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A6 or M6

12K views 163 replies 54 participants last post by  Dasteufelhund 
#1 ·
I've been wanting a gxp since I heard they were going to be released. Well now I can finally afford one and I'm going to begin my search for the right car. I have yet to decide on the exterior color but I'm sure I want an all black interior. Exterior color isn't a big deal, what I'm having a hard time deciding on is whether I want a A6 or M6. Could you guys please help me with my decision by giving me the pros and cons of each. Also the gxp will not be a DD.
 
#35 ·
You call that shifting? This is shifting, bud: ;)


I had a stick before this car and I can do every single thing with my slapstick as I used to do with stick, that includes racing and drifting in the snow.
Oh, really? You can coast to a stoplight? Or start out in first, second, or even third? Skip a gear or two? Heel-toe shift into a turn?
I'm not knocking the auto trans. But don't pretend it can do everything the manual can.
 
#3 ·
Personally if spending the money for a GXP I would get the manual version.
The only reason I could see not to is if you were going to track it. Then I believe the average Joe can get better 1/4 mile times with an automatic tranny and a good, quality TCM tune.

Good luck!
 
#6 ·
I chose the A6 because my GXP is my daily driver and there's too much damn traffic (IMO) to drive a manual everyday. I did that before and swore to myself i'd never daily drive a manual car again. If I didn't have to daily drive my car the M6 would definitely be a more fun choice.


Sent from my iPhone using AutoGuide.com App
 
#7 ·
This is why I'm hesitant to get an m6. A few years back I had a 01 camaro ss m6 and I daily drove it. At first it was a blast to drive but after about a year it got old and annoying to drive in traffic and everyday. Even though the gxp won't be a DD I'm kind of scarred from my experience with the camaro.
 
#8 ·
Manual: more work but more fun.
Auto: easy driving, but the trannys have had issues.
 
#9 ·
Auto. Faster in the 1/4 (stock), I've had zero issues with mine, a tune really wakes them up.

The manuals require regular maintenance on the clutch slave cylinder, frequent clutch fluid changes due to clutch dust getting past the seal and contaminating the fluid.

And you'll never need to replace the clutch in an auto (except at rebuild time).
 
#10 ·
In my case, i'll pick an A6 if i wanted to drag race the car every weekend, M6 for everything, and i mean everything else.

I don't regret driving an auto, much less now that i have a stall, but this was my first auto car ever, and more likely i won't be buying another auto powered car until i get to the 80's or 90's :) always drove manual transmissions, and my heart is with a stick shift trans.

My next car would be stick, i'm fairly happy with this A6 trans, but damn it it's not a stick shift, and would never be close to it in feeling and fun, traffic or not. the only reason i bought this car is because i really wanted to learn how to tune this transmissions, that and the special price it had back in 2009 (6k-8k less than sticker), which gave me the opportunity to trade my GTO without even looking back, Lol that i regret, but you'll always learn from your onw mistakes, so they won't happen again, Believe me i tried to buy a GXP, but there was none of them available when i bought the GT, heck, this GT was the last one available around 60 miles from the dealer in Michigan back in Dec 24 when i brought her home. Lol, she was really one of those "last of the breed ones", literally...
 
#11 ·
Manuals are harder to come by, since so few of our car were produced.

Good thing about an A6 is they all come with sport shifters, which I use exclusively in my GXP. It's certainly not a M6, but the sport shifter is somewhat like a manual without a clutch.
 
#12 ·
I've owned both.. and personally, wouldn't buy an Auto, nothing wrong with them, but I love the manual, it's a lot more fun to drive?
For me, any type of sports car is more fun in a manual. Buy what you like, if you enjoy driving a stick, go for it!
Hey, and guess what??? My M6 is up for sale!!! :)
 
#14 ·
I got an M6. Had an auto GT and got bored with it. The sportshift is no where near the same as actually shifting an M6.

However, after a while the M6 became pretty damn tedious. Way too much stop and go traffic where i'm from. Also realized I like to multi task way to much for an M6. the M6 is fun during spirited driving but it sucks for everyday imo. When I sell my M6 GXP I'll probably either go back to a modded GT, or an A6 GXP.
 
#15 ·
I'd say A6. I get a kick out of sport mode, pedal to floor, and wave.

Sent from a nuke plant with my S3
 
#19 ·
This question is like asking who is hotter, Kate Upton or Giselle Bundchen. No matter which one you are with, you occasionally daydream of the other. I had a gt and sold it to get an m6 gxp. I sometimes miss my auto in traffic then I get in the curves and remember why I bought the manual.
 
#20 ·
Drive both and you decide... I have the M6 and dont' regret it. You feel more connected and in control of the car. I don't know what all the whining ;) is having a stick in traffic. NY traffic is horendous and I drove a stick. Just stretch your calf and achilles when you get out and you're good to go :)
 
#23 ·
Daily drive my M6. Not once in the 3.5 years I've owned it have I wished I had an A6.
 
#25 ·
Can't go wrong with either one really. Comes down to what you really want. The main reason I bought mine was for the M6. Personally I only want to drive a manual. No disrespect to the auto guys, just what I prefer. Bottom line it is a great car!
 
#26 ·
M6 and never looked back for 2 reasons: I prefer simplicity wherever possible (fewer mechanical parts, fewer electronic parts, heat not as much of a concern), and a properly executed heel/toe downshift is intoxicating.

Wait, and a 3rd reason: my wife doesn't drive manuals, and has no interest in learning. :driving:
 
#29 ·
Wait, and a 3rd reason: my wife doesn't drive manuals, and has no interest in learning. :driving:
This is definitely a perk of the M6! My girlfriend has been DYING to drive my car, but can't drive a stick. With her propensity to hit stationary objects, I consider this a huge plus. :)

I drove both before making my purchase (although in my mind, I had already decided on an M6)... and as others have said, a good TCM tune is a MUST. In stock form, the A6 is an absolute slush box...
 
#28 ·
The only reason I have a GT is because I couldn't justify the $10,000 premium for the M6 GXP - but that is WITHOUT A DOUBT what I wanted and still would want. I have said this before on the forum and stand by it - since i can't help but mod my cars anyhow - there is (was) literally no reason to pay a premium for the GXP w/ an A6 because the GT is 90% there stock and since I'll tinker w/ it anyways it'll get the power difference made up and then some. The M6 is what makes a GXP a GXP IMO NOTHING out there was even remotely close to it in terms of size/power/price w/ an M6 - only cars that come to mind are the BMW 550 and M5 and CTS-V and they're much more expensive and both smaller.

I miss driving a manual and my next car will be a manual. The auto in the G8 is terrific, but I just miss having a manual and w/ my ADHD gives me something to keep busy w/ while I drive lol!
 
#30 ·
I had a stick before this car and I can do every single thing with my slapstick as I used to do with stick, that includes racing and drifting in the snow.

This is the 21st century. Computers can shift faster than humans. If you want to go faster, then get the A6. If you want to have fun like you would in the M6, then get the A6 and use the slap stick. Yes you lack the fun of using the clutch, but that is not worth picking the M6 over the A6 for. If it was a M6 vs a A6 without slapstick, then this would indeed be a tough decision.
 
#63 ·
I had a stick before this car and I can do every single thing with my slapstick as I used to do with stick, that includes racing and drifting in the snow.
Oh, really? You can coast to a stoplight? Or start out in first, second, or even third? Skip a gear or two? Heel-toe shift into a turn?
I'm not knocking the auto trans. But don't pretend it can do everything the manual can.
Why you targeted me for a flame war I have no idea, but next time if you read my post correctly, you will notice I mentioned nothing about me skipping gears or heal toe shifts into turns; I didn't do that in my stick. And I won't even go into the other stuff since I see multiple people have already corrected you on the other stuff.
 
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