Lots of questions from a Mustang shopper

[Laserbrain]

Long time lurker; first time poster.
I'm looking at a Mustang for my next car and I have some questions.

Fastback GT Premium
6MT
400A
Safe and Smart
Performance Package 1 (or 2)
Nice to have - Magneride
I do not want Recaro seats. That's a dealbreaker. I gotta have the heated and cooled seats.

Safe and Smart doesn't include the lane change warning lights in the side mirrors? That's BLIS and I have to get the 401A package to get it?

I want the PP mostly for the Torsen diff. I do plan on driving the car year-round and I think that will be a little better in the snow, with four snow tires, of course. I had a Torsen in my Miata and Mazdaspeed3 and miss it in the Focus ST.

How's the PP2 in daily driving compared to PP1 with Magneride? It has more aggressive traction control, ABS, and stability control, correct? But in "normal" mode it would drive about the same as a PP1?

You can't get PP2 without also getting 401A, right? I wouldn't take 401A otherwise, but a heated steering wheel would be nice.

According to my searches on cars.com there are more 2019 PP2 cars left over than PP1 cars, so it's probably a good deal either way.

I'd consider a Bullitt, but those can't get Safe and Smart, right? I want the adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and emergency braking features.

Is Active Valve Performance Exhaust worth it or is it a gimmick? Do you change it up often or is it the kind of thing you set once and never use again? I don't often leave the house very early or come home late.

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[S550-GT]

BLIS only comes with 401a package car, Safe and Smart package has just Blind Spot Mirror (no light). You also cannot get the Safe and Smart on Bullitt as far as I know.

Active Exhaust - depending on what you want out of the car. I almost always have it on Track Mode. If you had to leave early or lived in a quiet neighborhood then it's worth it. Otherwise $900 for AE can be used towards a louder exhaust if that's what you are after.

 

[DmanDmythDlegend]

If you have to have safe and smart then pp2 is best bet.

 

[DmanDmythDlegend]

BLIS only comes with 401a package car, Safe and Smart package has just Blind Spot Mirror (no light). You also cannot get the Safe and Smart on Bullitt as far as I know.

Active Exhaust - depending on what you want out of the car. I almost always have it on Track Mode. If you had to leave early or lived in a quiet neighborhood then it's worth it. Otherwise $900 for AE can be used towards a louder exhaust if that's what you are after.

Bullitt is not available with auto cruise control and collision braking but it can have blis

 

[Idaho2018GTPremium]

Long time lurker; first time poster.
I'm looking at a Mustang for my next car and I have some questions.

Fastback GT Premium
6MT
400A
Safe and Smart
Performance Package 1 (or 2)
Nice to have - Magneride
I do not want Recaro seats. That's a dealbreaker. I gotta have the heated and cooled seats.

Safe and Smart doesn't include the lane change warning lights in the side mirrors? That's BLIS and I have to get the 401A package to get it?

I want the PP mostly for the Torsen diff. I do plan on driving the car year-round and I think that will be a little better in the snow, with four snow tires, of course. I had a Torsen in my Miata and Mazdaspeed3 and miss it in the Focus ST.

How's the PP2 in daily driving compared to PP1 with Magneride? It has more aggressive traction control, ABS, and stability control, correct? But in "normal" mode it would drive about the same as a PP1?

You can't get PP2 without also getting 401A, right? I wouldn't take 401A otherwise, but a heated steering wheel would be nice.

According to my searches on cars.com there are more 2019 PP2 cars left over than PP1 cars, so it's probably a good deal either way.

I'd consider a Bullitt, but those can't get Safe and Smart, right? I want the adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and emergency braking features.

Is Active Valve Performance Exhaust worth it or is it a gimmick? Do you change it up often or is it the kind of thing you set once and never use again? I don't often leave the house very early or come home late.

In my 2018 GT Premium, the Safe and Smart package included the blind spot monitoring and all the other safety tech that safe and smart currently has. They changed it for either '19 or '20, where the blind spot monitoring was no longer part of the Safe and smart. I'm not sure why they moved it to the 401a package - probably to get more people to upgrade to the 401a, because people like blind spot monitoring. I'm glad it was part of the safe and smart, because I didn't need/want to pay for the 401a package. As far as I know, front collision warning and automated braking prevents more wrecks than blind spot monitoring. I also adjust my side mirrors so I have no blind spot. It's a nice feature to have, but I'd rather have the safe and smart items than BLIS, if forced to choose between the two.

 

[boB]

I like the adaptive cruise control of Safe and Smart, it's a nice feature for interstate travel. Magneride is another nice one, sometimes I just want to cruise and have a smooth ride. Active exhaust is an option I use every day, leave the neighborhood quietly then crank it up for the ride. Downshift into 2nd at 50 mph in Track mode then back to Quiet as I pull into the neighborhood.

 

[Silver Bullitt]

You can get PP2 with 301A or higher. Swap out the Sport Cup 2 tires and it's a fine daily driver. I love the active exhaust, even more now with the res delete Steeda h-pipe. If you want Magneride, it's hard to argue not stepping up to PP2 for the difference in price compared to the PP1 and the extras you get with PP2 (assuming of course you want the M6).

 

[15BluStang]

Based on the description, you might want the 401a package. Once your have the LCD instrument cluster, heated steering wheel, and Blis, you will be glad you got them. I have the active exhaust and I change mine right after I start the car. I have Mymode setup so I get the sport exhaust sound without Sport + mode. Also with either PP1 or PP2, you will need to get snow tires for driving in winter weather. The tires with both will not grip in cold weather or snow. Also I have Safe and Smart and comes in handy while driving with all of the old folks here in Ocala, FL.

 

[shogun32]

How's the PP2 in daily driving compared to PP1 with Magneride? It has more aggressive traction control, ABS, and stability control, correct? But in "normal" mode it would drive about the same as a PP1?

That so-called programming is highly debatable. It's likely more imagined than real. What isn't is that Ford released an MR update for the magneride programming but it's not clear if they locked it to the PP2 (somewhat likely) or if you can manage to finagle the programming onto a PP1+MR car.

The PP2 wheels are really wide and the summer tires throw an incredible amount of stones. For DD I would swap the wheels with something narrower, 9.5x4 or 9.5+10 and sensible tire choice.

 

[13GetThere]

To get MagneRide you have to get either the 301A or 401A package in either a PP1 or PP2. You can get the M6 manual in either PP1 or PP2, but you can only get the A10 auto in the PP1. You can get the safe and smart package as an option in any package, but the BLIS only comes in the 401A.
I have a friend that works somewhere in management at Ford, and he says the safe and smart package with adaptive cruise control is all that and a bag of chips, and loves it. I like to drive my Mustang and only used cruise control twice in my 2013 Mustang and once was only to see if it worked, so I had no use for the safe and smart. However, had it not been for Mrs. 13GT I would have kissed sheet metal at least once in heavy stop and go traffic, so BLIS was very desirable when I went shopping for a 2019.
MagneRide was a must when I went shopping, and I'm glad I got it. If I had gotten a PP1 it had to be an auto and the pickings were slim when it came to a PP1 with the A10, and MagneRide. They were all 301As with active exhaust and nothing else. I ended up with a GT premium PP2, since for the money I got what I wanted without having to modify it down the road. However I do miss the automatic, but I'm getting back into a manual.
The down side of either PP1 or 2 is the summer only tires. If your going to drive in winter conditions (temps below 45*) then you'll need all season tires.
As for the active exhaust, I didn't need it, but everything had it, and I don't mind having it.

 

[13GetThere]

That so-called programming is highly debatable. It's likely more imagined than real. What isn't is that Ford released an MR update for the magneride programming but it's not clear if they locked it to the PP2 (somewhat likely) or if you can manage to finagle the programming onto a PP1+MR car.

The PP2 wheels are really wide and the summer tires throw an incredible amount of stones. For DD I would swap the wheels with something narrower, 9.5x4 or 9.5+10 and sensible tire choice.

As I understand it the Ford Racing spring and sway bar kit for MagneRide equipped Mustangs comes with a tuner for the MagneRide suspension, but the tuner is not needed for the PP2 or GT350. The springs and sways are different between the PP1 and 2.

 

[IronG]

That so-called programming is highly debatable. It's likely more imagined than real. What isn't is that Ford released an MR update for the magneride programming but it's not clear if they locked it to the PP2 (somewhat likely) or if you can manage to finagle the programming onto a PP1+MR car.

The PP2 wheels are really wide and the summer tires throw an incredible amount of stones. For DD I would swap the wheels with something narrower, 9.5x4 or 9.5+10 and sensible tire choice.

The "so called" programming is only in track mode. Can't say for sure what the difference is between it and a PP1 w/mr, but it is not imagined. I would guess it is trying to dial in the wider stance of the wheels and a bit more aggressive with the dampening. You would need to see the actual program to see the differences. How much it affects track times is probably subtle, but that is what racing is about, getting an edge here and there.

As for the wheel size, I agree that a narrower wheel will be a bit more calm in the steering and be better for a DD. For occasional street use as a second or third vehicle is really no issue. Using a less aggressive tire takes a lot of the tram out.

 

[tom_sprecher]

I don't know if it was available when I bought this car, but the next one I own must have adaptive cruise control. With all the truck traffic these days on the interstate, normal cruise control is useless.

 

[shogun32]

With all the truck traffic these days on the interstate, normal cruise control is useless.

why? aren't you paying attention to the 3 second interval in front of you? Cruise disable is a thumb button or slight brush of brake pedal away if you need to intervene.

 

[Roger Blose]

And the terrific A10 comes with a factory remote start which is fantastic for hot and cold climates. Just set the seats the way you want them and remote start welcomes you with a warm or cool seat.

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