paddles vs stick

[Devon]

Paddle shifters are fun to play with for a while, but a MT is more satisfying/fun in the long run.

I had a dual clutch transmission and paddle shifters in my '08 GTI. Tons of fun, but after the new wore off I rarely used the paddles (was far more likely just to shift into Sport mode and stomp on it), and after 2 years of ownership I was really missing a 6MT.

Thanks for sharing that - I could see that happening easily myself. The problem is I also have visions of doing a few track days and I know I'll never master heel-toe downshifts -- with paddles you can get perfect trail-braking downshifts every time....

Another option is to go with a car that has a rev-matching manual - C7, 370Z, M235i (not initially though for the latter).

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[scottpe]

When my 4-5 mile commute doesn't let me get much over 40-45 and often has several complete stops sprinkled in, whats the point of a manual?

Sure, there are the occasional weekend dates that I get to areas where I can cut up, but I'm not going to sacrifice a month's worth of heavy traffic driving just for 15-30 minutes of enthusiastic driving on the way to a movie or a restaurant.

Transmission aside, considering your situation, you've almost made a case against buying a performance car like the Mustang at all. Seems like driving it would just be a tease most of the time...

 

[Ericc B]

Auto all the way for me. I alsolutely hate clutching and shifting, it's just annoying. Fun on a track maybe but with modern day trafic and restrictions there is almost no opportunity to fully enjoy the advantages of a stick shift anyway.

It's nice that Ford is putting paddles on the autobox now, but trust me after a week you forget about them and almost never use them. Like Colleton said, just put it in sport and floor it.

 

[Darrinm03]

just my .02, i learned how to operate a manual transmission when i bought a motorcycle (probably not the place to start off learning a manual but i picked it up pretty quickly), shortly after, i bought my first mustang (2001 GT) in manual. I was a little rough with the whole clutch with the foot instead of the hand like on motorcycles but after i gained more confidence i had a blast in it. Matter of fact, i would give up my 08 GT Auto to have my 01 stick back. And I am in stop and go traffic all the time (only get 16mpg currently). The thing i hate most about the Auto's is that, even with a tune, the car sounds like crap when it shifts into overdrive and it bogs the engine down while cruising around 40-45MPH. Especially that i have long tubes and an off road x-pipe, the manuals just sound so much better, especially when downshifting. I dont race so i could care less about quicker shifting. Obviously its personal preference and i will never be the guy that dogs on people for getting a sports car in auto. My first car was a 96 Camaro Z28 when i was 15, and it was auto and i loved it at the time. I got the Auto this time because my wife doesnt know how to drive a stick, and i didnt want her to learn on a 300+hp car. But i will most likely get a stick on the '15 and just teach her how and bite the bullet. Its gonna be painful when she stalls it and grinds through every gear, but i think it will be a fun experience for both of us

 

[Allerick]

My only concern is that the auto will be sluggish, especially with paddle response. I've heard some cars can pull off the paddle thing well even without a dual clutch (new Mazda 3), but I have my doubts about the auto in the Mustang. The fact that it is basically the same transmission makes me wonder. What do you guys think? Any chance the paddles are decently responsive?

 

[RideTheMustang]

My only concern is that the auto will be sluggish, especially with paddle response. I've heard some cars can pull off the paddle thing well even without a dual clutch (new Mazda 3), but I have my doubts about the auto in the Mustang. The fact that it is basically the same transmission makes me wonder. What do you guys think? Any chance the paddles are decently responsive?

i was reading something about an increased response from the 2013/14 models but i don't remember exactly what it was that ford said it had or where i saw that at but i feel like with all the upgrades they've made so far it should be pretty good

 

[S3XPanther]

Auto all the way for me. I alsolutely hate clutching and shifting, it's just annoying. Fun on a track maybe but with modern day trafic and restrictions there is almost no opportunity to fully enjoy the advantages of a stick shift anyway.

It's nice that Ford is putting paddles on the autobox now, but trust me after a week you forget about them and almost never use them. Like Colleton said, just put it in sport and floor it.

How does an enthusiast hate "clutching and shifting"? That's the whole point of a manual. I'm going to be completely honest here, and it is in no way an attempt to offend you. However, other than those people with disabilities or spouses that don't know how to drive stick, I will never understand people like you that absolutely hate manuals and buy a performance car (or plan to in this case). Auto's are nowhere near as enjoyable as a stick.

Clutching and shifting is a blast! You wanna talk about modern traffic? I deal with it all the time with a stick. Even if I only get a chance to really open it up maybe 30-40% of the time in regular traffic, I don't care! Plus, I do auto-x in the summer and I simply wouldn't want to do it with an auto. You're paying a pretty penny for a performance car (talking about the GT and hipo version here), and you should very much enjoy it. A stick, in my opinion, is the only way to really do that.

 

[Taneras]

Transmission aside, considering your situation, you've almost made a case against buying a performance car like the Mustang at all. Seems like driving it would just be a tease most of the time...

Oh it absolutely is a tease, but I do get something out of it. It's a head turner and it sounds great. I'm going to spend around 30k, so it was either a sporty car or a luxury car, and I'm not at all big on luxury.

The auto vs manual is an "its a lot of extra work" thing for me. There's no extra work involved with my 13 auto GT, it's pretty much stock so its just as street-able as my neighbors luxury and economy cars.

 

[Taneras]

My only concern is that the auto will be sluggish, especially with paddle response. I've heard some cars can pull off the paddle thing well even without a dual clutch (new Mazda 3), but I have my doubts about the auto in the Mustang. The fact that it is basically the same transmission makes me wonder. What do you guys think? Any chance the paddles are decently responsive?

I also have my doubts about the paddle shifters. I will say, though, that a tuned auto in regular drive isn't sluggish at all. But then that takes you completely out of the picture to where you're just mashing a pedal and steering.

There's certainly pros and cons to everything.

 

[scottpe]

If you live in an area where spirited driving is a possibility on a somewhat regular basis, IMO, there is no substitute for a manual. It just provides a connection to the car and a sense of participation in the experience that an automatic can never replicate... more like you're actually DRIVING the car and not just steering it.

However, if your days are spent sitting in bumper to bumper traffic, a stick becomes nothing but a chore -- there is very little reward in it. Personally, if I was in the latter category, I'd have to seriously consider eschewing a Mustang altogether and just stick with a nice comfortable utilitarian car that gets great gas mileage. For me, a car that 'turns heads' while I'm sitting in traffic does nothing for me. There is no consolation in simply having the car -- I want to actually be able to enjoy it and drive it like it was designed to be driven, within reasonable limits of safety of course.

 

[GMAN6]

I prefer auto's myself.
I've had many mustangs and I'm thinking about buying a 15 or waiting till 16 when the bugs are out.
If I do buy one, I will be buying it for fun. I don't autocross, but will go to the drag strip on occasion.
There are two reasons why I like the auto. First is because I've found that when you start exceeding 400 horsepower and have a manual, you go through the gears really fast. When you take off from a start and want to go really fast, you wind up concentrating on shifting the gears more than enjoying the power. With an automatic, you can just relax and enjoy the feel of being pushed back in the seat as well as all the vibrations and sounds that go with it.

Secondly, I'm lazy. I don't care for constantly shifting gears in traffic. I prefer to kick back, relax and enjoy the music.

I would love to buy a gt350 or Shelby, but, like a lot of others I know, I just don't want a standard shifter.

 

[Potrillo]

The only reason I am considering an automatic is remote start. The wife's Edge has it and it isn't without its appeal.

 

[SRG963]

Auto's are faster, plus the remote start is a must have these days

 

[GMAN6]

Yes, I love remote start

 

[Wildcat]

You're paying a pretty penny for a performance car (talking about the GT and hipo version here), and you should very much enjoy it. A stick, in my opinion, is the only way to really do that.

By that logic somebody who spends 100k on a Porsche 911 with PDK can't really enjoy it because it's not a stick. Pretty sure that wouldn't be the case.

My car is an auto and I have plenty of fun. I'm not knocking manuals here, but is possible to enjoy either version.

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