2015 Mustang GT vs. @ 2016 Mustang GT

[BmacIL]

definitely a good looking car. Wheels are a big part of that, and I think the CS wheels are the best looking ones Ford offers. PP, not so much. Which is odd, considering that many people buy on aesthetics, so you would think Ford would put more effort into PP wheels to push more Brembo and Torsen out the door.

And to me, the PP wheels look a lot better on this car than the CS wheels. Everyone has their own tastes. I just think the PP wheels convey 'fast', 'taut' and 'refined' more than any of the other wheels.

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[paul123]

And to me, the PP wheels look a lot better on this car than the CS wheels. Everyone has their own tastes. I just think the PP wheels convey 'fast', 'taut' and 'refined' more than any of the other wheels.

I agree, plenty of people like the PP wheels. I prefer the more open 5-spoke design, and they show off Brembos much better. My car is a DD, and for me, Brembos would be mostly bling. With a more open wheel design, and Brembo's on all 4 corners, I would have been an easy upsell.

 

[MaskedRacerX]

You didn't say if you were looking for a Coupe or Convertible (I'm kind of assuming the former based on your posts).

... but, for '16, the convertible can _finally_ be optioned with the GT PP (still manual only). It's a pretty great looking combination and pretty rare as convertibles are a smaller build quantity, then factor in a manual and the PP.

If SYNC 2 is a 6 on a scale of 1 to 10, SYNC 3 is an 8.5. Admittedly subjective scoring, but the SYNC 3 touch screen is more responsive, and doesn't get smudged fingerprints like its predecessor.

The biggest mistake I made (and this isn't a 2015 or 2016 issue) was not upgrading to the premium sound system. The base Shaker system in the 400A package is much, much worse than the SONY system in my daughter's 2014 Focus Titanium.

Terrific post.

Your scores of the S2 vs. S3 may be subjective, but there's definitely better tech in the latter, even in terms of the touch tech, Sync2 being resistive, and Sync3 being capacitive (like your modern smartphone), the CPU in Sync 3 is a 1.7GHz dual core (vs. 400MHz). There's talk that Ford may update the Sync3 (fingers crossed) to be Car Play compatible (vs. their current in-house app interface/API)

Another thing about upgrading to the 401a package, is in addition to the much better audio, you also get BLIS for blind spot alerting (which is super handy) and the memory package.

:cheers:

And to me, the PP wheels look a lot better on this car than the CS wheels. Everyone has their own tastes. I just think the PP wheels convey 'fast', 'taut' and 'refined' more than any of the other wheels.

The PP wheels may be the first OEM wheel that I didn't plan on replacing (at least in the reasonably near term), I _really_ dig on them, and the staggered [width] looks much better to me (I think the CS wheels are square like the other non-PP options[?])

 

[paul123]

Your scores of the S2 vs. S3 may be subjective, but there's definitely better tech in the latter, even in terms of the touch tech, Sync2 being resistive, and Sync3 being capacitive (like your modern smartphone), the CPU in Sync 3 is a 1.7GHz dual core (vs. 400MHz). There's talk that Ford may update the Sync3 (fingers crossed) to be Car Play compatible (vs. their current in-house app interface/API)

Another thing about upgrading to the 401a package, is in addition to the much better audio, you also get BLIS for blind spot alerting (which is super handy) and the memory package.

:cheers:

Sync 3 is supposed to be a big improvement over Sync 2. Blackberry vs. Windows OS, not sure which is which. Only on Premium I believe. Just keep in mind, as with anything tech, 2017 will come out with even better tech, and the reviews will all say Sync 4 >> Sync 3. And Sync 2 is stone-age. :lol:


If you are considering GT PP Premium, with 401a/BLIS, you are definitely shopping a higher tier price ranges, and no point messing with used cars.

 

[MaskedRacerX]

Sync 3 is supposed to be a big improvement over Sync 2. Blackberry vs. Windows OS, not sure which is which. Only on Premium I believe. Just keep in mind, as with anything tech, 2017 will come out with even better tech, and the reviews will all say Sync 4 >> Sync 3. And Sync 2 is stone-age. :lol:


If you are considering GT PP Premium, with 401a/BLIS, you are definitely shopping a higher tier price ranges, and no point messing with used cars.

Yeah, Premiums get the Sync3 and it's QNX (Blackberry) based, Sync2 is MS. FWIW, BMW also uses a QNX based platform and it's pretty well regarded in the auto-tech industry.

I hear you about the tech getting dated (I've been in the tech sector for 25+ years), but I do have hopes that the Sync3 will have a better life cycle, the OMAP CPU is pretty stout, and if the whole system can be reflashed/updated to something like Car Play, that means it could be updated for a long time (from a tech standpoint, probably not to much from a Ford-does't-care perspective :lol

 

[Donny_k]

Wow, quite a bit of information to take in. Thanks all. Im interested in the fastback Gt for sure. I rented a V6 for a week on a recent trip to San Diego a few months ago and that car was a blast. I cant wait for the GT. This would be my first Ford vehicle that I have owned. Ive always drove GM. I guess I should take a trip to the dealer and ask for a demo on the '16 car as whole and specifically the Sync system as that seems like a pretty important difference between the two.

 

[smav03]

And to me, the PP wheels look a lot better on this car than the CS wheels. Everyone has their own tastes. I just think the PP wheels convey 'fast', 'taut' and 'refined' more than any of the other wheels.

I, too, like the PP wheels especially in the nickel finish but they are a BITCH to clean

 

[MaskedRacerX]

This would be my first Ford vehicle that I have owned. Ive always drove GM.

I guess I should take a trip to the dealer and ask for a demo on the '16 car as whole and specifically the Sync system as that seems like a pretty important difference between the two.

Same here, first Mustang, and first Ford. I think Ford is building some outstanding vehicles, we're even starting to consider an Explorer Sport or Platinum Edition.

Sync 3 is much better, but I was also very highly motivated by wanting a GTPP convertible - so Sync 3 the only factor, probably not (everything else favoring the '15, price, interest rate, etc.)

Another thing that wasn't mentioned is the Premier interior option - it's cheap, like $395, but it uses better materials, has more attractive stitching on the seats, dash, armrest, door cards, and you can get it in black, red (Redline) or a black with yellow stitching (Yellow Jacket). It really finishes off the car nicely, though with a Coupe, I'd probably consider the Recaro seats first, especially if combined with the GTPP.

 

[DaUnit]

Wow, quite a bit of information to take in. Thanks all. Im interested in the fastback Gt for sure. I rented a V6 for a week on a recent trip to San Diego a few months ago and that car was a blast. I cant wait for the GT. This would be my first Ford vehicle that I have owned. Ive always drove GM. I guess I should take a trip to the dealer and ask for a demo on the '16 car as whole and specifically the Sync system as that seems like a pretty important difference between the two.

If you thought the v6 was fun, you should bring another pair of pants when you ride the GT.

 

[BmacIL]

Wow, quite a bit of information to take in. Thanks all. Im interested in the fastback Gt for sure. I rented a V6 for a week on a recent trip to San Diego a few months ago and that car was a blast. I cant wait for the GT. This would be my first Ford vehicle that I have owned. Ive always drove GM. I guess I should take a trip to the dealer and ask for a demo on the '16 car as whole and specifically the Sync system as that seems like a pretty important difference between the two.

I had a rental V6 manual for a week in January and also had a blast with it. Then I got in the GT...

First WOT 2nd gear pull, started giggling :ford:

 

[SLA]

When I first got interested in getting a mustang I was looking at used 15's and ended up getting a new 16. All the used 15's were priced so high I figured I'd get a new one exactly how I want for just a couple thousand more.

 

[paul123]

When I first got interested in getting a mustang I was looking at used 15's and ended up getting a new 16. All the used 15's were priced so high I figured I'd get a new one exactly how I want for just a couple thousand more.

this is a mystery. Given supply / demand, there must be people willing to buy used Mustangs for a marginal discount off of new.

 

[Old 5 Oh]

The base Shaker system in the 400A package is much, much worse than the SONY system in my daughter's 2014 Focus Titanium. The Mustang sometimes sounds like it has just one speaker, right in the middle of the dashboard.

Sounds like you need to turn off the default "focused" sound setting. My car sounds SO much better with the balance set for the whole car, not the driver only, with the fade pushed back just a little from middle. And the speakers must be stiff when they are new. Mine have gotten more responsive and it actually has bass response now, which was not really true a year ago.

I have had cars with better stereos, but the 400A isn't awful, and isn't nearly as bad as I thought it was the day I bought the car.

 

[jasonstang]

I don't mind my CS wheels but they are so heavy. I had BBS forged wheels on my Mazda RX-8 R3 and they were so light weight.
I am thinking getting some different wheels after I wear out the rubber on them.

 

[paul123]

I don't mind my CS wheels but they are so heavy. I had BBS forged wheels on my Mazda RX-8 R3 and they were so light weight.
I am thinking getting some different wheels after I wear out the rubber on them.

I would not have guessed that CS wheels were heavy. I have the base Mustang GT wheels, but I will probably shop aftermarket when time for new tires, with an eye on weight.

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