on slicks..and with a loose converter. It's hard to compete with that. But outside of that, I'll take an M6.
Old Apr 29, 2003 | 05:39 AM
  #12  
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I have to say as a guy who owns a A4 and races all the time that that Chris is correct with almost all these statements. Let me also add that almost every guy with a m6 thinks he can really ROW THE GEARS which most cannot. If i had a dollar for everytime I hear I only lost cause I missed a gear Id be rich. M6 cars do dyno higher and they do mph higher. I do beat most m6`s on the street and the track with simular mods to mine but once again it mostly because the guy cant drive. I know all m6 drivers think they can drive a stick but when you are next to an auto with a converter and everything must go 100% perfect for you to win 99% of m6 drivers will fold. Im not trying to talk **** because I agree the m6 cars make the Power and can win the race if it has a good driver. There just arent that many good drivers out There . I do drive stick but If you drive in stop and go traffic everyday day the it will make you wish you had an A4 really fast. Plus it is easier fool around with your chick while you drive the auto.. Just another bonus. Sure id like 15+ more hp on my dyno sheet and sure id like another 4-5 mph id have from a m6. But having to deal with clutches and such is just too much of a pain in the ***plus if you go from 3rd to 2nd instead of 3rd to 4th while flying down the track it gets really ugly fast . It does happen to guys that can drive good too .. I trade cars with my buddy who has a m6 every few weeks. I like to do the stick thing once in a while but on a everyday basis its just not for me. He loves his m6 but likes to cruise my auto for a change once in a while also.

Jeremy

Originally posted by ChrisLS1Bird
I'm confident that an M6 is better for street racing.

1) Most street races aren't from a dead stop.

2) Even from a stop, street cars are limited because they normally don't run slicks and don't do burnouts. On normal radials, an M6 car is capable of launches very similar to those of A4s. But you really have to know what you are doing.

3) The M6 is a faster car from a roll. Better gear ratios..no converter slippage..less HP loss through the transmission..

M6s dyno higher..and I believe they are capable of faster and quicker ETs than A4s when stock. In my experience, the difference has been .3-.4 and 2-4 mph in the 1/4...but again, this is only when the driver of the M6 really knows what he is doing.

The domain of the A4 is the dragstrip..on slicks..and with a loose converter. It's hard to compete with that. But outside of that, I'll take an M6.
Old Apr 29, 2003 | 07:19 AM
  #13  
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Unless I consistantly drove in very heavy traffic, I'd buy a manual without a second thought.
Old Apr 29, 2003 | 07:20 AM
  #14  
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If you're planning on all out drag racing Auto is faster. If you're planning on AutoX, manual is more controllable. If you're planning on just zipping around town and having a good time i'd have to suggest manual, it's just more fun to drive.
Old Apr 29, 2003 | 08:59 AM
  #15  
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Originally posted by offaxis
But having to deal with clutches and such is just too much of a pain in the ***
Swaping a clutch is no big deal, I'd rather do that than play with torque converters $$$ and replacing the transmission every time it fails. I'd also prefer to get better than 12 MPG, but if your going to make power a 9 second car isn't going to get great gas mileage with a TH400 and high stall.



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