Ah, those Chinese transmissions...

I couldn't help but notice that the manual transmissions for the new
Mustangs were built in China. Didn't care for that, but thought that with
both Ford and Getrag overseeing production, it would be okay. Now I see a
number of complaints are popping up.

Read this on Fox news today:
"A FoxNews.com analysis of the recent NHTSA complaints indicates that a
number of the owners may not be aware of a special feature found on
V8-powered Mustangs that forces the transmission to shift directly from 1st
to 4th gear under light throttle application. This is intended to increase
fuel efficiency during the EPA fuel economy testing procedure and cannot be
turned off, but is overridden during hard acceleration. The manual
transmissions in the Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro SS, both built by a
different supplier, function in a similar way."

I haven't driven a manual transmission built since 1993, so I wondered about
this. How are today's stick shifts "forced" to go from 1st to 4th directly?
I thought the purpose of a manual transmission was to be manual.

dwight

On 8/14/2011 08:41, dwight wrote:
> I couldn't help but notice that the manual transmissions for the new
> Mustangs were built in China. Didn't care for that, but thought that
> with both Ford and Getrag overseeing production, it would be okay. Now I
> see a number of complaints are popping up.
>
> Read this on Fox news today:
> "A FoxNews.com analysis of the recent NHTSA complaints indicates that a
> number of the owners may not be aware of a special feature found on
> V8-powered Mustangs that forces the transmission to shift directly from
> 1st to 4th gear under light throttle application. This is intended to
> increase fuel efficiency during the EPA fuel economy testing procedure
> and cannot be turned off, but is overridden during hard acceleration.
> The manual transmissions in the Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro SS, both
> built by a different supplier, function in a similar way."
>
> I haven't driven a manual transmission built since 1993, so I wondered
> about this. How are today's stick shifts "forced" to go from 1st to 4th
> directly? I thought the purpose of a manual transmission was to be manual.
>
> dwight
>
>


That has to mean auto or the new manual autos?? IOW the ones that
are auto transmissions with flippy buttons on the steering wheel.

"WindsorFox<SS>" > wrote in message
...
> On 8/14/2011 08:41, dwight wrote:
>> I couldn't help but notice that the manual transmissions for the new
>> Mustangs were built in China. Didn't care for that, but thought that
>> with both Ford and Getrag overseeing production, it would be okay. Now I
>> see a number of complaints are popping up.
>>
>> Read this on Fox news today:
>> "A FoxNews.com analysis of the recent NHTSA complaints indicates that a
>> number of the owners may not be aware of a special feature found on
>> V8-powered Mustangs that forces the transmission to shift directly from
>> 1st to 4th gear under light throttle application. This is intended to
>> increase fuel efficiency during the EPA fuel economy testing procedure
>> and cannot be turned off, but is overridden during hard acceleration.
>> The manual transmissions in the Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro SS, both
>> built by a different supplier, function in a similar way."
>>
>> I haven't driven a manual transmission built since 1993, so I wondered
>> about this. How are today's stick shifts "forced" to go from 1st to 4th
>> directly? I thought the purpose of a manual transmission was to be
>> manual.
>>
>> dwight
>>
>>
>
>
> That has to mean auto or the new manual autos?? IOW the ones that are
> auto transmissions with flippy buttons on the steering wheel.

Oh, no. FoxNews.com absolutely knew that this story was about the
Chinese-manufactured manual transmissions in the new V6 and V8 Ford
Mustangs. There can be no confusion about automatic transmissions
(domestically produced) or some slick new auto/manual hybrid that doesn't
even come in a Mustang.

I'm absolutely certain that FoxNews.com did a thorough analysis of the
subject matter and concluded that the problem lay not with the transmission,
itself, but with the drooling morons who drive these cars, unaware that the
manual transmission has the built-in 1st-to-4th gear override.

dwight

On Aug 14, 10:21*am, "dwight" > wrote:
> "WindsorFox<SS>" > wrote in message

> ...

> > On 8/14/2011 08:41, dwight wrote:
> >> I couldn't help but notice that the manual transmissions for the new
> >> Mustangs were built in China. Didn't care for that, but thought that
> >> with both Ford and Getrag overseeing production, it would be okay. Now I
> >> see a number of complaints are popping up.
>
> >> Read this on Fox news today:
> >> "A FoxNews.com analysis of the recent NHTSA complaints indicates that a
> >> number of the owners may not be aware of a special feature found on
> >> V8-powered Mustangs that forces the transmission to shift directly from
> >> 1st to 4th gear under light throttle application. This is intended to
> >> increase fuel efficiency during the EPA fuel economy testing procedure
> >> and cannot be turned off, but is overridden during hard acceleration.
> >> The manual transmissions in the Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro SS, both
> >> built by a different supplier, function in a similar way."
>
> >> I haven't driven a manual transmission built since 1993, so I wondered
> >> about this. How are today's stick shifts "forced" to go from 1st to 4th
> >> directly? I thought the purpose of a manual transmission was to be
> >> manual.

> > * * That has to mean auto or the new manual autos?? IOW the ones that are
> > auto transmissions with flippy buttons on the steering wheel.

> Oh, no. FoxNews.com absolutely knew that this story was about the
> Chinese-manufactured manual transmissions in the new V6 and V8 Ford
> Mustangs. There can be no confusion about automatic transmissions
> (domestically produced) or some slick new auto/manual hybrid that doesn't
> even come in a Mustang.

> I'm absolutely certain that FoxNews.com did a thorough analysis of the
> subject matter and concluded that the problem lay not with the transmission,
> itself, but with the drooling morons who drive these cars, unaware that the
> manual transmission has the built-in 1st-to-4th gear override.

A "drooling moron" responds. :-('

Here's a mix of what I've read and experienced. (I need to do some
more research.)

Read: The trans itself is solid -- it's a stout piece. It was
designed in Germany, but it is put together in China. (But, hell,
what isn't built/made in China these days? Ever surveyed the
belongings in your residence?)

Read: The linkage [between the shifter & trans] is long.

Experienced: The shifter/shifting is sweet, though, on occasion, there
is some "stickiness".

Read: The computer controlled 1st-4th gas-saving feature (something
GM's Corvette and F-bodies have/had.) is on [some] of these cars. The
owners manual reads: "Skip Shift (if equipped) (V8 engines
only)"

Experienced: My trans has never forced me to go 1st to 4th. So mine,
obviously, wasn't equipped with it. Though I often do do 1 to 4, but
ONLY because the 5.0 mill is so strong that in average/normal driving
you really don't need to use all the gears.

Patrick

Oh, T-Frog, you tune-in to Fox news?

" > wrote in message
...
> On Aug 14, 10:21 am, "dwight" > wrote:
>> "WindsorFox<SS>" > wrote in message
>
>> ...
>
>> > On 8/14/2011 08:41, dwight wrote:
>> >> I couldn't help but notice that the manual transmissions for the new
>> >> Mustangs were built in China. Didn't care for that, but thought that
>> >> with both Ford and Getrag overseeing production, it would be okay. Now
>> >> I
>> >> see a number of complaints are popping up.
>>
>> >> Read this on Fox news today:
>> >> "A FoxNews.com analysis of the recent NHTSA complaints indicates that
>> >> a
>> >> number of the owners may not be aware of a special feature found on
>> >> V8-powered Mustangs that forces the transmission to shift directly
>> >> from
>> >> 1st to 4th gear under light throttle application. This is intended to
>> >> increase fuel efficiency during the EPA fuel economy testing procedure
>> >> and cannot be turned off, but is overridden during hard acceleration.
>> >> The manual transmissions in the Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro SS, both
>> >> built by a different supplier, function in a similar way."
>>
>> >> I haven't driven a manual transmission built since 1993, so I wondered
>> >> about this. How are today's stick shifts "forced" to go from 1st to
>> >> 4th
>> >> directly? I thought the purpose of a manual transmission was to be
>> >> manual.
>
>> > That has to mean auto or the new manual autos?? IOW the ones that
>> > are
>> > auto transmissions with flippy buttons on the steering wheel.
>
>> Oh, no. FoxNews.com absolutely knew that this story was about the
>> Chinese-manufactured manual transmissions in the new V6 and V8 Ford
>> Mustangs. There can be no confusion about automatic transmissions
>> (domestically produced) or some slick new auto/manual hybrid that doesn't
>> even come in a Mustang.
>
>> I'm absolutely certain that FoxNews.com did a thorough analysis of the
>> subject matter and concluded that the problem lay not with the
>> transmission,
>> itself, but with the drooling morons who drive these cars, unaware that
>> the
>> manual transmission has the built-in 1st-to-4th gear override.
>
> A "drooling moron" responds. :-('
>
> Here's a mix of what I've read and experienced. (I need to do some
> more research.)
>
> Read: The trans itself is solid -- it's a stout piece. It was
> designed in Germany, but it is put together in China. (But, hell,
> what isn't built/made in China these days? Ever surveyed the
> belongings in your residence?)
>
> Read: The linkage [between the shifter & trans] is long.
>
> Experienced: The shifter/shifting is sweet, though, on occasion, there
> is some "stickiness".
>
> Read: The computer controlled 1st-4th gas-saving feature (something
> GM's Corvette and F-bodies have/had.) is on [some] of these cars. The
> owners manual reads: "Skip Shift (if equipped) (V8 engines
> only)"
>
> Experienced: My trans has never forced me to go 1st to 4th. So mine,
> obviously, wasn't equipped with it. Though I often do do 1 to 4, but
> ONLY because the 5.0 mill is so strong that in average/normal driving
> you really don't need to use all the gears.
>
> Patrick
>
> Oh, T-Frog, you tune-in to Fox news?

Every review I've read about the new Mustangs has praised the manual
transmission. The problems reported seem to arise after time, and seem to be
heat related. (Ford issued a TSB to replace the current fluid with one that
is more resistant to heat problems.)

Yes, I do tune in to Fox news on occasion. This came up when I saw the
reports pop up in my Google News, and I followed the link to FoxNews.com.
That last paragraph (above) made me laugh. "Thorough analysis," indeed.

I watch Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and even the PBS NewsHour. I'm not satisfied
with one source of my news, and always seek out the opposing point of view
(and remember the days when there was no opposing point of view to "news").
That's why I like Good News - it brings up all kinds of things.

dwight

On 8/14/2011 13:56, wrote:
> On Aug 14, 10:21 am, > wrote:
>> > wrote in message
> Read: The computer controlled 1st-4th gas-saving feature (something
> GM's Corvette and F-bodies have/had.) is on [some] of these cars. The
> owners manual reads: "Skip Shift (if equipped) (V8 engines
> only)"
>
> Experienced: My trans has never forced me to go 1st to 4th. So mine,
> obviously, wasn't equipped with it. Though I often do do 1 to 4, but
> ONLY because the 5.0 mill is so strong that in average/normal driving
> you really don't need to use all the gears.
>


Ah okay, so from what you write I have to infer that "force" would
mean the gate was somehow blocked to anyplace other than 4th gear from
first. I was picturing it shifting its self.

And keep in mind that although many of us are not, or not quite
morons that in my experience it seems that the majority of the world
population is. Therefore by default the majority of drivers including
those driving Mustangs probably are, by definition, morons.

On Sun, 14 Aug 2011 17:49:21 -0400, "dwight" >
wrote:

>
" > wrote in message
...
>> On Aug 14, 10:21 am, "dwight" > wrote:
>>> "WindsorFox<SS>" > wrote in message
>>
>>> ...
>>
SNIP!!!!!
>
>I watch Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and even the PBS NewsHour. I'm not satisfied
>with one source of my news, and always seek out the opposing point of view
>(and remember the days when there was no opposing point of view to "news").
>That's why I like Good News - it brings up all kinds of things.
>
>dwight
>
Good for you, Dwight. I applaud people who don't listen to just one
source whether it's left leaning or right leaning. Unfortunately,
while I do likewise, because I lean toward the conservative side, I am
always accused of only listening to FoxNews. It's as if a conservative
can not listen to many sources and make up one's own mind on an issue.
Yet, when I ask my more liberal friends where they get their news, it
comes down to PBS and MSNBC. That they would not be caught dead
monitoring a topic from all angles before they decide. Thay are not
all that way, but a very large percentage of them are. Yet, they can
not see that what they do is the same as what they accuse me of doing.
Anymore, I don't think any news source is truely trustworthy. I'm not
eeven sure about National Geographic anymore. Even Penthouse is
questionable. LOL

On Aug 14, 9:41*am, "dwight" > wrote:
> I couldn't help but notice that the manual transmissions for the new
> Mustangs were built in China. Didn't care for that, but thought that with
> both Ford and Getrag overseeing production, it would be okay. Now I see a
> number of complaints are popping up.
>

The only thing the Chinese are good at is poisoning baby milk.

On 2011-08-14, > wrote:

> Experienced: The shifter/shifting is sweet, though, on occasion, there
> is some "stickiness".

I've experienced that. but it seems to be going away as things break in.

> Read: The computer controlled 1st-4th gas-saving feature (something
> GM's Corvette and F-bodies have/had.) is on [some] of these cars. The
> owners manual reads: "Skip Shift (if equipped) (V8 engines
> only)"
>
> Experienced: My trans has never forced me to go 1st to 4th. So mine,
> obviously, wasn't equipped with it. Though I often do do 1 to 4, but
> ONLY because the 5.0 mill is so strong that in average/normal driving
> you really don't need to use all the gears.

I've had it skip shift on me, but only because it was particularly slow
acceleration. It feels like something seems to move out to block the
gate to second and guides the shifter into fourth. On acceleration that
slow it really doesn't matter.

On 2011-08-16, D E Willson > wrote:
> On Sun, 14 Aug 2011 17:49:21 -0400, "dwight" >
> wrote:
>
>>
" > wrote in message
...
>>> On Aug 14, 10:21 am, "dwight" > wrote:
>>>> "WindsorFox<SS>" > wrote in message
>>>
>>>> ...
>>>
> SNIP!!!!!
>>
>>I watch Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and even the PBS NewsHour. I'm not satisfied
>>with one source of my news, and always seek out the opposing point of view
>>(and remember the days when there was no opposing point of view to "news").
>>That's why I like Good News - it brings up all kinds of things.
>>
>>dwight
>>
> Good for you, Dwight. I applaud people who don't listen to just one
> source whether it's left leaning or right leaning. Unfortunately,
> while I do likewise, because I lean toward the conservative side, I am
> always accused of only listening to FoxNews. It's as if a conservative
> can not listen to many sources and make up one's own mind on an issue.
> Yet, when I ask my more liberal friends where they get their news, it
> comes down to PBS and MSNBC. That they would not be caught dead
> monitoring a topic from all angles before they decide. Thay are not
> all that way, but a very large percentage of them are. Yet, they can
> not see that what they do is the same as what they accuse me of doing.
> Anymore, I don't think any news source is truely trustworthy. I'm not
> eeven sure about National Geographic anymore. Even Penthouse is
> questionable. LOL

All those that make up mainstream news like Ds and Rs are in agreement
on all the important principles. It's just in the little things they
differ from each other.

Jon Stewart points out how the news media pretends that other ideas
don't even exist:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mo...--the-top-tier