I decided that if I am not going to get the 06 Cobra, might as well save a few bucks and get the V6. I plan to get the convertable and now I find out I can only get the Pony Package with Auto.
I have not had a stick in 8 years due to Oldest Child needing to drive my cars, so this is my first chance, but now I am having second thoughts.
What would you do?
Main use of the car will be daily driver in light traffic, use as a Parade Car in the Summer, the occasional Rally and Weekend trips around the MidWest. Also, I live in MN, so winter will be fun.
Will I regret getting the Auto. None of the dealers around here have the 5 Speed, so I have not had a chance to feel it in person.
I would strongly agree with the previous post stating the Manual is the only way to go. I test drove the automatics and they just don't feel as fast as the manuals.
If you have a heavy foot, I would definitely recommend the 5 speed.
Good luck!
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StLStang
05 Premium Coupe, 5 speed, Mineral Grey Upgrades to come soon!
My theory is that people are either stick shifters or automatics. If you are a diehard shifter you would never be happy with the automatic. I drive stop and go traffic 30 miles each way every day and am thankful to have the automatic. If I was a hard core shift guy I would not care how many times I had to shift it. I can tell you the 5-speed auto on the Mustang is the smoothest shifting auto I have ever driven. When I really wind it out it feels and sounds like you were shifting a manual tranny to me. This is a personal choice and no matter how you decide to go I care promise that you are going to love the new Mustang.
I went in to buy a GT with a 5 speed. No GT's at my local dealer except the customized Dale Jarrett Editions that they wanted close to $50K for or the Rousch cars in the mid-high $40's. They had zero V6's with manual trannys. Patience is not my best thing so I bought the V6 with the automatic and have been happy. My plan is to now hold onto the V6, wait for the new Cobras, which will of course be a five speed and order one of those.
I def agree with getting an automatic. I would love to have a manual, because in my opinion, if its a Mustang, it should be a manual. It just goes with the muscle car look. However, with the rush hour traffic this girl sits in to and from work everyday, the automatic is key. I've owned 3 Mustangs and all have been automatic. It is def a matter of opinion though. But hey, a Mustang is a Mustang ... no matter what tranny it is
I test drove the automatic before I bought the manual, it was pretty good, shifted very well.... but for me nothing compares to driving manual. With a car like the mustang it's all about the driving experience that comes with a manual tranny.
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'05 Mustang V6 , Manual, Black w/ Red Leather
*Flowmaster American Thunder Axle-Back *C&L CAI w/ B@machips tunes *FRPP T-Lock *Steeda Steel Strut Tower Brace *JBA 9 mm Wires *Street Scene Grille w/ Center Fogs *SHR Rear Honeycomb Panel
I would definately try and find a manual to drive first.
When I test drove the manual V6, it felt real good and pretty peppy. But I was still planning to order the Auto (I prefer automatics). Since I plan on having this car for a while, it's a convertible and a summer fun car only, I went to another dealership to try the auto. I'm very glad I did, If you punched it, it felt as fast but when coming out of a corner or just crusing around it was sluggish to me. So I ordered the stick.
After a couple of months there are a couple of things. The shifter doesnt feel precise at all, I never drove a stick that was hard to get into second gear when getting on it. I will be buying a quality aftermarket shifter when they come out with one. Secondly, the cup holder position is terrible. Anything taller than a can gets in the way even with the rear bottom removed.
I still don't regret my decision to get the manual though.
I'm 54 and have had a lot of automactics and manual cars but for this one I would diffenatly advise the stick I have a 05 GT 5 speed and even with the six you will not believe how a car of this stature will make you feel like your 16 all over again, GO FOR THE STICK and enjoy it you deserve it.
Drive both if you can--- there are advantages to both. I live in a hilly area, and my wife is scared to death of manual transmissions (not that I'll let her drive it very often ) so I went with the auto. The auto is very smooth, letting me concentrate on what an awesome vehicle I am lucky enough to own, rather than shifting.
Before the test drive, I figured it really didn't make a difference to me if the Mustang had the manual transmission or the automatic. However, the first one I drove had a manual and it worked very well. So well, in fact, that I bought that car three days later.
As for kids needing to drive automatics, they can learn to drive manual transmission cars. I made mine take the drivers test with a manual transmission. They had to be better drivers to be able to do that and it has made a difference.
Unless you're one of those who hates to shift, consider the manual transmission. If you spend the majority of your time in stop and go traffic, especially on backed up freeways, then maybe the automatic is a better choice. Fortunately, I don't commute any more and I enjoy the 5-speed manual transmission.
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Red 2005 Mustang Convertible, and a 95 too - Pleasanton, CA
I'd agree that people are either Manual or Automatic by blood. I used to drive 35 miles each way in DC traffic for years, and it never bothered me once that my truck was a stick. Now that I have a GT, I knew it had to Manual. I did test drive both, and I will give the A/T some serious props. It was nice, nice enough to warrant serious consideration. The A/T felt just a little weaker, but barely noticeable. It's probably the second nicest A/T I've ever felt (the first being a Murano, if you believe that). In the end though, I got a Mustang for the driving experience... and that means I need a shifter in my hand and a clutch at my feet.
I will also second the point that the cupholders are probably in the WORST spot possible. I don't use them in mine very often, but if you're a daily commuter with a serious drive then odds are you probably would use them and anything larger than a soda can will really feel in the way. Bring a drink to the test drive to see if it bothers you in either model.
The auto works great. But if you only drive in light traffic, I'd say get the manual. I prefer the manual, but I have too much stop and go traffic. Also the manual is really, really tough to find. I would think the ability to start in second in the snow would be a plus, although if you had TCS it probably wouldn't matter much. My recommendation is find the car with the options and color you like, then take whatever tranny is in it. If you plan to order it, get a manual.
< Message edited by Bruno -- 7/3/2005 6:25:23 PM >
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What to do 5-Speed or Auto - 
) so I went with the auto. The auto is very smooth, letting me concentrate on what an awesome vehicle I am lucky enough to own, rather than shifting.
