Why no 6 speed love?

Epiphany · Apr 2, 2004

Does anyone know why the mustang doesn't get any 6 speed love? The current GT doesn't have it, and from what I've read the 05 model won't have it either...

Is there a paticular reason why you *have* to buy a SVT stang to get a 6 speed? Just curious...

RodStang · Apr 2, 2004

It would add cost and provide little value.

SVTdriver · Apr 2, 2004

Search these forums you'll find plenty of threads on this same debate.

mransr · Apr 2, 2004

6-speed are for cars with no torque...or ones that need 2 overdrive gears to get decent mileage....

the fewer times you have to shift the quicker your ET will be anyway...

Ned · Apr 2, 2004

5 speed is all you need

65conv50 · Apr 2, 2004

Ned said:
5 speed is all you need

Wrong! (From first hand experience: I thought 6 was too many until I owned one!!) Unless you only drive in the city. That 6th gear is great for the highway, BUT it takes an engine with a lot of torque to handle it. Maybe the engines are not up to it.

6th gear keeps the RPM down on the highway (you only use it above 60 MPH), improves mileage and greatly reduces engine wear, which will make them last longer and behave like new longer.

Other than that, there is no benefit.

65conv50 · Apr 2, 2004

mransr said:
6-speed are for cars with no torque....

Actually, the reverse is true. It takes a LOT of torque to be able to run a 6-speed.

SVTdriver · Apr 2, 2004

I'm barely at 2k rpms at 60 mph in 5th. Why would I lower it to idle.

RiceEating5.0 · Apr 3, 2004

SVTdriver said:
I'm barely at 2k rpms at 60 mph in 5th. Why would I lower it to idle.

That's doesn't sound that low. My 5.0 at 60mph in 5th is at 1600rpms or so, and that's with the option 3.08's and not the standard 2.73's. 70mph is around 1800rpms.

Getting your highway rpms @ 60mph down to 1600 or so rpms (from 2k) would improve your fuel economy, and the engine wouldn't need to turn spin as fast, which in turn may potentially lead to longer engine life. You don't have to lower it to idle (which is what? 800rpms??), but that extra lower gear can be handy. Especially if you plan to run 3.73's or higher. Your highway mileage wouldn't suffer as much.

I'd welcome it. My biggest reason for wanting a 6spd (specifically the T-56) was/is mostly due to strength.

Yellow99Saleen · Apr 3, 2004

Well I used to say all you need is 5 gears until my started driving my freinds ram air ws6 and realized he gets better gas mileage than my saleen with LESS POWER, and we have similar rear gears. OH yeah and the fact the ford 5 SPEEDS SUCK ARSE. The one in my Saleen went at a wonderful 15k. That was before i started racing it as well. First thing the mechanics told me....replace it with a T-56. SO I will never believe the 5 speeds are fine BS. Everyone else uses 6 speeds. Even the torqueless honda s2000.

SVTdriver · Apr 3, 2004

Cool so we should become like the rest of the lemmings and get a 6 speed. Hey since people put big wings on the s2000...
I don't want my rpms that much lower. Then I have to downshift 2 gears to start moving fast. I've seen a 98 cobra get 27 miles per gallon. I don't think that's exactly poor gas mileage. I get about 18. But I've always got my foot into it. When I don't I get better mileage.
The reality is the 6 speed would be more expensive. And you only need to look through some of these threads to find people already complaining about price. You can't have your cake and eat it too all the time.

Is the fact that it only has a 5 speed the reason you aren't buying one?

Rootus · Apr 3, 2004

65conv50 said:
6th gear keeps the RPM down on the highway (you only use it above 60 MPH), improves mileage and greatly reduces engine wear, which will make them last longer and behave like new longer.

That's a misconception. What you really get with a 6 speed is closer gear ratios. The T56 in an '03 Cobra has ratios ranging from 2.97 to 0.62. Compare that to a Motorsport T5 with 2.95 to 0.63.

Dave

Yellow99Saleen · Apr 3, 2004

Become like the rest of the lemmings...WOW. With the money that ford is already saving on giving us an archaic suspension, (on the upcoming 05), I bet they coulda thrown in a t-56. Sure a 5 speed will do the job for three hundred horsepower, but encroach on 400, like the svt, and you will need a t-56. As usual will ford will sell tons of mustangs, but its bs like this that makes me sicker snd sicker of ford everyday. There are reasons that everyone else uses 6 speeds. Gm started using them in 1991 on the 300hp lt1. It is 13 years later and ford can't throw in the t-56, which costs them nothing to buy. Gimme a break. Lastly the over driven 6th gear does help with gas mileage. I have extensively driven a 6 speed ram air. That od 6th gear does give it amazing gas mileage. with my 3.55 and the lack of overdrive, my saleen is always a foots slip away from boost and horrible gas mileage.

Epiphany · Apr 3, 2004

SVTdriver said:
Cool so we should become like the rest of the lemmings and get a 6 speed. Hey since people put big wings on the s2000...
I don't want my rpms that much lower. Then I have to downshift 2 gears to start moving fast. I've seen a 98 cobra get 27 miles per gallon. I don't think that's exactly poor gas mileage. I get about 18. But I've always got my foot into it. When I don't I get better mileage.
The reality is the 6 speed would be more expensive. And you only need to look through some of these threads to find people already complaining about price. You can't have your cake and eat it too all the time.

If only you hadn't joined this thread it all would have been informative. Thanks for adding nothing with your first post, nothing with your second, and assuming that everyone thinks like you do with your third.

Just because YOU don't want lower RPM at higher speeds doesn't mean the rest of society wouldn't welcome the additional gas mileage boost. Driving at 80mph for a few hours at almost 3000 rpm can cause quite the headache.

Is the fact that it only has a 5 speed the reason you aren't buying one?

It will be a determining factor. Which is why I still drive an F-body, and have only had a love for SVT and their work. Was hoping Ford would put the same thought into another stang, perhaps not the GT, but maybe the next one up and on.

Thanks to everyone else, I guess cost is the main reason (although a weak one).

Omegalock · Apr 3, 2004

And they might put a 6 speed in the special editions we don't know yet so why are people already bitching at them like they have tossed in a 4 speed.

I can see both sides of the arguement but when $ is the bottom line things get cut. And crying because you didn't get your IRS and 6 speed in the base model V8 won't change it. You will have to simply pay more $ to get what you want. I can bet that if Ford DID toss in all these other things and jacked the prices up to like 27k some of the same people belly aching about the lack of the equipment would be complaining about how expensive the things have gotten.

It's this simple if you don't like the fact the 6 speed and IRS aren't going to be on the GT then take solace in the fact they both will likely be available in the form of a special edition with more power and better looks and interior. You want a premium...you'll get it but it's not gonna be given to you.

foghorn67 · Apr 3, 2004

the only currently-readily available six speed is by tremec. they are hard to come by since they are in the vette, viper and cobra.
it's a different story on making newly designed manual transmission that can handle torque.

mp67 · Apr 3, 2004

Are we having this argument again?

Epiphany · Apr 3, 2004

mp67 said:
Are we having this argument again?

Unfortunately, not everyone on the planet lives on these forums. Please, forgive my ignorance as I bring up things that are so far below you that you feel they need not be discussed again.

I hope, with all my heart that you can refrain from opening this thread again and subjecting yourself to such torment.

SVTdriver · Apr 3, 2004

Epiphany said:
Unfortunately, not everyone on the planet lives on these forums. Please, forgive my ignorance as I bring up things that are so far below you that you feel they need not be discussed again.

I hope, with all my heart that you can refrain from opening this thread again and subjecting yourself to such torment.

And you though my post added nothing? Ok

mp67 · Apr 3, 2004

Epiphany said:
Unfortunately, not everyone on the planet lives on these forums. Please, forgive my ignorance as I bring up things that are so far below you that you feel they need not be discussed again.

I hope, with all my heart that you can refrain from opening this thread again and subjecting yourself to such torment.

I'llforgive your ignorance for being a smarta$$. The same people arguing about wether or not you need a six speed has nothing to do with why the GT did not get one, which is the question you asked. You really want to know why it did not get one, call someone who knows, like maybe the CEO of Ford.
Smarta$$.

Why no 6 speed love?

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