East87

FIRST LEARN HOW TO FEATHER THE CLUTCH FROM A STOP!!! Practice feathering, and apply it often as you are beginning to learn! Everything else will come so much easier as you go. I still feather from a stop and use it as a "finesse" move when parking, beginning to back out of my steep-a$$ driveway, etc etc. It's not so easy for me to feather anymore as my SLP LoudMouths have eliminated some low-end torque (totally worth it).

Feathering the clutch *while stopped* is simply easing (VERY MUCH SO) the clutch out with no other pedals depressed until first gear starts to engage, and you feel the car begin to roll. The hardest part about driving a manual is moving smoothly from a dead stop. Once you've got feathering down, begin to experiment with the gas pedal in conjunction with letting the clutch out *slowly*. Shifting is easy. Shift around 2500 RPM to get decent gas mileage. At 15-20 mph, you should be in 2nd gear, 30-35 in 3rd gear, 40-45 in 4th gear, 55+ in 5th gear. *ROUGHLY*

Good shifting and driving practices while in control of a manual car come only with practice. Be gentle, but be willing to make mistakes in order to learn.

This all coming from a kid who bought his (manual) Stang without even having more than 30 minutes' experience with a manual transmission.

Get the manual!!!

suoperdave84

The guy at the dealership asked which one I wanted, and I said either....ended up with the auto because it was $3000 cheaper than the next model they had. Why so cheap? Hell I dunno.

But I'm glad I got the auto because I'm.....yawn....laz......yawn......lazy. Sure you adjust to it and it's fun at first, but regardless of how easy it becomes, you still have all that extra moving to do in a manual. And I just don't want to be doing all that anymore. Get me in the car, and then get me where I'm going...that's all I care about.

If I had a Viper or something of course I would feel differently. With 600 HP it's all about the thrill and contolling the monster power. 300 HP....ehhh, it feels good, but it's not a race car.

But you're 10 years younger than me. Perhaps you're not a lazy driver yet. I didn't use to be.

stealth_GT

I love the auto, especially with drag racing and for a daily driver, long haul freeway driving etc. but honestly I think you may enjoy having a 5 speed alot more then an auto. I had a ton of fun driving my old neon srt-4 stage 2 turbo. It's alot of fun but you won't understand until you drive one for yourself. I like the auto because of it's black and white nature.. it's either cruising at 1200 rpm snoozing away or full blast acceleration at any given time with a stomp on the throttle lol.

TenaciousH

Thanks a lot for your responses, especially Blu and East. I think I'll probably be getting the manual just for "**** it" sake. I need to learn eventually and what better way to do it than with my own friggin 300hp slab of muscle.... Now its into what I wanna do with the car and what options and all.

By the way, say I'm getting the convertible GT, is there much reason to get 09 or 08 over 07 or even 06 to save the money? WHats everyone's opinion?

funtimesalways

the 2 later years may have things like ambient lighting and the "shiny" shift ****, but i cant imagine there would be other major differences. smaller things like exhaust hangers are a little different. a major difference would the the 09 glass roof. but i have had 2 auto mustangs and 2 manual mustangs. i would never go back to an auto, just opinion tho. these autos are good, so much superior than older autos, but the fact still remains that a manual is going to put a little more power on the ground than the auto. case in point? the 09 challenger R/T. 370 vs 375. now most are going to tell you big deal, but numbers are numbers. the autos were a little nicer in the snow and ice, when i still lived in NY before uncle sam moved me to AZ. be ready for some s**t talking by people if you have an auto, everyone from the guy at the grocery store to friends asking if you know how to drive stick. i learned how on an 88 Ranger, about 9 years ago. but that is all opinion im just laying some hard facts down on what to expect either way. BTW, do they even make a manual valve body on these? I havent seen them if they do.

stealth_GT

^^ level 10 and TCI have reworked manual valve bodies for the auto, you can have them be either reworked, tuned or fully manual from what I hear. Not sure of the price either.. would be nice but not sure if the full manual valve bodies would be worth it or just annoying without actually driving one lol. I'd get it only if I had 500 whp or so.. the car shifts fine with the stock tranny imo, just not much fun shifting from 1-D (3rd lags REAL bad when upshifting from 1-2-3-D)


I really do think you'll enjoy the 5 speed so much more then the auto, just don't get on it all the time because you WILL want to lol. Been tempted to do a trade in before the 2010s roll in but I think I rather just put the money on a SC..

(-:

Mrbobcat

I was thinking about this as well and I don't know. I mean all my "sporty" cars have been stick except for the 94 probe I had. There was a big difference bet. the man. and auto eclipse when I tested them before buying, but it only had 140hp. With over 300hp, I'm thinking auto would be fine. I'm wondering if the 0-60 and 1/4 times are similar bet. the two?
I do know the auto supposedly gets slightly worse mileage, but is better in the winter. It is also more convenient when you eat while driving or something like I do and you can get an automatic starter which I've always wanted. But it is an extra expense option on the mustang I believe. I remember when the camaro and firebird was the same price for either. Too bad they can't do that with the new stang...

stealth_GT

I had a 93 mazda rx-7 twin turbo that was a 4 speed auto w/od.. it was really peppy up until 120 or so then it would fall flat on it's face and when I say 'flat' I really mean 'flat' lol.
It also had boost issues so that might have been the problem, not so much the auto, the speedo said 180, the quickest i have gotten her up to was a 'measly' 125 if that. Sure had the aerodynamics for it, thats' for damn sure!



*generic photo lol*

Shadow7874

If you think you will learn fast, then get a stick. I have a stick that ive had for a few months, i can drive it but im still not great at it. seems alot harder to work with at lower rpm then the only other stick ive driven (miata, lol) I typically rev to 2k rpm to get into first, or in reverse but i seem to be getting better every day. The manual is going to get better economy, more power, and more fun. sometimes it does get annoying though. when you get to that point, stop your car, put it in first and go. theres nothing like flying through the gears at your control (grinding them on accident sucks though)

kidnizmo

lmao stick, auto...auto or stick. i had this battle with my self for several months about two years ago when i first found out that Ford made 05+ Stangs in automatic. it wasnt until recently that when i tore the ligament in my left knee that my choices were made clear. i test drove several stick stangs, used and new when i was in the market for a sports car. i'm happy with the auto miss the stick when going around bends BUT none the less the auto is a different fun factor. the wife and i plan on getting 2012 or 2013 GT500 as a garage toy. my current auto GT DD will be kept and by then i may let her drive it....maybe...nah probally not