I currently have an auto trans '05, but recently have had an itch for a stick-shift again. I drove a stick-shift Ranger for 3 years before getting the '05, absolutely loved it. A local dealer has an Alloy Grey '07 with a stick that I like the looks of, and I'm seriously thinking about trading in my '05 for it. Are the manual trans cars easy to launch at the dragstrip? I go to the track once a month during the summer. My auto trans car is very consistent and easy to launch, although it will burn the tires easily if I launch too hard. Opinions please, I appreciate any feedback.

 

I didn't know muscle cars came with automatics...

 

So I take that as a "yes" to trading in? I'm very seriously considering it and it might happen in the next week or so.

 

Your gonna get alot of opinions on this... so heres mine. If you do alot of city driving with traffic the auto is best. If you want to have a little fun everytime you drive (imo) you get the stick. Personally I love my stick and wouldnt consider trading it for anything.

As for which is better at the track how good of a driver are you The auto in these cars are pretty nice at the track so I hear. Good luck with your choice.

 

I got a cammed up 351 Cleveland 70 Mach 1 I would like you to meet. Oh yeah... it's an auto. I know for a fact I am getting old but I had a 96 Cobra (manual) that I took to the Woodward Dream Cruise back in 2002. After driving in that 26 mile long traffic jam I hated a clutch. Today's autos can be faster and more consistent than a stick. Ask Don W.... he's never missed a shift.
Scott

 

Darn it, I wanted to be the first one to say it!


Truthfully though, I can see both sides. At times I would love to have an auto, but that's mainly only when I'm sitting at a red light, etc. and I just feel like stompin' on it to leave traffic behind. But, 99% having a stick is sooooo much fun. Just the other day I had a '99 era Mustang directly behind me, following me thru traffic at about 25 mph...... I felt like messin' around, so I rev'ed and dumped the clutch in 2nd and got sideways; once I straightened it out, I could see the dude smiling at me in my rearview and he gave me a thumbs up, then held up both his hands as if to imply "I wish I could do that"........

Sticks are fun to play with, autos are fun to drive.

 

I couldn't agree more. The manual has really got the fun factor going for it. I use mine as a daily driver and I am surely getting older. The auto is very nice. And after appling Lidio's tune to it I am sure it shifts faster and more sure than I ever could.
Scott

 

Keep your auto and just get a tune from Doug@Bamachips.

 

Yes auto's kick butt, a tune from doug some 373's in the rear, and eventually a supercharger and it will whale. Oh yah automatic times seem to be beating most of the stick shifts, you cant beat this 5 speed automatic hard to shift quicker than the auto can. But its all about opinion, but I believe donw has an auto and its one hell of a car he has, and hes a racer.

Best 1/4 mi: 11.472 @ 114.97, 60' = 1.618, 1/8 = 7.269 @ 93.65, DA=3058'

 

Don't go to the strip to often do you?

 

stomp and steer baby!

 

I used to have a car with a stick. I got tired of shifting in rush hour traffic (first to second, first to second etc.). So when I got my Mustang I got the auto. It is plenty fast and I figure that when I floor it, I better have both hands available to steer the beast! It really depends on how you feel about it. In my opinion, the stick does make you feel like you are part of the "machine" and the auto is better if you just want to kick back and enjoy the ride.

 

trade her in... This is the first manual car I've owned. Its just way to much fun. I will admit that I am only 20 but I do live in downtown Austin. So I deal with traffic a lot. But things like "dumping it in 2nd" make up for all the traffic jams I sit in. IDK about anybody else but I just dont feel the car as much with an auto. And I drive both a lot seeing that I'm a valet

 

on a side note we had a 427 Shelby Cobra come in the other day.... I almost passed out

 

At this point, I'm heavily leaning towards trading in for the stick, and it'll be an '07 Alloy Grey to boot. I do enjoy the auto trans, and it shifts awesome with an X-cal 2 tune, but I think I'll be happier having a manual trans again.

 

Spoken like someone who's never been to the drag strip.

The most consistent and successful drag cars are generally auto trans cars. If I had to guess, I'd say 80-90% of the "race cars" at the track I go to are autos. And I know of quite a few guys who had manuals in their 05's and have since swapped to auto trannys, just because they raced a lot. I know of no one who has gone the other direction.

 

Jake, you KNOW my car is AUTOMATIC...Do you have a problem with that my friend?
I have to admit that after I ordered my car I had some second thoughts about buying the auto (should have went with stick), but after driving stick for many years in Los Angeles traffic I decided to go with automatic and after just over two years and just over 20,000 I still love the car.

 

I def agree that if your all about the track then I auto is the way to go. But if your not tooo worried about loosing a couple fractions of a second at the track... I still say stick all the way

 

YES!!!!! i dont drive slushbox, and neither should you.
stick is too much fun to give up plus a whole lot less of a hassle maintenance wise. I drove stick through 4.5 years of north jersey/nyc traffic through college, and wouldnt trade it for an auto any day.

and BTW i have a bad knee from high school football, i just deal. the day i cant drive stick is the day i give up driving period

 

Paging Burke0011, paging Burke0011!!! He did just that - got rid of an auto 05, got a stick 06.