Rondosa

Hi All,

I've always been curious about this so I thought I'd ask. Sorry if this is a repeat question around here.

If you have an automatic tranny in your mustang, why? I'm not trashing you or bashing you...no hatin' here. People ask me with all the rush hour driving I do, why I didn't order an automatic...I can't really describe it other then I just want three pedals and a shifter to move around. Even if the Mustang came with a tiptronic, I'd get a real manual. I plan on always owning manual tranny cars, which works out nicely for me as minivans only come in auto.

I personally feel way more connected to a car that is manual and enjoy the driving more, however miserable it may be, in a manual car. I don't mind stop and go - i prefer it in a standard tranny because you can regulate your speed much easier by getting off the gas etc.

To me, sports car = manual tranny.


Discuss.

96vert

I have an auto in my '05. Why?
1) that's what it had in it (bought this from a lot in November at X-plan)
2) it is my daily driver (to and from work = 6.5 miles, somewhere between 30 and 60 minutes). I've taken my 500 HP cobra out on my daily drive exactly 3 times - probably never again.
3) the new auto is actually really nice. With the ability to choose any gear (1,2,3,D,OD), it also performs well on the track.

Overall, there are some days I wish I had a stick, but then I leave work and drive home... and I am happy again I got the auto.

EDIT: I forgot, I also tend to talk on the cell phone and/or drink coffee. Also, part of my job entails going places I am not familiar with - so I am looking for road signs and reading maps while I drive sometimes too - at least with an auto I have one less thing to worry about.

EleanorsMine

Because if your husband says Merry Christmas.....And you are in love with a car, you ain't gonna turn it down just cause it ain't a manual.
Would I have been happier with Manual? Yea
Am I unhappy with auto? No.

My Blue Heaven

Automatic = never missing 3rd gear

tw0scoops123

I'd say go stick. Like 96vert, Auto might be good in traffic for the commute. But, you will be kicking yourself for all the times you're out casual driving. Once you decide on the tranny you're stuck with it. So I'd say tough it out with the commuting and get a Manual like you plan to. That's what I'm gunna do. Plus I feel like you have more control over the car and more connected. But if you have an extremely bad commute, I won't argue with an auto. But as you said, it's a sports car. Gotta have stick

PS I have auto now, and it drives me crazy even in traffic. Cuz it will learch forward into 2nd gear and then you gotta stop again. Also, keeps you more alert while you are in traffic I think. I tend to get drowsy on those dreary days in bumper to bumper.

sodaman

Manual is ok if your not daily driving it. manual is fun. But more and more automatic is more practical with daily driving around town. For racing etc. I would have gotten automatic, but this is a daily driver for me, as well this is the first year the automatic has a 5 speed auto which is pretty closely geared to the manual. I know that the test times 0-60 were only two tenths slower in the automatic. But I am sure with the right mods, an auto can also smoke a manual. Enjoy whatever you got , this car is awesome.

PonyGirl

Daily Driver, lots of traffic, not a racer........if you never drove the new mustang GT with the auto....you are missing out, it is quik , fast, easy, and shifts very smoothly.

PLUS...I am getting to old (35) for shifting all the time.............

chers2031

I got an auto just because of stop and go traffic on my 45 mile commute to work. In the mornings, I'm an airhead basically! I have my coffee, my smokes and my head still in bed (I'm so not a morning person!)... I do good to make it to work in an automatic. I'd never make it in a stick. Its not my daily driver BUT I do drive it a couple times a week... and expect my daily to die at any time.

holderca1

I have a manual as a daily driver and the commute doesn't bother me at all. Everyone could use a little more physical exertion in their lives anyway.

Teruzane

I can think of a couple reasons:

1.) Some people actually think manuals are "old-fashioned" and find autos more convenient.

2.) With 300+ HP an auto will serve me just fine.

3.) Automatic = more capable of using cell phone, eating, swapping CDs ... etc

4.) Some people don't know how to use a manual!

Well that's just a few ideas. I plan to get a manual in my 06 since it's just going to be my fun-warm-weather car.

holderca1

You shouldn't be doing that while you are driving anyway.

Teruzane

Probably shouldn't, doesn't mean people don't or won't!

Boomer

At least he didn't say 'Shaving, reading, typing on his blackberry'

I've SEEN people do that...scares the heck outta me.

Rondosa

Hmmmm interesting answers...some I expected, some I didn't. I don't make a habit of talking on my cell while driving, but when I do, I always use my bluetooth headset. It's the best gadget/gizmo I've ever purchased! It's a miracle worker I tell you, esp with voice activated dialing. Also, I don't drink coffee and don't smoke...usually just have a bottle of water around so that's not an issue either.

I think I'm with holderca1 on this - my last car was a manual and I did lots of bumper to bumper in it without a care. OK, that's a lie...a couple times I got tired or it, most notably last winter on my normally 40 minute commute which turned into a 2.5 hour commute home in the blizzard of the year. The whole way home traffic wasn't going fast enough to keep 1st gear engaged. Talk about rage...I was so hot and tired by the time I got home!! :bang:

But anyways, I guess I'm just surprised because while browsing the forums, I've noticed quite a lot of people have auto's in their mustangs (listed in their sig) and it just surprised me...in my local Audi club (last car i owned) only one guy out of the whole lot of us had an auto...just figured that for a 2 seater american sports car, most would be stick.

Cool - back to the discussion. :yes:

holderca1

I have seen a guy reading a newspaper while driving, needless to say, after I saw that, I gunned it to pass him and stay clear.

holderca1

The Mustang is a 2+2, not a 2 seater.

tw0scoops123

Not hating but:

1)You shouldn't be eating or using a cell phone while you drive(talking on the phone is actually outlawed in NJ)

2)And not knowing how to drive a manual is not a reason to get Auto...never know if you'll like it unless you try it.

3)"With 300+ HP an auto will serve me just fine." Not sure about this, but I tihnk you lose more HP in the drive train with an auto than manual, dont you? Not sure about this one. Don't quote me on it.

9thPony

I thought long and hard on the decision to get an auto before I purchased my car.

Here were my reasons:

1) This is my daily driver. 90% of my driving is commuting, with probably 75% spent in stop and go traffic (Silicon Valley). I was thinking about bringing my camera with me one Friday and taking a picture to illustrate my point. My commute is roughly 60-90 minutes each way. I drove my '02 manual for 3 years and there are several commutes in which I didn't even get past second gear! Some times I drive as long as 20 minutes on a really bad commute without even getting out of first.

2) The auto in the '05 will upshift much better than I ever could with a manual. I'm not a bad shifter - been driving manuals for 20 years now - but perfect shifts every time and every gear I can't top.

3) My wife drives the car sometimes and, unfortunately, she tends to race people if challenged She is used to racing people in autos and tends to forget she needs to shift until she is redlined :notnice: Old habits die hard, we had 7 classic Mustangs with auto's and she is just used to it shifting for her.

4) Sometimes I have to drive co-workers (including some upper management types on occasion ) and it is nice to not have to worry about shifting smooth and hitting all the gears correctly when engaged in a political conversation with your boss and his boss while at the same time having to navigate to unfamiliar areas and not get lost. I can honestly say whenever I am in this situation I am very glad that I have an auto.

Not that being said, if I was given a second change to order my '05 Mustang I would probably go with the manual I don't like not having control of what gear I am in, especially when it comes to downshifting. I also enjoy being more engaged in the driving experiece. I am hoping a nice tune improves the downshifting of the auto and if so, it might make me feel otherwise.

Doug

Teruzane

Ok I didn't expect to get into a debate with people for just pointing out a few reasons why someone might choose an auto over a manual!

1.) Whether or not you are "supposed" to drive and do anything else at the same time is irrelevant. The fact is that a lot of people do these things and I'm sure it's something that some people take in to consideration when they choose between auto and manual.

2.) Not knowing how to drive a manual is certainly one reason to get an auto! :scratch:

3.) I'm just saying that 300 HP is a lot of power and you don't necessarily need a manual to appreciate it!

If you have your own reasons for choosing a manual over an auto, please post them, but allow me to have my opinions too. Thanks!

WadesSonicGT

I am lazy, thats about it. Thats the only reason I have auto.