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As some of you may remember, I recently test drove the Mustang GT convertible... And I wasn't the most impressed... it shakes, it shimmies, but it tries to do it surreptitiously, making for a loud, somewhat unsettled ride.
While it's about as manly a manly car you can get, it's almost too overwhelming to the senses.
Anyhoo.. in an effort to make the sales staff run around crunching numbers, and to earn my Ford waterbottle for showing up to tonights renewal event, I thought..what the hey? let's take a v6 convertible out.
It had the pony edition crud on it (I like the wheels, don't like the faux GT grill)...and an autotragic (that's all they had left on the lot, and believe it or not, it can save you some big coin on your lease payments).
Anyhoo.. to the road test... Dare I say it? The car was quieter, but still had a bit of a growl to it... the automatic tranny did it's job admirably, though at least one timezone later than I had expected, but the car felt... I don't know.. .. lighter? more rigid?
sure there just wasn't the power to work the backend as in the GT, so the backend didn't do it's waver... but here's the kicker.
The front end felt stiffer too.. cowl shake was nearly imperceptible.
There is one good set of railroad tracks along the route that are none too smooth, and let me tell ya... The front end, while not the most rigid, didn't feel like it was trying to hold back the cowlshake. If I had to liken the difference, it would be like having a giant lead weight on the end of a diving board vs having a light weight on th end of the diving board.
Once the heavy weight starts moving, it's hard to stop... that's exactly how the GT cowlshake felt... the v6... it moved, sure, but it didn't resonate after the bumps either.
I have to be honest... as immasculating as it would be to get a base-model mustang, the v6 was more pleasant... and more fun to drive in the short time I had it.
of course opinions differ I'm sure, but if you're going stang, don't write off the v6...
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supposed to test a GT Mustang sometime next week. i'm not really liking the convertibles. maybe I should drive both the base and GT models.
the shake might be from having 2 less cylinders on the front, I do believe that the v6 is a 60 degrees engine, and the v8 is a 90 degree engine. that would have a lot on the handling aspects.
'03 Focus SVT
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i was gonna post all sorts of derogatory things about a 'wussy' v6 vert .. but then i realized its almost certainly a lot easier to live with on a day to day basis than my car.. not to mention more 'real world' power.. sigh :unsure:
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that's the car my wife really wants. But it means I have to buy a winter car too for her.
But the V6 is a comprimise in my books, but in her mind she couldn't give a s***.
So really, why should I?
But first, the Volvo vert!
TEAM PITA Don't settle for a wannabe, only accept the real deal.
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05-18-2006, 10:49 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-18-2006, 10:50 PM by darkpuppet.)
I think the extra shimmy on the GT could be from the stiffer suspension, rear anti-roll bar, and LSD.. i dunno...
I mean, performance wise, the GT is pretty compelling... but how often do you really get use out of it? The v6 doesn't feel like a slouch on the city streets, so I honestly think the difference is only on the track.
the v6 may be a copout... but I don't think it's that big of a compromise.. it's not like taking the 4 cylinder over the 5 litre back in the day. you drop the fogs, some suspension bits, and the LSD, and 100HP and trim 15G off the sticker price.
I would love the volvo as well, but it's more $$$.. buuuuut I do get an extra 2% off over the ford xplan....
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Yo Steve, have you been back to Ford to buy out your car yet?
Have they seen under the hood? :blink: I thought this was happening this week no?
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05-18-2006, 11:12 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-18-2006, 11:19 PM by darkpuppet.)
ANTHONYD,May 18 2006, 09:02 AM Wrote:Yo Steve, have you been back to Ford to buy out your car yet?
Have they seen under the hood? :blink: I thought this was happening this week no?
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haha.. that's why I'm tempted... they keep telling me that it's fine... I can dump the car now while I still can.
Hell, I just got a quote on insurance.. it'd cost me the same to insure the mustang as it would the focus. I tell ya..the time feels about right...
The cost of ownership of a car over the next 2 years will be about the same if I keep the focus or get the stang.... and I'd have warranty on the stang.
and besides, I don't have any issue with going through all the paperwork and having them bring a car in to have them tell me they won't take my car back.. .because I'll hand over the payment and walk.
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darkpuppet,May 18 2006, 08:12 AM Wrote:... they keep telling me that it's fine... I can dump the car now while I still can.
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Man they sound desperate for a sale, goes to show. I say talk em down get rid of the Focus (too many mods and too many issues) and get a Mustang. For all the (little amount of) driving you do, you might as well get the V8 too.
Face it the monthly cost difference per month between the 6 and 8 is a just a few less nights of wings and beer per month and shouldn't be a problem with the coin you're making anyway.
Once the car is settled we'll work on getting you out of a rental apartment before the interest rates get too high.
Best regards,
Your financial planner
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2001 ZTS,May 18 2006, 09:22 AM Wrote:darkpuppet,May 18 2006, 08:12 AM Wrote:... they keep telling me that it's fine... I can dump the car now while I still can.
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Man they sound desperate for a sale, goes to show. I say talk em down get rid of the Focus (too many mods and too many issues) and get a Mustang. For all the (little amount of) driving you do, you might as well get the V8 too.
Face it the monthly cost difference per month between the 6 and 8 is a just a few less nights of wings and beer per month and shouldn't be a problem with the coin you're making anyway.
Once the car is settled we'll work on getting you out of a rental apartment before the interest rates get too high.
Best regards,
Your financial planner
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Fuc-king hell, I'm calling you when I buy my next house.
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does it have to be a vert? can you 'settle' for a v8 coupe?
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naz,May 18 2006, 09:48 AM Wrote:does it have to be a vert? can you 'settle' for a v8 coupe?
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the monthly payment between the two is negligble... 750/mo vs 735/mo
it's the $200/mo extra for the v8 plus the extra $100/mo in insurance it'll cost.. that's $300/mo extra for the v8. If I could afford a porsche, I'd get the porsche.
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darkpuppet,May 18 2006, 08:52 AM Wrote:naz,May 18 2006, 09:48 AM Wrote:does it have to be a vert? can you 'settle' for a v8 coupe?
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the monthly payment between the two is negligble... 750/mo vs 735/mo
it's the $200/mo extra for the v8 plus the extra $100/mo in insurance it'll cost.. that's $300/mo extra for the v8. If I could afford a porsche, I'd get the porsche.
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Have you crunched the fuel economy numbers yet on a V6 'Stang vs. a V8? That's another factor to consider and I'm betting the difference "real world" is probably $2K in fuel costs (assuming 95c/L which is now the low side of things :ph34r:)
If I was physically able to drive it, I would seriously have thought about the V6 Stang at the time, hell, depending how things go I may just inquire at the place that does driving aid mods if they've ever tackled a Mustang :P
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I dont think steve drives enough to worry about the difference in gas costs..
Hell, if i did a bit more highway driving with the 300 i could probably get into my SVT's gas territory. I averaged 20-22 MPG in the SVT vs 18.7-20.2 MPG in the 300.
IIRC. steve doesnt do too much over 10,000km/year
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05-19-2006, 12:50 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-19-2006, 12:51 AM by darkpuppet.)
yeah, fuel costs aren't the big issue... the GT is 7 or 8 L/100, while the v6 a litre less (if I recall correctly).
I mean, that's only slightly worse than what I'm getting in my car, and I wouldn't have to buy premium anymore... I think my fuel costs would go down.
I like the performance numbers on the GT, I really do.. and I'd feel like I was cheesing out by getting the v6, but driving the v6, I didn't care... seriously, how often does that happen?
and I can have the v6 for the same cost of the focus.. meaning I can have a bit of fun in a totally vain car, and only guys are going to care about the differences (big whoop)...you guys wouldn't fault picking a WRX vs an STi
and it's for a few years while I save up money for a house, etc...
I still can't get over the fact that insurance would be so cheap too...
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05-19-2006, 12:54 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-19-2006, 12:59 AM by NefCanuck.)
scoobasteve,May 18 2006, 09:44 AM Wrote:I dont think steve drives enough to worry about the difference in gas costs..
Hell, if i did a bit more highway driving with the 300 i could probably get into my SVT's gas territory. I averaged 20-22 MPG in the SVT vs 18.7-20.2 MPG in the 300.
IIRC. steve doesnt do too much over 10,000km/year
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If he does short distance stuff wouldn't the V8 still put him further down than the V6? The Mustang V8 doesn't feature any cylinder deactivation technology, meaning yer squirting fuel in all eight cylinders whether yer doing 40km/h or 120km/h.
That's what kills me on the Focus, the short drive to work (under 4km one way) and I get craptastic numbers(10.5-11L/100KM) Put me on a highway and I've pulled 7.5L/100KM before.
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I was looking at the mustang V8 too... The intrest rates are INSANE! last time i checked on the ford site they were in the 9% range. Too rich for my blood.
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Out of curiousity, can you get the changeable colour dials on the V6 or is that a GT only exclusive? That's a neat gimmick (at least to my sense of geek anyways :P)
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scoobasteve,May 18 2006, 10:55 AM Wrote:I was looking at the mustang V8 too... The intrest rates are INSANE! last time i checked on the ford site they were in the 9% range. Too rich for my blood.
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Wow for a Ford?
9% Is VW territory :blink:
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ANTHONYD,May 18 2006, 09:59 AM Wrote:scoobasteve,May 18 2006, 10:55 AM Wrote:I was looking at the mustang V8 too... The intrest rates are INSANE! last time i checked on the ford site they were in the 9% range. Too rich for my blood.
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Wow for a Ford?
9% Is VW territory :blink:
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Yeah except the Mustang is popular car right now :lol:
Aside from maybe the New Beetle can you tell me one VW selling in appreciable numbers? ;)
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We've always said that if we went Domestic V6 coupe... Mustang it is.
Sounds like you had fun, Steve. :)
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