Go test drive both and auto and a manual and see which one you like best.
A few years ago I would have emphatically said manual, but my attitude is changing. I have always had a manual transmission car in my garge and I leard to drive on a manual. For many years my daily drivers were company cars, with of course automatic trannies. I put over half a million miles on those company cars and with their 4 speed autos. They were less than satisfying to drive. I longed for the weekends a getting a chance to take my manual trannie car out for a drive.
Then I got a Lincoln LS that has pretty much the same 5 speed automatic that the 05 Mustang uses. What an incredible difference that extra gear makes. The LS drives so well that a lot of the time I rather take it and leave my 01 Mustang GT manual trannie in the garage.
The 5 speed auto. upshifts far better than I can do it with a manual. Need to make a quick pass on a 2 lane road, just nail the gas, no reaching for a gear. But if you want to pick gears yourself, the LS has Ford's SST shifter that allows you to put the auto in any gear and hold it to fuel cut-off if you want. The only think I miss about the manual trannie, is downshifting, although you can do it with the SST, it just doesn't work as well as downshifting yourself.
Add in the mix that most drivers will be faster in a straight line with the auto Stang than the manual.
If Ford makes the SST shifter available on the 06 Stang I'll be getting an auto and finally packing it in on manual trannies.
I can't believe somebody suggested that an automatic transmission is better in the winter. That's the most ridiculous completely false statement I have ever heard on these boards.
A manual transmission is easier to get started without spinning the tires in the snow, because you can use as much clutch as you want (it's not going to ruin it, if it's slippery out the tires will spin if you use too much power, so no damage to the clutch). An automatic has much more severe and uncontrollable first gear throttle tip-in.
Also, once you are moving, you can rely entirely on engine braking in the winter, which is MUCH safer and more gradual than applying the brakes, especially if you manage to go into a corner too fast.
Manual is so far superior to auto in winter that it's not funny.
Automatics will up and downshift while you go around a corner, which in the snow WILL end up whipping the rear end out and maybe even put you in a spin, especially in a rear wheel drive car.
what wisdom you bring to the party. I don't see what age has to do with anything. What, do you think once you reach 30, it becomes harder to shift?
To put my $.02 on the original post, just simply get which tranny you will enjoy more. If you want pros/cons (I'll only list pros for each, because ones pros is argueably the others con), here is my opinion...
Auto
pro: easy, good for heavy traffic or if you eat or drink a lot in your car, or if you are more interested in talking on your cell phone than driving (assuming you don't use a hands free device).
Manual
pro: more of a sports car feel, better for bad weather (don't know what a previous poster was talking about when he said auto was better for this), some may consider it more "macho" (if you care what others think anyway).
I personally prefer manual in a sports car or sportier coupe. I prefer auto in a truck, SUV or luxury car.
I drove both the manual and auto. In the past I had two 5 speed GT's a 1983 and a 1987. neither of these GT's compare to my 05 in any stretch of the imagination, well except for the 83 which my Dad bought for me new. I still look at those pictures of that Burgundy baby. Anyway I chose the auto in my present GT, it is one responsive gear box. It gives me everything that I desire in this car. It really is a personal choice, just like color, or other options. Both gear boxes are extremely fun and exciting and will truly get your pulse working. I will offer one more personal opinion here, the auto in the GT, is the best auto that I have driven or been a passenger in.
I can't believe somebody suggested that an automatic transmission is better in the winter. That's the most ridiculous completely false statement I have ever heard on these boards.
A manual transmission is easier to get started without spinning the tires in the snow, because you can use as much clutch as you want (it's not going to ruin it, if it's slippery out the tires will spin if you use too much power, so no damage to the clutch). An automatic has much more severe and uncontrollable first gear throttle tip-in.
Also, once you are moving, you can rely entirely on engine braking in the winter, which is MUCH safer and more gradual than applying the brakes, especially if you manage to go into a corner too fast.
Manual is so far superior to auto in winter that it's not funny.
Automatics will up and downshift while you go around a corner, which in the snow WILL end up whipping the rear end out and maybe even put you in a spin, especially in a rear wheel drive car.
Of course age has something to do with a it. You'd tell a young kid getting his first sports car to get an automatic? I wouldn't. You'd tell an older guy with little experience shifting a manual tranny to get to get a manual? I wouldn't... I picked the 30 number out of the air--I figure if you've somehow made it to age 30 without knowing the joys of shifting a manual tranny, it's probably not gonna happen... The new auto in this car is supposed to be very very good. Also, the new clutch is supposed to be a lot lighter... So ultimately it probably doesn't matter much unless you have a bum leg or gimped hand or something.