Base model owners - what do you think?

[Malikona]

I'm eager to hear more from owners of base model cars, GT and EB. When I first started this odyssey I was set on the Premium due to leather, MFT, cool lighting, better stereo, etc., which also more or less limited me to the EB due to cost. The more time goes by the more I think I could live just fine without all that jazz much more easily than I could live with the regret of not getting the V8. (I coulda had a V8! :headbonk Seems like the novelty of most of the Premium extras might wear off after a while anyway, especially once MFT gets replaced/upgraded, etc. And there is always the aftermarket for any particular piece that I really have to have (though I will probably never get aftermarket leather seats, but you never know...).

How are owners of the base models liking them? Do you regret not getting the premium? Do you miss My Ford Touch, or is the base unit and stereo good enough for you? Are the seats quality? How about the dash and the interior lighting, still feel upscale enough? What about the rear bumper/diffuser, are you liking the look of the car without the body color rear diffuser? I should add that I'm also very concerned about the lack of selectable drive modes on the base models (don't really care about the toggle switches), since sport+ mode is supposedly so key for waking the car up, and snow/wet mode is something that I would really rely on. Do you feel like you are basically constrained to permanent 'normal' mode in the base car?

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[Spartan]

I'm eager to hear more from owners of base model cars, GT and EB. When I first started this odyssey I was set on the Premium due to leather, MFT, cool lighting, better stereo, etc., which also more or less limited me to the EB due to cost. The more time goes by the more I think I could live just fine without all that jazz much more easily than I could live with the regret of not getting the V8. (I coulda had a V8! :headbonk Seems like the novelty of most of the Premium extras might wear off after a while anyway, especially once MFT gets replaced/upgraded, etc. And there is always the aftermarket for any particular piece that I really have to have (though I will probably never get aftermarket leather seats, but you never know...).

How are owners of the base models liking them? Do you regret not getting the premium? Do you miss My Ford Touch, or is the base unit and stereo good enough for you? Are the seats quality? How about the dash and the interior lighting, still feel upscale enough? What about the rear bumper/diffuser, are you liking the look of the car without the body color rear diffuser? I should add that I'm also very concerned about the lack of selectable drive modes on the base models (don't really care about the toggle switches), since sport+ mode is supposedly so key for waking the car up, and snow/wet mode is something that I would really rely on. Do you feel like you are basically constrained to permanent 'normal' mode in the base car?

Hey Malik,

I'm not an owner yet, but I'm definitely buying and have driven all 3 models and also in base and premium and premium 01As. I was considering a V6...

After being in a premium and then going to a base model, there was no way I could pull the trigger on a base model now. The diffuser is really nice, and the interior with the better materials is just top notch. The toggles and other features are just worth it to me.

Also after being in the 01A with the BLIS, those side view mirrors really bug me now with the BS little mirror. If I was to get a premium 200 or 400, I would swap out those side mirrors immediately.

 

[cosmo]

I've test driven a lot of the base and premium models between EB and GT when I was deciding, and there wasn't enough of an upgrade between the interiors to justify the price hike. $4000 for heated/cooled leather seats, toggles for drive modes, with the MyFordTouch system? The only thing I'd be missing is the drive modes, as the cooled seats felt odd and you can get heated seats installed for 300 bucks. The MyFordTouch is a catastrophe so I am actually happy missing out on that. The base and premium models have the same materials everywhere but the door panels, things only start to change with the premier trim option.

No one here will convince you. I was all set and ready on a GT Premium, now I've ordered a base Ecoboost after driving everything and seeing what's happening with the aftermarket. Go to a dealer and sit in both without them there and think about $4000. Is it worth it? For me, no.

 

[rcb020]

I went with the base model because for me the 4k upcharge was not worth it. As far as the quality, I am coming from a MKVI Volkswagen GTI and this is on par if not better. I cannot comment on the standard cloth seats but I will say the cloth Recaros are freaking awesome! I have driven many rental cars with MFT and I just don't like it honestly. I thought the base console area looked goofy in pictures before I got the car but in person I actually really like it. Does everything I need it to efficiently and has bluetooth and voice activated features. This is my DD with Recaros and Performance Package and I wouldn't have it any other way. As for driving modes, that would be nice but I plan to tune or at least get an FRPP track key which negates the need for the different modes. On mine I can put the traction/stability into sport or turn them both off completely.

 

[tjwoo]

I went with a base GT. The number pad is still awkward, but the interior is a lot better than expected. I wish the upr door panels were soft touch. seats feel fantastic and I don't really feel that im missing out on not having sport+. sync is a bit iffy, there are times I wish I had sirius, but the speakers themselves are pretty good. To be honest, I'm having way too much fun driving than worrying about small comfort features such as seat coolers/warmers. I love my body color matching diffusers.

 

[Boff]

The base dash looks a lot better in person than I thought it would.

Several weeks ago (before I had a test drive...it was GT Premium) I posted a long rundown on why I thought the Premium trim was dispensable. Now, I'm not so sure. The touch screen works like crap (certainly compared to the iDrive in my wife's Bimmer) but looks very cool, as do the toggles. I actually liked the cooled seats. And the diffuser looks a lot better (wider flares at the bottom) on the Premium. The Shaker Pro is good enough for me to not rip out.

So, for an extra $120 a month to be sure you're not regretting anything...

 

[TiE2000]

It does come down to your taste and what you consider a must have. For me I was originally going to order an EB Premium with PP with the 302a. After driving both a EB then a GT, the GT was a must have. I found the PP on the GT was not necessary for my driving style, but I really like all the creature comforts of the premium package. I ended up ordering GT premium. Decided that the 302a was not necessary, and PP was a bit over kill for my driving style.

To be honest, I’m kind of disappointed that Cobb does not tune for the GT, Was going to make my EB a GT killer, but alas that V8 grumble won me over... ohh and warrantee... that was a big one too

Off subject, what part of Denver you from? Just moved out here to Houston from Highlands Ranch, and I find myself really missing the mountains... only the mountains, not the bitter cold.

 

[robb]

I'm eager to hear more from owners of base model cars, GT and EB. When I first started this odyssey I was set on the Premium due to leather, MFT, cool lighting, better stereo, etc., which also more or less limited me to the EB due to cost. The more time goes by the more I think I could live just fine without all that jazz much more easily than I could live with the regret of not getting the V8. (I coulda had a V8! :headbonk Seems like the novelty of most of the Premium extras might wear off after a while anyway, especially once MFT gets replaced/upgraded, etc. And there is always the aftermarket for any particular piece that I really have to have (though I will probably never get aftermarket leather seats, but you never know...).

How are owners of the base models liking them? Do you regret not getting the premium? Do you miss My Ford Touch, or is the base unit and stereo good enough for you? Are the seats quality? How about the dash and the interior lighting, still feel upscale enough? What about the rear bumper/diffuser, are you liking the look of the car without the body color rear diffuser? I should add that I'm also very concerned about the lack of selectable drive modes on the base models (don't really care about the toggle switches), since sport+ mode is supposedly so key for waking the car up, and snow/wet mode is something that I would really rely on. Do you feel like you are basically constrained to permanent 'normal' mode in the base car?

Haven't reveived mine yet but here's why I went with the base GT.
-435hp for under $34k is hard to beat.
-I prefer cloth
-I'm cheap and will not spend $40+k.
-Not a fan of the diffusser. Plus it's flimsy plastic and just for show.
-I will Plastidip the lower rear end in Black and achieve about the same look.
-The sound system can always be boosted with amp and better speakers.
-The driving mode switches are nice but I'm fine with tapping the button twice to defeat the traction/stability control.
-I didn't want that round antenna on the roof so to make it easier to stripe myself.
-I don't need all the bells and whistles like the pony projection.
-The softer interior panels would have been nice, but I wanted cloth.
-I'll put seat covers on my seat anyway so cloth is fine.

 

[Malikona]

It does come down to your taste and what you consider a must have. For me I was originally going to order an EB Premium with PP with the 302a. After driving both a EB then a GT, the GT was a must have. I found the PP on the GT was not necessary for my driving style, but I really like all the creature comforts of the premium package. I ended up ordering GT premium. Decided that the 302a was not necessary, and PP was a bit over kill for my driving style.

To be honest, I’m kind of disappointed that Cobb does not tune for the GT, Was going to make my EB a GT killer, but alas that V8 grumble won me over... ohh and warrantee... that was a big one too

Off subject, what part of Denver you from? Just moved out here to Houston from Highlands Ranch, and I find myself really missing the mountains... only the mountains, not the bitter cold.

I'm FROM Kentucky actually, but currently living in Aurora (the desert, in other words). I try to make it out to the mountains almost every weekend on my motorcycle though, and hopefully soon in my Mustang - they are something special, I'm sure you miss them! Great driving/riding roads out here.

There are a lot of incredible tuning results coming out for the EB. Enough that I'm definitely on the fence between it and the GT. I don't need a ton of power, and I don't need the roar either, though both would be great. I know the EB would be plenty of car for me, but I may succumb to the lure of the V8 after all. At altitude up here in CO though, forced induction engines are great, which is another point in the EB's favor.

Decisions decisions... and thanks for all the great input on base vs. premium everyone, I am hearing that the base package is really pretty good.

 

[robb]

It's been said a million times on here......do x-plan pricing by joining mustang club of america for $50 and save $2,200.

 

[Malikona]

Do you think tuners like Cobb etc. can/will produce different maps for the EB that can emulate the sport+ vs. normal vs. snow/wet driving modes? If I could get a solid map for performance, one for fuel economy, and another for snow/wet on a Cobb Accessport (or similar for GT), that would make me far more comfortable with a base car.

 

[TiE2000]

Do you think tuners like Cobb etc. can/will produce different maps for the EB that can emulate the sport+ vs. normal vs. snow/wet driving modes? If I could get a solid map for performance, one for fuel economy, and another for snow/wet on a Cobb Accessport (or similar for GT), that would make me far more comfortable with a base car.

Yep they already have all that available with the Accessport. I did a lot of researching when I thought I was going the EB route, and you can tell they are a top notch tuner. Lund and Livernoies are great tuners as well, but it seems most of their tunes are performance only. But, i'm sure they will have (if not already) on the fly switchable tunes for the EB. Probably for the GT as well. Cobb is the only tuner 100% focused on the EB. Ohh and Bama has both GT and EB tunes as well.

Also if you have not already, go out and drive both the EB and the GT, the EB should hold it's own up there in elevation compared to the GT. Typical 1/4 times are about a second slower for N/A applications and only a 1/2 second slower for forced induction.

 

[cosmo]

Do you think tuners like Cobb etc. can/will produce different maps for the EB that can emulate the sport+ vs. normal vs. snow/wet driving modes? If I could get a solid map for performance, one for fuel economy, and another for snow/wet on a Cobb Accessport (or similar for GT), that would make me far more comfortable with a base car.

Yeah, they modify throttle response in their tunes so it will change the car. Check out the Cobb accesstuner videos found in the Cobb thread on the ecoboost board. Cobb is very active on the boards too and will answer questions.

 

[phil1336]

"You" do the math.....32K for a Base V6 Convertible with A/T, 051A Package, and Spare Tire or 37K for EB 2.3 I4 Premium Convertible A/T for 37K. Theres not 5 grand of value in it for me, just saying......

 

[Diode Dynamics]

We have an EB and I must say I was pleasantly surprised by how well-equipped it was, and how well it drives.

I'm sure with a few aftermarket add-on's our new EB will torch my 2007 GT

Nick C.

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