What he said

 

Driving a 5 speed is more fun. The only manual mustang I've driven is my cousin's 2011 V6, so I can't tell you about an 05-9 GT, but it was great. Would I want to do it every day driving to school/work in traffic? Maybe not. What is your driving style like? Do you encounter heavy traffic often? Do you mind getting teased a bit for getting an auto?

 

This will be a fun thread...let the fight begin! lol

 

Never took the time to learn to drive an automatic, so it's a manual only world for me.

 

15% parasitic loss of power due to the drivetrain on manuals... closer to 20% parasitic loss due to the drivetrain on autos...

 

Manual or nothing.

 

I have an auto and I regret not getting the 5 speed.








....remember those words.

Although, for an automatic, it kicks serious ***. Most autos in other cars are all slushy, but after a good tune the 5r55s trans shifts very firm and feels definitive of what gear you're in. Get 4.10's regardless. I chirp 4th with just an intake/tune 4.10's. The auto + 4.10 combo is deadly out of the hole, but autos don't pull as hard up top due to parasitic loss.

 

I had a 5 speed in my 2008 and regretted not getting the auto. In fact the reason I traded for a 2010 is so I could ditch the crappy Tremec 5 speed.

There's something unsettling about a $30K car that you have to fight with to get in reverse and that doesn't want to shift in to gear smoothly when the weather is cold. My car had cold clash bad and it never shifted smoothly..."normal operation" according to Ford.

This is the only automatic Mustang I've ever owned but I enjoy my commute to and from work now. The Tremec was a PITA to drive (NOT FUN) and wasn't going to win any drag races either due to the delay in shifting caused by gear clash. I'm all for manual transmissions; my wife's Mini has one and it's a fun car to drive. The manuals in the late-model Mustangs just suck though IMO, and it's a lottery to see if you get stuck with a bad one.

 

that's what the test drive is for....if it becomes clunky later on it's due to the driver.

 

Test drive both and see what you like. Initially the rougher trans worried me, but I've grown to love it. Of course it's going to be rougher when cold, every car needs time to warm up. After it's warmed up it's pretty smooth, but maybe a little rougher than some econobox or some European car. I'll stick to my Stang though.

I refused to even look at an automatic while I was looking for my Mustang.