transmission choice...
05-25-2006, 12:44 AM
#12
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location:
Posts: 1,138
RE: transmission choice...
ORIGINAL: Jiraiya
Manual. I've heard people gripe about their stick, and frankly I think they're the exception rather than the rule. The stick has a lot of travel and it's kind of clunky, and the clutch pedal is a bit stiff - but I expect that kind of feel in an honest-to-god muscle car. The stick-shift 06 Mustangs I've driven have been a lot of fun and not very hard to get the hang of - you'll get used to it quickly. You're definitely going to have an easier time with it than the Mini.
Manual. I've heard people gripe about their stick, and frankly I think they're the exception rather than the rule. The stick has a lot of travel and it's kind of clunky, and the clutch pedal is a bit stiff - but I expect that kind of feel in an honest-to-god muscle car. The stick-shift 06 Mustangs I've driven have been a lot of fun and not very hard to get the hang of - you'll get used to it quickly. You're definitely going to have an easier time with it than the Mini.
My '04 F-150 is a stick, and the Mustang has very little travel compared to that.
The only difference with the clutch is that in the Mustang, it kicks in right off the floor. Stiffness is about the same.
05-25-2006, 01:08 AM
#13
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Glenview, IL (Chicago suburb)
Posts: 170
RE: transmission choice...
ORIGINAL: Black GT
I don't know what people are driving and comparing when they say the Mustang stick has a lot of travel.
My '04 F-150 is a stick, and the Mustang has very little travel compared to that.
The only difference with the clutch is that in the Mustang, it kicks in right off the floor. Stiffness is about the same.
I don't know what people are driving and comparing when they say the Mustang stick has a lot of travel.
My '04 F-150 is a stick, and the Mustang has very little travel compared to that.
The only difference with the clutch is that in the Mustang, it kicks in right off the floor. Stiffness is about the same.
You don't think there's anything amiss with the clutch and shifter of a sports car being more comparable to that of a truck than other cars in and around its class? Come on. Personally I don't see anything wrong with the feel of the Mustang's transmission, but it's hardly a complement to say it feels about the same as an F-150.
05-25-2006, 01:27 AM
#14
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,006
RE: transmission choice...
I agree; a stick is more fun and get's better mileage, but I don't think it's any harder to steal.
ORIGINAL: JStang78
I avoid autos...just as a matter of personal policy, so my opinion is obviously baised.
Your dad is right on just about every point (especially about the fun factor) - except he left out the better gas mileage, and the fact that you reduce the chance of your car getting stolen greatly by getting a stick.
I bought my car with 7000 miles on it; however, it was reacquired by Ford under lemon laws, and the transmission (among other things) was replaced, so the transmission actually had about 3000 miles on it when I got the car. I went from an '02 ZX2 (stick) to this one, and honestly, the ZX2's shifter was a million times more forgiving than the Mustang's. That's not to say that the Mustang's is particularly tight - it's really quite comfortable once you get its feel - it's just not nearly as loose as the Escort's. One thing I do find myself mucking up every now and then, is, if I stall (as in delay moving my hand - not "stall" the car) at all or slowly shift between fourth and fifth, I'll lose track of third and fifth, and find it a bit easy to mistakenly put it in third by mistake.
Given any situation - except maybe physical or medical limitation - I say go manual! Then again, like I said, I'm biased.
Funny you mention the Merkur - the last automatic car I had was an '88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe, which had the exact same engine as the Merkur XR4ti.
I avoid autos...just as a matter of personal policy, so my opinion is obviously baised.
Your dad is right on just about every point (especially about the fun factor) - except he left out the better gas mileage, and the fact that you reduce the chance of your car getting stolen greatly by getting a stick.
I bought my car with 7000 miles on it; however, it was reacquired by Ford under lemon laws, and the transmission (among other things) was replaced, so the transmission actually had about 3000 miles on it when I got the car. I went from an '02 ZX2 (stick) to this one, and honestly, the ZX2's shifter was a million times more forgiving than the Mustang's. That's not to say that the Mustang's is particularly tight - it's really quite comfortable once you get its feel - it's just not nearly as loose as the Escort's. One thing I do find myself mucking up every now and then, is, if I stall (as in delay moving my hand - not "stall" the car) at all or slowly shift between fourth and fifth, I'll lose track of third and fifth, and find it a bit easy to mistakenly put it in third by mistake.
So come on guys, what do you think, given my situation, Manual or Auto?
Funny you mention the Merkur - the last automatic car I had was an '88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe, which had the exact same engine as the Merkur XR4ti.
05-25-2006, 01:43 AM
#15
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: san diego
Posts: 801
RE: transmission choice...
hhow would a manual be harder to steal? you could easily take it out of gear and pull the latch on the parking brake. and pullit onto a trailer or down a hill. am i right? please explain.[&:]
05-25-2006, 02:09 PM
#17
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location:
Posts: 772
RE: transmission choice...
svo's have the same engine 2, lol
[/quote]
Given any situation - except maybe physical or medical limitation - I say go manual! Then again, like I said, I'm biased.
Funny you mention the Merkur - the last automatic car I had was an '88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe, which had the exact same engine as the Merkur XR4ti.
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[IMG]local://upfiles/25998/F0419445018E43239305575C78E17A15.jpg[/IMG]
[/quote]
Given any situation - except maybe physical or medical limitation - I say go manual! Then again, like I said, I'm biased.
Funny you mention the Merkur - the last automatic car I had was an '88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe, which had the exact same engine as the Merkur XR4ti.
[/quote]
[IMG]local://upfiles/25998/F0419445018E43239305575C78E17A15.jpg[/IMG]
05-25-2006, 02:11 PM
#18
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location:
Posts: 772
RE: transmission choice...
not everyone knows how 2 drive stick, so those people looking 2 steal a car might think twice about it if its a stick i would imagine, lol
ORIGINAL: onefastv6
hhow would a manual be harder to steal? you could easily take it out of gear and pull the latch on the parking brake. and pullit onto a trailer or down a hill. am i right? please explain.[&:]
hhow would a manual be harder to steal? you could easily take it out of gear and pull the latch on the parking brake. and pullit onto a trailer or down a hill. am i right? please explain.[&:]
05-25-2006, 02:32 PM
#19
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 315
RE: transmission choice...
ORIGINAL: onefastv6
hhow would a manual be harder to steal? you could easily take it out of gear and pull the latch on the parking brake. and pullit onto a trailer or down a hill. am i right? please explain.[&:]
hhow would a manual be harder to steal? you could easily take it out of gear and pull the latch on the parking brake. and pullit onto a trailer or down a hill. am i right? please explain.[&:]
05-25-2006, 02:35 PM
#20
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 315
RE: transmission choice...
I'll add that I personally know TWO people who have avoided having their car stolen because it was stick. One guy left his Eclipse running in a gas station, the guy jumped in and said "s***! It's a stick" and ran off. The other one was a Grand Am that had the console all messed with, broken window and the car knocked out of gear...but still in the driveway.