EcoBoost to GT observation

[Jackal]

Wifey went from a 2019 EB Premium PP1 to a 2023 GT Premium NPP w/ 3.55 gears.

In the EB, she would keep traction control disabled and would occasionally use Sport mode to zip around. The car was twitchy as hell with very aggressive shift characteristics. The rear end always sliding around while turning and occasional straight line acceleration. Sometimes she'd have my head pinging off the window just making a quick run in town for some food/gas/etc. Then we tuned it...using an SCT canned tune. Very fun car to flick around all over the place. I would also keep traction control disabled and unless slow/city traffic, I would live in Sport mode. I eventually got to where I would use Track mode when we were out playing. The P Zero Neros last 40k mi. easy. We had a few previous gen GT kills, even blown, and she caught several newer ones off guard as well, a time or two. My biggest complaint aside from the exhaust note, was having it pull power from me due to not disabling Advance Track. The one time I did was right after a rain in a wide-open parking lot, and before I even knew it I had spun out and was facing the other direction. No more of that.

Now she's in this GT and it's a totally different vehicle aside from exterior cosmetics. Granted we are still on "break-in", so taking it relatively easy, but still getting with it pretty good. We both cruise around, even in town or slow/city traffic in Track mode full time. The rear end is planted, and I don't think we've really even spun the tires. Having the LS diff. vs. Torsen, it definitely doesn't slide around anymore. In some cases this is probably a good thing, although not nearly as fun. The sound is, of course, incredible with the Active Exhaust. We'll be going with a Steeda, Lethal Perf., or Borla x-pipe soon. I expected the change in differentials and the coil-overs, as well as a little weight, but I still didn't expect them to feel as different as they do. I did stand on the gas last night from a 35 mph roll and I think I heard a tire chirp and was pleased with the near immediate power delivery and being pushed back in the seat. It's just a different car, and now I don't think she's insane for wanting to keep both the EB and the GT.

While I would have never bought an EcoBoost for myself, having spent some time behind the wheel of both, I definitely have a better appreciation for the little 4-banger now. I think insisting that it be a Performance Pack greatly contributed to that. Now to get comfy enough with this GT to see what she can do in comparison. I'm thinking it is just a heavier, more planted, softer ride, with more predictible, immediate power, and will lay a lot less Pirelli in the corners. I might look into the 3-piece strut bracing in the Spring.

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[KingKona]

Let's recap;

Both you and your wife drive the EB so hard, you're just sliding all over the place like the Dukes of Hazard. And the AdvanceTrac caused you to spin in a parking lot.....not your driving. But despite all the sliding, you're convinced the tires will last 40K miles.....easy.

But you then tuned the car with an SCT canned tune, and that made it a "Very fun car to flick around all over the place." So even more sliding, but it gave you the courage to actually engage Track mode.

You and your wife also regularly take the EB street racing, and have gotten "kills" against previous gen GTs. Quite often. Including more recent (and "blown") model year GTs that you "caught off guard". So not just sliding all over the road, but fantasy street racing.

Brilliant.

Now you bought a GT. You LOVE the AE, but your first thought is to remove and replace the resonator. And your first mod that you've determined the car needs, is a "3-piece strut bracing".....whatever that is.

Nothing to do with the IRS/cradle. Or shocks/struts. Or tires/wheels/brakes. No.....it's a "3-piece strut bracing" your GT needs.

Please....shoot me in the face with a bazooka.

Just gonna quote all this before the back-pedaling starts.

Wifey went from a 2019 EB Premium PP1 to a 2023 GT Premium NPP w/ 3.55 gears.

In the EB, she would keep traction control disabled and would occasionally use Sport mode to zip around. The car was twitchy as hell with very aggressive shift characteristics. The rear end always sliding around while turning and occasional straight line acceleration. Sometimes she'd have my head pinging off the window just making a quick run in town for some food/gas/etc. Then we tuned it...using an SCT canned tune. Very fun car to flick around all over the place. I would also keep traction control disabled and unless slow/city traffic, I would live in Sport mode. I eventually got to where I would use Track mode when we were out playing. The P Zero Neros last 40k mi. easy. We had a few previous gen GT kills, even blown, and she caught several newer ones off guard as well, a time or two. My biggest complaint aside from the exhaust note, was having it pull power from me due to not disabling Advance Track. The one time I did was right after a rain in a wide-open parking lot, and before I even knew it I had spun out and was facing the other direction. No more of that.

Now she's in this GT and it's a totally different vehicle aside from exterior cosmetics. Granted we are still on "break-in", so taking it relatively easy, but still getting with it pretty good. We both cruise around, even in town or slow/city traffic in Track mode full time. The rear end is planted, and I don't think we've really even spun the tires. Having the LS diff. vs. Torsen, it definitely doesn't slide around anymore. In some cases this is probably a good thing, although not nearly as fun. The sound is, of course, incredible with the Active Exhaust. We'll be going with a Steeda, Lethal Perf., or Borla x-pipe soon. I expected the change in differentials and the coil-overs, as well as a little weight, but I still didn't expect them to feel as different as they do. I did stand on the gas last night from a 35 mph roll and I think I heard a tire chirp and was pleased with the near immediate power delivery and being pushed back in the seat. It's just a different car, and now I don't think she's insane for wanting to keep both the EB and the GT.

While I would have never bought an EcoBoost for myself, having spent some time behind the wheel of both, I definitely have a better appreciation for the little 4-banger now. I think insisting that it be a Performance Pack greatly contributed to that. Now to get comfy enough with this GT to see what she can do in comparison. I'm thinking it is just a heavier, more planted, softer ride, with more predictible, immediate power, and will lay a lot less Pirelli in the corners. I might look into the 3-piece strut bracing in the Spring.

 

[Jackal]

LOL, someone's triggerd.

On wet asphault w/o Adv Track, yup, she spun right out. Only had that happen one other time, in similar conditions in an F-150 first time out on fresh LS w/ CF clutches and heavy S-spring.

Not street racing, just daily driving and the occasional stop light encounter, or someone egging it on the freeway.

Not replacing the $1,900 A.E we just purchased, just the resonator with an x-pipe.

Not the first mod, no, but will of course look into the strut tower bracing since I expected it to come with it and it didn't. It can't hurt other than cost and a little more weight, right? There are 3-pieces to the puzzle, not just the strut tower brace.

Apparently you feel like there are other handling mods that need to be addressed before trying out strut bracing? We haven't driven it enough to know where its perceived shortcomings are yet to go throwing big money at.

 

[RedTetsu13]

LOL, someone's triggerd.

On wet asphault w/o Adv Track, yup, she spun right out. Only had that happen one other time, in similar conditions in an F-150 first time out on fresh LS w/ CF clutches and heavy S-spring.

Not street racing, just daily driving and the occasional stop light encounter, or someone egging it on the freeway.

Not replacing the $1,900 A.E we just purchased, just the resonator with an x-pipe.

Not the first mod, no, but will of course look into the strut tower bracing since I expected it to come with it and it didn't. It can't hurt other than cost and a little more weight, right? There are 3-pieces to the puzzle, not just the strut tower brace.

Apparently you feel like there are other handling mods that need to be addressed before trying out strut bracing? We haven't driven it enough to know where its perceived shortcomings are yet to go throwing big money at.

Unfortunately some people just have to troll or be butt hurt, it is what it is. For most people I would recommend doing what I assume is what you are planning Front Cowl, Strut Tower, and Front K-member brace ( what I assume are the 3-piece braces you are referring too).

I would also recommend dropping some $$$ on good tires and bigger wheels (reserve the stock wheels for an off-season tire since you probably won't ever need snow tires). Almost all the stock offering of tires (exception being performance packs) just have shit tires (and sizing) from factory imho.

Start with these mods, then progress to what needs fixing next. I would hold off on spending $$ on any extra bracing or switching out dampers until you get better tires and know what needs fixing past that.

 

[Jackal]

Thank ya sir.

Yes, that is what I was referring to, sorry if my terminology isn't up to par yet, will get there. Thanks for spelling it out for me.

It's funny I have been thinking the whole time that the Pirelli P Zero Nero had to be made from chunked up unicorn hoofs because they defied physics. No tire squeel on burnout or sharp steering, the front end never washed out, and they just keep going, even in the wet.

I then went looking for (other/all) 265 and 275 options and saw that many here hated the Pirelli "run flats" in favor of I think the Michelin Pilot Cup something or other. I then learned how crappy the Pirellis really were. It just didn't align with my real world experience, so I'm intrigued by the Michelin and will have to take a look at them next time around. The GT came with 3.55's and the P Zero Neros in 255.

 

[RagmopInKona]

Let's recap;

Both you and your wife drive the EB so hard, you're just sliding all over the place like the Dukes of Hazard. And the AdvanceTrac caused you to spin in a parking lot.....not your driving. But despite all the sliding, you're convinced the tires will last 40K miles.....easy.

But you then tuned the car with an SCT canned tune, and that made it a "Very fun car to flick around all over the place." So even more sliding, but it gave you the courage to actually engage Track mode.

You and your wife also regularly take the EB street racing, and have gotten "kills" against previous gen GTs. Quite often. Including more recent (and "blown") model year GTs that you "caught off guard". So not just sliding all over the road, but fantasy street racing.

Brilliant.

Now you bought a GT. You LOVE the AE, but your first thought is to remove and replace the resonator. And your first mod that you've determined the car needs, is a "3-piece strut bracing".....whatever that is.

Nothing to do with the IRS/cradle. Or shocks/struts. Or tires/wheels/brakes. No.....it's a "3-piece strut bracing" your GT needs.

Please....shoot me in the face with a bazooka.

Just gonna quote all this before the back-pedaling starts.

To be fair, the eb hhp has a lot more torque down low than a 4 banger should and doesn't take much to slide the rear around on the stock factory craptastic p-zero's and 355 geared torsen diff.
Them lasting 40k miles is a pipe dream more like 10-15 tops.

 

[Nitrousfedlx]

Let's recap;

Both you and your wife drive the EB so hard, you're just sliding all over the place like the Dukes of Hazard. And the AdvanceTrac caused you to spin in a parking lot.....not your driving. But despite all the sliding, you're convinced the tires will last 40K miles.....easy.

But you then tuned the car with an SCT canned tune, and that made it a "Very fun car to flick around all over the place." So even more sliding, but it gave you the courage to actually engage Track mode.

You and your wife also regularly take the EB street racing, and have gotten "kills" against previous gen GTs. Quite often. Including more recent (and "blown") model year GTs that you "caught off guard". So not just sliding all over the road, but fantasy street racing.

Brilliant.

Now you bought a GT. You LOVE the AE, but your first thought is to remove and replace the resonator. And your first mod that you've determined the car needs, is a "3-piece strut bracing".....whatever that is.

Nothing to do with the IRS/cradle. Or shocks/struts. Or tires/wheels/brakes. No.....it's a "3-piece strut bracing" your GT needs.

Please....shoot me in the face with a bazooka.

Just gonna quote all this before the back-pedaling starts.

This is F'ing hilarious!

 

[Finally21]

LOL, someone's triggerd.

On wet asphault w/o Adv Track, yup, she spun right out. Only had that happen one other time, in similar conditions in an F-150 first time out on fresh LS w/ CF clutches and heavy S-spring.

Not street racing, just daily driving and the occasional stop light encounter, or someone egging it on the freeway.

Not replacing the $1,900 A.E we just purchased, just the resonator with an x-pipe.

Not the first mod, no, but will of course look into the strut tower bracing since I expected it to come with it and it didn't. It can't hurt other than cost and a little more weight, right? There are 3-pieces to the puzzle, not just the strut tower brace.

Apparently you feel like there are other handling mods that need to be addressed before trying out strut bracing? We haven't driven it enough to know where its perceived shortcomings are yet to go throwing big money at.

Just ignore KingKona, he fancy’s himself as the smartest guy on the forum.

 

[RedTetsu13]

Thank ya sir.

Yes, that is what I was referring to, sorry if my terminology isn't up to par yet, will get there. Thanks for spelling it out for me.

It's funny I have been thinking the whole time that the Pirelli P Zero Nero had to be made from chunked up unicorn hoofs because they defied physics. No tire squeel on burnout or sharp steering, the front end never washed out, and they just keep going, even in the wet.

I then went looking for (other/all) 265 and 275 options and saw that many here hated the Pirelli "run flats" in favor of I think the Michelin Pilot Cup something or other. I then learned how crappy the Pirellis really were. It just didn't align with my real world experience, so I'm intrigued by the Michelin and will have to take a look at them next time around. The GT came with 3.55's and the P Zero Neros in 255.

For Wheels, Tires, and Fitment I recommend using Apex's guide here: https://apexwheels.com/fitment-guides/ford/mustang/ford-s550-mustang-wheel-and-tire-fitment-guide

For a GT I recommend for a summer/on-season set of tires going at least 275 or 285 (correlates with the {Performance Street and Track Wheel Fitment}. I run 285/35-19 Conti Extreme Contact Sports on 19x9.5 et35 and for a Performance street they do a good job balancing given the extra grip that really enhances the turn in for the S550 and not being a pain in the ass for tram-lining.

PZero Nero's are old in the tooth and honestly aren't a great A/S tire (I've had them on before and I've found they aren't great against standing water (with our chassis at least, with the stock sizing). I would recommend eye balling Conti Extreme Contact Sport 02 or the PS4S (granted having chatted with the Topher about it PS4S's are stupidly noisy and the ECS 02 are often about $100 cheaper for all 4 tires with just as much performance). I would make the arguement to avoid runflats as they tend to have slightly compromised handling feel from my experience (better off with just putting a spare donut in back).

My GT also came with 3.55 gearing for reference. Although my car did get the strut tower brace and front cowl brace from factory (thank you revised Cali Special package). I also came from the ecoboost crowd as well (3.15 geared, 10A non performance pack, w/ Ford Performance Calibration, again for reference).

 

[SBR70.3]

You lost me at "The P Zero Neros last 40k mi. easy "

They lasted maybe 8k on my then stock GT.

 

[Linkster1666]

Oh look, someone SHOW ME!

 

[Jackal]

Crazy, 2 weeks ago she was in for an oil change and I believe they stated 4 or 5/32 remaining on the rears. She was supposed to rotate every other 5k oil change, but I'm SURE that didn't happen. She may have only rotated 2-3 times over the 40k. I kept them at 32 psi front and 30 rear.

ETA: The miles are primarily from highway use, but they were never babied or made to last.

 

[Oakley]

40K? I'm at 7 on the GT and the rears are done lol

 

[RedTetsu13]

Crazy, 2 weeks ago she was in for an oil change and I believe they stated 4 or 5/32 remaining on the rears. She was supposed to rotate every other 5k oil change, but I'm SURE that didn't happen. She may have only rotated 2-3 times over the 40k. I kept them at 32 psi front and 30 rear.

ETA: The miles are primarily from highway use, but they were never babied or made to last.

She might just have a tendency to underdrive them in certain scenarios which helps save the tread, alternatively your roads might also be complete ass which then causes the driver to underdrive on the tires as well. Too many open variables to really confirm what's going on with that front imo. That said if I had kept those craptastic pirelli's I think my wear usage would've been similar to that on my eco. I make no comments on my GT.

 

[FreePenguin]

I thought my eb with ford perf tune was glorious. Still got 33-34mpg on highway with the 3.31 gearing, and manual and was just a hoot to drive. that said, they took manual away from ecoboost so I will never buy one again.

the gt is great, everything is great, except mpg. thats the only con imo. ecoboost premium package with perf upgrades and ford tune was absolutely perfect to me though. as I dont use the power in that, let alone a GT.

my current is. a 2012 scion tc, with like 180hp 180tq, and that is perfect fine for me too. lol.

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