We all have our opinions... you have to just go drive the two and see for yourself.
Autos are great. Manuals, IMO are more fun. So! For a DD... toss up I'd say. Obviously, you can see which I picked for my DD... (hint it's my only car).

 

Manual is the only way to go for me.

 

Did you ever get one?

Daily driver in a place with allot of traffic.... Auto
Daily driver in a place with no traffic... Well that's easy.. Manual.

 

Shocked ......not one appearance of the "I have a bad knee had to get the auto guy"
although the "my wife has to drive it" guys mad up for it.

I say drive both and get what you like better.

 

When I went shopping for my next mustang, I could not find a manual with the options I wanted. Everything out there was auto.

I miss having a manual a lot, but I just recently retrofitted the select shift to give a bit of that feel back. I even saw that there is a paddle shifter kit that I may try and satisfy that shifting craving that I have.

 

I guess I will be the first "bad knee" guy. I do have a bad left knee that starts to hurt with too much clutch action. The other reason I bought the automatic is that I just don't enjoy shifting that much and I would rather just put it in gear and go. If I do want to shift gears my fiancée has a 07 GT with the manual.


Like others have said, drive both and see which you like the best and look at what your driving situation is. If you do a lot of in town driving, shifting gears may get old after awhile.


Wayne

 

This debate never ends. You gotta buy what you want and be happy with it. I get the you got an auto comment once in a while so it is what it is. I tell them I don’t have brakes and I Fred Flintstone my car to a stop to prove my manliness.

 

Oh lord, you ain't a man if you have an auto????? What about all the super cars that have auto's. You guys crack me up.

OP, our GT is an auto, and the tranny works great. I've had my share of manuals when I was younger, but there's something to be said about just pushing the skinny pedal and moving on.

 

Just tell them you injured your knee on a Black Op mission in Anwar province....and your wife doesn't know how to drive a stick.

 

I test drove an Auto as a test vehicle. it was OK. I personally prefer the Manual - its a completely different ride.... to each their own. good luck. you should likely drive both and see where your comfort zone lies...

 

My experience is mine alone but it may give you some direction. I've owned many autos and manuals. The autos just haven't been as thrilling so if the object is fun I'd go with a manual.

However, unfortunately, the cartilage in my left big toe is pretty much gone and it's bone on bone. It makes depressing a clutch pedal rather difficult. I understand the appeal of a nice comfortable auto. But, based on how much more fun a manual is, when it came time to get my new GT/CS I didn't even consider the auto. It's been a month or so and never once have I wished I'd gone with the auto.

 

I agree. As I've said before I never say to myself I'm not having quite as much fun as I should with an auto while I'm driving around. Maybe it's the drop top effect.

 

Stick! Theft deterrent.

 

Good point.

 

Automatics are consistently faster than manuals from straight line speaking. A local mustang club member, myself and numerous other club members were on a private road several weeks ago. I had raced this club members modded 5.0 manual against my little modded automatic 3.7. I beat the a$$ off his 5.0 and we ran to 100 mph. The 5.0 couldn't get traction first off, second dude didn't work the manual right when off the line.

Now with that said, that 5.0 is faster than my 3.7 but point being, manuals are to inconsistent. The automatic shifts perfect every time. All I do for my auto is the following:

Left foot on brake.
Right foot, over gas pedal
Light turns green.
Take left foot off brake.
Slam right foot on gas pedal and mash down to the floor.

Off we go with perfect launch, no tire spin and Mr. 5.0 couldn't catch up because he is too busy spinning and fish tailing all over the place.

The guys in the club ragged the ball snot out of the 5.0 owner because a N/A 3.7 whooped his a$$. Ha ha ha..

HAIL AUTOMATICS!

 

Nice. When I used to take my 2000 GT auto to the track with a buddy of mine he could not beat me. Maybe a better stick driver could but it was always fun busting his chops about it. LOL!

 

i wonder how you would have faired against a manual 3.7 driver that knows how to operate the transmission

 

The high-end auto transmissions are faster than manuals, regardless of the driver. The Mustang has a transmission that's good enough to easily compete with the very best driver in an identical Mustang with a stick shift.

However, if you want to DRIVE the car, the stick is necessary. Without the stick, the manual doesn't go anywhere. With an auto, you're riding. With a stick, you're driving the car. It literally depends on the driver's preference.

 

Exactly. Best post in this thread. Folks need to understand it's not always "only" about speed and racing.

 

Right! It's about a lot of things when you really think about it.