S550 - manual or auto...

S550 - manual or auto...

Author
Discussion

TackleburyUk

Original Poster:

493 posts

189 months

Monday 8th February 2016
quotequote all
Having dragged my better half to a dealership today I was more than pleased when she reported that the Mustang was beautiful and one needs to find a home with us.

We've decided on orange, with black wheels and black stripes but the big questions is transmission... Personally for me it's a manual but she does like an auto as her current drive (scirocco gt) has one.

An order is being made in the next 72 hours so the questions is simple:

Manual or automatic?

Is the auto like her vw? Will it change as it approaches the limiter thus robbing me of feeling like I'm in control?

We've figured ticking all the options is best, I want black wheels so won't be going custom pack and I don't want the chrome surrounds on the spec.

Told a 9 month wait is the current timeline, not sure I can contain my excitement that long!

Tack.

bridgdav

4,805 posts

247 months

Monday 8th February 2016
quotequote all
The Shirt says it all..







Seriously.. Test drive both if you intend on giving her the keys...

The Manual is a little clunky as standard, but soon rectified with a couple of bushing mods.

TackleburyUk

Original Poster:

493 posts

189 months

Monday 8th February 2016
quotequote all
bridgdav said:
The Shirt says it all..







Seriously.. Test drive both if you intend on giving her the keys...

The Manual is a little clunky as standard, but soon rectified with a couple of bushing mods.
I've read the manual requires some aptitude to drive and that makes me want it more...

She's a capable driver but I fear she'll find it more of an annoyance than an idiosyncrasy...

bridgdav

4,805 posts

247 months

Monday 8th February 2016
quotequote all
TackleburyUk said:
I've read the manual requires some aptitude to drive and that makes me want it more...

She's a capable driver but I fear she'll find it more of an annoyance than an idiosyncrasy...
TBH - The stock mounting of the shifter mechanism is a bit soft, resulting in the change between 2nd to 3rd occasionally being a search, rather that a push forward into the central channel. An aftermarket Steeda shifter mount will solve that.

I always knew that I wanted the Manual, so never paid too much attention to the Auto. Of course it has some benefits, traffic, easier drive etc... Flappy paddles and Autos are strongly becoming the norm globally, I like the fact the Mustang is Manual as standard, holding true to its origins..

slowhand99

242 posts

107 months

Monday 8th February 2016
quotequote all
TackleburyUk said:
Having dragged my better half to a dealership today I was more than pleased when she reported that the Mustang was beautiful and one needs to find a home with us.

We've decided on orange, with black wheels and black stripes but the big questions is transmission... Personally for me it's a manual but she does like an auto as her current drive (scirocco gt) has one.

An order is being made in the next 72 hours so the questions is simple:

Manual or automatic?

Is the auto like her vw? Will it change as it approaches the limiter thus robbing me of feeling like I'm in control?

We've figured ticking all the options is best, I want black wheels so won't be going custom pack and I don't want the chrome surrounds on the spec.

Told a 9 month wait is the current timeline, not sure I can contain my excitement that long!

Tack.
You have another decision to make on the colour. There's no more orange. frown

TackleburyUk

Original Poster:

493 posts

189 months

Monday 8th February 2016
quotequote all
You're stting me?

Their website still shows it!

Stig

11,817 posts

283 months

Monday 8th February 2016
quotequote all
TackleburyUk said:
You're stting me?

Their website still shows it!
But you can no longer order it. You may find a stock car kicking about, but you can no longer place and order with Orange specced (or Deep Impact Blue and Guards).

TackleburyUk

Original Poster:

493 posts

189 months

Monday 8th February 2016
quotequote all
Well, that's shot the fox! Back to colour choices then!

KevinC6Corvette

29 posts

106 months

Monday 8th February 2016
quotequote all
Stig said:
But you can no longer order it. You may find a stock car kicking about, but you can no longer place and order with Orange specced (or Deep Impact Blue and Guards).
That could cost them my order, first colour choice Competition Orange, second Deep Impact Blue. Hopefully it is just a short lack of paint problem.

Stig

11,817 posts

283 months

Monday 8th February 2016
quotequote all
KevinC6Corvette said:
That could cost them my order, first colour choice Competition Orange, second Deep Impact Blue. Hopefully it is just a short lack of paint problem.
Nope - not lack of paint, changeover to MY'17 model year.

Deep impact blue has been replaced with Grabber Blue (flat) and Lightning Blue (metallic).

Full list is now:
Grabber Blue
Shadow Black
Triple Yellow
Magnetic
Lightning Blue
Race Red
Ruby Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat (interesting about tinted clearcoat, as this sounds more like a candy treatment)
White Platinum Metallic Tinted Tri-coat
Ingot Silver
Oxford White

sumpoil

431 posts

163 months

Monday 8th February 2016
quotequote all
Stig said:
Nope - not lack of paint, changeover to MY'17 model year.

Deep impact blue has been replaced with Grabber Blue (flat) and Lightning Blue (metallic).

Full list is now:
Grabber Blue
Shadow Black
Triple Yellow
Magnetic
Lightning Blue
Race Red
Ruby Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat (interesting about tinted clearcoat, as this sounds more like a candy treatment)
White Platinum Metallic Tinted Tri-coat
Ingot Silver
Oxford White
But has the changeover to MY17 actually happened yet? Can you not still order MY16 until the end of April (or around then)? ..... or are the lead times on UK cars still so long that an order placed now isn't going to be built until after the changeover date?

sumpoil

431 posts

163 months

Monday 8th February 2016
quotequote all
bridgdav said:
Seriously.. Test drive both if you intend on giving her the keys...

The Manual is a little clunky as standard, but soon rectified with a couple of bushing mods.
Depends what you want from the car and how you intend to drive it .......

...... this bloke always preferred manual in order to separate the good from the great - but what did he know? wink


Avdb

176 posts

117 months

Monday 8th February 2016
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I was ready to order auto and orange (or guard).

Colour no longer available has cost them my order for now - might even buy something else.

Rob-hmk61

6 posts

104 months

Monday 8th February 2016
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I was talking about this with my local dealer this morning. He said that guard and orange are unavailable on any car not yet ordered.

slowhand99

242 posts

107 months

Monday 8th February 2016
quotequote all
TackleburyUk said:
You're stting me?

Their website still shows it!
.....and welcome to the UK Ford Mustang experience! This won't be the last frustrating day you have.

TackleburyUk

Original Poster:

493 posts

189 months

Monday 8th February 2016
quotequote all
Can't wait..

I've just realised my second choice was the shelby'esk blue which has also been binned.

Will have a word tomorrow when I test drive the Gt and see what else there is...


slowhand99

242 posts

107 months

Monday 8th February 2016
quotequote all
TackleburyUk said:
Can't wait..

I've just realised my second choice was the shelby'esk blue which has also been binned.

Will have a word tomorrow when I test drive the Gt and see what else there is...
Grabber blue is worth a look, or the classic race red.

TackleburyUk

Original Poster:

493 posts

189 months

Monday 8th February 2016
quotequote all
I'm on google but can't find any sites with the MY17 colours.

Found a ruby red which looks good.

Actual

683 posts

105 months

Monday 8th February 2016
quotequote all
TackleburyUk said:
An order is being made in the next 72 hours so the questions is simple:

Manual or automatic?
…back on topic, manual or auto?

Assuming your preference is for the V8…

When you pull away in a manual you can compensate for too much power by slipping the clutch. Getting onto a busy roundabout with traffic bearing down in an auto can be tricky because you have to give just the right amount of power to get moving from nothing which can easily result in side slip if the roads are wet.

With the shifter in D and doing some spirited acceleration then you need to be a bit careful not to give too much gas as the transmission will rapidly shift down and even redline and you will just take off. In a manual if you are then accelerating but lift off to lose some speed then you get engine braking but in the auto you lift off and the transmission will immediately shift up to 6th gear and you will actually speed up.

For steady acceleration just using power and without shifting down you can put the shifter into S but you must use the paddles to select a gear or the shifting becomes even more aggressive. Now you can give lots of gas in 6th gear and the car will say in gear while accelerating. This works really well on the motorway and if you want a bit more zip then flick down to 5th until you get to the desired speed and then slip back into 6th.

Having the shifter in S is not so useful at low speed. In a manual the gear selector is always in the same place but the paddles in the auto can be difficult to find if you are steering at the same time.

For sedate driving the auto will be up to 6th gear before you get to 30 mph. On the other hand being able to creep forward in traffic without having to go through the lower gears is great.

Apparently the Mustang brake lights are blinding to the car behind so you can be a bit self-conscious holding on the foot brake at traffic lights.

The main downside to the auto is you can’t rev the engine at the traffic lights ready for a burn up (unless you select P or N).

Just what I have found.



Edited by Actual on Monday 8th February 21:02

sonicbloo

637 posts

149 months

Monday 8th February 2016
quotequote all
Keep your eye on the 2nd hand market, cars are already being advertised for sale (maybe ex-demo?). Some dealers have new cars in stock for sale, but they are getting snapped up quick to avoid the 9+ month wait.

Nice looking red GT with auto and black wheels http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Ford-Mustang-5-0-GT-...

New Guard green http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/f...