2018 Mustang GT Vs my 2017 BRZ PP
 

Before I got my BRZ in 2017, the Mustang GT was short-listed as well but I dismissed it back then even without a test drive. Back then, I thought to myself it's either the GT350 or forget about it.

The nagging etch was still there so I decided what the heck I'll just go give it a test-drive.

Please bare in mind, these are MY thoughts on the Mustang GT. You might agree with me and you might not. Just sharing for the benefit of whoever wants to read.

Executive Summary :lol:: very decent handling, numb steering, magnificent engine sound-track, surprisingly similar to FT86 in many ways, extra power did not impress, not as nimble as FT86,will not replace FT86.

So first, why would I be looking at the Mustang GT. My main shortcomings on the FT86 is power (or rather people always nagging about it all the time on reviews and whatnot) and engine sound.

First, the sound, the GT absolutely did not disappoint. Those are Diva vocals for cheap. It's a musical instrument that just wants you to play. The sound alone can justify the purchase no argument there. This is what I wish the FT86 even remotely sounded as good.

The interior dimensions were surprisingly similar to the FT86. Even the trunk space looked so familiar. The rear seats actually even lacked headroom next to the FT86! The seats are high though and you do not get that sports car feel as much as you do in the FT86 which is a big negative for me. The low slung feeling of the FT86 gives you confidence. The visibility outside is similar but the hood feels like it never ends. Like there's a piano in front of you.

The breaks were another surprise to me. I did not check to see if this Mustang GT had the Brembo package but I was noticing how they felt almost identical to the ones in the BRZ. I later checked and yup, both had the Brembos. I guess, I have new found respect for Brembo now.

The steering felt numb for me which is among the bigger negatives but more feelsome than a lot of front wheel drive performance vehicles (cough Focus ST). The handling was surprisingly really good. I obviously didn't get the chance to really push it hard but I was surprised for the lack body roll for something this heavy (and yes you can feel that you're driving a heavy car Vs. the FT86)

Now where I was really disappointed and I am surprised to have been disappointed, the Power! I am very sure this car is very very fast. All metrics prove this. But from the seat of the pants, this car is heavier and more insulated and going fast is one thing while feeling the speed is another as I've come to learn even more so this weekend when I participated in open wheel racing for the first time in my life. The sensation of speed was muted compared to the FT86 and this made a big difference for me personally. I would rather "feel" like I'm going fast when I am actually going slow rather than the other way around. I don't have an ego issue where I want to beat people in road-races or anything like that. And even in actual racing, I would still rather be driving an FT86. The throttle response is decent but nothing super impressive either. I'm sure the power difference is more felt at say 70 mph onwards but I won't be doing that much on public roads.

Overall, the Mustang GT gets a very big win in the sound department but actually looses in the power department for me personally just due to feel. Then there's the nimbleness of the FT86 and the steering that's more precise and talkative. Add to this, the fuel consumption that does matter to me for my lead foot tendencies and I'd hands down keep the FT86. I honestly do not want to come across as a fanboy. I don't have loyalties to a machine. All I care about is my personal utility of it. Make no mistake, if I liked the Mustang GT more I'd be right here saying it. But in all honesty, I personally did not.

Alright, you can fire away at me now :D. Just be warned, I've noticed some forum members being unnecessarily on the hostile side here and I will ignore. If you have personal issues in your life, or feel the need to dominate others, whatever that's bugging you, I don't believe such forums are the place to resolve these issues of yours. I see such forums as a place for me to come and be stupid and learn a thing or two from others more knowledgeable without the need to be put down or me putting someone else down. Rant out.

I test drove a Mustang before getting the FRS, and I had a 550i. I was totally underwhelmed by the Mustang. I mean, faster than an FRS, but just not that fast. Honestly, the Mustang is an overpriced pig. For a decked out Mustang's price, you can get a Stingray. NO COMPARISON.

Plus the Mustang is the same size as a 5-series without all the usefulness of 4 doors. Mustang drivers are crackheads.

Good review.

But, what brought on the rant - :confused0068:


humfrz

totally disagree on sensation of speed with you there. those cars push you back in your seat something fierce and they dont.stop.pulling. if that's not sensation of speed i dont know what is. yeah the twins are fun, rough, and not numb/muted experience but they lack the open top experience that make something like a miata feel fast even though you're going slow

Had a similar experience a couple of years ago when I test drove a 2011 Mustang GT PP with the Coyote 5.0L V8. I think that generation was rated at 412 hp, but agree the sensation of speed is dulled a bit, maybe due to the longish gearing.

To me though, the bigger let-down was how big and heavy the car felt even with the PP. The high seating position didn't help, nor did the notchy/heavy shifter. It felt so much like driving a big sedan, I almost expected to turn around and see two extra doors in the back.

For me, that just reinforced that I'm a fan of small lightweight sports cars. Some people say the latest-gen Camaro SS 1LE shrinks around you at speed and handles like a sports car. Whenever it's time to trade in the FR-S, I'll definitely give that one a try. If that doesn't cut it, maybe a C5/C6 Z06. And if not that, then probably back to a 987.2 Cayman/Boxster S. Probably the most ideal balance of size/weight/power I've tried yet.

Imo the mustang is kind of the opposite of the 86. Great engine with an ok chassis vs an ok engine with a great chassis. Sorry but other than maybe outright grip a mustang just doesn't feel controllable or balanced compared to an 86. Now that coyote v8, man is that an engine. I love rev happy motors and a dohc v8 with vvt that revs to 7500 is just awesome and right up my alley. That engine in an frs would be unbelievably fun assuming the overall weight distribution isn't affect too severely.

I haven't driven an ss but the v6 camaro handles really freaking well. It definitely "shrinks" in a corner. Can't see out of it though lol. I want to drive an ss but none of them come through my rental company's fleet.

I think, when it comes to V8s, a pushrod setup is better. If you're going to go for a high rpm screamer with OHCs, you want a flat plane crank. Otherwise you should go twin turbo and ~4L displacement like the 550i or AMG 63s. The GT engine is in a no-man's land of design. Not that fast. Not that tractable. Not that anything unless you throw a supercharger on it. My favorite Mustang is the old 5.0 GT a la Vanilla Ice.

Also, in the canyon here, Mustangs are pretty much always cruising. They're rarely driven fast. So... Why bother then?

I've been in a GT with a exhaust and tune, it went as good as it sounded, and it sounded great.

Not bad for a little 5.0.

Good coilovers go along way in fixing the handling.

From my experience with them, a tune, exhaust and some coils, which basically everyone does anyway, $5k turns the GT into a weapon.

A fat weapon, but still a weapon.

Pity they cost around $70k new here, the minister of war and finances said no when I asked last year.

I've always wanted a matte black one. Theres one in my neighborhood that is murdered out and super loud. Makes me drool.
I think I'm a little bored of the okay power of our cars. I want to feel that push in my seat.
I'm also tired of getting tired of getting cut off all the time. When a 328i (not a real BMW imo) cuts me off, I sometimes get mad and want to get them back but I can't get ahead of them when they're flooring it too and it makes me even angrier. Nobody would cut off an aggressive looking mustang in the first place so that would make me feel a lot calmer while driving. I commute a lot and I'm seriously getting tired of people cutting me off all the time.
I'm probably gonna get tired of the mustang too but it's a phase I wanna go through lol. I commute too much now that I'm willing to compromise steering a bit for speed.

Good review. I saw a new green Mustang GT last week. Maybe it was the color but the body lines and overall shape really made me stop and stare. Thought it was a bullet from a distance. Their retro/nostalgia styling is much better than that of GM and Dodge.

Good lord, are you 17 years old or something? :laughabove:

:lol:

Not 17 but young still. I'd like to explore with all types of cars before getting old. Dont see what's wrong with that.
I've always wondered how old people are on this forum. Seems at least 50+ which is odd because in real life I only see young people drive our cars. I've never really gotten along with people here. Must be the age difference :iono:

If you disagree with him at all then you are an evil sad person that is obviously angry.
Claims to want to learn and then argues each and every point put forward. His little passive aggressive reversal here is a great example.
Just smile and nod.


Was a good review of the Mustang until he got all aggressive in his defensiveness.


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dt_vrVHU4AASJNA.jpg

Why the fuck are you even allowed to drive.

Rather not have rage kids like you on the road. You are a big yikes.

I would advise seeking help for your anger issues and how to stay calm while driving, you're putting others at risk with your autism.

Remember that there are other innocent drivers and passengers on the road when you act on your personal vendetta. The person who you think cut you off may not even have seen you so don't take take every little things someone else does as a personal insult. Rage and anger has no place on public roads. Your attitude is going land you in jail someday and other people killed. :sigh:

If someone cuts me off on the road, I let it go, not worth it. You never had those days where it's a shitty day and then you're just like "that's the last straw." You're not perfect either, stop educating others that aren't your own kids. You didn't have to respond to me. Read and keep moving on bud. :thanks:

Everyone please ignore the part of my post about the road rage. Sometimes I get mad when I'm doing 80 and someone doing 65 cuts me off with no signal. I go around them and cut in close to them to tell them what they did was wrong so they'll think twice before doing it to others. Obviously I shouldn't do that but I'm not perfect. Sorry.

When someone cuts me off but they signal, no biggie because I realize that they didn't intend to do. People make mistakes. It's when there's a line of cars doing 80 and someone decides to cut in with no signal forcing me to slam on my brakes. They can wait until there's a bigger gap. They're lucky I never touch my phone while driving because if I wasn't as alert, that would send me slamming into them and then they fly off into other cars.
Wait for a gap, signal, go in. Simple.
I have shitty days. We all do. Everyone was young once and made mistakes. Obviously mine is getting mad at people who purposely cut me off.
Sorry op for going off topic.

The point of my post was that I wouldn't have the problem of people cutting me off in a mustang gt compared to my frs.
How often do you see someone intentionally cutting off a lifted f350 dually? People are less likely to purposely cut off an aggressive looking vehicle .
It would be nice if people saw my car and thought "I'm not gonna cut him off."
That was literally the whole point of the post, didn't expect to get lessons from people.

Are you daft?

You really seem to think the car you drive is going to prevent people from cutting you off? Lmao.

Either you stupid or you dumb.

Dude fuck off. Why do you keep wanting to talk to me? It's obvious you are trying to start something.
Calling me stupid and dumb? I been through some tough things in my life that you know nothing about.
You obviously have personal issues that you keep responding to me and insulting me trying to start an argument.

Anyways, people treat you different based off what car you drive here. It's different here. If you drive a prius people roll coal at you at my part of town. You wouldn't get it.
Obviously people are still gonna cut me off. Intentionally? Far less likely.

And here we are... People wondered why the OP finished his post with:



"Just be warned, I've noticed some forum members being unnecessarily on the hostile side here and I will ignore. If you have personal issues in your life, or feel the need to dominate others, whatever that's bugging you, I don't believe such forums are the place to resolve these issues of yours. I see such forums as a place for me to come and be stupid and learn a thing or two from others more knowledgeable without the need to be put down or me putting someone else down. Rant out."

Say stupid things, get stupid response.

? OP does not appear to be obsessed with people cutting him off, nor does he have an unstable rage burning inside him in which he must slay the dragons of the streets.

What we really need now is a good mustang crashing into a crowd meme.. anyone?

Yeah but that's like trying to solve obesity by buying bigger pants. You have to just ignore the idiots, let them have their own little childish games and just be above the rest of the rabble on the road. The d1ck-measuring never ends. Bought a Mustang? Hellcat cuts you off. Bought a Hellcat? Tears on the inside when a Ferrari/McLaren/911 Turbo pulls up along side. Leave the oneupmanship behind and it'll be a much less stressful life. It looks like this is causing you quite a bit of anxiety and stress kills man, that's no joke. I don't get triggered by anyone or get involved in any lane-jumping traffic dodging nonsense street racing. It's just completely irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Keep good spacing between yourself and the car ahead and no one will cut you off because then they're merely merging.

I have just the thing.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz6IFQbh...d=g22l4g3q6qfx

Instagram, but better than nothing..

Lol dude no biggie, some folks like to act like mr perfect and bark others down from their high horse. Just relax and and don't let it bother you. That happens to almost everyone who drives anything over 130hp to some degree or another, no one is super perfect all the time.

All you can do is try not to let people who cut you off bother you. I usually imagine someone who cut me off has to take an emergency monster #2, and in that scenario can you blame them.

Also if you had a mustang folks would only do that more often, trying to coax you into doing something stupid. Here in Orange County every asshat in a civic thinks they are Paul walker and race up on anyone with any sort of car that is interesting. I just laugh, folks who want to drag race a twin are morons who have no idea what the twin is and are not worth even a second glance. People are assholes and your main focus should be enjoying the car while not putting yourself or others or the car in any sort of dangerous scenario that might cause harm, best you can to is learn from mistakes.

It's not about one-upping another person because of what car you drive and how much money you have. It's about how assholes are less likely to do asshole things to you. Braking for a red light? A sentra will pull in front of you last second and you have to slam on your brakes. If that happens to you 10 times in a matter of 5 miles you get pretty mad.

I really just wanna drop the topic but people solo out little things and blow them up to make arguments. I feel like all the people here work at CNN or something.
Drop the topic everyone. I already apologized to op for going off topic but people keep responding to the off topic thing.
EDIT: @StraightOuttaCanadaEh not directing the last part to you. You seem like a nice person

Call me cheesy but I actually like those small rear seats :bonk:

Now the comparison between the 5-series and the Mustang, that's a very valid point. Or you could say one of those 4-door performance cars from Dodge. I think it was the Challenger? that would probably make more sense I think.

Yeah the push back is definitely fun but I would've liked more feel in a two door car. You can get that push back even in SUVs these days as well as the handling. I personally believe, sports cars should be more balanced in this day and age else you might be better off with other options out there today.

I had the open top experience before. I never liked it at any point.

Got a Dodge RAM!! that'll terrify everyone

ummmm

The thread is getting derailed but anyway I don't think he's wrong on his assessment of the car you drive prevent people from cutting you off.

I've noticed time and time again the vehicle you drive solicit different driving attitudes. I do notice people cutting me off way less and tending to get out of the passing lane faster when I'm driving a huge intimidating car such as a big truck compared to a regular sedan. I don't know if it's intimidation or visibility but I'll admit personally, I am intimidated when I see truck in my rear-view mirror. I just keep thinking his big bumper will be in my skull if anything should happen, true or not.

If you're driving a Porsche people tend to tailgate you a lot more often. Worst, they tend to drive in your blind spot and hang there.

In my BRZ right now, I really never had a single week pass by without someone trying to race me in some form or way. I even have some pull up next to me and ask for a race. I don't think it gets more explicit than that.

yes this is the best advice to listen to.

Don't let such people get to you. I personally just listen to audio books, then I'm more focused on that than people cutting me off on a long drive.

In the end of the day, such people who drive like that do not really save much time at all if you use a stop-watch to or just downright calculate it (I did, it's a measly time save unless it's a very very long long highway).

They're just burning up their gas and nerves for very little gain. Don't join them.

It's a point made on size. Also, similar engines with the E60 vs the Mustang. The Dodges have a proper motor with pushrods.

I literally just said being cut off lol.

If you're in a sports car* people tend to tailgate you. Not really exclusive to Porsche.

If you're in a sports car people tend to want to race you, news flash, you have a performance car, so it's kinda expected, it's up to you if you want to be weak and get baited though.

Again, it doesn't really matter what you're driving and what the other person is driving that is going to cut you off, if they're going to do it they're going to do it.

Generally, alot of people are idiots

Generally, people who "road rage" have weak personalities

Generally, there's alot of people who should be on medication

Generally, there's alot of people who are on the spectrum but have not as yet been diagnosed

It's just that the balance needs to be there you know. Porsche sells you a car that's very powerful, very agile and sporty feeling in its response but expensive!

Ford Mustang GT gives you the power and price but takes away the feeling.

FT86 gives you the feeling and the price but takes away the power. Which I am personally not lamenting that much else I would've already supercharged my BRZ by now.

But the Mustang GT, maybe the GT350 is a much better car I don't know but in the GT version, this lack of agility and feel is not something fixable for me.

I am cursed with having almost all my close friends displaying a lot of aggression while driving. They don't cut people off or anything but they shout and curse and bicker to the point of making a drive with them a horrible experience. I always jokingly tell them to go buy a Dodge Ram with big metal bumper guard to improve their lives LOL

I had a Porsche at one point. No comparison at how often you get tailgated in that thing compared to the BRZ. I even got deliberately and dangerously cut off two or 3 times. It wasn't a mistake, it was an act of aggression just for the sheer fact that I was driving a Porsche! that aspect of the Porsche I do not miss one bit.

The BRZ is often of a playful nature. Like say a Mommy in her mini-van telling her teenage kid "look son I can beat that sports car!" than sweeping high speed highway turn comes up and I keep steady at the speed limit and turn effortlessly while the mommy and her kid fall far behind and go :confused0068::confused0068::confused0068: