Haters: The Best Thing Or The Worst Thing About The New Mustang

"Lets Just Drive" (lets-just-drive) 12/12/2013 at 22:00 • Filed to: MUSTANG S550 MUSTANG 2015 MUSTANG

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Haters. They abound and if there's one thing I've learned about them, it's that...

But even then, there are certain subjects, products, brands and concepts which draw haters out in their droves and the Mustang is one of those things that pulls haters like honey draws flies. Haters, and not just those with a an automotive bent, love to slag on Mustangs. In fact, one of my friends (who happens to know I own and love Mustangs) said, "Mustangs are like hemorrhoids; only assholes get them." I laughed, we laughed. It was a good time.

There is something about the Mustang which gets under the skin of even non-car types, even those folk who look at virtually every vehicle as an appliance to facilitate movement between A and B. Usually, it's pretty darn positive - of all the cars I've owned none have received the sort of adulation that my pony tends to inspire in people who aren't enthusiasts. This is where one of my enthusiast friends would say, "It's because they don't know better." Maybe he's right.

However, when you talk turkey (or, in this case, horsey) with true and self-proclaimed enthusiasts they almost always come down one one side or the other, and the extreme side at that. It's love it or hate it and very little, "I could take or leave it."

Maybe, though, the Haters are the best part of being a Mustang owner and enthusiast. I mean, you've got to be pretty culturally relevant to inspire the sort of ire which has been flung around by the FP chimpanzees like so much scat. What I'm saying here is that when they suggest that any press is good press, I think that's particularly true of the Mustang.

No offense, Europe, but Stephen Colbert isn't interested in debuting your cars to his massive audience. Okay, so maybe some insult. Or a lot. I'm being a troll, it's true. Moving on...

I love Mustangs, but I don't hate on European cars or Japanese cars with anywhere near the vitriol I've seen, first hand, tossed at Mustang owners. That got me wondering if maybe the ownership, the group that love and own Mustangs, are to blame? Maybe, somewhere back in the dark ages of motoring a bunch of Mustang owners got together to rally in favor of segregation. Or maybe Lee Harvey was a Mustang owner. So I asked. I asked my friends, my fellow enthusiasts and whoever was interested enough to give me a thoughtful answer.

It seems that a lot of people are under the misconception that Mustangs are "Bro" cars, bruh. Somewhere along the line, we started to get lumped in with the Lifted Truck crowd which, at least initially, I couldn't see the bad side of. An enthusiast is an enthusiast, right? Wrong! I met a lot of these guys, the ones with the sleeve of tattoos, Tap Out and Affliction t-shirts and a penchant for 'roid use and let me just assure you, if you've not swum in these circles that, yes, they're full of douche. Okay, that's not correct... not accurate at least; it's more like a pretty nice lake, you'd take a swim in it, but there are a few really nasty, really dirty douches floating around in it and you're like, "Naaaah." It's a lot like the Cop problem of, "It only takes a few rotten apples to spoil the bunch."

So, I'm thinking; Eureka! I've got it!

Why?

Because there are a lot of douchetastic dudes who own Mustangs and while they make up a small portion of the Mustang family, they're so fucking loud at the Thanksgiving table that even the rest of the family is contemplating a trip to the woods with a shovel and a bag of lye.

Check! I've got it!

Buuut, no...

Because the same attitude pours out of BMW's too. Oh, and those Camaro guys over there listening to Kid Rock and shotgunning brewskies.

What the fuck, I'm like. Whaaaat?

There be douches in them waters, I says to myself. Every lake, every fucking one, has a bunch of dirty, smelly douches floating in. All of them. No, you're not immune Mr. Ferrari. Neither are you, Driftrito. Shoot, we're all stuck with it.

Or are we?

I start to think back, remember many of the faces and names I've met over the years being a Mustang guy and start to realize that the vast majority are down to Earth, humble, not elitist folk who happen to share an interest in the breed. In fact, the douche crowd is really, really small.

So what the flippy flop is going on?

The haters are hating and the clicks are pouring in. Traffic? Shoot, you wanna talk about internet traffic, just go and make a post about a Mustang. Just some news, or maybe an opinion. Then, BAM! Shitstorm.

"You're a Shitstang, Ricky. That's all you'll ever be."

That's when it finally dawns on me that the Haters are great for Mustangs and that their hate is the unfocused, unwarranted and undeserved result of a cultural phenomenon - the Mustang. They hate it because they feel like they have to. Or they hate it because they're in another camp. They hate it because the name lived on, when others died. They hate it because it adapted to survive. They hate it because they hate it and hate is a good enough reason to hate.

And Ford loves you for it, Haters.

You rage against the dawn, "My _____ is better because racecar!" You set out to prove that A is better than B, where B be Mustanging your taint. You generate interest and you push the product even while you're shitting all over it.

It's a failure, you see? It's a failure to recognize what Ford has been doing with the Mustang since day one; selling cars and pushing units.

You hate it and you push it.

You hate it and you fuel it.

If your ass puts gas on the grass, we're gonna light it.

MountainCommand > Lets Just Drive 12/12/2013 at 22:15

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No one wants to admit the stereotypical 'mustang guys' are identical to the stereotypical 'honda guys'. Thats why they hate each other, they are so alike.

But the haters usually hate cause they are jealous, and ignorant. We honda guys are jealous of that displacement, and they are jealous that we can squeeze tons of hp out of a gokart motor.

I just cant wait til the day we see the mustang in the modified 4cylinder class beating, or getting beat, by a honda. For better of for worse, the turbo 4 mustang is now a threat to the new civic R turbo (imo)... Interesting.

And that, is going to be quite a flaming bbq.

The haters are ignorant. Ignorance is bliss, right?

Ian Duer (320b) > Lets Just Drive 12/12/2013 at 22:17

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You hate it and you push it.

Didn't start hating it till I had to push it home.

In all seriousness, while I don't hate Mustangs I can't say I'm a fan either. For the same reason I can't get too amped up for the Camaro, Corvette, EVO or STI. It's exactly as you say "There is something about the which gets under the skin of even non-car types, even those folk who look at virtually every vehicle as an appliance to facilitate movement between A and B." I have a hard time getting into a car like that. When something becomes a status symbol of the non-car-set it loses some of its special-ness to me.

I much prefer something like this. Where very few people "get it."

Maybe I'm a car hipster.

MtrRider Just Wants Doritos > Lets Just Drive 12/12/2013 at 22:19

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Oh, and those Camaro guys over there listening to Kid Rock and shotgunning brewskies.

This is the best line I've read all day, good job!

Lets Just Drive > MountainCommand 12/12/2013 at 22:22

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I think that was my point, which you summed up in so few words. Hate is ignorant and ignorance is bliss.

There are haters in every camp, but I'm pretty sure they're in the minority in every case - it's just that they're such a loud bunch, they get most of the attention and subsequently shape the perception of.

MtrRider Just Wants Doritos > Ian Duer (320b) 12/12/2013 at 22:23

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You're a hipster. Maybe the prole's reaction toward the Mustang is simply the car enthusiast in everyone else trying to get out?

Accepting enthusiasm for cars can be scary. You can't just come out and declare your love of the clownshoe BMW.

Lets Just Drive > Ian Duer (320b) 12/12/2013 at 22:24

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Okay, I love my Mustang.

But I would trade it in for a clownshoe any day of the week as that car is almost my idea of perfect. An M, though, out-costs my '06 pony by a good measure (for one in comparable condition... which is near mint).

Lets Just Drive > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos 12/12/2013 at 22:25

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Thank you.

It felt good when it came out of my finger tips. Dirty, but gooood.

Ian Duer (320b) > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos 12/12/2013 at 22:25

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That doesn't explain the flood of V6 slushbox convertibles that always seem to get bought when the "new one" comes out. Unless their inner enthusiast is locked somewhere so deep down that it's keeping their Oedipus Complex company.

MountainCommand > Lets Just Drive 12/12/2013 at 22:26

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Yep, those us who know best have no reason to be shouty. The haters, have not much to say, so they want everyone to hear their babble.

But both parties are to blame. One feeds, and the other eats. Viceaversa.

I say, just enjoy their show. They can be rather entertaining actors!

Lets Just Drive > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos 12/12/2013 at 22:27

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Wow. I totally had flashbacks of my friends, when I was younger, who came out to their parents as gay (proud hetero, here but I love me some homo!). What an amazing analogy.

That wasn't a pun.

Lets Just Drive > Ian Duer (320b) 12/12/2013 at 22:28

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Oh, and I have to add; you can't be a car hipster.

You can be a hipster who likes cars and there's some carry over, but it's a one way street my friend.

Ian Duer (320b) > Lets Just Drive 12/12/2013 at 22:29

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They're definitely rare enough that people who have them tend to make buying a decent one a spendy proposition. I will say that for the 'Stang, they are way more accessible. There are enough around that used tends to be a buyer's market rather than favoring the seller.

MtrRider Just Wants Doritos > Ian Duer (320b) 12/12/2013 at 22:35

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Any way you slice it the Mustang is an emotional purchase. People like the style, the history, the way it look and makes them feel. That's how coupes and convertibles are sold, whether it's a Mustang or an Accord.

Most people (in America) were never taught how to drive a manual, some are stubborn and some don't know where or how to learn. Think about it, are there any places that just teach people how to shift cars?

The V6 is cheaper to buy and insure than the V8, gets better fuel economy and most people don't understand the need for the V8. I guarantee if you randomly polled v6 Mustang drivers most of them would admit to wanting a V8, or lie about having one.

Cars are extremely complicated and it takes years for people to get the level of knowledge the average Oppostle has. I didn't know half the shit I know now when I found Jalopnik years ago. Most people don't automatically care enough to learn it all. They just know the Mustang is special, and it makes them feel special.

Lets Just Drive > MountainCommand 12/12/2013 at 22:36

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I've yet to learn the skills required to observe and not interact.

It's a weakness, I know. The net result is that I end up between two very boisterous groups wondering how in the flying flop I got there.

Ian Duer (320b) > Lets Just Drive 12/12/2013 at 22:38

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Dammit. I don't want to have to start drinking PBR. It tastes terrible.

MtrRider Just Wants Doritos > Lets Just Drive 12/12/2013 at 22:38

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"Dad, I know this is hard for you but... I... I want that car. No, that one. With a, uh, a... manual transmission."

"WHAT! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU? WHAT KIND OF A SON DID I RAISE!"

Lets Just Drive > Ian Duer (320b) 12/12/2013 at 22:44

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Come back to the 90's, my friend. Loosen those jeans. Pull that plaid shirt out and wear it, not because you're being ironic, but because you listen to Pearl Jam and fuck you, millennial!

Lets Just Drive > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos 12/12/2013 at 22:45

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I've heard stories of the young son bringing home a Ford to his Chevy lovin' dad and family (and reverse). Even heard some where dad'll say, "Wish he could'a been gay instead of a Chevy lover."

MountainCommand > Lets Just Drive 12/12/2013 at 22:48

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Thats okay. Learning takes some time. Just bite your tounge. Or think of Katy Perry in maranello red undergarments to distract yourself from arguments that arent worth any time.

Pointless arguing is a waste. You might as well just whip out your phone and watch cat videos. At least youd be laughing.

Ian Duer (320b) > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos 12/12/2013 at 22:50

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They just know the Mustang is special, and it makes them feel special.

That pretty much fits my definition of status symbol: something that people want to have or do because they think other people will respect or admire them for it. Although I can't fault people for thinking like that, it's weird to me. It's the same reason I don't own a Macbook, even though they might be perfectly good computers.

I bought a 3-series a few years back in spite of people considering the drivers douchebags, and in spite of it being the "darling of the automotive press." I bought it because I genuinely liked it, not because it was "the obvious answer." I did, however get sick of people thinking I was somehow trying to impress people, almost considered shaving the badges because of it, which made me especially irritated when someone commented "why the hell would you do that? Without those badges what's the point of owning it?"

PRBot II > Lets Just Drive 12/12/2013 at 22:50

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I love the Mustang now, and I used to be a Mustang hater.

Those of us that are only 30 years old or so are probably too young to remember when Mustang was actually considered "cool"... you know, safe from the haters.

When I started loving "sports cars", it was the early Nineties and I was a kid. American muscle was boxy and ugly. It wasn't cool. It was the post-'83 Malaise Era . I didn't care how fast those things were, they were ugly as sin.

Here's the main American sports cars we had to obsess over back then:

1991 Mustang. Boxy and totally 80's.

1991 Camaro. Boxy and 80's.

1991 Firebird. Boxy and 80's.

1991 Corvette. Boxy and 80's.

1991 Stealth. Hot sleek sexy curvy panty-droppin' sex machine. It was the future.

Dodge was the hot shit, and everyone knew it. But it was a rebadged Mitsubishi, styled after a Lamborghini. No heritage. No 'Merica.

I was just a kid, so didn't give two shits about heritage and 'Merica. It looked sexy and I wanted it.

It was stuff like this that made me hate the Mustang for so long, and it wasn't until a few years ago that the modern retro S197 Mustangs started to grow on me.

I got older, payed attention to politics and the culture war between the right and the left. Weighed the pros and cons of each side, and decided I liked heritage and 'Merica.

Despite not accepting bailout money, Ford made a turnaround a few years ago like the rest of American cars. They kick ass now, and I love them.

Lets Just Drive > MountainCommand 12/12/2013 at 22:51

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Pointless arguing isn't pointless! It's an essential part of the political process and the very source of the problem with Obamacare because if you happen to be a Republican you'll know first hand that justified rape is a real thing.

And dog videos are better by far. Only dumb people watch cat videos.

#troll #couldnthelpmyself

Ian Duer (320b) > Lets Just Drive 12/12/2013 at 22:52

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Nooooo. I'm not ready. What will happen to my fixie? Some bike courier might try to use it.

MtrRider Just Wants Doritos > Ian Duer (320b) 12/12/2013 at 23:07

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You think too much about what other people think. There are a lot of cars that are status symbols (a BMW is one!) and a Mustang is not. Mustangs do make a statement, but money isn't one of them. Statement =/= status symbol. Lots of people buy BMWs because they are BMWs and have no idea what an I6 engine is, or rear wheel drive, or that you can turn off the traction control and drift it. Many M3 buyers bought their cars because it's the fastest one, but don't care about specs or the engine. A 3 Series is an obvious answer, but for different people. Mustang buyers want to show off their style, BMW buyers want to show off their bank account.

In both cases, buy what you like and stop caring about the stigma associated with your car. It doesn't matter if you're a rich kid an a 3 Series, a rich housewife in a Lexus RX350, a hairdresser in a Miata or a Mustang buyer that has to stand apart from the sea of Camcords.

MountainCommand > Lets Just Drive 12/12/2013 at 23:09

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Were having a good discussion. Not an argument. But if the two participants are barking about displacement size and how big the snake is in their trousers, id rather lick the salt off my car.

Dont make this argument political! YOU CANT TROLL ME BRO!

Yeah, i dont like cats either. I trained my dog to attack cats (and rabbits) on command if necessary. Now that is an invaluable tool.

Lets Just Drive > PRBot II 12/12/2013 at 23:10

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Man, I love you.

What you just said, in so few words was; I was a hater until I grew up.

That's the summation of my view on haters, regardless of age - they've yet to grow up. Now, if I can respond to your nostalgia with my own...

I'm 32, thus; in my 30's and I know exactly what you're talking about. All through junior and high school my locker was plastered with Vipers, NSX's and Esprits. Those were my shit. And I totally bagged on boring North American shit. Sure, like the Viper, there were some good products on the domestic market... Oh, wait; I'm Canadian but I consider us part of the "domestic" market even if Toyota's and Hyundai's are built here, moving on... but generally it was crap. Some stuff looked good, but it hid a sad and disappointing FWD chassis and I hadn't yet grown up enough to appreciate the Panther platform cars, or as I saw them; cops and cabs.

When I got my first car, it was a 1988 GT and, probably because of that pony, I love Foxes to this very day. Where my friends and kids I went to school with were buying Preludes, Civics and CRX's only to pull the springs out and cut them and subsequently fill their cars with amplifiers and subwoofers I went the other way completely. My pony got piped, straight piped. Okay, so I was a kid and probably blew a few horses out of my ponies performance in doing it, but damn did it sound good. Did the headers and ran 3' pipe all the way back. Tore out the back seat, bolted the front seats to the floor and did everything I could to make my Mustang into a great big fuck you to the kids running their import stereo cars around town. I loved it.

I'd pull up beside those same kids, their bass thumping, and just open it up. Hell, sometimes I'd sit right on it until the light changed, drop the clutch and think, "Isn't this the point of car?" Because I was pretty sure the point of car wasn't to stereo.

And I was him. I was the guy the imports looked for because they wanted to take a 5.0 at the lights. But even then, I didn't hate the import stereo cars... I just felt bad for them and for their misguided owners who, by the way, were getting all the tail while I got none.

Then, I grew up. Got rid of the Mustang after blowing the head gasket and just giving up. Sold it to a friend and moved on. Moved on to a 3rd gen Sonata. Yup. I did that. For a solid year.

It had more watts then I care to recall, subs that made it shake and rattle from the outside and tints so dark I got pulled over daily. And you know what? I fucking loved that shit.

It sipped gas, cost less than half of what I was paying in insurance and didn't get me ticket after ticket after noise complaint after race-because-Mustang etc etc etc. I could lean back, listen to loud music and just shut out the traffic ridden world I was contending with. I'd gone from long time pizza-boy in my 5.0 to working-in-a-call-center with my Sonata.

Both worlds.

Eyes opened.

Fuck you, Morpheus. I'm taking both pills and blowing this shit up!

I've owned a string of cars since then. From an STi (which nearly killed me, literally and financially) to a Volvo 760 and everything in between. I even paid monthly to lease a Yaris RS while the wife and I lived in Vancouver and what I've come to understand during my years owning and driving and loving cars?

Nothing is perfect and everything is special.

Lets Just Drive > Ian Duer (320b) 12/12/2013 at 23:13

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I was a kid in the early 90's. I rode for my school team.

Street and Cross. And I fucking loved bikes the way you love cars. I loved the componentry. I loved the alloys and composites. I loved the leading edge ceramics and the innovations of full and front suspension. I loved hard tails. I loved soft tails and rigid frames. I loved the advent of disc brakes.

And then these fucking hipsters came along.

Now I look at bikes and think, "What the fuck?"

Fucking fixie. I'll fixie you!

Sorry, anti-hipster rage.

Lets Just Drive > MountainCommand 12/12/2013 at 23:15

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My dog used to attack people and cars without any commands being given. How about that?

Man, I'll miss that dog. Called him "Yeller".

Ian Duer (320b) > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos 12/12/2013 at 23:16

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I don't usually care this much, certainly used to when I was younger. It's probably my state of mind. Gearing up for post graduation job search. Making the right impression is heavily on my mind, and is probably bleeding over at the moment.

Ian Duer (320b) > Lets Just Drive 12/12/2013 at 23:18

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Hahaha. It's all good. Made a fixie joke to a guy working at an art gallery opening I got invited to. I shit you not the guy proceeded to brag about his bike which looked like a fixie but actually wasn't. Was not sure if irony or stupid.

Lets Just Drive > Ian Duer (320b) 12/12/2013 at 23:20

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Guy takes bike to bicycle shop. Says, "I don't know what's wrong with it."

Mechanic says, "You are."

#ThisIsAHipsterJoke

MtrRider Just Wants Doritos > Ian Duer (320b) 12/12/2013 at 23:33

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If you rely on your car to make impressions for you then you need to work on your self esteem, friend. I'd park my car in the back where there's nobody else anyway. If they don't see what you drive they won't judge you for it and if you assume people will judge you because of your car you will never be happy in anything. Every car has stereotypes you don't want to be associated with. Every. Single. One.

For instance, if I see a beater Honda pull in for an interview I could assume you are frugal, minimalist and like to save money and could help me cut costs... Or you can't hold a job and that's all you can afford. If you have a Mustang I could assume you're going to be a follower and not a leader, and not worth my time and money. If I see a BMW pull in, I'd just call a tow truck because my disabled patrons need that parking spot more than you. See?

PRBot II > Lets Just Drive 12/12/2013 at 23:39

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Nice, man! I totally get what you're saying. I had a similar path as you, but instead of going Japanese, I went Euro.

Well, OK, my first car was a '91 Sentra coupe. But I crashed it after two weeks.

Really though, I've been a Saab driver since 2001. Back then, I had an amp and two 12" Rockford Fosgates, and that was my style. I didn't care if it was FWD. It was a quality car, and it had thump in the trunk.

I still drive Saab today (my third one), but money is what holds me back from driving a new Mustang GT right now... with the latest Alpine subwoofers. That's right, both pills! Everything tastefully done. Nothing ricer. Nothing pretentious and elitist. Just a pure Mustang GT with a stick shift, and good sound for the music. When I'm not listening to the engine ;)

Ian Duer (320b) > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos 12/12/2013 at 23:43

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Rely on is completely the wrong phrase, and I'm actually kind of embarrassed that I came off sounding that way when I was trying to speak of the ridiculousness of buying cars to impress others. I've never thought of a car as something to use to make the right impression. Only as something that can send the wrong message about who you are the few times it actually matters what someone thinks (like job interviews).

You had it more right later. It's about the negative stereotypes that, as you say, are associated with every car or make to some degree. Parking in the back or off to the side is not a bad idea just in case they would make an unkind snap judgement before I even get a chance to introduce myself. All this talk of what a crap job market it is out there has probably got under my skin more than I should have let it.

Edit: and really the bimmer in the handicapped spot joke?

Lets Just Drive > PRBot II 12/12/2013 at 23:44

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Yeah, I get that.

Now, I place about 2/3rds the emphasis on sound that I place on performance. Mind you, when I'm factoring, sound systems (stock or aftermarket) fall into the "quality" category of the car for me.

With my Mustang (S197) I almost always have my window part down to hear the induction hiss of my CAI and the note of my exhaust while whatever is on the stereo is typically, though not always, a distant second.

PRBot II > Lets Just Drive 12/12/2013 at 23:52

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Gotta love that induction hiss! It sounds great with the cone filter on it. With my Saab's turbo, it also has that turbo hiss when I let off the gas. It's addictive! If only they made new Mustangs with a turbo 4-cylinder... oh wait :D

Lets Just Drive > PRBot II 12/12/2013 at 23:58

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As a quirky kind of car guy and Mustang enthusiast, it's the 2.3L Turbo that I'm looking at realistically as the next car. Even with the newborn baby, being that my S197 is kicking ass at being baby and family friendly. I absolutely loved the SVO and spent about two hours drooling over one and picking the brain of it's owner at a meet this past summer.

But then again, I adore the Mustang II. So...

PRBot II > Lets Just Drive 12/13/2013 at 00:10

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Man, I can't wait for this thing. Some day. Hopefully sooner than later :)

MtrRider Just Wants Doritos > Ian Duer (320b) 12/13/2013 at 00:10

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Sorry if it sounded like I was judging you, I was using excessive amounts of hyperbole in that comment. I don't actually think you need to check yourself and I know where you're coming from.

I also don't think most people have an opinion on your car unless you drive something extremely outlandish. If you have a lifted bro truck or a ricer or a low rider people will definitely judge you for it, and most likely it will be negative. But a stock Mustang or BMW is far too common to be judged for, and if they do I wouldn't want to work for that person.

And yes, I had to make that joke. You left the door wide open and even took my coat and luggage.

Lets Just Drive > PRBot II 12/13/2013 at 00:16

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Image is showing as broken to me.

What is?

PRBot II > Lets Just Drive 12/13/2013 at 00:24

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Damn, Kinja strikes again! Edited with new pic.

Ian Duer (320b) > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos 12/13/2013 at 00:28

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No worries. Like I said my head is swimming with stuff like "don't wear cologne because it might be the same scent as some asshole they used to know wore." I never felt this kind of pressure with "make ends meet while in college" type job searches.

Not so funny story on the Bimmers in handicapped spaces arena. I was taking a disabled family member to a doctors appointment and they could not walk well. So naturally we used one of those handicapped tags on the mirror so I could help them walk into the office. Someone backed into my car and drove away with out even leaving a note. Since I was in "broke ass college student" mode I could never justify fixing a cosmetic problem that didn't effect drivability. Hooray for crooked kidney grills. No good deed goes unpunished it seems.

MtrRider Just Wants Doritos > Ian Duer (320b) 12/13/2013 at 00:36

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Maybe you'll feel better about not wearing cologne when you realize most of it is artificial deer piss scent.

You know it was a joke right? It wasn't at the expense of the disabled. It's sad that happened to you, some people are assholes even when you are doing the right thing. But please don't be offended by my (unoriginal, saw-it-coming) jokes.

Lets Just Drive > PRBot II 12/13/2013 at 00:49

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Yeah. I really, really like the new Mustang. It's got enough of the S197 in it to keep me happy, and it looks just so... right. Add the IRS, new engine options and a future 10-speed automatic and the Mustang really throws it's hooves up.

I'll always be rowing my own, and I'll probably be in a Turbo Pony and not the obligatory V8, but... I'm really liking the direction the pony is going. Personally, I think it's going to be a smashing success - I think the journalistic community is going to approve, by and large, and that the enthusiast community will be right there behind it.

That said, my friend (who happens to be a complete gear head) suggested that the new Mustang is hard to love unless you're already a Mustang owner/enthusiast as he just can't find enough new or appealing about this car to be struck by it. He feels like it's just the logical evolution.

Maybe he's right. But I like it.

Ian Duer (320b) > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos 12/13/2013 at 02:09

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I'm aware that's it's a running gag about assholes in BMWs rather than a dig at disabled people. I've probably heard most of them. Parking badly or in reserved/handicapped spots, thinking they're too good for turn signals etc. I don't really get offended by jokes often. I normally tend toward the snarky end of the spectrum myself.

Just in a weird spot at the moment. After a cartoonish breakdown (as in parts on the driveway bizarre), I realized I need to either put my 3-er out to pasture or fix it and relegate to weekend hoonery duties until it finally goes off the the junkyard in the sky. After 7 years and 100k wonderful, none-too-gentle miles it's time. Never thought I'd get so emotionally attached to a machine, but it happened. Even harder is that I've been stuck the GF's autotragic Lancer ES since it the breakdown. Going to pick up a low mileage Saab 900 on Friday or Monday for DD duties; a funky Sweedish 5-door with the correct pedal count will probably go a long way to brightening my spirits. This is not the point in my life to be running around in something with coil-overs and a newly developed habit for puking up parts.. Responsibility now, fun later, yadda yadda. Contemplating a proper write-up because I'm sure these feels are not unique among car people.

MtrRider Just Wants Doritos > Ian Duer (320b) 12/13/2013 at 02:14

0

It sounds like you could benefit from having a motorcycle in your life. Then you can have reliable, cheap transport and lots of fun but still have room for the car you need. Plus, they come in more shades of funky than even the Swedes can fathom.

Ian Duer (320b) > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos 12/13/2013 at 02:26

0

Contemplated bikes many-a-time, and you're correct on the funky part. The number of configurations that seem to offer a diverse set of riding experiences shocks me every time I shop around. One of the old 400cc I-4 proto-sports-bikes is on the vehicular bucket list. Why that in particular? No clue. Just something about them that seems appealing.

Stef Schrader > Lets Just Drive 12/13/2013 at 02:29

0

I like this rant.

And I'm 100000% meh on the Mustang.

Still, people like what they like. The tech they're incorporating now is a welcome sight and hopefully it'll still please the Mustang fans.

MtrRider Just Wants Doritos > Ian Duer (320b) 12/13/2013 at 02:34

1

Speaking of diverse riding experiences...

snkscoyote > Lets Just Drive 12/16/2013 at 22:08

8

There are several magazines devoted to the Mustang, and the rest of the folks have Super Street, Mopar something or other, GM High Performance, D-Sport, etc. -None of which focus on a single model.

The Mustang is the #1 wanted car among Japanese and Korean youth, and despite Mustang Owner's predilection for the most cross-shopped brand - the Jeep Wrangler (also an icon), few things come close to name and brand recognition - and the sheer number of pages (print and online) devoted to it.

It is a secretaries car, it's a Bro car, it's a CEO car, it's a movie star car, it's a Bubba car, errybody loves it. It is very much like a Jeep Wrangler. Anyone can own it, and anybody can finish it to make it their own.

It's always been 75% finished (Someone once said it is the very best unfinished car you can buy) -You finish it yourself for the gearheads - it's always been tuned, it's always been more adult than a Camaro, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Cuda, etc. It's masculine, and adult but pretty and accessible for everyone from secretaries to DudeBrahs & business people (although the Barracuda was similarly adult - just not as pretty).

It's still magic in a bottle, and the Japanese, Australian, Korean, and Irish will finally get their wish.

It's a great car - Greatness inspires hatred.

Lets Just Drive > snkscoyote 12/16/2013 at 22:39

3

This, this made me weep.

iDriveCode3 > PRBot II 12/16/2013 at 22:55

1

As one of those 30+ year olds who grew up in the era of 80's, boxy, and gutless, you have put to paper everything I never even realized I felt about American muscle cars. Uncanny. My first car was a '91 Nissan Sentra sedan, which I held onto until I started making real money - which went straight into an Evo IX (and you'll have to pry the keys from my cold dead hands).

Everything old is new again. Ford makes solid cars but all that recent memory makes it easier for the haters to hate. In thirty years time, which of today's hot commodities will be long forgotten and their successors hated on by the internets? The Miata 9000 may be some bloated, FWD wheezy hybrid, castigated by Google Glass 3.0-wearing Opponauts.

snkscoyote > Lets Just Drive 12/17/2013 at 00:05

3

They will sell more than 10% overseas - Guaranteed.

snkscoyote > Lets Just Drive 12/17/2013 at 00:14

0

I wouldn't be surprised to see a factory in China and/or Eastern Europe soon - as with the Wrangler...

I don't know that they should, but I wouldn't be surprised...

snkscoyote > snkscoyote 12/17/2013 at 00:17

0

The Mustang is Brad Pitt AND Angelina Jolie wrapped in sheetmetal.

realist > Lets Just Drive 12/17/2013 at 00:21

0

My thoughts

Vis Mustang and latest Corvette. I'm not an American but an Australian. Loved jalopnic except for the last few months . Why, because of the US bias. So now you have a Corvette you think is almost as good as a basic Ferrari so it is the best sports car in the world. Think again. It's appearance is uncoordinated and not as beautiful as the two models ago iteration. Sure its fast if breathed on by a tuner but its still a old mans poser car, look at the price. As for the Mustang it's just catching up on car tech from a decade past. WoW, independent rear suspension, I bet those Europeans wish they had thought of that! Turbo 4 cylinder engine, watch out BMW caught you by surprise. And ugly has a new name. I'm not a hater, just a realist. Australia has just lost its last car manufacturer because it tried to keep making shit cars that 1% of the motoring population were conned into believing they wanted by idiot journalists, and their stupid stereotypes are being echoed on this website. Get in touch with the world and grow up past 14 years old, or loose your readers.

Cheers

Lets Just Drive > realist 12/17/2013 at 00:25

5

Case in point.

Thank you for that. I think that, because I shared this on Oppo, it didn't draw out the hater crowd I expected yet, the moment it hits the FP by way of Oppo's "Best of..." I get to use the phrase, "Case in point."

You, good sir, have completely proven my point.

So, thank you.

Thank you for being the first Hater reply.

Paul, Man of Mustangs > snkscoyote 12/17/2013 at 01:01

1

Very well written. I actually wish that the Mustang came LESS finished! Like, I just want a V8, seats, and empty sockets for the sound system. I'll toss in the suspension I want and the sound system I like best.

In college, I was at a student car show when some German exchange students started gawking all over my '65 Mustang, saying how they would totally have one if gas weren't so expensive, and then a Korean girl was in love with my '94, or at least the way I drove it. The international desire is absolutely there as I witnessed.

I can't wait for the 2015 to start popping up in Britain so that Top Gear has to test it!

snkscoyote > realist 12/17/2013 at 01:03

2

Toyota's leaving, too... Do you breathe heavy when you see a Camry? How about that Corolla?

Fenderaddict2 > Lets Just Drive 12/17/2013 at 01:12

3

Wasn't a Mustang guy, but now I have two, with a third, a 15+ probably on the way. Know why? The people and the passion. People hate BMW and or Corvette drivers but they hate the Mustang. Because, as you said it outlasted the pretenders to the throne. But more than that it's the people. The biggest spread of sex, wealth, education, culture, race and so on all united by an unjustified passion for a car that, like no other, can be made your own. Simply put, you meet the most interesting people in a Mustang. This car, going global may even result in world peace. Thus the hater... They need to hate the one spreading simple joy the most.

snkscoyote > PRBot II 12/17/2013 at 01:13

1

Camaro and firebird are not boxy, they were wedgy.

That's why they lost. Too low to the ground, not enough height for an adult to get in or out of, and too boy racerish.

It's why the 3000GT/Stealth failed after less than a decade. They were not adult cars. There were not even two generations of that car, no one bought it.

Those who did experienced the same crankwalk, and transmission problems as the rest of the DSM cars.

The adult driven Mustangs could withstand the boy racers, because EVERYBODY bought them.

The Secretaries' cars, doctors' cars, housewives' cars are still in great demand, and on the road.

You rarely see any 3000GT/Stealths on the road anymore.

I see more Mustang IIs on the road than Stealths, 300ZXs, etc. What you identify as a weakness is actually the strength of the Mustang formula.

Everyone whines about the wheel gap - guess what? If you are interested in racing the car, that's easily fixed. You can easily transform the car into a Boy Racer, if that's what you want. If you are an adult and want a car that you can enter and exit gracefully, you aren't going to buy a Stealth.

Nobody, not even Miata drivers drive stock suspension on a road course.

Lets Just Drive > Fenderaddict2 12/17/2013 at 01:13

0

Had two myself.

Capt. Janeway's Imaginary Cat > Lets Just Drive 12/17/2013 at 01:42

2

I have a coworker who is super-smart and overall a really nice person but when it comes to products, he always has to put down one over another. For example, Ford sucks because Chevys are better, or Microsoft sucks because Apple. It's puzzling to understand how people can't appreciate qualities from every manufacturers or teams or whatever. I don't think it's a contradiction but I suppose it's human nature to pick a side.

Capt. Janeway's Imaginary Cat > Ian Duer (320b) 12/17/2013 at 01:48

1

You definitely sound like you don't like popular cars. That's unfortunate because you are limiting yourself to obscure cars (I totally understand about the Z3 M cause it's one of my dream cars) but to dismiss a fun car for because it has a popular following (even BMW, or actually especially BMWs have this stigma!) is counter-productive to what you believe in, which I think is the love of driving for driving sakes.

Capt. Janeway's Imaginary Cat > snkscoyote 12/17/2013 at 01:54

1

When my dad immigrated from Korea, a red 66 Mustang was his dream and he eventually bought one. He wasn't wealthy by any means but he was able to find a job to be able to buy one new. I think that makes it awesome; that any person who wants a good fun sporty car, can attain one. And for that I will always respect and consider the Mustang (in red).

Capt. Janeway's Imaginary Cat > realist 12/17/2013 at 02:01

1

No you are a hater. All of your points have been made to justify your hate for American cars. Case in point, you put down Mustangs for catching up with IRS and 4-cylinder turbo engines. If you are truly a car enthusiast, you would welcome any manufacturer for getting with the times to compete and get better. Instead, you show your bias by saying that they are only catching up and that makes them inferior. You should be applauding them for it.

Ian Duer (320b) > Capt. Janeway's Imaginary Cat 12/17/2013 at 02:13

0

It's not that I dismiss a car because it's popular. It just seems less special, not less fun. For me driving is a very personal experience. Nailing an apex is about nailing an apex, not about following a "more correct line" than the next guy. Over the course of my life I've learned to have fun in some pretty "boring" cars. I guess I'm hard on "look fast" cars for that reason.

I got to see a weird mix of people due to where I grew up. To me a Camaro/Mustang/Challenger is the blue-collar equivalent of the BMW/Mercedes/Audi of the suburbs or what the RX7/Z-car/Supra are to the F&F set. These cars are what many people buy when they want to "look the part." There are few things I hate more than some "bro" patting me on the back saying "my buddy had one of those, he got sooooo much pussy because of it." Screw that noise.

None of this stopped me from buying a 3-series after I drove one and it just felt right. There's a good chance that when the new Mustang with IRS comes out I may feel the same way. I haven't sampled a 'stang since the SN95, and it wasn't my thing.

Capt. Janeway's Imaginary Cat > Ian Duer (320b) 12/17/2013 at 02:20

0

No I understand your point. I fight it as well (especially Mercedes AMGs that the drivers don't seem to appreciate ;) ). I just wanted to point out the fact that sometimes we are so specific about our love of a particular model or make that we overlook that mainstream cars can be just as valid as an enthusiast car as a Porsche 911 GT2 or an BMW M3. In fact, I would say they are even better because they are accessible to the average person who may not be so appreciative of driving.

Ian Duer (320b) > Capt. Janeway's Imaginary Cat 12/17/2013 at 02:32

1

I, admittedly, get too caught up in nuances sometimes. I get sad when things get dumbed down. Too often I see "regular folks" describe direct steering as "darty" or a precise manual setup as "unforgiving." I guess it rubs me the wrong way. I don't tend to get hung up on politics or sports so I probably redirect some of that nastiness towards people who want to have this "cool car" but wish it was "easier" which often mean less fun for enthusiasts.

JustWaitingForAMate > Lets Just Drive 12/17/2013 at 02:48

2

Let it be noted that the Hater does not represent the views of all Australians on Oppo/Jalop and is most likely just some poofter melbourne shitcunt arts degree earning millennial hipster piece of shit.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > realist 12/17/2013 at 05:29

1

I guess if you don't want American bias, you probably shouldn't frequent a website based in New York and staffed by American auto journalists. Just say'n... Also you don't sound like a realist, you just sound angry and bitter.

Lets Just Drive > Capt. Janeway's Imaginary Cat 12/17/2013 at 15:02

1

It's a mentality based on and derived from consumerist culture and brand loyalty. These exploitations of human nature prey on the idea that what we invest in, we become invested in. It's a paradox, however, as almost all of us in the Western World need cars and computers to simply exist in this culture of ours yet we'll go at each other, go for the throat, if there's even the slightest indication that your (the greater your) opinion of a thing will be affected by our (the greater our) opinion of a thing. Manufactures and corporations depend on this.

Lets Just Drive > JustWaitingForAMate 12/17/2013 at 15:03

1

Thank you for that. Your litany of insults brightened my day.

"... some poofter melbourne shitcunt arts degree earning millennial hipster piece of shit."

Philbert/Phartnagle > Lets Just Drive 12/17/2013 at 22:27

1

Great story!

I've owned a lot of Mustangs over the years from a 1965, up to a 2005 and not a one of them has ever let me down nor left me stranded on the roadside. I still own 2 Mustangs and I probably will still own them when it's my turn to pass on.

Lets Just Drive > Philbert/Phartnagle 12/17/2013 at 22:31

1

My first car was an '88 GT.

Presently own an '06 V6 (hey, we've each got our crosses to carry eh?).

And I'm seriously considering an S550 in the next two years.

Here's my current pony.

Philbert/Phartnagle > Lets Just Drive 12/17/2013 at 22:57

1

Cool! I currently own a heavily modified 86 GT and a low mileage triple white 89 GT Convertible. The 86 GT has always been mine and the 89 GT belonged to my youngest daughter who was killed by a drunk driver in 2007.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with your 06 V6. Our 05 was a V6 too and we loved it. It rode and handled decent and had pretty good power for a V6. The only reason we parted with it was because we owned too many cars at the time (we also had a 99 V6 that we bought new along with the 86 and 89) and we were offered too good a deal on a trade in. By trading the 2 Mustangs and buying the wife a new Milan we actually cut our monthly car payment cost by $70 and our insurance costs by several hundred dollars a year. I would have rather kept the Mustangs, but sometime you have to make sacrifices I guess.

Sorry I don't have any current pics of the two Mustangs I have left. The 86 GT is medium canyon red and I have put a crapload of money into it. When it comes out next summer it will be supercharged and packing around 600 HP, which in turn will necessitate a better transmission, brakes, clutch etc., etc., and no I have NOT told the wife that little detail yet. ;)

The 89 GT vert is probably an 8 out of a 1-10 scale and it is pretty much factory at this point. However my family and I are going to mod it the way our daughter/sister wanted it and her sister will show it at car shows along with her story and a message about drinking and driving.

I hope you get an S550 if that is what you desire. Everyone should at some point in their life, be able to fulfill at least one of their automotive desires. Mine was a supercharged Mustang and after many years it and its supercharger are sitting in my garage now.

thebigbossyboss > PRBot II 12/17/2013 at 23:03

0

Those are actually my favorite of the mustangs and the Camaro's. I don't know why, I am a 90's kid, but they just have always looked awesome to me.

Lets Just Drive > Philbert/Phartnagle 12/17/2013 at 23:14

0

I am so very sorry to learn about the loss of your daughter. I only recently became a father with the birth of my daughter. I pray the passing of your daughter brought brightness into the world, if only in some little way. I cannot imagine the feeling of losing your child and until I became a father I couldn't imagine imagining it.

What I can imagine, however; is owning a stable full of Mustangs.

I loved my Fox body so freaking much. It was basically the antithesis of what all the cool kids were doing when I got it back in the late 90's. Every cool kid with money was buying a CRX, cutting the springs and loading it with as much stereo as possible. I went the other way, pretty much. Mine had miles on it, and I live in Canada, and it'd been beaten around but that didn't stop me from stripping the back seat and most of the interior, doing headers and straight pipes, and basically making the thing as deadly as possible. Oh, I don't mean deadly like, "I'll blow your doors off, son!" I mean deadly like, "I'll toss you out the door, son!"

Still, I loved that car. I guess gas wasn't as expensive as it is now, even with inflation, because even though I delivered pizza in it, I managed to pretty much always have gas in the tank. I used to call myself The Deliverator and you'll get that if you ever read Snowcrash .

Eventually, I had to have a stereo loaded car too and traded my Mustang down the river to sail that ship. Between now and then I've had a string of cars, from an STI down to a 760 Turbo and only recently have I ended up back in a Mustang. I've only had it for a little over a year and when I bought it I was actually shopping for a BRZ. In fact, if this pony hadn't come along - and I mean this exact car at this exact price (1/3rd what I was about to pay) - I wouldn't have wound up in a Mustang at all because the facelifted S197 V6 didn't thrill me enough for the price while the BRZ did. This car, this car was meant for me and it all just came together to remind me how much I love Mustangs.

I've driven pretty much every Mustang forward of the Fox and a II once also, but I dream of owning a stable full. I'd buy a barn and convert it to a garage while keeping the theme of a horse stable so each car would have its own.

But what I'm discovering, much to my surprise with a young baby in tow, is that a Mustang is actually a pretty excellent family car.

PRBot II > thebigbossyboss 12/17/2013 at 23:18

0

I'm just a sucker for the sleek modern looking stuff. Same way with music, movies, and everything else. Can't help it.

Philbert/Phartnagle > Lets Just Drive 12/17/2013 at 23:41

1

Thank you for the condolences and congratulations on the birth of your daughter.

There's absolutely, positively nothing like having a child of your own to love nurture and raise. You will be surprised at how it changes you and your whole outlook on the world. I wish you and your family the very best for the future.

The loss of my daughter was the absolute darkest period of my life and I still have trouble coping with the loss to this day. The brightness came with the births of our younger grandchildren of which I have five now. They help fill the void, not completely, but enough to help us deal with the pain and sorrow. The scumbag drunk just got out of prison last month, god willing, he will never cross my path again because I don't know if I can control myself if he does.

You started out with the perfect car IMO and thankfully you did not fold to peer pressure and go the fast and furious route. I agree the 06 is a good family car. Our 05 had the child seat restraints already in place when we got it (maybe they come that way?) and other than having to fold the front seat forward it presented no problem loading and unloading the grandkids.

P.S. I looked up Snowcrash on Amazon and it looks to be very interesting. I placed it in my wish list to be added to my next purchase. Thanks for mentioning it, I love to read.

I also love the barn and stables idea. As soon as I win the lottery....... ;)

Lets Just Drive > Philbert/Phartnagle 12/18/2013 at 00:13

1

You get a stable of Mustangs!

You get a stable of Mustangs!

And you get a stable of Mustangs!

And you...

If life worked like that, none of us would have to endure the hardships of life. But then again, we might never know how good the good parts are. What I can say is that I've never undergone such a change in... everything... in my life since our daughter was born. I mean, everything. Conceptually, practically, realistically, logistically...

Case in point, before her birth (which came as something of a surprise to my wife and I as we'd had issues previously; we're early 30's) my only goal in life, in terms of the immediate future, was to build the Mustang. That was it.

The moment we knew, though, that all went out the window and gladly. During the pregnancy, I'd have moments of want where I'd stare longingly at the credit card thinking, "Just some wheels, or an exhaust. Just, just... "

Doesn't matter.

Here's the rub; I want my daughter to love cars. In some way, some how, I want her to be into cars and I feel like giving up the Mustang, just because we're parents now, would be admitting defeat on some level. And kids love cars anyway, babies go to sleep like logs in cars and our little girl seems to really enjoy the low burble of the pony (there's a little niceness in the car). On the highway, well you know how an S197 is on the highway and Mustangs are in general, they have sound. I mean, cabin sound. That's a good thing, by my book even if the anit-Mustang types will call it a flaw. She loves it. Just nods right off.

I've lost the point, and now I'm beyond scrolling up to see what I was aiming for.

So, yeah. Glad to know yah!

Philbert/Phartnagle > Lets Just Drive 12/18/2013 at 00:47

1

Hey, I'd get you a stable of them too, it was your idea first after all.

If you're gonna dream, dream big.

I had to give up all of my early modding dreams starting with the birth of our first daughter too. (she's in her late 30's now, wife and I are in our 50s) and I have spent the last 10+ years working on and saving money for parts for the 86 GT. I don't regret one minute of the time spent having and raising our children as it was and always will be the best times of our lives.

All of our girls (4) liked riding in our Mustangs when they were little and would nod off too, even in the loudest ones and the "Flowmaster drone" was excellent in helping them do so too.

I'm glad to know you too, see you around here and I look forward to reading more of your stories.

Saf1 > Lets Just Drive 02/13/2014 at 09:37

1

Um, WOW?! It's so much sleeker looking than the last one. Love the way the front half flows. This is miles better than the last.

Lets Just Drive > Saf1 02/13/2014 at 15:46

1

I'm not sure if I like it more than the current (and pre-facelift) S197 but I do like it... a lot.