acbite

hey there, guys. So I'll be buying my first mustang in a month but goin through a dilemma of choosing between stick shift and auto tran. I'm gettin' a good deal on an 08 conv. GT manual. I've never owned a stick shift car before but have driven one once and I'm willing to learn.
The thing is that I live in New York City and traffic is horrible. Lot of stop and go traffic to put up with and annoying bad drivers. I'll be driving mostly to and from work, moderate traffic, and occasional weekend highway traffic free driving. I want to get a manual tran but unsure of how driving will be like during heavy traffic hours and places. sorry if this question has been asked here before. I'd appreciate any help.

VistaGTCS

Welcome!
Tough question & only one that you can ultimately answer, but here's my take on it. First of all, these cars are impressive either way. I personally prefer manual transmissions, but I learned to drive on a stick at age 16. I used to live in LA, so traffic is an area I'm familiar with. I don't even think about shifting. It is second nature. The automatic would be easier to drive in the City, but if you can be at ease with getting used to shifting in traffic, by all means, go with the stick - way more fun and you also have the benefit of slightly better mpg and better performance.
Hope this helps,
Mike

bobbyhart

Yeah, the MPG will be 'slightly' better. Probably so slightly that you wouldn't notice it in city driving. The stick is definitely more fun to drive, but I have an auto and I love it. I am not sure how firm the clutch is in the new stangs, but my buddies 04 Cobra clutch was so stiff that in city driving my leg would be give out and shaking after about 5 blocks lol.

Derf00

I've driven a few mustang manual cars. The clutches from generation to generation are not the same. I test drove a manual S197 and didnt' like it. Pressure itself is about the same but the feeling is somewhat disconnected. Probably because these use a hydraulic setup vs straight cable of the previou gen. I personaly didn't like it which is why I went auto.

There is also throttle lag and a somewhat disconnected feeling from the foot and the throttle compared to older gens of Mustangs that use a cable based throttle.

With regard to the clutch.

lizzyfan

Welcome to Mustangforums!

69FB

When my brother bought his first mustang he needed it fast and settled for a 99 GT Convertible with an automatic.

On his second mustang he bought a ShelbyGT so he could get what he wanted the first time a standard. I agree with the others here the stick is more fun to drive but I do remember driving in Dallas when I lived there. If the stick can become second nature get it. Especially if you can get a good deal on one.

If you're not use to a stick it is really your decision. I bought my 69 with a AOD in it but have already made plans to swap it out to a standard. Granted it will not be my DD though.

Welcome to the Forums and post pics when you get it.

MsBlur

Tough decision... I've had and loved both. Good luck and welcome to MF!!

Rapscallion Stallion

I just bought an 02 V6 Mustang in October. To me an automatic was out of the question. I test drove 2 automatics and they just didn't feel sporty enough for me (V6). The first 5 speed I ever drove, I fell in love with. It had been kept in great shape with low mileage and I got a wonderful deal. The 5 speed has more pep (assuming you know how to shift) because you can do with it what you want. Such as downshifting or cruising in lower RPMs.

I had already learned how to drive a stick on a Sentra and got used to that. The Mustang clutch was a lot different. The clutch is a lot longer and releases higher than any other car Ive ever drove (I pride myself on never killing it). It's more like a truck's clutch. It feels a lot like the clutch of a Ranger. I went back to drive the Sentra after having drove only the Mustang for a couple weeks and nearly killed the Sentra. The Mustang clutch is so different from any others. But it's easy to get used to.

The only drawback with the clutch is its length. A couple weeks ago a hurricane hit Kentucky (where I live) and it knocked all the power lines out, including street lights. Going down Dixie Highway was a major pain. It was stop and go, stop and go, stop... My leg was cramping up after the third stop light. But I was also wearing Flip Flops. I recommend tennis shoes.

But to make a long story short, if you drive in heavy stop and go traffic a lot, you're going to want the automatic. But in anything less than heavy rush hour traffic, go with the manual. It will only take you 1 day to really get the hang of the manual. Then maybe a couple weeks to a month to perfect it. The worst thing you could do would be to get an automatic and regret it. The 5 speed surely is more fun. But make sure you wear tennis shoes.

acbite

wow, thanks for the replies and suggestions, guys. I'm still contemplating over the issue 'cuz I'd hate to make a hasty decision and regret it later on. So the new 'stangs (05 to current) how's their clutch? does it also release higher like the past generation mustangs?

Tazzy

Welcome!