brucelinc

Surgery:

I have been a NASCAR fan for many years...and still am. However, these demolition derbies at Daytona and Talladega are a disgrace to the sport, IMHO. I will watch the Daytona 500 just because it is....the Daytona 500. However, I look forward to the real racing season to begin. From my perspective, the 1 1/2 mile tracks, the short tracks and road courses are far more entertaining than seeing 40 cars in one big pack and waiting for the inevitable crashes.

Yes, stage 2. I changed my mind at least a dozen times over the past few months. I am not sure there is a BAD choice. It really depends on the end goals.

For several months, I have been researching superchargers for my Mustang GT. I considered Whipple, Edelbrock and Roush. With either the Whipple or Edelbrock, I would need a custom tune from a tuning company to make the car run well and to have safe engine parameters. The Roush has a very good running and safe tune. Although the Roush uses an excellent and highly respected Eaton blower, they do have a design flaw. The intercooler is smaller and mounted under the blower instead of on top. That can lead to heat soak at the drag strip. The Roush would provide me with a year of powertrain warranty which the others would not have. Roush recently introduced their phase 2 kit for 2018+ models with 750 crank HP and 670 lbs/ft of torque. So far, customer feedback and dyno results look very good. It is still not the best design but they upgraded the heat exchanger and tuned the fans to run more. I like the affiliation with Ford, too, so I ordered the Roush kit. I am having a Senior Master Ford tech install it.

Yes, the 2018+ manual transmission is a disappointment. The gearing hurts acceleration and flexibility compared to earlier models. Additionally, the shift forks in the 2018 models have proven to be a weak link and a TSB was issued for that. As far as I know, the shift fork issue was corrected in 2019+ but the gearing is wrong if maximum acceleration is the goal.

Maybe some new colors and larger wheels would be a nice upgrade..... 😎

One of the things many people like about the current Mustang is that it makes a surprisingly good daily driver. Visibility is excellent. There is a lot of trunk space. While the rear seat is basically just decoration, the front is roomy and the seats are comfortable. Ergonomics are quite good, too. The ride is pleasant. Road and wind noise is very muted. While a lower, swoopier design might be pleasing to the eye, there is danger of losing some of the usability....like the Camaro has done. I do agree with facelifts that keep it fresh and we expect a more major change in a few years but I think the current model has done a remarkable job of marrying sportiness, performance, handling, comfort and usability.

I don't care if it is considered a sports car, muscle car or pony car. The 2018+ models drive great, handle great, perform great and also make very civilized daily drivers. To my eye, they are also the best looking Mustangs ever produced.

Speaking of sunvisors, one thing that I would like to see is a second thin visor behind the primary one. Sometimes, it would be beneficial to have the primary one for the side window and the 2nd one for the windshield. Back in the '80s I had a Taurus company car that had that. Apparently, It was such a good idea that they abandoned it. LOL.

Houston, we have a problem.....

Eel, the tick that is discussed so much on Youtube and many forums is what I pointed out in my post above. It has proven to be pretty much a non-issue as far as reliability is concerned. There are reports of it on all years of the Coyote in Mustangs as well as F 150s.

My Continental has the speed indicated in the middle. My Mustang has it on the right. The Mustang is capable of displaying a lot more data than the Conti, but I really don't have a preference about where the speed is shown.

You have a choice of two modes with the shifter. That is just one button. I realize that the "sport" button does other things besides changing the suspension mode, though.

As far as I know, the "fix" was for Ford to issue a bulletin stating that it was normal. It has nothing to do with early models....it has been a characteristic of the Coyote engine since 2011 and continues with the 2020 models although not all do it. The 2018 and later Coyotes have direct injection which is inherently noisy and they have a composite oil pan which makes any noises more prominent. If Eel wants a Mustang V8 with an automatic, I urge him to get a 2018+ model. The 10 speed and 460 HP engine are phenomenal. If planning to get a manual transmission, many prefer the version prior to 2018. The 2018+ models do have other advantages, though. I have included the bulletin from Ford below.

I have bought Fords and Lincolns from the same dealership and from the same salesperson and sales manager for many years. I do not expect to be treated differently when I buy a Ford vs. when I buy a Lincoln. I expect top notch treatment either way and I have always gotten it. I don't quite understand why buying a Ford, whether it is a $80,000 F150 King Ranch or a $35,000 Escape should be an inferior experience compared to buying a Lincoln. Before Ford sold Jaguar, I considered an XJ and visited a stand-alone Jag dealer. The sales rep was knowledgeable and the store was nice but I can't say the overall experience was much different than dealing on a Ford. I had a similar experience when looking at Volvos at their stand-alone dealership. Bottom line for me is that the people make the difference. I do not expect a salesperson to have all the answers but I expect decent product knowledge and 100% honesty. I expect to be treated as a valued and respected customer. If those things are missing, the quality of the customer lounge or how fresh their snacks are doesn't mean a thing to me.