98 GT Automatic........

[1996GT]

So I picked up a 98 GT automatic last week and need to get schooled on how to drive it. Well what i mean is, every Mustang ive ever owned has been a 5 speed so dont know much about the autos. It was a great deal couldnt pass it up, my cousin practically gave it to me.
Anyway, I was wondering if anyone had some pointers or tips on shifting these beasts. I mean besides just putting it in drive and go lol. The tranny is stock but the motor has ur basic bolt ons. Cold air, plenum/tb etc. Its pretty quick but i feel like im missing something.

 

[kissrocksforever]

a tune and high stall converter will go a long way.

 

[the.greg]

Well I know you can shift it manually from 1st to 2nd to Drive, but its honestly best to just leave in in Drive and let it shift itself. Another thing you should know is don't try to rev it up in Neutral and drop it into Drive to take off faster, its bad for the trans. When launching my old 98 Gt auto, it seemed best to footbrake to 2k rpms then let off the brake and go.

^If you want to make it faster $ do the tune and get a bigger stall; will help alot out of the hole.

 

[justinschmidt1]

as others have said tune and stall

I would recommend doing 4.10 gears, 3500 stall, and get a handheld tuner to control shift points/ firmness/ and shift pressure.

It will feel like you gained 100 hp with those mods.

As far as shifting it, you can manually shift 1-2-D w/OD off to 4th with OD on but this will actually slow you down FYI.

The fastest way to go is just leaving it in D

 

[SRT Handz]

I still cant figure out how to drive an automatic. I keep trying to figure out how to operate the clutch :-(

 

[1996GT]

thanks for the input. Looks like i gotta dump a few bucks into it and then get used to the mods. Im gonna start by looking into the stall and tuner and take it from there. Any ideas what i might spend for the stall?

 

[justinschmidt1]

thanks for the input. Looks like i gotta dump a few bucks into it and then get used to the mods. Im gonna start by looking into the stall and tuner and take it from there. Any ideas what i might spend for the stall?

I would try to find a used one for like 400-500 bucks

 

[framda]

Stab and steer!!

 

[Paul]

Hmmm...

How do you drive a 16 second car with an automatic transmission?

Pretty much point it where you want to go, press the gas down, and wait a long time to get there.



The cool part is, you're a full second faster than the same car with a stick. So that's pretty cool.

Paul.

 

[justinschmidt1]

my auto npi ran 14.5s with 3.73s.....and come on Paul, the full second rule only applys to cars with over 400 hp duh

 

[the.greg]

hmmm...

How do you drive a 16 second car with an automatic transmission?

Pretty much point it where you want to go, press the gas down, and wait a long time to get there.



The cool part is, you're a full second faster than the same car with a stick. So that's pretty cool.

Paul.

haha

 

[Paul]

and come on Paul, the full second rule only applys to cars with over 400 hp, headed East toward Mecca into the rising sun, with slight tailwind, in February, at sea level, with NO NITROUS, with no driver talent, in a car that weighs between 3317 and 3353 pounds

Fixed to provide clarity.

 

[945.0]

Fixed to provide clarity.

paul you the man

 

[Paul]

Lulz.

Wouldn't this be so much easier if people just didn't make stupid blanket statements?

 

[SoCal_Nick]

every once in a while i get in an auto car and put my foot down to try an push in the clutch to start it........

 

[JRad405]

Hmmm...

How do you drive a 16 second car with an automatic transmission?

Pretty much point it where you want to go, press the gas down, and wait a long time to get there.
.

I was waiting for someone to say that.

OP just get a tuner it will definitely firm up the shifting. And you can definitely feel that. I drive an auto too and the tuner really changed how the car felt in that respect.

 

[justinschmidt1]

Lulz.

Wouldn't this be so much easier if people just didn't make stupid blanket statements?

You just interpret shit wrong.....

All I meant was there has been many cases where 03/04 cobra guys switch to autos and drop a full second of ET in a 500-600 hp car....

Im jsut saying, a properly built auto runs very well time in a boosted application and its not uncommon to see a car drop a full second of ET.

When you see a 600 rwhp manual car running 12s its obvious that if they had a good auto tranny they could drop a second.

Also I can use my car as a perfect example...its nothing special, stock longblock Pi 4.6 with a vortech and 380~ rwhp with some MM control arms and a good auto and it went 11.35 @ 121 mph...how can you even argue that the auto is not effective?

Do you see 400 rwhp 2vs running low 11s all day long ? Am I Missing something?

 

[ttocs]

you two still pissin? Yes we need a thunderdome...

 

[Paul]

Justin, you dummy, don't see you see how many qualifiers you have to put on your idiotic blanket statement to make it "true" for you?

For god's sake, I've seen a 234 rwhp stick shift 5.0 run 12s. I've seen a 380 rwhp stick shift 5.0 run 10.30s. The same guy running 10s ran 12.61 @ 116 mph ON HIS FIRST TRY in his wife's brand new, 100% factory '03 Cobra. That means shitty tires, and everything as delivered from the factory right down to the air filter. The car had less than 1000 miles on it. Just because some dumbfucks don't know how to drive, does not make what you're saying true.

Oh, and these times are all from my personal friends, who aren't professional drivers, and don't spend every weekend at the track. So please STFU with your stupid automatic fanboy nutswingerness. It's old.

You can ran just as fast, or faster, with the stick shift - it just takes more skill and practice.

Paul.

 

[justinschmidt1]

What I am saying is that 99.9% of people can not drive well enough to beat an automatics times...so yes, what I am saying is true for those 99.9% of people.

I know in your mind your big shit but and think you can shift faster than an autp but in reality 99.9% of people would run faster times with an auto with a high stall.

Again with the misinterpreting.....yes, you CAN run faster times with a stick, but like I jsut said, most cars would benefit from the auto since most drivers arent that good.

Stop talking about NA 5.0s and this and that, im mostly gearing this arguement towwards 400+ hp boosted cars.....and 10.30s with 380 rwhp? More info on this car? Whats it cut 1.3 60 foots and weigh 2600 lbs?