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Ford Mustang (2004 and earlier)

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Comments

  • john_324john_324 Member Posts: 974
    I'd say the GT is definitely worse. The suspension is much stiffer than the V6 Mustang, and as you point out the tires are lower-profile. On smooth roads, the GT is fine...but here in the real world, going over bumps, ruts and potholes is a bone-jarring experience to say the least.

    I love my GT and its handling capability, but it can be punishing to drive over less-than-smooth-roads.
  • john_324john_324 Member Posts: 974
    I've heard it in both real life and on the net. See the Mustangexhaust webpage, look under the H-pipe section and you'll find a soundclip for a stock Bullitt. It indeed has the movie sound, which sounds *amazing*: that sort of muscle car rumble combined with a racecar rasp.

    I've got to take my mustang into the dealer this week to get this annoying occasional whistle sound taken care of, and while there I'm going to inquire as to the Bullitt mufflers.

    Given the post on the aftermarket parts board, I dunno though. $600 is a lot for mufflers. I may have to settle for wearing a turtleneck and affecting a brooding manner... ; )

    -John
  • mustangdrewmustangdrew Member Posts: 38
    I guess the ride is the price to pay for looks, speed, and handling.
  • americanflagamericanflag Member Posts: 400
    gt4me, is your exhaust stock? My car is not that loud, although I probably only get up to 70 mph.
  • americanflagamericanflag Member Posts: 400
    I am taking my car in tomorrow to, a squeak from the rear suspension area. I am interested in the Bullitt muffler, but the guys who I will probably have do the exhaust are clearly favoring Flowmasters. I am going to ask the dealer about the Bullitt muffler tomorrow too. Also, I checked out the web site and listened to it. It sounds incredible, almost too good, do you think someone used a sound clip from the movie and is scamming us?
  • john_324john_324 Member Posts: 974
    I'd say it's genuine...I can't think of a point in the movie where McQueen revs the engine like that, and compared to ones I've heard on the street, it sounds pretty close.

    Also, I've put in an email to Arvin industries (maker of mustang exhausts, including the Bullitt exhaust) inquiring as to the availability of the mufflers and suitibility for the GTs. I'm thinking that the $600 figure that was quoted on the other board was probably for the whole exhaust, and that the mufflers alone would be considerably cheaper. While the mufflers alone probably won't produce the Bullitt sound, it's probably still better than stock.

    The other systems I've heard (Flowmasters, Borla, etc.) are all great-sounding, but there's something about that Bullitt sound that is so compelling to me. I guess I'm just a movie geek that sees the Mustang as a real-life connection to a silverscreen fantasy...
  • gt4megt4me Member Posts: 58
    Yes I have stock exhaust. And, I must admit, it's very rare that I'm ONLY going 70mph on the hwy :-) Ah, love my Valetine One. VROOOoooOOOMM!
  • blingbling2003blingbling2003 Member Posts: 3
    Here's a question, I'm gonna buy a 2003 Cobra and am torn between the mineral grey and the black. Was wondering if you guys could give me your opinions on which you prefer. I'm planning on getting the coupe and will probably keep it for the long run say 10-15 years or longer. Thanks for the input!
  • demonspeeddemonspeed Member Posts: 75
    There is both a Black and Mineral Gray 03 in town here. I prefer black, but that's just me. The M/G looks good too, but both of my cars have been black, so that's just what I prefer. It's too much of a personal opinion, so you're going to be the one having to live with your decision.
  • thedarkwolfthedarkwolf Member Posts: 70
    About the only real problem I see with it is everybody seems to love it so you see lots of them. Black looks really good to but its a pain to keep clean.
  • mustangdrewmustangdrew Member Posts: 38
    Though the SVT website says the 2003 Cobra comes in Mineral Grey, I do believe that it comes in Dark Shadow Grey instead. I don't remember where I saw that info, but if I remember correctly, I think I saw one in Dark Shadow Grey on the lot. But I am not sure, so don't jump all over me! If I were in to replacing my V6 black one, I'd definately pick either Grey over black for the cleaning reason alone! I haven't been able to decide which looks better, though the choice isn't there now with so few '02's left. But, the new Redfire looks good too.
  • americanflagamericanflag Member Posts: 400
    I would lean toward mineral grey - I think it is more unique and understated than the black. On the other hand, black is good too...
  • americanflagamericanflag Member Posts: 400
    I am finding that it is taking a little getting used to in driving my 2003 GT. My old car was a Honda Civic HX which was super fuel efficient, it is just a different feeling driving a V-8 gas drinker. Maybe it is just the world problems. Maybe "mods" would help, a better gear ratio, more throttle response, perhaps giving the car a lighter, quicker feeling. I don't know. Buyer's remorse? Maybe it is just the economy right now. How do you feel about this?
  • leftywaynleftywayn Member Posts: 15
    quote:
    'My old car was a Honda Civic HX which was super fuel efficient, it is just a different feeling driving a V-8 gas drinker'.

    Dude you had to have known your mileage would suffer. my only suggestion is stay out of the gas pedal and stay in 5th as often as possible. But then what's the point having a GT.
  • jeffer2jeffer2 Member Posts: 35
    I'm thinking of buying a new Stang V6-5 speed, and was wondering about the reliability and dealer service for warranty repairs. This would be my daily driver, and would be driven during the winter.
    I notice in Town Hall most vehicles have a specific thread devoted to "problems/issues', but I don't see one for the Mustang. I found that to rather interesting.
    If any V6 owners could give me their thoughts, I would really appreciate it. - Jeffer2
  • Mustang225Mustang225 Member Posts: 1
    I to went from a good gas mileage car, (89 stang convert 5 speed, 2.3 [28 mpg]) to a 2003 GT Convert 5 speed. Been getting a little over 20 mpg and just got 22.93 mpg, taken it a little easy. But you know something, while the better gas mileage put money in my pocket, didn't put a smile on my face. So pretty much hit the gas pedal and let her rip.
  • thedarkwolfthedarkwolf Member Posts: 70
    In his 02 GT but he drives very long distances on the highway.
  • jeffer2jeffer2 Member Posts: 35
    I posted earlier saying I may buy a 2003 V6. I just called my insurance agent (Allstate) for a quote, and he told me for a single guy (age 37), the premuim for a GT is only $42 more a year than a V6.
    Has anyone ever found this out. - Jeffer2
  • john_324john_324 Member Posts: 974
    I found the same thing, with Allstate no less. My agent ran the numbers twice, and sure enough. Apparently it has something to do with age (if you were 18, it would not be such a small difference) and with the fact that while the GT is more powerful than the V6 (more likely to get you into trouble), it also comes standard with ABS and traction control (to help get you out of trouble), whereas the V6 does not. So it's more expensive, but the standard safety equipment balances it out more than you might think (at least to the insurance industry).

    I was set to get a V6, but after seeing the insurance numbers, suddenly the GT seemed within reach. And that's what I got!
  • john_324john_324 Member Posts: 974
    Americanflag-

    Took a trip to my dealer's parts dept this weekend and yes, they can order the Bullitt mufflers. However, it is a "package" that also includes the rolled chrome tailpipes as well. Price: ~$200 each side, so $400 for parts alone.

    So it looks like I will NOT be getting that (unfortunately). But I am getting happier with my stock setup, as I believe it's better-sounding than I think (I think its louder/grumblier than I can tell when driving...esp. in a coupe). On hard acceleration, it really howls, esp. with the airfilter silencer removed. I'm thinking with a K&N installed, that might provide enough noise to keep me happy w/o any other mods.

    -John
  • americanflagamericanflag Member Posts: 400
    John-if you get the chance, please send me an email at Americanflagfl@cs.com, thanks. What is a K&N? I still need to get my air filter silencer taken out. It is hard to shell out that kind of bucks right away after just buying the car!
  • jeffer2jeffer2 Member Posts: 35
    I saw a 2000 GT 5-speed on a dealer's lot yesterday. 21,000 miles, asking $17-something, which seems high to me.
    Are there any issues with the 2000 GT. If I take a closer look and drive it, what should I look for? I'm always concerned that a used Stang would've been driven really hard.
    Thanks - J
  • americanflagamericanflag Member Posts: 400
    How many miles can you put on a new Mustang? I put 209k on my old Acura, anyone know how these cars will hold up?
  • demonspeeddemonspeed Member Posts: 75
    A K&N is just a filter that flows much better than stock. Rather than just a cheap paper filter, it's oiled, and can be cleaned and reused numerous times. They are about 40 bucks for just the drop in filter, but I would just opt for the whole cold air intake system which will clean up the engine bay, and give you some more power. The silencer is easy to remove too, just pop open the filter housing and you should see it down in there in the fender (not EXACTLY sure where it is on the SN95's, but my 93 was easy to get out).
  • thedarkwolfthedarkwolf Member Posts: 70
    I can't say for the mustang specifically but the 4.6l is a very good engine. The crown vics an older t-birds always rank pretty high in reliability. My dad's old road car before he bought the 02 GT is a 96 4.6l T-bird with 270k miles on it and it is still really reliable.
  • americanflagamericanflag Member Posts: 400
    I was told that the K&N air filter lets in more air, but also can let in more dust. Have you heard if this is true? Also do you think the engine sounds better without the air filter silencer?
  • gt4megt4me Member Posts: 58
    Easy install? For a Non-mechanic type? Opinions on which work best and cost vs. value?
  • demonspeeddemonspeed Member Posts: 75
    I'm so non mechanical... then again, I just did my first clutch change this weekend... what a job, well, for someone like me. Anyway, I did my cold air in like 30 mintues, of course, this was a 93. Your's isn't hard either. The worst part is getting the filter tightened down on the pipe from inside of the fender. It does make it a bit louder. With that I mean you can hear it sucking in the air. With my cold air intake, when you give it a little "blip" of the throttle, you hear this loud sucking sound... pretty crazy.
  • gt4megt4me Member Posts: 58
    Did you actually notice any difference in performance when you installed the cold air kit? Obviously it wasn't like adding a supercharger with 80+ hp, but was it really worth it?
  • americanflagamericanflag Member Posts: 400
    this was told to me by the high performance Mustang specialists in my town. Is this the case? They say that they routinely hook people's cars who have had cold air induction installed onto the dyno to prove to them it costs horsepower.
  • americanflagamericanflag Member Posts: 400
    I wish the hood scoop were functional. Would it really be that difficult for Ford to make it functional? Now that would be cool...
  • gt4megt4me Member Posts: 58
    conversion kits for the hood scoop of GT's that make them fully functional RAM air inducted. Found one on Stangnet once. Too lazy to find the link right now, but they have them. Costs around a grand. Neat stuff.
  • americanflagamericanflag Member Posts: 400
    Ram air was not a good idea in Florida, I believe because we get lots of rain. Don't know if this is true or not, but it would be great. Maybe that would be a better mod than gears.
  • thedarkwolfthedarkwolf Member Posts: 70
    and is sweet. I am sure there will be aftermarket setups pretty soon.
  • demonspeeddemonspeed Member Posts: 75
    I noticed absolutely nothing with the cold air kit. I just like the way it cleaned up the engine bay and the chrome brightened it up as well. The only theroetical way it hurts performance is that due to the engine heat, it will cause the steel to heat up, therefore causing the cool air to become warm air, thus, making it contradict its performance.
  • americanflagamericanflag Member Posts: 400
    The Mach 1 is just incredible, the seats, the 305 hp engine, and most of all the shaker hood. Maybe mod kits will become more available after it comes out.

    These special editions seem to bring ideas that trickle down to the rest of us ordinary folk - for example, one of my favorite things about my 03 GT is the Bullitt wheels.

    Now if I can just locate (and afford) the Bullitt mufflers!
  • demonspeeddemonspeed Member Posts: 75
    The thing is those Bullit wheels on the Premium GT's don't make the Bullit owners too happy. I think that Ford should have just left those wheels with the Bullit and offered a restyled GT wheel, but hey, that's not my choice, but i'm sure the Bullit owners feel the same way.
  • americanflagamericanflag Member Posts: 400
    they have a Bullitt edition. If they want to cry about the Bullitt wheels being on the Premium GT's, then so what? Maybe they can trade their Bullitt in for a regular GT. I'm sorry but one of my hot buttons is elitism, that is one reason I like to drive a Mustang. If I wanted to be elitist, I'd drive a BMW.
  • americanflagamericanflag Member Posts: 400
    then maybe in the future Ford should give a written statement to those who buy the limited editions that says limited edition features can pop up on later models. But I hope the brainstorming the Ford design team does continues to impact all the models to some extent. Kind of like the space program has resulted in all kinds of new innovations that are useful here on earth. I heard that after the Mach 1, Ford is going to do a 302 Boss edition! That should be great.
  • revdrluvrevdrluv Member Posts: 417
    I thought they would do a Boss next. I hope the make a fastback version.

    I want the Mach 1 chin spoiler and side panels on my mustang (subtle but gives the mustang a more prominent chin).
  • americanflagamericanflag Member Posts: 400
    I also love the seats! I thought the Bullitt seats were great too. In general, I would like to see the Mustang GT at least get a more retro style leather seat. Also, on the GT, Ford could do a better job on the instruments. The green instruments I think do not befit a GT. How much more expensive could it be to put in better looking gauges?
  • gt4megt4me Member Posts: 58
    DO NOT get me started on the GT seats. Took my car to the track at Sebring Intl and flew all over the cockpit.

    -Craig
  • americanflagamericanflag Member Posts: 400
    There are some detail areas that I don't think would be that difficult (expensive) for Ford to improve on in the Mustang. However, I would rather have a few weak areas and the relatively affordable price of the GT. If they make the car too perfect than it can become too expensive and go the way of the RX-7 or the 300ZX or even the Camaro and Firebird. So I guess that is the other side.
  • gt4megt4me Member Posts: 58
    More options like the Z has now. I mean look how many Ponies are running around out there, it's not like they aren't selling these things. Offer 4 or 5 different packages. Sport, Touring, Utility, ect. Just an opinion...
  • americanflagamericanflag Member Posts: 400
    I thought I saw a Mustang Pony with the Bullitt style wheels - is this right? I thought they were offered only on the GT? Now I am the irate owner -let's give the GT people something.
  • americanflagamericanflag Member Posts: 400
    What do you think of these, I heard they can let in too much dust, is this the case?
  • demonspeeddemonspeed Member Posts: 75
    nope... the only down fall is they are 40-50 bucks, but you'll more than likely never have to replace it.
  • john_324john_324 Member Posts: 974
    Re the seats in the GT, what kills me is that Ford had it right at one point. The seats in '80s GTs were great, with lots of bolstering in the right areas. I guess they decided that "retro" should apply to the seats as well...

    The K&Ns are great. In the long run, they are cheaper than using paper filters, you get a little better gas mileage (every bit helps with these cars), and a slightly better engine sound. Plus you can stick a gigantic "K&N Performance" sticker on your hood, in the manner of certain other automotive "enthusiasts"... ; )

    As for the Bullitt wheels and other parts, didn't Ford state early on that the special models (Bullitt, Mach One, and hopefully Boss) would be used to test-market certain features for application to regular production models? But having said that, I have the regular (increasingly rare it seems) forked GT wheels on my Mustang, and think them appropriate to my car. I like the Bullitts (who doesn't), but can't help but sometimes feel that they'd be even cooler if they came only on Bullitts (in the same manner as the dark highland green color) -John
  • americanflagamericanflag Member Posts: 400
    All I know is I love my "Bullitt" wheels and I am very glad to have them on my regular GT. I think they are just beautiful wheels, I give Ford a "10" on these wheels. I will be adding a K&N filter too!
    On the seats, I was just curious if that is the case that a major influence on the new seats is the retro look? (I personally like the seats, but I like retro, so maybe that is why.)
  • gt4megt4me Member Posts: 58
    The seats are horrible. Take a couple hairpins at racing speeds (if you're into driving schools like I am) and you'll know what I mean. That along with the fact that the back seats are not even real leather kinda upsets me. Not that I didn't get all that for 21k, but the fact that I had no options for REAL leather backseats and REAL racing-esque front seats. Ah, I'm just venting...freezing my Florida boy butt off in a hotel room in North Carolina. Don't mind me...

    -Craig
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