"Putting your money where your mouth is" 101: Adding a little vitamin V8 to my diet

[6cylVWguy]

I don't think it's a bit secret that I'm a very big fan of the '11+ Mustangs. However, when they came out, I owned a crossfire that I was reasonably happy with and didn't see any point in getting rid of the car at that point. Well, ffwd to about March of 2011, where, courtesy of the incompetent a-holes at D'Ambrosio Chrysler in Downingtown, PA said crossfire visits the repair shop every 2 week up until two days ago. That includes about 2 weeks where they had the car. And let's not forget the driver of a flatbed who backed into the car AT THE DEALER causing $8200 in damage (tech was partially at fault here IMO, as he parked the car in the middle of the parking lot!). So to say I quickly soured on the c-fire is an understatement. So low and behold, I test drive a current model Mustang GT and fall in love. However, I wanted a base model car and there were none available in a 3 state radius. So I ended up ordering the car and after 2 months and 2 weeks (those 2 weeks were due to having to wait for parts for the crossfire, getting the part installed, and then going back again because the repair wasn't done right! ).

So anyway today was delivery day for the Mustang.

I traded this in:




For this:

At the dealer:


Random places:




I love this car! It's so fun to drive and as a result put about 100 miles on it today. The car just screams when you get up in the RPMs (though I didn't go past 4500 rpms yet) and the shifter is currently in excellent working order. Super smooth and easy to use. I can use 1 finger to move between the gears.

Specs:
Base car
Brembo package
Security package
3.55 rear end

I'd write a bit more, but I'm going back out to drive it. But if anyone has any questions, let me know.

Flame away!

[chrisj428]

I don't think you could possibly have done better. Congrats & drive it in good health.

[302W]

Awesome

[Beltfed]

Very nice.....

[vwpiloto]

6cylVWguy -> 6cylChryslerguy -> 8cylFordguy

Very nice ride. That engine is a screamer. Had a rental GT with it in Montreal a year ago (albeit with the auto) and it was just a total blast.

[elementpb]

hopefully you got the automatic.
its really not that bad in the V8, though its terrible in the V6.

I'm sure you've seen the MT-82 threads and would never be crazy enough to purchase one.

[W211Beast]

Nice car... hope Sloan treated you good... D'Ambriosio's is the worst.

[SSLByron]

Nicely done. I hope it's trouble-free.

[x(why)z]

Wow, it looks great in that color! Definitely converted me into a fan. I like it a lot, and you got the 3.55. Champion moves all round. Count me under the envious crowd.

[bzcat]

V8 vitamin diet gave me lead foot poisoning. Don't over do it

[Iroczgirl]

Great choice!

[Chmeeee]

Congrats on the car. You'll love it even more once you get used to it.

hopefully you got the automatic.
its really not that bad in the V8, though its terrible in the V6.

I'm sure you've seen the MT-82 threads and would never be crazy enough to purchase one.

They're not all bad. Yes, an unacceptably high number of them are bad, but if I had to guess, I'd say it's still <10%. Mine has had the everloving crap beat out of it and is perfectly fine.

[6cylVWguy]

Thanks for the positive comments! If any of you guys ever have the opportunity to purchase one of these cars, you should definitely give it some serious thought. I just got back from another drive and I just love listening to the engine. The noise tube is more effective in this car than it was in my GTI.

hopefully you got the automatic.
its really not that bad in the V8, though its terrible in the V6.

I'm sure you've seen the MT-82 threads and would never be crazy enough to purchase one.

I definitely got the MT82. At the current time, it shifts wonderfully. And yeah, while I was waiting for the car to be delivered, I spent a lot of time reading about these cars. I'm one of those folks who's not completely convinced that nearly half of MT82 cars have transmission problems. Not to mention there are quite a few differences between the clutch/transmission in the '11 and '12 cars. On AFM it was posted that there is a different version of the MT82 in cars built after 7/29 and mine was built 8/4, so I'm cautiously optimistic about the transmission for the time being. Who knows, I could be a huge sucker--only time well tell.

I hope it's trouble-free.

You and me both!

Congrats on the car. You'll love it even more once you get used to it.

I hope so!

They're not all bad. Yes, an unacceptably high number of them are bad, but if I had to guess, I'd say it's still <10%. Mine has had the everloving crap beat out of it and is perfectly fine.

I'm more in your camp when it comes to the tranny on these cars.


So the more I drive this car, the more I realize that the base model car has a number of features that I liked on my mkV GTI that were sadly missing on the crossfire. The multifunction computer has almost all of the the features found on the VW, and I found out that the headrests are adjustable front to back, not just up and down. I LOVED that aspect of my older vws. Interestingly, in the mustang the headrest actually locks in place when adjusting the headrest front to back--unlike the VWs I'd owned.

Though I'm definitely not impressed with the halogen headlights--almost VW-bad. I'll have to keep watching to see if Ford ever offers some type of retrofit kit for the OEM HIDs offered available on the premium cars.

The first cool moment in the car: I'm driving to dinner this evening with the gf. As we're driving on a backroad, said gf turns down the radio and says that she wants to listen to the engine sound. For the record, gf is NOT a car person at all.

[Aonarch]

GL! You gonna get raped.

[6cylVWguy]

Oh and this car marks a few personal firsts:


First car I've owned with:

• 32V
• V8
• RWD with solid rear axle
• RWD with LSD
• Brembo brakes
• Over 100hp more than I've ever owned
• By far the fastest car
• Legitimate domestic car
• First Ford
• First pony car

[Chmeeee]

and I found out that the headrests are adjustable front to back, not just up and down.

ORLY? Teach me.

Though I'm definitely not impressed with the halogen headlights--almost VW-bad. I'll have to keep watching to see if Ford ever offers some type of retrofit kit for the OEM HIDs offered available on the premium cars.

If you find something, please do post about it. Also not a fan of those lights, but I'm not going with crapass aftermarket drop ins either.

[tampaSi]

Welcome to the club, finally!

Our cars can be friends:

[6cylVWguy]

ORLY? Teach me.

You just have to push them forward like you are adjusting the forward-back positioning. It should make a ratcheting noise as you "tilt" it. Maybe it's just a 2012 thing? The owners manual does talk about it.

If you find something, please do post about it. Also not a fan of those lights, but I'm not going with crapass aftermarket drop ins either.

I'm in the same boat as you! I realize why Ford put the "fog lights" up in the grill instead of where they should be. They also knew the regular halogens are terrible!

Welcome to the club, finally!

Our cars can be friends:

Thanks! Your car looks really good! I can't say I've ever seen that color in person! Seems like most people either get the Kona blue or the gray (which I would have have gotten if it was available! )

[MikkiJayne]

Very nice

[302W]

If it ever breaks, screw it, get http://www.ddperformance.com/magnum.html

[jepva]

Though I'm definitely not impressed with the halogen headlights--almost VW-bad. I'll have to keep watching to see if Ford ever offers some type of retrofit kit for the OEM HIDs offered available on the premium cars.

Is there absolutely no aftermarket HID kits available, or do you mean something OEM? I know in the import world HID/xenon kits are fairly popular, you can get them for almost any car. At the very least you can upgrade to some higher intensity/spectrum bulbs, like silverstar's.

[Danza.]

congress. As another plus seems like your car will be desireable options wise for someone looking for a no nonsense example in the future

[TW@]

Congrats!

I really do like the newest iteration of the Mustang, despite our discussion with ChrisV in the other thread. And as much as I like the 370Z's driving dynamics, I would buy a Mustang by virtue of having another set of seats and a useable trunk openning compared to the Camaro.

Alas, I'm jealous as I just couldn't sell the wife (or myself) on getting a 2-door sports anything right now (3-mo. old baby, and I just spent some money on the Wrangler), so I went with the lowest priced compact hatch I could find (Lancer Sportback--I have a thread floating around here somewhere).

What's happening to TCL, everyone's buying new cars recently...

Question: does your car have the annoying 1-4 forced shift like the Camaro? I've only driven the V6 Mustangs to date.

[6cylVWguy]

Very nice

Thank you muchly, from one corrado owner to another (or an ex-corrado owner if you don't have your car any longer!)

If it ever breaks, screw it, get http://www.ddperformance.com/magnum.html

I will definitely be keeping an eye on things with Ford/NHTSA as well as aftermarket solutions!

Is there absolutely no aftermarket HID kits available, or do you mean something OEM? I know in the import world HID/xenon kits are fairly popular, you can get them for almost any car. At the very least you can upgrade to some higher intensity/spectrum bulbs, like silverstar's.

For the 2010+ cars, I haven't seen much and what I have seen looks pretty cheap. I don't want to just throw on HIDs from any old source. I know of some people who pieced together the HID parts from Ford and had their mechanic do the install, but that's pretty expensive from that I've read. If Ford ever puts out an actual kit, which I hope would be a little more affordable than piecing everything together myself, I'll be in for that. I want a lighting setup that has the proper level of engineering behind it.

[Chmeeee]

Question: does your car have the annoying 1-4 forced shift like the Camaro? I've only driven the V6 Mustangs to date.

Yes, although I've already gotten used to it. I find that if it activates and I really wanted second, I can just release for about 1/2 sec and then pull it down again and it drops in. Supposedly deactivating it is easy, but until the whole transmission issues blow over, I don't want to be making any excuses for them to deny me on warranty work.

[Fritz27]

It's always a good day when someone gets a new RWD V8 car.

Congrats on the purchase.

[sullie]

Congrats man, nice car!

[BugattisOnPCH]

You will love that car.

Thanks for getting the manual.

The Coyote 5.0 litre is good for 410 HP STOCK ! Wait until a few choice mods are applied.

US Muscle is so much fun.

Enjoy.

[mad max001]

Very nice car man .

[Wanganrunner]

I really want one of these.

[6cylVWguy]

It's always a good day when someone gets a new RWD V8 car.

Congrats on the purchase.

Thanks!

You will love that car.

Thanks for getting the manual.

The Coyote 5.0 litre is good for 410 HP STOCK ! Wait until a few choice mods are applied.

US Muscle is so much fun.

Enjoy.

Yeah, the car seriously is addictive. The high revving nature of the engine just adds to the fun! It's a totally different experience that I am used to. I've never owned a stock car that has problems putting the power down in quite the way the mustang does.

[SSLByron]

Thanks!

Yeah, the car seriously is addictive. The high revving nature of the engine just adds to the fun! It's a totally different experience that I am used to. I've never owned a stock car that has problems putting the power down in quite the way the mustang does.

We had our GT press car right after I had a Challenger SRT-8. I was constantly short-shifting the Mustang because I wasn't used to the top end. Took a while to get used to.

[masa8888]

We had our GT press car right after I had a Challenger SRT-8. I was constantly short-shifting the Mustang because I wasn't used to the top end. Took a while to get used to.

Which car did you like better?

OP, congrats!

[Chris_V]

Congrats on joining the Mustang club! I know you're gonna love that car. I can't wait for them to get to the point where I can replace my '06 GT convert with a 5.0 convert!

And yeah, the sound is glorious, especially as the revs rise!

[unleashedd]

i am 99% jelly, except silver = luxurious beige. without trying to start anything, did you CHOOSE silver or was it 'forced' on you?