Any Differences between a 18' and a 23' GT Convertible?

[Stangalang]

I have a 18' Ecoboost Premium Convert. and I recently test drove a GT Convertible (2023) and fell in love with the v8 with the automatic. I'm going to take a look at a 2018 GT Convertible tomorrow that is much less than the 2023. It seems that both have similar packages. Their the Mustangs without the calculator screen so you get 8" but the Instrument cluster is the analog + digital.

Q1: The 23' GT felt more insulated then my 18' Ecoboost Premium Convertible. Unsure if that is because I removed the ANC boxes that sit in my Ecoboost to hear the exhaust better when going to an aftermarket. Will the 2018 GT be the same? When I mean insulated, I also mean possibly road-noise.

Q2: While we are not all financial experts - the payment difference between both the 18' and the 23' is $85/mo. The 23' has 5k miles whilst the 18' has 37k miles. Thoughts?

I don't mind owning my Ecoboost - If I put some more modifications it'll be quicker but not sound as good, or have the reliabilty of the 5.0.

Sorry to bounce around a-lot. I'm just trying to get some opinions on existing owners.

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[JBR14]

To me, depends on your long term plan. I would assume you are getting a better interest rate on the 23 given that it is newer. Also, the 23 will have the remainder of the factory warranty, whereas the 18 will have been expired. As the monthly payment is negligible, the long term comes into play. From a financial perspective, are both payments for the same number of months? While, the rates right now suck, we should get some relief in the next 12-18 months, where you could refi for a better rate. Assuming you are financing around 48 /60 months, the $85 difference is $5k+, and I would think the price between the two was greater than that. Just my .02, but I am coming from a financial angle.

 

[Stangalang]

To me, depends on your long term plan. I would assume you are getting a better interest rate on the 23 given that it is newer. Also, the 23 will have the remainder of the factory warranty, whereas the 18 will have been expired. As the monthly payment is negligible, the long term comes into play. From a financial perspective, are both payments for the same number of months? While, the rates right now suck, we should get some relief in the next 12-18 months, where you could refi for a better rate. Assuming you are financing around 48 /60 months, the $85 difference is $5k+, and I would think the price between the two was greater than that. Just my .02, but I am coming from a financial angle.

I work in the bank ironically that I'd finance from. the 18' would be 60 mos and the 23' would be 84mo. Both rides would be 6.5% (regardless of term) New-new is 5.74% I usually don't mind financing for 84mo, b/c I generally pay the principle down quicker than usual, but like to have the "freedom" of the payments being less if their stretched.

 

[JBR14]

Oof... with the payment for an extra 24 months, then the $85 difference for 84 months total, thats a sizeable difference. Assuming the payment is around $500 a month, thats almost 20K total in difference. Granted paying the principal down faster would reduce that, by a bit. Is the value difference between an 18 and 23 that much? I wouldnt think so. In the Dallas area, you can pick up a decent mileage 18 for around 25k-ish, whereas a 23 with similar options would be around 35k-ish.

 

[KingKona]

I have a 18' Ecoboost Premium Convert. and I recently test drove a GT Convertible (2023) and fell in love with the v8 with the automatic. I'm going to take a look at a 2018 GT Convertible tomorrow that is much less than the 2023. It seems that both have similar packages. Their the Mustangs without the calculator screen so you get 8" but the Instrument cluster is the analog + digital.

Q1: The 23' GT felt more insulated then my 18' Ecoboost Premium Convertible. Unsure if that is because I removed the ANC boxes that sit in my Ecoboost to hear the exhaust better when going to an aftermarket. Will the 2018 GT be the same? When I mean insulated, I also mean possibly road-noise.

Q2: While we are not all financial experts - the payment difference between both the 18' and the 23' is $85/mo. The 23' has 5k miles whilst the 18' has 37k miles. Thoughts?

I don't mind owning my Ecoboost - If I put some more modifications it'll be quicker but not sound as good, or have the reliabilty of the 5.0.

Sorry to bounce around a-lot. I'm just trying to get some opinions on existing owners.

They are the same cars. Any differences in road noise would be due to differences in tires.

Payment means nothing. If you are focused only on payments, you really are not financial experts. The terms (length and rate) are much more important. I'm worried because you're mentioning payments, and that makes me think you're stretching to afford this car. I would suggest against that.

Your Ecoboost is just as reliable as a 5.0 There is no difference.

I don't think you want opinions. I think you want people to support a decision you've already made, but are internally questioning.

 

[Stangalang]

They are the same cars. Any differences in road noise would be due to differences in tires.

Payment means nothing. If you are focused only on payments, you really are not financial experts. The terms (length and rate) are much more important. I'm worried because you're mentioning payments, and that makes me think you're stretching to afford this car. I would suggest against that.

Your Ecoboost is just as reliable as a 5.0 There is no difference.

I don't think you want opinions. I think you want people to support a decision you've already made, but are internally questioning.

I think it's important to talk about payments regardless. I'm not stretched at all, could pay for it in cash if I wanted, but I don't want to. I think it's debatble in terms of reliability for the EB. But seriously, just want to know the difference between those 2. Thanks for the concern though.

 

[Snakebyte]

I can tell you from experience, once you have a V8, it will be hard to go back. The deeper, throatier sound is awesome. I did modify my GT exhaust to get it to sound more like my first car (a Torino FB that had the 390 Hi Perf engine). So I'm spoiled.

You wondered about sound insulation in the 2023 GT, so to me it seems sound is indeed important. If you'd like the sound a little louder like your Ecoboost, installing a H-pipe on the V8 would increase the deeper louder experience you desire for a decent price...or you can do an axle-back like I did (I too have a convertible and didn't see the need to remove/replace the structural braces.) Though I went with SVE exhaust, Borla makes some throaty sounding axle-backs.

I'm guessing once you go with a GT, because you mentioned sound, you'll never go back to an Ecoboost. (I test drove an Eco and told the salesman about a mile into it, that it would never work, and immediately did a U turn back to the dealership.)

While cost is a valid factor, my recommendation is to keep in mind should you choose to go with an Eco, ensure you are not later going to repeat the vegetable drink's slogan "I could have had a V8".

 

[Hoofer]

My recommendation is to stay away from an EB, and an 84 month finance for an '23 5.0L.
Spend the time and look for a lower priced 5.0L with more miles in line with a 48, or at a max 60 month loan.

 

[MiamiGT350]

Any reason you can't look for a '20-'22 that can take advantage of new-car interest rates in a loan, but won't come with the higher price of a '23? You should try to avoid a loan longer than 60 months, especially in a market where car prices are deteriorating. 84 months is just trickery to obscure 30% of the car price in time... but it's 30% cost + interest on a depreciating asset.

 

[young at heart]

Find a GT convertible that has factory Active Valve Exhaust. Either year, whatever. Put it in track mode and run it a week with the top down. Then let me know if you’re still worried about insulation.

Reliability between those two cars is not a significant consideration.

But finally, and please forgive what seems like judgementality, if you need to finance a depreciating asset for 84 months you may want to reconsider. As a banker I’d think you have to know this.

 

[Jaymar]

Wow, this thread went keyboard warrior quick. But @KingKona is right. As somebody who went Ecoboost to GT I can confirm a few things.

• Same car, same road noise, all affected mostly by the tires.
• Ecoboost reliability is just as good at Coyote, don't believe the hype online. Any engine mistreated will blow up.
• Along with that, no reliable Ecoboost will ever be as quick as the Coyote cars. That is the primary reason why I stopped putting money into one and bought the other.

But, as mentioned, all of that will be a wash if you have to stretch it out to 84 months to swing it and all of the fun will be dampened by that payment hanging over your head. I'd rather have a slightly less fast car that is fun and paid off than a slightly faster car that weighs me down.

 

[MiamiGT350]

You make a lot of assumptions based on what you know little about. As someone with a Series 4, 6, 7, 24, 63 and 99 as well as my CFA, I can ensure you financial experts (All those numbers and letters I just cited, make me one), do indeed concern themselves with financing. Imagine that, financial experts care about financing. But, carry on with your inaccurate assumptions.

Those "numbers and letters" ill-served you when you thought it was a great idea to smart-shame @KingKona on a car forum. What you possess in financial credentials, you short-circuited in emotional intelligence. I mean you no ill-will at all, just letting you know this did not land the way you intended.

Perhaps you mis-read @KingKona's post? He wasn't addressing you at all, and he was simply cautioning with excellent advice: focus on financial factors other than what you pay per-month. Others -- like myself -- are encouraging @Stangalang to target a vehicle that is a few years old, and still under some sort of warranty. We are also warning him at the sizable difference of the all-in on the two loan terms, despite the payments being similar.

Being completely genuine: @JBR14, you're among friends.... As someone with your financial credentials, what would your advice to OP be?

 

[Torched10]

Another thing is to see if you can find car with an extended warranty. I have 10 year on my 19
I think if you buy a car that still has warranty you can extend it.
My factory warranty has 5year drive train so guess a 2019 woukd have an ability to buy 10 year.ask dealer about that.my 19 only has 7000 miles on it so they are out there.did you check car gurus for lower mileage 18s or 19s

 

[JBR14]

Those "numbers and letters" ill-served you when you thought it was a great idea to smart-shame @KingKona on a car forum. What you possess in financial credentials, you short-circuited in emotional intelligence. I mean you no ill-will at all, just letting you know this did not land the way you intended.

Perhaps you mis-read @KingKona's post? He wasn't addressing you at all, and he was simply cautioning with excellent advice: focus on financial factors other than what you pay per-month. Others -- like myself -- are encouraging @Stangalang to target a vehicle that is a few years old, and still under some sort of warranty. We are also warning him at the sizable difference of the all-in on the two loan terms, despite the payments being similar.

Being completely genuine: @JBR14, you're among friends.... As someone with your financial credentials, what would your advice to OP be?

Agree wholeheartedly with your statement. I am perturbed by previous comments where he questioned my parenting skills and also insulted my 21 yr old daughter. Apologies for letting that spill over into someone else's post. I will be removing my comments as they do not add value to the topic at hand.

 

[Balr14]

I had a 2018 GT convertible with the A10. I checked out newer models, including 2023. I was looking for better seats, but they are the same, as is most everything else. The 2018 is a fine choice, fun car with the A10. You can get an extended warranty at pretty reasonable prices, if you feel like you need one. I wouldn't worry about the engine or transmission. But, I did have problems with electronics that cost me $1400 (2 months after warranty ended).

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