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LowcountryMustang

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I’m trying to decide what’s more important to have. See attached pdf for breakdown, but it’s basically:

2018 Ecoboost Premium

10 speed Automatic
201A Premium Plus with Digital Gauge
Black Accent Package
Spare Tire

After incentives, xplan and $1000 trade in

$30000



2018 GT

10 Speed Automatic
Basic 301A Upgrade
Active Exhaust
Spare Tire

After incentives, xplan and $1000 trade in

$34500
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sbrenskell

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I’m trying to decide what’s more important to have. See attached pdf for breakdown, but it’s basically:

2018 Ecoboost Premium

10 speed Automatic
201A Premium Plus with Digital Gauge
Black Accent Package
Spare Tire

After incentives, xplan and $1000 trade in

$30000

2018 GT

10 Speed Automatic
Basic 301A Upgrade
Active Exhaust
Spare Tire

After incentives, xplan and $1000 trade in

$34500
It really depends on what you want. I would personally say GT. But I'm going from a 2013 V6 Premium convertible to a 2018 GT Premium Convertible (custom ordered). And I'm also doing the X-Plan it'll save me $1800!
 
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OP
LowcountryMustang

LowcountryMustang

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It really depends on what you want. I would personally say GT. But I'm going from a 2013 V6 Premium convertible to a 2018 GT Premium Convertible (custom ordered). And I'm also doing the X-Plan it'll save me $1800!
Check with the dealer because their are two extra "x-plan" incentives totalling $1250 that I was elidgeable for in addition to regular x plan pricing.

Bonus Cash
X-Plan Performance Partner Recognition Direct Offer
Start Date: 1/4/2017
End Date: 1/2/2018
Group Affiliation: X-PLAN
Amount: $750.00

Bonus Cash
X-Plan Partner Plus Offer Program
Start Date: 7/6/2017
End Date: 10/2/2017
Group Affiliation: X-PLAN
Amount: $500.00
 

sbrenskell

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Check with the dealer because their are two extra "x-plan" incentives totalling $1250 that I was elidgeable for in addition to regular x plan pricing.

Bonus Cash
X-Plan Performance Partner Recognition Direct Offer
Start Date: 1/4/2017
End Date: 1/2/2018
Group Affiliation: X-PLAN
Amount: $750.00

Bonus Cash
X-Plan Partner Plus Offer Program
Start Date: 7/6/2017
End Date: 10/2/2017
Group Affiliation: X-PLAN
Amount: $500.00
I knew about the $750 but not the $500. I'll keep that in mind. I'm going to talk to the dealer about the X-plan I don't have my membership card for mca. I'm hoping they'll let me print out my account info and send them a picture of it when I receive it...
 

AGM2018

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***BUMP!!!*** I am looking for insight and advice on a similar issue as Low Country Mustang; I am debating and weighing my options as to whether I will purchase (I am going to the dealer on Saturday...tick tock!) an EB Premium or a GT Base. The EB, equipped as I would order it is: $34,350; the GT is: $40,800. The 'Stang will serve as a second car and as a non-daily driver, primarily being used as a "Weekend Cruiser/Date Night and driven when I want to engage in a bit of "Spirited Driving."

As I am in my early 40's, blessed with a nice career, no accidents or traffic violations, insurance isn't a HUGE concern, but I know the GT will be more expensive. The GT will be more expensive in the initial purchase price; however, I think gas and maintenance between the GT and EB maybe a "wash", as they both run at peak performance on 93 (91 where 93 isn't available) octane and the EB may have more maintenance fees than the GT in later years, due to the forced induction nature of the engine.

So...which one best "fits" my needs? I am torn because from driving an EB with the PP vice a Non-PP GT, the EB handles better...due to being lighter in weight and better balanced...but, it is inferior in overall visceral power, torque and speed and in being equipped with a poor factory tune and intercooler. On the other hand, the GT (non PP) suffers from a "floaty, disconnected" handling feeling, which the PP version addresses to a certain degree. I can live without all the leather and other interior upgrades the EB premium will bring....but, I wish I knew that 18 model year (with the addition of the PP on the automatic transmission) remedied the "floaty, disconnected" handling feeling of the GT.

I also know that Ford Racing will almost certainly (in two years probably LOL) produce a "canned tune" for the 18 EB, making it drive better and giving it more HP and torque. And there are after market intercoolers to address the necessity to upgrade the inferior factory IC as well. I also know the EB with PP will, probably, handle as well....maybe better...than the new 18 GT with PP. I suppose my biggest issue is the fact the 15-17 EB's were so "sandbagged" from the factory AND saddled with a horrible intercooler. I just "fear" the 18 EB's tune will also be "sandbagged" to a certain extend, just as the 15-17's were...with the same cheaply made and inferior intercooler. The fact that the 18 GT may be purchased and left (virtually) factory stock and leave little to be desired by the average GT buyer, in the way of performance (especially with the PP and automatic transmission) make me REALLY lean towards the GT Base over the EB Premium.

Here is the question and final thought open for advice, input and opinion please; does the GT base merit a $6500 cost premium over the EB Premium....if neither car will ever be tracked, raced at a drag strip or on the street? I am not worried on how a V-8 exhaust sounds versus the 4 cylinder EB's "Fart-In-A-Can" sound (I have had 3 previous GT's before...2 with modified exhaust) nor am I sensitive, worried or "hung-up" on the GT being faster in virtually every measurable metric...I simply want to have a fun-to-drive Mustang that fits my wants, needs and desires....more power to everyone to purchase/drive what fits their needs. My "ego" isn't hurt and/or driven by what other's drive or say about what I drive.

So based on this L O N G post (Sorry guys and gals!), let me know what you think. Which model is the "best fit" and the "best bang for the buck?" Thanks for reading my post and thanks for your input.
 
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thehunterooo

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***BUMP!!!*** I am looking for insight and advice on a similar issue as Low Country Mustang; I am debating and weighing my options as to whether I will purchase (I am going to the dealer on Saturday...tick tock!) an EB Premium or a GT Base. The EB, equipped as I would order it is: $34,350; the GT is: $40,800. The 'Stang will serve as a second car and as a non-daily driver, primarily being used as a "Weekend Cruiser/Date Night and driven when I want to engage in a bit of "Spirited Driving."

As I am in my early 40's, blessed with a nice career, no accidents or traffic violations, insurance isn't a HUGE concern, but I know the GT will be more expensive. The GT will be more expensive in the initial purchase price; however, I think gas and maintenance between the GT and EB maybe a "wash", as they both run at peak performance on 93 (91 where 93 isn't available) octane and the EB may have more maintenance fees than the GT in later years, due to the forced induction nature of the engine.

So...which one best "fits" my needs? I am torn because from driving an EB with the PP vice a Non-PP GT, the EB handles better...due to being lighter in weight and better balanced...but, it is inferior in overall visceral power, torque and speed and in being equipped with a poor factory tune and intercooler. On the other hand, the GT (non PP) suffers from a "floaty, disconnected" handling feeling, which the PP version addresses to a certain degree. I can live without all the leather and other interior upgrades the EB premium will bring....but, I wish I knew that 18 model year (with the addition of the PP on the automatic transmission) remedied the "floaty, disconnected" handling feeling of the GT.

I also know that Ford Racing will almost certainly (in two years probably LOL) produce a "canned tune" for the 18 EB, making it drive better and giving it more HP and torque. And there are after market intercoolers to address the necessity to upgrade the inferior factory IC as well. I also know the EB with PP will, probably, handle as well....maybe better...than the new 18 GT with PP. I suppose my biggest issue is the fact the 15-17 EB's were so "sandbagged" from the factory AND saddled with a horrible intercooler. I just "fear" the 18 EB's tune will also be "sandbagged" to a certain extend, just as the 15-17's were...with the same cheaply made and inferior intercooler. The fact that the 18 GT may be purchased and left (virtually) factory stock and leave little to be desired by the average GT buyer, in the way of performance (especially with the PP and automatic transmission) make me REALLY lean towards the GT Base over the EB Premium.

Here is the question and final thought open for advice, input and opinion please; does the GT base merit a $6500 cost premium over the EB Premium....if neither car will ever be tracked, raced at a drag strip or on the street? I am not worried on how a V-8 exhaust sounds versus the 4 cylinder EB's "Fart-In-A-Can" sound (I have had 4 previous GT's before...2 with modified exhaust) nor am I sensitive, worried or "hung-up" on the GT being faster in virtually every measurable metric...I simply want to have a fun-to-drive Mustang that fits my wants, needs and desires....more power to everyone to purchase/drive what fits their needs. My "ego" isn't hurt and/or driven by what other's drive or say about what I drive.

So based on this L O N G post (Sorry guys and gals!), let me know what you think. Which model is the "best fit" and the "best bang for the buck?" Thanks for reading my post and thanks for your input.
Might as well go with the EB if you don't want the extra power out of the box and also want the premium goodies. Will be cheaper overall but it really just depends on what you want no one can make that choice for you. You and OP would have to think about what you really want when it comes down to base vs premium and such.

I found that the floaty feeling was fixed with a strut bar. The steering felt really loose without it for whatever reason.
 

codemanstang

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wonder what you went with?

If its a non daily driver i think i would have gone base GT and made it a full race car
 

AGM2018

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wonder what you went with?

If its a non daily driver i think i would have gone base GT and made it a full race car
I really want go with a GT; whichever model I purchase is going to be a daily driver. That (the fact it is going to be used as a daily driver) is the issue I am trying to resolve. For a dedicated daily driver, the EB has plenty of horsepower and torque to serve as a fun daily driver. The EB is reasonably quick and economical...both in terms of gas consumption (even using 93 octane for maximum performance) and insurance costs. I also know that the EB is, depending on trim level and options, is 9K-10K cheaper than a comparable GT. As I would build an 18 EB, the base is 31K and the premium is 34K. As I would build a GT, the base is 41K and the premium is 45K. However, despite all these logical, rational and valid criterion, I still am unable to bring myself to accept the EB is the car for me.

The fact that Ford has elected to "detune" the EB from the factory and install a cheap and underperforming intercooler on the EB from the factory is a point of contention in my purchasing an EB as well. Yes, I realize that for $500-$600 I may purchase a high quality and well-performing intercooler...and I also realize that (probably) within a year of the release of the 18 EB's, Ford Racing will release a tune, which will add (much as it did for the 15-17 EB'S) around 25 horsepower and 40 feet pounds of torque. I just don't...to be honest...feel that I should have to buy around $1200 dollars in parts after spending $30K+ for a car...just to ensure the car performs as it should have from Ford in the first place. And yes, I do know that even with the cost of these modifications, the EB is still much cheaper than purchasing even a base GT, as I would build it.

So...what to do...what to do! I am leaning, even with the increased cost of initial purchase price and the monthly insurance premium, purchasing a base GT. I realize full well that, in reality, the GT has more power than may be "legally" utilized in day-to-day driving and the gas mileage (at least driving in town...highway mileage is a "wash" between GT and EB) will be worse than the EB. BUT...with the GT, I won't have to make any aftermarket modifications to maintain proper cooling efficiency or to correct a poor factory tune. And if I want to ensure the car makes the proper sound, I can spend a mere $895.00 and have a factory installed exhaust system that both sounds and performs well. I am not sure I have heard a great sounding exhaust system for the EB in the entire aftermarket...and to be honest, this facet of owning a mustang (exhaust sound) isn't a "make or break" quality for ownership, on either an EB or GT. The GT, in large part due to its V8 lineage and V8 construction, lends itself to sounding better than the EB's four cylinder.

I suppose in the end, I am going with my heart...and not my mind or "economics." As I said, I know full well the data, when analyzed rationally, clearly identifies the EB as the better/more efficient/more economical daily driver, for the reasons I listed above. But, data and economics don't, and can't, measure driving enjoyment and one's desire for a particular build/optioning of a car, regardless of monetary cost incurred.

With that said, as soon as the dealer I am working with emails me back (he has been taking two or so days to get back to me) with an Out-The-Door and On-The-Road price (I am using X-Plan), I am 99.999% sure I am forking over a refundable $500.00 deposit for a GT. Depending upon the amount of savings, I may yet decide to "Pony Up" the extra 3K or so for the Premium Package. If Ford (again with their packaging options...damn you Ford!) had permitted purchase of the 19" aluminum wheels for the GT and the "Safe and Secure" Package with the base GT, I would not even think of moving up to the premium trim level.
 
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Faceme

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personally never would go for an EB (no offense to EB guys). especially if its going to be your weekened toy. its a 4cylinder turbo, might as well for an evo 7 and throw a bunch of speed parts on it.
 

sbrenskell

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It wasn't even an option when I ordered this car. I didn't even look at EB. Because I want to go up in the Mustang line up not down. I understand getting the EB because you are tight on finances. But I have a GREAT job so money is not an option. And I am paying cash for my 'stang. So there's that. :)
 

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nrc

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Don't you have to take delivery during the effective period for the incentives for them to apply?
 

Shouldhavegotthegt

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I went through this when buying my 16 GT. Get all the fancy stuff for the premium in an EB or get the base and go GT. I am one that mods and cannot drive a stock car. So changing up some of the base items was not a problem. I switched out the cloth to leather and added some ambient lighting. Also did a ton of other stuff like Roush fascia, wheels, exhaust, suspension and since I do my own installs it still came in lower than stepping up to a premium model.

Most people just drive their cars and never make any changes. If that is the case just get the EB premium and call it a day. If you plan on modding a lot just get the Base GT and go from there.
 

DukeGaGa

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I would say make your decision on what is harder to change (not considering the engine of course...). This means that make a list of what you want (you already have one), then write down how hard it would be to swap them in yourself, and then pick the easier ones and go from there. I had a similar situation when buying my ND Miata, and I eventually went with the GT model instead of the Club (GT had all the electronics but comes with an open diff, Club has LSD, strut tower brace and can get the optional brembo brakes and nicer wheels), I choose GT because all the other stuff is much easier for myself to come by and install, while the electronics needs a lot more work. So if you think EB has enough power for you as your daily driver, then try this method I suggested.
 

AGM2018

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I would say make your decision on what is harder to change (not considering the engine of course...). This means that make a list of what you want (you already have one), then write down how hard it would be to swap them in yourself, and then pick the easier ones and go from there. I had a similar situation when buying my ND Miata, and I eventually went with the GT model instead of the Club (GT had all the electronics but comes with an open diff, Club has LSD, strut tower brace and can get the optional brembo brakes and nicer wheels), I choose GT because all the other stuff is much easier for myself to come by and install, while the electronics needs a lot more work. So if you think EB has enough power for you as your daily driver, then try this method I suggested.

Duke,

Thanks for your input and advice...it is appreciated. If I chose an EB, it would be a premium with the PP. I would then change the intercooler and do nothing else unless/until Ford Racing releases an tune for the 2018 EB. Even with equipping the EB in this manner it still won't, in my opinion, satisfy what I am looking for...albeit it is less expensive and will produce plenty of power as a daily drive and for frequent "spirited drives".

Having had three GT's (87,98,03...and a 65 inline six in high school in the late 80's), I am done heavily modifying cars; now my preference is to buy the car as closely optioned/built to my long-term desires and driving needs as possible from the factory. The GT will not need any modification to the engine for consistent and reliable power delivery (for what I will use the GT for, it won't even require an after market tune), dependable cooling and a nice sounding exhaust...the EB, in my opinion, requires modifications in all three of these areas.

I think the GT is a better fit for what I seek...even though the GT is more expensive in the initial purchase price, produces poorer gas mileage in city driving than the EB and the GT will incur more expensive insurance premiums. I won't equip the GT with the PP; in the manner I will utilize the GT (daily driving and as many fun/spirited runs as I can "legally" do), I don't think the 3K premium for the PP is necessary. Within a few months, Ford Racing will most likely offer their "Track Package" for the 2018 GT (if the 2015-2017 version isn't currently compatible) for around $1200. If the GT is "too soft" and "too floatly" for my driving requirements, I will purchase the Track Pack and a good strut bar, which will correct the issue by stiffening the suspension. And yes, I know Ford Racing's "Track Package" won't include the factory PP's Brembo brake upgrade, the larger radiator or the 3.73 Torsen differential...but, for my driving requirements, none of these options are imperative, "Must Have" options. A 3.55 rear end gear with the new 10 Speed Automatic will suffice.

I have given the issue of EB Premium VS GT Base/Premium weeks of thought and reflection, as well as examining which mustang trim/build will be more satisfying to me as a daily driver, without regard to economic considerations. The GT is that car...now, if the dealer I am using will just send me back a total cost for the options I chose, I will be able to put down a deposit to order the car. :headbang::cheers:
 

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It wasn't even an option when I ordered this car. I didn't even look at EB. Because I want to go up in the Mustang line up not down. I understand getting the EB because you are tight on finances. But I have a GREAT job so money is not an option. And I am paying cash for my 'stang. So there's that. :)
Not everybody got an EB because of finances. Some of us got the EB because it's something different from all the other Mustangs you see out on the road. Raw speed isn't everything. I would rather have a car that handles.
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