Auto vs Manual. Reliability, Maintenance Costs...
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4
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From: Barcelona, Spain
Auto vs Manual. Reliability, Maintenance Costs... hi people
in first place, sorry for my bad English...
my name is Misael Roura Braff, i'm 34 old and i'm from Barcelona, Spain, Europe...
i'm a future LS1 Camaro owner. need to sell my current American car first... ('68 Plymouth Road Runner 440)
need to decide between Auto and 6 speed.
i know the M6 are more sporty and the A4 better for the dragstrip...
but i'm not asking your opinions on this...
i'm asking about reliability, maintenance costs, resistance to abuse, easy of repair.
also the strong and weak points of both systems.
the plan for the car is daily usage, weekend fun on the streets, some road race, and drag racing only 3 or 4 times a year.
not a street/strip car. a real street car.
i'm thinking in the usual bolt ons, maybe a Z06 405 hp package...
handling suspension and chassis upgrades (we have plenty of twisty roads and we drive fast here in my country...), performance street tires, maybe some Nitto DR if the tires slip much on the street...
fuel economy is also important. $ 4.5 a gallon here...
but if i need to rebuilt a trans, the gain in mileage is out...
here in my country nobody works in American auto transmissions, so if it brokes i need to buy a new/rebuild one from the USA and it costs twice the price for me here due to shipment and taxes... (the same is for every single part i buy from the USA) the shipment for a clutch is not the same of a whole auto box, but a new rear end may be very expensive...
thanks in advance for your help!
in first place, sorry for my bad English...
my name is Misael Roura Braff, i'm 34 old and i'm from Barcelona, Spain, Europe...
i'm a future LS1 Camaro owner. need to sell my current American car first... ('68 Plymouth Road Runner 440)
need to decide between Auto and 6 speed.
i know the M6 are more sporty and the A4 better for the dragstrip...
but i'm not asking your opinions on this...
i'm asking about reliability, maintenance costs, resistance to abuse, easy of repair.
also the strong and weak points of both systems.
the plan for the car is daily usage, weekend fun on the streets, some road race, and drag racing only 3 or 4 times a year.
not a street/strip car. a real street car.
i'm thinking in the usual bolt ons, maybe a Z06 405 hp package...
handling suspension and chassis upgrades (we have plenty of twisty roads and we drive fast here in my country...), performance street tires, maybe some Nitto DR if the tires slip much on the street...
fuel economy is also important. $ 4.5 a gallon here...
but if i need to rebuilt a trans, the gain in mileage is out...
here in my country nobody works in American auto transmissions, so if it brokes i need to buy a new/rebuild one from the USA and it costs twice the price for me here due to shipment and taxes... (the same is for every single part i buy from the USA) the shipment for a clutch is not the same of a whole auto box, but a new rear end may be very expensive...
thanks in advance for your help!
Sounds like you answered your own question. M6 wins for mostly street driven, road race, fuel economy and reliability. A fully built A4 will take a lot of abuse, but with a converter and a cam, in town mileage is pretty bad. I've had both and I don't think I could ever get rid of my stalled A4....it's a totally different sensation than the M6, but the M6 sure is a lot of fun to drive. I hardly ever take my car to the strip due to the lack of decent tracks anywhere around here, but I will live by another track again someday(military) and I am setting my car up with that goal in mind. Plus, slow rolls with traction are a thing of beauty. 
Can't get enough of those.
You want an M6. Stock, it'll take quite a bit of power and the only thing you'll need to worry about will be getting a good clutch. Good luck!
Can't get enough of those.You want an M6. Stock, it'll take quite a bit of power and the only thing you'll need to worry about will be getting a good clutch. Good luck!
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Barcelona, Spain
thanks Hawk!
75% of the F-Bodies i can find for sale here in Spain are M6. (the same for T-Tops. i want a hardtop...)
Automatics are not really popular here in my country. basically is prejudice since most people have never driven an auto car...
are not M6 known for killing stock rear ends? or is this only in the drag strips?
we dont have drag tracks here. we race 3 or 4 times a year in closed industrial area streets...
75% of the F-Bodies i can find for sale here in Spain are M6. (the same for T-Tops. i want a hardtop...)
Automatics are not really popular here in my country. basically is prejudice since most people have never driven an auto car...
are not M6 known for killing stock rear ends? or is this only in the drag strips?
we dont have drag tracks here. we race 3 or 4 times a year in closed industrial area streets...
M6's AND A4's kill 10bolts with sticky tires. It's not just an M6 thing. You may actually be better off with an M6 with DR's because you can manipulate the clutch more.
Manuals are big everywhere in Europe it seems. Automatics were always popular here for the lazy American..lol! Lot's of traffic!
Manuals are big everywhere in Europe it seems. Automatics were always popular here for the lazy American..lol! Lot's of traffic!
Automatics are alot easier on the rear end with sticky tires. I have pulled a 1.46 60 ft on my stock 10 bolt and multiple 1.5's. I dont see any m6 cars pulling 1.4x 60 fts on their stock rear. There is multiple auto cars that have pulled 1.4x and 1.5x 60fts on stock rear. Some m6 people can get away with slipping the clutch out the hole and pulling ok 60fts. My buddy blew is stock 10 bolt on slicks his first run with heads cam. He didnt slip the clutch enough and boom.
+1....these rear ends are time bombs regardless, but generally they will last longer and take a lot more abuse behind the A4. Yes, the M6 is more likely to snap the rear, but with street tires you should be fine.
Originally Posted by 99Hawk262
+1....these rear ends are time bombs regardless, but generally they will last longer and take a lot more abuse behind the A4. Yes, the M6 is more likely to snap the rear, but with street tires you should be fine.
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Tech Resident
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Philly
If you keep the car stock or very close to stock, the automatic will be by leaps and bounds more reliable than the manual. The A4 cars typically see 150,000 miles when in stock form and they're gentle on the rear end. The M6 cars in stock form chew through clutches and bust up the rear end very badly. If your car will be kept in stock or very light bolt-on trim, the A4 will likely give you far less headaches.
If you intend to cam your car, the M6 will be more reliable. The A4 cannot take higher than stock RPM's for very long while the M6 can.
If you intend to make it a drag car, the A4 will again be more reliable. Go with a built trans and a 12-bolt and the A4 will be fine. The M6 requires a stronger rear that isn't a direct bolt-in in most cases and no matter how built your M6 is, you'll still go through clutches like underwear. It gets to a point where people brag about having 25,000 miles on their $1500 clutch. That statement's kinda funny
The M6 will probably be more fun to drive, but the A4 will probably make a better daily driver. I know it is to me. The reliability depends on how extensive your mods list will be.
If you intend to cam your car, the M6 will be more reliable. The A4 cannot take higher than stock RPM's for very long while the M6 can.
If you intend to make it a drag car, the A4 will again be more reliable. Go with a built trans and a 12-bolt and the A4 will be fine. The M6 requires a stronger rear that isn't a direct bolt-in in most cases and no matter how built your M6 is, you'll still go through clutches like underwear. It gets to a point where people brag about having 25,000 miles on their $1500 clutch. That statement's kinda funny
The M6 will probably be more fun to drive, but the A4 will probably make a better daily driver. I know it is to me. The reliability depends on how extensive your mods list will be.
