TR 3650?? Is this right for me? Please have many questions!

savatage_dude · Feb 16, 2009

First of all, HI! I am brand new to this forum

Alright, here I go. I am going to buy an 08 or 09 GT.

I have always driven Automatic but now I feel is a great time to start driving stick. I do not fear stick but I do have a few concerns. Please help try to put yourself in my standpoint and not in an "EXPERT I'm a race car driver that been driving stick 4ever and i can do anything with a stick mode" lol... though I would like experienced opinions as well... imma shut up now... CHECK IT!!!

Here are questions/statements that would determine if I would be better fit for an AUTO or to stick (no pun intended here) with a STICK

1. I live in South FL... Traffic SUCKS down here and we know how gay the traffic can be, though I dont live that far away from home, city traffic is still bleh!

2. I have a lead foot. I had 3.73's in my 97 V6 auto and LOVED it to death. I will be putting gear 4.10s into the new one.

3. Will I be able to launch just as well with a Stick as I did with an auto after my gears because I really like to "jump" off the line on the street?

4. I dont take the car to the track.

5. This will be my first REAL HUGE investment and I love modding and dont have money to get a TR6060 nor would want to go through all that.. would rather much already have stock from the factory (Gt500 is not in store for me yet!!)

TR 3650... I have read ALOT about this and people's experiences.... they say this tranny is not good. Many issues. I DO NOT want to be taking the car to get tranny work done every 2 yrs. They say the syncro's on this tranny suck. I would like a short throw shifter but again I believe that means breaking into the tranny which I do not want to do.

If the tranny starts feeling weird, will factory warranty replace what is going bad or are parts in the tranny regular maintenance like brakes and such?

From what I do know about manual trannys, I will always push the clutch ALL the way down.. release it fairly well (not too fast)...... but im afraid if i screw up because I do want to slam the pedal down (hence my lead foot again), I wont be able to because I dont want to damage the manual.. (then again, i still dont know what factory warranty covers and what not..)

please help me out!!! thanks

SpartaPerformance · Feb 16, 2009

Well when it comes down to it, you're the only one that can decide what's best for you. All I can say is that the factory fuel system on the car is equipped for 450 HP at the crank therefore being experienced in "Ford" thinking everything is built to those specs ie. tranny rear end etc... so you'ld be good up to that point in mods. Warranty, they do not warranty the clutch which is the highest abuse item in day to day use so if you suck at driving stick that's what you're going to burn out, they will cover cover the synchros and gear sets provided no "unauthorized" mods have been done.

savatage_dude · Feb 16, 2009

the only mods I will be performing are JLT CAI with Tune, 4.10s, pypes muffler deletes... as far as performance goes... the rest are cosmetic, visual, and electronic.

Unauthorized? do you think any of those mods above could affect the tranny in any way? or would it have to be transmission modifications as far as what you speak of?

firestang70 · Feb 16, 2009

Test drive both. I live in a rural area and city traffic I don't deal with everyday. I have 40 k miles on my car. I have made about 250 passes on my car. 50 of those with nitrous and 520 rwtq, no issues. Alot depends on the driver and driving style. I am a dedicated manual tranny driver. I know at the track I would be more consistent. I feel like i'm just along for the ride in an auto. But a DD in the city, an auto sure would be an appealing option. Good luck.

klaw · Feb 16, 2009

Traffic is a pain here too (the roads were designed for about 350,000 people and we now have over 1 million in the city). I drove a stick in high school in the 70's, then automatics up until this car. Once you're used to it, driving the stick is no problem and you can come off the line as hard or harder than an auto. I don't think the 3650 will give you any problems in a naturally aspirated car. I've driven mine for 6 months with the supercharger and it's held up fine (unlike the stock clutch - lol) including a few passes on the strip. To be safe because of the supercharger, I'm converting to a TR6060 in the next few weeks. Also, the manual trans will let you get a bit more HP to the wheels - less parasitic driveline loss than the automatics.

TheVat · Feb 17, 2009

From my experience at working at Ford a few years ago, I can tell you the manual trans is very reliable. There were some people who bought their GT's with 10 miles and burned the clutch within 50 miles! Exercise care when rowing inbetween the gears and let the springs guide you in the direction you want to go (When going from 2-3, when you push upward, the stick will center itself. Push directly up once it centers.) A lot of manual owners complain that once in a gear, they can still move the stick approx .5 to 1 inch left or right. Learn on a beater if you're not as smooth as you'd like. I'm pretty sure the clutch is warrantied for 12mos/12K miles if purchased new (Will not be covered if you ride the clutch excessivly (sp?). Also, manuals usually put around 260rwhp and auto's put around 240rwhp stock. Good luck in your choice, you really can't go wrong with either.

racerraj · Feb 17, 2009

I drove 350,000 Stick Shift Mustang miles in Miami traffic. Rarely bothered me. Most of that was in an 88 5.0, maybe 20,000 was in the 06 GT. The 06 clutch is much nicer in traffic, but I still like the old .50 clutch better (now good reason, but I guess after over 300,000 miles in the same car, it's hard to accept something new). Now I drive much easier traffic just west of Nashville.

In the Miami traffic with the 06 - 17mpg
Dickson to Nashville - 22 to 26 mpg

Anyhow - Get the stick shift. Accept that you will have an adjustment curve when in traffic. After a while you won't want anything else. Launching in a Stick Shift = Way more fun. Just driving - love the control, no unexpected downshifts, downshifts as soon as you want, not when it gets around to it.

Steel Horse · Feb 17, 2009

The trans on our cars seems to be pretty durable when it comes to abuse. There are some guys putting a lot of power through them and shifting them hard without issues. I was the same way as you are thinking I would somehow hurt the transmission by being an inexperienced manual driver. Never had a problem so far.

You don't have to open up the trans to install a short throw shifter. Our cars have a remote shifter so all you have to do is bolt it in and hook up the linkage. A very easy mod yet one of the best you can do for making the car more fun to drive. Makes power shifting a breeze too. And of course if you do buy one go with MGW.

o0Dan0o · Feb 17, 2009

The stock clutch is very light, and is a non-issue in traffic (I live in Houston). Launching is more difficult in a manual, but you have much more control over it. In general I wouldn't buy an auto, but that's just me. Driving a stick is too much fun, and I like having the control (like racerraj said, no unexpected shifts).
Dan

savatage_dude · Feb 17, 2009

I appreciate all the replies. It does ease my mind a bit though. I really do want to drive stick. I guess I just gotta get out there and check out some cars!

if anyone has anything else to add, im all ears

jam116 · Feb 18, 2009

racerraj said:
I drove 350,000 Stick Shift Mustang miles in Miami traffic. Rarely bothered me. Most of that was in an 88 5.0, maybe 20,000 was in the 06 GT. The 06 clutch is much nicer in traffic, but I still like the old .50 clutch better (now good reason, but I guess after over 300,000 miles in the same car, it's hard to accept something new). Now I drive much easier traffic just west of Nashville.

In the Miami traffic with the 06 - 17mpg
Dickson to Nashville - 22 to 26 mpg

Anyhow - Get the stick shift. Accept that you will have an adjustment curve when in traffic. After a while you won't want anything else. Launching in a Stick Shift = Way more fun. Just driving - love the control, no unexpected downshifts, downshifts as soon as you want, not when it gets around to it.

West of Nashville...hummmm must be the Boro!

TR 3650?? Is this right for me? Please have many questions!

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