Goodbye Mustang.
Discussion
My 2 year PCP mustang went today. 5.0 auto, magnetic grey.
After two years and 7,000 miles it went to WBAC for a reasonable price.
It was my 3rd Mustang, following a 1969 351ci Mach 1 and a 1988 5.0 GT convertible.
The 69 was a deeply flawed car, a b
d to drive and catastrophic MPG, between 4 and 9. Comedy brakes and handling, though always made you grin - too often from fear.....
The 88 was competent, decent brakes, handling, convertible, 25mpg. Sounded great, only 260bhp with a tweak or two. Overall a pretty decent car, did 40k miles without issue.
Come 2018 and the 5.0 GT. Should tick every box, proper suspension, 420bhp, excellent brakes and handling, enough driver aids to tame the excesses of lots of rwd power.
But it didn’t. No bloody soul, competent, anodyne, accellerative and boring. Just too good, I think.
Anyway, I miss the 69 and 88. Not. The latest one, I actually preferred driving my other car, an old 60bhp Skoda citigo, more involving.
After two years and 7,000 miles it went to WBAC for a reasonable price.
It was my 3rd Mustang, following a 1969 351ci Mach 1 and a 1988 5.0 GT convertible.
The 69 was a deeply flawed car, a b
d to drive and catastrophic MPG, between 4 and 9. Comedy brakes and handling, though always made you grin - too often from fear.....The 88 was competent, decent brakes, handling, convertible, 25mpg. Sounded great, only 260bhp with a tweak or two. Overall a pretty decent car, did 40k miles without issue.
Come 2018 and the 5.0 GT. Should tick every box, proper suspension, 420bhp, excellent brakes and handling, enough driver aids to tame the excesses of lots of rwd power.
But it didn’t. No bloody soul, competent, anodyne, accellerative and boring. Just too good, I think.
Anyway, I miss the 69 and 88. Not. The latest one, I actually preferred driving my other car, an old 60bhp Skoda citigo, more involving.
That’s really interesting you never felt the love for it because most people would surely describe the Mustang as being one of the most characterful modern cars... I certainly envied a friend’s one whenever driving behind it & really liked it on a test drive.
However, I also have been disappointed by modern cars that you’re “supposed to love”... there is something about stuff thats been launched in the last few years that is just clinical and cold.
Are you able to put your finger on any specific things that made it feel anodyne to you?
However, I also have been disappointed by modern cars that you’re “supposed to love”... there is something about stuff thats been launched in the last few years that is just clinical and cold.
Are you able to put your finger on any specific things that made it feel anodyne to you?
Venturist said:
That’s really interesting you never felt the love for it because most people would surely describe the Mustang as being one of the most characterful modern cars... I certainly envied a friend’s one whenever driving behind it & really liked it on a test drive.
However, I also have been disappointed by modern cars that you’re “supposed to love”... there is something about stuff thats been launched in the last few years that is just clinical and cold.
Are you able to put your finger on any specific things that made it feel anodyne to you?
I’ve tried to work out what is wrong, missing or bad. There really isn’t anything concrete. I bought it as a keeper, I’d planned long term ownership.However, I also have been disappointed by modern cars that you’re “supposed to love”... there is something about stuff thats been launched in the last few years that is just clinical and cold.
Are you able to put your finger on any specific things that made it feel anodyne to you?
Performance is great, useable and controllable if used with a degree of common sense. No problem.
Brakes, handling and feel. Brakes faultless, handling a little detached, but predictable and no surprises, again if used with sense.
Build quality and reliability. Only issue a slight rattle from loose door trim, fixed under warranty in 20 mins.
Looks great, no issues with road rage or hostility, people like them, which is nice.
Bottom line, it does everything it should with a good degree of competence. It should be great. For most it is, but not me. Something is missing, and that became obvious to me fairly early on. I tried to work out why, but couldn’t. Just didn’t gel.
Kind of like the difference between a good bout of intercourse and a quick w
k.Venturist said:
Those are the measurables - often it’s about the stuff you can’t put in numbers. Did you feel equally indifferent about the sound? The looks? Little things like the weight of the controls, the feel of the gearstick throw, and so on?
Good point, I don’t think I’d considered that in isolation.The rear seats are only suitable for bicrural amputees*, I could use better space there.
Driving position and control feel are typical Ford, pretty decent. Steering set to sport setting, decently responsive without being over sensitive.
The cabin is a good place to be, nothing feels out of place or space.
Driving it is the issue, I guess. Just feels a bit ordinary, bar the acceleration. UnInvolving, a bit soft, not quite enough feel or emotion. I didn’t get out the car feeling good, or particularly uplifted.
I really wanted to like this, and tried. But I couldn’t live with it long term, it just felt wrong for me.
- an L J K Setright phrase.
Nexus Icon said:
I like my 2018 5.0 GT Manual, and none of what you said negatively applies in my case. I do have magneride, recaros and a manual box. I don't know if that would make it a different beast to your autobox, soft-riding version though.
You might be right. The auto box felt it never had quite the right gear until a little too late.Venturist said:
An auto is a major mark against, in my experience. I have had an auto that I loved, but I’ve found love for manual cars far easier.
I have an gt auto convertable and love it, sport mode i do use occasionally although not necessary . Had the new 10 speed in the US and being more cogs was very smooth, just cant get my spec unless i buy new, which i do not want. Will wait a bit, no hurry !While I waited a year for mine, deposit the day the prices were announced, the dealer invited me to drive their demo.
I was a bit miffed after driving it, thinking what had I done? It did feel uninvolving.
But it was an automatic.
When my manual arrived it couldn't feel more different. Absolutely loved it.
Sold it for very little loss 2 years later because I returned to London from the countryside. Still miss it.
I was a bit miffed after driving it, thinking what had I done? It did feel uninvolving.
But it was an automatic.
When my manual arrived it couldn't feel more different. Absolutely loved it.
Sold it for very little loss 2 years later because I returned to London from the countryside. Still miss it.
Good point. Along side the Mustang I still had and still have now my E36 bought back in 1998.
Lots of fun to be had in this car when ringing it's neck.
At Motorway speeds it's noisy with wind rush and feels fast. The Mustang was barely working it's engine at the same speed plus the cockpit was so quiet.
Still loved it on the country roads though.
Lots of fun to be had in this car when ringing it's neck.
At Motorway speeds it's noisy with wind rush and feels fast. The Mustang was barely working it's engine at the same speed plus the cockpit was so quiet.
Still loved it on the country roads though.
Also depends on why you buy a car.
I bought mine primarily as I'd always wanted a V8 and this fitted the bill perfectly. A V8 but not wrapped in something else totally removed from the actual point of having a loud car.
The second thing, which it does amazingly well, is eat motorway miles on the continent.
If you want an out and out driver's car, or even just something a little more involving and rewarding, then an S550 is not the car for you.
I bought mine primarily as I'd always wanted a V8 and this fitted the bill perfectly. A V8 but not wrapped in something else totally removed from the actual point of having a loud car.
The second thing, which it does amazingly well, is eat motorway miles on the continent.
If you want an out and out driver's car, or even just something a little more involving and rewarding, then an S550 is not the car for you.
There are few things more subjective and impossible to pin down than "the right car"! Personally, I've had my manual GT for over three years now - it's my only car, used daily, and it still puts a huge grin on my face every single time. There are a couple of small niggles for sure, but I still love it, and have no plans to change it.
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