Manual question

[LongviewMach1]

I know I'm probly going to get flamed for this or something but is it really that difficult to drive a stick. This will be my first standard the reason I got this is I'm not going to give up any performance loss for an automatic that and all my friends and Dad said get a manual not an auto. I'm just really scared of messing the car up....So does it take very long to learn and is it easy to get into after a little while. I'm 19 and buying this car myself :)

[GR8 WYT]

Find a buddy with a beater car and practice..then decide for yourself. Lot less thinking involved with an auto...and you can multi-task better ...(talk on the phone to the ho's, eat, drink...no, not alcohol).
Stick will be better for re-sell purposes. A manual tranny and a performace car go hand in hand

[FL Mach 1]

not hard just takes a little practice

[Chini42]

if you really want to drive your car, you will love the stick. i would not go to take delivery of your Mach never having driven a stick though, you might have a hard time leaving the parking lot. maybe you can go to your dealer and ask him if you can test drive a 5-speed GT to make sure you want the Mach.

the only hard part about driving a stick is when you try it for the very first time, you'll probably let the clutch out too fast or not give it enough gas, but it happened to all of us. just practice going from a dead stop in a parking lot or something because that can aggravating if you go to pull away from a light and you stall your car.

[POLSMACH03]

Also strongly suggest you stay away from hills (that is stopping on going up) for awhile. Other than that it's really easy to pick up. Also if possible start on a foreign job; much easier to pick up.

If my wife can learn anybody can.

[03MachforMe]

Definitely practice/learn before you get the Mach!

I tried to teach my wife to drive manual shifters in our '98 GT and she had a hell of a time.

That car is long gone and she cruises town in an MR-2 Spyder that she picked up shifting on really quick.

The Mustang with the V-8 power & torque was more difficult for her, and a lighter clutch will be easier to learn on. You can't go wrong if you find someone with an old VW Beetle. Great car to learn on (from my experience, anyway), but there will be a power learning curve when you take delivery of your Mach! : )

-Doug :D

[Chini42]

i learned on a Saturn and that was pretty easy...although i think the car would disagree.

[03TexasMach1]

I learned to drive a stick on a 1934 Dodge pickup. :D

[LongviewMach1]

Well I practiced once on my friends 2002 eclipse and it was hard at first but I got from stalling to making it jump a good amount to being kinda smooth, he said he is going to let me practice some more on his so I can drive my Mach 1. I just dont wanna buy a beautiful car like this and be an auto I mean even though I have never owned one I believe it's a waste on Car to have a sports car like this that is automatic. I dont know I'm just really scared of messing up my new mach 1 shifting wise.

[FL Mach 1]

It just takes some practice. I would definitly keep practicing. Remember this however that each clutch is different. some require very little pedal effort while other require quite a bit. I haven't owned any new mustangs lately, last one was a 91, so how is the pedal effort on the 01 and 02 mustangs? also is it a cable or hydraulic clutch? Prefer cable myself.

[LongviewMach1]

what is mustang cable or hydr

[POLSMACH03]

cable I think but don't quote me.

[FL Mach 1]

I hope so, after I had to basically replace a good clutch because the slave cylinder was leaking I am not that hot on hydraulic clutches. The slave cylinder was integral to the throwout bearing. So while I had the whole thing apart I figured might as well do it all now. Everything was in pretty good shape just a leaking slave cylinder. Well what can you expect from Chrysler.

[Mustang Matt]

Well, I would have say that I'm in the same boat as Longview.
I'll be trading my 98' convertable autotrans.
I'm just worried about sifting from 2nd to 3rd, and 4th to 5th.
I've played with a stick shift GT while I worked at a car wash,I do remember that the shift pattern was very tight.

[MachMan]

This will be my first manual also. However, I have been driving motorcycles since I was 6 so I think I should be able to pick it up somewhat quickly since I understand the principles. My question is how long does the clutch last before it needs to be replaced? Anyone have to replace it on a recent GT or anything similar? I will not be very hard on the car as I am using it as a daily driver with the possibility of going to the track once in a while but nothing too serious.

[WarpdSpazm]

I TD'd a 95 a bit back as a potential used car purchase. It had an aftermarket shifter which only made it worse than normal, but even the '01 GT i took out, the 2-3 shift seems to be a killer... getting into third is something that i'm a bit nerved on... anyone with an '01 or '02 have better insight, as i only TD'd and don't own... does it improve after some breaking in??

[strokerswild]

Assuming the Mach will have the Tremec 3650 trans, the 2-3 shift is easy to miss if you're banging gears quickly. The shifter of choice among the Bullitt crowd seems to be the Steeda Tri-Ax (I haven't done the swap yet, but have been considering it).

The clutch pedal effort on my Bullitt is a little stouter than most manuals I've had over the years. I've got a '94 Tempo 5-speed that I beat to work most of the time and it's pretty weird (awkward?) to jump into the 'stang right afterward. Much more physically demanding to drive the Mustang. Good exercise for the leg.....

[03MachI]

Quote:

My question is how long does the clutch last before it needs to be replaced?


Our 88 GT has over 100K miles on it and the original clutch is still in great shape. If you don't slip them too much on take offs they last a long time.

Goog luck with your stick, it's the only way to fly!
;)

[POLSMACH03]

All depends on the driver I think and how you drive. I have had sticks exclusively since 77 (all Jap except my 01 GT) and never replaced a clutch even with the wife driving. Put well over 100K on 4 Hondas and 226+K on my beloved 87 Mazda PU.

Will a clutch last longer on rice because of the lower HP/torque???