Oppo Review: 2005 Ford Mustang V6 Convertible

"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa) 01/14/2016 at 19:02 • Filed to: mustang, review

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The automatic V6 Mustang, especially with a ragtop, has long been derided among the un-clever as a “chick car” on par with the Miata, due to its muscle car looks with no muscle to back it up in a daddy-got-this-for-my-16th-birthday package. But what is it really? Does 200hp make a “muscle car”?

Lol, nope. But it makes a decent non-boring commuter.

Looks

This is my favorite Mustang generation. It’s got clean lines, fender flares, it’s old enough to be cheap on the used market (My expensive choice? The current generation), and yet new enough to have a nice amount of toys (My old choice? Fox body) and driver comfort options. The headlights are round sealed-beam throwbacks poised on either side of a full-width perfectly flat grille/bumper character line. Sometimes there are foglights tossed in there because unregulated lighting is superfunhappygoodtimes, and also so that Grandpa has something he can blind everyone off because nobody told him that foglights are not supposed to be turned on when driving on a clear night. Sigh.

There are no hips, there are no unnecessary creases. The car could easily be carved out of a section of 2x4 with just a few deft strokes of a blade. In my mind, it’s a rather timeless design that I believe will age much better than the more immature facelift with its go-fast creases, hips, and multilevel hood.

The soft top looks godawful. The coupe is the Mustang to have, with its strong arching smooth greenhouse plopped on the top of the 2x4. The soft top is a weird amalgamation of angles and slopes.

It says Mustang on the sides of the car in case you forgot what you were driving. How considerate.

Interior

Eeeeh.

eeeeeh

The interior of the Mustang is alright. The important parts feel nice, the steering wheel is a decent diameter, the automatic shifter feels solid, and in typical Ford fashion the seats are very comfortable though there is a lack of bolstering, but everything else in the car is made of the exact same textured hard plastic. Rattles and squeaks — though fewer than expected — make themselves known in the cabin, and the weak little door speakers alone are able to create a cacophony of racket in the flimsy doors. I will say this though: It looks amazing. The Mustang’s interior is unique and stylish. Chrome rings around the dials, the neat symmetrical bumps in the upper pad that make my brain happy, and these dials.

So damn retro. I’m amused the speedo only goes to 120.

So retro

Acceleration

Eh. The 4.0 liter Cologne V6 mated to a 5 speed automatic transmission does its job. It gets the car from zero to sixty in who cares and the shifts are quick and smooth. The engine actually makes a really nice noise for being essentially a truck motor, and it does feel lively enough to be fun with a little over 200hp and around 250 ft lb of torque depending on who you ask. If I had one big complaint about the powertrain aside from the lack of a third pedal which I think would make this car MUCH more fun it’s that the kickdown is garbage. Floor it on the highway and you’ll go down one gear, which does nothing, and then finally it’ll drop a second gear and squat down and take off. I was able to count three seconds between my action and the car’s reaction on several occasions.

Handling

Ugh. I’m coming from a car with a LSD, IRS, and a 50/50 weight distribution. This car has none of that. It’s a live axle nose-heavy son of a sledgehammer that sort of does whatever it damn well pleases in the corners. Body roll is relatively controlled and turn-in is quick enough that it gives the illusion of handling better than it really does.

Conclusion

The Mustang provides a quiet, not-boring way to get to work and back with minimal effort, and looks fairly damn good while doing it.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/14/2016 at 19:10

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Without taking the rest of the driving experience in hand, my biggest takaway from driving one of these is how much I HATE the shifter.

Future next gen S2000 owner > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/14/2016 at 19:10

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I’ll break convention. I hate that generation. Of course I hate anything retro. I’ll agree with you though, this version is not built for the corners.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Future next gen S2000 owner 01/14/2016 at 19:15

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Most people hate this generation. The design is “too boring” for them.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/14/2016 at 19:35

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I was thinking that eventually when the kids grow up/move out and I want a cheap coupe, a used V6 Mustang coupe with stick might be a good option. Even with the 4L V6, they are fast enough with a 0-60 times in the ~6.5 second range.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/14/2016 at 20:07

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Of all the retro Stangs (05+) this is my favorite.

I hate how every redesign kept making the tail lights angled higher and higher.

I’m a convertible person though so I like the idea of it.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/14/2016 at 20:10

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That interior... brutal color scheme

Burn-Spaz1966-Burn > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/14/2016 at 20:43

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When did the,“Pony”, Package come out? V-6 and GT suspension? I think that would be something to look for.

DoYouEvenShift > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/14/2016 at 21:41

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These Mustangs + a junkyard 3.5 ecoboost = lotsa fun

daender > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/14/2016 at 21:48

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Ew, parchment is my least favorite of the 7 offered on the S197. Best is the black interior with red accents, works best on silver, white, black, and red-colored Mustang GTs. Also, the interior looks better with the silver trim, imo.

daender > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/14/2016 at 21:49

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I think if you go any faster the driveshaft says “fuck you” and ragequits.

Michael Woyahn > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/14/2016 at 21:59

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My family has a Mustang convertible of the same generation. It’s a silver 2007 without the decals, thankfully, and it was a rental. Despite this, it has held up well. Our has the premium package, so it gets the Shaker stereo, a leather wrapped steering wheel with silver accents, and “leather” seats. I think the leather seats are a must with a convertible, so if a bird poops in it, you can wipe it right off. They also hold up really well to some tough situations, like when a deer jumps in the back seat.

I totally agree with everything you said. I think this generation looks great, but I’m obviously biased. The engine is pretty good, and powerful enough for me to drive from 16-18 without getting me into too much trouble. It sounds great to me, too. Nice write up!

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Michael Woyahn 01/15/2016 at 00:00

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A stereo upgrade is definitely on the list. So little road noise that I can get away without tons of power.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > daender 01/15/2016 at 00:00

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It just makes me happy that it’s 0-120 with 60mph right at the top.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > daender 01/15/2016 at 00:01

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Oh, that’s nice.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > DoYouEvenShift 01/15/2016 at 00:01

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How difficult is that swap? I’d assume a ton of wiring harness adaptation is needed.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/15/2016 at 00:02

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Yeah. It’s not terribly pretty, but it sort of disappears when you’re in it.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/15/2016 at 00:02

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The design is so goddamn CLEAN. Just what it needs to be. The important parts of the classic mustangs with as little going on as possible. Unf.

DoYouEvenShift > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/15/2016 at 07:39

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I dont think it would be too bad honestly. I think Ive seen that Ford offers a controller and harness for swaps. So that should make it easier.

wiffleballtony > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/15/2016 at 08:41

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I think for a convertible, the V6 is the correct choice.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/16/2016 at 14:50

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You’re right, because I think the facelift and SN95s look much better than the ‘05-09 cars.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 01/16/2016 at 17:49

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But they’re so goddamned juvenile

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/16/2016 at 18:01

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I don’t understand your meaning?

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 01/16/2016 at 18:24

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The New Edge SN95 and the refreshed 2010-2014 cars are incredibly childish. The New Edge is all SHARP EDGES AND BRAAAAWWWWWGH ANGRY SQUINTY HEADLIGHTS RAWR LOOK AT HOW BOXY AND MUSCULAR I AM and the facelifted 2010-2014 cars are all CREASES AND FODLS AND MOAR ANGLES AND LOOKIT DEM HIPS YO AND INTAKES ON INTAKES ON INTAKES AND FAKE BRAKE VENTS.

So juvenile.

Burn-Spaz1966-Burn > DoYouEvenShift 01/22/2016 at 19:52

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First thing get the suspension you want before adding more power.

Burn-Spaz1966-Burn > Burn-Spaz1966-Burn 01/22/2016 at 19:54

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6 pounds of boast either turbo or Super charger. no wiring mess.