Auto or Manual

[LS1Noob]

I am new to the ls1 world and have a general question..plz dont flame me..lol Is there much of a difference performance wise between the auto and manual trans. I am looking at an 02 ws6 automatic, but i can also get a 00 z28 6 speed.

[blackls1ta]

i like the ws6 way more than z28,but when racing i prefer manual seems to accelerate faster,but its tough to beat a stalled a4 off the line,its your choice,welcome to the dark side.

[blackls1ta]

plus the 02 has ls6 intake and will breathe better,either way both great cars.

[01ArcticFormula]

auto if your going to race, do a lot of city driving, or upgrade the f*ck out of the car....besides, who do u know that can shift faster than an auto lol....and there is no room for error with an auto. keep in mind that autos have more consistent times than manual for racing.

as for difference in power....i honestly believe that there is no difference in power....only shift points, weight, top speed and gas mileage etc... a car with an auto tranny will weigh maybe a 100lbs more. 500hp at 2500rpm is the same as 500hp at 5000rpm. people think they feel more acceleration with a manual cuz of the kick when they shift at higher rpms but by that time the auto is already at the next gear therefore i believe its neck and neck. a car with a manual tranny is going to have a higher top speed cuz of the extra 2 gears. also keep in mind that the only reason why gm equipped the top trim firebirds and camaros with the t56 is for gas mileage.....cruising in 6th gear increases highway gas mileage....not by much, but every little bit counts and adds up.

as for the car itself def go with the 02 ws6....quite a bit more power than the camaro.....about 20hp+ more due to the ls6 intake and ram air. fewer firebirds were produced than camaros...even less with ws6 cars. firebirds are just so much more aggressive and intimidating anyway :Pw:

[Firebirdjones]

I've got both a 6 speed and an auto 4th gen. They both have there advantages.

The manual trans will suck less HP, and generally the 6 speed cars will put down a tad more HP on a chassis dyno. The gear spread is also much closer and keeps the motor in the happy spot a little better.

The bad thing about manuals, is they tend to tear up parts. If your going to abuse the car, then eventually you'll be doing clutch changes, and the whimpy 10 bolts don't take kindly to clutch dumping after a while.

Now the Auto trans 4th gens can be a pleasure to drive, but this trans will take a little more HP to turn, therefore they tend to put a little less HP down at the rear wheels. If you plan to race,,,the gear spread on these transmissions suck bad. With the 3.06 first gear the drop on the 1-2 shift is horrendous, and it takes a while to recover. Not the best transmission for drag racing. They have some weak areas inside if abused, and take a bit of money to bring up to a level of confidence. GM actually has a ton of torque management in the tune to help this transmission survive,,,,go figure.

Almost any serious 4th gen race car will ditch the 4L60E and either shoot for a 350 turbo, a 400 turbo,,, or a 4L80E (which is a 400 turbo with overdrive) since all these transmissions offer a better first gear and a more acceptable gear spread throughout.

The 6 speed cars all come with 3.42 rear gears. The automatic cars come with 2.73 or the optional 3.23 gears. The WS6 should have the 3.23 gears I believe.

All these reasons I mentioned above are why the 6 speed cars tend to run a little quicker at the track if you have someone that can drive it.

Simply put, the 6 speed has a better gear spread, takes less HP to turn,,,and they come with a little more rearend gear.

The auto's can be fun. Once a stall converter is installed they become all their own.
It's really up to you. A few things to keep in mind when looking at used 4th gens. The automatic cars tend to lead an easier life. 6-speed cars are generally abused more often.

Gas mileage is going to be better with the 6 speed obviously.

The 01-02 cars come with the LS6 intake,,,which seems to be sought after. Although some people seem to forget,,,these cars also came with the smaller truck camshaft. So it's really a tradeoff in the power department.

Happy hunting.

[01ArcticFormula]

I've got both a 6 speed and an auto 4th gen. They both have there advantages.

The manual trans will suck less HP, and generally the 6 speed cars will put down a tad more HP on a chassis dyno. The gear spread is also much closer and keeps the motor in the happy spot a little better.

The bad thing about manuals, is they tend to tear up parts. If your going to abuse the car, then eventually you'll be doing clutch changes, and the whimpy 10 bolts don't take kindly to clutch dumping after a while.

Now the Auto trans 4th gens can be a pleasure to drive, but this trans will take a little more HP to turn, therefore they tend to put a little less HP down at the rear wheels. If you plan to race,,,the gear spread on these transmissions suck bad. With the 3.06 first gear the drop on the 1-2 shift is horrendous, and it takes a while to recover. Not the best transmission for drag racing. They have some weak areas inside if abused, and take a bit of money to bring up to a level of confidence. GM actually has a ton of torque management in the tune to help this transmission survive,,,,go figure.

Almost any serious 4th gen race car will ditch the 4L60E and either shoot for a 350 turbo, a 400 turbo,,, or a 4L80E (which is a 400 turbo with overdrive) since all these transmissions offer a better first gear and a more acceptable gear spread throughout.

The 6 speed cars all come with 3.42 rear gears. The automatic cars come with 2.73 or the optional 3.23 gears. The WS6 should have the 3.23 gears I believe.

All these reasons I mentioned above are why the 6 speed cars tend to run a little quicker at the track if you have someone that can drive it.

Simply put, the 6 speed has a better gear spread, takes less HP to turn,,,and they come with a little more rearend gear.

The auto's can be fun. Once a stall converter is installed they become all their own.
It's really up to you. A few things to keep in mind when looking at used 4th gens. The automatic cars tend to lead an easier life. 6-speed cars are generally abused more often.

Gas mileage is going to be better with the 6 speed obviously.

The 01-02 cars come with the LS6 intake,,,which seems to be sought after. Although some people seem to forget,,,these cars also came with the smaller truck camshaft. So it's really a tradeoff in the power department.

Happy hunting.

hey cool...someone else knows about the truck cam! i wasnt going to get into the differences in years too much but since u mention it...the truck cam was used to retain low end torque...def a tradeoff. im talking autos as a whole...not specific transmissions either such as the mediocre 4l60e...hence why i said not to go with the auto unless u are going to upgrade the f*ck out of the car in my previous post. i know i may sound like an ass but i find repetitive posts annoying...like an echo. however im impressed...u seem knowlegeable in fbodies...u know much about 93 and 01 formulas?

[96Firebirdformula]

Well ive owned my A4 for litte over 2 years and its boring

Id have to say go with Manual its more fun in city
and better gas milage on highway

[bryceslu]

Well ive owned my A4 for litte over 2 years and its boring

Id have to say go with Manual its more fun in city
and better gas milage on highway

Agreed. For fun factor you CANT beat the M6. :rockon:

[Y2KPewterSS]

Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Get one of each and have the best of both worlds :yup:

[jimmybling31]

i love my a4. it puts the power down fine, launches good, and runs really good times for an lt1

[z28punk]

I just got my 02 Z28 A4 and I love it. one thing I noticed tho is that every time I drive it I find myself getting the urge to shift. so I think subconsiously I wanted an M6.lol

[blackls1ta]

auto if your going to race, do a lot of city driving, or upgrade the f*ck out of the car....besides, who do u know that can shift faster than an auto lol....and there is no room for error with an auto. keep in mind that autos have more consistent times than manual for racing.

as for difference in power....i honestly believe that there is no difference in power....only shift points, weight, top speed and gas mileage etc... a car with an auto tranny will weigh maybe a 100lbs more. 500hp at 2500rpm is the same as 500hp at 5000rpm. people think they feel more acceleration with a manual cuz of the kick when they shift at higher rpms but by that time the auto is already at the next gear therefore i believe its neck and neck. a car with a manual tranny is going to have a higher top speed cuz of the extra 2 gears. also keep in mind that the only reason why gm equipped the top trim firebirds and camaros with the t56 is for gas mileage.....cruising in 6th gear increases highway gas mileage....not by much, but every little bit counts and adds up.

as for the car itself def go with the 02 ws6....quite a bit more power than the camaro.....about 20hp+ more due to the ls6 intake and ram air. fewer firebirds were produced than camaros...even less with ws6 cars. firebirds are just so much more aggressive and intimidating anyway :Pw:there is a difference, in quarter mile roughly by 2 tenths so id say m6s are quicker,and definately more hp than autos 100 pounds heavier makes the difference,i guess its all in the driver .i went from an lt1 a4 ta to ws6 ls1 m6 and there is a good difference between the power to the wheels.

[slims00ls1z28]

Well ive owned my A4 for litte over 2 years and its boring

Id have to say go with Manual its more fun in city
and better gas milage on highway

Get a stall ans see if you say the same thing afterwards. It makes all the difference in an auto. My stalled Camaro was definately more fun than my M6 GTO.

[Firebirdjones]

there is a difference, in quarter mile roughly by 2 tenths so id say m6s are quicker,and definately more hp than autos 100 pounds heavier makes the difference,i guess its all in the driver .i went from an lt1 a4 ta to ws6 ls1 m6 and there is a good difference between the power to the wheels.

You made a major engine change in the process though.

[jimmybling31]

i just did a slight stall and it runs good. just a 2000, i can't even launch it that high with my crappy tires though

[CJREX]

Consider the majority of your driving conditions and then decide.

I personally would have preferred an M6 but I'm perfectly happy with my A4.

That perfectly happy becomes downright ecstatic when I encounter some of Atlanta's finest famous traffic jams.

I went from a 5 speed performance car to an auto performance car strictly because I have to frequently drive in Atlanta. I was afraid I'd hate not rowing my own gears. I find I love it.

Must be getting old :sarge:

Plus, with the limited mods I plan on doing, my rearend will likely survive behind the auto.

Based on what I've read on this board, I don't think there really is a wrong choice between the two.

[blackls1ta]

You made a major engine change in the process though.
true,either way they run good.

[blackSS01]

Either are great choices. I bought my M6 because it is more fun for me to drive then a A4, but that is just my opinion. If you are going to race hardcore then you will be doing tranny work to both. Food for though, the absolute best gas mileage I ever got highway was 32 mpg, but on average get about 28 mpg. A stalled is a massive improvement for the A4 and the A4 will have more consistant times, but drive both and decide for yourself.

[mghawk57]

I have a stalled A4 and have had manuals in the past - drove a 6 speed and a auto before i bought the car - Auto hands down for over all -

[red99ws6]

i was looking at 2 red ws6's one A4 and the other M6. the M6 was a 97 and the A4 99. my wife likes to drive the car some and doesnt like the M6. i would rather have M6 but didnt want to give up the LS1. i get a car that is 95% exactly what i wanted and she can enjoy it also so it is a win/win for me with the A4

[bamaz28]

m6! i love mine, auto is for girls!

[kool-aide]

i know i'm late to post, but here is my .02.

I am a manual at heart, loved them ever since i learned to drive, and owned many kinds of manual cars.

I have a 99 z28 A4. Is it fun to drive, duh, it's a freakin V8 f-body. Do I miss a manual yeah, cuz that's my personal preference.

why do I not own a M6, the A4 was the blue I like, my wife sux at manuals, and oh the biggest one. When you want to drive like an idiot under any circumstance, an A4 is the better choice. I'm no John Force, but I can hold my own with a manual. I have know a lot of good manual drivers too. We all f up a shift at the worst time, face it it happens, and then you feel like an idiot, lol... Buy what makes you happy because changing after the fact is serious money. and remember if you want to race and win, learn to drive it, or join the wall of shameful mis shifts and screw ups, lol....

Good luck. I drove a M6 T/A for a couple of days with a couple of minor mods. I loved it, but I love my A4 too. You won't be disappointed with either purchase, unless you desire one and buy the other. just remember changes after the fact cost money, money, money.


Have fun.

[Wesman]

Personally, I would never buy an automatic in a sports car or muscle car. It just takes 50% of the involvement out of driving. Nothing like rowing your own gears and operating a clutch.