Manual is better? Ok, but what about..............

[96MuscleStang]

Ok, I'm getting all the messages about how a manual is "way" better then an automatic, but after reading more and more on the 05 Mustang, I’m wondering how this 5 speed automatic is going to be. Like some others here, my wife isn’t crazy about driving a stick and it’s been a long time since I have driven one in a Chicago winter (which if you don’t know, really s*%s). Anyone know anything about this new automatic?

 

[shatner saves]

Like some others here, my wife isn’t crazy about driving a stick...

 

[scottie1113]

There was a post on this about a week ago, I think. One mechanic had some bad experience with it in a different Ford vehicle, but I think with all the testing Ford is doing on the 2005 mules it should be pretty good.

As far as the manual being "way" better, I think that depends on where you live, traffic, and driving style.

After almost 4 decades of driving nothing but manuals I went to an auto because of Southern California traffic. When I moved to Northern California where the white stuff actually comes down, I found that tires were much more of a limiting factor than my transmission.

Go with what makes you and your wife happy. Domestic tranquillity is much more important than what the guys here think.

 

[PonyGrl420]

why not just get you wife used to driving a stick? Its like second nature after a while and you dont even realize you have to shift. I guess its better to get a auto and make her happy though. Autos can always be worked.
Bah...i hope i never have to make that decision.

 

[96MuscleStang]

Ok, truth be known, she has never driven a stick, hence why she's not too crazy about it. She wants to learn, but I don't know if I want to trash the trans on a new car teaching her how to drive it! I wanted to teach her how to drive it in my 96, I figured that if I get rid of it, who cares if she drops the trans, right? Well she’s too afraid of the car to try and drive it. So does anyone have any good suggestions here?

 

[03zincgt]

No worries just get the automatic, hell it's going to be pushing 300 hp. I own a stick but my next stang might very well be an automatic. (Getting older and traffic is getting lamer.)

In the the old days a stick was imperative in say a four cylinder car. They simply couldn't get out of their own way. Alot has changed.

 

[FinlayZJ]

I'm getting a stick for one big reason:

I want to tell my stang what gear to be in............not a computer.

 

[ChromeYellowGT]

I'm getting the auto simply because you can't race a manual car while talking on the phone, eating takeout, and holding a 1liter Dew. Plus I already have a 5 speed 3rdgen Z28 and Isuzu Impulse(it wasn't easy to admit that).

 

[CManT1914]

I'm getting the auto simply because you can't race a manual car while talking on the phone, eating takeout, and holding a 1liter Dew. Plus I already have a 5 speed 3rdgen Z28 and Isuzu Impulse(it wasn't easy to admit that).

You wanna bet? LOL, I've done it, phone cradled on shoulder, drink between the legs, and burger in the mouth, leaves both hands free!

 

[KingDiamond]

If I buy a new mustang it's going to be a stick. You shouldn't be on the phone when you're driving, I always ignore calls when I'm driving. Eating in a car that nice? How dare you!

 

[itsgreat2bme]

The only dirving I do is city driving, stop go stop go stop go. I haven't learned to drive stick 100% yet, but I don't want to learn on my 05 that's for sure, and my current stang is also an auto. The way I see it, I want to customize my stang for my needs, and city driving is screaming "buy an auto-magic". The only reason I'd buy a stick would be to save a few bucks

-Sarah

 

[calvado]

There are plenty of advantages of a manual even in the city...

When you're going down a hill, just put in 3rd and that's it, let the car go...
Plus, you really do feel the engine.. I mean, the connection you have with you car is so good.. there's no auto tranny that can come close to the simplest manual tranny... impossible...
Plus, you can control how much gaz you want to inject when you accelerate.... As I always said, manual transmissions are really for people who love to drive just for the sake of driving while auto trans are only for people who use their car to go from point A to B..

I mean, when you're driving in curves like in the Maine scenery road that it at least 100 miles long... it's so good to feel the engine at the end of the curve when you're putting your foot on gaz & going in 3rd, 4 then 5th gear...


That's it.. Manual is for pleasure & Auto is for convenience...
I prefer Manual all they way

 

[scottie1113]

There are plenty of advantages of a manual even in the city...

When you're going down a hill, just put in 3rd and that's it, let the car go...
Plus, you really do feel the engine.. I mean, the connection you have with you car is so good.. there's no auto tranny that can come close to the simplest manual tranny... impossible...
Plus, you can control how much gaz you want to inject when you accelerate.... As I always said, manual transmissions are really for people who love to drive just for the sake of driving while auto trans are only for people who use their car to go from point A to B..

I mean, when you're driving in curves like in the Maine scenery road that it at least 100 miles long... it's so good to feel the engine at the end of the curve when you're putting your foot on gaz & going in 3rd, 4 then 5th gear...


That's it.. Manual is for pleasure & Auto is for convenience...
I prefer Manual all they way

Preety much true. I bought my automatic because of heavy Southern California traffic, but it's still a pleasure for me to drive it, even on twisty roads. I'm not going back to a manual for a daily driver.

 

[Z28x]

Buy what makes you happy, Manual tranny people are 10x more loyal than people are to Chevy or Ford, you can't trust their opinion.

I was raised on automatics but 50% of the cars I have own have been manuals, I've seen the best and worse of both worlds. I could one own one car and it was my daily driver it would be an automatic (with the exception of the GTO because th auto gas milage sux and the Mach 1 because the auto isn't fast enough) The '05 auto will hopfully be almost on par with the manual since they both have 5 gears.

 

[demillso]

I would definitely go with the stick. I don't care how many gears it has, it will still not have the performance of the stick or be as fun to drive. I just drove an auto Mach 1 the other day and was seriously disappointed. And furthermore, and I've found this out through experience, if the wife can't drive a stick, she will try to borrow the car a lot less often

 

[RICKS]

Ok, truth be known, she has never driven a stick, hence why she's not too crazy about it. She wants to learn, but I don't know if I want to trash the trans on a new car teaching her how to drive it! I wanted to teach her how to drive it in my 96, I figured that if I get rid of it, who cares if she drops the trans, right? Well she’s too afraid of the car to try and drive it. So does anyone have any good suggestions here?

Hogwash. Horse hooey. That's just silly talk. "Drop the tranny"??? Teaching somebody to drive a stick is not going to trash your car, new or old. It's not going to likely affect it in the slightest, assuming your not the world's lousiest teacher. You find an empty parking lot. Put in the clutch, slip it in gear, a little gas, slowly let out the clutch, and bingo... What's the worst that could happen? She stall it?? That doesn't hurt anything. Drop the clutch and spin the wheels and scare you to death?? Big friggin deal, your car is designed and built to withstand that, no damage, just less life on your tires. Grinding gears? Just a little bit of gear missing, mis-synchronizing of shift lever and clutch pedal, is not going to hurt anything in any measurable way, you're HYPER paranoid, you're just making excuses. And the only reason she's afraid is because she's been allowed to be chicken for so many years now. Fear of something that once she gets a few practices under her belt, she'll LAUGH at herself for being such a nervous nellie. My sister and I were tooling around the neighborhood under my Mom's careful supervision at age 15 & 12 respectively in her little 4-speed 302-2V Mustang II. If I could drive a stick in my pajamas in 7th grade, without hurting my Mom's cheaply-built $hit-box, I think your wife can handle it!!

 

[lodom]

I'm strictly an auto driver for the reasons listed above and I asked the Ford Rep at the 40th anniv show in Nashville about the performance of the auto trans. He said it was very close to the manual, and in some areas of the RPM range actually felt better. I don't think the new auto will be as big of a penalty as the current 4-speed one is. The extra gear, wireless throttle, and the faster computer should really make a big difference in the feel of the car. If you drive a BMW 325 coupe with its optional auto trans you will experiance a car that stays in the power band in spirited driving and is very responsive, even with 186 HP. If the '05 feels even close to the 325, I'll be very happy. My only reservation may be the reliability of the 5-speed auto.

 

[boalgf]

I have nothing against a nice automatic ride. However, I was out looking at Saleens a few years back (before I heard about the new body style) and there is something about a car with that much power being an automatic that just makes me cringe. Mostly because I went through all the trouble looking it over, only to stare inside and see that beautiful stick missing...

 

[RICKS]

Driving an auto in a Mustang is like taking a shower with a raincoat on. It's like sex with a condom. It's prudent with those you're not very familiar with (just like you always get an auto when you rent), but when you're used to the real thing it only just ticks you off.

 

[ryanrule]

I would definitely go with the stick. I don't care how many gears it has, it will still not have the performance of the stick or be as fun to drive. I just drove an auto Mach 1 the other day and was seriously disappointed. And furthermore, and I've found this out through experience, if the wife can't drive a stick, she will try to borrow the car a lot less often

actually, an auto can have better perf than a stick. well actually its an auto-manual, but its done automatically