valentinoamoro
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<Added a few more based on feedback>
I shared my initial impressions of my Mustang shortly after picking it up from the dealer (here: http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15388) and one thing I mentioned was the body panel alignment was poor.
Things to check for (in order to difficulty to address):
The rear window/glass and rear brake light. This is usually tilted (raised on the right looking at it from the rear). I fortunately did not have this issue and its difficult to correct - as the problem is not necessarily with the window but the frame. Also, removing the window can create long term issues of the seal.
Passenger side front fender: Mine was terribly mis-aligned, it stuck out a quarter inch from the door. Fixed by my Ford dealers body shop. Alignment looks great now (A). Others have reported door rubbing on fender and paint peeling. I did not have that issue.
Rear trunk lid: Mine was uneven, meaning, the place where it meets the rear quarter panel was raised on one side (drivers) Vs the passenger. Fixed by my Ford dealer body shop. Looks good now (B+), not perfect, but much better (about 1mm off) and not noticeable - my wife doesnt understand what I'm pointing at! Nothing else can be done as the panel itself is not an exact fit to the frame. Additionally, other folks have the rear trunk lid/black panel uneven on where it meets the rear bumper. I did not have this issue.
Front hood: Mine was lifted about 1/4th in the drivers side front/where it meets the front nose/headlight. Additionally, the center was pulled in about 2mm's below the bumper. I adjusted the rubber stoppers and alignment is much better. Additionally, the dealer body shop raised the center latch and its no longer 'pinched in' the center. Overall happy with the look now, its an A- (where A would be perfect).
Gas cap: My gas cap was raised at the bottom, so it stuck out above the rear quarter panel. Body shop used a heat gun to bend the plastic gas cap (taking great care to make sure it doesnt warp or ruin the paint). Took them 10 mins, looks perfect (A).
Tight rear and front bumpers where they meet the fenders quarter panel (no gap): Body shop said not an issue and visually it looks great (as there is no gap) but I was worried it was too tight and there would be rubbing (no signs of rubbing issues so far - make sure yours is not peeling/demaged). Body shop said short of new bumpers- which may or may not fix issue nothing can be done (and its not worth doing) as the mounting clips are tight.
Doors: Some people have complained about misaligned doors (too low, offset). I didnt have any.
Rocker panels: Some people have complained about misaligned rocker panels - that stick out by a few mm's to the wheel wells. No issue with that on my car.
For convertible owners: Make sure you inspect the car with the top up (focusing on the rear window!). Some are horribly misaligned.
Dents from the factory/Big scratches in the paint - I didnt have any but some people do. Look carefully for those.
Interior Trim: One complaint I saw here was that some customers got mismatched/wrong trim parts (no leather when they ordered it, paddle shifters on manual cars, mixed PP and brushed aluminium dash) and others got scuffed up interiors.
According to both my Ford dealer almost all the Ford Mustangs (they said except one) had issues with alignment (and I saw this on every car on the show room over the few times I was there). Additionally, the body shop said they see this in Ford's in general - but most people dont notice. He did say the Mustang was the worst as they dont use a lot of high precision robots in final assembly. This is exacerbated in the 2015's as the shape is very complex. According to them, unless Ford overhauls the machinery in Dearborn it will be difficult to address (look at what Ford considered acceptable tolerances for body panels on the Mustang, its not great).
Regardless, the dealer took care of me (Ford was not involved) and the car looks great - they even gave me a free nice loaner. I feel Ford should get it right in the first place though. A key tip - if you care about these things, have the dealer fix them before you pick it up (I didn't). Additionally, be willing to walk away. I was too emotionally attached to a purchase I had ordered 8 months ago. Lastly, inspect it in bright light and look out for the things I mentioned, I didnt see most of this till I went home, partly because its difficult to see in the evening/dark lot and secondly because I didnt know what to look for. Lastly, DO NOT have the dealer wash the car (have them put a 'No Wash' sign on it). I insisted they don't when I placed my order and I'm really glad - the paint is flawless. A lot of people who did picked up brand new cars that were quite scratched/swirled/scuffed - the dealers 'detailers' are generally C grade or they use machines Some of the defects cannot be fixed period without structural work and you will be stuck with it (if this kind of stuff bothers you). Lastly, if your car already has issues, ask the dealer to work with their bodyshop (and take care of the comps) and then interface with the body shop directly. A good one (like the one I had) can do all of this in a few hours! All depends on who your dealer is of course.
Best of luck and hope this helps! Loving the car though - what an insane grin inducing machine.
I shared my initial impressions of my Mustang shortly after picking it up from the dealer (here: http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15388) and one thing I mentioned was the body panel alignment was poor.
Things to check for (in order to difficulty to address):
The rear window/glass and rear brake light. This is usually tilted (raised on the right looking at it from the rear). I fortunately did not have this issue and its difficult to correct - as the problem is not necessarily with the window but the frame. Also, removing the window can create long term issues of the seal.
Passenger side front fender: Mine was terribly mis-aligned, it stuck out a quarter inch from the door. Fixed by my Ford dealers body shop. Alignment looks great now (A). Others have reported door rubbing on fender and paint peeling. I did not have that issue.
Rear trunk lid: Mine was uneven, meaning, the place where it meets the rear quarter panel was raised on one side (drivers) Vs the passenger. Fixed by my Ford dealer body shop. Looks good now (B+), not perfect, but much better (about 1mm off) and not noticeable - my wife doesnt understand what I'm pointing at! Nothing else can be done as the panel itself is not an exact fit to the frame. Additionally, other folks have the rear trunk lid/black panel uneven on where it meets the rear bumper. I did not have this issue.
Front hood: Mine was lifted about 1/4th in the drivers side front/where it meets the front nose/headlight. Additionally, the center was pulled in about 2mm's below the bumper. I adjusted the rubber stoppers and alignment is much better. Additionally, the dealer body shop raised the center latch and its no longer 'pinched in' the center. Overall happy with the look now, its an A- (where A would be perfect).
Gas cap: My gas cap was raised at the bottom, so it stuck out above the rear quarter panel. Body shop used a heat gun to bend the plastic gas cap (taking great care to make sure it doesnt warp or ruin the paint). Took them 10 mins, looks perfect (A).
Tight rear and front bumpers where they meet the fenders quarter panel (no gap): Body shop said not an issue and visually it looks great (as there is no gap) but I was worried it was too tight and there would be rubbing (no signs of rubbing issues so far - make sure yours is not peeling/demaged). Body shop said short of new bumpers- which may or may not fix issue nothing can be done (and its not worth doing) as the mounting clips are tight.
Doors: Some people have complained about misaligned doors (too low, offset). I didnt have any.
Rocker panels: Some people have complained about misaligned rocker panels - that stick out by a few mm's to the wheel wells. No issue with that on my car.
For convertible owners: Make sure you inspect the car with the top up (focusing on the rear window!). Some are horribly misaligned.
Dents from the factory/Big scratches in the paint - I didnt have any but some people do. Look carefully for those.
Interior Trim: One complaint I saw here was that some customers got mismatched/wrong trim parts (no leather when they ordered it, paddle shifters on manual cars, mixed PP and brushed aluminium dash) and others got scuffed up interiors.
According to both my Ford dealer almost all the Ford Mustangs (they said except one) had issues with alignment (and I saw this on every car on the show room over the few times I was there). Additionally, the body shop said they see this in Ford's in general - but most people dont notice. He did say the Mustang was the worst as they dont use a lot of high precision robots in final assembly. This is exacerbated in the 2015's as the shape is very complex. According to them, unless Ford overhauls the machinery in Dearborn it will be difficult to address (look at what Ford considered acceptable tolerances for body panels on the Mustang, its not great).
Regardless, the dealer took care of me (Ford was not involved) and the car looks great - they even gave me a free nice loaner. I feel Ford should get it right in the first place though. A key tip - if you care about these things, have the dealer fix them before you pick it up (I didn't). Additionally, be willing to walk away. I was too emotionally attached to a purchase I had ordered 8 months ago. Lastly, inspect it in bright light and look out for the things I mentioned, I didnt see most of this till I went home, partly because its difficult to see in the evening/dark lot and secondly because I didnt know what to look for. Lastly, DO NOT have the dealer wash the car (have them put a 'No Wash' sign on it). I insisted they don't when I placed my order and I'm really glad - the paint is flawless. A lot of people who did picked up brand new cars that were quite scratched/swirled/scuffed - the dealers 'detailers' are generally C grade or they use machines Some of the defects cannot be fixed period without structural work and you will be stuck with it (if this kind of stuff bothers you). Lastly, if your car already has issues, ask the dealer to work with their bodyshop (and take care of the comps) and then interface with the body shop directly. A good one (like the one I had) can do all of this in a few hours! All depends on who your dealer is of course.
Best of luck and hope this helps! Loving the car though - what an insane grin inducing machine.
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