The Official Mustang Thread

[MX793]

Ford confirms that the next Bullitt Mustang will be a late 2008 model year release.

2008 Bullitt Mustang

Sweet, if they price it right it may be my next car.

[SVT666]

That's a great article.  What fun would a Mustang be if it was polished and had perfect handling?  That's right, no fun at all.

[280Z Turbo]

You're hilarious.

Why are you so loyal to American brands when you don't even live in the United States?

[JYODER240]

So bad handling makes a car more fun to drive?

[SVT666]

You're hilarious.

Why are you so loyal to American brands when you don't even live in the United States?

Since when am I loyal to American brands?  I own a Dodge Ram and I used to own a few Mustangs.  I love German cars, Italian cars, some British cars, and a few Japanese cars.  The Japanese just don't make anything that really appeals to me.

[SVT666]

So bad handling makes a car more fun to drive?

It's the quirks in the Mustang that are what makes it endearing.  It's a challenge to drive fast because you have to learn to conquer the car before it conquers you.  The cars have personalities that you just don't get in other cars.  If you aren't a Stanger you won't understand.  No amount of explaining it will make it any clearer, so if you don't understand, then I can't help you. 

[r0tor]

yes, i love it when my car does not do what I want it to do and when i want it to do it.... i'd rather be suprised 

[SVT666]

yes, i love it when my car does not do what I want it to do and when i want it to do it.... i'd rather be suprised?

Like I said, if you're not a Stanger you won't get it.  When you figure out the car it's very satisfying.

[Soup DeVille]

It's the quirks in the Mustang that are what makes it endearing.? It's a challenge to drive fast because you have to learn to conquer the car before it conquers you.? The cars have personalities that you just don't get in other cars.? If you aren't a Stanger you won't understand.? No amount of explaining it will make it any clearer, so if you don't understand, then I can't help you.?

I'm sorry, but that's the first statement you've ever made that made me actually roll my eyes.

[Raza]

280Z Turbo:  It's earned loyalty, TurboDude--HEMI666 has owned a Mustang.  How can so little money buy a new car that does so many things well, looks great, seats four, offers up to 500 HP for under $42,000 US, and kicks ass in production vehicle racing?  Over forty-three years in continuous production, and running stronger than ever!
   

Last GT500 I saw was on sale for 71K USD.

[JYODER240]

It's the quirks in the Mustang that are what makes it endearing.? It's a challenge to drive fast because you have to learn to conquer the car before it conquers you.? The cars have personalities that you just don't get in other cars.? If you aren't a Stanger you won't understand.? No amount of explaining it will make it any clearer, so if you don't understand, then I can't help you.?

So basicaly you say that because the Mustang isn't a great handling car. If it handled like a Boxster you'd go on about how great its handling is.

[SVT666]

So basicaly you say that because the Mustang isn't a great handling car. If it handled like a Boxster you'd go on about how great its handling is.

Nope.  i don't want it to handle like a Boxster.  It's not supposed to, it doesn't fit the charater of the car.  The solid rear axle is part of the charm.  The '03 Cobras had plenty of owners swapping the IRS for solid axles because of axle hop and halfshafts being turned into toothpicks at the dragstrip.  I don't want the car to get IRS in the upcoming model even though it will because the competition will have it.

[SVT666]

I'm sorry, but that's the first statement you've ever made that made me actually roll my eyes.

Roll your eyes, I don't care.  It's the truth.  Ask any Mustang fanatic if they want IRS and I guarantee the answer will be no 8 times out of 10.  I'm not talking about Joe Blow who buys a Mustang as a midlife crisis either, I'm talking about the hardcore Mustang fans like myself.

[Eye of the Tiger]

               

                   

     

[JYODER240]

Nope.? i don't want it to handle like a Boxster.? It's not supposed to, it doesn't fit the charater of the car.? The solid rear axle is part of the charm.? The '03 Cobras had plenty of owners swapping the IRS for solid axles because of axle hop and halfshafts being turned into toothpicks at the dragstrip.? I don't want the car to get IRS in the upcoming model even though it will because the competition will have it.

Yeah but they don't swap it out for a solid axle for the handling they do it for the dragstrip.

[SVT666]

Yeah but they don't swap it out for a solid axle for the handling they do it for the dragstrip.

The '03 Cobras IRS setup is terrible and are easily outhandled by stock 2005 Mustang GTs. 

[SVT666]

So basicaly you say that because the Mustang isn't a great handling car. If it handled like a Boxster you'd go on about how great its handling is.

It's like Jeremy Clarkson said about the new Viper.  He siad that the Viper doesn't handle anywhere near as well as the Boxster he recently drove, but it's a lot more fun.

[Soup DeVille]

Roll your eyes, I don't care.? It's the truth.? Ask any Mustang fanatic if they want IRS and I guarantee the answer will be no 8 times out of 10.? I'm not talking about Joe Blow who buys a Mustang as a midlife crisis either, I'm talking about the hardcore Mustang fans like myself.

The Mustang is a decidedly un-quirky car at the limit. Minimal understeer, power oversteer. Its not quirky; its predictable.

An old school Porsche is quirky. A Saab boosted to the nines is quirky. A swingaxle Triumph is quirky.

Mustangs aren't, and you're kidding yourself if you think they are.

[JYODER240]

It's like Jeremy Clarkson said about the new Viper.? He siad that the Viper doesn't handle anywhere near as well as the Boxster he recently drove, but it's a lot more fun.

and Clarkson is known for being biased against Porsche. You don't have to watch many episodes to learn to not trust his opinion. That's not to say he's always wrong but I wouldn't ever trust his opinion. He's also driving on an abandoned airport runway, the Viper was probably more fun to drive out there. Wide open tarmac and open grass fields are very forgiving and a good place to prod the higher limits of the Viper. Unfortunantly these cars spend the majority of their time on roads where pushing a Viper requires the skills and concentration far beyond anyone on this forum.

The Viper dares you to test its limits and there's a good chance it will bite you when you do. The Boxster encourages you to test its limits and will happily dance the line of 10-11/10ths all day long.

[JYODER240]

The '03 Cobras IRS setup is terrible and are easily outhandled by stock 2005 Mustang GTs.?

The 03 is also on a chassis that dates back 23years or so.

[SVT666]

The Mustang is a decidedly un-quirky car at the limit. Minimal understeer, power oversteer. Its not quirky; its predictable.

An old school Porsche is quirky. A Saab boosted to the nines is quirky. A swingaxle Triumph is quirky.

Mustangs aren't, and you're kidding yourself if you think they are.

Whoa!  Where did I say the car was unpredictable?

[Soup DeVille]

Whoa!? Where did I say the car was unpredictable?

You said it was quirky.

Quirky implies that it behaves in a manner other than the expected norm. The early Porsche tendency to break into snap oversteer after tendingtowards understeer is quirky.

Mustangs behave very much like every other front engine RWD solid axle car out there. Sure it has better balance than some and worse than others. Sure, it has more grip than some and less than others, but none of the actions I've ever experienced firsthand or heard tell of a Mustang exhibit fall under the heading of "quirky."

So....

[VetteZ06]

If you aren't a Stanger you won't understand.?

"I'm not going to be able to convince anybody of what I'm saying, so instead I'll resort to a tired cliche."

[GoCougs]

Oh, man. Not the IRS thing again. The solid axle lives on solely because it is a cost-cutting measure.

[SVT666]

You said it was quirky.

Quirky implies that it behaves in a manner other than the expected norm. The early Porsche tendency to break into snap oversteer after tendingtowards understeer is quirky.

Mustangs behave very much like every other front engine RWD solid axle car out there. Sure it has better balance than some and worse than others. Sure, it has more grip than some and less than others, but none of the actions I've ever experienced firsthand or heard tell of a Mustang exhibit fall under the heading of "quirky."

So....

I said it's the quirks that become part of the character of the car.  For example, the wierd shifter (previous Mustangs), how you had to shift into 5th before going to reverse or else you would grind gears, the solid axle (it's the only sporty car I can think of that still has one), etc.  Those quirks.  i never said the handling was quirky.

[SVT666]

"I'm not going to be able to convince anybody of what I'm saying, so instead I'll resort to a tired cliche."

That's right because I'm dealing with a bunch of haters.  If you don't get the Mustang, there's no way to convince people of it's appeal.

[SVT666]

Oh, man. Not the IRS thing again. The solid axle lives on solely because it is a cost-cutting measure.

You're right, but if you don't believe that most hardcore Mustang fans don't want to keep the solid rear axle then you are sadly mistaken.  The Mustang will get IRS in 2010, but not because of buyer pressure to do so.

[Soup DeVille]

I said it's the quirks that become part of the character of the car.? For example, the wierd shifter (previous Mustangs), how you had to shift into 5th before going to reverse or else you would grind gears, the solid axle (it's the only sporty car I can think of that still has one), etc.? Those quirks.? i never said the handling was quirky.

Oh those quirks: the same kind of quirks old Jag owners talk about when their wiring harness catches on fire...

Oh, and the shifter thing isn't weird, a lot of cars do that. Live axles aren't weird either except as a quaint anachronism.

Look, I like Mustangs. Hell, I think somebody has to have serious mental health issues not to like Mustangs, but let's love them for what they are and not try to make them into something they aren't.

[SVT666]

Oh those quirks: the same kind of quirks old Jag owners talk about when their wiring harness catches on fire...

Oh, and the shifter thing isn't weird, a lot of cars do that. Live axles aren't weird either except as a quaint anachronism.

Look, I like Mustangs. Hell, I think somebody has to have serious mental health issues not to like Mustangs, but let's love them for what they are and not try to make them into something they aren't.

What would I be trying to make them into?

[the Teuton]

I just think they're kinda knocking you because you, like me, love your car.  I realize that mine is a 110 hp economy car, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.  I realize its flaws, however.

I think everyone just wants you to acknowledge that the 'Stang isn't perfect for some reason.