The Focus was light years ahead of the mustang in terms of amenities. Heated seats, HID's, one-touch windows...now it's the mazda 3, all of those plus navigation. It's a tooling problem, not a cost problem. Specifically for navigation, the flat rock plant doesnt have the equipment or the qualified personell to install it. Thats why the Mazda 6 doesn't offer the same options as its far less expensive sibling, the 3.

 

Well then buy a focus. Personally I would rather see it have some sporty wheel/tires than care about the heated seats. Thats me. If they dont come out with some wheel/tire combos that I like I will more than likely go and find a different car that I like that has a better wheel/tire combos. Right now the combo looks like it was designed for a ranger or a crown vic. I dont wanna have to go out and buy a set of wheels from ford racing or steeda when ford could have offered something that looked more sporty and fit the car better.

 

Ya know, I was just looking for some answers to a few questions that aren't answered in the FAQ section. I wasn't looking for so many negative opinions. But since that's what I got, then:

Dumb crab like nav's, huh? Your opinion, perhaps, but not one that's shared by a growing percentage of the European and Japanese manufacturers. I've used nav and it's extremely useful. Probably not if one lives in some little redneck town of 50,000 people where everyone knows everyone...but if you live in a major metro area, or travel a lot, it's a HUGE advantage. In ten years, ALL cars will have nav.

Here, here, that's just what I was thinking as I read most of these posts.

Yeah, a lot of people seem to want to stay stuck in a previous era. I guess that's why the imports have been kicking the domestics' butts for years now. They KNOW what people want and they give it to them. Perhaps this goes a long way to explaining why Ford has gotten into financial difficulties.

Doesn't make sense to me either. As to things like heated mirrors, um, well, the idea behind that boys and girls, is that when you live in cold climates and the outside mirrors ice up or fog up, you don't have to keep rolling your freakin' windows down to reach out with your mitts to wipe them clear!

Geez, let's get rid of rear window defoggers too, while we're at it! And who REALLY needs power windows at all, right? Let's just go back to wind-up windows!

Yep, like many of the posters here, American manufacturers just don't seem to get it. Although I think they're starting to slowly wake up to the fact that it isn't 1972 anymore, that they don't dominate the automobile market, and that the rest of the world is leaving them behind.

Nonsense. Most of these options are available on a Mazda 3 - and I'd hardly call that a luxury car.

Where is it written that in the 21st century, a muscle car has to be crude to be fast? It's not the case with BMW's M3, now is it? And before you give me that old argument about how much more expensive the M3 is, it's NOT because it has the few extra luxury features I want, cause cars at the same price as the Mustang have those - it's because it's a Bimmer, and you pay through the nose for the name.

The Mustang could add a few extra luxury touches for an extra $4K or so in a sightly higher end model for those who want it, and thereby appeal to an even wider customer base, expanding its sales. After all, how many models of 3-Series Bimmer are there, from the base model all the way up to the M3.

On the other hand, maybe the new Stang will do this as the years roll on.

 

AMEN, Brother!

As a mater of fact, I had to move the Drivers Seat in the 05 Closer to the dash to get a more Comfortable Reach to the Pedals, and to keep my Legs and Arms from Cramping because they were streached out straight. Not to mention I can rest my Left arm on the Armrest and not feel the Door Panel Grinding into my Shoulder like the Current Stangs. I have to rest my arm on the top of the Door and lean to my right on the Console, to drive a Current Mustang. And By the Way, I'm 6'4" 385# With a 34" Inseam, So you and I can really appreciate the Improvement in the Interior Comfort!

 

And lets not forget why the Mustang was so successful back in the 60's, its appeal to families and such as a daily driver.

 

I live in Texas and I want A/C seats they have them in the trucks I can start the car take off my work boots and slide into a nice cold bucket. But that won't stop or even make me think for one second about not buying a Stang. MY biggest complaint I wish it was shorter a Mustang is a 2+2 not a 4 sitter I don't care about back seat comfort.

 

Chrystler charges a whopping $250 for the integrated bluetooth to the stereo system. It then also forces you to upgrade to the best offered stereo system, and I think in some models forces the leather upgrade.

But bluetooth integrated into the stereo only requires the bluetooth chips & programming and a microphone. Then you can hear your mother in law scream at you over 9 speakers of Shaker 1000 goodness

 

liking the wheel/tire combos is obviously a user preference. Some will like what ford has to offer and some will not. That is what the aftermarket is for!

 

Robert,
Your right they could offer a nicer mustang for 4 grand more. That will be your cobra when it comes out. Lets wait and see what is to come with the cobra.

 

We have to wait two years on the Cobra though...

 

No heated seats means my butt is gonna be cold on that luxurious leather ...... I can hardly wait.

 

Oh, God - what a memory trip this started. I had forgotten about all the window FUN :bang: I had with my '69. They also loved to come out of the door tracks. I lost count of the number of times I re-epoxied the windows back into the tracks. I could dissamble the doors in my sleep, I think.

With framless glass, he is completely, totally 110% right.

The "window dance" is not a gimmick. It really will make a difference in sealing, wind noise, etc.

Just my opinion.

Paris MkVI

 

I have had to have the driverside window repaired at least 3 times on my 2000. There was some sort of clip in the door that had broken & a local idiot dealer didn't take the time to fix it right the first 2 times anyways....my points is I think that on the subject of the window going down a few inches will help on wear & tear as shutting the door obviously puts stress on the window. As for the one touch deal, I don't really care for it. If I want my window down an inch....well thats not possible it goes about halfway down & then I have to put it back up to were I want it so as far as safety I spend more time with my hands off the wheel. Guess I'm just not quick enough

 

You anti-convenience people are pretty hostle. Following your logic, why have A/C, can't you open a window? Why have a heater in the Mustang, can't you just dress warmer in the winter? Why have power steering, can't you just lift some more weights to build some muscles? Why have power brakes, can't you just press harder? Why have a 5 speed trannie, aren't 3 gears enough, just like base Mustangs from the 60s? Why have disk brakes, aren't drums good enough? Why have 17" wheels, aren't 14" wheels like 1965 Mustangs had good enough?

If you don't want climate control, heated & cooled seats, navigation system, etc. then DON'T BUY them. But Ford should offer ALL of those items as options instead of usless gimmics like "My Color".

 

Wow! What a thread...

First, let me say, yes, we have no heated seats. But, I will be getting Recaros in a few months with the heated and cooled options (bling, bling!) It can get really freaking cold in Chicago at 5am on a Febuary morning ...brrr...

I've got heated seats on my Jetta, and they have kept me toasty while the engine warms up...

 

 

'My Color' is fine, but not at the expense of being unable to offer more important features, I agree.

Most vehicles today offer these additional amenities, or make them available. Every time I point out that you can get them on a Mazda 3 but not America's premiere ponycar, the "thou shalt not have 'niceties' in a Mustang" pundits fall silent. I mean, Ford doesn't even offer a sunroof option!! I can't think of too many cars that DON'T come with a sunroof anymore. It's almost unconscionable.

Ford's corerequisite Mustang buyers may not care, but you don't increase market share by only appealing to enthusiasts, you build it by expanding your market base. Don't expand your market base and you stagnate. Stagnate long enough and you die. The fact Ford kept the same Mustang platform for 25 bloody years is proof of this.

Businesses are like sharks - if you don't keep moving forward, you sink.

Maybe this explains why Ford has been losing money. :scratch:

 

B) Picky, piiiicky, piiiiiiicky. You guy are boared; these cars better get here soon.

 

Dan and Boomer,

Can we mark threads filled with frustration and bitter sniping with some sort of warning avatar in the thread list, so I can stay away from them? If I want to have my blood pressure raise 30 pts. I can try to put my five year old to bed. I come here to escape that kind of hostility!

 

It's the internet dude...calm down. Not worth having a heart attack over.