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Ford Mustang (2004 and earlier)

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Comments

  • cobra98cobra98 Member Posts: 76
    I'd have to say it's more of a personal preference. The Stage IIs are more appearance than performance. They do have subframe connectors and a better exhaust, but they are mostly looks. Here's a link to the core package for the Stage II. To determine if it's worth it to you, I'd check out the list of Stage II options (beyond the core). That might help you. Generally speaking, you are not going to get your money back on resale with aftermarket parts but I don't know if the Roush's will hold their value. I would assume they would hold it more so than doing the aftermarket yourself, but they haven't been around long enough to be sure. Sorry I couldn't really help. Bottom line is "if you're happy with your decision..."


    Core StageII: http://www.roushperf.com/mustcore2.htm


    Stage II Options:

    http://www.roushperf.com/mustopt2.htm

  • leftywaynleftywayn Member Posts: 15
    I would lean towards the Roush, I believe the stage II also has better springs, (lowered) not positive though. As long as the dealer didn't put many miles on the Roush, a 2001 is not going to be different from a 2002, as far as features are concerned, and the additions on a Roush would make it the better choich in IMO.

    To the person who replied about driving a Mustang in the winter, A v6 has different all season tires than a GT wich has unidirectional v rated "summer tires". comparing the two is like apples and oranges.
    I personally don't take my Cobra out in inclement weather.
    I'm on my 3rd Stang. My first was a 1987 5.0 LX sedan w/trunk, my second was a 1999 silver GT coupe, now I have a 2001 Cobra convertible. The Cobra is a whole different world from the previous. Screaming Wailing engine above 3000RPM, rear independent suspention makes car ride softer, but handle better. Front 13" Brembo rotors and twin piston PBR calibers up front, make this car stop quite good.
  • cobra98cobra98 Member Posts: 76
    >, I believe the stage II also has better
    > springs,
    yep

    >(lowered) not positive though.
    yep

    >As long as the dealer didn't put many miles on >the Roush
    That's what I liked about where I bought my Cobra. They wouldn't let anyone test drive (including themselves). It had just a few tenths on it when I took delivery.

    Never drove a 6 cylinder Mustang but as was just posted the hp of the newer GTs will require you to drive cautiously in inclement weather. My Cobra likes to get sideways REAL fast in the few times I've been caught in the rain.
  • demonspeeddemonspeed Member Posts: 75
    I have one suggestion for the inclement weather... Bridgestone Blizzacks... definetly check those out for winter driving.
  • john_324john_324 Member Posts: 974
    Yes, I am aware of the tire differences between the v6 and the GT; I was merely offering my experience for whatever it might be worth. Note that the person posing the question did not specify GT or v6, merely "'02 coupe". Just trying to help!
  • leftywaynleftywayn Member Posts: 15
    Question Quote
    "I own a 2000 Mustang. I've noticed that the plastic chrome area where the pony on the front grill is has some water spots and maybe a little fading. I do clean it with automotive soap when I wash the car, but I was wondering if anyone knows of a safe cleaner/polisher that I can put on it to polish it up a little bit. Thanks for any help."

    I believe if you normally wax the car or use polish, such as Zaino, this would be sufficient to clean/polish that plastic piece.

    By the way, Zaino makes a very good product.
  • john_324john_324 Member Posts: 974
    Has anyone out there actually seen/own a 2002 v6 with the "fake-scoop-less" hood? I've yet to see one out there, but my 2002 Ford brochure clearly shows pictures of it as such. Just curious...while I've grown to love my GT's hood scoop, I still think the clean lines of the v6 look smart in their own right.
  • 1992conv11992conv1 Member Posts: 1
    Hello,
    In asking your question about adding options to
    your car. You have to ask yourself this question?
    Will it make the car preform better? Will it help
  • hood54hood54 Member Posts: 12
    Have any of you installed Dynamat in your cars? I was looking at a display recently, and they make some interesting claims about road noise reduction. I've been thinking about doing the floor and the trunk (the doors seem pretty solid to me).

    Just wondering if anyone here has used it and whether they were satisfied with the results.
  • metalman3metalman3 Member Posts: 1
    I have recently purchased a 2002 mustang GT.I am already thinking about winter driving. I have given conflicting opinions about what tires to use like whether to use snows all around,or use them only in back. Whether to use all season radials. I am searching for some common wisdom from an experienced Mustang owner.
  • madmax9madmax9 Member Posts: 8
    Take this from a guy who drives a Mustang GT year round and lives in "the land of ice and snow, the midnight sun...."

    If you are in an area where it snows:

    Leave traction control on, if you have an automatic, leave the overdrive on.

    **IMPORTANT**Get FOUR good winter tires such as Blizzacks. You do not want to get stuck (back, and you want to keep steering and braking control (front).DO NOT USE all season tires.

    Drive as slow as your gramma will let you.
  • demonspeeddemonspeed Member Posts: 75
    2nd on the Blizzacks
  • jeffer2jeffer2 Member Posts: 35
    I know Ford isn't redesigning the Stang for 2003, but are they making any modifications or option changes? Especially the V-6 I may become a Mustang owner next year.
    I did a search on the web, but didn't find much.
    Thanks. - J
  • madmax9madmax9 Member Posts: 8
    Is that your car on the link?

    It looks exactly like my 95 - except the rims..!

    Jeffer2:

    Go with the GT, not the V-6, if cost and insurance are not an issue. You won't regret it.
  • revdrluvrevdrluv Member Posts: 417
    Check out mustangweekly.com and click on the link on the front page that says 2003 Mustang. They have a update on the new mustangs for 2003 like the Mach 1 and Cobra as well as changes to the V6 and GT. I read on there that Ford is going to release a "Pony" edition V6 that has a lot of the styling cues and content from the GT as well as some unique detailing. Check it out.
  • NSORICNSORIC Member Posts: 33
    yes, that's my '95 gt... opal frost (nicest color, besides maybe the mystic paint offered in '96 as an $800 option on the cobra)... how many miles have you turned on the odometer? (i'm at 68,000, and she still runs very strong)
  • madmax9madmax9 Member Posts: 8
    I'm at 120,000. Engine is great. As a matter of fact, I drag race mine at the track on weekends. Have you ever opened her up? I was racing with a Porshe 9S Carrarea (sp?) this morning, and he was toying with me at 130Mph, and then blew by me. Gave him the thumbs up at the next light, took him in the first 30 feet - then he blew by again. Been a long time since I drove that fast, gives you a good rush. Before people start giving me poo, I just want to say that the road I did that on at 6:45 AM, is a 4 lane highway, flat and clear for 10 miles, as if you were on a wheat field. Never a soul on that road at that time.

    Opal frost appears to be a rare colour. I really like how it looks at sunrise and sunset.
  • NSORICNSORIC Member Posts: 33
    120K miles and you drag race the car on the weekends... if that doesn't convince everyone how reliable the old 5.0 was, then i don't know what will!

    sorry to say i don't open her up as much as i'd like to... living in (on) long island, new york, means that there is traffic to deal with most of the time, even at 6:45am, plus even the last remaining drag strip has been closed down

    that said, the occasional traffic light 'showdown' usuall goes in my favor, especially since i swapped out the "highway" 2.73 rear gears for the performance-oriented 3.73's... man, what a difference!

    although i LOVE this car, the 0% financing that ford is offering, even on the mustangs, for up to 60 months, has me thinking crazy thoughts... i could really be down with a brand-spankin; new mineral grey gt in the driveway... i'm just not down with having car payments again...
  • madmax9madmax9 Member Posts: 8
    I have heard of the nightmares down there for traffic. No dragstrip? Rumour here is, that a second one is opening! Still have my 2.73's installed. I want to leave them in so I can test them at the track with the supercharger.

    I thought about a new one (the cobra is great, but a little beyond my budget), but I kinda like the body of the 95. Most people think there is the 4.6 in there, not the torque monster 5.0.

    With the 0%, they are going to scoop up the orphaned F body market. That mineral grey is awesome though, isn't it?
  • jfigueroa1jfigueroa1 Member Posts: 209
    I there any photos of the new mustang or when it is coming out.Looking to buy a new vehicle and I really like the mustang and thinking that I might be able to shread some $$ if I buy just when the new ones arrive.
    Greetings from sunny Miami.
  • justinjustin Member Posts: 1,918
    is it totally lame to buy a 2002/2003 V6 Mustang convertible? will all of the other Mustang owners laugh, or will they just be happy that people are still buying them?

    i have been looking at ragtops for a bit. i like the Mustang, and I drove a V6 as a rental for a week. i actually thought it has decent power, a nice top, and decent interior. not to mention, the price. for what i want a convertible to be, basically a throw around car, it seems almost perfect except for winter/rain weather performance.

    any horror stories of late model V6 convertibles?

    thanks! also looking at Sebring and Spyder and Cabrio. Sebring feels too old, the Spyder to expensive for the V6, and the Cabrio is a great package (heated seats and ABS standard), but too slow!
  • demonspeeddemonspeed Member Posts: 75
    Just drive the GT, I think you'll then realize why it'd be a waste to go with the 6 ;)
  • oleg2104oleg2104 Member Posts: 2
    I am a happy owner of 2002 V6 Coupe with manual transmission. One strange thing I don't quite understand. While changing gears, when I step off the gas completely and depress the clutch to the floor, the engine keeps revs quite high. It was not like this in older cars I used to drive before. Is it a special computer "feature" or is it a problem somewhere?

    Appreciate any advice. Thank you!
  • grbeckgrbeck Member Posts: 2,358
    At the website blueovalnews.com a poster who either works or consults for Ford has been giving tantalizing hints regarding the next Mustang. According to this poster, the next Mustang will be the same length as the current model, but a little wider and lower. The wheelbase, however, will be increased 2-3 inches.

    The front will feature round headlights, with a prominent center grille (think late 1960s Mustangs). The headlight housings will be swept back from the grille (again, think late 1960s Mustang).

    Base models will have one set of headlights; upper level models will feature a second set in the grille, like the 1969 models. The roofline of the current model will be modified for a more "fastback" effect. The rear fenders will feature flares reminiscent of the late 1960s models. The three-section vertical taillights and side scoops will be retained as styling features.

    The chassis will feature independent rear suspension, but it will be a completely new design, not shared with the current Cobra. The powertrains have not been finalized.

    There may be a Mercury version called the Cougar, but that depends on whether Ford decides Mercury has a future. Mercury's future is apparently still up in the air, despite the public statements of Elena Ford.

    You can take this information with a grain of salt, but this person does seem to know what he (she?) is talking about.
  • demonspeeddemonspeed Member Posts: 75
    My friends 00 GT does the same thing. I drove it and came back telling him his clutch was slipping, but he said it's been doing it since new, so I don't know...
  • justinjustin Member Posts: 1,918
    i have driven a GT as well. honestly, i am looking for an automatic, and i could never forgive myself for spending the cash on an American V8 and then saddling it with an automatic transmission.

    with the V6, i don't expect performance, so i don't mind the automatic.

    gotta say, after driving a miata and integra, i don't think i could live with an american manual transmission car. too much work :)
  • oleg2104oleg2104 Member Posts: 2
    > gotta say, after driving a miata and integra,
    > i don't think i could live with an american
    > manual transmission car. too much work :)

    Justin, could you please explain, what makes a difference between manual integra and manual mustang? Is it 6-speed vs. 5 speed or something else? Thanks! I suspect the better way would be for me to test drive both :-)
  • justinjustin Member Posts: 1,918
    the difference between a 5 speed Mustang vs. a 5 speed Honda product, or Miata, is like NIGHT AND DAY. hard to explain, except that ease of use and shifter feel must be patented by Honda/Miata. :) the Mustang is fine by all means, but the shifter is sloppy, and the clutch is heavy.

    that is NOT just a Mustang thing though. German manual transmissions are fairly rubbery, as are other American cars I have driven.

    but, the automatic Mustang is actually not bad at all. shift points are nice, shifts as smooth as any other automatic too.
  • corsicachevycorsicachevy Member Posts: 316
    I saw an artist's rendition of the future Mustang (or just a concept). It looked like a modernized version of a 1969 fastback. Everything was flush mounted and rounded-off, but it still retained that nasty look of the '69. Very cool.

    Hopefully that design slips past the bean counters.
  • grbeckgrbeck Member Posts: 2,358
    According to the source on blueovalnews.com, ignore the drawing of the yellow Mustang that was featured in Road & Track. (Thank goodness - that one is a dog!) The blue Mustang rendering featured in a recent issue of Automobile is closer to the mark, although it doesn't exactly reflect the production version.
  • revdrluvrevdrluv Member Posts: 417
    The clutch on the mustang is not as smooth as the miata for sure. In it its defence though you feel more connection to the engine through it than in any other car I have driven (part of it's roughness). It takes some getting used to if you are used to the japanese type, but after a while I have grown to really appreciate it. It's coarseness gives it character, which is much better than rubbery shifters with no feeling at all.
  • leftywaynleftywayn Member Posts: 15
    ..."the Mustang is fine by all means, but the shifter is sloppy, and the clutch is heavy"...

    The clutch in my '87 lx 5.0 was heavier than in either my '99 GT or '01 Cobra.

    Sloppy shifter is remedied by aftermarket Pro 5.0 or Steeda Triax.
  • gt4megt4me Member Posts: 58
    I'm glad to see that this thread has got us all chatting about our ponies.

    I got a chance to take my '02 GT down to Seabring Intl Speedway last week with a driving club I've recently joined (www.chinmotorsports check it out if you live in FL or GA) and thought some of you might be interested in the results.

    First off, MAN WHAT A SWEET TRACK! 3.7 miles with 17 turns was quite a workout for me AND the car that day. In the 5 hours of track time I got with an instructor, I came nowhere near the limits of the car. And in relatively stock form! All I did beforehand was put on a set of Hawk brake pads and change out the stock brake fluid for high boiling point fluid. The brakes NEVER got mushy...not once. Lots of guys had to stop into the pits to let their brakes cool off but not me or my Stang. I could dive into the hairpin (also called the safetypin) turn at 80 and jam the brakes to the floor letting the ABS take over. Sweet. I also noticed my times were a bit better with the Traction control set to ON. I assume that as I get better I'll want to turn off the Traction but I'm a noob so...

    Handling was much better than I (or my instructor who owns and races Porshes, Cobras and a sweet Mercedes) ever expected. Not once did I mow the lawn or leave the track. I could take the carousel (or long S-turn portion of the track) at an amazing rate of speed without any hint of slippage from the car. The U turn at the end of the straight (where I was barreling in at around 120mph) can be very tricky. It's so big that you can make it one huge turn or two smaller ones depending on your line of choice. The GT could enter the turn winding out in 3rd gear at around 70mph to feather out the gas and upshift and floor it into 4th at around 85mph with just a slight amount of drift. What a blast that turn was!

    In all I'm very happy with the car and it's performance. Not only did I not crash (shew!) but I truly feel the car had more to do with that than I did. There were guys out there with blown SS's and Corvettes with around 600hp that my instructor was smoking when he took a few laps in my GT. It TRULY is in the driver, not the car. Case in point...all day long there was a guy lapping pigs like my GT and hopped up Camaros in his STOCK SVT Focus. Apparently he was one of the instructors and was driving his friends new car for fun...and never looked back! They had to peel this guy out of the Focus. It was great watching this guy loose ground ever so slightly on a BMW M-Series in the straights only to make it up in the curvy parts of the track and flash the highbeams for a pass. Man that made a few guys humble.

    Well, thought you might want to hear about how the Stang handled at a real track in real world conditions. Most people around the pits were very impressed with the cars times (hehe when my instructor was driving it) and were not afraid to say it outperformed their previous expectations. Oh ya, and I drove it home with the AC on while all the rich guys dragged theirs home on trailers.

    Be good ya'll. And like the T-shirt says "Keep on Truckin'!" errr...Car'in?
  • revdrluvrevdrluv Member Posts: 417
    Wow that sounds like fun. How much did it cost?
  • gt4megt4me Member Posts: 58
    ...how much track time we got (5hours), two classroom sessions, video taped analysis of our progress and that we had an instructor all day long. The whole day cost us $250. Well worth it IMHO.

    PS
    Btw Revdrluv, they often rent time at Atlanta Motorspeedway. Being from GA that might be up your alley. I'll be at the next event they're having up there. Looks like a kick butt track.

    PPS
    One of the OTHER impressive cars on this curvy track was the WRX. Just an amazing car right out of the box. Hope you get one!

    Peace
  • fdthirdfdthird Member Posts: 352
    I have a 2000 V/6 convertible and love it. I have no need for the brute power nor insurance premium that the V/8 brings. In my case I wanted the convertible and was not willing to spend an additional $5000 for the GT. I went from an 88 4 cyl LX convert so the almost 200 HP of the V/6 is just fine for me. Its a fun car and always gets attention from people. Have fun with it!
  • gasguzzler007gasguzzler007 Member Posts: 70
    Jutin, definately go for a V8. I dont think I have spoken to a mustang owner who actually said something good about a V6. Thats why you see all of the V6s driving around with GT decals. No one wants a V6 mustang. It is supposed to be a muscle car so why get a V6. I faced the same decision in 96. It was either a GT or V6. I bought a Gt 4.6 V8. It was very reliable and you can definately tell its a GT by the exhaust. Setting car alarms at 5k is a lot of fun. :)

    Although the new V6s are a lot stronger 190hp vs. the 145 of the older sn95s, it is still slow and not very fun to drive. You will still be missing the torque of a V8.
  • leftywaynleftywayn Member Posts: 15
    If you can manage the extra expense of the GT or Cobra then don't even hesitate. Power is intoxicating, the more you have the more you want. The v6 is certainly sufficient for some people, but the extra H/P, and performance will not disappoint.
  • fdthirdfdthird Member Posts: 352
    Nor will the insurance surcharge you'll pay!
  • john_324john_324 Member Posts: 974
    Justin- The GT is certainly a great automobile, and I am very happy with mine. The engine/exhaust sound alone is worth the added cost to me. The handling is quite capable (old-school in feel but indicative of the car's charm), and the acceleration never fails to provoke a smile.

    However, the V6 is by no means a bad choice. I've driven them fairly extensively, and while not the performers the GTs are, they are still quite enjoyable. Not a muscle car, but perhaps more of a "pony car" in feel (cf the original Mustang concept).

    As I'm sure you've noticed, reviews of the V6 are hard to find in the automotive press. Besides the one here on Edmunds, check out www.thecarplace.com for Aaron Gold's review of the V6.

    Either way, a Mustang is a special car with a really cool heritage; I don't think you'll go wrong with either car. Just my thoughts...

    -John
  • justinjustin Member Posts: 1,918
    again, i don't want a manual transmission. doesn't a GT automatic seem like a waste?

    :)
  • john_324john_324 Member Posts: 974
    Why *not* get the automatic on a GT? Not like it's unheard of...plenty of the '60s and '70s-era "classics" had them.

    I don't know for sure, but I think even the 2002 Corvette comes standard with an automatic transmission, with a manual as an option...
  • ndmike88ndmike88 Member Posts: 155
    I have an '02 GT auto. No it is not a waste. I read somewhere that better than 1/2 of the GT's come with an automatic.
  • NSORICNSORIC Member Posts: 33
    gt auto is definitely not a waste... it's just that a gt 5-speed is sooooo much fun... take it from someone who's owned both back to back!
  • cobra98cobra98 Member Posts: 76
    I haven't checked out many 2003s recently but I thought the V6 and GT both had a forward facing scoop. I did see a V6 yesterday at the dealership that had a reverse scoop akin to the Cobra style. Don't know if that's the normal scoop for the V6 or not, but that's what I saw.

    Speaking of the dealership, they had 2 Thunderbirds and a Cobra. The Cobra was marked up "$4999 Dealer comparable value", or some such nonsense (price gouging). The Thunderbirds were marked up $5999 over the $40K initial MSRP. I wanted so much to [non-permissible content removed] at someone there for the gouging, but then again if someone is willing to pay the gouging to be "first on the block", so be it. Meanwhile, I bought my '98 from them on April 15, '98 for $300 over invoice (thanks to Edmunds for the info). No haggling... I had a GT on order from somewhere else and stopped in to check out a Cobra. Saleslady did the ol' "what'll it take". I said I had a GT on order but would cancel it if I got the same deal. She said "ok", and later that afternoon I was driving her home (the car that is...)
  • gt4megt4me Member Posts: 58
    Good thing you clarified that last sentence. Driving Miss Daisy! *Shifty'll probably nuke that one ;-)
  • fdthirdfdthird Member Posts: 352
    I think lots of the T-birds you see on the dealer's floors are there because people are not paying the incredible over MSRP sums they are asking. Like the Beetle and many others before, eventually all these cars go for closer to msrp. One for us!
  • demonspeeddemonspeed Member Posts: 75
    The '02 V6's were supposed to get the Cobra style heat extractor hood, but i've yet to see any around here. Even the brochure has a pic of a black V6 with the hood.
  • modmattmodmatt Member Posts: 2
    Well, my job is forcing us to take a fleet car in leux of a stipend coming up very soon. I can upgrade a '03 Base Taurus SE/Taures wagon SE/Windstar LX for a Mustang V-6 automatic for a nominal fee.

    I would like some opinions on the Stang with V-6. automatic (too bad I can't get a 5sp). I have a 98 Mustang GT 5sp. and welcome comparisons to the GT.

    What I would like in the fleet mustang is a bit of daily fun and reliability. I know it's not going to be a GT, but would like something that will keep me somewhat interested to jump in the car and get to work and not dread the commutes. I'm thinking a bit better than the Taurus and hoping for more. Thanks.
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