Do I regret getting an auto?

No.

Does it take something away from "the driving experiance"?

No.

I've driven manual transmissions my whole life, had I been able to find the car I wanted for the price I wanted with a stick I'd still be one of those guys saying "no way would I buy an auto!" But having this car for a couple months I'm a convert. I know how to drive stick, I know how to shift fast, no way could I shift as quickly as the auto does, or consistantly. The ONLY thing I can think of that the stick has over this auto, is being able to find a really nice shift ****. Stick does look way cooler than the ugly T-handle with the pdr123 though. Don't let your, or other peoples, macho attitude deter you from buying a car you really enjoy. If you hate driving stick in a econo box, you'll hate it in a Mustang.

If I ever buy another new car, instead of dismissing the autos, I'll definately give them a shot from now on.

 

I would think long and har before buying an automatic. I see alot of guys appear happy with them but I for one was one miserable SOB every time I bought an automatic. Time and again I would "try to adjust" to an auto but in the end I was miserable. Simply put there is NO CONTROL of any car that has an automatic. For example particularly on Turbos you will have a significant power band to utilize in a given RPM range. An automatic does not allow you to utilize the power plant. After buying three automatics and selling them within 30 days I will never buy another auto!!

 

no regrets buying the auto, much more consistent at the track

 

Drove sticks most of my life. My 69 Mach 1 with a 302 Boss was a stick - miss that one I do not regret getting the auto one bit! It is smooth, very fast and, yes, in contrast to what some manual drivers try to convince the rest of the Stangers, I do have plenty of control. When you step on it 1/2 way, 3/4 or floor it, it steps up NOW. I agree with one of the previous posts - we all should buy one of each Rock on!

 

It really depends on the type of driver you are and what kind of control you want over your car.

If you choose an auto you will not lose much in staright line performance and also have a big advantage in nose to tail traffic i.e. ease of driving.

Where an auto will really lose out is on the twisty stuff, brake hard for a corner and with the manual you will be in the right gear for punching it off the apex, with an auto you will not have the same degree of control.

I think also the Mustang it is effectively longer geared for 4th and 5th on the auto. Not 100% certain on this, maybe someone more techy can confirm

 

You said it Nynvolt!

Hooo-Weee! Now I REALLY can't wait to get mine

 

My last two vehicles were automatics. It's kind of nice for traffic, but I really find myself missing the stick at times. Plus when it snows I like having the control of the manual transmission.

 

Very true... but even the best driver is only going to be a tenth of a second faster from 0-60 and maybe 3 tenths faster in the quarter mile. I'm just making a point that nobody should shy away from the auto because lack of power. An auto will beat more than half the sticks out there because less than half of Mustang drivers are going to be able to shift well enough to beat the auto. I do completely agree that an automatic Mustang seems strange though. It's a sports car, so everyone thinks it should be a manual. But, it's your car, not everyone elses. You have to drive it, not them. That's not a good enough reason to get a manual, IMO.

 

I don't have mine yet, but it seems that there would be a big difference in
driver control options between a "PRNDL" trans and the 05's "PRND321" ?

 

Its a Mustang....what's to regret?

 

I'm not a GT owner, but I can speak for my new V6.
I test drove both, but sided with the auto. For me, not being particularly tall, the stick seemed like a lot of work for around-town driving as I felt the wieght of the car more and I imagined it would get old as I'm often stuck in traffic.
I've always owned 5sp. manuals, so it was a switch, but one I'm glad to have made after owning my car for 6 weeks or so now. I can only imagine how much more fun a GT would be, let alone a Vert. here in sunny SandyEggo.

Cheers.

 

I chose the auto and have been very impressed. No regrets. I've never driven an auto like it. You may not have the absolute control as a manual, but you have every bit the power and speed. It even amazed some of the most die hard manual trans friends of mine.

I think there is just alot of bravado still associated with manuals even though technology in transmissions has caught up and surpassed the traditional manual. Personally, I'm a little disappointed that Ford didn't offer some kind of clutchless manual or paddle shift option in the Mustang. Full control, faster shifting, and less hassle.

 

I doubt we will find anyone who actually regrets getting the auto. Everything bad about an automatic transmission (other than the mystique factor of having a manual Mustang) is gone with this car. It shifts fast and feels just like a manual... without the hassle of shifting. For those of you who have an auto, you know what I mean. If a blind person was sitting in the passenger seat and couldn't see that you weren't shifting, they would probably swear it was a manual. It sounds and feels like a manual transmission when it shifts.

 

Amen!!!

I stopped shifting manually about 20 years ago and the 5-speed auto is a truly wonderful device, especially third gear. To quote myself, "the '05 Mustang has a gear for every occasion"!

 

I agree, Chris. 2nd has ALOT to offer as well

 

Second is great, but have you noticed it comes and goes in literally 2 seconds? Sometimes only 1 if you punch it. I guess that's good though... the faster second goes, the faster third comes.

 

No Regrets here either!

 

How hard would it be to get a boot that fit over the PRD321 box there and then find a push-button automatic transmission "ball" shifter? So, you would have the look of a manual stick shifter? I have always driven sticks and find myself grasping the "T" handle of the automatic shifter in the new Mustang, but of course it's uncomfortable and awkward. And I don't think you could find a ball shift **** that would fit on the automatic shifter bar because it's square and not round. So, you could possibly take that out and replace it with a round tube bar and put a ball **** on it, then hook the existing wire up to the new ****. Is this possible? I know anything is possible, but I mean is it reasonable?

 

Even though it gets somewhat bothersome in traffic, for this kind of car the manual should be the only choice IMO.

But since they make more than one Mustang you can take whatever you want.

 

No regrets. Especially when a ricer comes up beside me, and I turn the overdrive off.

A. I miss the manual, when I lived in Wyoming where there was nothing but roads (no cars) for as far as the eye could see.

B. I miss the manual with front wheel drive, when I lived in Colorado, and we got those nasty winter blizzards. I'd pass by all the rear wheel cars in the ditches, and laugh my way home.

But, I moved to Arizona, where you can still find some isolated roads, and there isn't snow where I'm at!!