Gradual upgrades vs. Performance Package?

[Emt1581]

As near as I can tell humans have a need to justify their own actions by promoting it to others. Anyone who bought a PP is going to suggest you do the same, and anyone who didn't will explain why you shouldn't too. It is just a sucky thing we do. That's why everyone with a CAI won't tolerated anyone else suggesting it's anything but the cats meow. Or why a guy running 93 octane just can't understand why anyone would suggest using 87. I love/hate forums at the same time, just have to be super careful on who's opinion you take as half the time they are telling you something to make themselves feel good about something they've spent money on, even if it wasn't the most bang for the buck.

What you're saying isn't wrong. But I asked because I want exactly what you are saying people do. In other words, I might ignore the bashing, but I definitely need those who are in favor of non-pp to tell me why they feel that way the same way I need to know why those who have the PP are in favor of it.

I figured there would be a small population that bought non-pp with the intention of doing the jobs themselves.

However, after reading the replies it does seem the like the PP is what I still want. Even though the staggered wheels absolutely bug the shit out of me!!

-Emt1581

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[Blk2015GT]

There's absolutely no difference in you buy a PP or upgrade the parts separately. It may cost more piece by piece but you can also customize those pieces and get better than PP too.

There is no right or wrong

 

[Emt1581]

There's absolutely no difference in you buy a PP or upgrade the parts separately. It may cost more piece by piece but you can also customize those pieces and get better than PP too.

There is no right or wrong

This is what I was originally asking about. Not installing the exact same parts that the PP has.

Thanks

-Emt1581

 

[Blk2015GT]

This is what I was originally asking about. Not installing the exact same parts that the PP has.

Thanks

-Emt1581

Remember lot of people buy the PP and then go and ditch the wheels, springs and sway bars.

If you want to customize there is no need for the PP.

You can upgrade the front Brembos buying the parts (not the overprices Ford Performance package) for about $600-700.

The PP is certainly not the end all be all of high performance by any means; piecing together custom "better" parts is more expensive but will get you a lot better performing car than the PP.

 

[BlackS550]

The good news it that Ford has a package you buy to upgrade the brakes.

My car has not arrived yet, but the brakes have......

http://www.cjponyparts.com/ford-rac...nce-pack-ecoboost-base-gt-2015-2016/p/M2300V/

cheaper to get them within the pp upgrade...

 

[Redcruzer]

OP, if the PP performance is what you have your sites set on, you also have to weigh the time it will take you to get to PP level going the aftermarket route vs having a PP car tomorrow. For some here that may be a week or two, while others it might be years. It's the time/ money thing.

 

[Bartly]

Im sorry but nobody is holding a gun to his head! They are offering there opinions. Thats what he asked for. I could care less what he gets. im just stating my reasons and my feelings on the car. Its whar he wanted!

Yeah sorry about that, I see the tread topic isn't really deserving of my comment. Opinions are great, I should have kept that thought to myself, or at least for a forum about snake oil. Lol.

[MENTION=19360]Bartly[/MENTION] have any photos of your 79 Capri? Would be a cool project car.

Sorry don't have it anymore, well for like thirty years. Thought I'd be clever and put up the only Ford (well Mercury) I ever had since I hadn't selected my 2016 out yet. I need to update my profile to reflect my new ride. Fricken great to have a V8 again finally after all these years.

What you're saying isn't wrong. But I asked because I want exactly what you are saying people do. In other words, I might ignore the bashing, but I definitely need those who are in favor of non-pp to tell me why they feel that way the same way I need to know why those who have the PP are in favor of it.



I figured there would be a small population that bought non-pp with the intention of doing the jobs themselves.



However, after reading the replies it does seem the like the PP is what I still want. Even though the staggered wheels absolutely bug the shit out of me!!



-Emt1581

Yeah, sorry to you too, you are the OP from what I recall. Okay so here is my opinion and why I chose a Base. Being old and too tall to fit with a helmet (new seats aren't on my radar as a thing i want to put $ towards)I highly doubt I'll ever track the thing. For that reason I doubt the standard brakes will ever let me down, can't think of a road within 200 miles that would let them get too hot, and from what I hear they are the same as the earlier gen PP brakes, if that's true I'm golden. Would have been nice to have the radiator, just cause it sounds cool, have to see what comes of that comment about the FI cars needing a bigger radiator or not, hopefully that's only a tracking the car type thing. Didn't want the wheels and tires for the same reason as you. Having the new Base for a couple of weeks I am liking the ride, naive so I'm calling it a cushy ride only because the guys on the forum say it is noticeably softer than the PP. I feel I'm going to be going with tightening the suspension up as I bought the car so I could tinker with it. Would be nice to have had some of the PP suspension stuff, but might have ended up replacing some of it. I already ordered the strut bar and K brace. Would have loved to get the Torsion rear end, but not the 3.73 gears, only because I've played the gearing game with my Jeep and figured I'd go numerically lower on a car with a V8 and 6 tranny gears. I made 3.55 a requirement as a compromise, although it's going probably would be nearly unnoticeable. Already playing with skipping gears on up shift as it burns though them nicely during accel. Thinking I'm forgetting something the PP came with. Having been in the Base for a couple weeks, I've been questioning my decision to not go with a premium, but never (well a little less than rarely) about going for the PP. Only thing I wanted from the Premium was the larger display, the extra gauges would have been cool (maybe that's the PP thing?)and the snow driving setting. Although I've cried several days already when I refuse to take it out on mucky roads, I don't think snow/wet roads will be in its future. Also instantly knew the stock speakers need some help. Heard the Premium speakers are a little more involved if an upgrade is desired.
I was being tight with my money, wanted basically a Base with 3.55 gears, ended up getting that plus the the black accent package in Magnetic.
Spent $1k already had it tinted on the drive home from the dealer and a clear bra put on it and the strut bar kit is in the mail. First dealing with one of the forum vendors and it's been scheduled to be in the mail twice twice already over the last two weeks. Let the fun begin.

Sorry for being long winded too.

 

[Static_LV]

There are a number of reasons I went with the PP and nearly all of them have to do with SCCA rules for an F-Street setup. For this purpose, the wider wheels, better brakes, and higher spring rates are big improvements over the non PP. Yes, I will be upgrading parts of the PP within the boundaries of the rules but it is a better starting point for me than the non PP.

 

[jwhite]

A bigger radiator won't be necessary for F/I.

If you never put your foot in it small radiator would be fine. Ive seen to many people that ( on all makes and models) just SC no other supporting mods, overheat. Especially at track days. SC''ers make heat, and a lot of it with boost.

 

[timd38]

cheaper to get them within the pp upgrade...

Agree, but you can't get the PP with an auto trans

 

[RitzGT]

Personally, I decided to go the "build it yourself" route. I got a bone stock manual GT last year. Price was a hair over $28k at my local dealer. When the cycles present themselves, I'm going straight to the supercharger route. I have zero intention of tracking the car and it's my DD for a 75 mile round trip commute every day.

Things I plan to do after the supercharger:

Bigger brakes
PP tires/rims

That's pretty much it. I wasn't really after any bling. I want it to look (and mostly sound) like a bone stock GT and my total investment in the car will be approximately $37-38k for a 600-700hp sleeper. Having a PO-leece magnet doesn't really appeal to me.

Best,

 

[jwhite]

Personally, I decided to go the "build it yourself" route. I got a bone stock manual GT last year. Price was a hair over $28k at my local dealer. When the cycles present themselves, I'm going straight to the supercharger route. I have zero intention of tracking the car and it's my DD for a 75 mile round trip commute every day.

Things I plan to do after the supercharger:

Bigger brakes
PP tires/rims

That's pretty much it. I wasn't really after any bling. I want it to look (and mostly sound) like a bone stock GT and my total investment in the car will be approximately $37-38k for a 600-700hp sleeper. Having a PO-leece magnet doesn't really appeal to me.

Best,

I do urg you to talk to a reputable tech/speed shop about the PP radiator if you get the supercharger. Again they make a lot of heat!! I think it's around 10 degrees per lbs/of boost. Once you get to a certain temp you're actually loosing HP. It's a small investment, plus you might get a deal at same time of SC'er if they pull the radiator to put in inter cooler.
I just assumed your looking at a roots type/ centri could be different, again ask a professional

 

[RitzGT]

I do urg you to talk to a reputable tech/speed shop about the PP radiator if you get the supercharger. Again they make a lot of heat!! I think it's around 10 degrees per lbs/of boost. Once you get to a certain temp you're actually loosing HP. It's a small investment, plus you might get a deal at same time of SC'er if they pull the radiator to put in inter cooler.

Yup, I'll likely do the radiator too. They're dirt cheap and it's not very time consuming to replace (just swapping in the Ford Racing replacement). I'm going to do all the work myself as I'm no stranger to hot rodding and wrenching.

Best,

 

[Norm Peterson]

For the past couple months I've been planning on getting a car with the PP right out of the box and after test driving one I REALLY wanted one. At the same time I never tried the non-PP.

However, aside from the gearing, I think I could do the other add-ons myself down the road. What I'm trying to figure out is whether it would be better for me to do PP or not and then alter it as I go along. But within that consideration there's now the potential that somewhere in 5+ years down the road I might...possibly....maybe...want to supercharge it. From what I've read I'm not sure that the 3.73 gearing is preferred there.

I'm used to doing shocks/struts but the ones on the S550 look different. The springs are separate from the shock (or is that just the GT350?)...not sure if you just hook up the suicide bars and take them out/install them that way or what?

But with the PP, I see people bitch about the quality of tires, wheel sizing, wheels, shocks/struts that seem nice but not excellent (according to others), replacing the sway bar...which leaves the gauges, strut brace, and brakes.

Buying it WITH the PP still seems like the MUCH better idea at this point mainly because I would be good to go with good handling/performance from the start and not need to devote multiple weekends to working on the car.

But if I can do significantly better upgrades for slightly more money little by little and they don't require computers and special tools...might be the way to go.

So more money up front with the PP or less money up front with more spent in the long run and a lot of time in labor.

What's your logic either way?

Thanks

-Emt1581

It's a little early for me to be doing much more than putting a few cars on the short list for eventual shopping. But here's what I'm thinking.

The PP is not in the same league as the 5th gen Camaro's 1LE package, nor was it ever really intended to be. The 6th gen SS is going to be tough enough competition unless Ford tweaks the details of the PP a bit.

Anyway . . . some detail thoughts

The GT Performance Package includes:
• Strut-tower brace
• K brace
Nice to have. But the STB belongs much lower on any DIY'er mod list than where it usually ends up


• Larger radiator
If you ever track your car or engage in extended stints of hard driving on hot days, you'll want this. For forced induction (not something I'm much interested in personally), I'm betting you'll want this and then some.


• Unique chassis tuning
• Upsized rear sway bar
• Heavy-duty front springs
These all seem to be saying the same thing, and the thing here is whether you want to just take what Ford feels is good enough for their target PP customer or develop something that suits you individually a little better. There have been bouncy ride complaints I think with both the PP and the non-PP, that different spring rate choices and better shocks/struts ought to be able to solve.


• Interior gauge pack (oil pressure and vacuum)
Oil pressure is semi-useful at best, and probably the only reason you'd care about vacuum is if you're specifically driving for best mpg


• Brembo™ six-piston front brake calipers with larger rotors
These will generally require 19" or larger wheels. There are a couple of 18's that supposedly clear, but not many.


• Unique 19” x 9”(F) 19” x 9.5” (R) Ebony Black-Painted Aluminum Wheels
• Optional 19”x 9”(F) 19” x 9.5” (R) Luster Nickel Aluminum Wheels
• 255/40R19 (F) 275/40R19(R) summer-only tires*
If you're any more than semi-serious about handling, these won't be enough. Not wide enough, and there are definitely better tire choices.


• Unique EPAS, ABS and stability control tuning
This is a very good thing if you want less interference from the nannies without having to shut them off completely.


• 3.73 TORSEN® rear axle
The Torsen is the kind of differential you want for most everything . . . except drag racing and similar driving (Torsens tend to be fragile when used that way).

3.73's are kind of short for driving where you aren't using the upper rpm range at all. They're terrible for autocrosses where peak speeds can exceed what's possible in 2nd. But they might be OK on the big tracks where you're rarely going to drop down below 3rd or ever need 6th.


Norm

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