What did you do to your UK S550 Mustang Today

[Manders Mustang]

Spent last few days road tripping in this lovely triple yellow Mustang GT cab auto and for here it's perfect. Ford should make none PP cars available in the U.K. as it rides superb and putting power down in the auto a doddle, just floor it and hardly no wheelspin, surprising as it's got 235's on the rear. Lovely drive, immense roads and so relaxing to drive out here unlike the Uk.

Mind you, warmer country, better roads for flooring it ;)

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[marks]

Lovely drive, immense roads and so relaxing to drive out here unlike the Uk.

Too many cars on the road in the UK and not enough space

 

[Manders Mustang]

Too many cars on the road in the UK and not enough space

COme up to the midlands, plenty of room ;)!

 

[goldengooner]

Spent last few days road tripping in this lovely triple yellow Mustang GT cab auto and for here it's perfect. Ford should make none PP cars available in the U.K. as it rides superb and putting power down in the auto a doddle, just floor it and hardly no wheelspin, surprising as it's got 235's on the rear. Lovely drive, immense roads and so relaxing to drive out here unlike the Uk.

yea car was built for the Open Clear road
Yea love my Auto, good pull-away for a Auto
Europe was pretty easy to drive, other then France and all the dam tolls every few mins for 2euros :frusty:

Come back on the train, M20 crash, M25, 30min tailback at the Dartford Crossing, suddenly it clears, no roadworks, no reason why the delays :frusty:

would rather drive the Splugen in the fog and rain then sit on the M25 so frustrating
:frusty::frusty::frusty:

 

[Manders Mustang]

yea car was built for the Open Clear road
Yea love my Auto, good pull-away for a Auto
Europe was pretty easy to drive, other then France and all the dam tolls every few mins for 2euros :frusty:

Come back on the train, M20 crash, M25, 30min tailback at the Dartford Crossing, suddenly it clears, no roadworks, no reason why the delays :frusty:

would rather drive the Splugen in the fog and rain then sit on the M25 so frustrating
:frusty::frusty::frusty:

Better you than me... or my brothers mrs who was driving from Lichfield to Bexhill on the sea via the m25 and by 11PM had still not got to Bexhill and had been sat in non moving traffic on the m25 for 2 hrs! :lol:

 

[Gibbo205]

Not something I did, but after driving a US GT Premium (none PP) automatic convertible for last few days which was a real nice drive.

I got back in mine today and no word of a lie it felt like a rocket ship in comparison, pickup on mine is vastly superior and anything at top-end it just rips your face off.

I am putting it down to a combination of numerous things:
- Convertible is probably heavier
- Torque converter sapping response/torque down low
- Gearing, my guess is this was a 3.15 or 3.31 car, or I certainly hope so, the gearing did seem long.
- Not tuned, just stock.
- Crappy 91 Octane fuel


Guess they are all contributing factors with the axle ratio no doubt being the biggest offender, on the plus side once the Yank car was above 4000rpm it pulled really nice and hard, it just seemed weak down low and not so responsive.

It was good to have the auto over a few days, I found myself driving the car pretty much always with gearbox in S and driving mode in track, but two things really did grind me about it:
- No blips on downshifts, it just rev matches, sounds shit, please 10-speed give us big naughty loud blips when in track mode and S
- The upshift speed is too slow, you pull the paddle and it seems slow, I once hit the limiter so I pulled upshift and it was still bouncing of the limiter nearly a second later. Again hope the 10-speed is more responsive.
- No micro switch or click in the paddles and cheap nasty plastic. It needs some nice big metal paddles that click like the Raptor has. Hope can retro-fit on 10-speed!

OK that is three things!

Apart from that the automatic was really nice to drive in track mode and S, I found as long as I pulled the upchange paddle between 6000-6400rpm it would change before banging the limiter, but it was also good that in S and track/sport mode it holds the gear even with the kick down depressed or hitting the limiter, which is good. Also in town just plonking it in D and normal mode made for a real nice relaxing drive.

Driving one for 30 minutes I found it annoying, driving one for 4 days I learned to like it, but I do hope the 10-speed introduces some naughty blips on downshifts in sport/track mode and it becomes faster on upshifts. I suspect we will get the faster shifts, but something tells me we won't get those naughty anti-social blips the BMW M cars do, but we can dream.

Also even though the none PP rode so great and was an excellent cruiser, getting in mine this morning really educates on how bloody good the KW suspension is, it nearly rides as well but without any of the slop or lean and even the none PP car crashed on big nasty gaps in highway, whereas my car with KW just absorbs.

Still in California driving around in a bright yellow rag top GT none PP was ideal and I never remembered the stock exhaust sounding so good, maybe its a convertible thing but man the car sounded bloody awesome. Not sure if the owner maybe did a centre resonator mod but the burble was gorgeous on the car and quite loud. Sounded glorious!

 

[Manders Mustang]

Not something I did, but after driving a US GT Premium (none PP) automatic convertible for last few days which was a real nice drive.

I got back in mine today and no word of a lie it felt like a rocket ship in comparison, pickup on mine is vastly superior and anything at top-end it just rips your face off.

I am putting it down to a combination of numerous things:
- Convertible is probably heavier
- Torque converter sapping response/torque down low
- Gearing, my guess is this was a 3.15 or 3.31 car, or I certainly hope so, the gearing did seem long.
- Not tuned, just stock.
- Crappy 91 Octane fuel


Guess they are all contributing factors with the axle ratio no doubt being the biggest offender, on the plus side once the Yank car was above 4000rpm it pulled really nice and hard, it just seemed weak down low and not so responsive.

It was good to have the auto over a few days, I found myself driving the car pretty much always with gearbox in S and driving mode in track, but two things really did grind me about it:
- No blips on downshifts, it just rev matches, sounds shit, please 10-speed give us big naughty loud blips when in track mode and S
- The upshift speed is too slow, you pull the paddle and it seems slow, I once hit the limiter so I pulled upshift and it was still bouncing of the limiter nearly a second later. Again hope the 10-speed is more responsive.
- No micro switch or click in the paddles and cheap nasty plastic. It needs some nice big metal paddles that click like the Raptor has. Hope can retro-fit on 10-speed!

Nope, this seems pretty standard and echo's my thoughts on the Auto when I drove it. This one was tuned, with Pedders, spacers, Wortec active exhaust and wortec headers. It was 3.55 gearing like UK spec is.

I believe (And I could be wrong, that non PP GT cars in the US run a 3.55 anyway not the .73 torsen that PP gets????).

The car even tunes, under 4k the auto is trash, I ran the car on flappy paddles all the time, on it's own without it, it was jus tboring, and to be honest, I didn't trust the car at all... I felt like it wanted to kill me in the rain, and didn't quite give me the noise I wanted when I was revving it up, it changed gears to gimp that experience.

above 4k it really moves, like really moves, it feels a bit like when my 4250rpm turbo kicks in it's second spool and throws you in the seat, but before that, it feels sooooo sluggish and slow. I know I got roasted for saying this the last time, but it felt sh1t. It's not the tune, it's NA apparently paired with the auto, doesn't feel right.
Blips you gotta do differently, I just dropped gear, revved, went up a gear again, but it's hell If you're on a dodgey road. None of the fun clutch drops.
Upshifting, and downshifting, it doesn't do it immediately, I found this, it will change the gear, but not feel like it has for a split second, which I feel I could probably do faster with my hand at times lol
Clicks on the wheel, I can't remember if it did or didn't, but I thought it had a responsive feel when the button was pressed.

As I said before, I didn't prefer it to my EBM... Mind you, this could be down to the auto, could be down to being NA vs FI etc etc, the bum on seat feel was not nice... It sounded glorious though :lol:.

So yes, to your FB message, I think our experience were the same. Be glad you never had her in auto mode in the wet, it will try and kill you.:lol:

 

[Gibbo205]

Nope, this seems pretty standard and echo's my thoughts on the Auto when I drove it. This one was tuned, with Pedders, spacers, Wortec active exhaust and wortec headers. It was 3.55 gearing like UK spec is.

I believe (And I could be wrong, that non PP GT cars in the US run a 3.55 anyway not the .73 torsen that PP gets????).

The car even tunes, under 4k the auto is trash, I ran the car on flappy paddles all the time, on it's own without it, it was jus tboring, and to be honest, I didn't trust the car at all... I felt like it wanted to kill me in the rain, and didn't quite give me the noise I wanted when I was revving it up, it changed gears to gimp that experience.

above 4k it really moves, like really moves, it feels a bit like when my 4250rpm turbo kicks in it's second spool and throws you in the seat, but before that, it feels sooooo sluggish and slow. I know I got roasted for saying this the last time, but it felt sh1t. It's not the tune, it's NA apparently paired with the auto, doesn't feel right.
Blips you gotta do differently, I just dropped gear, revved, went up a gear again, but it's hell If you're on a dodgey road. None of the fun clutch drops.
Upshifting, and downshifting, it doesn't do it immediately, I found this, it will change the gear, but not feel like it has for a split second, which I feel I could probably do faster with my hand at times lol
Clicks on the wheel, I can't remember if it did or didn't, but I thought it had a responsive feel when the button was pressed.

As I said before, I didn't prefer it to my EBM... Mind you, this could be down to the auto, could be down to being NA vs FI etc etc, the bum on seat feel was not nice... It sounded glorious though :lol:.

So yes, to your FB message, I think our experience were the same. Be glad you never had her in auto mode in the wet, it will try and kill you.:lol:

It is why I drove it on paddles, because if your on the ramp joining the highway and need to accelerate into a gap, I found in D it took the response away due to it doing its kick down nonsense, at least with it in track/S could join in 2nd or 3rd gear and then when you hit the gas pedal the thing accelerated instantly and fast, so could slot it in no problem. Likewise I am sure on a wet country road if driving in D spirited if it decided to kick down could easily catch you out. But if your pressing on then you should not really be in D I would suggest, keep it on the paddles if you want to push the car so it does exactly as you wish, otherwise it will do its own thing, which is not really fault of the gear box, but the user, but admittedly it could catch out people who just get in and drive.

But like I said, for me D was a relaxing gear, great for city driving, but that is why there is several modes as each one has its place.

On axle ratio I know in US they can pick one, my guess it was either a 3.31 or 3.55, but I'd say more 3.31 as 100mph in 3rd seemed quite easy suggesting it had slightly long gearing than a 3.55.

To be honest I've being in Enochs and his felt fine, but I've never driven his and felt what it was like if you just get on it in say 4th gear from like 30mph, his could be spot on, whereas this was sluggish, really needed to drop it a couple of cogs, it really revelled on being high up in the RPM band.

Whereas in comparison my UK manual seems to have a lot more go down low and responds instantly to inputs. But my car should do just for the fact its over 100kg lighter, potentially shorter gearing and tuned etc.

However on the flip side, gunning it from a standstill, the automatic felt faster, also when up changing on paddles though its not instant to the paddle input the car never lets off the gas, giving seamless acceleration, so again faster than a manual unless you trying to destroy your gearbox. ;)

 

[Enoch]

yea car was built for the Open Clear road
Yea love my Auto, good pull-away for a Auto
Europe was pretty easy to drive, other then France and all the dam tolls every few mins for 2euros :frusty:

Come back on the train, M20 crash, M25, 30min tailback at the Dartford Crossing, suddenly it clears, no roadworks, no reason why the delays :frusty:

would rather drive the Splugen in the fog and rain then sit on the M25 so frustrating
:frusty::frusty::frusty:

I use a Sanef Tag in France... just drive through the tolls, and get a bill when you get home

 

[slowhand99]

Hey Andy, do you get the feeling [MENTION=13598]Gibbo205[/MENTION] and [MENTION=20131]Manders Mustang[/MENTION] skipped the driver upgrade necessary to drive the auto properly? ;)

 

[Enoch]

Hey Andy, do you get the feeling [MENTION=13598]Gibbo205[/MENTION] and [MENTION=20131]Manders Mustang[/MENTION] skipped the driver upgrade necessary to drive the auto properly? ;)

Yeah....way to technical for that pair:lol::lol:

 

[MikeR]

Yeah....way to technical for that pair:lol::lol:

All that "Yada, yada, yada", and then the truth finally comes out in the final sentence :clap2:

"...gunning it from a standstill, the automatic felt faster, also when up changing on paddles though its not instant to the paddle input the car never lets off the gas, giving seamless acceleration, so again faster than a manual..."

 

[Manders Mustang]

All that "Yada, yada, yada", and then the truth finally comes out in the final sentence :clap2:

"Be glad you never had her in auto mode in the wet, it will try and kill you." :shrug:


[MENTION=15533]slowhand99[/MENTION] i'll use the quote my mate said when i told him i had an auto V8 on the drive...
"A real MAN drives a MANual, the clue is in the name. Auto's are for women or people who can't drive... so women" :lol:

 

[Enoch]

"Be glad you never had her in auto mode in the wet, it will try and kill you." :shrug:


[MENTION=15533]slowhand99[/MENTION] i'll use the quote my mate said when i told him i had an auto V8 on the drive...
"A real MAN drives a MANual, the clue is in the name. Auto's are for women or people who can't drive... so women" :lol:

Seems your mate's a bit of a dickhead then....:amen:

 

[hinch]

i'm literally the only person on the planet who cannot drive autos stall them every time as i try to use the brake as a clutch and cannot for the life of me convince my brain to stop it.

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