Remain Stock?

[mustang_puppy]

I bought my '15 Ecoboost used. While the advertised 310 hp is twice what my '98 V6 coupe had, I'd still like a little more because it's kind of a time's passing by/bucket list type of thing. At this time, since it's still under my extended warranty, I'd use Ford Performance parts to keep it legit for warranty purposes.

Sponsored

 

[Brazos609]

That assumes you can find a year-old used car that was put together the same way you'd have bought it . . . at least to the point where it doesn't have any deal-breakers, and hasn't been beat half to death already. Maybe this is not as big of a problem if you'd otherwise be willing to buy from dealer stock, but not everybody wants to take pot-luck chances with a used car matching the way they'd have ordered it. FWIW, I can do most of my own maintenance/repair/modification work, too. Norm

I got lucky. I was looking at a new 17 GT Premium 401A with performance package, Recaros, voice navigation, adaptive cruise, security package, and reverse park assist that stickered for $47k and was going for $38k. I found a 15 with 7k miles on it and all the same options plus it already had a FRPP/Borla cat back installed along with all black emblems, two things I wanted myself, for $29k.

 

[carlg]

I wish modding a car was like modding a house.
If I spend 10K and add a bathroom to my 250K house, it just became worth 258K.

If I spend 1K and mod my 30K car, it does not become worth 31K. It may actually become worth less.

This is what bothers me the most when I mod my car.

I wish people were willing to pay a premium for tastefully modded cars.

 

[ctandc72]

Wow, I forgot about THAT aftermarket!

I stand corrected.

Well technically it's not an aftermarket..

Religion or sort of cult comes to mind :lol:

 

[70monte]

I've kept my 14 GT pretty much stock. I did add OTA pipes off of a 2013 GT500 and single tip GT500 mufflers but they all have Ford part #'s on them so it's kind of like it's stock. I added 19" premium factory Mustang wheels and some Ford accessory products. The only other thing I added was catch cans and I went back to the Bob's Auto Sport ones.

I'm happy with the power and the ride is decent so I doubt I do anything else to it.

 

[IPOGT]

When I purchased my '16 GT I wanted a Performance Pack, but I also wanted an automatic. Hence my signature. What a car. Really happy with my FRPP GT with all factory parts.

 

[smoke_wagon_6g]

I'd leave the car alone except for cosmetic changes. You can option up almost anything you used to have to get through modding. Huge brakes and wheels, Sync 3, dash gauges, tech not even available as mods. All nicely integrated and warrantied.

I'd maybe just recolor some emblems, stripe, window tint, shift knob, stuff like that. Hell you can't even improve on the exterior lighting since the LEDs are so damn nice now. I removed the engine cover and the sound tube in my GT. But I can just reinstall them later if necessary.

These are terriffic street cars. Realistically you can't improve this aspect. You can just blow the tires away at will and speed to lose your license instantly. The 6g is already the fastest generation of Mustang, as good as the SVT's and other special models used to be.

I'm not sure I can figure out what people are doing wih suspension mods. We've got IRS now. Honestly, get the PP, and after 2018 Magnaride is available, it's magic. Autocrossers are doing some stuff with lowering, they have a reason. But a daily driver needs nothing, so any suspension changes are for ego, and there goes that warranty again.

I've looked. No aftermarket brakes will stop the car harder than the PP brakes. Nowhere to improve there. I can't even fade the 4 piston base GT brakes! Playing with the different pads available is all you can do that makes a difference.

Mild performance mods are dumb. You have, what, at least 300 hp, 460 hp (!) in a 2018 GT. You won't even feel your cold air intake or cat-back or whatever. But good luck when the dealer sees that stuff and assumes you're abusing the car. And tunes? Go over to the tuning forum where Ford techs tell you exactly how they can detect a computer flash. A mild tune does little for performance but hurts you in the dealer service depatrment.

But if you are unconcerned with that issue or are out of the warranty period already there is a lot of power hiding in a 6g as long as you cam avoid parts breakage. Good luck to you guys! I enjoy reading the quarter mile threads.

Ultimately it feels like any mods that aren't just for show anyway are mechanically unnecessary. The Ford factory stuff is just too good. That's fine, looks matter, but don't give the dealership cause to deny a warranty claim because you flashed the computer or screwed with the suspension.

 

[TomcatDriver]

I wish modding a car was like modding a house.
If I spend 10K and add a bathroom to my 250K house, it just became worth 258K.

If I spend 1K and mod my 30K car, it does not become worth 31K. It may actually become worth less.

This is what bothers me the most when I mod my car.

I wish people were willing to pay a premium for tastefully modded cars.

The problem of course is that so many mods are either not tasteful, or poorly executed. Manufacturers make tons of trade-offs between performance, drivability, NVH, reliability/durability etc. When you mod a car, you are making your own decisions, which is fine for you but maybe not the next guy. Many, many mods come out worse than they started. Your mods may be done perfectly and make the car better, but the mods get lumped in with all the bad mods, of which there are many.

 

[Kevin08]

Probably would have remained mostly stock if I did the PP, since I would have hated to throw money away swapping out the upgraded equipment. But alas, since I did not, I'm doing wheels, tires, and some minor suspension & chassis tweaks. This car is already more than fast enough for the streets so I'm never going to mess with the engine.

 

[Norm Peterson]

I'm not sure I can figure out what people are doing wih suspension mods. We've got IRS now.

Trust me, simply "having IRS" is not in and of itself a magic potion for curing all ride and handling ills. IRS is just as subject to compromises and what Ford needs to do to satisfy corporate-level technical and other requirements as the stick-axle suspensions of earlier generations were. If anything, it's a trickier job with IRS specifically because the two rear wheels are not rigidly tied together.

You seem to only be seeing the ride quality side here, without knowing enough about the cornering & handling side to understand what people might be trying to improve about those aspects (hint - it's about more than just maximum cornering g's). The 6th gen may well be better than what you've been accustomed to driving (maybe a whole lot better), and that's fine if that's enough for you. But that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvements.

Try to understand that thoughtful suspension mods are mainly not about lowering and appearance. At least for as far as driving on true street tires is concerned.

Ultimately it feels like any mods that aren't just for show anyway are mechanically unnecessary. The Ford factory stuff is just too good.

Mechanical necessity depends on what you're going to be doing with the car. But beyond that, they can change the "feel" of the way the car drives, even when you're driving fairly gently. The best analogy I can come up with here is that it's kind of like instantly knowing that you're driving a GT instead of a sixxer without having to use much throttle. You just know it's going to be more capable.

I think you need to get a drive in a PP2 car - make that a hard drive - before you can make any judgments here.


Personally, it's the mods made for cosmetics' sake that I think are a waste of $. Tastes change, and what 'works' today may fall out of favor tomorrow. But I guess if you're good with that . . .


Norm

 

[bootlegger]

When I ordered my car, I told myself 460hp was enough power and that PP1+Magneride should be sufficient for handling. I also thought the exhaust sounded perfect on the videos online. Here I am about 7 month later, and I have an X-pipe, intake, tune, and about to fill with E85. I also have components to stiffen the rear waiting to be installed, and should be purchasing stiffer springs soon. The car may have decent power in stock form, but a few mods and a tune really wake it up. I am much happier now. Same with the handling. It is ok in stock form, but can be cheaply sent to the next level.

 

[Angry50]

Just the opposite. I am very well educated on this subject.

How?

Simple, really. I was young and dumb once upon a time, and I WAS that idiot many times when buying cars in my twenties and early thirties.

As the saying goes, sometimes you gotta learn the hard way.

I would say the better phrasing would be that its not financially smart.. but most passions are not.. people do what they enjoy and thats what we spend our money on.. There are a millions things not financially smart but thats why we work hard so we can play and buy things that make us happy.. Modding a car, golf, cable tv, motorcycles.. anything that isnt required is "not smart" but we do it because we enjoy it.. thats what life is about.. so if you think you were an idiot and dumb im sorry. i hope you at least enjoyed yourself..

 

[Jdenkevitz]

I have done mostly interior mods (reskinned the seats with leather, added a touchscreen radio/gps) as well as exhaust (h-pipe/BBK varitune axleback). Not a significant amount of money, but has really transformed my experience/enjoyment of the car. Also some small things like Tint/rear louver/extra set of foundry wheels/Clutch assist spring.

Considering a PP2 or Whipple, but I am not bored of the car as it is stock. I don't daily it, so when I do drive it, the experience is more 'fresh'. Plan is to wait another year or so and do a power adder. Still have 28,000 miles 3 years left on the powertrain warranty. A PP2 would cut that to 8,000 1 year.

 

[Zinc03svt]

I honestly feel my 18 GT needs nothing as far as hardware. Beotch is stacked stock. Tune only. Just Perfect!

 

[smoke_wagon_6g]

There must be a lot of idiots on this forum.

You made some very well thought out points until you said this. Pretty ignorant comment.

Really ignorant. Every used car was once bought new. Besides there are a lot of advantages to buying new, ESPECIALLY if you like stock since it will not have ever been modified.

And you get to spec it exactly how you want it, making mods even less important.

Sponsored