Which one to buy?

[BmacIL]

Dumb question, what does the PP add for me on a GT? Obviously not the track suspension or better wheels/tires. I'm guessing the supercharger isn't included in the Performance Pack? Do these cars do best with a dealer installed Roush supercharger/tune or is another setup from an independent shop the way to go?

-- Retuned springs, bushings and monotube rear dampers
-- Additional cooling capability for track-day durability
-- Thicker rear sway bar
-- K-brace connecting strut towers to bulkhead
-- Unique tuning for ABS, electronic stability control and electric power-assisted steering
-- Center gauge pack
-- Front brakes: Brembo six-piston, 36-millimeter fixed aluminum calipers with 380 millimeter rotors
-- Rear brakes: Single-piston, 45-millimeter floating iron calipers with 330 millimeter rotors
-- Unique 19x9-inch Ebony Black painted alloy wheels with Pirelli 255/40R19 Y-speed- rated tires, front; 19x9.5-inch alloy wheels with Pirelli 275/40R19 Y-speed-rated tires, rear
-- Strut tower brace
-- 3.73:1 final drive ratio with Torsen differential
-- Unique front splitter to channel cooling air to the front brakes

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[ldireprophil]

First mods will be some Steeda Pro-Action Shocks and Struts with their linear Ultralite springs. The difference that makes is tremendous for only around $1000.

Wow, only $1000? I mod all of my bikes and cars to one extent or another. I can barely tint my windows for $1000 on my M's. lol

 

[Rebellion]

I've been looking on my local Roush dealer (which is inside the Ford dealership)...pretty good bang for the buck, me thinks, if you want full warranty from Ford and Roush. I would have gotten one, if the budget allowed.

 

[SpeedLu]

I've been looking on my local Roush dealer (which is inside the Ford dealership)...pretty good bang for the buck, me thinks, if you want full warranty from Ford and Roush. I would have gotten one, if the budget allowed.

A Roushcharged Mustang is hard to beat for the money with the warranty and Ford support you get with it. When the 18s roll out I may end up going that route on a discounted 17 GT.

 

[c-rizzle]

Dumb question, what does the PP add for me on a GT? Obviously not the track suspension or better wheels/tires. I'm guessing the supercharger isn't included in the Performance Pack? Do these cars do best with a dealer installed Roush supercharger/tune or is another setup from an independent shop the way to go?

The main thing of value that the PP adds is the Brembo Brakes up front & the wheels/tires. The suspension is better than stock, but for most people I think they're going to be swapping out a lot of the parts anyway.

The PP is the Ford Racing Street Suspension, so yes the Track Suspension is an upgrade from even the PP.

The FR Track setup is a great setup, but uses monotubes in the rear. I want the best ride quality possible so currently looking at the Steeda twin tube Pro Action.

Well, its not the same exact thing as the Ford Racing Street suspension pack, as that has the 1" lowering springs. Maybe the PP suspension parts + Ford Racing street lowing springs = Ford Racing Street handling package.

 

[ldireprophil]

I've been looking on my local Roush dealer (which is inside the Ford dealership)...pretty good bang for the buck, me thinks, if you want full warranty from Ford and Roush. I would have gotten one, if the budget allowed.

That may be the direction I go. I want it to stand out from the crowd as well. There are literally hundreds of lifted jeeps & trucks, mustangs or black Harley Street Glides everywhere you look around Atlanta. If I go straight for a Roush or Shelby model I'll get some of the body mods that make it a little different looking than the GT right? It won't be a true custom build like it would if I bought a GT and modded it myself, but by the time dump a bunch of money into a GT I might very well have as much money into it as if I had just bought a limited addition to begin with. I've never owned a mustang or had the desire to look into getting one before this new body style came along so please pardon my ignorance concerning it. :shrug:

 

[ldireprophil]

A Roushcharged Mustang is hard to beat for the money with the warranty and Ford support you get with it. When the 18s roll out I may end up going that route on a discounted 17 GT.

So it's a GT with Roush customization? Ford selects a certain number of GT's and sends them over to Roush where they do motor work, (super charger, etc) and other interior and exterior body mods? If so, is that the same thing Ford does with Shelby on limited GT's as well? Wonder if Roush is owned by Ford?

 

[ldireprophil]

And a follow up to my question above.

If money wasn't an issue and you wanted to go a step above a GT and let the factory customize it for you, would you go with Roush or Shelby?

edit: or is Roush known more for motors and performance, whereas Shelby is more for limited numbers and interior/exterior customization?

 

[IPOGT]

Is it just me or does anyone else think that the C7 looks too Batmobilesque.?

 

[SpeedLu]

So it's a GT with Roush customization? Ford selects a certain number of GT's and sends them over to Roush where they do motor work, (super charger, etc) and other interior and exterior body mods? If so, is that the same thing Ford does with Shelby on limited GT's as well? Wonder if Roush is owned by Ford?

I was referring to having a Roush supercharger installed by the dealer when you purchase the car, not a Mustang with Roush mods, although you can certainly get one of those. A Premium PP with a dealer-installed Phase 1 Roush Supercharger is a bad mother with class. As far as suspension mods and such go, I would go with other brands. A lot of Roush products are made by other well known companies, like Eibach, Borla, and Kooks, except the Roush stuff has a premium cost attached. If you wanted to upgrade your suspension right there at the dealership you could ask about the FRPP Track Pack. Ford Racing/Performance stuff is typically very good. I have the Track Pack and its handling is nuts.

 

[Computer Guy]

And a follow up to my question above.

If money wasn't an issue and you wanted to go a step above a GT and let the factory customize it for you, would you go with Roush or Shelby?

edit: or is Roush known more for motors and performance, whereas Shelby is more for limited numbers and interior/exterior customization?

There is a potential risk of confusion when stating "Shelby" - the Shelby American GTE (or whatever it is called) is an aftermarket modification to a Mustang GT. The (Shelby) GT350 on the other hand, only has the Shelby name across the front splitter, on the paperwork attached to the window, and in the documentation (with the 2017's, Ford seems to be pushing the Ford Performance name much more than the Shelby name). The GT350 is not a Mustang GT with an appearance package, although the body appears similar at a distance.

The GT350 sits low to the ground, which causes problems when navigating certain driveways, parking lots, entering buildings (scraping when putting into the garage), and even some roads - the front splitter has a tendency to scrape the ground. With all 2017 GT350s and all but the base 2016 GT350, the car comes with magnetic ride control. With that feature, the car is smoother over rough roads than my 2011 Mustang GT that is a non-track pack car, yet does not nose dive when slowing down or making corners (and the nose does not kick up in the air as it does in my GT when accelerating) - it is essentially flat in corners. The GT350 has wider tires than a regular GT, which makes the car take turns like it is on rails, but also has a tendency to wander a bit when running over non-parallel grooves in the road. The body of the GT350 is also a bit wider than the body of the Mustang GT, with the nose of the car an inch or two lower.

The GT350 has a Tremec transmission, while the manual GT comes with a Getrag MT-82 (the general opinion seems to be that the Tremec is a much better transmission). The GT350 also comes with a 5.2 liter 526HP flat plane crank engine, while the GT comes with a 5.0 liter 435HP cross plane crank engine. The GT350 also has a dual mode exhaust, switching to quiet when shifting into 6th gear or when the driver wants to be nice to his neighbors, and sport mode to be loud and obnoxious. The GT350 is hit with a gas guzzler tax and is rated at 21 MPG highway (I have seen as high as 24.92 MPG for a full tank, mostly at 65-70 MPH - and as low as 12 MPG when daily driving in a city), while the GT is rated at 25 or 26 MPG (I have seen as high as 32.29 MPG in my 2011 GT for a full tank, mostly at 55 MPH).

The GT350 would make a nice daily driver, very likely offering a smoother ride than a track pack GT, while being more stable in the corners. The primary downside is cost - initial purchase cost, insurance, tires, license plate (if based on vehicle cost), gas (must use premium in the GT350), etc. A secondary downside is having to be very careful in the GT350, such as which driveways to enter, and being on the lookout for dips in the pavement.

 

[bluebeastsrt]

I was referring to having a Roush supercharger installed by the dealer when you purchase the car, not a Mustang with Roush mods, although you can certainly get one of those. A Premium PP with a dealer-installed Phase 1 Roush Supercharger is a bad mother with class. As far as suspension mods and such go, I would go with other brands. A lot of Roush products are made by other well known companies, like Eibach, Borla, and Kooks, except the Roush stuff has a premium cost attached. If you wanted to upgrade your suspension right there at the dealership you could ask about the FRPP Track Pack. Ford Racing/Performance stuff is typically very good. I have the Track Pack and its handling is nuts.

Good advice.

 

[GOFAST]

Wow, only $1000? I mod all of my bikes and cars to one extent or another. I can barely tint my windows for $1000 on my M's. lol

Nice rides man, LOVE that silver M!!

Yeah, even less for parts alone. I believe the Ultralite Springs are $280, and even though I can't find them on their site right now I am pretty sure the Non Adjustable Steeda Shocks and Struts are $500 ish(rebound adjustable for $900). That's before any possible forum discounts, and Steeda is great to work with. If you gave them a call, I am pretty sure they would put together a real nice package for you.

That's my plan anyway!

 

[ldireprophil]

There is a potential risk of confusion when stating "Shelby" - the Shelby American GTE (or whatever it is called) is an aftermarket modification to a Mustang GT. The (Shelby) GT350 on the other hand, only has the Shelby name across the front splitter, on the paperwork attached to the window, and in the documentation (with the 2017's, Ford seems to be pushing the Ford Performance name much more than the Shelby name). The GT350 is not a Mustang GT with an appearance package, although the body appears similar at a distance.

The GT350 sits low to the ground, which causes problems when navigating certain driveways, parking lots, entering buildings (scraping when putting into the garage), and even some roads - the front splitter has a tendency to scrape the ground. With all 2017 GT350s and all but the base 2016 GT350, the car comes with magnetic ride control. With that feature, the car is smoother over rough roads than my 2011 Mustang GT that is a non-track pack car, yet does not nose dive when slowing down or making corners (and the nose does not kick up in the air as it does in my GT when accelerating) - it is essentially flat in corners. The GT350 has wider tires than a regular GT, which makes the car take turns like it is on rails, but also has a tendency to wander a bit when running over non-parallel grooves in the road. The body of the GT350 is also a bit wider than the body of the Mustang GT, with the nose of the car an inch or two lower.

The GT350 has a Tremec transmission, while the manual GT comes with a Getrag MT-82 (the general opinion seems to be that the Tremec is a much better transmission). The GT350 also comes with a 5.2 liter 526HP flat plane crank engine, while the GT comes with a 5.0 liter 435HP cross plane crank engine. The GT350 also has a dual mode exhaust, switching to quiet when shifting into 6th gear or when the driver wants to be nice to his neighbors, and sport mode to be loud and obnoxious. The GT350 is hit with a gas guzzler tax and is rated at 21 MPG highway (I have seen as high as 24.92 MPG for a full tank, mostly at 65-70 MPH - and as low as 12 MPG when daily driving in a city), while the GT is rated at 25 or 26 MPG (I have seen as high as 32.29 MPG in my 2011 GT for a full tank, mostly at 55 MPH).

The GT350 would make a nice daily driver, very likely offering a smoother ride than a track pack GT, while being more stable in the corners. The primary downside is cost - initial purchase cost, insurance, tires, license plate (if based on vehicle cost), gas (must use premium in the GT350), etc. A secondary downside is having to be very careful in the GT350, such as which driveways to enter, and being on the lookout for dips in the pavement.

Very good information. Thanks for taking the time to point a few things out. You mentioned, as I probably should have at the beginning of my post, that this car to be would be a daily driver. A few responses I see are that if I won't be tracking the car, the GT350 might be overkill as a DD and it might be a better bet to choice maybe GT with PP, perhaps an even more upgraded suspension and better wheels/tires. Being new to mustangs it's a decision I must ponder. And maybe like some have mentioned, wait until the 2018's are released. If no major changes drive me to the new 18' model car a better deal on a 2016-2017 GT350, Roush Stage 3, etc might be had at that time. I'm not in a huge rush just don't want buyers remorse wishing I had gone a different direction after the fact.

 

[Computer Guy]

Very good information. Thanks for taking the time to point a few things out. You mentioned, as I probably should have at the beginning of my post, that this car to be would be a daily driver. A few responses I see are that if I won't be tracking the car, the GT350 might be overkill as a DD and it might be a better bet to choice maybe GT with PP, perhaps an even more upgraded suspension and better wheels/tires. Being new to mustangs it's a decision I must ponder. And maybe like some have mentioned, wait until the 2018's are released. If no major changes drive me to the new 18' model car a better deal on a 2016-2017 GT350, Roush Stage 3, etc might be had at that time. I'm not in a huge rush just don't want buyers remorse wishing I had gone a different direction after the fact.

I do not see the GT350 as being overkill as a daily driver, but it certainly will not be as cost effective of a daily driver as a Mustang GT. It is definitely a bit less stressful daily driving and road tripping a Mustang GT than a GT350; I never had a concern/problem taking the GT down any road, even a 2 track gravel/sand road near Old Town in Florida (although I did decide to back up and eventually turn around when I noticed that the Gulf of Mexico was running over the road), I never had a problem scraping when entering a business driveway with the GT, and I was a bit less uneasy about parking the Mustang GT in a hotel parking lot (my GT350 has spent a total of 10 nights in a hotel parking lot in the last 2.5 months - it does not have an over the top stripe, so it does not attract much attention at a distance).

The GT350 is tame in the lower RPM range, just like the GT (the GT may have a little more torque in the lower RPM ranges). From 3500 RPM to the GT350's 8250 RPM redline, with the exhaust in sport mode, the GT350 is anything but tame, and likes to pop and burble unlike any other US made V8 when using engine braking to decelerate (likely a characteristic of the flat plane crank engine). For a daily driver, there is no need to consider upgrading the GT350 with different tires or upgraded suspension - of course the tires are summer-only tires on the GT350 (the same is true for the track pack GT), so when the temperature drops below 50 to 55, you will need to switch to all season or winter tires.

From the start there was talk that the 2017 model year would be the last for the GT350, although I have seen rumors on this site that it may continue for a year or two. I do not like the front view of the regular GT as much as I like the altered front of the GT350. One of the rumors is that the 2018 GT will acquire some of the styling queues of the current GT350, much like the 2013 Mustangs acquired some of the styling queues of the 2012 GT500, and the 2010 Mustangs acquired some of the styling queues of the 2009 GT500. There is also a rumor that a new GT500 may be introduced as a late 2017 or early 2018 model - that very likely would be overkill as a daily driver (as might a supercharged Mustang GT).

While I was able to buy my 2011 GT for a couple of hundred over invoice (a couple of thousand under MSRP), the dealerships tend to charge MSRP plus a markup of $0 to $15,000 depending on location for the GT350, partially because the dealerships must pay roughly $1000 per year to Ford to be able to sell the GT350s, and partially because the GT350 has the largest in-production flat plane crank engine in the world and the engine is the highest horsepower rated naturally aspirated V8 engine that Ford has ever produced. My dealer had three 2016 GT350s on the floor with $12,500 to $15,000 over MSRP markups, but I was able to work out a cash deal on an ordered 2017 for $1000 over MSRP (to cover the charge from Ford).

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