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I'd never re-think my decision to insist on a manual-equipped GTO, but I'm wondering if others think this Tremec unit is as much work as I do. I've spent the better part of my adult life in one gym or another, but I'm tellin' ya--if I could rig up one of these six-speeds for each hand, I could skip lat pulls.
I'm exaggerating, of course. It's fun shifting this thing. But prior to purchasing my car a few week ago, when I was reading the now-infamous Car and Driver article and reviews in other motor mags, I wondered if the writers were just being whiny when they described the shifter as "notchy" or as having "long throws." Or maybe they'd just gotten out of a Honda S2000. I'd read the same things about C5s, and I thought the manual in my C5 was great.
But darned if it didn't turn out that this Tremec six is a little notchy. Out of curiosity, I revisted the Pontiac Web site to see what they had to say about this manual. Here you go:
I'm wondering if by "martial art" they meant those guys who whack a stack of blocks in half? Kidding!
Actually, I'm just assuming it takes a fairly stout transmission to handle the torque load of the LS2, and that those rugged internals account for the hefty feel. And while rowing this six-speed in traffic isn't a job for the inattentive or lazy, the thing works exactly as you'd want when the road ahead is empty and the light turns green.
Still, I think my right shoulder is getting disproportionately larger than my left one. . .
I'm exaggerating, of course. It's fun shifting this thing. But prior to purchasing my car a few week ago, when I was reading the now-infamous Car and Driver article and reviews in other motor mags, I wondered if the writers were just being whiny when they described the shifter as "notchy" or as having "long throws." Or maybe they'd just gotten out of a Honda S2000. I'd read the same things about C5s, and I thought the manual in my C5 was great.
But darned if it didn't turn out that this Tremec six is a little notchy. Out of curiosity, I revisted the Pontiac Web site to see what they had to say about this manual. Here you go:
A race-proven unit known for short, crisp throws and perfectly spaced gears, the Tremec turns shifting into a martial art. A combo of double- and triple-cone synchronizers, plus needle bearings on all forward gear sets, makes shifts smooth and precise.
I'm wondering if by "martial art" they meant those guys who whack a stack of blocks in half? Kidding!
Actually, I'm just assuming it takes a fairly stout transmission to handle the torque load of the LS2, and that those rugged internals account for the hefty feel. And while rowing this six-speed in traffic isn't a job for the inattentive or lazy, the thing works exactly as you'd want when the road ahead is empty and the light turns green.
Still, I think my right shoulder is getting disproportionately larger than my left one. . .