The big S550 end of generation thread

[Gogoggansgo]

I thought this would be a cool idea to reflect on the s550 as a whole and talk about the things Ford nailed with this generation. Plus maybe some things thus should of improved on and maybe could of done better long term. I’ll go first

pros
1) when this car first came out it was a mixed bag reaction but it has aged liked fine wine.
2) they nailed the trim levels. The gt350 was on fire they nailed the California special, the new GT500 is almost the perfect all around car, excluding the terrible launch timing with rona.
3) for the most part the mustang is still extremely affordable, they could of very easily taken the brand upmarket but for the most part it’s stayed true to what a mustang needs to be
Cons, this is where i have a lot of constructive criticism, and i mean that in a good way. Most of these issues are directly related to Ford being run by a guy that made furniture, and cut jobs lol

1)fit and finish issues, it may not be common knowledge but the s197 had most of its major panels assembled by a robot. Due to engineering issues related to FRAP. The fenders i know for a fact are put on by hand. This was originally supposed to be a temp measure till they got something better up and running. That never happened, this is one area they have to fix, fit and finish at 50-60k for a loaded mustang GT,bullitt, mach 1. Doesn’t cut it
2) this one is more of them just cutting costs, but it’s fairly obvious that past the 2018 MY and the gt500. The bullitt, mach 1 and you can throw in the PP2 cars are all parts bin specials. This would of been an good opportunity to use whatever next gen coyote, V8 that have cooked up. As a preview for the next gen car, just my opinion. They also let the GT350 to dry instead of giving it serious love that it deserves.

honestly besides that this generation has been a boom for Ford and as much as i think the 11-14 cars when done right are the best looking. They need a lot of work to get them on the same general level as an S550.
What is y’all thoughts

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[WildHorse]

S550 was, is, and will always be the greatest generation of Mustang. Hang on to them.

 

[Gogoggansgo]

The old girl's still got a couple model years in her yet. How about we table this discussion until we have an actual date for the 7th gen?

lol it’s coming sooner rather than later and you’re not going to see any crazy new s550 models.So it’s a mood point

 

[Sergeant Gearhead]

You're right. The S550 GT350 and GT500 are on fire, a fire that will only be fueled even more by the values for both cars skyrocketing over time. I can claim myself to have heard the snarl of a flat-plane Voodoo V-8. It was so loud. The GT 350 has been my favorite Mustang ever since that moment (this happened about two or three years ago). Haven't seen the GT500 in person yet, but I'm sure it sounds just as awesome. Hopefully, Ford will make the same good choices for the S650 as they did for the current model. If they do, I'll be very happy.

 

[dps]

Came back to the Mustang after decades away with the GT350. Performance capability is frankly world-class and pretty impressed with interior as well. Fit and finish (& Paint!) are the worst I've seen, but admittedly have been in honda's and bmw's for decades in between. I plan to keep this one as long as I can and do my best to overlook the F&F while loving my time behind the wheel..

 

[Zathras]

Ford still needs to improve interior assembly and quality. I don't necessarily mean fancier materials, I mean it the car (inside and out) needs to be assembled more tightly and use better methods to prevent squeaks and rattles. See all the issues posted here with rattles in the C-pillar, trunk, and dash area.

Also, recent reviews of the "baser" levels of Mustang have not been too complimentary of its handling. IMHO Ford needs to put more effort into the handling of the base car, instead of putting all the "goodies" in expensive packs and limited models like the GT350/500.

 

[frank s]

Everyone is making thoughtful points. Really difficult to winnow the cognitive dissonance from the mix. Time will tell, don't you think?

"Handling" means different things to different people. To me it means the ability of the car to disappear. That is to say, in a "good-handling" car, I'm less and less conscious of the mechanical functions bridging the gap between my intentions and the car's reaction to inputs. Current '19 EB 10-speed is pretty good in that respect, but a long, long way away from my 1966 Lotus Élan, which was like swimming in a Speedo, as opposed to the Mustang's Baggie surf pants. Can a bulky car like the Mustang S550 be made to do that? Not likely, but they could try harder to get closer. GT350? GT500? C/S? How about a GT Gymnast?

 

[ice445]

Ford still needs to improve interior assembly and quality. I don't necessarily mean fancier materials, I mean it the car (inside and out) needs to be assembled more tightly and use better methods to prevent squeaks and rattles. See all the issues posted here with rattles in the C-pillar, trunk, and dash area.

Also, recent reviews of the "baser" levels of Mustang have not been too complimentary of its handling. IMHO Ford needs to put more effort into the handling of the base car, instead of putting all the "goodies" in expensive packs and limited models like the GT350/500.

They did, the 2018 base cars have much stiffer suspension and larger sway bars. It's not even that they handle bad, they just come with thin tires with no grip, lol. Compared to a PP1 even, the differences aren't as much as you'd hope for. I will however say that the PP bracing fixes everything I didn't like about the way the base model handles.

As far as my contribution to the thread, pros for me are the gen 3 engine and the 7500RPM redline. It's a phenomenal, efficient, wonderful sounding engine. I enjoy the improved MT-82, maybe I'm in a minority there but I don't care. The feature list for the base is also pretty good. Not many base model cars give you line lock and launch control with a manual. You even get leather steering wheel, auto dim mirror, and keyless entry with proximity sensing. Looks are also a huge pro. The car is also insanely practical, I took it on a long camping road trip and it held all our stuff for two with no problems and simply ate up the road.

Negatives for me are few but fairly substantial. Paint quality is terrible. The actual quality of the finish, at least for Oxford white, was really decent. But the paint is way too soft and thin and chips if you even look at it wrong. Panel fitment isn't something that bothers me, and my car is better than most, but we can add it to the list. Rear diff bushing design is dumb as hell and it baffles me how it hasn't been fixed in a 5 year production run. That's about it really.

 

[bluebeastsrt]

This is the only Mustang that I’ve bought two, new in the same production cycle. A 2015 & a 19. Beautiful design. The S650 will likely be my last new Mustang Before I retire. I hope it’s a home run like the S550. My 15 had the usual panel gaps. My 19 is perfect. Ruby red paint is flawless and the panels are straight. My only complaint is I can’t put a customized photo on the radio display like you could in the older cars.

 

[BimmerDriver]

I come from the world of BMW (duh) and Porsche and Corvette. OK, forget that last one, but I'm used to German precision in design, quality and assembly precision. Any time I am tempted to complain about the Mustang, I remind myself that it cost anywhere from half to a quarter of what I'm used to.

My car, purchased new off the lot, has no paint or fitment issues. Sure, it's "soft" but everyone is moving to the water-based paints, which are not as durable as the old solvent paints. Yes, the radio sounds like crap, but it's a base system, and I've heard worse (see above, re: BMW & Porsche). It's got some rattles, but hey, it's made of plastic.

Speaking of plastic, if you want to read about poor paint, lousy panel fit and generally lousy assembly and dealer prep, go over to a Corvette forum.

Otherwise, you know, really, no complaints. It's fun to drive, it sounds great, it handles well and the only real let down is the tires, which is easily and inexpensively fixed if you are so inclined.

Every car, every mass produced item in the world really, is a compromise between marketing, engineering and the bean counters. If the car was everything you wanted it to be, you couldn't afford it. If it was the killer track weapon that some wish for, no secretaries would buy it because it's so uncomfortable. The fact that the PP cars are "parts bin" cars is only because some of the good parts from the GT350 et. al. have trickled down a bit. All manufacturers do that to some degree.

Overall, really, I'm happy with the car.

 

[Zinc03svt]

May 18 build bought in June 18. It took me while to warm up to S550 coming from a 14 S197. The 18 pp1, a10, and gen3 with the throaty factory exhaust sold me. No car is perfect, but for mid 30 buy a super value in sports coupe.

 

[3ZERO3]

Pro's: Still looks relevant and up to date after all this time. At the gas station or at stop lights, people still give a thumbs up or give a nod. I've been very lucky with fit and finish, I have not had the same issues or some other problems I have heard. Most of all though, It still makes me feel special driving it. As someone else has said here, it's the only car that I've bought two of in the same generation.
Con's: After 24,000 miles, the paint is so rock chipped it's a joke. I can count the times it's driven in rain let alone a dirty or rocky road so...... The 2nd gen Coyote feels like it has a lack of torque, I feel my 2015 ecoboost with an automatic actually felt quicker driving around town. With that said, we'll see what lies ahead with the S650. The S650 could very well be the last new all gasoline manual Mustang ever made. I hope it's a swan song

 

[ihc95]

My only real complaints are overall fit/finish and paint quality. Other minor nit picks are that the A10 tuning could be better, and a lot of owners have some driveline vibration at speed (mine is minimal from 45-50mph, can live with it).

I absolutely love everything else. Engine - who would have thought you could buy a 7500rpm 4v DOHC V8 for the price of a loaded Camry? I hope they don't replace the Coyote with a pushrod engine. Love the looks, comfort, tech, handling.

 

[Strokerswild]

Agreed on the exterior F&F issues. My S197 cars were far better in this regard. It was a big nit for me to pick when I got my '15, and still is; it's also a factor in considering a new GT500 before the end of the line comes. After all, if I was disappointed in the F&F level at the $40K mark, it's an altogether different thing paying ~$80K and getting the same crap.

Beyond that, the body design will be hard to top. Even heading into my sixth year with my car, I still find myself admiring the styling. They really nailed it with the S550.

 

[NoVaGT]

fit and finish issues ......at 50-60k for a loaded mustang......Doesn’t cut it.

Most Premium GTs are still around $45K. And Mustangs start around $24K with an auto. They're cheap cars, and that's how you have to understand them. They're fantastic performance values, waaay cheaper than comparable performing cars from other manufacturers, so you're going to have slight issues here and there.

Price, quality and performance. You can't have all three, so pick the two you do want.

....it’s fairly obvious that past the 2018 MY and the gt500. The bullitt, mach 1 and you can throw in the PP2 cars are all parts bin specials......

Just like all manufacturers. Very standard.

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