5th makes all the difference in the world; it's precisely what these cars need in the age of 70+ MPH speedlimits.

Gears 1 -> 4 are the same so there's no difference in functionality there. But, 5th is about a 25% overdrive. My tach only works intermittently but at 75 MPH she's turning about 2600-2800 RPM...right in the fat middle of the torque curve. My economy has increased substantially (I never saw much change over the auto when I went to the four-speed) and, with fuel now pushing $3/gallon, it's feasable that I could eventually amortize the cost of that tranny.

Additionally, the sound level in the cabin is really reduced, making long trips much nicer. It was never terribly loud, but the wagon is overall, noiser than the sedan. The fiver makes it nice.

With your manual, do you have any gear/driveline buzz at specific RPMs?

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.