Manual Or Auto?

[Arkayne]

Well guys, I've been thinking of turning to the Dark Side.

I sold my FG XR6 Turbo recently (miss is greatly; if anyone sees a Sensation 6T in Sydney with Exhaust and Air Induction sound modifications, wave hello for me!), and have been looking at buying a GT. I know, I know, they're over-rated; but I have 3 reasons to justify my choice of the new GT 335 over an F6 310.

1. Twin Exhaust Powertrain Control Module

The first modification on my XR6T was putting a custom split-exhaust to quad-tip system on it. It made it drowny in note, and though a few mufflers fixed the noise, it was still a head-ache to work with. The GT comes standard with twin exhausts on both sides of it's body.

2. The all-famous Bonnet Bulge

Need I say more? The bonnet was something I wanted to change on my FG XR6 for years, but never got around to it. Now, I don't even have to worry about it; it comes standard!

3. That cat-snapping Supercharge Whine!

I love a turbo spooling; it's an awesome sound from the air induction through to the BOV. But that Supercharger whine is Orgasm-in-a-box. I simply can't get over it; the videos were one thing, but hearing it live was another!

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Anyway, I'm sure many people can come up with choosing the GT over the FG, and vice versa, but my main question comes down to:

Manual or Auto?

I'm stuck between the two. I've driven both the FG XR6T and FG XR8 (5.4L) in Manual and Auto, and my XR6T was an auto. I'm leaning towards the auto for two reasons;

- The manual gearbox has very, well, crank-like shifting. It's hard enough to push the clutch in when all that G-Force is coming your way, but to have to push the knob into gears at a hard-pace is unquestionably a mistake Ford made choosing this gearbox.

- The auto keeps boost between gear changes (similar to that of the F6).

And, the reason why I'm considering the manual;

- Note! Hearing a V8 go from grumble to neutral as it changes gears sounds awesome; and to hear the Supercharger whine then come to a halt when you put the clutch in is a reason on its own.

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If you guys could choose, which would you get? I have yet to drive the GT 335 in either an Auto or Manual, but the one I'm looking at, which also is an awesome deal at the moment (nothing lower on Carpoint.com.au) is an Automatic, Nitro Blue with Black Stripes amd Leather-Trim interior for just under $72k. Brand new, never registered.

[Worm]

Depends... Do you wanna take it down the strip and get serious times? Go auto...

Or if you are happy to take it occasionally but have a f*cking sweet note and awesome sound on gearshift... Go manual.

Me I'd go either over the XR6T... Or F6... Supercharged 8's are f*cking magic :-)

[Arkayne]

Or if you are happy to take it occasionally but have a f*cking sweet note and awesome sound on gearshift... Go manual.

Definitely the note is what's winning me to consider the Manual.. but have you driven an FG in manual? It's horrid - the gearshift is just so clanky and "hard" for what they claim is a "performance" gear box..

[discostig]

Didn't think performance boxes were very nice to shift anyway?

[Arkayne]

They're not suppose to be, but I have to give it to Expensive Daewoo and say that the Holden/Hsv's 6-speed manual feels fine...

[01txr]

Own a hi po ba with t56 I fitted as well ci twin plate clutch and have driven acres auto's

It's fun in sport shift but so boring, put foot down and go, my grandma can do that.

Another thing is the difference with a supercharger to turbo is turbo slows down on gear change and needs to build speed back up for max boost.

I think you will find since the supercharger is spinning in relation to revs it won't suffer spool up time so not as bad a difference from constant power flow, now the auto will be quicker as gear change shift should be quicker than you can change gears in manual not so bad if you are game flat shifting.

The auto drains more power to drive the wheels than a manual so advantage to manual.

Now if you want to have some fun a drive a track day a manual is far better suited as many times you need to be able to modulate clutch to get the best out of a corner, the auto is just going to pick a gear.

Also the feeling of driving hard through any windy road gearing up and down just can't be beat.

If you are a driver and like to push hard buy the manual

If you are the opposite buy a hat recline the seat and cruise.

I hate when a starter motor dies or battery dies you have to fix it there or have it fixed as with the manual you can still drive it and if you park on a hill everytime you continue to drive that's as long as the dud battery does still give some power to drive the electrics.

Every auto I have owned has eventually leaked, broken or both.

Some fun with autos, can line lock them but it burns out the clutches.

Drive in reverse slam 1st but blows them up after a few times.

Best of all remove them put manual in and drop the removed auto on a hsv roof

Seriously drive both first it's your choicein the end as it all depends on what you want from it.

If planning big power the manual seems to be a stronger box unless the GT's auto has been improved over the earlier versions.

Good luck I envy you if you get one, wish I could.

[01txr]

Excuse some words in my previous post, bloody word correction on these iPhones are crap.

Also no option to edit the post?

Anyway should be able to work out what most of the strange words are.

I have to start proof reading before posting.

[Henz]

Ild gO with the manual, in the fg's they don't seem to be to far behind the autos down the strip (stock)

Resale, manuals are nearly always worth a bit more.

Drivability, spend a week with a zf and you'll get bored, a week with a manual you'll still be enjoying every shift.

[rad]

if your're a manual guy you get a manual!

auto's are nice that's why my mummy likes them.there's no better sound than a manual V8 roaring down the road

[seduced]

Manual.

While sometmes I wish mine was auto - stuck in traffic, trying to move 1800+kg smoothly at slow speeds, driving around at 60km/h all day etc etc, but as soon as the road opens up or I find some corners, man.... there is nothing like a manual.

One thing I have noticed. If you enjoy cruising smoothly at slow speeds, trying to relax, its just not possible to achieve that in these cars with a manual, unless you really concentrate on what you are doing, but then you are no longer relaxing. To keep the shifts smooth and the clutch work unnoticable, you have to drive them at a reasonable pace all the time. These are not luxo-barges, these are sports sedans and only respond to sport driving in manual form.

Anyone who tries to drive them otherwise will end up bagging the manual box. If it were me buying the GT, I would decide whether I wanted to relax or actually drive the car.

Just keep this in mind: Imagine heel-and-toe downshifting with that supercharged v8 growl.....mmmmmmmmm

Edited 20/12/10 11:43 PM by seduced