Thinking about trading in!

[Stormtrooper5.0]

Get a Charger R/T. Big enough for 5 people and you will get your V8 fix.

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[StoplightWarrior]

Get a Charger R/T. Big enough for 5 people and you will get your V8 fix.

And you can become close with your local service department when you're there for problems every month! I swear, the one dodge I owned was the biggest POS ever. Never again

 

[ATLalien]

My cousin had a baby last year and he traded in his Mustang for a fully loaded Focus because it was more "practical and responsible." Saw him at Christmas last year and he really regretted getting rid of his car.

My mother drove mustangs all throughout the 70s and 80s until she had me and she said she should have just kept getting mustangs. She told my cousin not to make the same mistake.

The way I see it, a baby seat fits in the back and any child can fit back there comfortably until their teens and I'm sure by then you will have moved on from this car. The car has very good crash safety ratings and should be very reliable. Use the wife's car when its needed.

Only reason I can see for trading it in would be to save on gas money and insurance. Not sure what your loss would be in a trade in for a new car.

This is dead on.

I always think it's hilarious when people have one kid and think, "that's it, time to buy a minivan or SUV"!

Had a 2012 GT, bought when my son was 1.5years old, have the 15 now and he always gets a kick out of riding in both.

Dropped my son off at daycare the other day and another dad pulls up to me in an SUV and asks, "Man, how do you do it in a Mustang?!" My response was simple, "Move the seat forward a little".

It is true that 4 doors are easier, no doubt, and there are certainly times when the space of an SUV is handy. But if you can't bear those infrequent inconveniences, you probably didn't want the car that much in the first place. A 2 seater is a different story, but we're talking about a Mustang, not a Corvette!

 

[Khyber]

kids fit just fine in the back. just don't buy some ridiculous huge unnecessary baby seat.

 

[Strokerswild]

Wait...I thought the back seats were baby seats...

 

[elfiero]

My .02- Keep the GT, if need be-find a relative with garage space, and park the car. Go find a used 4 door whatever, and drive it until the little one gets big enough to face forward! You WILL lose your ass on a trade-in, and justifying the mileage difference is just a copout. Work extra for a while if that is what it takes to do it this way- you will be much happier in the long run.

 

[MSMStannyl]

Ok, I had a 2012 WRX, so let me chime in here

I honestly enjoyed driving the WRX more than this GT. I like the GT a lot better, but it's complicated. The GT scares me a bit. Plus, it's auto - you couldnt buy a WRX with an auto for many years until just recently again.

If I was in your shoes, and needed a car for kids and to drive rain or shine, there is no question that I would look at another WRX. If you can drive, then with just intake, exhaust, and a cobb tune you will beat up on all but the best driven mustangs as long as you keep it to semi-legal speeds around town. They are very fun cars, and you don't really have to alter how you drive them when it's raining - that makes them very fun. I'm lucky enough to have the GT as my 3rd car, so I don't ever have to take it out unless conditions are perfect.

Also, the factory upgraded sound system in the WRX I had was the best sounding car audio in any car I've owned (and I've had 23 cars now). It was ridiculous. The GT has the base system, which sucks, so I know it's apples to oranges, but yea -get the upgraded system if you can.

So, find a good deal on a manual WRX with upgraded audio, homelink, STi shifter, and arm rest extension. The rest of the options are unnecessary. Install a cobb intake, nameless exhaust setup, and cobb stage 1 tune. At speeds under 80mph, you will LOVE the car.

I too had a WRX but have quite a different take on it. Mine was a 2011 Limited. Stereo was terrible. My 15' GT Premium sounds way better, and that's not saying a lot! Lol.

As for the WRX itself, yes, it's a decent all-around car. I think that for the money, it's a good car with a great AWD system. Personally, I actually had some issues with mine. Issues that should have been covered under warranty but weren't. Long story short, my experience ended with an email to SOA (Subaru of America) swearing I would never buy another one. Sure enough, I traded it in for the Mustang GT Premium M6 a few weeks later.

Mine was Cobb tuned with an intake and exhaust. Definitely wouldn't touch my GT, even stock though. Maybe in the rain or snow but that's about it. It's definitely not a slow car by any means but keep in mind that if you're dumping the clutch to launch it, it also won't last too long! This was with the old 5-speed that was notorious for being made of glass. I assume the newer 6 speed is beefed up...hopefully. Or you can choose the CVT...yay [sarcasm].

Again, I'm kind of torn with my experience on it because of the issues I had. Outside of that, it was a fun car, no denying that. Also, living in Chicago as the OP is, a car like that seems to make even more sense. However, coming from a GT, I think it will be an overall disappointing experience (again, my opinion).

As for fuel mileage, my WRX, with the Cobb tune, really wasn't much better. Maybe 1-2 mpg's better than the GT. It also required premium fuel (I use premium in the GT even though it's not necessary). Keep in mind this was with the older 2.5L boxer engine. The new WRX is using a 2.0L Direct-Injected boxer engine. Perhaps fuel economy is better. I would assume it is, although I'd also be nervous about that whole LSPI thing that EcoBoost's are dealing with.

As for other car options similar to the WRX, there really isn't much. Maybe a Mini Cooper Countryman All4? I dunno. If you go up to WRX STI territory, it opens up a whole bunch of comparable cars: Focus RS, Golf R, might even be able to snag an EVO Final Edition or whatever they call it...

Bottom line, I would keep the Stang at least for now. The only time I've ever missed the WRX was when it snowed. Outside of that, I can't fathom a time where I would ever prefer it over my GT.

 

[StoplightWarrior]

I too had a WRX but have quite a different take on it. Mine was a 2011 Limited. Stereo was terrible. My 15' GT Premium sounds way better, and that's not saying a lot! Lol.

As for the WRX itself, yes, it's a decent all-around car. I think that for the money, it's a good car with a great AWD system. Personally, I actually had some issues with mine. Issues that should have been covered under warranty but weren't. Long story short, my experience ended with an email to SOA (Subaru of America) swearing I would never buy another one. Sure enough, I traded it in for the Mustang GT Premium M6 a few weeks later.

Mine was Cobb tuned with an intake and exhaust. Definitely wouldn't touch my GT, even stock though. Maybe in the rain or snow but that's about it. It's definitely not a slow car by any means but keep in mind that if you're dumping the clutch to launch it, it also won't last too long! This was with the old 5-speed that was notorious for being made of glass. I assume the newer 6 speed is beefed up...hopefully. Or you can choose the CVT...yay [sarcasm].

Again, I'm kind of torn with my experience on it because of the issues I had. Outside of that, it was a fun car, no denying that. Also, living in Chicago as the OP is, a car like that seems to make even more sense. However, coming from a GT, I think it will be an overall disappointing experience (again, my opinion).

As for fuel mileage, my WRX, with the Cobb tune, really wasn't much better. Maybe 1-2 mpg's better than the GT. It also required premium fuel (I use premium in the GT even though it's not necessary). Keep in mind this was with the older 2.5L boxer engine. The new WRX is using a 2.0L Direct-Injected boxer engine. Perhaps fuel economy is better. I would assume it is, although I'd also be nervous about that whole LSPI thing that EcoBoost's are dealing with.

As for other car options similar to the WRX, there really isn't much. Maybe a Mini Cooper Countryman All4? I dunno. If you go up to WRX STI territory, it opens up a whole bunch of comparable cars: Focus RS, Golf R, might even be able to snag an EVO Final Edition or whatever they call it...

Bottom line, I would keep the Stang at least for now. The only time I've ever missed the WRX was when it snowed. Outside of that, I can't fathom a time where I would ever prefer it over my GT.

Yea, sounds like you had a bad one. My brother has had his 2011 WRX since new, and it now has nearly 70k miles. It's been cobb tuned with intake and exhaust for awhile now, with zero issues (knock on wood). He drives it hard, rain or shine.

He is jealous of my Mustang, but the WRX is paid off and he doesnt have a garage at his condo, so the WRX is staying for now :headbonk:

 

[LETHAL]

NADA.com to get an idea of your trade value.

Could also go Taurus SHO.. 4doors. 365hp and mod potential.

 

[Quackfoo]

Lol I had a 2011 wrx limited as well, funny how many guys had those. Anyway, the stereo was beyond bad and lots of rattles in the interior. After I sorted all that out, it a was a good car and seriously thought of getting another one instead of a mustang. I took the mustang and camaro on a test drive just for the hell of it, I wasn't planning on buying one. After driving it I was sold .

BUT, you will take a beating on your trade in or sale. If you don't keep it for at least 5 years you're losing money on it. The question is are those extra 2 doors worth it? If your family only has 1 car, I'd swap. If you have 2 cars then no. You'll find yourselves taking one car most of the time anyway since it'll have all stuff in it already anyway.

 

[Moddiction]

If it's your only car it is silly to use it as a baby hauler. Back seats are tiny and with rear facing baby seats that are used until 3 or so would be a major pain. Forces you to have passenger seat all the way forward almost.
4 doors are a must when you have a baby. If you really want to keep the Mustang then as others said pick up an older daily driver. Something like an Accord or Civic etc. Cheap to buy, cheap on gas and super reliable.

 

[Khyber]

If it's your only car it is silly to use it as a baby hauler. Back seats are tiny and with rear facing baby seats that are used until 3 or so would be a major pain. Forces you to have passenger seat all the way forward almost.
4 doors are a must when you have a baby. If you really want to keep the Mustang then as others said pick up an older daily driver. Something like an Accord or Civic etc. Cheap to buy, cheap on gas and super reliable.

who uses rear facing seats until 3?! lol.... soon as the hit the weight limit get them in recaro front facing seat and it gets even easier. don't buy gigantic freaking rear facing seats and you won't have to move the seats up much at all. same thing with front facing. no need to buy gigantic useless car seats that do the same thing as a normal seat. there are even compact seats out there too.

just because you have kids does not mean you have to become boring. 3 and 1 year old in the back every day. mustang does just fine for kids. it's not hard, at all. I put them in and out every day and would absolutely go insane if I drove a 4 door car. It takes seconds to get a rear facing seat in and out...and literally two clicks to get the 3yr old out.

 

[Moddiction]

who uses rear facing seats until 3?! lol.... soon as the hit the weight limit get them in recaro front facing seat and it gets even easier. don't buy gigantic freaking rear facing seats and you won't have to move the seats up much at all. same thing with front facing. no need to buy gigantic useless car seats that do the same thing as a normal seat. there are even compact seats out there too.

just because you have kids does not mean you have to become boring. 3 and 1 year old in the back every day. mustang does just fine for kids. it's not hard, at all. I put them in and out every day and would absolutely go insane if I drove a 4 door car. It takes seconds to get a rear facing seat in and out...and literally two clicks to get the 3yr old out.

If you care about the childs safety you would. All studies have shown it is safest for them to be in rear facing car seats until at least 2-3. 75% more likely to be injured or killed in a front facing car seat before then.

I have 2 other cars besides the Mustang. I don't take my baby in there as it is obviously not the safest car for a baby and my own need to drive a fun car trumps the need to keep my baby safe..

 

[Khyber]

you insinuate I don't care about my children's safety?

and drinking sweet tea and breathing oxygen give you cancer. studies are just that, studies. Besides mustang is a safe car. I don't know of a single person ever that has had their kid in a rear facing seat up to 3. ever. Even our own doctor recommends not keeping a kid rear facing after 2.

it's all dependent on weight more so than age.

 

[Moddiction]

No I'm not but you laughing at the fact of keeping a kid in a rear facing seat until a safe age and size is silly. It's also simply common sense. Much easier for a neck injury when small and in a forward facing seat compared to rear facing seat.
The larger rear facing seats are much safer than the smaller ones. So yes the seat has to be far forward unless you go with one of the really small seats which have much worse safety ratings.

Recommended age for rear facing seat is 2-3 years depending on size. Of course if you have a monster baby you may be closer to the 2 year age.

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