After many years behind the wheel of my '00 GT, and racking up 177k miles, I am finally going to get myself a new 5.0. Naturally, I am agonizing over the rear gear question. I have been doing a lot of online research, but I think to get this resolved once and for all I need to start a thread of my own.
I will be using my new car as I have my old one - as a daily driver, for a 24-mile-each-way commute to work, and to go to client meetings - all in all, about 95% highway cruising around Pennsylvania. I think I originally thought I'd be happiest with the 3.31s because of the highway commute (less drone, esp. with the inevitable aftermarket exhaust), lower long-term engine wear (lower rpm), slightly better mileage, and the fact that I will be driving in all kinds of weather (potential traction issues).
However, after having read all the other conversations, I am afraid I am going to regret my decision to not order the track pack or at least the stand-alone 3.73s right off the bat. I don't do any racing and most of the time I am cruising along with traffic, but I enjoy driving a fun car-there's that occasional rip up through the gears, plus the one-upmanship on my somewhat-over-the-top-know-it-all-Chevy-guy brother-in-law.
I have test-driven a 3.31 car, and it was pretty fast. No doubt the 3.73 would be faster. But I am more thinking of the long-term impact of my choice and having to live with it for 150k-plus miles.
What do you think? Should I be thinking track pack/3.73s or do you think my first thought of the 3.31s is a better idea?
Thanks; sorry this is so long but if you only knew how much this was driving me nuts . . .
I will be using my new car as I have my old one - as a daily driver, for a 24-mile-each-way commute to work, and to go to client meetings - all in all, about 95% highway cruising around Pennsylvania. I think I originally thought I'd be happiest with the 3.31s because of the highway commute (less drone, esp. with the inevitable aftermarket exhaust), lower long-term engine wear (lower rpm), slightly better mileage, and the fact that I will be driving in all kinds of weather (potential traction issues).
However, after having read all the other conversations, I am afraid I am going to regret my decision to not order the track pack or at least the stand-alone 3.73s right off the bat. I don't do any racing and most of the time I am cruising along with traffic, but I enjoy driving a fun car-there's that occasional rip up through the gears, plus the one-upmanship on my somewhat-over-the-top-know-it-all-Chevy-guy brother-in-law.
I have test-driven a 3.31 car, and it was pretty fast. No doubt the 3.73 would be faster. But I am more thinking of the long-term impact of my choice and having to live with it for 150k-plus miles.
What do you think? Should I be thinking track pack/3.73s or do you think my first thought of the 3.31s is a better idea?
Thanks; sorry this is so long but if you only knew how much this was driving me nuts . . .