I am caught in a bit of a dilemma. I have been quite smitten by the 05' Mustang since I saw the concept almost two years ago at the auto show. With few exceptions, it is everything I have ever wanted in a car.

I know a lot of the people on the board will become defensive about this, but I am used to Japanese quality and reliability and am nervous about these aspects of the 05. About 6 months ago, I went in to look seriously at the current Mach's and I couldn't believe how bad the interior quality was in comparison to what I am used to. I could feel the plastic on the door handle flex as I pulled the door shut. I was also not impressed with the quality of the paint and the panel gaps. As much as I wanted to own a Mustang, I couldn't bring myself to buy one after experiencing this.

I know that the 05' quality is much improved from all the pics and reviews on this site. The fact that it is built in the same factory as the Mazda 6 is also confidence-inspiring. I really want to buy an 05', however the experience I had with the current Mach1 worries me. As much as I want to just go in and order one, my conscience tells me to wait and test drive it first. What are you guys/gals going to do?

 

The SN95's were probably the best Mustangs of the past 25 years. The problem with that is that the car underneath the sheet metal was basically unchanged for that entire time. The interior on the 2004 is almost the same as the 1994 model. The 2005 is the first Mustang to implement Ford's new interior quality standards. The quality is definitely up there.

If you want a better look at Ford's new attention to interior and exterior quality, just take a look at the new F-150. Fit and finish is outstanding compared to cars of old. However, if you're expecting German-quality materials, etc., you probably will be a tad disappointed. But, we all know the pricing now of the 2005's. They're relatively inexpensive. For what they are and what you need, the 2005 should exceed all expectations.

 

Dr Iven,
I have been hoping that what you say is true. I haven't had a good look at a new F-150 but I have read reviews on the newer Ford and Lincoln products that all indicate that quality is much improved. I realize that it most likely still won't be up to German or Japanese standards, but for this price I a willing to compromise on this point a bit.

 

Although im 99.9% sure i will get a 2005 this spring,i have to take it for a test drive first.Just never know how i will feel until i get a chance to check out the sizing etc.Being a fairly tall person,things like seat postion ,height etc can really make or break a deal for me.

 

I am a bit concerned with how the car will handle in comparison with what I drive now. My RSX-S handles great but has a terrible ride. It has tight steering and also has IRS. I know that the Mustang weighs 700 lbs. more and has a solid rear axle. It does have a longer wheelbase, and higher profile tires, so the ride should be better than what I am used to. From the videos I have seen, it seems to handle pretty well, but I need to check it out for myself first.

 

this thread http://forums.bradbarnett.net/index.php?showtopic=4076 will give you an idea...

 

Doh!

 

Eh, this thread's a little different than the one in the link.

I've driven a few RSX-S's, and I nearly bought one myself when they first came out. They're nice little cars, and do handle nicely. The GT should be close in the handling department. I'm not sure how much lateral grip the S has, but I'd imagine it's around .82 - .84 g, right? My 3765-lb. Lincoln pulls .85g, so the weight doesn't have to be an issue there. 2004 Cobras pull around .9g, and with the new chassis and suspension setup, I'd say it's a safe bet the GT will at least match your S in handling. It'll obviously blow it away in straight-line speed, so you're covered there, too.

And let's hope the seats are more comfortable than RSX seats. Which, from my experience, are pretty stiff.

 

My dealer didn't require a deposit to order my stang and said I was not obligated to buy it. So I will test drive it before I buy it, but I have already ordered it.

 

I plan on walking into a dealership and ordering the car on the spot and to strike the deal at the same time. Basically give the salesman a decent price without wasting his time or mine. At least in my mind he doesn't waste time on the sales pitch and basically all he has to do is write it up.

If they have an '05 available for a testdrive after the deal is done, me and salesguy can take a drive just for fun.

 

i already ordered my car, and am going to buy it. but i'll deffinatly take it for a spin before signing anything. probably just to get myself more psych'd about driving it home.

also i'll be looking over it to make sure all is well. kick the tires and what not. lol.

B)

 

Steve, when you do get it, take the time, and look it over very carefully. My 2001 Ranger xlt had to have the doors and fenders loosened, and then re-aligned,when it was new, because of very poor fit{alignment} quality at the factory. Also, and this is for everyone, make sure you check the paint on your new stang. The wife's 2004 Mustang had to be taken back to the dealer 3 times for paint touchup{scratches and dirt in paint} Someone actually took a paint stick to it above the passenger door, if you can believe that. Can you just imagine, a new car with 11 km's on it! The engine bonnet, and glove compartment were even put on crooked. There was no problem getting this stuff fixed up, but if you don't notice these things, your the one that's out of luck. So take the time and look it over very carefully. :bang: :bang: :bang:

 

I will most definitely take the Mustang out for a test drive before I buy it. If I don't like the drive or it isn't comfortable then I'm not going to toss down $24k for it. I'll be honest I love the Mustang for the looks and price per performance. But I have never driven a Mustang in my entire life, just a lot of drooling (and most for the 60's generation).

Not to mention I'm short (5'6") and my experience so far with larger cars is that they aren't very comfortable for me. I have a lot of blind spots and I don't sit up high enough in the car. So if this prooves true for the new Stang it may prevent me from buying it.

I'm still a good year away from even figuring that out though.

 

I bought my Mustang straight off the lot without test driving it. Might have turned out to be a bad move... but I got lucky... runs like a dream. It was dark out too by the time I got done with the paperwork and I picked him up after the long weekend... I didn't even know the interior was two-toned grey until I sat in it to drive it home hahaha

 

I have ordered one already, but I will test it out before I drive off the lot. With all that I have heard, and the fact that I am easy going, I do not see myself not liking the car.

Stadifer - I know what you mean about the height. My wife is 4-11 and usually can't see over the dash of the cars I have owned. It's pretty funny, she bought a little booster seat for when we go on long trips in my car.

 

When the 94s came out I was psyched to get one. I took a test drive and said no thanks the interior and headroom completly turned me off. I like the looks of the 05s but will definately have to do a test drive before I buy.

 

Well bryman, here's my .02 worth! Been a 2 car Japanese family for about 20 years. Yes, they make a dependable car. I just got tired of hearing that ungodly ricer sound. :bang: :bang: It hypnotized me for 20 years. What was I thinking? :scratch: In 01 I switched. I just refused to pay the higher price for a japanese product. Now, I want to get back to a little bit of power! Really miss that! [ old hot-rodder ya no! ] Personally, I'm going to hold off until the mad rush is over, then purchase one of those bad boys ! :drive: :drive:

 

Okay, if I were looking for a good high performance Japanese car, which I'm not, I'd look no futher than the Z. Nice powerful V6, IRS, handels well, the only complaint I have about it that it requires 91 octane. FWD and sporty do not mix unless your vision of performance is 2000lbs Euro-Japanese hatchbacks that even with turbos, are barely running 14s in the 1/8th mile. Most of thoose hatches are moving towards AWD anyway. An RSX is a Civic with a better interior. You are not getting your money's worth with the car. If you really want to go out and buy a Honda, go get a Civic SI, it's not worth the money to get an RSX. If you want real performance, get something else!

 

Yeah my top two alternates to the Mustang are the Toyota Tacoma and Jeep Liberty. I liked the Ford Escape; until I drove my parents Escape for a week. It's a nice ride but it isn't fun to drive. I'd like to get up off the pavement but I can't pass up the 05 Stang if I like it.

 

Nice to have the option to test drive it. Here in Europe, all cars are special ordered from the factory, and when it arrives, it arrives. There are a few that they circulate around so that people can try them out, but you still wait for the real thing to come.

I tried out an SRT-4, and was almost ready to buy. Then I looked at the color choices.....ugh.