New to me Mustang

[brucelinc]

I just brought home a new toy. It is a 2016 GT Premium with 19,000 miles. It is a 6 speed manual with the 3.55 gear. It has the factory 20" wheels and summer Pirelli tires. Not so good in our Minnesota climate. I plan to use it just for fun and to take to the drag strip once in awhile. It already has a Cold Air Intake and resonator delete pipe. I am ordering hood struts, (I despise prop rods) and a tune.

 

I might make this into a project car and add a supercharger later.

Edited January 24, 2018 by brucelinc

[fordmantpw]

Nice! She's sharp! Congrats!

[danglin]

Have Fun with her at the Track!

[tbone]

Nice ride! The current generation is a great looking car.

[twintornados]

Sweet!!

[ice-capades]

Congratulations!

[brucelinc]

Thanks Guys. I hadn't driven a stick in about 20 years but it is sort of like riding a bicycle and I am adapting pretty well. The clutch and shifter are very smooth and friendly. For the dragstrip, I would have really preferred an automatic but the stick is a lot of fun on the street.

[fordtech1]

Awesome . Congratulations.

[YT90SC]

I hope you don't need to have the hood open so much as to worry about prop rod vs struts.

[brucelinc]

I hope you don't need to have the hood open so much as to worry about prop rod vs struts.

 

Actually, I will have it open quite a bit - after washing the car, at the track between runs, at the track while waiting in the staging lines and just to admire that big hunk of Coyote nestled in the engine bay.

 

However, my hatred of prop rods is more about the principle than the execution. I put hood prop rods in the same category as using baling wire to hold up the exhaust or duct tape to attach the side view mirrors. When I was a kid on the farm, we had a Ford F250 with a broken hood spring. Being somewhat thrifty, instead of fixing it, Dad just had a 4 foot hunk of 2X4 under the seat that he would use to prop the hood open when he needed to work on it. To me, a prop rod is the equivalent of that 2X4.

[fordtech1]

 

Actually, I will have it open quite a bit - after washing the car, at the track between runs, at the track while waiting in the staging lines and just to admire that big hunk of Coyote nestled in the engine bay.

 

However, my hatred of prop rods is more about the principle than the execution. I put hood prop rods in the same category as using baling wire to hold up the exhaust or duct tape to attach the side view mirrors. When I was a kid on the farm, we had a Ford F250 with a broken hood spring. Being somewhat thrifty, instead of fixing it, Dad just had a 4 foot hunk of 2X4 under the seat that he would use to prop the hood open when he needed to work on it. To me, a prop rod is the equivalent of that 2X4.

I dont understand why they used a hood prop on a mustang. The one car in the product line that will more than likely have the hood up a lot compared to others. Due to enthusiasts. I know its all about costs, but a damn GT mustang can get to $40k+ in a heart beat. Just add $10 to the car and use gas lifts.

 

On the flip side of that. As a tech, a prop wont suddenly fall on its own and Venus flytrap you!

[danglin]

 

Actually, I will have it open quite a bit - after washing the car, at the track between runs, at the track while waiting in the staging lines and just to admire that big hunk of Coyote nestled in the engine bay.

 

However, my hatred of prop rods is more about the principle than the execution. I put hood prop rods in the same category as using baling wire to hold up the exhaust or duct tape to attach the side view mirrors. When I was a kid on the farm, we had a Ford F250 with a broken hood spring. Being somewhat thrifty, instead of fixing it, Dad just had a 4 foot hunk of 2X4 under the seat that he would use to prop the hood open when he needed to work on it. To me, a prop rod is the equivalent of that 2X4.

 

 

I put Hood Struts on mine too

[akirby]

I prefer the simplicity of the prop rod personally. And it won’t fail and fall on you. Although I rarely have the hood open.

[brucelinc]

What I really need are some 18" wheels with all-season tires to use much of the year. The Pirelli summer tires on the car are worthless as udders on a bull in cold temps and downright stupid on ice or snow.

[fordtech1]

I prefer the simplicity of the prop rod personally. And it wont fail and fall on you. Although I rarely have the hood open.

I agree for most applications. But mustang folks normally have their hood open more than most. Cleaning, mods, shows, showing off to friends etc.

[danglin]

What I really need are some 18" wheels with all-season tires to use much of the year. The Pirelli summer tires on the car are worthless as udders on a bull in cold temps and downright stupid on ice or snow.

 

What! You are driving it in the snow?

[IMSA-XJR9]

[brucelinc]

 

What! You are driving it in the snow?

 

I had to get it home from where I bought it. My wife followed me in our AWD Continental. When we got home, she asked me why I was being silly by sliding around corners and fishtailing all over the place.

 

Roads are dry now but it is cold. I can't apply much throttle in first or second without breaking traction.

[fordtech1]

 

I had to get it home from where I bought it. My wife followed me in our AWD Continental. When we got home, she asked me why I was being silly by sliding around corners and fishtailing all over the place.

 

Roads are dry now but it is cold. I can't apply much throttle in first or second without breaking traction.

Our FSE has a company car mustang and he said the same thing. He said he looks like a fool driving it in below freezing temps because it spins at every take off and is all over the road.

[tbone]

What I really need are some 18" wheels with all-season tires to use much of the year. The Pirelli summer tires on the car are worthless as udders on a bull in cold temps and downright stupid on ice or snow.

Perhaps in black, like that nice black car you have?

[Kev-Mo]

That is really cool! Congrats!

[Roland]

Our FSE has a company car mustang and he said the same thing. He said he looks like a fool driving it in below freezing temps because it spins at every take off and is all over the road.

 

Same experience here with my new '18 with summers. It's an Ecoboost with PP but I get to enjoy the GT experience right now. With cold weather and salt glazed roads I can break it loose at just about any speed with imprudent shifting or throttle application.

 

I'm like junior weather man right now watching the forecast for opportunities to get my car out of the garage.

• No residual ice or snow? Check.
• Temperatures above freezing? Check.
• No significant chance of precipitation? Check.
• Time to roll out.

I got a little weary of changing over tires with my Miata so I'll probably put on a set of Michelin Pilot Sport all seasons next fall.

[brucelinc]

I hate to spend the bucks but I am thinking of getting an extra set of wheels and mounting up some all-season tires to run in cold weather. I will not drive the car in the snow but I would like to drive it in cold temps. I was going to just replace the Pirelli summer tires with all-seasons but I think the summer tires might be better when I take the Mustang to the drag strip.

[ice-capades]

I'm still driving a 2017 Mustang GT Premium Fastback as my dealership "Demo" that has 19" wheels and I drive it almost every day whether there's snow or not. So far this Winter I've driven it every day and have had no problems at all, even getting up a large, steep hill to get home. Granted, a Mustang with Summer tires has limitations. Otherwise, it's more about knowing how to drive the car in Winter conditions.

[brucelinc]

I'm still driving a 2017 Mustang GT Premium Fastback as my dealership "Demo" that has 19" wheels and I drive it almost every day whether there's snow or not. So far this Winter I've driven it every day and have had no problems at all, even getting up a large, steep hill to get home. Granted, a Mustang with Summer tires has limitations. Otherwise, it's more about knowing how to drive the car in Winter conditions.

 

It can get around OK when driven carefully. I don't need to drive it on snow but it does get cold here. It is 10 degrees below zero this morning and I will not be driving the Mustang. The tires get so hard in cold weather, they feel like they are made of concrete. They easily break traction even on dry pavement. I would be a bit concerned about stopping distance if a panic stop was required.

 

On another topic, I am more impressed with the flexibility of the Coyote than I expected. I am accustomed to turbo power and gobs of low end torque. The Coyote is not really noted for that. However, it has much more low end grunt than I expected. Take off in 2nd gear - no problem. Pull from 20 MPH in 4th gear - no problem. Reasonable passing power in 6th gear - no problem. It obviously likes to rev but it is much more friendly at low RPM than I expected.