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Things I learned after putting 355 miles on a 2018 Mustang Gt rental in 24 hours

Dory

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Background: I am 34 years old and prior to this year I have never cared about fast cars or driven one. About 6 months ago I started thinking that at some point I should have a mid life crisis and I should plan ahead to optimize it / mitigate the financial damage. I don't even remember when or how I became interested in Mustangs, but soon after I became obsessed. I don't know exactly when this happened, but the build/configure was for the 2017 model and 1 month later it switched to the 2018 model.

My first car was a 1970 four door Chevy Impala. It had a 350 cubic inch turbo fire engine with the hydromatic automatic transmission. It was rear wheel drive and a huge car. Bench seats front and back. I bought it from my great grandmother for $350. Her driving career ended when she pulled out in front of a bus and got t-boned in the car. It was made of solid steel so the damage was mainly cosmetic. There was a fair amount of duct tape over the wound when I got it. I enjoyed the car and it must have made an impression on me because a series of events in the future led to me getting a brand new 2012 Impala when I wrecked the car I had at the time. I was driving 1996 I believe hand me down v6 decked out Honda Accord and I was upset that my financial situation at the time was not going to replace the horse power it had. Luck would have it the dealership had a special deal on a 2012 Impala LS.

Due to strange circumstances the 2012 year of Impala only had a single engine for all trim levels and it was a big V6 rated at 300 HP with new direct injection technology. It was front wheel drive however. I have been enjoying it ever since. It has spoiled me in a way as most cars in its price range don't have anywhere near that horse power.

Fast forward to now and I am looking at Mustangs. After 2 prior failed attempts at renting one I was blessed with the opportunity to rent a 2018 GT with the 10 speed auto.

In the last several months I have been imagining how I would order the car if I could afford it now and of course I was insisting in my head that I need practically every option leading to a 50K+ build. After driving one for 24 hours I have realized the following:


  • I really don't need the performance package
  • I don't need leather seats or dual zone climate control
  • The car behaves so well that you have to try to lose control
  • I have test driven a GT with the active exhaust and it IS worth it assuming you put it in track mode every time you start the car
  • The base stereo is not that great and the 301A package is probably worth it just for the sound upgrade
  • 460 HP sounds like a lot, but it really does not throw you back in the seat as much as I would like
  • The 10 speed is great, but it gets really confused when you hit 44 or 45 mph and let off the gas in a 40 mph zone to avoid a ticket.
  • I think I scared the car because every 10 minutes it attempted to dial 911 and warned me that no phone was connected so it could not dial 911.
  • The ability to do donuts must be a natural talent every American has because I figured it out without looking it up.
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youra6

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Background: I am 34 years old and prior to this year I have never cared about fast cars or driven one. About 6 months ago I started thinking that at some point I should have a mid life crisis and I should plan ahead to optimize it / mitigate the financial damage. I don't even remember when or how I became interested in Mustangs, but soon after I became obsessed. I don't know exactly when this happened, but the build/configure was for the 2017 model and 1 month later it switched to the 2018 model.

My first car was a 1970 four door Chevy Impala. It had a 350 cubic inch turbo fire engine with the hydromatic automatic transmission. It was rear wheel drive and a huge car. Bench seats front and back. I bought it from my great grandmother for $350. Her driving career ended when she pulled out in front of a bus and got t-boned in the car. It was made of solid steel so the damage was mainly cosmetic. There was a fair amount of duct tape over the wound when I got it. I enjoyed the car and it must have made an impression on me because a series of events in the future led to me getting a brand new 2012 Impala when I wrecked the car I had at the time. I was driving 1996 I believe hand me down v6 decked out Honda Accord and I was upset that my financial situation at the time was not going to replace the horse power it had. Luck would have it the dealership had a special deal on a 2012 Impala LS.

Due to strange circumstances the 2012 year of Impala only had a single engine for all trim levels and it was a big V6 rated at 300 HP with new direct injection technology. It was front wheel drive however. I have been enjoying it ever since. It has spoiled me in a way as most cars in its price range don't have anywhere near that horse power.

Fast forward to now and I am looking at Mustangs. After 2 prior failed attempts at renting one I was blessed with the opportunity to rent a 2018 GT with the 10 speed auto.

In the last several months I have been imagining how I would order the car if I could afford it now and of course I was insisting in my head that I need practically every option leading to a 50K+ build. After driving one for 24 hours I have realized the following:


  • I really don't need the performance package
  • I don't need leather seats or dual zone climate control
  • The car behaves so well that you have to try to lose control
  • I have test driven a GT with the active exhaust and it IS worth it assuming you put it in track mode every time you start the car
  • The base stereo is not that great and the 301A package is probably worth it just for the sound upgrade
  • 460 HP sounds like a lot, but it really does not throw you back in the seat as much as I would like
  • The 10 speed is great, but it gets really confused when you hit 44 or 45 mph and let off the gas in a 40 mph zone to avoid a ticket.
  • I think I scared the car because every 10 minutes it attempted to dial 911 and warned me that no phone was connected so it could not dial 911.
  • The ability to do donuts must be a natural talent every American has because I figured it out without looking it up.
I'm a little bit younger than you but I am about to enter my 30's soon. However, I have loved cars my whole life and I've been very lucky to own several of my dream cars (STi, Evo, now 2018 Mustang GT).
For me personally, the only things I would have wanted in the PP would be the upgraded brakes. The 255 size tires and 9.5" rims would be too small for me anyways when it comes time to add a blower on it.

The active exhaust is cool in the sense that you can select how loud or quiet you want your car to be, but I don't care about the quiet modes. A 100 dollar X-Pipe can pretty much gets me the same raspy sounding exhaust as the active exhaust.

So aside from brakes, 305 sized tires, the only thing I would want to add in would be lowering springs and half shafts. I paid just over 30K for mine and I can't imagine spending 20K+ more just to get all the bells and whistles.

The engine, transmission, clutch are all strong enough for forced induction (since you say 460 isn't enough :D). And if you don't 2 step your car all the time or constantly hit the rev limiter, your stock oil pump gears should be fine.
 

NYDP77

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So did the rental have the performance package? If it didn't maybe that's why you didn't feel it was throwing you back in your seat. I have the 3.73 gears with the performance pack and won't get anything different. Try one if you haven't.
 

Bowen_Racing

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So did the rental have the performance package? If it didn't maybe that's why you didn't feel it was throwing you back in your seat. I have the 3.73 gears with the performance pack and won't get anything different. Try one if you haven't.
power is power.. gearing just affects how quickly it gets through the gears and yes may have a small increase in acceleration. My twin turbo 5.0 on low boost with 3.31s will throw you back in the seat way harder than any stock car even with 4.10s. Also 3.55s to 3.73s are not a huge leap in terms of gearing
 

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NYDP77

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I just realized the rental was an auto so gearing can't change. You think the PP would cost less in this case.

Bowen, I imagine a twin turbo would do that. I felt a difference between the 2017's non-PP and the PP gearing.
 

MaxHedrm

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The active exhaust is cool in the sense that you can select how loud or quiet you want your car to be, but I don't care about the quiet modes. A 100 dollar X-Pipe can pretty much gets me the same raspy sounding exhaust as the active exhaust.
I'm clearly getting old. :D I had what was basically 3" straight pipe on a previous car, so I've done the loud exhaust thing and regret it. It sounds cool, but it's damaging in the long term and in some cases can be unpleasant on long drives.

What I like about the Dynamic exhaust is that I'll be able to make it loud when I want, but not be that guy in the neighborhood when I don't want to be.
 

MaxHedrm

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power is power.. gearing just affects how quickly it gets through the gears and yes may have a small increase in acceleration. My twin turbo 5.0 on low boost with 3.31s will throw you back in the seat way harder than any stock car even with 4.10s. Also 3.55s to 3.73s are not a huge leap in terms of gearing
Duh. At least once you get into boost. You also dumped a lot of extra cash into your car and have no warranty. :) Sometimes (most times, really) it's more about the perception of speed and power than actual speed and power.
 

youra6

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I'm clearly getting old. :D I had what was basically 3" straight pipe on a previous car, so I've done the loud exhaust thing and regret it. It sounds cool, but it's damaging in the long term and in some cases can be unpleasant on long drives.

What I like about the Dynamic exhaust is that I'll be able to make it loud when I want, but not be that guy in the neighborhood when I don't want to be.
I've also been that in that position on my WRX. The drone was so bad I had to get rid of the exhaust and revert back to my stock catback.

The Mustang GT is so much quieter now and the last thing I want to do now is attract the attention of some civic ricers on the street. :D
 

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Bowen_Racing

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Duh. At least once you get into boost. You also dumped a lot of extra cash into your car and have no warranty. :) Sometimes (most times, really) it's more about the perception of speed and power than actual speed and power.
It was just a response to the 3.73s being a huge factor in "pushing you back in the seat".. If a 3.55 car doesn't give you the sensation, then a 3.73 car will not either.. He probably will need more horsepower to get what he (the OP) is looking for, not the performance pack.
 

1mic

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One thing to consider OP if you are planning to purchase is to buy used. Let someone else take the hit. I bet you can land a deal on an 18 in these forums.
Maybe even find a nicely modded 16/17 for cheap.

After getting my viper used, I dont think I will ever buy a new car again. Money saved will go to mods!!! :D
 

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It was just a response to the 3.73s being a huge factor in "pushing you back in the seat".. If a 3.55 car doesn't give you the sensation, then a 3.73 car will not either.. He probably will need more horsepower to get what he (the OP) is looking for, not the performance pack.
Agreed. I've never driven an '18 and would never consider an automatic since I love manuals and don't commute in traffic.

But I tested every flavor of GT: base manual, 3.55, 3.73.....all felt fairly quick but I wasn't impressed. The 3.73 PP felt the quickest and I liked the handling but still it didn't knock my socks off.

Then I drove a Whippled PP GT and it was a very noticeable difference. It felt super potent. But from a dig it doesn't have enought traction so winning drag races isn't its forte. But for just all in all driving it's a blast. I'd go the used route and SC if NA isn't enough.
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