Decisions...Decisions...Decisions!

[jtmat]

Doesn't change the fact that magneride handles potholes and everyday driving better & smoother.

You are talking about when tracking your car, I am talking about the OP's use.

Give it a rest... you could have easily said "hey, give MR a try and I'm sure you will like it"... and left it.

Not everyone needs/wants what you or others need/want.

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[jtmat]

Good afternoon 6G! So I am undecided on which 19 "Stang I want to order; I have a nice daily driver (16 Nissan Maxima SR...very fun car to drive...for a sedan)..I just miss having a 'Stang. I have had five in the past...each different but enjoyable in their own manner:
1. 65 Coupe (inline 6 with 3 speed automatic) bought and restored in high school.
2. 87 GT with 5 Speed...maybe my favorite 'Stang so far.
3. 98 GT Fun car but it was sllllooowww!
4. 03 GT Fun car as well...faster than the 98 but still slow! But I loved the styling of the car
5. 15 EB PP. Very early Spain built motor that developed a "constant ticking noise" that the dealer couldn't explain or remedy. I didn't modify it at all and after 10K miles (no issues) the "constant ticking" was getting louder and worse, so I traded it in on the Maxima.

Now almost three years later, I want another 'Stang. The Maxima will be my daily driver and I live in a part of the country in which the weather can make driving a rear wheel drive sports coupe "interesting" for four or so months a year....meaning from November through February, the 'Stang won't likely see much duty, save an occasional nice day or two or a nice weekend.

Which leads me to my conundrum: which engine and which trim of 'Stang do I want and which engine and trim fits my driving wants/needs? I will say that money, Praise God, isn't really an issue. I have been at my chosen career for 25+ years (military), make a nice salary and my only child is grown...and my previous "Starter Wife" and I have been divorced for years. My expenses consist of the Maxima (which I could pay off in full today but, it is financed at 0% APR...so why pay it off early, if I am not paying interest on the loan?), food and utilities. I am, again Praise God, blessed financially. Which is why I am taking my time to ensure I make the correct decision on the 'Stang I order and purchase...and why I decided to solicit advice, opinions and, probably, a few sarcastic comments from my fellow 'Stang enthusiasts on this forum.

The 'Stang will be driven, I would estimate, around 10K miles a year at most; I have decided upon a color (Ingot Silver) and a transmission (10 Speed Automatic)...and really nothing else. Financially, a base EB with the PP makes the most sense (or maybe the Premium if I want a few more "amenities"): relatively inexpensive car, decent power, improved 2.3L engine and automatic transmission and being about 200, or so, pounds lighter than the GT over the front wheels, will "feel" a bit more nimble for daily driving. However, I am still worried that the "constant ticking" noise in the 15 EB I owned hasn't been addressed...and this makes me very hesitant to purchase another EB, even though "on paper" and "financially", this base EB is a great choice.

The base GT is the other choice that seems to fit best: V-8, automatic and 5 spoke aluminum wheels (18" though...come on Ford...offer the 19" aluminum wheels on the base GT...they are offered on the base EB!). With Ford "stiffening up" the base suspension and adding better shock absorbers on all 18 model years 'Stangs, the PP isn't a necessary option for me (I know the PP makes the V8 GT's suspension stiffer to handle a bit better, but I won't use its enhanced track features with any regularity)...it would be nice but at 4K,it isn't the "bargain" it was 4 years ago, in my opinion. Or do I "cough up" $2800.00 for the "Premium GT" with the 19" wheels and leather interior. I know that for what I will pay for either GT, a premium EB with PP, 200A interior and a few other options may be purchased cheaper. I am not "hung up" on having to have a V8 in my 'Stang...I am, however, skeptical on the 2.3L turbo engine's long-term reliability and I know from experience the stock intercooler, hot/cold side pipes and BOV are, in my opinion, cheaply made and sub-par for long-term reliability; all the components will eventually have to be replaced at some point and time during the car's life cycle for better reliability and better performance.

Sorry for the long post friends! So...what to do? Decisions...decisions...decisions! I am "leaning" towards the GT Premium: IS, 10 speed automatic transmission, 19" aluminum wheels, Enhanced Security Package, 3.55 Gears and spoiler delete. I am just "unsure" if purchasing a semi-loaded V-8 to drive for +/- 10K miles and 7 or so months a year is wise, when a 9K less base EB, with the PP and 10 speed automatic would probably suffice...and still be less expensive in the end, even with spending 2K to replace the intercooler, hot/cold side factory pipes and the BOV. So....advice....opinions...thoughts...sarcasm? Thanks for taking the time to read my post...and thanks in advance for your inputs. :ford::cheers:

I'm with the majority... get the GT and tires. Or if you want to keep the max for "changing it up", then do that.

Guy at work purchased a used car to drive around and loves it... lot to be said for another car when you don't want to take the mustang out.

Either way... get the GT. You will have a better "overall" experience.

 

[Norm Peterson]

You are talking about when tracking your car, I am talking about the OP's use.

No, I'm talking about more than just tracking the car. Things like understeer on turn-in certainly do exist in reasonably normal street driving if you're sensitive to such things (and paying attention).

Doesn't change the fact that magneride handles potholes and everyday driving better & smoother.

I'll give you 'smoother', but I won't agree that everybody is going to value that at $1700.


Norm

 

[millhouse]

Doesn't change the fact that magneride handles potholes and everyday driving better & smoother.

You are talking about when tracking your car, I am talking about the OP's use.

Location location location.

I've never once thought my 16 GTPP needed magneride to better handle potholes and local roads...until I took a road trip back to Michigan. 99% of the time, I would likely never need them as the roads down here are pretty damn good. If I lived in a state with terrible roads (Michigan), I would likely throw magneride at the top of my must-have list.

 

[millhouse]

4. 03 GT Fun car as well...faster than the 98 but still slow! But I loved the

This should tell you everything you need to know in your decision making. The 03GT runs comparable (if not faster) times than the EB. If you consider the 03GT slow, then you are then admitting the EB is slow...and therefore you have already made your decision.

 

[2018OFPP1?2]

That does not mean that Magneride is going to be valued equally highly by everybody. Maybe not as highly especially by those who don't need their cars to have luxurious ride quality.

I have a couple of MR concerns of my own, such as how understeerish the Magneride's basic calibration might be and how well it might be able to cope with mods like firmer than OE springs, sta-bars, and wider wheels & tires.


Norm

Get a PP2! Ford already addressed those issues

Apologies to the OP for being OT.

 

[Norm Peterson]

As of today, my short list if I had to get a new car for me stands at two candidates. One of them is a GT/PP2.

But it having MR is not one of the reasons, and I'd likely be looking at adding aftermarket MR tuning capability.


Norm

 

[sdiver68]

I can't tell you much about Mustangs specifically...but I'll add a vote to 2 sets of wheels. I have driven RWD Sports Cars (BRZ, track prepped 335i, Cayman S) and Sedans (335i, 330i, IS350F, M45, G37) through the winter for 20+ years on this combo. Better overall traction in winter than AWD + All Seasons..

Changing the wheels over 2x per year is only a slight inconvenience and much less inconvenient than maintaining 2 cars. Plus, it prevents the fun car from becoming a garage queen. BTDT, never again! Oh I'll drive the DD today because it might rain. Oh I'll drive the DD today because I just washed the Mustang. Oh I'll drive the DD today because I'm parking at a shopping mall. Next thing you know you missed out on 3/4ths the reason you bought the fun car in the first place.

Oh I can share this about your purchase decision between a comparably well equipped GT vs EB with FPT. On my spreadsheet over 5 years the 2 cost about $2K - $2.5K per year difference. Those are TCO calcs with reasonable assumptions for Purchase Price, Tax, Insurance, Gas, Finance rate, Depreciation, Maintenance, etc.. So ask yourself if it's worth $2K per year for the one you really want. :cheers:

 

[drabon74]

If you have links you can provide, where it's been mentioned that the base GTs and EBs have firmer shock valving, please provide them. No one on this site that has gone from a 2015-17 to a 2018-19 has mentioned anything about any such changes. Nor have I read any such thing in any publications, or heard any such thing in any videos.

I have a 2016PP car, and drove a 2018PP car, and there was no difference in the damping.

ETA; I just checked some reviews on the interwebs. There is no mention of upgraded damping on any Mustang suspension, from 2015-17 to 2018-19 anywhere, just mention of the Magneride shocks.

I had a 15 non pp GT, now am 18 non pp GT, handling difference is like night and day better with the 18. Look at my post history, it’s littered with handling issues with the 15. Not one complaint with the 18. I have no clue what the difference is but it’s easily noticeable.
Get the GT, 401A, A10 Auto with active exhaust. Skip magnaride. The digital dash is awesome, as are the heated / cooled seats.

 

[Norm Peterson]

I've never experienced suspension like my Magneride car. And please don't try to ridicule my car ownership and experience. You need to try the new stuff, you know.

If you're taking 'having to have a luxurious ride' in a Mustang as ridicule, you're being way too sensitive.

Now if I find a serious enough shortcoming with more conventional dampers in any of my driving that conventional dampers can't be tuned to at least minimize, that'd be about when MR starts having net positive value to me over and above the added complexity. I'd really want that to include something like the DSC controller, so I could hunt down my own best damping compromises just like I do with adjustable conventional shocks.


Norm

 

[w3rkn]

People...

1) This is not about you or me, it is about the OP.
2) OP already said money is not an issue.

3) OP said he doesn't need magneride, because he doesn't track his car, or drive "spirited".


4) I suggested he looks further into what magneride does, before saying he doesn't need/desire it.

5) EOS

 

[Arky]

People...

1) This is not about you or me, it is about the OP.
2) OP already said money is not an issue.

3) OP said he doesn't need magneride, because he doesn't track his car, or drive "spirited".


4) I suggested he looks further into what magneride does, before saying he doesn't need/desire it.

5) EOS

why do you care so much if somebody else gets a feature or doesnt? dude said he doesn't want it. give it a rest.

 

[w3rkn]

Again, this isn't about me.

And I do not care one bit what the OP chooses, I only suggested the OP re-evaluate what he thinks magenride does and is. (see #4 above). Plz follow along.

 

[Arky]

Again, this isn't about me.

And I do not care one bit what the OP chooses, I only suggested the OP re-evaluate what he thinks magenride does and is. (see #4 above). Plz follow along.

I'm following just fine. but, you see, it seems like you DO care what he chooses because you've repeated yourself 5 times now. chill out, man. they make pills to help with that now.

 

[Norm Peterson]

why do you care so much if somebody else gets a feature or doesnt? dude said he doesn't want it. give it a rest.

Because there are people who are still suggesting that he get it anyway (and like you say, over his own stated preference not to).


Norm

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