The Problem With Being an S550 Owner

[Lord Thunder]

Forget the tight streets, the mustang turns like a fricken boat! Turning radius is huge!!

Talking about this makes me worried how I am going to park mine in the very much European sized underground parking garage we have.

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[Barrel]

Talking about this makes me worried how I am going to park mine in the very much European sized underground parking garage we have.

You'll be fine.

 

[Vile_the_Bastage]

TBH, I just as many hicks driving old BMW's, Civics, pickups than hicks who drive old Mustangs.

You don't see any hicks (least where I'm at) driving a 2005 and newer Mustang. In fact, usually the only ones I see driving Mustangs around here are younger professional guys, chicks (with the v6's) and older gentleman.

But, race speaking, you don't see many other races driving Mustangs. I was one of the only black males I know who drove a Mustang GT. Didn't really see much of that. I see the Mustang as more of a "white" persons car than I do a "redneck" car. To me, there's a difference.

I don't think my Hell Chariot cares what color I am... That's the beautiful thing about machines, when they become sentient they will find all of humanity equally useless and stupid.

People drive all types of cars, though it may vary by region. You can find white guys DUB'n out Grand Marquis and Cadillacs, just as quickly as you can find black guys slapping bigger turbos into Fiesta ST's (my coworker). Either way, too much attention is spent on what other morons think.

I will make this statement however, there are two types of drivers I hate:

1 - People who drive slowly in the left lane that think just because they are doing 5 over the speed limit that they have a right to be there :frusty::frusty::frusty:

2 - Motorcycle Highway Patrol officers. The bane of my existence. They prevent me from making Ghost Rider trails with my tires down Interstate 64.

**Driver number one can be any race, color, or gender and can be found driving ANYTHING**

 

[Vile_the_Bastage]

I'm not a Packers fan, but seeing as they're deep in the playoffs every year, the advice can't be too bad. One bad coaching decision away from a SB trip. :shrug:

Yep. All they have to do is be healthy (Aaron Rodgers wasn't) and stay consistent. The Patriots were not the best team in the league this past season, in fact most seasons they are not. But they are healthy when it counts and they are consistent. When the Pats win, it's because other teams (often better/talented teams) do something stupid.

For example: Throwing the ball on the 1 instead of giving it to Beast Mode

 

[5.0GT]

Tell me that superbowl and the NFC champ game was not rigged.

 

[5.0 435]

Back in the 90s I must say I would not be caugh dead in mustang. Not today ...maybe I've ground up and don't care what people think. Or maybe the dang thing has ground up and is a true performance car. Don't care and if people judge you by your car who needs those type people
It's more important to be judged a good parent or person by people who matter... Not the kind of car you drive.

 

[Vile_the_Bastage]

Tell me that superbowl and the NFC champ game was not rigged.

The Bowl game, possibly. I mean that was monumentally stupid. If Pete Carroll wasn't who he is, he would have been fired. The NFC game, meh... I don't know.

 

[5.0 435]

The Bowl game, possibly. I mean that was monumentally stupid. If Pete Carroll wasn't who he is, he would have been fired. The NFC game, meh... I don't know.

If you have ever watched the old comedy "Coach " the assisntent named Luther Vandam looks and acts just like Pete Carroll only smarter.

 

[smitty]

The Bowl game, possibly. I mean that was monumentally stupid. If Pete Carroll wasn't who he is, he would have been fired. The NFC game, meh... I don't know.

It's all rigged.. A manipulative and engineered spectacle of entertainment. In the end we don't even come close to getting our money's worth as a society. Not sure what this has to do with owning an S550 though

 

[Vile_the_Bastage]

It's all rigged.. A manipulative and engineered spectacle of entertainment. In the end we don't even come close to getting our money's worth as a society. Not sure what this has to do with owning an S550 though

Yeah, NFL drama has a way of derailing most conversations. As far as S550 ownership problems, it seems that most of the concerns people have stated have to do with other people and not necessarily the car itself. All joking aside, I say my problems are the following:

1) Body panel alignment issues from the front quarter panels to the doors.

2) Non upgradeable infotainment. Why can't I add factory Nav after the fact. Who's dumb idea was that?

3) 9 holes in my trunk for that tiny little spoiler. The tape would have been enough.

4) Wheel hop under acceleration on factory suspension

5) Potential to easily break half shafts (I will race my car this summer)

6) Car is still so new that many aftermarket parts that are normally fairly priced are completely jacked up, which pissed me off considering many components in the engine bay are the same or pretty similar to the last generation.

7) Little vibrations on interior panels here and there. Easy to fix/insulate once you know where they are but hard to find when they happen because you are usually driving.

8) Having to immediately go out and buy winter tires for a car purchased right before winter. I know what many of you are going to say, and you are right... but still. I could have spent that money on headers to go with my catback.

9) Dealing with Ford dealerships. Ford has a phenomenal product on their hands, but their dealerships are still shit (my experience, yours may vary).

10) Practicing restraint when in traffic. This is a pretty powerful car compared to most other cars on the road. All of us have a little immature teenager inside of us that wants to floor it and zip around traffic every chance we get and this car has a way of bring that little punk to the service. This can be dangerous if left unchecked.

I'm sure I can think of other problems that come with owning an S550 but these are the ones that stand out most to me.

 

[grantourer]

You can speculate that the play was a bad call all you want. Those dudes are at the highest level. They don't make the decision on the fly. That decision was made and talked about in the two weeks before. You think NFL teams don't know what their first and goal play will be?

On first and goal the seahawks had run the ball with Lynch 5 times last season. He scored once.

The pick/rub play that happened was a great goal line call. Inside receiver comes up field, cutting off the corner for the outside receiver who comes underneath. Play works almost every time.

Brandon Browner made a great play. By not letting the receiver push him up field he allowed Butler a clear line of sight to the play. Most corners would have been moved in that situation.

Malcolm Butler made an AMAZING play on that ball. Most of the time DBs will take "read steps" or "false steps" when reading a play. He did not. He recognized the rub route and when right to the play.

 

[Danger]

In the end, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Enjoy it while you can, life is too short. Things can always be repaired, touched up ofr replaced. No matter what choice you make you will always be looking at the other side, I rather look on the Mustang side.

 

[Vile_the_Bastage]

On first and goal the seahawks had run the ball with Lynch 5 times last season. He scored once.

Aaaaaaaand on those 5 plays how many times did he fumble and turn the ball over? Based off of his first and goal attempts last season, he has a 20% success rate. They would have had several chances to roll the dice. But I agree with you, highest level and game plan and all that...

In the end, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Enjoy it while you can, life is too short. Things can always be repaired, touched up ofr replaced. No matter what choice you make you will always be looking at the other side, I rather look on the Mustang side.

No truer words have ever been spoken.

 

[valentinoamoro]

To the OP, I had been waiting for something to happen on the interior and exterior to break the ice. As fanatical as I am with this car, ive come to realize the inevitable and ive just stopped caring.

In just four months time (about 7k):

- big rock chip on the hood
- minor chips in front fascia
- chipped windshield (truck threw up a rock)
- car was egged (one spot broke paint)
- salted mercilessly this winter (salted at point blank while stuck in traffic on a two lane, salt trucks going both ways)
- fogged/soiled interior (use your imagination)
- curb rash (very minor, but it counts)
- flat tire/nail, incapacitated by fix-a-flat

Nothing you can do. Planning a good wash/wax soon, 3m wrap the front and hood, touch up paint on hand and used as necessary. Battle scars

You surely are kidding. My Audi TT has less damage than that DD'ing it for 10 years+!

>>Egged? Who would egg a car? Someone was walking around with an egg handy to throw around?

Even though the Mustang hasn't been released in the UK, I already know the flack I'll get for owning one. Even showing interest has raised a lot of eyebrows. I have had the following thus far:

• "American? Why'd you buy an American car? It'll break down constantly." (they then tell me to buy something German)
• "That's not a sports car. Sports cars can go around corners"
• "Rude-boy car."
• "What sounds better? 'I drive a Ford Mustang' or 'I drive an Audi'?" (yes, someone actually said this to me).
• "Another Chavy (hick) car from Ford."

The Audi one still gets me good. The same thing was uttered when I considering buying the Kia I have now as a way to try and convince me to buy a Mercedes. :frusty:

"Ben, think about it. You introduce yourself to someone and they ask what car you have, you'll be 'Ben with a Mercedes-Benz'. Saying you have a Kia doesn't sound as good."

Many of them are spewing Jeremy Clarkson nonsense they've heard on TV.

Most have never seen or driven a Mustang probably, def not the new one or the Boss 302. For many in the UK, that kind of power is unattainable period due to cost of ownership (gas, insurance, taxes - till this new ecoboost perhaps), also, the fact that many own one car and need a more practical offering. I lived there for years BTW. Most have not seen a hick other than TV :-). As far as comments on 'what sounds better when you say you drive brand xyz' - well, I'll let people who place value and happiness on what other people think they drive be happy with that kind of an existence!

I question the nonsense about reliability - British cars (when they used to be made) were shit, and German cars have the most reliability issues and costs of maintenance ever. I owned 3 in my life. How many 150K miles+ Mercedes CLS (or any Merc after 1992) will you see on the road, or Audi's? BMW's in that mileage range are also rare. Plenty of Stangs and Vettes.

Lastly, the live rear axle being a reason to dismiss the car is also a repetition of Top Gear nonsense - these are the same guys who laughed the last gen Z06 out of the room because it had leaf springs - even though it kicked the ass of most of the cars they drove (back then). Also, for those with short memories, most 'hot hatches' in England had live rear axles till recently.
Dont quote me on this but I think the UK spec Fit Type R has a torsion bar.
Renault Megane R26.R and R26
Opel Astra OPC

Additionally, a lot of their faves (Fiesta ST), many models of Golf use an inferior Twist-beam suspension as opposed to multi-link.

 

[Vile_the_Bastage]

I question the nonsense about reliability - British cars (when they used to be made) were shit, and German cars have the most reliability issues and costs of maintenance ever. I owned 3 in my life. How many 150K miles+ Mercedes CLS (or any Merc after 1992) will you see on the road, or Audi's? BMW's in that mileage range are also rare. Plenty of Stangs and Vettes.

:clap2:So much win right here.:clap2: My wife's 2001 Golf GTI went stupid after 80K miles. The cost of maintenance and upkeep went through the roof for simple things. O2 sensors on that thing were insanely expensive. VW wanted $80 to check the battery. Yeah, no thanks and never again.

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