Things I'm considering

"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa) 06/12/2019 at 19:23 • Filed to: None

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Here in a year when I’m able to pay cash for one I’d like to pick up an ‘05-’09 Mustang GT coupe with a manual. Blue, preferably. The 3-valve mod isn’t a screamer but if a manual RWD coupe with 300hp isn’t enough for you to have some fun with then the problem is you, not the car. I fell in love with the neo-retro-futuristic-buzzword bar-of-soap-with-fender-flares look of these in 2005 when they came out and blew my mind about as much as the Audi R8 did a year later. I think this would be an excellent daily for a dude with a wife and no kids. Spacious enough for road trips and reasonably fun to drive when we get to our destination.

Just like this one. Meaty five spoke retro wheels, fog lights in the grille, and no graphics or spoiler. Maybe get rid of the “GT” badge. Gotta have the Shaker 1000 and aluminum/leather wheel. If not blue I’d settle for white or silver with red interior.

Are these great cars? Hell no. They handle “meh” at best, they’re severely outclassed by the 5.0 facelifted models and out-cheaped by the SN95s, the interior build quality is laughable (fucking door panels I swear to god) and the door handles fall off.

But I had one before. A 2005 V6 ‘vert auto. And I absolutely loved it despite all the first-year issues (door handles, shitty exhaust tuning that results in weird resonances, etc.) and only sold it due to the time bomb 4.0 SOHC. It was the first “modern” car I owned and I was proud as shit of it and badly want to own another S197.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/12/2019 at 19:43

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That’s an interesting take. I’m one of the people that just couldn’t love the pre-LCI S197. Honestly I’d prefer a S95. But just like how I have a soft spot for the first gen Focus (my first car), I get it. 

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/12/2019 at 19:49

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I thought about getting one last time I was shopping, but they were all way too expensive for 10-15 year old Ford. For the same money I bought my e90. 

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/12/2019 at 19:50

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For what I would imagine is not too dissimilar cash, you could probably pick up an S550 V6 with a manual. That would still be RWD with an LSD, 6- speed manual and 300hp, but so much vastly better driving in every way. It’ll also get 28+mpg on the highway on cheap gas.

Say, something like one that lives at my house:

lone_liberal > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/12/2019 at 19:55

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I bought one new in ‘05. It was a red GT with Shaker 500 and the aluminum trim with cloth seats. It was impossible to find a GT on dealer lots so I had to order it.  Great road trip car.

dogisbadob > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/12/2019 at 19:56

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You should consider a V6 6-speed Accord coupe

The 3V V8 sucks and likes to break spark plugs (they use these stupid 2-piece things)

jimz > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/12/2019 at 19:57

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just try to find out which axle ratio it has. Back before teh Jelopnic shitcanned me, I got in the story about my 2010 GT.  I’m not joking when I say that car didn’t feel all that fast. 

jimz > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 06/12/2019 at 19:58

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yeah but the S550 is ugly.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > jimz 06/12/2019 at 20:00

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I’d have bought a V6 Camero in that class of car had it been up to me, but the person that did buy it loves it, which means I lovingly maintain it.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > jimz 06/12/2019 at 20:10

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Booooooo

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > jimz 06/12/2019 at 20:13

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STOP LYING SON. 

Chariotoflove > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 06/12/2019 at 20:17

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Perfect color.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > dogisbadob 06/12/2019 at 20:20

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FWD and no V8 noises+unobtanium . Pass.

dogisbadob > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/12/2019 at 20:25

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But it’s got VTAK which adds like 1000 hp ;)

daender > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/12/2019 at 20:35

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I loved pop’s ‘08 GT in Titanium Alloy metallic. The only body accessory it had was the GT wing (but we were trying to find a V6 trunk to swap for the ducktail spoiler). I loved it but the fact the interior was starting to rattle on long highway trips make me fall out of love with it. That said, before the interior rattles, it was awesome driving to Ohio from SC and then back. They eat up interstate miles pretty well if you don’t have a sensitive back.  We had the Shaker 500 radio and it was alright, pops didn’t care for the trunk-mounted speaker that came with the 1000 as he preferred the additional trunk capacity.

The only mods done were an aftermarket front shock tower brace, non-adjustable orange Koni shocks, New Edge GT wheels (they have 5mm lower offset than the S197 but I did it for the darker spokes) and Bullitt muffler (they made a huge improvement in exhaust sound quality without being uncivilized when cruising around).

I think pops sold it with 70k miles for like $12k about 2 years ago.

jimz > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 06/12/2019 at 21:07

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sorry, that droopy bull-nosed *thing* looks like crap compared to the 2010-2012.  Globalizing the Mustang ruined it. 

gmctavish needs more space > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/12/2019 at 21:31

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My coworker has an 09 GT, manual. I drove it around a bit, it’s sort of like a fast truck with a car seating position. I enjoyed it, the grunt of the V8 was addicting. I absolutely could never own one, even if only because of the certainty of speeding tickets. The gearbox is surprisingly lovely to use. 

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/12/2019 at 21:40

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A 14 year old ford, what could possibly go wrong?

3 Jeeps and a Mazda wants a Fiata > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/13/2019 at 02:20

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2010 GT fixes most of the issues of the 05-09 cars . Way nicer interior, spark plugs that dont break, and the 3V is the Bullitt version so 315 horsepower. Put some borla axle backs on and enjoy the sound. Shifting is still shitty with the remote mount setup and these eat alternators for lunch. $13.5k for 75,000 miles with track pack, 3.73 gears, and premium is hard to beat.

i86hotdogs > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/13/2019 at 07:38

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I dreamed of owning one of these when I was young (I was 13 when these came out!). My neighbor had a v6 with the pony package, and would beg for rides all the time. 

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/13/2019 at 09:56

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I used to think this was the best looking of the retro inspired muscle cars but my thinking has changed; I’d not say challenger but if I wanted some V8 American car in my life I’d find a GTO.

Speed > dogisbadob 06/13/2019 at 10:28

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I just dealt with those things for the first time the other day on my mother-in-law’s ‘06 Navigator.

I had to make a debri extraction tool out of a vacuum and an old coil boot and use a magnet to extract the plug from the hole after only getting lucky once with needle nose pliers. The plug is down in a freaking pit! I’ve never seen a spark plug like that in my life and MAN those things are expensive!

I was warned against breaking them too. Apparently it’s advised to loosen and retighten them every so many miles to avoid them seizing. There is, however, an extraction tool you can rent from Advance just encase you do break one.

I have a soft spot for modular Fords, but only that. Every time I work on one I curse Blue Oval engineers and it further feeds my propensity to suggest Chevy  s wapping all the things.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 06/13/2019 at 10:43

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I love the challenger. The GTO looks like a bloated Cavalier to me. Both are far, far more expensive than an S197.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > 3 Jeeps and a Mazda wants a Fiata 06/13/2019 at 10:43

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Yeah but it’s a facelift therefore I don’t care.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > daender 06/13/2019 at 10:45

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Yeah, that’s about in line with my experiences with my V6 vert. The interior was okay albeit the easiest interior to disassemble I’ve ever seen. my V6 had the super tiny front sway bar and no rear so it handled like absolute dogshit but I don’t expect a corner carver... supposedly these sell for $6-7k with under 100k on the clock at dealer options so I may prod my dealer friends next year about finding me one.

Speed > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/13/2019 at 10:46

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Base level Mustangs are never phenomenal out of the gate, however, they’re blank canvases with enormous performance potential. That has always been the case. Look at the handling numbers on a base 3v S197 vs a Boss 302. Big gains can be had using OEM components. Going aftermarket takes it even further.

They’re surprising in a straight line too. I used to beat them up pretty bad in my ‘98 Z28, but with a couple mods they’d be right on my tail or edge me out of I goofed up on the line. They’re incredibly easy to get into the 12's with traction and some basic bolt-ons. That’s enough to fend of most stuff you’ll encounter on the street, especially if you can outlaunch them.

I’ve had a ‘96 3.8, a ‘95 5.0 and have driven some New Edge 4.6 cars as well as my friend’s S197 Bullitt. I really enjoy the S197 because they really departed from the Fairmont roots of the Fox and SN95. The seating and shifter position are a huge plus, the chassis is significantly stiffer and they’re less prone to snap oversteer. Driving one reminded me more of an F-Body than a Fox Body from a dynamics standpoint.

Down the road, a Coyote swap would also be cake walk on an S197. You can find the F150 5.0's for around $2k give or take.

Also, have you considered a 2011+ 3.7 Mustang? I think one would be a tough choice over a 3v, but they make good power, have decent fuel economy and have the 8.8 rear like the GT’s. 

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Speed 06/13/2019 at 11:02

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I only really like these cars for the looks above everything else so if the answer was “a later Mustang” the answer would actually be a Gencoupe or C5 Corvette because I have no love for the facelift.

I have read that about the seating position. I did like the ergonomics of my V6 S197 a whole lot more than my fox body. Didn’t think about a coyote swap... intriguing idea. It does amuse me how Mustangs seem to be the exception to “the CAI box says 5hp” because bolt ons legitimately add a shocking amount of power to these cars, as evidenced by how Ford’s own OEM performance packs consist of tunes and cold air intakes and exhausts and have significant power increases over the base models .

Speed > 3 Jeeps and a Mazda wants a Fiata 06/13/2019 at 12:19

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You just taught me a whole lot that I didn’t realize about the 2010's. I always ignored them because of how ridiculous the Coyote is, but I did some digging on the track pack cars and I’m impressed. Mid 13's at 104 is pretty good for a factory 4.6. 108ft 60-0 is even more impressive. I wasn’t aware these things were essentially Bullitt’s considering the intake and 3.73's. Very cool!

*heads off to craigslist*

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/14/2019 at 11:21

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I agree about the Pontiacs looks but they have grown on me quite a bit.

Challengers are certainly more expensive but GTOs can be found for  comparable prices(the market on them is wider than most cars I think).