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My Favorite Car in the Fleet - 2015 Ford Mustang GT Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.comEdmunds.com Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 10,315
edited January 2016 in Ford

imageMy Favorite Car in the Fleet - 2015 Ford Mustang GT Long-Term Road Test

Carlos Lago of Edmunds.com explains why the long-term 2015 Ford Mustang GT is his favorite car in the fleet.

Read the full story here


Comments

  • daryleasondaryleason Member Posts: 501
    This post doesn't apply to the Shelby versions of the Mustang, like the GT350 or the track-oriented versions like the Cobra Jet. But its always seemed like the Mustang, Camaro, and Firebirds never tried to pretend to punch above their weight-class, although, sometimes they did in fact manage to pull that off. What I mean is, the "core" pony cars always seemed to say, "Hey, I'm not trying to be pretentious...I'm not looking to be the centerfold that everyone lusts for, but no one can date. I'm the girl next door that can give you a thrill, but still be counted on not to go completely crazy on you and demand you drain your bank account to take care of me. Plus, I still look good topless." They were always a nice balance of power, performance, and affordability. Although all cars have out-paced inflation on pricing, in my opinion. Right now, I'd go with a Mustang GT Coupe (no options) over any of the other pony cars. The Camaro is too heavy and really needs a V8 stepped between the V6 & the Corvette LT1, the Challenger is too heavy & has the FCA quality/durability issues, although I like the fact that they offer the "smaller" Hemi for those that don't want to sink a fortune into the big cubes.
  • sxty8stangsxty8stang Member Posts: 58

    The Camaro is too heavy and really needs a V8 stepped between the V6 & the Corvette LT1

    Remember the 2016 Camaro is actually lighter than the Mustang...
  • sxty8stangsxty8stang Member Posts: 58
    Carlos - I know it's part of the standard auto journalist story whenever a Ford is driven, but what do you not like about Sync/MFT? I have used it in an Escape, multiple Flexes, multiple Explorers, as well as a 2015 Mustang and have never had a problem with it in any of them.
  • carloslagocarloslago Member Posts: 9

    Carlos - I know it's part of the standard auto journalist story whenever a Ford is driven, but what do you not like about Sync/MFT? I have used it in an Escape, multiple Flexes, multiple Explorers, as well as a 2015 Mustang and have never had a problem with it in any of them.

    There's a post about exactly this coming up soon. In short, it still has some frustrations, but the year-over-year improvements have made it totally livable. I haven't tried Sync3 yet though.
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,312
    edited January 2016
    I wish that I could spec a base GT with a cloth interior that didn't look like it was ripped out of a 1988 Hyundai Excel. I'd order the PP and Recaros and add the Track Handling Pack. It wouldn't be the most entertaining drive, but it could serve as an inexpensive and acceptable DD/HPDE car for at least a couple of years.

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • daryleasondaryleason Member Posts: 501
    @sxty8stang : I haven't seen the specs on the 2016. I wasn't aware they'd had a weight drop. If so, good for them. I know the Mustang was supposed to have a weight drop, but it didn't pan out that way.

    @roadburner : I'm sort of like you, I'd like to see a lower cost, content-sparse version of the Mustang GT, but I'm not sure I get the point of saying on the one hand you want a cloth interior, followed closely by the Performance Package & Recaro seat option. As soon as you selected Recaros, the cloth interior would be a moot point. That was one area that Ford did well with. Up until the mid-90s, you could order a stripped down Mustang with the option of adding the V8 for relatively little money. With the classic Mustangs, you could order the V8 on any of them bodystyles as the only option. With the Fox-Body, you could get a LX (again, in any bodystyle), with a V8. Even the SN95 Mustang, up until I THINK 1997, had a little-known non-GT V8 option for the Mustang. I think they called it GLS or something along those lines.
  • misterfusionmisterfusion Member Posts: 471

    ...the Challenger is too heavy & has the FCA quality/durability issues, although I like the fact that they offer the "smaller" Hemi for those that don't want to sink a fortune into the big cubes.

    The Challenger is sort of in its own class now, as a Grand Tourer (or "Drag Strip Monster" if you get the Hellcat). Obviously it's big & heavy, but it's also roomy & comfortable, and I am not aware of any quality issues with that car. Edmunds had a 2009 in the fleet for a year and they really liked it, and it had no major issues...and this was during the dark days of Cerberus.

    I agree about the engine choice, the R/T with the 5.7 Hemi would be more than enough for me. I'm not looking to go to jail or hell.
  • defyant15defyant15 Member Posts: 74
    edited January 2016
    Hi Carlos,
    I recall you mentioned that the Mustang GT with PP that you drove (I think it was a yellow car like mine) when you were with MT (a head to head) left you a little cold - you were expecting more and felt it disappointed when the road got curvy. I think you mentioned it drove like an older gen car, even though it had the IRS.

    What made you change your mind? Clearly the exhaust, but is it mostly the FRPP handling kit and/or just more time behind the wheel? The Mustang has always been a solid platform and I'm quite shocked as a first time owner with the aftermarkets size and quality, whether you want appearance, drag, handling or track!

    Cheers and thanks - keep the great posts coming.
  • mtnbiker8mtnbiker8 Member Posts: 39
    defyant15 - hit the nail on the head. If you like the Mustang overall and want to emphasize a particular attribute, the aftermarket is amazing. Very few limitations on what this car can be.
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,312
    edited January 2016
    If my DD didn't have to double as my HPDE instructor car I'd probably go with the Challenger. I see it as more a revival of the "Personal Luxury Coupe" of the late '60s-early '70s. It woulld have to be an SRT or Scat Pack, as my mildly tweaked MS3 will run off and hide from a 5.7 Challenger.

    I drove a 2015 Camaro 1LE and loved the engine, handling, and brakes. The interior was underwhelming, but unlike Dearborn, Flint has figured out how to heat factory installed Recaros. The deal-breaker was the poor outward visibility and the added weight the car carried.

    As for the Mustang, I love cloth interiors- what I don't like is a cloth interior that uses fabric that appears to have been selected from the bulk rolls at Big Lots. I think Ford picked the downmarket looking stuff to force buyers upmarket to the Premium trim level- where they get to charge you $1,500 to get Recaros while simultaneously deleting the heated and cooled seats(I won't whine about losing power adjustments, as the car would join the other two cars in the garage that I drive exclusively). I really, REALLY wanted to like the Mustang; my dad owned a 1964 1/2, a 1967, and a 1970- and I thought it would be kind of neat to carry on the tradition in a way. Looks like that won't be the case.

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • carloslagocarloslago Member Posts: 9
    edited January 2016
    defyant15 said:

    Hi Carlos,
    I recall you mentioned that the Mustang GT with PP that you drove (I think it was a yellow car like mine) when you were with MT (a head to head) left you a little cold - you were expecting more and felt it disappointed when the road got curvy. I think you mentioned it drove like an older gen car, even though it had the IRS.

    What made you change your mind? Clearly the exhaust, but is it mostly the FRPP handling kit and/or just more time behind the wheel? The Mustang has always been a solid platform and I'm quite shocked as a first time owner with the aftermarkets size and quality, whether you want appearance, drag, handling or track!

    Cheers and thanks - keep the great posts coming.

    Thanks! I haven't changed my mind. The fifth gen Camaro 1LE is still a better handling car, and I'm disappointed that you have to spend extra on the FRPP suspension and a set of tires on top of the price of a GT Performance Pack-equipped Mustang to achieve similar performance. That being said, the Mustang is still fun, especially with that handling pack installed. It also has a ton of livability features over the fifth gen Camaro that make it a better car to drive around town (you can see out of it, for one). Eager to drive the sixth gen Camaro. I hear great things from people I trust.
  • defyant15defyant15 Member Posts: 74
    edited January 2016
    Thanks. Look forward to your thoughts on the new Camaro, which aside for visibility issues seems to be a real handler from the factory.
    Agreed, the PP should handle the way the FRPP suspension does!
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