Hello, I am looking to purchase a 2013-2014 Mustang GT, should I get the manual or automatic? I live in the city, don't know how to drive a manual but definitely willing to learn. I heard the automatic was garbage with the stock tune, but with an aftermarket tune, it was great. I plan on getting the extended factory warranty. Would a CAI, axle back exhaust and tune void the warranty?
OP.The manual transmission in these cars is very easy to operate and the clutch is very light. I guess choosing which transmission is entirely your decision. Hard to take someone elses advice as to what YOU will like IMO. Since you have only had automatics though, you might really enjoy a change to a stick.
As for mods. A lot depends on how mod friendly the dealer is. That is with simple things like CAI's and axle backs. My dealer doesn't mind these at all. A tune is a whole different story though. Putting one of them in is pretty well going to guarantee you will run into warranty problems.
Ford even went so far as to send out a bulletin to dealerships telling them to look for Mustangs with tunes installed. And they said outright that the warranty would be compromised. Some people might tell you differently, but if you are the least bit concerned, I wouldn't tune it. IMO anyways.
Good luck.
Any mod can affect the warranty if those parts cause an issue.
As to which transmission, if you want to drag race a lot then it's the automatic all the way, for fun on the street or autocross or road course then get the manual.
I was just in Tampa last week (brandon), I grew up there but have been is St Louis for the last 15 years, I had completely forgotten how crappy the drivers are in Tampa, no offense intended just a general statement.
Will you be driving in any of the rush hour traffic there? might lean toward an auto if you do.
Garbage auto? I dont know what u heard but the auto does not fall flat on his face and even the stock tune feels like an raped ape. This coming from someone thats driven multiple high horsepower trucks . My auto pins be in my seat even when I had the stock tune. Heck I even beat a few 5.0 stick by a few cars in my auto. You would have to make a choice when you actually drive one.
I had an auto V6 and now I have a manual GT. The V6 was about as fun to drive as a Toyota Camry. It just felt like a regular car. I enjoy driving the manual much more. Like you I had never driven a manual before when I bought my GT. I just had my father drive it back from the dealership. Other than that it took me about 2 days to learn and 2 weeks to be competely comfortable with it. I say manual all the way unless you plan to drag race competitively.
I have had both manual and automatic. My first GT was a 2011 6 speed manual. Great car but I got tired of shifting gears. Last March I traded in the 2011 GT manual for a 2014 GT automatic. If you are driving in the city with a lot of stop and go traffic I highly recommend the automatic. You will find the performance in the stock automatic to be very strong. Drive both and make your decision. Good luck!
It's all Personal preference those who say a auto is no fun are out of their minds . Had a 6mt and now have a auto and this thing makes me smile when every time I punch it . Plus I can't still launch it on 1st If I so desire
It's all Personal preference those who say a auto is no fun are out of their minds . Had a 6mt and now have a auto and this thing makes me smile when every time I punch it . Plus I can't still launch it on 1st If I so desire
However, you cannot assume that every other manual transmission driver shares your thoughts and experiences concerning the automatic. For some of us, the straight line stuff is one of the little parts of enjoying the car, and it really is a whole lot "not fun" when the transmission shifts itself at times that you would not or into gears that you wouldn't go to.
A long time ago I drove a few cars with automatics because that's what was available at the time, and it was 'meh' at best. Once I got back into stick-shift cars again, I never missed the downshift lurching at all.
If I was to swing a 5.0 I'd go for an automatic if it was my only car. If I had a daily as well, stick. I enjoy driving stick today but in traffic it can get annoying.
I seriously debated getting the auto for the second Mustang, but every time I drive my wife's car convinces me that stick was the way to go. We would have been right back to fighting about who took the blue one that day If I ordered the 14 with an auto-its just the way we roll.
Can't go wrong with either. I enjoy my stick shift, but is a pita in traffic and in this area seems that's all we have. After 60,000 miles I no longer daily drive my mustang, I drive my suburban which is automatic. Drive the mustang on weekends when I can really enjoy it.
I would be in stop and go traffic in the mornings. I would love to have a stick but I don't know if it would become annoying under my circumstances. I love the idea of shifting through the gears, also less driveline power loss. In the city, I feel like I would go through a clutch every month, lol I would never go to the drag strip, last thing I need to do is spin out and wreck the car that I have saved up for. If I were to get an auto, I would definitely tune it. I contacted American Muscle and they said that if my car broke while using one of their BAMA tunes, they would cover repair cost if Ford wouldn't. Ill talk to my friend who has a 2012 V6 manual tomorrow and see how he likes it on his commute. My problem with test driving is that the dealer won't let me drive a manual because I have to know how to do it. Id have to buy the car first. I did drive an auto, my concern with it was that it always went for the lower gears and I would have to kick it back down, tune would probably fix that and the gears felt a little tall, maybe it is just me. When I floored it, it didn't let it the engine go to the redline, it felt like it was short shifting. Read tons of reviews saying that a tuned automatic drove so much better than when stock. Another plus to the auto is that it works, none of the problem that the manual MT-82 has with grinding and gear lockouts, no endless trips to the dealer.
I think you just answered your own question with this post. Get the auto.
Having been through the Tampa area several times to go see my brother in the Ft Meyers area I could see where a stick would be a real PITA to drive to and from work anyway. Rush hour traffic there can be a real pain.
I have been driving stick most of my life, and even I would have gotten an auto if I had that much traffic to deal with. I don't here most of the time, so an auto would be boring to me here-but there it would almost be a nessesity! Add that to the fact that you don't know how to drive a stick yet.....that would make the drive to work a major headache you don't need then....
I have had both manual and automatic. My first GT was a 2011 6 speed manual. Great car but I got tired of shifting gears. Last March I traded in the 2011 GT manual for a 2014 GT automatic. If you are driving in the city with a lot of stop and go traffic I highly recommend the automatic. You will find the performance in the stock automatic to be very strong. Drive both and make your decision. Good luck!
Like my good friend 32Fountain I've also owned both. I had a 2013 GT manual, then traded it for a 2013 GT auto. The trade was due to my wife having diabetic problems with her feet/legs and she really needed an auto.
The auto being garbage with a stock tune..........no way. I turned a 12.7 with a bone stock/showroom stock car and I've read about an occasional bone stock/showroom stock autos running 12.6's. The auto GT is a very fine car.
If you do a search here, you will see a lot of anti-manual transmission threads. This being said, I didn't have any issues with my manual, however I installed a MGW shifter as the first mod. I can say this, I got far more out of running a 12.5 in the manual vs. a 11.9 in the auto. With the auto I just floored it (the auto had more mods than the manual), however with the manual, I felt that my driving was better to get that 12.5.
I would like to caution you on something that happened to me on two or three test drives. During the test drive with the auto, I just wasn't feeling the performance, while the manual felt a lot faster. I can't explain why this happened, but it did. However after owning the auto a couple of days, something happened and it woke way up.
I would like to caution you on something that happened to me on two or three test drives. During the test drive with the auto, I just wasn't feeling the performance, while the manual felt a lot faster. I can't explain why this happened, but it did. However after owning the auto a couple of days, something happened and it woke way up.
You deserve a medal for this. I moved to San Diego to get away from the traffic in Northern VA. Anyone who has sat near the Springfield exit on 495 at 6pm ONCE deserves a medal. :heha:
Sounds like you will do better with an auto. I traded my 05GT auto in for a 11GT manual brembo and lets just say I will never get another auto mustang but that's just me. Manual is way more fun and when your in the canyons you don't feel like your killing your car from all the upshifts/downshifts. Also I don't have any issues from my trans and my friend who has an 11 supercharged doesn't either. It is easier to sit back and eat popcorn in an auto though... popcorn.gif
learn a manual on a POS if you can snag one, then test drive both and you choose. Fan boys on both sides about what's 'fun' but you definition is yours. Me...i just flat out got tired of shifting as its NO fun anymore.
Hybrid tune for auto and you'll be more than happy if you go that route.
The automatics in 11-14 models are literally bulletproof. They are such great American-made transmissions that will not break down. Also, if you own a 13-14 automatic, like I do, the select shift feature is simply awesome. Downshift to any gear you like on any roll and go smoke some cars
Get yourself a good tune, off road x, cold air intake, slap on some radials, and last but not least, nitrous and you will run the town. I will assure you that.
I love my manual! It's my first manual car and its SUPER easy to drive. I test drove an infiniti manual and that clutch was BRUTAL. If you want to drive a manual this is the car. First couple of weeks were a little scary but you pick it up QUICK. Just remember to use the e-brake on hills until you learn!!!
The real question is are you a lazy person? If you are a lazy person stick to automatic. Sometimes I get lazy in traffic and wish I don't have to keep shifting... but then I get an open road and rip it in 3rd and remember why I got a manual
I have a manual and for me it's the only way to go. Lots more fun in my opinion. On the other hand, you do live in the city and if you have a lot of stop and go traffic an auto would be something to consider. Drive em both and then decide. Either way have fun and enjoy your car!
I have a manual. It makes driving the car very fun. However when I go to the drag strip I am wishing that I had an auto. Much less driver error. Too bad I can't have both.
I have had 4 mustangs. Two manuals and Two autos. Long story short, I loved both of the manuals. The auto's not as much. In fact, I only kept the 13 5.0 auto for about 8 months. I was tired of shifting gears in everything I had, so I went auto on the 13. The car never felt like a 420 horse car to me. What bugged me was the lack of slam you in the seat torque I was expecting. Certainly didn't feel like 390 lb/ft to me. Now, the manual mustangs I had, pulled hard and didn't disappoint. If I ever get another mustang someday, it will be manual or bust for me. I think Ford's auto continues to just suck some life out of the car. My 90 was like that. It was auto and the first time I drove a fox body manual 5.0 I almost got sick, it set me back so much harder. I would bet, if I drove a manual 5.0 with the 3.73's it would feel like I was expecting. Anyway, just my 2 cents.
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