MustangDan

Mustang the perfect second car for our family?
I’m 6’3” and 235lbs. My friend is also 6’3” pushing around 300lbs. We were amazed that we fit and loved the drive, but would it work for my family? Would my wife and daughter like it? My wife is 5’1” and my little girl is soon to be 4 yrs old. My wife can easily sit any where in this car, even behind me with the seat back. The child safety seat fits and the fastback side windows provided a great view. Then the next fit test is my bike, I’m a bicyclist and I have one of the biggest road bikes made, a touring Cannondale. With a 43” wheel base and 25” (63 cc) seat tube plus the bike has aero bars; its big bike! Obviously for family bike outings we would use our beloved Windstar. But I would need our second car to hold my bike for my solo rides. With the Mustang not being a hatchback I had my doubts, but the fold down seats gave me hope. I checked with our salesman and bought the bike out and a long story short, it fits!

Before my wife was finished adjusting her seat and mirrors for her test drive, she just had the biggest smile, the Mustang bug bit, the drive just was icing on the cake and I realized after we get our Mustang I’ll be driving the Windstar more than I thought.


Safety is important to us. Hopefully the insurance institute will have the test out before we order our Mustang in February. The fact that the front end is based on the top safety winner Lincoln LS gives me hope. The postings of the missing option of rear side air bags concerns are interesting, it was my understanding that air bags are not safe for most people small enough to fit in the back seat. I know that at my wife’s weight it was considered borderline between life saver and killer with the early air bags. I wonder when we will have facts about this instead of conjecture.

Ford has really “done it” with a base V6, that is faster than 87% of former V8 mustangs ever sold (my estimate based on high % of high volume 2 barrel V8’s sold). Then you have a 300hp GT and future hi-power projects coming with independent rear end, Yes, Santa has something for everyone.

jcopin

i definately think so

mustang is economical...unless u leave black streaks everywhere you go =p

gas mileage isnt horrible. (refer to part 1)

its VERY safe.. i know from intimate person experiences

and they hold theyre resale value on the private market

Radman

I just bought mine as a daily driver. Now, whenever we go out, the wife and 2 year old choose the Mustang. If you can live with the pain of getting the kid all hooked up, it's great!

Jason

MustangDan

I wonder where the family guys and girls are?

Mongoose

On the SUV forums.
I purchased my GT for nothing more than a fun car just for me . It is called the fruit of your labor !!

Galaxie

The Mustang is great as a daily driver as long as it fits your needs,

by the sounds of it, you have justified getting the car. It doesn't sound like it will be a fulltime family hauler anyways.

A permasmile is only a signature and a few thaosand dollars away.

PaulF

I found my Mustang to be a perfect second family car...just one thing though...

I have a 9 month old son and it's REALLY cramped if you have to put a car seat in backwards, (I have a 2000 V6, I don't know if there is a huge difference in this respect in the '05 though) but I don't think this is an issue for you. I also have a 14 and 15 year old step son and daughter...they fit in the back great and I'm 6'1" and my wife is 5'7".

But if I have to go somewhere where we have to take the baby and the older kids, we take the Taurus. But that's why I bought the Taurus.

If you want my opinion....do it! You'll be happy that you did.

MustangDan

PaulF, the biggest inprovment was having more room to get our self back there to hook our daughter.

angcobra

It's also great as 3rd or 4th family Fun car, especially if it is Vert.

Import-Slaya

Married, toddler daughter, son on the way (due February). My wife has a Subaru Outback. I got the Subaru WRX wagon last year thinking it was the perfect blend of sporty and practicality. Well, the reality of it is I could have a two seater. If we are going out as a family, we take the Outback. I never need the "wagon" function of my car. Again, for any hauling or Home Depot trips, I use the Outback.

I'm ordering an '05 in Feb/March most likely. It will be my daily driver.

Ripstang

Mustang Dan from an enginering point the mustang for 05 is safer than before , my understanding is that volvo had a hand in the body design and if anyone knows safety it's them .The seat side airbags were a added must for me incase of side impact. although it doe's not have side curtain air bags ...anything is better than nothing .Plus there was something here about the car performing well in a rollover situation.
As for air bags in the front the seat is weight sensitive so check in your owners manual to find out more about it ...you will be impressed.
And congratulations on your new mustang

MustangDan

Ripstang, it looks like you were correct about the Mustangs as it got 5 stars in the crash test. This might be the best family second car ever!

GhostTX

Dan...uh...thought about just taking the family to a dealer and everybody getting in?

On a personal note, I fully plan to get the Mustang as a DD and the wife's car being the family wagon/vacation hauler.

Ripstang

Thanks Mustang Dan ,I am glad you are happy with your new car...now if I could only get mine

MustangDan

GhostTX,

I did ramble a bit but that in the first part of the post, we fit great and my bicycle did too. Like you the Mustang will be my DD and the Windstar will my wifes main wheels. At least that was the plan befroe she drove it. How does your wife like the Mustang?

Dan

EleanorsMine

here......

I have a nine year old, and almost 12 year old. They fit back there. Our adult friends do not fit so well........

We always take the mustang instead of the alero. Kids love it even though they have crap for room in back.

GhostTX

She doesn't want to drive it 'cause she's afraid she'll like it. We'd probably order one yesterday if she did take one for a spin.

Also, the new 'Stang has the LATCH system in it and its does fit a toddler seat. I would probably agree with PaulF on the infant seat as in my current car, you have move the seat up for the rear facing mode.

Apologies for not reading your full post.

chrisma

I have a family and a farm, so everyone thinks I'm crazy :crazy: for getting a stang, but at the same time they're envious

hiznherponies

Well, I've used my '84 as a second car up until 2001 when I took her off the road. We even took her on a vacation once (SW La to NE Al) with 2 kids and one on the way . Now we've got 4 and if I ever get one of mine back on the road (see sig.) they'll do double duty, too. That might happen before I can get a 2005 (or 2006) but rest assured, it'll haul the kids and wife around too. Unless we all need to go, that is, then its the SuperCrew. B) So where all the family guys and gals?There here, just not as obvious, thats all.

Proc

I suppose it can be a family car in a pinch, but with small back seats and 2 doors, it not really supposed to be a family car. Its a great affordable sports car. If you want the family-style ride, get the Five Hundred, Freestyle or Explorer. Putting kids in and out of back seats, especially if car seats are involved, can be a pain in the butt best reserved for bigger back seats and four doors. My son will be 7 this year and is the right size for the back seat, but I dont' think anyone would want to ride back there for a long period of time.