Is upgrading from a 2019 auto 5.0 to a manual mach 1 worth the price difference?

[First Stang]

Do it. 3 years in and Im still looking for reasons to drive it. Pretty engaging in its stock form. I take it to local car shows. Good luck with your decision.

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[bKennedy]

I'm in the same boat with you, I'm sick of my 10-speed and want a manual. I had two Mustangs with the MT82 transmission and will never get another Mustang unless it has a Tremec trans. $15 to $20 grand is a lot to spend but if you have the cash, and can find a good Mach 1, I would consider it. The 10 speeds we have are prone to go bad and that is going to cost you $7K if it does. That may make the decision easier for you. I don't hate the idea of you taking out a loan on the car but only if you invest the money you have and not blow it. I would keep enough cash on hand to cover 3 months of expenses and put the rest into something like the Vanguard total stock market mutual fund.

 

[Crew4991]

100% yes. Absolutely worth the upgrade to a manual Mach 1.

 

[luc]

Thinking about upgrading from my 2019 Mustang GT Premium (10-speed) to a manual Mach 1 with the handling package and bucket seats.

I can afford it either way, but realistically it would be about $15–20k plus my current car’s value. I also got approved for a loan around 4–5%, and I was considering taking it just to build credit history, even though I could technically pay cash.

Main reason for the switch is I really want a manual. I’ve driven the 10-speed a lot and love the car, but I feel like I’m missing that engagement. The Mach 1 also seems like a better fit for what I want to do now - more spirited driving, twisty roads, and maybe even some track days.

I’ve looked into GT350s too, but I’ve heard mixed things on reliability, and I’m not really trying to deal with that right now.

Just wondering if anyone thinks the upgrade is actually worth it or if I should just keep what I have.

Never understood those type of post, it’s a personal decision and why should you care about what other people think ???

 

[Kachow]

Test drive a 350, hit 8250 with valves open, then report back. You may buy it on the spot. Don’t say I didn’t warn you…….

 

[dccz302]

Test drive a 350, hit 8250 with valves open, then report back. You may buy it on the spot. Don’t say I didn’t warn you…….

Been there done that, and end up with a Mach 1 HP.

I’ll take a GT350 with a Coyote over any Voodoo motor. I prefer the torque down low, and the bullet-proof reliability. The sound? The magic of the Voodoo sound is due mostly to the stock unequal-length headers.

Now if the GT350 had the 5.2L Aluminator XS motor, then I would’ve purchased a GT350.

Although, I find the FFRE Coyotes more desirable.

 

[Rael]

Never understood those type of post, it’s a personal decision and why should you care about what other people think ???

Yes, it's really terrible.

 

[Whitedevil95]

I went from a 2017 GT auto with 800 wheel to a stock manual handling pack mach 1 and couldnt be happier. I really missed the manual. Even though it has half the HP of my last car i have found the back roads and cruising around town way more enjoyable in this car.

 

[Gen 6 Mach1]

I upgraded to a 2021 Mach1 auto VB from a 2021 GT Premium manual, I did some visual mods she looked good, but was no Mach1. I looked for months for the right VB hopefully HP , and almost gave up , til I found a non HP ( I wanted auto my age med issues) Volisity Blue base 4k miles one owner , upgraded to leather . I lost a few k on the GT and added 18k to buy the Mach , and glad I did . The GT350 was out of the equation mostly because of the engine and I needed an auto . Good luck on the dicision.

 

[13GetThere]

Drive the Mach 1 and see how you like it. You know what your current Mustang is like already. Then make up your mind. I suggest you take enough cash to make a down payment and seal the deal.

Now just to throw something in to give you something to worry about. You said you could make improvements to your current car and you could make a lot with 15 to 20 thousand dollars, but could you get it right and be as good as the Mach 1?

I had a similar dilemma, except I wanted to go from a 2019 PP2 to Mach 1 HP with an auto. With all the bad issues with the A10 I decided to stick with what I had. I'm not sorry.

 

[edw794]

Thinking about upgrading from my 2019 Mustang GT Premium (10-speed) to a manual Mach 1 with the handling package and bucket seats.

I can afford it either way, but realistically it would be about $15–20k plus my current car’s value. I also got approved for a loan around 4–5%, and I was considering taking it just to build credit history, even though I could technically pay cash.

Main reason for the switch is I really want a manual. I’ve driven the 10-speed a lot and love the car, but I feel like I’m missing that engagement. The Mach 1 also seems like a better fit for what I want to do now - more spirited driving, twisty roads, and maybe even some track days.

I’ve looked into GT350s too, but I’ve heard mixed things on reliability, and I’m not really trying to deal with that right now.

Just wondering if anyone thinks the upgrade is actually worth it or if I should just keep what I have.

Only if you know how to drive a clutch properly. Unknown to some, driving a clutch is more than just shifting gears.

 

[John S]

I had two Mustangs with the MT82 transmission and will never get another Mustang unless it has a Tremec trans.

Only you can decide but I thoroughly enjoy the close ratio gearing and shifting quality of the Tremec. It's no match against a 10R80 for straight line acceleration but the smiles and "emotional" fix I get every time I drive my Mach 1 is worth the price.

 

[HoldenSSVandGT350]

Absolutely worth it (I may be biased). The Mach 1 is a GT350 with a Coyote motor. Same handling performance (front-rear GT350 subframes), and the TREMEC transmission is amazing. The only thing missing is the bespoke bits and pieces of a Shelby Mustang. And compared to a GT, it’s a whole different car.

Having driven them all, I’d have to say the Mach 1 is like a fully realized GT PP2 rather than a Coyote engined 350. I don’t know why, but that’s the impression I came away with. Not a bad thing to be sure.

 

[dccz302]

Having driven them all, I’d have to say the Mach 1 is like a fully realized GT PP2 rather than a Coyote engined 350. I don’t know why, but that’s the impression I came away with. Not a bad thing to be sure.

Having driven them all as well, I disagree. I realize many GT350 owners are very sensitive about any criticism of the GT350 or any comparison of the GT350. The Mach 1 is literally a GT350 with a Coyote motor, it has the GT350 front and rear subframes with the same manual transmission. The rear brakes are not Brembos, which helps with the weight, and it stops just as efficiently.

If people want a “Shelby”-licensed Mustang, get a GT350, that’s the bottom line. If people want a GT350 with low-end grunt get a Mach 1.

It should have come with a unique steering wheel and more bespoke pieces. That’s the only downside.

 

[HoldenSSVandGT350]

Having driven them all as well, I disagree. I realize many GT350 owners are very sensitive about any criticism of the GT350 or any comparison of the GT350. The Mach 1 is literally a GT350 with a Coyote motor, it has the GT350 front and rear subframes with the same manual transmission. The rear brakes are not Brembos, which helps with the weight, and it stops just as efficiently.

If people want a “Shelby”-licensed Mustang, get a GT350, that’s the bottom line. If people want a GT350 with low-end grunt get a Mach 1.

It should have come with a unique steering wheel and more bespoke pieces. That’s the only downside.

Opinions vary. That’s for sure. I didn’t see any criticism anywhere, just stated my opinion after having driven them all, along with various foxes, SN95s and S197s mild to wild since 1995. Perhaps the Voodoo
does that much to transform the entire experience, idk.

As for being a GT350 with a Coyote, well, I guess we diverge there. In simplest terms, sure. But, the suspension pieces bolted to those subframes aren’t identical - even the Mach 1 chief engineer is on record stating that rear suspension design and bushing compliance differences front/rear contribute to the initial corner entry understeer missing in the 350. Maybe that, combined with the extra 60-90 lbs of weight is what I was feeling, idk tbh.

I almost bought a ‘23 cyber orange Mach 1 HP manual with 7k miles on it because it’s a phenomenal car, full stop. But, instead, I paid $3K more for an ‘18 350 with 21K miles because it’s just more than a Mach 1 with a Voodoo, to me.

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