Mustang Honeymoon is over...

[schenoy1]

I'd go with an Audi if I were you. At least drive one. Something with the letter "S" in the name.

If your complaints were about AWD versus RWD I wouldn't have replied, but since build quality is extremely important to you...


....Audi, not Kia.


And if you can't afford the sporty Audis, buy a cheaper one. You are prioritizing build quality over performance. Just give in to your preferences. You will be happier IMO.

I had two Infiniti's, a G35S 4 door and a G37x 2 door coupe. Both were awesome cars, tons of power, smooth, no rattles. Got tons of compliments from people (though not as much as my Mustang).
When my payments are up on my Stang, I'm keeping it forever, but probably will lease a QX50 (SUV) for those days I just want to ride in comfort and/or need the AWD. They always have great lease rate specials (wait for the manufacturer specials in Summer, Xmas).

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[mikeyjobu]

i think the biggest con of the stinger is the "KIA" badge on it. if that was any other car company out building that same car, it wouldnt get as much hate. I test drove a friends fully loaded car and liked it. if i needed 4 doors i may look at it.

I do want to say lol, you dont use the AC for fear it may go out lolol, thats like those people that put towels over everything so the next owner can enjoy the interior lol.

I think the time has come to move on from the Mustang. I've been sitting on the fence about this a lot over the last couple weeks. There are a variety of reasons I want to move on; here are the cons and pros of the Mustang:

Cons:
-Build quality is poor, it's turning into a rattle trap like my old Cobalt SS and no amount of felt, dynamat, new clips and securing anything seems to be fixing it. I've had EVERY panel out and tried to pad and isolate every one. It's a losing battle by the day.
- Beyond the issues about, build quality extends to other parts of the car. I almost never use the trunk anymore because it rubs the paint off on the seal near the window and where the trunk meets the bumper. Adjusting the latch and bump stops hasn't helped, I've sprayed the inner trunk to clear plastidip to help stop this. I have some kind of pop in the rear end I don't want to fix now (probably minor though). I don't use the A/C much except the hottest days due to Evaporator core failure concerns. There's likely more things I'm forgetting that bug me with this car.
- Power isn't that usable in the city. I find I can only have fun in first gear, then I'm speeding. With the higher HP available higher in the rev range, it's not easily usable in traffic.
- I drive this car all year, even in snowy winter. It gets by, but isn't great even on really good winter tires.
- The transmission really does suck. It's especially bad when cold, but I've never had so many DD issues with a manual in my life (owned 7). The short throw level helped a little, but it's still not great.
- I spend more time concerning myself on the quality of the car rather than enjoying driving it. I'm concerned something expensive will go wrong in the next year or so.
- The leather is so sensitive I feel like I need to baby it all the time.
- I can't stop modding it....lol - but my mods haven't done much negatively to the drivability or quality.
- The novelty has worn off DD this car, it would be more fun as a weekend and track car.
- 3yr/36K warranty is up now. If it breaks, I buy it.

Pros:
- It's paid off in 20 months
- It is fun when you push it
- I'm faster in my Mustang than my buddy in his new Camaro SS, lol
- The interior LOOKS nice
- It's definitely sporty and I like the way it looks
- I still prefer manual over automatic.

So the end game seems to be I want something with better build quality. I don't need all the bells and whistles, but will take them if included. AWD would be really nice to have again since we see 6 months of crap roads a year. I've driven all drivetrain layouts and AWD is a nice one for winter, albeit not necessary.

Much to the dismay of this forum, I think I've shortlisted the Kia Stinger. Why? Power wise, it is as quick or quicker in city driving due to traction limitations even on warm days. All models in Canada are AWD. It has more features than I need, and hopefully the HK 15 speaker stereo is good enough that I don't need to rip panels off and change the stereo! To top it off, will be quicker than the Mustang for less money with simple mods, the only next step I'd have with mine is a more aggressive tune and intake manifold, etc - gets costly. What do I lose? Manual transmission, but there are some days in stop and go traffic that I don't enjoy manual. I lose the 2 door profile, but I do like the looks of the Stinger, personally. I lose the V8 soundtrack, but I do like the way the 3.3T sounds with exhaust, reminiscent of the Nissan VQ and Toyota V6s, plus the turbo noises sound cool with open intakes.

Above all else, I have the expectation that since Kia is trying to use the Stinger as a means to "upscale" the brand, I expect that I can go in with every creak and rattle and expect it to be fixed. Further to that end, I owned a Kia Sportage for 3-1/2 years and it was pretty well built, I had very few unpleasant noises, much less than the Mustang. The family has owned many Hyundais also with few to no issues, including interior build.

For those who want to ask, I did explore "premium" options such as Audi, BMW, etc. Where the Stinger comes up expensive in the USA - a "slight" value proposition, an equally optioned car in Canada with the same performance comes up much higher. Our MSRP in Canada is similar to a fully optioned USA model - not considering our terrible exchange, which makes the Stinger more of a bargain.

TL;DR: Mustang has become a rattle trap, questionable reliability with little warranty coverage left, and less enjoyable to own and drive. Kia Stinger is the best value proposition I can find, with 5 year warranty and a seemingly good initial build quality built on a "premium" moniker that I expect Kia to uphold.

Any thoughts? Other than the Kia hate around these boards lol.

How many miles are on your car? I think my overall build quality is really very good, but I have only about 23k on mine. I do feel you as far as power in the city -- you have to drive it gently to avoid jail. The Kia looks good -- but it's also a fundamentally different vehicle. Maybe keep the Mustang as a weekender, and you can then build it into a more aggressive car -- buy a more basic Kia or similar (lots to choose from in the slow, small, sporty segment) you can drive around town with some slow-car-fast fun without going to jail?

 

[RevvdMedia]

How many miles are on your car? I think my overall build quality is really very good, but I have only about 23k on mine. I do feel you as far as power in the city -- you have to drive it gently to avoid jail. The Kia looks good -- but it's also a fundamentally different vehicle. Maybe keep the Mustang as a weekender, and you can then build it into a more aggressive car -- buy a more basic Kia or similar (lots to choose from in the slow, small, sporty segment) you can drive around town with some slow-car-fast fun without going to jail?

Mine only has 20K miles (just over 32,000km) and it was pretty drum tight when I bought it. I just hate that I've spent so much time and care on the car (it shows on the exterior) but some things have really gone south what seems too early. To be specific, the worst of my rattle woes is the glovebox/dash area and the C pillars or thereabouts. I've had ALL the parts off, padded, insulated, isolated, added brand new clips, etc - I just can't make it stop. It really bugs my OCD more than anything, knowing it's something I should be able to fix, but can't seem to win. That being said, with the volume around 40% on the radio and/or exhaust full open, it does drown most of them out.

Regardless of what the future holds, the Mustang will be retired from winter duty at least by the time payments are done. Not sure I'll fully retire it to weekend duty and I think I'll have more of a summer daily/winter daily split. I feel even though the Mustang has many merits and is much more enjoyable to drive than a "normal" car, daily driving it does make it feel a little less special over time. That point could just be me though, I'm the kind of guy that likes things like buffets because I like variety. Maybe driving the same car for 3 years and being a car guy just doesn't do it for me and was putting the new car bug in my head. I fully agree having something slower on the side has its merits, something you can open up more than just a couple or 3 seconds before jail time.

 

[GasPedal]

Build quality.. yesterday I noticed my driver seat belt is installed backwards and will never be straight and comfortable across my chest. Comical. Still under 36k but in fear that if I fix one thing another will break.

 

[BimmerDriver]

I did read the OP's entire first post and all of the page 1 replies, so forgive me if I missed something in the last 3 pages. My thoughts:

Kia is great bang for buck, if all you care about is buck. My FIL just got into an accident last week with a Kia. His Caddy SUV is probably toast, but that Kia crumpled like the cheap tin can that it is. With only the driver in her seat, the passenger side airbags went off anyway. I've never driven one, but I did go to lunch with a coworker who has one, and I was scared sh*tless just riding in it. You can tell that there's not a lot of car there.

I've owned Audis, and they have fabulous interiors, are very well built and safe and the quattro is excellent. They are prone to typical German car electrical issues - best not to own it out of warranty. But comparing an Audi S4/S5 to a Kia is laughable - not apples to oranges. If all you care about is 0-60 and 1/4 mile trap times, then go buy your Kia and slap a nitrous tank in the trunk. It will be fine until it explodes.

 

[dman]

I think the time has come to move on from the Mustang. I've been sitting on the fence about this a lot over the last couple weeks. There are a variety of reasons I want to move on; here are the cons and pros of the Mustang:
Cons:
-Build quality is poor, it's turning into a rattle trap like my old Cobalt SS and no amount of felt, dynamat, new clips and securing anything seems to be fixing it. I've had EVERY panel out and tried to pad and isolate every one. It's a losing battle by the day.
- Beyond the issues about, build quality extends to other parts of the car. I almost never use the trunk anymore because it rubs the paint off on the seal near the window and where the trunk meets the bumper. Adjusting the latch and bump stops hasn't helped, I've sprayed the inner trunk to clear plastidip to help stop this. I have some kind of pop in the rear end I don't want to fix now (probably minor though). I don't use the A/C much except the hottest days due to Evaporator core failure concerns. There's likely more things I'm forgetting that bug me with this car.
- Power isn't that usable in the city. I find I can only have fun in first gear, then I'm speeding. With the higher HP available higher in the rev range, it's not easily usable in traffic.
- I drive this car all year, even in snowy winter. It gets by, but isn't great even on really good winter tires.
- The transmission really does suck. It's especially bad when cold, but I've never had so many DD issues with a manual in my life (owned 7). The short throw level helped a little, but it's still not great.
- I spend more time concerning myself on the quality of the car rather than enjoying driving it. I'm concerned something expensive will go wrong in the next year or so.
- The leather is so sensitive I feel like I need to baby it all the time.
- I can't stop modding it....lol - but my mods haven't done much negatively to the drivability or quality.
- The novelty has worn off DD this car, it would be more fun as a weekend and track car.
- 3yr/36K warranty is up now. If it breaks, I buy it.

Pros:
- It's paid off in 20 months
- It is fun when you push it
- I'm faster in my Mustang than my buddy in his new Camaro SS, lol
- The interior LOOKS nice
- It's definitely sporty and I like the way it looks
- I still prefer manual over automatic.

So the end game seems to be I want something with better build quality. I don't need all the bells and whistles, but will take them if included. AWD would be really nice to have again since we see 6 months of crap roads a year. I've driven all drivetrain layouts and AWD is a nice one for winter, albeit not necessary.

Much to the dismay of this forum, I think I've shortlisted the Kia Stinger. Why? Power wise, it is as quick or quicker in city driving due to traction limitations even on warm days. All models in Canada are AWD. It has more features than I need, and hopefully the HK 15 speaker stereo is good enough that I don't need to rip panels off and change the stereo! To top it off, will be quicker than the Mustang for less money with simple mods, the only next step I'd have with mine is a more aggressive tune and intake manifold, etc - gets costly. What do I lose? Manual transmission, but there are some days in stop and go traffic that I don't enjoy manual. I lose the 2 door profile, but I do like the looks of the Stinger, personally. I lose the V8 soundtrack, but I do like the way the 3.3T sounds with exhaust, reminiscent of the Nissan VQ and Toyota V6s, plus the turbo noises sound cool with open intakes.

Above all else, I have the expectation that since Kia is trying to use the Stinger as a means to "upscale" the brand, I expect that I can go in with every creak and rattle and expect it to be fixed. Further to that end, I owned a Kia Sportage for 3-1/2 years and it was pretty well built, I had very few unpleasant noises, much less than the Mustang. The family has owned many Hyundais also with few to no issues, including interior build.

For those who want to ask, I did explore "premium" options such as Audi, BMW, etc. Where the Stinger comes up expensive in the USA - a "slight" value proposition, an equally optioned car in Canada with the same performance comes up much higher. Our MSRP in Canada is similar to a fully optioned USA model - not considering our terrible exchange, which makes the Stinger more of a bargain.

TL;DR: Mustang has become a rattle trap, questionable reliability with little warranty coverage left, and less enjoyable to own and drive. Kia Stinger is the best value proposition I can find, with 5 year warranty and a seemingly good initial build quality built on a "premium" moniker that I expect Kia to uphold.

Any thoughts? Other than the Kia hate around these boards lol.

one thing I've learned and tell people...never buy the first new model build early. the 2015 was fresh off the board and not enough "real time" on the street.
body fit seems to be a major problem and check how many TSB's were posted...not my first Mustang and like wine, I let them breath a bit. I own a '17

 

[Mimi15GT]

I see where you are coming from. I love my manual but occasionally I'm stuck in some traffic and it gets annoying. But the pros outweighs the cons to me. And yes, I can't stand the squeaks and rattles in my GT. If I have the radio off, I hear every little sound. Thats probably why I installed the kooks headers and exhaust with the race mufflers to drown out everything else. LMAO....Anyway, good luck with whatever you decide on.

 

[smoke_wagon_6g]

When I think of Ford, quality isn't the first thing I think of. The name Mustang is the first thing I think of. Ford has built a brand around the F150 and the Mustang. It's almost as if Ford is synonymous with Mustang, that's the legacy the Mustang has. The Mustang has never been a vehicle that people called quality. When I think of quality, I think BMW or Benz. But what the Mustang does offer is cheap thrills in something that looks good. That's the way it has always been. Because you are paying a lower price for fun, Ford had to lower costs somehow. It just so happens that some cars are built better than others. But I don't necessarily call it a flaw. In some cases, I call it character.

Reminds me of Jeep and the Wrangler/Grand Cherokee. In some minds the Wrangler is synonymous with Jeep, and possesses less than stellar build quality and roughness accepted by fans. But cheap thrills in base configuration. Granted off-road thrills but nevertheless. The Grand Cherokee is the F150 in this comparison.

 

[texasboy21]

Audi, build quality, ha good 1!

They are the benchmark in terms of quality. The S550 interior is on par with an entry level Aud in the early 2000s.

How many have you owned, and for how long? Ive been driving them for well over a decade and always love to talk cars.

 

[texasboy21]

I did, but those are much more money up here. The Stinger maxes out at 50K MSRP, S4 starts at 58,000 and S5 starts at 61,500. Throw on options and you can only go up. To me, the name plate and "perceived" quality improvements weren't worth the extra cost, not to mention I would only have 4 years warranty, not 5. Straight line performance between them is not too far off, but I'd anticipate Audi road manners and handling to be better.

I get that, its the reason why I get mine a year or two old and CPO.

 

[Loki-GT]

They are the benchmark in terms of quality. The S550 interior is on par with an entry level Aud in the early 2000s.

How many have you owned, and for how long? Ive been driving them for well over a decade and always love to talk cars.

A current S550 is about the quality of Audi interior of the early 2000's?!? As a past owner of a few early 2000 German cars including Audi I can say the 2018 Premium interior far surpasses that of early 2000 Audi's.

 

[sdiver68]

They are the benchmark in terms of quality. The S550 interior is on par with an entry level Aud in the early 2000s.

How many have you owned, and for how long? Ive been driving them for well over a decade and always love to talk cars.

5.

3 Porsches. My last was a 2006 Cayman S purchased almost new with 6 months and 1000 miles of prior PCA ownership. I bought it for track events that had oil frothing and steering overheating issues. Turns out the dry sump advertised was not really a dry sump.

2012 Audi S4- Bought new, ditched within 8 months due to software issues in the DCT they couldn't fix. It would short shift on its own in manual mode.

2015 Q5 Diesel. Thought this was the best thing since sliced bread for 1 vehicle that could do it all including pulling my race trailer around. Until it was discovered I was part of largest scam in auto history. Resulting class action payments made me about even on resale value.

Anyone looking at VAG should know about their dark and repeated history of lies and misinformation. They are known for design and deception, not true quality.

 

[Racerx009]

Lol true

i think the biggest con of the stinger is the "KIA" badge on it. if that was any other car company out building that same car, it wouldnt get as much hate. I test drove a friends fully loaded car and liked it. if i needed 4 doors i may look at it.

I do want to say lol, you dont use the AC for fear it may go out lolol, thats like those people that put towels over everything so the next owner can enjoy the interior lol.

 

[Racerx009]

I bought my 17 mustang gt in 2016 its my 5th one..I know it's not perfect and the fun of it is to make it perfect with the upgrades. I have owned BMW and infinite and yes quality is better But it's not a mustang !! !
Also I drive mine every day and have miles on it with no problems or rattles.

I think the time has come to move on from the Mustang. I've been sitting on the fence about this a lot over the last couple weeks. There are a variety of reasons I want to move on; here are the cons and pros of the Mustang:

Cons:
-Build quality is poor, it's turning into a rattle trap like my old Cobalt SS and no amount of felt, dynamat, new clips and securing anything seems to be fixing it. I've had EVERY panel out and tried to pad and isolate every one. It's a losing battle by the day.
- Beyond the issues about, build quality extends to other parts of the car. I almost never use the trunk anymore because it rubs the paint off on the seal near the window and where the trunk meets the bumper. Adjusting the latch and bump stops hasn't helped, I've sprayed the inner trunk to clear plastidip to help stop this. I have some kind of pop in the rear end I don't want to fix now (probably minor though). I don't use the A/C much except the hottest days due to Evaporator core failure concerns. There's likely more things I'm forgetting that bug me with this car.
- Power isn't that usable in the city. I find I can only have fun in first gear, then I'm speeding. With the higher HP available higher in the rev range, it's not easily usable in traffic.
- I drive this car all year, even in snowy winter. It gets by, but isn't great even on really good winter tires.
- The transmission really does suck. It's especially bad when cold, but I've never had so many DD issues with a manual in my life (owned 7). The short throw level helped a little, but it's still not great.
- I spend more time concerning myself on the quality of the car rather than enjoying driving it. I'm concerned something expensive will go wrong in the next year or so.
- The leather is so sensitive I feel like I need to baby it all the time.
- I can't stop modding it....lol - but my mods haven't done much negatively to the drivability or quality.
- The novelty has worn off DD this car, it would be more fun as a weekend and track car.
- 3yr/36K warranty is up now. If it breaks, I buy it.

Pros:
- It's paid off in 20 months
- It is fun when you push it
- I'm faster in my Mustang than my buddy in his new Camaro SS, lol
- The interior LOOKS nice
- It's definitely sporty and I like the way it looks
- I still prefer manual over automatic.

So the end game seems to be I want something with better build quality. I don't need all the bells and whistles, but will take them if included. AWD would be really nice to have again since we see 6 months of crap roads a year. I've driven all drivetrain layouts and AWD is a nice one for winter, albeit not necessary.

Much to the dismay of this forum, I think I've shortlisted the Kia Stinger. Why? Power wise, it is as quick or quicker in city driving due to traction limitations even on warm days. All models in Canada are AWD. It has more features than I need, and hopefully the HK 15 speaker stereo is good enough that I don't need to rip panels off and change the stereo! To top it off, will be quicker than the Mustang for less money with simple mods, the only next step I'd have with mine is a more aggressive tune and intake manifold, etc - gets costly. What do I lose? Manual transmission, but there are some days in stop and go traffic that I don't enjoy manual. I lose the 2 door profile, but I do like the looks of the Stinger, personally. I lose the V8 soundtrack, but I do like the way the 3.3T sounds with exhaust, reminiscent of the Nissan VQ and Toyota V6s, plus the turbo noises sound cool with open intakes.

Above all else, I have the expectation that since Kia is trying to use the Stinger as a means to "upscale" the brand, I expect that I can go in with every creak and rattle and expect it to be fixed. Further to that end, I owned a Kia Sportage for 3-1/2 years and it was pretty well built, I had very few unpleasant noises, much less than the Mustang. The family has owned many Hyundais also with few to no issues, including interior build.

For those who want to ask, I did explore "premium" options such as Audi, BMW, etc. Where the Stinger comes up expensive in the USA - a "slight" value proposition, an equally optioned car in Canada with the same performance comes up much higher. Our MSRP in Canada is similar to a fully optioned USA model - not considering our terrible exchange, which makes the Stinger more of a bargain.

TL;DR: Mustang has become a rattle trap, questionable reliability with little warranty coverage left, and less enjoyable to own and drive. Kia Stinger is the best value proposition I can find, with 5 year warranty and a seemingly good initial build quality built on a "premium" moniker that I expect Kia to uphold.

Any thoughts? Other than the Kia hate around these boards lol.

 

[Maggneto]

one thing I've learned and tell people...never buy the first new model build early. the 2015 was fresh off the board and not enough "real time" on the street.
body fit seems to be a major problem and check how many TSB's were posted...not my first Mustang and like wine, I let them breath a bit. I own a '17

Body fit and finish is the same if not worst on the 2018 than my 2015. I recently looked over a brand new GT350 and a few GTs and the rear bumper, hood, trunk, and doors were all off. My rear bumper looks much better than the 2018.

What is the difference between a 2015 GT and a 2017 GT? Aren't they the same exact car with the same faulty AC Evap units, and body panel alignment issues?

The 2015 had the door latch recall, heat shield for the Turbo cars, TSB for squeaky brakes, and now the AC that covers the 2017 as well?

What problems do the 2015 have that the2017 does not? Just curious.

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