Mrbobcat

I'm assuming the 5.1 time to 60 that Motortrend recorded was from a manual car, correct? Any idea or reports of what kind of time the auto trans would get? It seems like the majority, if not all of the V6's at local dealerships are autos right now.

LostBoyz

I hear in stock form the auto can be a little slow shifting, which can all be changed with a tune. Personally I would (I did) just get the manual, it will save you $1k and you will enjoy your car that much more.

Nuke

You must be looking to start a fight since this topic usually DOES provoke one.

You'll get feedback both ways. The auto's these days are pretty efficient and can typically out-shift the average guy on a manual. But the manual's are much more fun to drive (hence the "you ride a manual but you DRIVE an auto").

I wouldn't have bought my Stang if I could have only gotten an auto. But that's just me.

kev152

I, also, am looking for some actualy test data of the automatics in both the 3.7 and 5.0.

As for the automatic/manual discussion, the people who seem to bash automatics and say "why would you buy a car like this with an automatic", they seem to forget that people have different tastes in what they like.

Some people like Pizza with peperoni, some do not.

Some people want to play video games (Madden comes to mind) with a controller, others find it more fun to play fantasy football (and others like both).

Some people can't wait to get out on waterskis on the lake, while others you can't get out of the boat but they will want to drive the boat allday.

With a transmission in a car it is the same. some people actually like the shifting of the gears more than others. While others simply want that feeling of hitting the gas and feeling themself pushed back into the seat. They want that feeling, they could care less about having to shift a level to do it.

Alec

The stock tuned autos in these cars are dogs. Once tuned, that changes. If I could do it over, I'd go with a manual. Auto does have the advantage in a straight line though

jiga

My first choice would have been a manual, but I went with an auto for other reasons and I still love it.

lostnight

When I bought my '05 4.0 back in 2005, I was looking for a manual, that's what I was used to drving and wanted the extra performance. All the local dealers had autos though. So I test drove a Screaming Yellow automatic, and the acceleration felt plenty strong to me. I fell in love with the car, bought it, and didn't regret it. I ordered my 2011 as an automatic and love it also, though I will need a tune to lower my 1/4 mile times, the shift points seem conservative. But driving to and from work I love having the auto. My commute is all city driving during rush hour, and I usually drive conservatively during these commutes, staying in the same lane. I'm not one of these cut and thrust drivers during heavy traffic, madly weaving in and out of lanes.

So I would have to say it is up to you, how you drive, what you will be happiest with the majority of the type. I've heard rave reviews about the new manual transmission, I will still like to test drive one even though I have my new car.

Cal26Stang

I like being able to select my own gears at whichever rpms I choose, plus manuals give you a better feel for your car on hard turns

Derf00

stock for stock you're within 1 tenth of second on an auto vs manual.

OEM's have gotten smart about the way they gear their auto trannied cars so even though you have a 5 speed manual vers a 5 speed auto or a 6spd vs 6sp, the Auto will have shorter gears in some gears to compenstate for the auto's parasitic loss.

Not so true in the mustangs prior to 05. Prior to 05 you could easily a expect a manual to be up to 1 to 1.3 seconds faster in the 0-60 mph and several mph and sometimes seconds faster in the 1/4 than the auto which had only had 4 gears.

conejo172

I preferred the manual trans despite the crazy traffic in the D.C. Metropolitan area! Mine was the only manual trans on the lot, out of 14 mustangs GT's included. I tested the auto and it was a dog!