2018 Mustang Manual vs. Auto--MotorTrend

[Angry50]

There is an inherit problem with purchasing cars with "the fastest option"....it's only a short year or two before a different faster option is available.

I stopped chasing "fastest" a few years ago and went more with what I thought would be more enjoyable.

its not every few years.. auto vs manual.. which is faster? talking just factory transmissions stock for stock.. 6r80 was good after a converter and a tune. but the 10 speed is great out the gate. ya if you want to buy the fastest factory car then every few years youre buying again. my goal is to supercharge this car and be good for awhile.

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[millhouse]

its not every few years.. auto vs manual.. which is faster? talking just factory transmissions stock for stock.. 6r80 was good after a converter and a tune. but the 10 speed is great out the gate. ya if you want to buy the fastest factory car then every few years youre buying again. my goal is to supercharge this car and be good for awhile.

That's it and a reason why it's silly to upgrade every few years. I mean, if you have the expendable money to throw away...go for it. I personally stash those funds for retirement. ;)

 

[Angry50]

I guess my definition of "better" encompasses a lot more than just improvements in straight line acceleration stats. Truth still is that I'd rather drive a 15-second-capable MT car like the Maxima in my sig than anybody's 11-second-capable AT car. Sure, I'd drive the quicker car just for the experience, a few times, anyway. But it wouldn't be the car I'd grab the keys to if they were both in my driveway for an extended length of time.

I've actually driven a fairly powerful AT car in a cornering-oriented setting, which is far more meaningful to me than the straight line stuff. But even though I was roughly a second quicker in it than I was in a couple other comparably powerful cars, the overall driven-automatically part of the experience was purely 'meh'. So it wasn't that I couldn't cope with the foot-commanded downshift on corner exit, I still hated it and just can't get on board with the idea that that capability constitutes "better". Not for me, anyway.


Norm

Right, what is your basis for better? If its just enjoyment of banging gears then great, but that cant be measured. for road course manuals are great even the autos are barely making any improvements in numbers.. I am not road coursing around the city im not going to a road course. i enjoy my car.. go to the drag strip and occasionally drag someone on the high way..

points the same, want 1/4 mile fast and are not emotionally attached to a manual.. then the auto is the only way to go..

 

[Angry50]

That's it and a reason why it's silly to upgrade every few years. I mean, if you have the expendable money to throw away...go for it. I personally stash those funds for retirement. ;)

i dont think anyone mentioned buying a new car every few years..

 

[millhouse]

i dont think anyone mentioned buying a new car every few years..

I did, as that's the only way to keep up with the "my car is factory faster than your car" crowd.

My whole point was, people need to stop chasing the faster car and start chasing the car that's going to be adequately fun. I feel sorry for those that are unable to do so.

 

[Angry50]

I did, as that's the only way to keep up with the "my car is factory faster than your car" crowd.

My whole point was, people need to stop chasing the faster car and start chasing the car that's going to be adequately fun. I feel sorry for those that are unable to do so.

i guess i missed where someone was in the "my car is factory faster than your car" crowd. I think we all agree you should do what ever you enjoy even if facts show you will be slower. thats the whole point we enjoy these performance machines. but you cant pretend no one cares about being faster.

 

[Grintch]

Per the motor trend article the 6M base price is $3905 more expensive than the 10A BASE PRICE $39,995$36,090

Error in article?

The 6M they tested was a PP, the 10A was not.

 

[Competition Orange]

There is an inherit problem with purchasing cars with "the fastest option"....it's only a short year or two before a different faster option is available.

I stopped chasing "fastest" a few years ago and went more with what I thought would be more enjoyable.

I've learned this over the last few years also and I'm about to make my jump from my 15 GT PP not into a GT350 like I fully expected but to a 18/19 GT PP2. Ford has addressed quite a few shortcomings with the 15-17s that aren't feasible to correct via aftermarket and the bonus is all my brake pads, wheels and tires will fit the PP2 car. My intention is to keep this one for the foreseeable future.

I did, as that's the only way to keep up with the "my car is factory faster than your car" crowd.

My whole point was, people need to stop chasing the faster car and start chasing the car that's going to be adequately fun. I feel sorry for those that are unable to do so.

It's tough to get there, was for me. Especially if you live in an area where new cars are all over the roads (I do, shocking how much money people have).

 

[Brazos609]

Per the motor trend article the 6M base price is $3905 more expensive than the 10A BASE PRICE $39,995$36,090

Error in article?

401A PP1 6M w/3.73 vs 301A PP1 10A w/3.55

 

[Blown86GT]

The 6M they tested was a PP, the 10A was not.

I don't think that's true. Although not explicitly stated, both I believe are PP1 cars based on the wheel size data given. 19 inch staggered (9 & 9.5) wheels...

 

[Norm Peterson]

Right, what is your basis for better?

"Better" is my car not doing things for me that I am fully capable of making it do all by myself.

Here, it includes separating the throttle from the business of shifting. There are times (and situations) where I absolutely do want combinations of throttle and gear selection that the AT might refuse to allow. Even if the AT's programming comes up with a better gear choice for any reason (off the top of my own head - acceleration potential, fuel mileage, emissions, but feel free to add to the list), if it's out of step with the way I want to be driving at any given moment that's a really good definition of "not better".

If its just enjoyment of banging gears then great, but that cant be measured.

I agree, things such as enjoyment and satisfaction in getting individual tasks done really right (once in a while maybe close to perfect) can't be quantified. But even out on a road course, I'm not "banging gears", not in the drag racing sense anyway. If you were sitting right seat, I bet you wouldn't particularly feel many of them, up or down. And that's what I'd be striving for, same as I do in my street driving. Smooth control inputs, where drag racing is much more brutal in nature.

I am not road coursing around the city

Actually you are, or perhaps you should look at your city driving a little more like that . . . it's just a very slow version of it, where cornering and braking have equal or greater importance than straightline acceleration. Things like smoothness at the controls, awareness and looking ahead matters in both environments.

i enjoy my car.. go to the drag strip and occasionally drag someone on the high way..

points the same, want 1/4 mile fast

I get that some people want to enjoy their cars that way. But for reasons I've never been able to put my finger on, drag racing never much appealed to me. It's always been hard driving on roads with corners that's hit the right buttons.


Norm

 

[Arthonon]

An auto can respond quickly to a set of circumstances, but it can't predict what you need. There's something fun about approaching a corner and knowing that you'll need to downshift to accelerate out and hitting that shift. It's also nice to know you're in the gear you need before hitting the gas to pass someone on the highway rather than waiting for the auto to shift, even if it does it quickly. It's also nice to use the clutch to disengage the trans for a quick transition, and to have some control over how the gears engage.

That said, for a lot of other things, the auto is nice to have, and the 10 speed works pretty well in most circumstances. I might start to like it even more as I get more accustomed to it, and maybe start using the paddle shifters more. Not that I don't like it now, I just might find it to be more fun than it is.

 

[marks]

A muscle/pony car and a stick shift goes together like Apple Pie and ice cream (or custard in UK). If you're just interested in quarter mile times buy a Tesla. If you want a decent auto buy an Audi, Mercedes, BMW or Porsche.

 

[Angry50]

lol face it auto has out performed manual in everyway.. nothing wrong with it.. if you like manual then great i dont blame you.. and i fully understand the love of shifting your own gears. but some people rather be faster. if you think I95 is a road course then carry one lol. I dont even see what the discussion is about.. have you driven a 10r80? in sport? in track? to say it cant do what you can is silly. and pre selecting a gear? i do it all the time a few clicks no problem.. As stated before i agree it is less rewarding then making those perfect shift up and down but i still find it fun..

 

[Happy50]

lol face it auto has out performed manual in everyway.. nothing wrong with it.. if you like manual then great i dont blame you.. and i fully understand the love of shifting your own gears. but some people rather be faster. if you think I95 is a road course then carry one lol. I dont even see what the discussion is about.. have you driven a 10r80? in sport? in track? to say it cant do what you can is silly. and pre selecting a gear? i do it all the time a few clicks no problem.. As stated before i agree it is less rewarding then making those perfect shift up and down but i still find it fun..

So angry....but real men drive 3 pedal cars, my t-shirt says so! ;)

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