The Great Debate

[SLOW 97]

I know this question is going to bring on the arguments. I'll start by saying for a mild street machine go stick. For a serious strip car auto is the only way.

[95mustanggt]

It's all in what you want from the car. I love a 5 speed, to me it's just too much fun.

[98SteedaGT]

Manual make make you faster somewhat because it doesn't consume as much power as the 5spd does, but I wouldn't own a 5spd simply for the fact that people aren't near as consistent as a machine it. I would much rather put more power into an engine to compensate for it being eaten by the auto, than drive a stick and not be consistent all the time or miss shift

[98SteedaGT]

ok, I screwed tat post all up... can't talk and type... What was supposed to be there is.... "Manual doesn't consume as much power as Auto" and "wouldn't own a 5spd simply for the fact that people...... consistent as a machine is (not it)." today hasn't been a good day, sorry for the messed up post

[96GTPRT]

Manual, Manual, Manual. I really wish i had a 5-speed, not cuse I hate my auto (its great!) but because its so much more fun. My best friend and I basically live at each others houses so we drive each others cars all the time. The only thing we dont have in common is our taste in cars. He has a 2000 Civic Si with a ton of mods and a 5-speed. Its a blast to drive. (dont worry id still rather have a Mustang) Theres just something about going through those gears. I don't know but its great. Manual all the way. Unless of course ur running a serious drag car.

[Unit 5302]

Sports car = manual.
Crusin car = manual or auto.
Mild modded = manual
Street/Strip = manual or auto.
Full out drag = auto.

It is acceptable to have a GT vert with an auto. Not a coupe, ehehe.

[Hammer]

Oh my God!
I agree with Unit!!!

(The end of the world is nigh...)
j/k

[98SteedaGT]

So what's wrong with an automatic coupe?

[Unit 5302]

I'm talking initial purchase for the above categories. The Mustang Coupe is a sports car. Sports cars are sporty and meant to be driven with some spirit.

The Ford AOD has no spirit. It's a slushbox made to shift like a Lincoln Town Car. Sure you can mod it, but to do it right will set you back $700 more than the same car with a 5spd would, and you still could be slower. Rowing through the gears with control and the crisp response of a 5spd is a pleasure when toying around with a sportscar, and something you cannot imitate with an auto.

As far as the vert, it's a great crusin' car. When you're out on the crusin strip, it's nice to just have a nice, smooth, drive amongst some other nice cars (and usually girls) hehe. Too bad there aren't enough days in Minnesota to enjoy like that it seems.

Hey Hammer, be careful. Mr 5 0, Dark 5.0, gtsr515, and you have all agreed with me in the last month or so. Might I finally be corrupting people? HHAHAHAHAH

[98SteedaGT]

Maybe so..... but, I have raced several 98's, 99-01's styles (all 5spds) and I handed their bumpers back to them after the race, they had the same mods as me.... Actually the 99-01's should have a little advantage since they have better heads than me, but I still open a can on them..... I love my auto, and would never go to a five speed... I do know how to drive them, so none of that "Well, you just dont' know how to drive one" talk.... :-D

My 95 z28 was auto and I wanted a change. IMO a manual transmission is much more fun to drive.....but dont get me wrong, an automatic tranny can be very beneficial as well!

[Isamu29]

Not trying to start an arugment about wussie japanese cars or anything but ive seen civic si pull away from viper gts r at strip and it was full manual no nos....... if it had been title for title viper woulda been handing over his keys........ Just to make a point just cuz its an auto or a manual it doesnt matter.... and yes most people cannot mimmic the perfect boaring old shifting action of an auto but I dont think bob bondrant or any other pro drag or la mans driver would ever have an auto and if any do its triptrionic shift which means it still has a clutch thats computer controled. The only auto I would ever buy would be the new M power Bemer with there perfected clutchless shift car its amazing. My only problem with all the cars I mentioned are THEY ARENT AS PRETTY AS THE MUSTANG well maybe Viper GT-R is hot too but Im a sucker for mustang cuz it was and still is my first an only car that I bought with my hard earned money..... SHOULD SAVED A LITTLE MORE AND BOUGHT A GT THOUGH CUZ IM TIRED OF CAMAROS REVING AT ME IN MY WUSSIE LITTLE V6....... the only thing I can beat are stock civics and preludes.... its sad and depressing but MY VOTE IS FOR MANUAL ALL THE WAY because once you get smooth and quick at double clutching you can sift faster then any stock or venom modded auto...... (YEAH I KNOW IM GONNA GET FLAMED NOW SO I WONT TAKE IT TO PERSONAL )

[Rice Hunter]

Isamu29,
Hey, umm, you may laugh at me, but I'm not quite sure what double clutching is. I have a vague idea, but could you clear that up for me?

Haha, I have been beating the ricers with what I was taught. Maybe I could adjust to a more efficient way to shift. If you could do a quick instruction, I'd appreciate it! Oh yeah, I like manual. As was said, way too much fun to give up.

[SLOW 97]

What? Tiptronics do not have clutches. All those are are autos tht you can manually select ALL gears not just first and second. Manuals are much more fun to drive but for racing autos are way mre consistant. With a high stall converter, shift kit, and a ring and pinion the auto will reign supreme. Double clutching is (or at least the definition I know) using the clutch to take it out of gear and into gear. It is also known as 'granny' shifting. But when racing you definitley want to be power shifting.

[Rice Hunter]

Ok, power shifting is when you don't let off the gas when you shift? That's what I have been told, but haven't actually got it down.

[Mustang92]

Like most have said it depends on the situation. The only reason in my opinion to lose the 5 speed is for consistancy down the track. A 5 speed is only as consistant as the driver and can compete with an automatic. I can make a handful of passes on any given night at the local track and be within a couple hundreths of every run, however there is always that one run when you miss a gear and in an elimination round that is when an auto is better.

For a street racing car to say you need an auto doesn't make much sense, on the street consistancy doesn't mean anything power does and auto use more power.

At the Atlanta FFW I lost the semi final round due to a missed shift and would have been in the finals if not. So I have been looking into an automatic for my car just for the FFW racing series but the 5 speed will always have a home in my car in heads up racing.

Bill

[GITY UUP]

I bought the auto because it was the only Stang on the lot in the color that I wanted and I got a great deal on the car. The auto in my car just feels sloppy. I put a B&M shift kit in it and it helped a little bit, but in hindsight, I'm sorry I didn't get the 5 speed. Maybe next time. I would recommend the 5 speed to anyone who is in the market for a Stang.

[Isamu29]

Originally posted by Rice Hunter
Isamu29,
Hey, umm, you may laugh at me, but I'm not quite sure what double clutching is. I have a vague idea, but could you clear that up for me?

Haha, I have been beating the ricers with what I was taught. Maybe I could adjust to a more efficient way to shift. If you could do a quick instruction, I'd appreciate it! Oh yeah, I like manual. As was said, way too much fun to give up.

Yup i agree with that heh most civics can be beat bad cuz most people DONT KNOW HOW TO DRIVE CLUTCHES, or turbo there civics before they can drive them.... recently 2 rich boys that go to a private school down the street from me died in civic crash cuz they forgot the most important thing about a car...... tuning suspension and wide tires on a car that weighs so little.... couldnt control car and fliped it.... Double clutching is when you press clutch to floor pull stick into neutral let clutch about half way out and depress it quickly agian while accelerating to give gears a changce to slow down while shifting so you get smooth consistant and much more powerfull shifts..... it also saves your gear box...... and makes ure engine HAPPY as BOB BONDRANT says.... if you want to learn more I recomend buying his book www.bondurant.com under accesories and apprarel or a book called Secrets of Solo Racing subtile Expert Techniques for autocrossing and time trials by henry a. watts. Lots of good stuff in both books will seriously improve your shift times and quarter mile and autocrossing times.......

Isamu

I WOULD RACE MY CAR BUT ALL I COULD AFFORD WAS A SHITTY V6 LX MUSTANG...... IF ONLY SOUNDSYSTEMS IMPOROVED HP

[Rice Hunter]

Hey thanks! I'll check that stuff out as soon as my boss leaves ! I wouldn't mind being about to shift a little better!

[SLOW 97]

Like GITY UUP said, I wanted a 5-speed to and would only buy a car that had one but when I saw my car for the first time last year and drove it I ended up buying it even though it was an auto. I used to think autos were real slow but not really. Also autos are quite a bit more durable and you don't have to worry about worn or blown clutches that inevitably occur. Some times I wish I had the stick just for kicks though. Manual tranny's are so much more fun to drive.