I've seen a few guys here have the automatic Mustang, for various reasons. Heck people in large cities like mine don't like stick because of the stop and go traffic, so I'm wondering what is the consensus here? Stick or Auto?

 

Manual (and, in my case, its not just for a Mustang).

 

Both my Focus and Mustang are manual.

 

Manual, I find the clutch to be fairly light in both the GT and GT500 and really no problem in traffic at all.

 

auto!

 

Stick!

 

I prefer a manual. The clutch on the 5.0 is super light so it's a breeze in traffic.

I'll only ever consider an auto if it's dual clutch and has a manual shift mode, otherwise I get really bored, really quickly.

 

I prefer the auto in the 2011, sort of a have my cake and eat it too thing. I can drive it in traffic, and still race it when I want. The big thing that turned me off the manual was not wanting to drive it in stop and go, plus the massive number of reported issues with that chinese MT-82 really turned me off of that transmission.

 

Automatic, i have yet missed a gear

 

Stick. Every vehicle I own except the truck I use to pull my horse trailer has a standard transmission. Automatics make it easier to text, put on makeup, eat and generally NOT pay attention to driving and traffic. Since I mostly commute on a motorcycle in the summer, inattentive driving is my worst enemy and I'm against anything that makes it easier.

 

stick

 

sticks in the hotrods .. slipomatics in daily drivers

 

Bingo! Sports cars, i gotta have a stick or nothing at all

 

Well, I think the better question is... do you want to DRIVE your car or RIDE in it and avoid breaking a nail?

:P

 

New stick vs new auto I'd take auto. Todays autos are far and away from yesteryears slushboxes. All the machismo stuff to me is irrelavent. I'd rather be less "macho" and ahead of you than "macho" and behind.

 

Pffftt.... did I forget to mention I'm the grim reaper of automatic transmissions

 

Well the new autos can actually be really aggressive if the time comes. You just cant beat driver involvement with the good ol' stick. Nothing quite beats rowin through the gears on some backroads and the twistys
I have an auto and whike it is fun downshifting to get in the tourqe band and shootin forward its just not the same, its easier to drive friends around though, specially with the girl ridin shotgun
She likes a stick tranny too so the next car is definitely the manual. Fun factor and how it makes you focus on driving instead of somethin else also help the safety factor as well.

 

on anything that's not my daily driver a stick for sure, but something that I'm driving everyday or on long trips, an auto is fine

 

The answer to this question is very simple: Whatever the wife wants is what is best.

In the past, I just got what was cheaper and in better condition (Used).

Now, I ordered the German designed manual transmission in my 2012. I have confidence that it can be an amazing transmission when they work a couple of bugs out. Since I am getting a 2012, hopefully they are mostly all worked out by now.

In the future, I do see it possible where maybe a dual clutch or other technology might be better, but for now I like the auto for what it is, but this is a sports car. It needs to be a stick.

 

I haven't even done my intro post yet but I wanted to share a story about auto vs manual. (my "new" leftover 2010 is a manual)

I bought a new 2005 Pontiac GTO when I was stationed in Oklahoma City and it was an automatic. I tried to convince everyone that an automatic muscle car was fine and would show them the 1.9 60 foot 13.2@105 run as proof that loading an automatic on the line is better for the strip.

So one day I was coming off a highway ramp with the traction control off and going to make a fast sweeping left on a 90 degree turn onto a four lane road behind Tinker Air Force Base. I held pretty good speed and about mid turn I applied some (not nearly all) throttle at about 25-30 mph. Unfortunately the automatic decided now was a good time to grab first gear and the car attemtped to reverse directions as the tail came out under the cornering load. I swung back and while looking down the road out the driver window straightened the wheels for the inevitable trip over the curb. I could have done much worse if roadside obstacles were in the way but I escaped only with a bunch of underside scrapes and a trip to Hibdon's for a front end realignment after coming to rest completely in the grass.

I apologize for the long story but after owning everything from an RX-7 and Supra to the Goat or Lightning or even the Camaros and Trans Ams and the egg shaped civic Si in my short life (32) - I have always enjoyed and preferred the cars with a manual transmission over their counterparts. I resisted buying a Mustang of any kind this whole time and I have finally been converted and all of you who prefer autos should give a true clutch operated manual a chance!