3.15 gears or 3.55 opinions needed

[MacintoshSE]

I'm planning on getting a GT but can decide if I need 3.55 gears or not. I don't plan on the car being a daily drive mostly weekends and road trips in the fall. I have not found a car to test drive with the 3.55 gears so the question is, is there a big different between the two.

Opinion needed.

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[Reaper]

It really depends on your location, driving habits, and intentions. It really comes down to:

3.15 - slower takeoff, better MPG (great for highway miles)

3.55 - faster takeoff, slightly less MPG (great for city / mountainous miles)

I test drove an EB with 3.55 which was nice and there is a slightly faster feel with takeoff. Mine is used as a DD with mixed driving, so 3.15 was a better decision for me and my highway MPGs are decent. Also, I'm not sure what the difference would be between the gears using a GT as they are already blazing fast.

If I were in your situation, for fun drives on the weekends, I'd get the 3.55 gears for more kick unless you were going to use it mainly for road trips.

 

[Jason Richardson]

Always get the 3.55 if you're getting an auto GT. The auto is a dog with the tall 3.15 ratio. There is absolutely zero reason for a Mustang with the 5.0 liter to have a 3.15 ratio. The only reason Ford does it is because of fuel economy govt nagging. It is a power sapping bad gear ratio for automatics and saps considerable amounts of fun out of the car during normal driving. Quite honestly, I wouldn't even look at an automatic 15 GT in a showroom if it didnt have the 3.55 $300 option. That's how strongly I feel about it. Its a deal breaker. It is damned near a miracle that Ford even offered a 3.55 option for automatics this generation. They NEVER have and the stock automatic gear ratios get worse and worse each year, now down to 3.15. $300 for the option is an absolute steal and might not be offered for long so yeah, take it.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Always get the 3.55 if you're getting an auto GT. The auto is a dog with the tall 3.15 ratio. There is absolutely zero reason for a Mustang with the 5.0 liter to have a 3.15 ratio. The only reason Ford does it is because of fuel economy govt nagging. It is a power sapping bad gear ratio for automatics and saps considerable amounts of fun out of the car during normal driving. Quite honestly, I wouldn't even look at an automatic 15 GT in a showroom if it didnt have the 3.55 $300 option. That's how strongly I feel about it. Its a deal breaker.

Funny you mention it; I'm the other way around. I wouldn't get a car with 3.55's without sincerely regretting it; the fuel economy is too important to me. There's PLENTY of power in any and all situations that the 3.15's don't sap anything -- you can break the rear wheels loose at any second with a jab of the throttle. No need for a shorter gear ratio.

 

[Reaper]

Funny you mention it; I'm the other way around. I wouldn't get a car with 3.55's without sincerely regretting it; the fuel economy is too important to me. There's PLENTY of power in any and all situations that the 3.15's don't sap anything -- you can break the rear wheels loose at any second with a jab of the throttle. No need for a shorter gear ratio.

My thoughts exactly, I think 3.55's would make a bigger difference on the EB/V6 than GT.

 

[Jason Richardson]

Funny you mention it; I'm the other way around. I wouldn't get a car with 3.55's without sincerely regretting it; the fuel economy is too important to me. There's PLENTY of power in any and all situations that the 3.15's don't sap anything -- you can break the rear wheels loose at any second with a jab of the throttle. No need for a shorter gear ratio.

Oh trust me, all the immediate power you think you have, you have less than a 3
55 automatic. I have driven more GT automatics at both ratios than most people here. Think of it at 150% to your 100% as far as pedal mashing speed and fun.

 

[Highwayman]

3.55's without a doubt, double so since you say its not a commuter. These 5.0's all seem to get pretty close on mpgs, regardless of ratios with normal driving. 3.55's will definately make the car feel more awake, especially an auto.

 

[Fomoco15]

Drove both. Would not have a 3.15. I am not buying this car for gas millage. If i was I would get the eco boost. BIG diff in the way they feel!

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Oh trust me, all the immediate power you think you have, you have less than a 3
55 automatic. I have driven more GT automatics at both ratios than most people here. Think of it at 150% to your 100% as far as pedal mashing speed and fun.

If you're not drag racing, there's more power than you could ever possibly use or want, regardless. It's instantaneous and overwhelming, to the point where I can't really ever see myself flooring the ignition again (did once 30 miles into ownership for the hell of it). To me, the ability to cruise at highway speeds at 1,700 rpm or fewer is more important than a tiny extra bit of acceleration that's never going to be used and even if it was would just be turned into wheel spin.

 

[Wolfman625]

I have the manual with the 3.55s in mone. I definitely wouldn't et 3.15. Really the gas differenceis so minut. And really if you cafe that much about mpg you should be looking at a v8. I drive eavey day in San Antonis (7th largest city in the US) evey day. Some times traffic is so back takes me a hour and a half to go 6.3 miles from base to my house. I personally will be upgrading to 3.73 soon.

 

[thehunterooo]

The 3.55 gears are a good value, can't go wrong with them.

 

[Jason Richardson]

The 3.55 gears are a good value, can't go wrong with them.

Heck of a value. ~$300. Available on every trim level, including the base GT. It's the same 3.55 that is included in the LE Performance Package Automatic.

 

[Spartan]

There's a reason that Europe is getting only the PP spec'd EB and GT. None of them are getting 3.15s over there.

From what I've seen on here, there isn't much MPG difference between the 3.15s and the 3.55s so if it was me, I'd go with the 3.55s just for the acceleration. Even if the GT has all the power you need, 3.55s just are more fun.

Definitely would get 3.55s on the EB or V6.

 

[hyperpro]

3:55 all the way. I got them in my car with the M/T

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Heck of a value. ~$300. Available on every trim level, including the base GT. It's the same 3.55 that is included in the LE Performance Package Automatic.

Really depends on what you're looking for. Some people are looking for a performance car to take to the track, and that's totally cool; you want all the performance options you can get. Myself, I'm looking for a big, comfortable, luxurious cruiser that can swallow a week's worth of luggage for a road trip and be liveable and enjoyable every moment of a 3,000 mile drive. Basically, a 2015 equivalent of a '70's Cadillac Eldorado -- two doors, lots of trunk space, lots of creature comforts, lots of power when you need it, easy to drive, etc. The "personal luxury" market has really dried up over the last fifteen years or so, and if you're looking for that kind of a car -- especially with a naturally aspirated engine -- the Mustang or the Challenger are really the way to go.

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