Thinking about this a bit more, I reckon more people would go for the manual (in the Falcon XRs and FPVs) if the driveline was a bit more refined. Honestly, I've lost count of the amount of threads/comments on the dramas associated with the manual XRs and FPVs over the last 2-3 years. Clutch problems, driveline shudder, poor tolerances, backlash, vibrations, sticky shifting, synchro probs, crunching noises. The list goes on.
I ended up opting for the ZF auto in my GT, and I have to admit that when deciding on this transmission, the above was always in the back of my mind. I don't drive my car really hard, I don't take it onto the track. Yep, I'm probably getting soft as I get older, but the thought of splashing $60K+ down on a car that has the driveline refinement of a wheat harvester didn't really do it for me. Some call those 'issues' character......I call it poor engineering and cost cutting.
Deep down, I still have a really soft spot for a manual. I'd love my GT to have a great manual gearbox, and a driveline to match. However, at the point in time when I bought my car, the auto was the more appropriate choice. It was never a case of "manual rules" or "auto is best" or any other throwaway line. Next time it may be different..........when I buy my 2008/09 model manual GTHO........
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22-02-2007, 09:05 AM
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