I didn't found out until the dealer pointed it out today. Depending on if you get Manual or Auto you are getting different gear ratio in your diff. 3.55 for the manual, 3.31 for the auto. Is this going to make much of a difference?
I am purchasing this vehicle purely for recreation and I live out where it is flat as a pancake. I can walk off the lot with an auto or wait 3 months for a manual. "What would you do?"
I'm getting $500 over x-plan. Not a great deal, not a bad deal.
Call Gary Yeomans Ford in Daytona Beach, ask them what GT with a stick is available (or will be available within the next few days). Pick one out, buy it for less than retail and have it shipped for around $500 to your home. Now you'll have a 5 speed for a great price and no long wait. Gary is a good friend and shoots straight. Ask for Robert Macklin, and tell him Mark Edwards told you to call.
I bought mine two weeks ago on the spot and drove it home.
a higher gear ratio gives you a little faster 0-60 time, but its going to take away speed from top end
...this is assuming the trannys are geared identically - which they aren't. The manual is geared a little lower through the gears than the automatic, but has a higher final drive (5th gear) - so the top end shouldn't be affected by the lower rear-end ratio.
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Loudog
If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.
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'05 GT Black w/ Drk. Charcoal, 5-speed Manual, IUP, Side Air Bags, Shaker 500, Bassani Xhaust (SS Cat-Backs w/ X-pipe), SCT XCalibrator, JLT Cold Air Intake w/DTP tune
If your asking for input, I'd ignore the wait-time issue and the gearing and focus on the tranny that you are going to enjoy more. Since the car is for recreation, which will be more fun for you to drive around in? I decided on the manual because I enjoy using the clutch and interacting with the gears. It's like, in a manual you enjoy driving. In an auto you enjoy the drive. It may be splitting hairs but there's a difference. Both are good depending on what you want.
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-Bob
http://bobbeltrami.com/mustang.htm
'05 GT: C&L CAI, SCT XCalibrator 2 (tunes by bamachips.com), Steeda Tri-Ax Shifter, Ford Racing Handling Pack: Sway bars, springs, dampers and strut tower brace
Last edited by Buck_Nekid; 01-26-2005 at 01:12 PM.
Reason: Spelling/Grammar
I bought one with the Auto and I do miss crunching gears. However, Living in Atlanta ( probably the second worst traffic in the U.S. ) The auto made more sense. My average mph to work is about 22mph... Also, the wife cannot drive a stick so that is probably another Plus for the stick . ( actually why I got the auto )
I do have to say however, this is the best auto transmission that I have ever seen. It produces clean quick shifts right up to the 6000 rpm red line if you stand on it. Also, the software is more leinent with the auto and allows a little more tire smoke and tail wagging with the Traction control on. In other words, the auto produced some nice burn outs. Basically, hold the brake, rev up to about 1500rpm let off the brake and away you go....
My 40 year old reflexes could probably not out shift this auto if it had a stick... ( hard to admit )
Basically, get what you want... If all things were equal, I would probably have prefered the stick...
Anybody know if Ford has plans for a manual override for the Auto? I've driven those before and it is a good compromise if somebody in the family can't deal with a clutch...
jq
Good tips. I decided on a manual, but like you said, this (surprised ghasp!) is a rock solid auto tranny from Ford. I actually cringe to think they are using the same shitty Tremec 3650 manual tranny in this beauty of a car. I just hope mine isn't one of the ones that grinds... (gambling)
Wait time didn't bother me, had to make two final payments on my '98 anyway, and it's crappy Winter time here anyway and this will be a recreational car. But you do give good points to consider. Thanks all
While it is true that the Manual Dynos at more hp at the rear wheels, it does not tell the whole story. I also doubt that there is a 30hp difference, it is probably more like 10hp...
1) It is much harder to dyno an automatic than it is a manual. Ten differnet dyno operators will get ten different results...
2) So far, all of the times ( including my personal times ) I have seen posted on 0-60 and in the 1/8 & 1/4 Mile put the auto within a tenth or so of the best manual runs. The auto seem to do especially well in the 1/8 miles as the higher fourth gear is not as much of a factor. There are certianly some excellent drivers out there who can work a better time out of the stick, but the computer in the auto can outshift the average guy/gal under full power. I have watched it several times and it shifts right on 6k every time...
While it is true that the Manual Dynos at more hp at the rear wheels, it does not tell the whole story. I also doubt that there is a 30hp difference, it is probably more like 10hp...
1) It is much harder to dyno an automatic than it is a manual. Ten differnet dyno operators will get ten different results...
2) So far, all of the times ( including my personal times ) I have seen posted on 0-60 and in the 1/8 & 1/4 Mile put the auto within a tenth or so of the best manual runs. The auto seem to do especially well in the 1/8 miles as the higher fourth gear is not as much of a factor. There are certianly some excellent drivers out there who can work a better time out of the stick, but the computer in the auto can outshift the average guy/gal under full power. I have watched it several times and it shifts right on 6k every time...
I'm not going to disagree on your second point but on the first I will. I seen several results posted on different sites and on average there has been a 30 HP difference. Hard to disagree with a computer. Time will tell as more get their dyno results posted.
I'm not going to disagree on your second point but on the first I will. I seen several results posted on different sites and on average there has been a 30 HP difference. Hard to disagree with a computer. Time will tell as more get their dyno results posted.
"Anytime we dyno a bone stock car at our shop we'll calculate the drivetrain loss against the manufacturer's claimed numbers. For std tranny cars it always comes out to approx 12% and for autos about 18%. We've never seen 15% drivetrain loss. Where it gets sticky is with uncorrected numbers. SAE corrected numbers will always work but some guys show their uncorrected numbers. "
Doing the math;
300hp * (1-.12) manual trans loss = 264rwhp
300hp * (1-.18) auto trans loss = 246rwhp
264rwhp - 246rwhp = 18rwhp advantage for a manual transmission.
'05 GT: 3.55 Manual, 3.31 Auto 
. ( actually why I got the auto )
