32,000 Miles in Our C8 Corvette Stingray | What It’s Like to Live With the Mid-Engine Corvette
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- Опубликовано: 12 май 2024
- After 32,000 miles, we’re finally saying goodbye to our long-term 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. Over the last four years, we’ve put our C8 through a LOT, from U-Drags to canyon carving to daily driving, and it’s held up remarkably well. In this video, the Edmunds editorial team talks through our Corvette ownership experience, including what went wrong, what went right, and everything in between.
00:00 Intro
00:37 What's It Like to Drive?
01:14 Interior & Comfort
02:54 Repairs & Maintenance
04:09 Racing
07:09 Edmunds' Take
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Do you think the Corvette ownership experience is worth the money? Let us know in the comments!
Replace this clown host with a real car guy, and stop forcing this alphabet agenda down our throats
Had mine for 10 months and it's AWESOME! Sometimes I don't even need to go anywhere, but I'll just jump in the car and start driving.
*NOT A SUPERCAR*
I have a 2023 3LT Z51 and love it. Just enough horsepower. I love driving it more than my 550hp Jaguar F-Pace SVR.
Definitely worth the money; I don't believe you could have leased one for the amount you spent on buying (enjoying) and selling your example.
I took delivery of my C8 Z51 in December 2020 and have driven over 54,000 miles, including 70+ HPDE track days (Sebring, Watkins Glen, Road America, Mid-Ohio, NCM). The only modification is Giro-Disc rotors with stainless steel brake lines. The C8 is magnificent, a true pleasure to drive in all weather (including several inches of snow with all season tires on an extra set of wheels). Exceptional reliability with very good gas mileage (21mpg normal driving, 25-27mpg highway, once obtaining over 30mpg for 50+ miles). To sum up, I LOVE THIS F*****G CAR!!
Louder!!! I can't effing hear you!
Thanks for the post, man. Truly enjoyed reading your post.
Did you drive the car to all of those track days? Just curious if you were able to trust it to get you there and back, as well as performing at the track.
Yes, from the Chicago area to all of the track days except for Sebring, which was a two hour drive to the track each way. My C8 has been exceptionally reliable so long as properly maintained and "sensibly" driven.
Wow. I’m contemplating trading my gt350 for one. 🍻
I've never liked Corvettes, until the C8. Everything I've seen, everything you've shown and said, proves it is a super star.
Dominating LeMans for 20+ years also proves Corvettes have been super stars for decades 🇺🇸
I just garaged my brand new 2024 HTC Z51 after putting 280 miles on the clock since delivery most of the miles were commuting in heavy rain below 2000 rpm and it did great so far. The sun came out and I got out my 964 for a drive (I committed to myself I would sell when the Stingray was delivered) and it is hard to imagine two cars more different. After that I wanted to keep both but your video help me remember why I bought the Stingray; daily driving a Porsche is great but good maintenance and parts are expensive and reliability is a total crapshoot. I considered a new 911 that theoretically shouldn't have been too much more than my 100K+ Stingray build but I concluded the cost per mile for a daily driver would be too high, plus the Chevy salesman called me back while the Porsche dealer apparently expected me to keep showing up to beg to order a 911 for MSRP++, if you are lucky enough to get on their order book. I love Porsches but I'm afraid their contrived scarcity sales strategy is killing the golden goose.
I love C8 Corvette but I live in Pakistan and can't afford one yet because of this video 📸 and similar videos on RUclips I can live the dream 🏆.
In other words ty
Anything is possible! Make that dream true!!
I have had 11 Corvettes from C1 to C8 HTC and I agree the C8 Corvette is the best ever made.
Absolutely love my ‘24 C8
The dude sitting on the car was giving me palpitations👀
Good!
@@clintsimone that’s not good
@@brianthomas131Why not? No one would care if you think he’s attractive.
I assume it’s because no true car guy would ever sit on a car let alone a Corvette
@@cwg73160 hilarious! I think he meant cause the guy was sitting on the car which is a no no.
Solid video and review. Luckily in my 17k miles I have not had the tire issues just rotor/brake pad issues on the track. It is good to hear the interior is holding up!
They likely did track alignment on theirs. You can see the wear from the negative camber on their car. Glad to hear your car is holding up.
Love my 23 C8. It made me run to the dealership to get one. I can’t afford a European supercar, but I can afford one of these and arguably still be on par or better than some of the best supercars from the past 10yrs.
My 2016 C7 has no squeaks and interior is almost as good as new. Only have had rear shocks replaced. Sitting at 75+K miles now. This is likely the first and last vett I will own since I have to have a 'man' transmissions. I love to drive , not be driven.
C8 has paddle shifters like many other supercars and can be shifted 'man'ually as you implied. If you just love grabbing a stick and moving it around by hand you may have other 'man' issues.
The most impressive bit to me is that GM has managed to do such a good job on their very first attempt at a mid-engine car (since the fiero that is). There are definitely some QC issues, particularly with the earlier cars, but they’re all warrantied and the design itself has done fantastically
Don’t forget the Corvair! Also failed with help from Ralph Nader
Our 2023 3Lt HTC non-Z51 with performance exhaust, front lift, low spoiler and front lift is the best car this 75 yo has ever driven, we love it.
First oil change and trans filter is free.... also cracked windshield happens on any car. Not sure why you would include those expenses.
Sit low and you will get cracked windshields i promise
@@noName-kn1lx Drove my C8 for 3 years and now Z06 for over a year and never had a crack. Not sure what sit low means...
@@markoon139
I think he means vehicle height, but 🤷🏽
@@markoon139 it means that rocks spit up hit your windshield instead of your grill.at 80 mph
@@noName-kn1lx maybe don't follow other vehicles so close?
Absolutely Love It! This is the beginning of a new era for Corvette.
I've had my '23 Z51 for a year this month. Had a '19 Grand Sport before it, a '13 GS before that, a '99 Z51 6 speed convertible before that, and a '97 C5, all bought either new or almost new. With each new generation, came amazing improvements over the prior. But with the new mid-engine C8, it was an astronomical leap, in virtually every way. The C8 is the easiest car to drive fast that I've ever driven. Of course, it helped that I took advantage of the Corvette Performance Driving course that is offered to new Corvette owners, which I highly recommend. It gave me the opportunity to test much more of the C8's capabilities than I ever would be able to do living in Hawaii. And being an avid golfer, the fact that I can fit my clubs in the trunk and still stash a bag the size of a carry on is a huge bonus. That being said, despite what GM says about being able to fit two full sets of clubs, I had to buy a smaller golf bag to fit well enough to squeeze another smaller golf bag in, unlike my C7, C6, or C5's. They could easily fit 2 good size bags, but they didn't have the frunk. All in, I am extremely happy with my C8. I ordered it very well optioned, and it came in around $98k - out the door including taxes. A lot of money, but you get a lot of car for the $. True supercar looks and performance, at a fraction of the cost all around, including initial cost, maintenance and repair costs, fuel costs, and especially insurance costs.
Thanks for the review. I bought a '23 HTC Elkhart blue with black top Z51 last summer. Other than a dead battery after two weeks the car has been a joy, and I am still suprised about the amount of praise it draws in traffic. After storing it for the winter I was very happy to be back in the saddle.
I have a 2024 Corvette C8 convertible. Love it!
I can’t believe how well Chevrolet did with this car.
The HVAC buttons may be hard to find (and they are) but I'll take my buttons over embedding those functions in touch screen menus. All of my grips with this car are nit-picks, I love my C8!
I actually like the HVAC button wall. Once you familiarize yourself with the user-friendly layout, it is extremely easy to use by touch alone. Plus, it gives more of a fighter pilot cockpit feel, similar to how I felt back in '90, when I bought the then new Nissan 300ZX Turbo. That was also a great car for it's time, and the looks have held up very well after all these years when I occasionally see one on the road.
I waited 1 1/2 years to get my 2020 C8 and I'm completely satisfied, nothing but miles of smiles. My 5th Corvette and the Best By Far 👍⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I have a 22 c8 8k miles on it and still am amazed at the gas mileage highway and street it gets as a daily driver with all the horses sitting right in your back ready to go at any given time
Gm nailed it and it’s only going to get better
I about died when he detailed only spending 1300.00 in regular maintenance in over 30,000 miles. You could have bought a base sting ray for the cost of maintenance on a Ferrari at 30,000 miles!! Ok maybe not, but I’d bet it’s close
That's the nice thing about getting a chevy
Agreed. Not sure what part of the country he's in but chevy offers the first oil change and transmission filter change at 7500 mile for free on the on the C8 in the first 2 years of ownership. I haven't paid for any maintenance in the 1 year and 4 months of ownership of my 2023 c8 convertible. I'm at 9400 miles with 22% life on my oil so I'll take it in soon for an oil change. My dealer said my next oil change will also be free since its within 2 years of my C8's in service date. I did replace a rear tire ($530) due to large nail in the run flat (which performed as advertised and allowed me to drive home 7 miles with zero pressure in the tire). Love the car but I'm considering upgrading to the Eray. The C8 is the best performance value on the car market.
Not for a new Ferrari. 7 years free scheduled maintenance according to the factory schedule.
Now that the Stingrays are MSRP or even below, now is the time to pick one up if you have the means.
I own a 2016 Z06 with 36000 miles and I have had no issues. My interior has held up without any squeaks rattles or anything . I test drove a c8 and still prefer my c7 z06.
I sold my 16 Z three years ago. I had the Lingenfelter 720hp package and I sold it with 60k and it was flawless. But, it still have the Chevy quality which will
Never go away. The car was to much for the streets but, at the drag strip she really shined.
I own a C6 Z06, I can’t hear any squeaking or rattling over the kooks/borla. Does the car rocking from side to side at a stoplight count? I think not cause it gets a lot of love just about every time I stop for gas… I like the C8 but the C6 Z is a timeless halo vette. 650 hp, NA and 3100 lbs. yea, not stock but it still drives very well even at legal temperament.
@@motorgearhead😂 Got my eyes on a C6 ZO6…holding value very well.
@@cozmicsoull - they are holding $ very well. For the price point they are hard to beat. The car is kinda raw, a little unrefined and a great deal of fun. It certainly has personality and character.
Try the C8 Z06
Great final thoughts on the C8. Well worth it and im sure you all are going to miss it and it does deserve a high spot in Edmunds history. First mid engine corvette and no major issues that most new generation cars have. You beat that thing for years , not just casual driving with SOME spirited driving , it was the opposite.
I valet parked corvettes in the 80s (yeah i Know thats a long time ago) todays corvettes are several orders of magnitude greater in quality and excellence. It is truly a car I will own.... soon... very.... soon !!!
Thanks for the review.
Just wanted to add that by far where this car smokes everything else is in looks. When you pull up in a torch red c8 you experience what it is to be a super model about town.
except the butt ugly rear - the stock spoiler and lights are awful they should have went back to circular taillights and a flat or duckwing default spoiler like on the z06
@@neo4102 no argument on the rear. Also, I prefer it without the spoiler.
@@pooshNchums some youtubers like this guy gabe made a great transformation on the stock C8 with a larger quad exhaust, lower ride height and duckbill spoiler - THIS is what a stock corvette shoudl look like
ruclips.net/video/X9Wo0ho8tKE/видео.html
yeah this car unfortunately has angles.... I feel the C7 has a better overall profile than the C8, which has some better angles, but some worse ones.
One of the best Corvettes of all time. Can't wait to see what they do next with Corvette
In my 16,000+ mi I have not had any issues with the tires or windshield or anything else.
I will own a corvette one day
Had a c8 z06 and now my 2nd c8 stingray. Hard to beat for the money. Great cars
Great job guys! I have a 2021 HTC Z51 and I’m still impressed by this machine. Love the information you guys share
Great review. When you do a review of an outgoing long-term tester, I believe most people want to know "How would you option the car differently if you bought it today?" You obviously appreciated the front-end lift feature. Do you still think Z51 is necessary? What about magnetic ride control? Could you go for a decontented LT1 and still be happy? For prospective buyers, this is valuable insight from a long-term test. Thanks!
they tracked it hard, the bigger brakes, cooling, and better tires alone made up the cost, you get the eLSD for free essentially
This is great feedback, thank you!
After having my C6 with mag ride for 12 years and 70k miles, I would consider mag ride an essential option. Chevy should just make it standard equipment.
I have a mag-ride C7 it’s an amazing system that has spoiled me forever. The car can be grand touring smooth or locked down on rails for the track with just the twist of a knob.
Thank you for posting this video. I've been watching the used Corvette market for many years. I can finally afford to buy one in cash this December 2024.
Best Vette to date by a mile, no doubt. Finally gets the mid-mounted engine, supercar look and performance while still being all undeniable Vette. I only lament the lack of manual gearbox option for an even more engaging driving experience.
I like that you had it for 3 years👏🏽
Every time I'm on the track with the Stingray I find myself saying, "I can't believe how fast this is for the price I paid". On the street it's a bit frustrating because you're never remotely close to its limits. Chevy/GM really knocked it out of the park with this car.
I owned a ‘23 C8 Coupe Z51 from new to 3300 miles. It’s a bad ass and comfortable car. Highly recommended one. It was the New Balance and jeans shorts crowd at Cars & Coffee that had me sell it. I’ll get sh-t for this but that’s what did it. Ordered a new 911 GTS and I’ll report how that experience is in a couple months after it arrives. But if you’re on the fence about a C8, you will love it. Just don’t skimp on seats and Magnetic Ride and please don’t wear NB sneakers 🇺🇸🏁
GREAT car for the price. American car engineering at its finest!
just past 50k miles and its been smiles non stop
Your three-year ownership was a lucky one in some ways. I have heard from mechanics who work on them that half the rear end has to come off for many small items to be replaced. At today's labor costs, that is not something to look forward to. I think it is a beautiful car but a totally different look from all the rest. I have a C7 and it is my last Corvette.
Love our C8. Only change I'm making is to attempt to address a problem you experienced: bent wheels and ruined tires, by reducing the wheel size from 19/20 to 18/19. Small as I can go with the massive brakes she has.
If you replace the wheels with forged alloy ones and you could keep the 20” size and they wouldn’t break. And if you move to a state without potholes, the tires wouldn’t break either. :-)
@@MegaTucker26 Forged wheels won't protect the tires from cutting the sidewalls. Also, we take our Vette on road trips annually (usually ~5000 miles), and the extra sidewall profile *should* make for a better ride.
Did the same thing with my C7 Z51. Stock wheels were ugly heavy chrome monsters with silly low profile tires. The 18/19 combo is also cheaper on the wallet when doing track days.
I have a 2021 C8....love it!
The First DCT Filter change @ 7500 miles should have been FREE.
love mine so far, as long as it stays reliable i will be happy
will have my c8 for 2 years in July. 2023 model. I have had to pay for one oil change. one was free. one coming up soon. but was only about 90 bucks. 18k miles on it. i do not track it through. had 3 tires replaced because of flats, but I have the tire insurance and it paid for them. so far I have 90 bucks in maintance on it.
I got the Front lift on my C8 (although I have no Aero-bits)- Never use it.....
I have a(murdered out) 2023 HTC/Z51-AMAZING!Best car I have ever owned.4th vette (1993,1994,2019 7speed manual).I do not care what the value or depreciation is.I am keeping this baby.
The C8 is an amazing sports car for a relative cheap price. It is an American Icon. What is the closest mid-engine rival and for how much more???
The closest mid engine cars I can think of would be the 718 Cayman (identical starting price), Emira (77 grand, and 911 Carrera (116 grand). The Cayman and Emira aren’t in the same league as the Vette, and even the base Carrera can’t quite keep up. The Carrera S is as quick if not quicker, but it costs 133 grand.
@@rwilson4073 Thanks!
@@rwilson4073 well Emira are not available yet at 77k and probably won’t ever be. Right now you can 1st editions for just over 100k. And finally after 2 years, they are now being delivered on the USA. The Emira is nowhere near as quick as the C8, it’s a different type of sports car.
@@sevenflashowls exactly. They produce more C8s than Emiras & Caymans combined, and more stingrays than all 911 variants combined.
@user-gs5br6vg7w unfortunately, Mr. Multi-Millionaire youtube commenter, plenty of poorer, less-wise commonfolk are lining up at the doors to buy them. Hopefully someone can put a stop to them damn union workers and their unreasonable demands 😤
No question Corvette Racing is a big factor in performance and design…(Z51, HTC) I had a little rough start with those bad batches of pushrods…then apparently after repair, someone didn’t put the spark plug wire on all the way, so we limped in again BUT since then nothing but fun - the car is certainly fast enough as expected but holding the road is my eye opener…
Such an amazing car
The external DCT filter was due to be changed again at 22,500 miles. Did you guys do that as well? Wasn't specifically mentioned when you were going over maintenance costs
This is probably not the place to ask this but what if one was interested in submitting for online talent? Is there a link that I can use? Great videos as always btw 😁
As a ferrari lambo and Porsche owner, those C8 service costs are amazingly low…try 5-6x higher on mine
What I think of it's place in automotive history ... I own one ... a red mist convertible. Why not replace it with a Z06 or E-Ray?
My 2023 C8 reminds me a lot of my c6 Z06. They drive and feel a lot the same. Really concerned about the horror stories of the transmission tho. Im keeping my fingers crossed.
It's still not enough to pull me out of my '13 Z06. Especially with the fear of the AFM. Not just with GM, but, with many others, the cylinder deactivation lifters can fail early (65-75Kmi) and wipe out the cam. I've heard of mod kits to physically remove that system. About $5K it costs to have it done, I believe....
This car was meant to be driven and it was 🔥🔥🔥
awesome!
GM is killing it.
I like the car but don't love it. They even said in the video this car drives fast by itself. If you want a car all about the numbers then this is the easiest and most cost effective way to get it. I have had slower cars that gave me more of the fizz. I miss my e92 M3 manual. But due to its reliability issues I traded it in on the C8
Love that C8 and wish could own one, but sadly just a dream
I love my 21 Z51!
E -Ray! Bring it on.
Four sets of tires!?! Dang
This is very misleading. Multiple staffers, multiple track days, multiple burnouts. This is a shady review.
@@backnu What part of "neither of these two things are the car's fault" @3:21 did you not understand?
@@backnu ah, that makes sense. I had a Camaro SS 1LE and those tires lasted about 18k miles. I thought that was short. 4 sets in 32.5k miles would be a little over 8k miles per set. That’s crazy.
@@backnunothing was misleading. It was a sports car that they actually used as a Sports car.
My M3 ate 10 sets of tires including multiple track days during 137,000 miles of service.
Very impressive car. Just wish it was a bit smaller/lighter instead of being forced to have a big butt for golf clubs
Nice!
The c8 is my dream car, ill buy one this year or next
🤔 Optioned Rapid Blue with nose lift sold for $61,000.00?
Somebody's friend got a deal.
Great car! Well done, Chevy!
Too bad I don't have the space and the money for every car that I like.
Hard to beat this for msrp
3 windshields?
Is it true that they selling driving trends to insurance companies using onboard onstar which is raising insurance premiums?
Also, what about AFM that cuts off 2 cylinders, doesn’t it dent the driving experience?
There’s ways to bypass the car going to 4 cylinders if you want - by driving it in Z mode or using the manual mode (paddle shifters).
Oil change and transmission tray is about what I pay for my 911 TT and that's just for a standard oil change..😅
As far as its place in History. Will go down as the best Performance Bargain in the last 50 years. I cant think of anything that comes close.
EDIT: why include your bad luck with tires and windshields in "cost of ownership"? I mean, that is not on the car, thats on you. Maybe label it "our cost of ownership due to bad luck" ;)
Best Chevy ever. No contest - C8 Corvette.
i would love to see c8-z06 vs acura nsx type-s
C8 Vette is awesome, but for a bit less money, i found the RS3 to be a much better daily driver and much easier car to live with on a regular basis in year-round weather!!
Was looking at a C8 for several months but bought a F-Type instead. I chose the F-Type as it has AWD, longer warranty, more cargo space, classic body design and awesome exhaust noise!!
Bring back the four round taillights.
00 00
@0:40-1:14 Has April 1st vibes.
I switched from a 22 Hellcat Charger Widebody Black Edition to the C8 3LT Z51 Convert and let me tell you. The C8 is hands down more fun to drive and you get more "great car" comments than "lets race" comments by teenagers. I have to say the power of the hellcat is unmatched. It never ends but thats also the problem unless you are going 100mph you are constantly losing traction and that car is scary to drive in heavy rain. The C8 I would drive in snow its that planted. The downfall is cargo space compared to a full sized sedan but overall the C8 is fantastic for the grocery store. The rear trunk works perfect. Nothing tips over and unless you live far from the grocery store you dont have to worry about anything melting. I will have to say the front lift on C8 is a lifesaver. I love the feature. Havent scraped once yet in 5k miles.
I will let you know. I am buying one today.
My poor 1lt is lowered an inch and has no lift. That splitter gets abused haha. I got my 2024 for 66k new. It's a ton of car for that.
Corvette, since the C4, has managed something no other car anywhere has managed: it's a muscle car, a GT/daily car, and a sports car all in one package. That's not the amazing part. Here's that: it's really good at all three. A law of the universe says that a jack of all trades is riddled with compromises. The Corvette breaks that law and chuckle softly as "exotic" vehicles costing 2-3 times more and with identical performance catch fire or blow up at 50,000 miles.
WHO BOUGHT IT...ONE OF YOU GUYS? I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO PURCHASED THAT CAR!!!!!!!!!!
Is this your first Corvette? I noticed C8 drivers don’t acknowledge C7 and older like we purest.
Must be like all those early C2 buyers who were so enamored of the leap in performance that they never acknowledged the sacrifice of those dashing C1 guys with drum brakes, solid axles… and a trunk. Still like late C1’s, late C2’s, early C3’s, and C7’s. But I’d probably not trade my C8 for one as either a driver or a track car.
I want one, but man the prices are still just inflated for anything relatively new. Selling this one for $20k less than you bought after driving it as hard as you did and it being 4 years old, yes low mileage, but man not sure what it will take to get into one with a decent package without braking the bank
Lol. For me it took a $45k trade-in + $50k in cash. Prices will drop eventually, and you'll be able to find a good deal somewhere.
Prices right now are in freefall, I’ve found C8s brand new on dealer lots below MSRP very recently. Production has been ramped up considerably, so prices shouldn’t be too bad now or in the near future depending where you’re at.
I think a driver that has actually held a Vette as their dream car will talk better care of it and not abuse it like your team did. It’s by Brandon’s standards a steal amongst international super cars. Awesome vehicle.
They didn't necessarily abuse it. The car is made for the track.
@@ohfacexo the multiple sets of tires, brakes, and one of the team members sitting on the hood of that car were abuse. I’m picky.
@@us1fedvet I'm not above throwing hands if someone sits on the hood of mine. I get it.
How are the transmission on these? I heard there are issues?
Within milliseconds of a PDK (for a lot less money). I’ve heard of some having issues too, but mine has 22,000 miles on it now and was one of the 1st 10,000 produced, haven’t had a hiccup yet. But I haven’t done a burnout on it either, kind of miss that….😢
Great video! The car is amazing and they are meant to be driven hard but maybe not sat on.
I’ll sit in a chair next time, don’t worry
Someone paid over $60k for that thing that’s beat on for 4 years? Well at least they know the history of the car lol.
So, you guys lost so much money when selling it. Used corvettes with more miles are selling for more money. So it still is a great value compared to other mid engine cars.
Máquina possante CORVETTE
I got a 30 sec ad into 1:15 of this video wtf… anyone have any recommendations how to bypass lol? Not bouta pay premium just to not have ads either.
If driving a car fast is your primary objective (and who buys a Corvette if they are not an enthusiast) then this car is fine. That said, is the C8 a viable daily drive … not really unless you have money to burn and need (no demand) to be noticed. Glad Chevrolet made it, but there are hundreds of better options for a daily driver.
He lied about not wanting more , I want more 😤
Absolutely. I love everything about my C8. Looks, MRC, engine, DTC and especially refinement are all world class. The C8 is a great handling, and great performing sports car while also riding great. It rides so well that you may think that you are driving a luxury car, but the road noise reminds you this is a performance car. The biggest downside: dealers are taking advantage of the hype to charge more on maintenance. I love the squared steering wheel especially after driving it and having even more reference points when turning the wheel makes you realize this enhances performance materially. All the critics of the squircle and the in line controls simply say they are not used to it. But like the in line controls, once you become familiar with each, they work very well together and you appreciate the excellent ergonomics, functionality and performance. The C8 engineers thought through everything far more than any of the critics. You just have be objective that the new technology may improve performance And, he leads the charge against anything without a manual. I, we get it. I still have my Integra GSR because, its a manual. At Spring Mountain, the instructors taught us to shift manually and performance was outstanding. Again, once you try the DCT, nothing matches it.