Mach 1 vs GT Premium PP1 (401A) + Mods vs GT350 — Cost/Value Question from a Former PP1 Owner

[GregR]

Agreed, I had the recaro seats in my last 2019 GT, not super comfortable for long trips

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[murick]

I don’t see M1 owners that don’t track their car as poseurs, truth is that way less than 1% of drivers track their cars therefore that is the norm
If most people that track their Mustang are like me, we start with a base gtpp to get the brakes, cooling and a few other stuff and the first thing we do is to get rid of the suspension for something more track ready
So cheaper ( and a bit less weight) to start with a gtpp

The crux is in your statement "if most people that track their Mustang are like me", while you actually meant "if most people that buy Mach 1 are like me". Well they are not and that is why they bought Mach 1.

I was on a verge of buying Mustang since Ford introduced gen 6. I missed the first run, and MT82D4 in the facelift was holding me back. When Mach 1 appeared with Tremec, it was not a question if the price/performance/whatever is alright, but simply going from no-go to go. Everything else was an interesting bonus (and I am in no way trying to downplay the importance of all the add-ons, it is just that at the time I had no idea if I really needed them).

After four years of casual driving and few track days per year, I am glad I got Mach 1.
Compared to the OP, I am not a guy who wants to rebuild the car (or more precisely, I might want to do that, just for fun, but cannot), so for me all these additional bits turned out to be welcomed additions: MagneRide is great even for changing modes from Normal to Sport+, additional coolers allowed me to not worry about the cooling, while regular GT owners were venting their hoods in a pit, factory exhaust has great sound (compared to other factory exhausts on Mustangs), etc.

There has been great arguments for basically any choice and depending on whether the OP values most the DYI opportunity, or tracking, or looks, or manual trans, he may end up with basically anything as well.

 

[GregR]

I took a look at the car and test drove it. I'm not a fan of that big plastic front splitter. My 2019 GT had the Mach 1 front splitter, installed by the previous owner, but it was solid, not plastic. Not sure why that plastic is bugging me. I also didn't like the plastic around the wheel wells on the front tires, why the heck did Ford do that, it looks cheap.

It's a nice car, showed pretty well, surprised he doesn't keep it in a garage, but he doesn't have a garage so he keeps a car cover on it. It definitely drove different and handles different than my heavily modified 2019 GT. Oh, and it's so nice to have the active exhaust, it was quieter.

He had put some kind of clear coating plastic on lower areas of the car, like behind the wheels and such, is that stuff easy to take off without doing damage?

For reference, this is my last mustang, in the ad from when I sold it


https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/9300910490012436/?mibextid=dXMIcH

 

[Jimmy Dean]

I also didn't like the plastic around the wheel wells on the front tires, why the heck did Ford do that, it looks cheap.



https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/9300910490012436/?mibextid=dXMIcH

because otherwise to run those tires would've taken bespoke fenders (to be wider), and it is still a factory mustang, and not a shelby, so ford did not want to make bespoke body panels.

 

[Davesvt2000]

I had a 2020 GT350 that I ordered / bought new in October of 2019, car number 0097, an early build. Put it immediately away for the winter, took it out in May of 2020, now a few months into covid shutdowns.
Out one night with the wife just going for a drive, car had 500 miles on it and it dropped a valve in cylinder eight and blew the motor. The dealership and FORD was great about replacing it under warranty and the coolers, exhaust, etc. the total bill to Ford under warranty and an eight year extended warranty was just shy of $40,000.
The dealer then asked me what I was going to do and I said I’m gonna beat the shit out of this car because of the extended warranty. I proceeded to open track it at Charlotte motor Speedway, Watkins Glen, Road America, lime, rock, etc. and the car was rock solid didn’t miss a beat, didn’t burn or leak any oil, motor, transmission, rear end. Everything was fine but in the back of my mind, I was afraid that someday it would come back and bite me in the ass because I keep my car for so long. I decided to sell it to a local dealer in Rhode Island for what I had paid for it in October 2019, I then took the money and bought a 2021 Mach one with handling package and proceeded to open track this car at the same tracks and more. The Mach one is every bit is capable if not slightly better than the GT350 minus the extra RPMs of the voodoo engine. You basically get the best of both worlds a 5.0 coyote with a tremec and suspension bits from the GT350. And the brakes are just as good too

hope this helps in your decision

 

[GregR]

because otherwise to run those tires would've taken bespoke fenders (to be wider), and it is still a factory mustang, and not a shelby, so ford did not want to make bespoke body panels.

I want to make sure we're talking about the same thing, it's this little piece of molding that goes around the outside of the wheel well, it's plastic, to me it looks like junk, I don't see what value it's adding other than cosmetic.. I could push on it and it easily moved, and you see varying gaps between it in the top of the wheel well. It was only on the fronts. But I'm not a fan of any of this stuff on cars anyway, the black molding that fades over time, I've never liked it so maybe that's why it bugged me so much.

 

[Mikepol2]

I want to make sure we're talking about the same thing, it's this little piece of molding that goes around the outside of the wheel well, it's plastic, to me it looks like junk, I don't see what value it's adding other than cosmetic.. I could push on it and it easily moved, and you see varying gaps between it in the top of the wheel well. It was only on the fronts. But I'm not a fan of any of this stuff on cars anyway, the black molding that fades over time, I've never liked it so maybe that's why it bugged me so much.

those came with the handling package cars because of the 305 front tires, otherwise the tires would look like they are poking out past the fenders.

 

[Gen 6 Mach1]

I want to make sure we're talking about the same thing, it's this little piece of molding that goes around the outside of the wheel well, it's plastic, to me it looks like junk, I don't see what value it's adding other than cosmetic.. I could push on it and it easily moved, and you see varying gaps between it in the top of the wheel well. It was only on the fronts. But I'm not a fan of any of this stuff on cars anyway, the black molding that fades over time, I've never liked it so maybe that's why it bugged me so much.

The purpose is to save the front fenders from rocks. The stock HP wheels in front are 19-10.5 with a +24mm offset so with the 305/30-19 they stick out past the fender. Look like he has a 295 or 275 on the front , doesn't have the poke of the 305 . At least in the picture it looks that way. I opted to run the 295 , not so much for that reason, but for less tramline .

 

[murick]

I took a look at the car and test drove it. I'm not a fan of that big plastic front splitter. My 2019 GT had the Mach 1 front splitter, installed by the previous owner, but it was solid, not plastic. Not sure why that plastic is bugging me. I also didn't like the plastic around the wheel wells on the front tires, why the heck did Ford do that, it looks cheap.

It's a nice car, showed pretty well, surprised he doesn't keep it in a garage, but he doesn't have a garage so he keeps a car cover on it. It definitely drove different and handles different than my heavily modified 2019 GT. Oh, and it's so nice to have the active exhaust, it was quieter.

He had put some kind of clear coating plastic on lower areas of the car, like behind the wheels and such, is that stuff easy to take off without doing damage?

For reference, this is my last mustang, in the ad from when I sold it


https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/9300910490012436/?mibextid=dXMIcH

There is some clearly some discrepancy between the FB post about the car and the pics. The owner claims it is all stock, while the car has clearly Y spoke non-HP wheels (you cannot have them on HP car from factory) and HP front splitter (the second lower front lip) and the front fender plastic flares, which both are HP only.
It seem there is rear HP spoiler as well. So the major question if this is a HP car just with non-HP wheels, or non-HP car with some HP bits bolted on.

Anyway, for what concerns the front fender flares, I would not sweat over those, because if you do not like them, they are (relatively) easy to remove, since both are basically installed by dealers (and not by Ford in the factory), and you do not need them with Y-spoke wheels which are narrower.
You might technically remove the lower lip from the front splitter (if it becomes a nuisance), but this may put you in slight disbalance with the rear spoiler when tracking the car at 100 mph+.

It might be just interesting to ask the original owner, if there are other mods you might not know about, or what "all factory stock" exactly means .

EDIT: After figuring out there are more pictures in the FB post , and looking at the window sticker, I do not see any indication that this is a HP car, but I may be misreading it as I have non-HP one myself.

 

[GregR]

There is some clearly some discrepancy between the FB post about the car and the pics. The owner claims it is all stock, while the car has clearly Y spoke non-HP wheels (you cannot have them on HP car from factory) and HP front splitter (the second lower front lip) and the front fender plastic flares, which both are HP only.
It seem there is rear HP spoiler as well. So the major question if this is a HP car just with non-HP wheels, or non-HP car with some HP bits bolted on.

Anyway, for what concerns the front fender flares, I would not sweat over those, because if you do not like them, they are (relatively) easy to remove, since both are basically installed by dealers (and not by Ford in the factory), and you do not need them with Y-spoke wheels which are narrower.
You might technically remove the lower lip from the front splitter (if it becomes a nuisance), but this may put you in slight disbalance with the rear spoiler when tracking the car at 100 mph+.

It might be just interesting to ask the original owner, if there are other mods you might not know about, or what "all factory stock" exactly means .

EDIT: After figuring out there are more pictures in the FB post , and looking at the window sticker, I do not see any indication that this is a HP car, but I may be misreading it as I have non-HP one myself.

Seller r states it's a non-HP car, he's the second owner. Are you saying since it's a non-HP car, it wouldn't have some of the things on it that I'm/we're seeing, and that those had to be bolts ons add-ons? The HP front splitter and the front fender plastic flares, are you saying those had to be added later on?

 

[murick]

Seller r states it's a non-HP car, he's the second owner. Are you saying since it's a non-HP car, it wouldn't have some of the things on it that I'm/we're seeing, and that those had to be bolts ons add-ons? The HP front splitter and the front fender plastic flares, are you saying those had to be added later on?

If it is a non-HP car then there are some bits added by probably the first owner. Here is how non-HP car looks (https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/th...your-mach-1-today.171200/page-16#post-3511540).
Note the rear spoiler, front splitter and wheel wells (no front fender flares). The front splitter is not visible very well, but it is basically just one "lip", not two as on HP cars. So the clearance is larger on non-HP cars.
The point is that those parts which are on your car, are relatively easily added and removed. The only part you would need to replace is the rear spoiler if you really want to go all-stock, but I would say, if it does not bother you, and you do not plan serious tracking, it would not matter much otherwise.

 

[GregR]

If it is a non-HP car then there are some bits added by probably the first owner. Here is how non-HP car looks (https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/th...your-mach-1-today.171200/page-16#post-3511540).
Note the rear spoiler, front splitter and wheel wells (no front fender flares). The front splitter is not visible very well, but it is basically just one "lip", not two as on HP cars. So the clearance is larger on non-HP cars.
The point is that those parts which are on your car, are relatively easily added and removed. The only part you would need to replace is the rear spoiler if you really want to go all-stock, but I would say, if it does not bother you, and you do not plan serious tracking, it would not matter much otherwise.

After looking more closely and comparing photos, it does look like the car I drove has some HP appearance pieces added (front aero\splitter and rear spoiler). I wasn’t aware of the differences in the front fender flares and the two-lip splitter design until you pointed that out. Would the dealer have done this? Or is it something the previous owner had done?

On the transmission side, I haven’t driven an automatic Mach 1 yet. I’ve always owned manuals and genuinely enjoy rowing gears. That said, I’m 59 with a left knee that aches chronically (hasn’t affected clutch use so far), and I do see the advantages of the A10 for both drag and track performance.

For those who’ve owned both:

• Does the A10 change the character of the car significantly?
• For mostly weekend/backroad use, does the manual still feel like the “right” choice long term?
• Anyone regret going one way or the other?
  

I’m trying to make a smart decision that I’ll still enjoy 5+ years from now, not just chase spec sheet advantages.

 

[Mikepol2]

On the transmission side, I haven’t driven an automatic Mach 1 yet. I’ve always owned manuals and genuinely enjoy rowing gears. That said, I’m 59 with a left knee that aches chronically (hasn’t affected clutch use so far), and I do see the advantages of the A10 for both drag and track performance.

For those who’ve owned both:

• Does the A10 change the character of the car significantly?
• For mostly weekend/backroad use, does the manual still feel like the “right” choice long term?
• Anyone regret going one way or the other?

I’m trying to make a smart decision that I’ll still enjoy 5+ years from now, not just chase spec sheet advantages.

I haven't owned an automatic but IMO the Tremec is what really sets the car apart from the GT. When I test drove it, that was one of the immediately noticeable differences that made me want to trade in the GT.

And we are about the same age with, it sounds like, similar knee conditions. Don't let that sway you to the automatic.

 

[murick]

After looking more closely and comparing photos, it does look like the car I drove has some HP appearance pieces added (front aero\splitter and rear spoiler). I wasn’t aware of the differences in the front fender flares and the two-lip splitter design until you pointed that out. Would the dealer have done this? Or is it something the previous owner had done?

I am not sure if you are being rhetoric or really asking this question, but the first owner is probably the best bet to know, the second owner is the second best bet .
Just to clarify, if my previous formulation was misleading, when I wrote about that these types of additions were done by dealership. What I meant was that if you ordered a HP car the fender flares, the lower front lip came in with the car separately (not sure about the rear spoiler) and the dealership was tasked to put them on.
If you ordered a non-HP car, it came as it should already from the factory, and if anything has been added, it had to be done as any other aftermarket part (even though in this case all parts are Ford OEM parts) by the new owner.

 

[GregR]

I am not sure if you are being rhetoric or really asking this question, but the first owner is probably the best bet to know, the second owner is the second best bet .
Just to clarify, if my previous formulation was misleading, when I wrote about that these types of additions were done by dealership. What I meant was that if you ordered a HP car the fender flares, the lower front lip came in with the car separately (not sure about the rear spoiler) and the dealership was tasked to put them on.
If you ordered a non-HP car, it came as it should already from the factory, and if anything has been added, it had to be done as any other aftermarket part (even though in this case all parts are Ford OEM parts) by the new owner.

Yes, rhetoric

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