Just installed the Airaid CAI with SCT tune from Paul's High Performance a week ago on my 06 GT vert with auto trans. Then I drove over to Grand Rapids to meet up with friends of mine from my high school days. One had just bought a Grabber Orange 07 GT with 5 sp trans, the other has a BMW 330i with 6 speed trans.

We visited for a while, then went for a drive taking turns in each other's cars. The 07 handled better than mine due to being a coupe and lighter. The 5 sp has a better fun-factor, but we all agreed that the tune & CAI on mine was quite an improvement over stock, plus you just can't shift a manual as quick as the auto - especially now with the tune improving the shift points and firmness. The BMW has good hp, but not the torque of the V8's. It revved quickly and was fun to drive - actually easier to drive than the 07 GT.

Well, after tearing up the back roads for a while, we called it quits. I came away felling better about having the automatic (it was my wife's choice), along with CAI & tune. It was also kind of cool to see and hear my own car from the outside. The light bar and sequential turn signals look pretty cool, and to hear it squak the tires when it shifts was awsome!

 

Silly rabbit, sticks are for kids

Autos Rule

 

Our vert is a redfire, also. The auto trans is growing on me. Too bad Ford doesn't offer a slap-stick for it, that would be way-cool

 

I mean duh, it's a 5-speed, controlled by a computer to perfectly shift at precisely the best time. Mine seems to shift right around 5900 for each gear, and I never have to worry about, "Aw man, I would have had you, but I missed 3rd. ""

 

The only time I've done anything like missing a gear with my auto was doing the manual shift and ran up against the rev limiter. with the tune I have now, it shifts GREAT! The other day I was passing a car on a two lane highway and as it grabbed third at 60 it chirped the tires. I was impressed!

 

[quote=principalpony]Well, after tearing up the back roads for a while, we called it quits. I came away felling better about having the automatic (it was my wife's choice)

 

I had Paul's High Performance set up my '05 GT auto also. He did a good job. Runs on 87 octane, significant improvement in power (never dynoed so I don't know exactly how much), no more throttle lag, shifts like stock at low throttle, very firm and quick as you said on WOT. Still gets 19 mpg going to work.

It's a great combo with a CAI.

I'm a fan of this new auto. You don't give away much to a stick. I think the 0-60 times are 5.1 vs 5.3 sec for the auto. The auto is very good for slippery roads as well. Just click off the OD for a little engine braking. And you can start off in 2nd for good traction on snow or ice. I drove my car over some pretty icy roads last winter and it did just fine.

 

YOU DROVE ON ICE WITH STOCK TIRES

 

Do you guys think most of the performance upgrade was had in the Tuner alone or the CAI? Has anyone done a breakdown on the dyno, saying the Tuner with the 87 Octane tune made XXX horsepower, but when combined with the CAI it made XX more horsepower?

Im just trying to decide if its worth it to pony up the extra money for the CAI to go with the tuner. Thanks in advance.

 

The tune. You would get higher gains with just a tune by itself, than you would with just a CAI by itself. Or you could get a CAI with a recalibrated MAS and bypass the tune completely if you didn't want to mess with a tuner.

 

I dont mind the tuner, I was just curious if you all thought it was worth it?

 

Well if you chanbe the amount of air going into the engine and don't change the tune you will run lean. I would do both or just the tune with no CAI

 

haha I think im just bad at explaining this...

I plan on getting a tuner regardless: I wanted to know if you guys thought the CAI and the extra money spent on it, was worth the power it produced in conjunction with the tuner. Basically Im just curious if I should get a CAI/Tuner or just get a tuner and spend the money I would have spent on the CAI Elsewhere.

I only ask because with my knowledge/experiance with previous Mustangs the CAI really didn't do much powerwise.

 

GET BOTH .You won't be sorry...

 

I also recommend both, but you only want to do one - do the tune. Just the recalibration on the trans (if you have an auto) is worth it. You could replace the stock filter element with a K&N and do the tune for less $$$. A service advisor at my dealer did that and says he loves it!