mph07alloy

Basically it's no different that moving an automatic gear shift from "D" to "3" etc, you're just pressing a button instead. According to Motortrend the autostick is slow shifting and nothing like the instant precise shift you get with the dual clutch paddle shifters in the higher end vehicles.

AMustangHopeful

Well, then the Ford dealership I was at is wrong. He looked it up in his information on his computer, and read that there will be an up on one side, and a down on the other. That was about two weeks ago.

cody2639

Your dealer is wrong. Sorry

Mishri

There was a rumor out about the 2011s that they would have paddle shifting automatics but it wasn't true...

You could always get a Taurus SHO, thats what the salesman tried to talk me into heh okay, whew now i dont have to worry about it.. yeah.. in 2016 we'll see about some paddle shifting, new chassis 3400lbs 450hp GTs

chain1

I don't see the big deal. Whether it's buttons on the steering wheel, paddles behind the steering wheel, or a button on the shifter, it's still the same thing. Not sure you should base your decision on the location.

sofaking5.0

http://mustangsdaily.com/blog/wp-con...ctshift-02.jpg

This is the shifter. paddles would be cooler but i'll take it. Seriously I'm gonna beat my wife till she yields

AMustangHopeful

Just got off the phone with a salesman who had a sourcebook update dated sometime in March, he says that the transmission has a spot, like D R and P, M, that if you put it in this spot, these two buttons on the shifter will shift up and down. No paddles, but it sounds different than that article

imaredtuna

Getting back to the OP's original question about finding out about handling do's and don'ts, +1 to MoshpitMad's suggestion regarding high performance driving school. It is well worth the investment to explore handling limits in someone else's car in a safe, controlled enviroment, rather than risk your own car and personal safety on public roads. ;-)

AMustangHopeful

So, I've never driven stick but once, and while I knew the idea of how to work it, I still stalled the car and failed more often than I succeeded, reversing out of my driveway and into the drive next door x.x. It was a Honda CRX with long gears, but that's neither here nor there.

I don't know anyone else with a car that I can learn manual between now and then. And to be honest, I don't think i'll be driving in enough spots to warrant learning it, as I always have a blast driving through those bends at 75 with my friend's Celica, which feels like its the cars limit through there.

I've test-driven at three places, twice with a v6, once with a GT. While the GT test drive was the shortest, going just around the block basically, and also at a dealership that was trying really hard to get a sale out of me, when I stated I was waiting for the 2013, unable to afford the Mustang for at least 2 months, and was trying to sell me one that was 10k above what I said I wanted.

I had a blast driving all three, the GT sounded like hot steamy love for my ears, even with stock exhaust. The v6's had amazing power when I got onto the highway for a number of miles. Though the GT is just in a different world, I rather foolishly now looking back, stomped on the gas on this short stretch of flat road for a couple seconds, it was just unreal.

All three of these were auto's, so while I'm sure the manual is way fun for people who drive their beasts to the limit, I'm perfectly content with an auto, and now I get to have manual-esque capability on the auto, bonus : ).

Also, seems that article about the shifters, answered my question about the Brembo package, it does upgrade the handling, sweet.

AMustangHopeful

Feels like i'm jumping all over the place topic-wise in a short time, but as to the driving class, closest one is about 1-1.5 hours away, about $750 for a class and use of their Acura TSX.

Surely the class will help overall, but will there be anything that car won't be able to prepare me for? I looked at the rating on the Acura site linked to by the class' website, and it shows the highest hp rating on that car is 280.