How many S550 Owners don't use all the Tech available to them in their S550?

[dougfresh]

Bought a base GT to avoid extra 'tech'. I keep the steering mode in sport and have never used the launch control or line lock. I'm sure one day I will. I use rev match which I find convenient being able to cover the brake and downshift when approaching a busy intersection. Although I find it holding RPM during an upshift kinda dumb. Turned off hill assist because it bothers me with the flow and timing of clutch/gas on a hill start, given the amount of years I've driven stick without some fancy tech nonsense.

Sponsored

 

[dx2]

First thing after engine start: screen off, but I use another tech not available in the Mustang from factory, although I think it should be, and that is a radar / speed trap detector.

Then, I use rev matching a lot, somtimes the auto-rev, sometimes manually.

 

[AZRobert]

I purchased a '21 in April of 21 and got t-boned in July. I picked up a CPO '19 BMW 430i Gran Coupe but ended up ordering a '22. It finally arrived and I took delivery June 14.
I like that there is a lot more control through the steering wheel than my BMW had - and also that the audio controls are on the left side as opposed to the right side. I prefer using the steering wheel and not taking my eyes off of the road.
I liked apple carplay until I found out how difficult it is to change audio sources (through the screen) so I mainly don't use it.
Does anyone know if I can stream music from my phone via bluetooth? Also toying with just putting my tunes on a flash drive once I find out the format - Can I use Apple or Amazon songs? I also got the B&O system with HD radio (I couldn't believe HD was only available with B&O - it was standard on my '17 Hyundai for crying out loud) but haven't been able to switch to 2nd or third HD selection yet and no info in owners manual.
As far as drive modes, steering modes, etc I seem to regularly flip trough those and/or shift to "S".
I've played with mycolor a little but want to explore that some more.
I should also mention that even though I'm older (55+) I used to work Avionics on fighter jets in the Air Force and I've always enjoyed messing around with this stuff. On the Aircraft it was designed so that the pilots could control most of the stuff from the throttle and "joy" stick without taking their eyes off of the target - I like that the mustang has several selection on the steering wheel for the same purpose.

 

[skinnyb]

I just took delivery yesterday of mine. I had an F-150 with the same Sync system I traded so I am fortunately familiar with it. I do use bluetooth for audio and Carplay for maps when I need to navigate. I am still familiarizing myself with all the other bells and whistles but I don't see myself using a lot of it. Track mode, line lock, all the extra gauges, etc. Mainly driven in normal mode so far but tinkered briefly with some of the other drive modes and exhaust modes.

 

[noGreta!]

So much bloat...I don't use most of it if any at all. The break-assist scared me and damn near made me crash the first time it kicked on as I wasn't expecting it. I was getting close mr. computer...I know!

I hate that I have to select a Sport mode in a Sports car. Why can't it be sporty all the time. Just give me a button for the TC.

The worst thing about all of it is that the local Ford dealer service departments are clueless on how to repair any of it. (and yes these things brake. Just think about the melting harness for the active exhaust or the magical digital dashboards that simply go out).

Here is some tech that I would want Ford to work on: an A/C evaporator that works past one year and a button that eliminates the mysterious driveline vibrations.

 

[jblue]

the cooled seats literally don't work

I don't know. I use mine and they work great. It was 102 degrees yesterday, they about froze my butt off, and I have the black interior. I'm pleased with them and really enjoy this feature, instead of sweating.

 

[Ozcraig]

I don't know. I use mine and they work great. It was 102 degrees yesterday, they about froze my butt off, and I have the black interior. I'm pleased with them and really enjoy this feature, instead of sweating.

I mostly use the pedal on the right hand side, and push it hard with my foot.

 

[Weyland-Yutani]

I use Carplay, but only for music and Waze. I use the HVAC controls because I have to, but I'd rather have knobs. I use the mode switches, but again only because I have to set it to "Sport+" and "Normal" steering every time I start the car. I use the cooled seats but I wish the backrest worked.

I work with technology for a living, so I'm not a Luddite. It's just that car tech, regardless of make/model, always seems to be a step behind and not user-focused.

 

[Johnnybee]

not only is it dumbing down driver skill, there's an actual emergency handbrake RIGHT THERE. WTF was Ford thinking?

Studebaker introduced its Hill Holder mechanism in either ‘36 or ‘37 on its manual models. They also had an anti-creep mechanism for automatics. So the technology has been around for a long time, and Ford is late to the party.

 

[Cobra Jet]

I purchased a '21 in April of 21 and got t-boned in July. I picked up a CPO '19 BMW 430i Gran Coupe but ended up ordering a '22. It finally arrived and I took delivery June 14.
I like that there is a lot more control through the steering wheel than my BMW had - and also that the audio controls are on the left side as opposed to the right side. I prefer using the steering wheel and not taking my eyes off of the road.
I liked apple carplay until I found out how difficult it is to change audio sources (through the screen) so I mainly don't use it.
Does anyone know if I can stream music from my phone via bluetooth? Also toying with just putting my tunes on a flash drive once I find out the format - Can I use Apple or Amazon songs? I also got the B&O system with HD radio (I couldn't believe HD was only available with B&O - it was standard on my '17 Hyundai for crying out loud) but haven't been able to switch to 2nd or third HD selection yet and no info in owners manual.
As far as drive modes, steering modes, etc I seem to regularly flip trough those and/or shift to "S".
I've played with mycolor a little but want to explore that some more.
I should also mention that even though I'm older (55+) I used to work Avionics on fighter jets in the Air Force and I've always enjoyed messing around with this stuff. On the Aircraft it was designed so that the pilots could control most of the stuff from the throttle and "joy" stick without taking their eyes off of the target - I like that the mustang has several selection on the steering wheel for the same purpose.

As far as steaming music from any mobile device - sure you can do it via BT without any need for Apple Car Play or Android...

I stream Spotify songs all the time... just turn on BT on your mobile device, pair the device with the car. Select whatever App you want to BT stream and it should stream right to SYNC via the SYNC BT function.

Heck, anymore I don't even have to touch a thing, as soon as I get into the car Spotify auto steams... LOL

If you keep tunes on your phone, same thing - just stream it via the BT function, it should work without any issues.

 

[Jason304]

I love all tech that cars have today. The heated seats are only thing I haven’t used. And that’s because she doesn’t come out of the garage if it’s cold enough to need them. It sucks not having the backup sensors on the 350. I’m old school enough not to rely on them or the camera, but it’s nice to have.

 

[ay1820]

I find the Sync interface to be poor at best. The Sensus infotainment interface in my V90 is far and away much better. BUT I do like that we have physical buttons for things like the seat heating/cooling and temp adjustment. Oh, and one more vote for being underwhelmed with the amount of cooling.

I do have my phone synced and have used it from time to time, but the interface is incredibly clunky and awkward at best whereas it is intuitive, unobtrusive, and seamless in the Volvo.

I have never use the cruise control in the Mustang but I do use Pilot assist (limited hands free driving) in the Volvo regularly.

The safety apps like lane keeping and blind spot indication seem to be OK, but I wish the orange dot for the blind spot indicator was a bit larger/brighter so I could more easily catch it out of my peripheral vision.

I do like LCD instrument panel (401A package), especially the option to display various gauges, but the overall graphic design and layout is really pretty primitive looking (almost childish) compared to the Volvo LCD panel. The ability to change colors is nice, but the color pallet looks like it came from the 8 color Crayola box you give to a first grader.

The voice activation in the Mustang navigation is much, much better than the Volvo, but that isn't saying much and I still find it almost impossible to try to enter a destination in the fly (it always seems to ask me to choose from an impossibly long list that there is no way to read through while driving). The navigation itself in the Mustang is pretty good and I like features like how it graphically counts you down to the upcoming turn. But once again, the over style of graphic design and the presentation itself leaves much to be desired.

I hate how awkward it is to switch between regular radio and XM and that there is no way to create a combined favorites list to scroll through. I also find it incredibly stupid that you can only scroll through one bank of radio presets with the steering wheel buttons and have to swipe to the next set on the touch screen before you can keep scrolling with the steering wheel controls. The best design I have seen for this is in my wife's Mazda which as one of those controllers on the center console that you can spin to quickly move through settings.

The FordPass app is a total joke and completely useless. I can't believe there is no way to send a destination to the nav. I also find it frustrating that it doesn't give you basic information like if your doors are locked or not.

Sorry for all the Volvo comparisons but that is my only other point of reference for a car equipped with a high degree of tech. To be honest, Ford was out in front with connected car tech at one time, but based on this data point, it seems like they have fallen way behind.

 

[Stage_3]

I have almost every available feature from the MY 2019, minus the Roush exhaust mode selector, as it would have been a waste of thousands if dollars. It would just stay on Track mode anyways.
I think I may have used the stereo in it once or twice?? That's it. lol

 

[Firsttexan]

I use the almost all my tech features. Some more than others.

 

[DemonGT]

Iv never used any of the voice command stuff on my cars.

Sponsored