wjones14

So this is my first post as a Mach 1 member (500 posts). Firstly, kudos to this forum. It was like a much-needed therapy session while waiting for delivery after placing the order. Not sure if I could have gotten through that period with my sanity intact without the forum. And of course, it is the Bible when it comes to Mustang info.

My '05 GT will be 2 years old in a couple weeks. It has 16K miles on it. There is really no bad news to report. It has not had a single problem yet, and has not been back to the dealer at all. I change the oil/filter and rotate the tires myself in the garage. 1,500 miles was the first oil change, using the factory Motorcraft synthetic blend. Then at 3,000 miles I switched over to Mobil 1, and have used it since, every 3K miles. Motorcraft oil filters.

I try to keep good care of it as far as washing, waxing, interior care, and most importantly - watching where I park. To date, it doesn't have a single scratch on it [knock on wood]. But I have had to be quite **** to keep it that way - always parking in an end spot, washing it at minimum once a week (weather permitting), waxing it (Meguiar's NXT) every 3 months or so, etc. I also don't do much highway driving, so I've been lucky about not getting any paint chips on the nose from rocks and pebbles.

One thing that hasn't hurt as far as keeping it scratch/nick free is that I have a winter beater car for the first time. I never really wanted one before, because I just always wanted to be driving my main car year-round, but this year we ended up getting a Subaru Forester as a third car, for the kids to use when they're home from college, and because two cars ain't enough any more. Anyway, the Subaru is a perfect winter car being AWD. I've still been driving the Mustang too, on the nicer days, but when there's a threat of snow (or even rain - haha), I've been taking the Forester lately and leaving the Mustang in the garage.

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I really don't feel any need at all to do mods to this car, other than really minor ones. I put a Hurst shifter in it, and that might be all I ever do. The way I look at it, this car is a daily driver, I won't be taking it to the track, I don't street race it, and 300 hp is basically enough for me. I've heard Mustangs with SLPs or Flowmasters, and they sound great, and obviously not stock, but to me the stock 2.5" pipes sound great too. In fact when co-workers or friends get in the car for the first time and I start it up, their first comment is always something like, "Wow, this car sounds awesome!" Don't get me wrong - I know there's room for improvement - and I like reading about all the mods that people on this forum do to their cars. But most mods are a compromise of sorts; for instance you get better handling at the cost of a harsher ride, or you get an improved tune at the cost of having to use premium fuel, etc. So for me, it's still a great car when left stock, and more fun than any car I can think of in the price range.

There are some minor gripes:

1. Mine does have the fuel filling issue. The first time I filled it, the pump kept shutting off like every 1/2 gallon. So around the 10 gallon mark, I started filling it as slow as the pump would allow. And it overflowed! So embarrassing... Since then, I've learned that it will fill at full pump speed if I put the nozzle in only halfway.

2. It had a rattle inside. Only in cold weather, and only when the engine rpms were between 2500 and 3300 or so. It sounded like it was coming from the gauge area, but I'm not really sure. So during last Spring and Summer, the rattle disappeared, but it came back in the first cold weather of December. Then for Xmas, I got 4 Pioneer 6"x8" speakers, and after pulling the door panels off and putting them back, the noise is miraculously gone! I can't really be sure what it was. I think maybe it was the plastic trim piece that covers the screw behind the door opener handle. Whatever, it's gone, and good riddance.

3. I love the IUP MyColor gauge lighting and message center, but couldn't Ford have used a digital readout for the Instantaneous Fuel Economy mode instead of bars?! What does 7 bars mean? Why not display 25mpg if that's what it is? Other cars I've seen use a gauge with numbers. It would have been just as easy as the silly bars.

Overall however, the pluses FAR outweigh the negatives. I'd buy another one in a second, and would recommend one to anyone who is looking for the best performance bargain anywhere under $30K. It's raw and unrefined, but that's part of its personality. I'll never get sick of its looks - it's just so fresh and unique in a world full of cookie-cutter car designs. There are no Mustang badges or labels anywhere on the outside, yet it's instantly recognizable as a Mustang, even to non-car buffs.

Buying this car was a no-brainer for me - there really wasn't another choice. A year before the S197 appeared on dealer lots I knew I wanted one. I had briefly toyed with the idea of going with a pre-owned BMW 330Ci, until I drove one. It handled like a dream, the steering was instantaneous and phenomenal, and it was fairly quick. But it wasn't Mustang-quick, and there was no low-end push-you-back-in-the-seat torque. Right then, I knew I would always miss that torque if I bought the BMW. Not only that, but the dealer wanted $31K for a 2001 car with normal nicks and scratches and 47,000 miles.

Summing up my experience after two years - it's been a heck of a ride, and I'm looking forward to several more (and my next 500 posts).

samckernan

congratulaions...

YaoNYC

congrats! that was an awesome report!

PlayMisty

Nicely done. I'm looking forward to my first drive in the Mustang, but I hope I don't pump the fuel over the garage forecourt like you.... Must have been a 'sinking feeling' moment.
I'm with you on the no mods front, the one I test drove was plenty loud and grunty enough for me.
Here's to your next two years!

Cheese302

nice write up, and i must say

NICE choice with the subaru. Great car, and dont be surprised if you keep buying them. from what i have read, subaru is just about the highest customer loyalty brand out there.

mail906

I enjoyed the write-up too. It's funny, but it is hard to read all the mod's people make and not get the fever so-to-speak.

On the gas thing, can't you simply check the fuel consumed on your dash before you fill - and then target putting in about the same amount? That's what I do only because I drive it hard and I want to prolong the need to go back to a gas station.

davisinla

Great input.

My adventure is just starting (I'm just about to hit my 100th post )

Sold my moderately modded '87 5.0 LX (which I had owned for 18 years) and picked up my new GT Tuesday night (7.9 miles on the odo!!!!) .

You are right about the fact that these cars are the bargain of the decade...$1200 under list plus $1000 rebate.

I too will go lightly on the mods because it's a daily driver - and will be putting on about 25,000 per year. But right out of the box, she's a beauty.

My only gripe so far is the way the revs don't drop when shifting - but I'm told a tune should take care of that.

mrkabc

wjones14: great write up!

I think, however, you should have titled this thread "2 years and $XXX later" for those of us that have gotten mod fever and destroyed our bank accounts for "just one more mod!"

Giddyup

Thanks for the great reading Bill... I feel the same way about my '05 in that I like it right outta the box stock, and intend to leave it that way.

06GT

I think the "fuel economy" display on the data center is simply linked to the TPS position

keeper

16K after 2 years...wow...that is a dream for me. I have had my just over 6 months and I am already at 12,300!

As far as the bars..I hear you...but in my '07 it does have the instant MPG....when I first fill up the tank and coast down the hill to my house I can make it hit 34 mpg....but it usually runs about 20.

Here is to lov'n the Stang!

JebusGT

Heh congrats on all that, and i feel ya, mines a daily driver, but i cant help but mod it, there is just tons and tons of bone stock mustangs being driven by soccer moms around here none modded, i want to stand out alittle

davisinla

Hey, how do you do that? Are you just resetting the avg. mpg readout or is there something I'm missing?

HEY - I JUST MADE IT TO "GT MEMBER" - How appropriate it happened in this thread!

Vermillion06

To me it seems to work like the old "Fuel Economy" gauges that read intake manifold vacuum -- High hg (smaller throttle opening or low load) - higher MPG ; Low hg (high load or large throttle opening) - lower MPG.

SONICBOOST

It's nice to have you hear bud , my car has treated me pretty well too

Rusty

Bill,

Thanks for the great write up. Glad to hear you are still enjoying the car. I have had mine since Sept 06 and already have 13,500 miles on it. Hate that I am putting so many miles on it, but have enjoyed all 13,500 of them.

Again, thanks for the write up and your contribution to this great forum.

Rusty

keeper

They are right...technically...it is an average...not instantaneous MPG...but when you first get gas...coasting down a hill...the average is high.