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UK - AUTO or MANUAL ?
- Thread starter ERIKTHEVETKING
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Artill
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I have had a few autos over the years. Currently have a 3.6 Wrangler. Not a drivers car as such, but a nice way to travel, but for the bloody awful gearbox they force on us in the UK. Its not as bad as some older slush boxes, but I dont know why they think no one in the UK wants a manual. Thankfully Ford had more intelligence.
Actual
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I have had my 2015 Mustang 5.0 V8 GT Auto for over 3 months and have put on about 2.5K miles.
This is my first owned auto but I have had normal power auto hire cars in the US.
I selected the 2015 Mustang Auto because I want my driving to be lazy driving and I don't want the frustration of constantly working the gears in heavy traffic.
It doesn't matter to me if the manual or auto is faster because the Mustang is already more than fast enough for me.
I don't intend to be throwing my Mustang around or drifting or doing anything stupid.
If the traffic in front is preventing me from going at my desired speed then I am more than happy to hang back and wait as it allows people more time to admire my Mustang and see the huge grin on my face.
If the traffic ahead moves out of the way then I have the V8 5.0 power to quickly take advantage and put them behind me but I don't need to prove anything and I'm not going to race or do anything stupid.
So for me the Auto is about calming my driving and not doing anything stupid. If Manual/Auto means something different to you then that does not cause me a problem.
Flappy paddle gear change is a bonus.
I now have some experience of the 2015 Mustang 5.0 V8 GT Auto which may be of interest...
With the Auto with the transmission in Drive it will change up to 6th gear before you even get to 40 mph. This is not a problem.
In a manual and you are in 1st gear and you accidentally stamp on the accelerator pedal then things will happen quickly but you are limited to first gear. With the Auto with the transmission in Drive if you accidentally stamp on the accelerator pedal then the car will take off and start shifting up through the gears and there are no limits. This is a problem. (think of the case of wife driving me home from the pub).
In the Auto if you are waiting at the traffic lights or in the pub car park then you can't sit revving the engine to show off that Mustang exhaust roar unless you are stationary in Park or Neutral and you then can't engage Drive until the revs drop. So the Auto stops you looking like a p***k.
The 2015 Mustang 5.0 V8 GT Auto obviously does not have a clutch which means that under some situations it can very tricky to get power through the wheels and down onto the road. A good example is pulling out onto a roundabout with fast traffic bearing down and the road is wet and being a roundabout it is soon required to drive around a corner. In this situation in Drive the power has to be applied so very gently to avoid wheel spin or losing the rear end at even 5 mph. In a Manual you also have the clutch to play with so you can more easily moderate the power through the wheels and to the road and if you over rev for a moment then it doesn't matter.
In the Auto and in Drive and if you go for the overtake and give too much accelerator pedal then the auto box instantly changes down a few gears and you just take off with the tacho flashing red. In a Manual you say in gear and you can accelerate on engine power alone which is much more controllable. In the auto you have to be more careful to stay in control.
In the Auto and in Drive and if you have done the overtake and you are now going fast and you cut back in and you need to lose some speed to say legal or if there is a bend in the road approaching and so you lift off but the Auto now starts changing up and you don’t slow down and you even speed up. There is a solution to this which is to say in Drive and flappy paddle downshift a few gears to get engine braking.
Changing the transmission selector to Sport (S) changes a few things.
In Sport if you don't touch the flappy paddles then the auto shifter is still active and it is just like Drive but with lower gears.
In Sport if you touch the flappy paddles then the auto shifter stops being active and you are in Manual Mode. In Manual Mode the currently selected gear is displayed which is good and it would be better if it was always displayed in all modes and also change up and change down hints are displayed which are useful.
In Sport Manual mode if you overstress the engine then it will change for you but this is to be avoided.
In Sport Manual mode and when slowing to a stop then you don't need to change down manually and 1st gear will be selected before you stop.
Pulling away in Sport Manual mode can be difficult because you need to change up from 1st gear very quickly which must be the same as for a Manual but if you are used to an Auto then you might not have as much awareness of the gear change points. This is probably something to practice and improve.
In Sport Manual mode it can be difficult to gear change whilst manoeuvring because the steering wheel might be upside down and it is then difficult to find the right flappy paddle.
Sport Manual mode is great on the motorway or when going for the overtake. In Sport Manual mode you can apply power and the car accelerates but stays in the same gear so you can power past on engine power alone or even better drop 1 gear and really power past. Now you don't have to worry about the auto gearbox going down through the gears when you accelerate too hard.
All the above is achievable in any mode but it can require absolute precision for applying power and changing gear.
None of the above modes involves the dashboard switches for Sport Plus or Track.
Stopping/Parking
In Drive and when you are approaching traffic lights and the light is red then use the footbrake to slow to a complete stop. If there is no traffic behind you then keep your foot on the footbrake so that approaching traffic can see that you are stationary. When there is traffic stopped behind you stay in Drive and engage the parking/handbrake and release the footbrake. The parking/handbrake will hold the car and brake lights won't be on and the driver behind will not be dazzled. To move off don't touch the footbrake and release the parking/handbrake.
In Drive and when you have reached your destination and it is time to stop driving then use the footbrake to bring the car to a complete stop. Move the selector to Park. Engage the parking/handbrake and release the footbrake. Turn off the engine. This sequence is best for getting started later and the transmission selector has no resistance for being moved out of Park.
It’s possible that some of the above shows that I’m not a skilful driver and if so then I don’t care.
The auto probably has some challenges but a manual will have different challenges. I’m more than pleased with my decision to get an auto and I love driving my auto. All the above works for me and I'm still learning so if you think differently then I don't have a problem.
This is my first owned auto but I have had normal power auto hire cars in the US.
I selected the 2015 Mustang Auto because I want my driving to be lazy driving and I don't want the frustration of constantly working the gears in heavy traffic.
It doesn't matter to me if the manual or auto is faster because the Mustang is already more than fast enough for me.
I don't intend to be throwing my Mustang around or drifting or doing anything stupid.
If the traffic in front is preventing me from going at my desired speed then I am more than happy to hang back and wait as it allows people more time to admire my Mustang and see the huge grin on my face.
If the traffic ahead moves out of the way then I have the V8 5.0 power to quickly take advantage and put them behind me but I don't need to prove anything and I'm not going to race or do anything stupid.
So for me the Auto is about calming my driving and not doing anything stupid. If Manual/Auto means something different to you then that does not cause me a problem.
Flappy paddle gear change is a bonus.
I now have some experience of the 2015 Mustang 5.0 V8 GT Auto which may be of interest...
With the Auto with the transmission in Drive it will change up to 6th gear before you even get to 40 mph. This is not a problem.
In a manual and you are in 1st gear and you accidentally stamp on the accelerator pedal then things will happen quickly but you are limited to first gear. With the Auto with the transmission in Drive if you accidentally stamp on the accelerator pedal then the car will take off and start shifting up through the gears and there are no limits. This is a problem. (think of the case of wife driving me home from the pub).
In the Auto if you are waiting at the traffic lights or in the pub car park then you can't sit revving the engine to show off that Mustang exhaust roar unless you are stationary in Park or Neutral and you then can't engage Drive until the revs drop. So the Auto stops you looking like a p***k.
The 2015 Mustang 5.0 V8 GT Auto obviously does not have a clutch which means that under some situations it can very tricky to get power through the wheels and down onto the road. A good example is pulling out onto a roundabout with fast traffic bearing down and the road is wet and being a roundabout it is soon required to drive around a corner. In this situation in Drive the power has to be applied so very gently to avoid wheel spin or losing the rear end at even 5 mph. In a Manual you also have the clutch to play with so you can more easily moderate the power through the wheels and to the road and if you over rev for a moment then it doesn't matter.
In the Auto and in Drive and if you go for the overtake and give too much accelerator pedal then the auto box instantly changes down a few gears and you just take off with the tacho flashing red. In a Manual you say in gear and you can accelerate on engine power alone which is much more controllable. In the auto you have to be more careful to stay in control.
In the Auto and in Drive and if you have done the overtake and you are now going fast and you cut back in and you need to lose some speed to say legal or if there is a bend in the road approaching and so you lift off but the Auto now starts changing up and you don’t slow down and you even speed up. There is a solution to this which is to say in Drive and flappy paddle downshift a few gears to get engine braking.
Changing the transmission selector to Sport (S) changes a few things.
In Sport if you don't touch the flappy paddles then the auto shifter is still active and it is just like Drive but with lower gears.
In Sport if you touch the flappy paddles then the auto shifter stops being active and you are in Manual Mode. In Manual Mode the currently selected gear is displayed which is good and it would be better if it was always displayed in all modes and also change up and change down hints are displayed which are useful.
In Sport Manual mode if you overstress the engine then it will change for you but this is to be avoided.
In Sport Manual mode and when slowing to a stop then you don't need to change down manually and 1st gear will be selected before you stop.
Pulling away in Sport Manual mode can be difficult because you need to change up from 1st gear very quickly which must be the same as for a Manual but if you are used to an Auto then you might not have as much awareness of the gear change points. This is probably something to practice and improve.
In Sport Manual mode it can be difficult to gear change whilst manoeuvring because the steering wheel might be upside down and it is then difficult to find the right flappy paddle.
Sport Manual mode is great on the motorway or when going for the overtake. In Sport Manual mode you can apply power and the car accelerates but stays in the same gear so you can power past on engine power alone or even better drop 1 gear and really power past. Now you don't have to worry about the auto gearbox going down through the gears when you accelerate too hard.
All the above is achievable in any mode but it can require absolute precision for applying power and changing gear.
None of the above modes involves the dashboard switches for Sport Plus or Track.
Stopping/Parking
In Drive and when you are approaching traffic lights and the light is red then use the footbrake to slow to a complete stop. If there is no traffic behind you then keep your foot on the footbrake so that approaching traffic can see that you are stationary. When there is traffic stopped behind you stay in Drive and engage the parking/handbrake and release the footbrake. The parking/handbrake will hold the car and brake lights won't be on and the driver behind will not be dazzled. To move off don't touch the footbrake and release the parking/handbrake.
In Drive and when you have reached your destination and it is time to stop driving then use the footbrake to bring the car to a complete stop. Move the selector to Park. Engage the parking/handbrake and release the footbrake. Turn off the engine. This sequence is best for getting started later and the transmission selector has no resistance for being moved out of Park.
It’s possible that some of the above shows that I’m not a skilful driver and if so then I don’t care.
The auto probably has some challenges but a manual will have different challenges. I’m more than pleased with my decision to get an auto and I love driving my auto. All the above works for me and I'm still learning so if you think differently then I don't have a problem.
Last edited:
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I would have an auto, but there are a few things that hold me back. The main one is my Mrs, although she won't be driving the Mustang often, she just can't get the hand, eye or whatever coordination right.
I've driven V8 M3's, Infiniti G37's with auto boxes, in both these cars, there is the option of full auto, sequential and flappy paddle change, this is just too complicated for the Mrs.
I had a Volvo 144 auto once, a very, very long time ago, (1980 in fact), and my then to be Mrs was just learning to drive, bang on the L plates, take her out in it. Lasted 5 minutes, approaching a roundabout, instead of braking, she stamped the throttle!!! I shit my pants and stopped the lessons there and then!!
So for my own sanity, when she goes to her badminton club three times a week, and on the off chance that she may need MY car, an auto is out!
I'm forever stuck with a manual, which is fine by me ;)
I've driven V8 M3's, Infiniti G37's with auto boxes, in both these cars, there is the option of full auto, sequential and flappy paddle change, this is just too complicated for the Mrs.
I had a Volvo 144 auto once, a very, very long time ago, (1980 in fact), and my then to be Mrs was just learning to drive, bang on the L plates, take her out in it. Lasted 5 minutes, approaching a roundabout, instead of braking, she stamped the throttle!!! I shit my pants and stopped the lessons there and then!!
So for my own sanity, when she goes to her badminton club three times a week, and on the off chance that she may need MY car, an auto is out!
I'm forever stuck with a manual, which is fine by me ;)
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Bit late to the party but; I'm an ecoboost manual. As much as I love flappy paddles I'm not a fan of autos!
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Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
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slowhand99
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I'm told the GT auto does a good impersonation on paddle downshifts.
Nostruss
Well-Known Member
GT Auto. Been driving autos for over a decade now. Gearbox seems fine - done over 3,000 miles now and it's a very comfortable cruiser long distance cruiser. If you hit the accelerator hard and it skips down two gears - the rear wheels will slide as it struggles to grip - but 415 is a lot of horses. I've just learned to be more sympathetic with the right foot than I would be in my four wheels drive audi. Getting MPSS fitted this week - so with warmer weather and better tyres will be trying out Sport/flappy paddles.
The manual would definately be more engaging to drive and give better control. If you are not bothered changing gears, get manual. I am a lazy driver - auto is just fine for me.
The manual would definately be more engaging to drive and give better control. If you are not bothered changing gears, get manual. I am a lazy driver - auto is just fine for me.
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