You may find the manual a nice change after having automatics . Is y our
wife going to be driving it ? If so, she will most likely prefer an auto
-- take her along for a testdrive before you buy , if applicable.  If
youre driving is going to be anymore than , say,  75% in town...then id
be more inclined to choose the auto otherwise  youll be clutching a huge
amount of the time.  Its probably easier to resell an Automatic than a
manual , especially if the future buyer is married. Just some thoughts.

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 sucks, 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.

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
analagous 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"

^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

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

========================================
I am in my 60's and have bad knees and to be honest I have always
excluded automatics... PERIOD.... !  I now own 5 Corvettes and the oly
automatic is my 79 which my wife drives 90 percent of the time ...

HOWEVER  ..I am shoppng for a used C5 .and with the bad knees I now
will at least look at an automatic ...still prefer the 6 speed even
though I no longer race nor do I normally dirve in traffic .. someone
mentioned parades...LOL...NEVER   AGAIN  learned that 10-15 years
ago,...

My little broither has owned a 99 automatic since 1999 and its a damn
nice car BUT it is not that much fun to drive on the twisties... it is
fun to drive to the grocery store however....

To each his own... my daily driver is a 5 speed truck and my next
daily driver (another truck) will be an automatic.. the odds of my
buying a Used C5 that is an automatic is pretty small ...

Just my thinking.. of course on a morning when my knee is acting up
all bets are off...

Good Luck..

Bob G..

i usually dont respond to usenet groups but i just had to for this one
cuz i drove a manual c6 the other day and it was one of the funnest
things ive ever done     salesman and i went to town with it like
ferris bueller, was red too. i myself am gonna buy my 1st vette within
the next few days

Hi LR,

I strongly recommend the 6 speed.   Once you get used to a standard,
you'll never go back (although I'd recommend the auto if you have
physical disabilities that would make it hard to drive a standard).

The 6 speed will give you:

 o Much more control over the car!
 o Much more *fun* when driving, and to me that's a big deal.
 o Better fuel economy
 o Better performance
 o It will increase driver skill over a slushbox

Autos should be reserved for Toyota Corollas, not Corvettes, I think.

After having driven 6 speeds for years now, I wouldn't want an
automatic Corvette no matter what the price.  It just isn't a proper
sports car that way. It's no coincidence that the high performance Z06
model is *only* available with a 6 speed.

Hope that helps you.

xanthor