danimal15

Update:

I test-drove a 2011 manual GT yesterday and I'm hooked. I'm ordering mine tomorrow. It's going to be silver, with brick red interior, regular brakes (not Brambos), and stripe/spoiler delete (I like a clean look).

The car I drove yesterday had the highest gear ratio, and I noticed it made the ride a bit "jerky." My salesman agreed, and said for someone like me, who's using the car as a daily driver, a lower ratio is probably OK. He's recommending the middle one, saying the base level isn't going to have enough low-end power. He did say this would reduce fuel mileage a bit, but since I'm keeping my Prius for winter driving and long trips and the Mustang is for fun, I don't mind losing a little mileage.

Do others here agree with my salesman on the gears?

GrabberBlue310

3.73 are the best to get. you can actually go from a stop in second gear which is less jerky and you lose a shift. i am happy i got the 3.73s with my car

Lancel

I have 3.73s, and also very little experience with manual transmissions so take what I have with a grain of salt. I do have problems with jerking myself, it's hard for me to get a smooth start, but I have managed it a small number of times, so it is possible, even when starting in 1st. Not tried starting in 2nd though. I figured I had enough problems starting in 1st without stalling, especially with all the inclines around here. Other than that, I'm very happy I got the 3.73s, and the one other person who has driven the car (who has a lot more experience with cars than I do, and drives a 2009 Corvette, manual of course) says the gearing and the shifter on the car is phenomenal.

Most everyone here got 3.73s, but there are a few with 3.55s and 3.31s.

Automagically

You should test drive the 3.31 for yourself, possibly the 3.55 as well if possible. I've driven bot the 3.31 and 3.73. The 3.31 is much smoother. I don't really know why the salesman claims that the 3.31 won't be good for daily driving though. I suppose it depends on your daily driving style but I wasn't disappointed by the 3.31 at all. I actually enjoyed the smooth nature of the 3.31. The 3.73 is quite a bit rougher by comparison. I have not driven a 3.55 and I am very interested but I think you need to drive the car to make that kind of decision for yourself. Just because a lot, not everyone, a lot of people opt for the 3.73's means you have to as well. It's not a peer pressure issue here. If so someone call Scruff McGruff.

Bigjohns97

Even with 3:31's i still feel first and second are too short.

danimal15

I don't think he was saying the 3.31s wouldn't be good for daily driving; he just thought I'd appreciate the feel of a slightly higher ratio, but that I don't need the 3.73s to be happy and that such a high ratio might be a bit less easy to deal with on a daily basis.

I won't have a chance to test the others unless I'm willing to wait a long time. My dealership has been selling every GT they can get their hands on, and the supply seems low. I believe them about this, because from what I read on this site, the production of 2011s has been slow. I don't want to wait till too long to get mine, because I'm hoping to drive it while it's still summer (I live in Chicago). Without being an expert on the whole gear thing, I was thinking of going with the middle option.

montreal ponies

I have 3.73 and like it, especially for defeating skip shift, which i just started getting use to.

Automagically

Nice. I guess I just read in to the comment wrong. I had planned on ordering the 3.55's myself but with fuel mileage and overall cost being factors that really are a bigger factor to me now, I am not going to be heart broken with 3.31's. I would say go for it and order the 3.55's if you are comfortable. I think it will be a great gear ratio.

laserred38

I can't believe no one one here has given you crap for driving a Prius yet!

Kinda funny you drive a Prius, and you're buying a 400+ hp V8 muscle car...but I like it!

danimal15

So true! I'm hard to pin down when it comes to cars.

I bought the Prius in 2005 when I was extremely concerned about the world running out of oil and gas prices were climbing to then record highs. I've always been someone who tried to have a low impact on the world, and I've driven high-mileage cars my whole life (before the Pruis I had a Neon, and before that a 1983 Toyota Tercel wagon hand-me-down from my parents that had about 60 HP).

Now I'm 39, and I'm a lot less concerned about "peak oil" than I was 4 or 5 years ago, thanks to research I've done on the subject. I've spent 5 years driving a car that gets 45 to 50 MPG, and I feel I've really done my part for the environment (plus, I'm keeping the Prius for winter driving and long trips).

For my entire life, I've wanted a Mustang. I grew up in the 70s and 80s with the Fox Mustangs, and used to dream of having one. I didn't really like the 1994-2004 generation of Stangs, but the new generation is a great design, and once I started reading about the 2011, I knew I had to have one. I've driven "mom" cars for almost 25 years and I want to have some fun. Also, I really miss driving a stick shift, which is not a Prius option. In addition, my boys are older now (10 and almost 7), so I don't need to worry about car seats, etc. (my 10-year old is also part of this - he's very excited about the idea of me driving a Mustang - I'm going to take him to the dealer tomorrow to order it).

Eventually, I'm hoping to have two Mustangs - the GT and a V6 convertible with auto for cruising (and for my wife to drive - she isn't about to learn how to drive a stick.)

laserred38

Sounds good man. You're living the American Dream. Trade in the Prius for a Fusion Hybrid and you'll be golden! I'd actually love to have that old Tercel wagon though, if it was one of the RWD ones. It would be just begging for an engine swap!

Huskernation

I had a similar debate with myself as you are having and ended up ordering 3.55. I thought it was a good compromise.

laserred38

Not that you've driven a 05-10 car, but the 3.55 geared 5.0 is very similar to a 3.73 geared 05-10, as far as gearing in the transmission and rearend is concerned.

Freshmeat

The one I'm buying is bare bones with 3.31s. My plan is to leave it that way for a few months, then when I want a kick to make it faster I'll go to 3,73s.

danimal15

I loved the Tercel wagon and was sad the day I had to sell it. It was rusted out pretty badly by then, though it was only 10 years old with 85,000 miles. My mom, who had it the first 7 years, never drove it on any long trips.

It was the "SR5" version with 4WD and brown and white plaid seats. In college, my friends and I drove it from Illinois to Florida and back one spring break and from Illinois to Texas and back the next year. It was a 5-speed manual trans, but had a gear called "Extra low" at the top left that I never did bother to use. I guess it was for climbing really steep hills. Anyway, the car had lots of personality. It probably weighed less than 2,000 lbs.

I never see that generation of Tercel wagons in Chicago these days, but when I visited my brother in Portland, Ore., last year, was surprised to see a lot of them still running.

Automagically

I'm an idiot, all the love I have been giving to the 3.55 rear and and I just found out that I have only driven the 3.55 and 3.73 geared GT's. I was looking up the sticker of the first GT I test drove and sure enough it was a 3.55 rear, not a 3.31 so I am sorry! The 3.55 is great, and smooth.


Now, what the heck does the 3.31 feel like!?

shotzy

Very smooth. But with the 3.31 6th gear is almost useless unless you are going about 80. at 70 she lugs along around 1800 rpm and if you hit the gas to pass without downshifting you feel like you are driving a yugo.....

Right now I am tossing the idea of 3.73 or the Mustang specialist at the FRPP dealer is suggesting to go with the 4.10 which I am considering as well. I still need to drive the 3.73 first to see how it goes on the highway in 6th and what all the 1st gear goes to fast stuff is all about.

danimal15

Thanks. More impetus to go with the 3.55, I guess.

Mustang_fan

3.73 all the way. Think how much it would cost if u want to upgrade later+labor.

Drew2000

Check out the geating spreadsheet sticky https://themustangsource.com/f726/20...dsheet-483731/
and figure out your needs. Everyone's situation is differant. Lots of freeway driving/long trips maybe the 3.31's....around town smoking ricers or track then the 3.73's...or the 3.55's for a compromise.