never driven a manual .. but i know this new stang will be not as cool if its automatic.. like how hard is it to drive stick?

 

Driving stick isn't hard at all, but you should learn and practice on a car other than your new Mustang.

 

I learned to drive on an Auto, taught myself the manual transmission in about 40 to 50 minutes and never found driving a standard that hard. However I have a bad left knee(car accident) now, so can't stand the thought of constantly having to use it to press the clutch so I ordered a Automatic.

I dont think the Automatic distracts from the coolness of the car.

 

Yeah, it does

 

An Auto is a sellout, you may as well drive a van.

Just my opinion- a sports car isn't meant to be an auto.

 

I went auto. I broke an ankle a few years back, and had to relinquish my car to my parents for their 'Grandpa Mobile' (an Olds 88 Royale) for 8 weeks (or was it 8-10 weeks? ). Don't ever want to experience that again!

Plus, I have a 30 mile commute to work, on an interstate where in segments it goes from 5 lanes to 2, then back to 6 lanes, then 3 all in the matter of 4 miles. I'm tired of my manual. I'd rather get some kind of relaxation driving.

Anyways, a few of my friends actually think auto is cooler anyways. You can have your hand on the wheel, and the other one around someone you love (at least for that moment).

But, if you don't have any traffic, or live in Wyoming, by all means go manual!! If I lived in rural America again, I would.

 

Manual is definately the way to go.......for some people. It really depends on driving habits. If you like to just get from your home to your work-place then probably go auto, however, if your gonna be out crusin' with minimal traffic I say learn the stick.

 

If you want to do track days with your car, have open roads where you live, or want to just cruse get a stick.

Heavy traffic, work vehicle or drag race get the auto. I think Ford has made this auto the way to go if your drag racing. Only read the one MT test but they seem to feel that the first three gears really pull hard. Now will you be able to run the 1/4 in just the first three without over revving too much?

If you want to get serious with the auto but still use it for work, get some 4:10's, have a tranny man work out the 4 gear ratios you will need to run the 1/4 so your close to red line by the end of 4th & make 5th a real high overdrive for the highway.

 

I think only you can make the descision. Some people hate manual city driving, some dont. Learning is the only way to find out if its what you want to do daily. I love heavy city driving on a manual, but some dont. Dont let reveiws discourage you.
You never know till you try it, like it is with everything.

 

driving stick is only hard if u make it hard. its too hard to explain online or person to person unless ur doin it hands on in a car. best bet find a buddy with stick and ull learn in an hour

 

I've driven manuals all my life, and while my heart screams for the manual, the wife and the commute scream for the auto. If the stang was going to be my third car, I'd get the stick, but as my daily driver, I'm ready for the auto.

Jason

 

Manuals are easy to learn. It takes a while and like everyone else says, practice on your friend's Toyota first. But it's just a matter of rythm and timing. Clutch - stick - gas. The trouble for newbies is probably to find exactly where to meet clutch release and throttle increase and not stall while doing so. (or rev the engine into the red). This also comes naturally after a while. For one thing, you learn to listen to the engine a lot more. Every car has a different clutch "grep" position, but one gets it at the first try.

As for pumping the clutch and wear on body joints, most cars today have hydraulic clutches and considering the power in the stang's V8 you can slap me in the face and call me mopar lover if it doesn't have it, too. Even the '69ers had it, and it's needed if you want to transfer 300bhp from one gear to the next and don't fancy kicking through the floor each time.

Except for being stuck in rush hour traffic, it's THE way to go. And if you expect to be stuck in traffic most of the time, what on earth are you buying a Mustang for?

 

If it was a second car, I'd consider a manual, but with the improvements in performance of the 5-speed auto vs the previous 4-speed, and my daily commute in traffic, the auto suits me better. It is also better for resale value. Just my 2cents.

 

To give the other people something to look at while they're stuck in traffic (you know, to soothe their anger and wish they were me!).

 

Depends on your needs. If you are in stop and go traffic all day you may want to get the auto. I have had both. I prefer the stick for several reasons but there are times I wish I had an auto. I say get a stick. If you mess up the gears that is what the warranty is for

 

Depends on your needs. If you are in stop and go traffic all day you may want to get the auto. I have had both. I prefer the stick for several reasons but there are times I wish I had an auto. I say get a stick. If you mess up the gears that is what the warranty is for [/b][/quote]

You've also got to be really energetic to mess up the gearbox. They're sturdy pieces of machinery, and the clutch will pro'lly go way before the box itself is due for replacement.

Driven properly, a manual has less wear and tear than an automatic.

 

get this :drive:

 

As mentioned. Sticks are good. Autos are good. I've driven both and have a stick right now. Sticks are a little more fun, once you're good at them. (More control). Autos are quite a bit more convenient. Autos used to be a lot slower and offered less control than sticks. Now days, they can be 99.9% as fast, and offer you manual control if you have a good one. (Autosticks).

I assume the new Mustang isn't an auto-stick. (You have the manual up-down shift capability, or better yet, the paddles on the steering wheels. Germans and Dodge/Chrysler have them). I'd love a mustang with Audi's DSG (a double-clutched automatic that shifts in a fraction of a second).

So my problem with the auto isn't as much as the concept, but with the implementation. I can't tell, but I suspect that the Mustang has a primitive automatic (no manual override, or the older d1, d2, d3 type). (I just don't know). That's going to make it a little tougher to buy it. But when you have that much performance, it probably doesn't matter much.

I do get a little annoyed with the arrogant stick people that pretend that autos are less than sticks. In a few decades, I think the sticks will be gone completely. There used to be a big difference, but that is decreasing every year.

 

The Automatic in the Stang is the Lincoln LS Transmission.

 

I have a friend that told me it is a waste to buy a sports car in auto. I agree with him and there is a certain cool to the manual, but after see the 0-60 time on the auto and considering the time I will be in bumper to bumper traffic, I regret my decision slightly. My second car was a manual and the only time it became bothersome was in traffic on an incline, balancing is an exact science. I have seen many people roll back into the car behind. I got my true test when I was stuck on a bridge that was backed up due to an accident at the foot of the bridge. It all depends on you, but consider that there seems to be minimal performance loss with the new auto.

ps. you are not free to hold anything in your hand in a manual as with the auto.