Why the V6 is the Best Choice

[Rough Hollow Man]

Yes, you can have a fully optioned 2015 V-6 vert with Katzskins leather for less than $30,000... What's not to like? My baby likes to run around topless!

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[onebad58]

I traded my 14 v6 w/275 gears for a 2015 v6w/355 gears earlier in the year. the int is leaps and bounds over the 14 . has lots of power and is up to the times. I hade a 12 boss 302 but were can you drive it like it needs. the v6 is all that I need.

 

[Bay1Stang]

I traded my 14 v6 w/275 gears for a 2015 v6w/355 gears earlier in the year. the int is leaps and bounds over the 14 . has lots of power and is up to the times. I hade a 12 boss 302 but were can you drive it like it needs. the v6 is all that I need.

How big of a difference is it going from 2.73 to 3.55? From what I read the 2.73 still wasn't bad at all.

 

[onebad58]

its night and day difference the 14 power would come in at 4000 rpm the 15 power comes in at 2000 rpm. the 14 id be driving in fifth and forget to shift into 6th for miles. the automatic in the 15 makes a lot of difference too. this is my first automatic car since 1976

 

[15wile]

This is going to be a bit long, because God, this is a common problem with people who like Mustangs, but don't feel like spending boatloads of cash.

The V6 didn't really do it for me. I was also looking for a bargain -- didn't want the payments on GT. But I wanted a 2015 because of the IRS and interior. The V6 might work for you, but I was annoyed that most of its power came at the high RPM. I liked the low-down torque of the Ecoboost motor more, even if (in stock form), it's only slightly faster, overall, than the V6. I also knew it had a lot more tuning potential. But that's me, man. Some guys like the run-it-to-7000RPM scream of the V6 and swear by that top end power. To each their own.

That being said, folks shouldn't be crapping on the V6, either. It's a good motor. Not my cup of tea, but good anyway. If you think about it, we live in an exciting time for cars. During the 70s, the 80s and even some of the 90s, cars just sucked for power and excitement (unless you could afford a supercar). I mean, I loved the Fox body Mustangs when I was a kid, but look at their 0-60 and Quarter mile times. The 3.7L motor stomps every one of them by a tremendous margin.

Remember, though, most people will have V8 envy. I do, to some extent. If had $40k, in the bank, I'd have gone for a premium, PP GT without blinking. But since I'm not loaded, I'd have regretted taking on the debt more than I currently miss the V8 sound.

I could have gone used previous gen GT, too, but I'd have regretted the awesome handling and interior of the 2015s (a bit more than the V8 -- God I love a good handling car). Point is, buying a car, unless you're rich, is always an act of compromise. You prioritize what's important and make the best choice you can.

For me, that wound up being a basic Ecoboost. For you, it was a V6. The trick is not to compare your purchase with the guys who spent twice as much money as you (otherwise you will wind up hating your great car!), but to ask yourself if you got the best buy for the money you were willing to spend. Then enjoy the hell out of it.

Since you posted a long screed in the beginning, I'm thinking that envy is working its way into your thoughts. Don't let it! You bought a Mustang that'll do 0-60 in the 5 second range. It's a wonderful looking car, and you should be out there enjoying the hell out of it instead of trying to justify why some forum-goers have faster cars (and possibly loads more debt)!

 

[Bay1Stang]

Dystopic, did you drive the 2015 V6? Like onebad just said there's an definite low end improvement from 2011-2014 to 2015. When I drove them both I didn't notice much of a difference, but it might be because the V6 was 3.55.

Where I live I can't even use the V6 the way it should be, nevermind a GT. 90% of cars here are v6/eco. Can't press the gas for two seconds without hitting another car or being over the speed limit.

Has Jamo (the op) even posted lately? I get the feeling he isn't even buying a Mustang anymore after all that. : )

 

[15wile]

Dystopic, did you drive the 2015 V6? Like onebad just said there's an definite low end improvement from 2011-2014 to 2015. When I drove them both I didn't notice much of a difference, but it might be because the V6 was 3.55.

Where I live I can't even use the V6 the way it should be, nevermind a GT. 90% of cars here are v6/eco. Can't press the gas for two seconds without hitting another car or being over the speed limit.

Has Jamo (the op) even posted lately? I get the feeling he isn't even buying a Mustang anymore after all that. : )

I test drove the 15 in the V6. The Eco has more torque, and has it sooner. It makes for a better car to hoon at stoplights against the fart can imports. I didn't notice much difference between the 11-14 V6s and the new one, in terms of acceleration. Obviously the 15s handle better, though. I never drove a V6 wih those 2.73 gears, though, so maybe that's what you're feeling, going from 2.73 to 3.55.

 

[Bay1Stang]

I never drove the previous V6 either. Just a premium auto eco and a v6 3.55 auto. I just compared both sport modes when the RPM's are kept above 2k. Touch the gas pedal in either car at that point and you get that immediate jolt back power. I guess below that in standard drive mode is the major difference?

 

[15wile]

I never drove the previous V6 either. Just a premium auto eco and a v6 3.55 auto. I just compared both sport modes when the RPM's are kept above 2k. Touch the gas pedal in either car at that point and you get that immediate jolt back power. I guess below that in standard drive mode is the major difference?

The automatic isn't tuned well from the factory, at least for the Eco. Use the paddle shifters to short-shift. The V6 really pulls from about 4500RPM on up to redline. The Ecoboost, on the other hand, has its power from around 3000 to 5500. So, if you just leave the automatic alone and floor it, the V6 feels a little better than the Eco. But properly short-shifted, the Ecoboost is a beast.

That being said, pretty much every tune shop messes with the automatic shift points, and fixes this even if you don't use the paddles.

 

[15wile]

American Muscle did a comparison. 2014 V6 Manual vs. 2015 Ecoboost Auto and 2015 Ecoboost Manual.

In the comparison, the Ecoboost Automatic was only one tenth of a second faster than the 2014 V6 Manual in the quarter mile.

But the Ecoboost Manual was something like seven-tenths faster than the V6. This shows the value of short-shifting the car.

 

[Bay1Stang]

Seven-tenths seems like a lot.. you have a link for that?

 

[15wile]

Seven-tenths seems like a lot.. you have a link for that?

Best time for V6 shown in this video: 14.57 seconds.
Best time for Ecoboost Manual in this video: 13.89 seconds.
Best time for Ecoboost Auto in this video: 14.36 seconds.

[ame]

 

[Bay1Stang]

Yeah I wouldn't that vid too seriously. I think they were actually using 87 gas. From what I read stock both cars hit ~13.8 with a good pass. The tune on the eco is a different story though.

 

[15wile]

Yeah I wouldn't that vid too seriously. I think they were actually using 87 gas. From what I read stock both cars hit ~13.8 with a good pass. The tune on the eco is a different story though.

Doubt they were using 87 octane. If they did, that would be a dumb test. That being said, the American Muscle guys *did* say the conditions for this run were poor, all around, for all of the cars. I know 3.7Ls generally run in the 13s, and so do Ecoboost autos (even without the tune).

With a tune, Ecoboosts knock on the door of the upper 12s.

 

[EcoSwag1990]

I can't watch the video at work but they did take the eco to the track with 87 in the tank for one of the videos

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