Hi folks. Shopping for my first Mustang in about a decade and am trying to decide on a trim package. I am definitely getting a convertible and it will most likely be a blue one (Sonic or Vista).

However, I am torn between the V6 and the GT. Last Pony I had was a fox-body GT ragtop, so I would love to have the power that entails, but I am somewhat concerned about fuel efficiency with gas the way it is. If I got the V6, I would have to add the dual exhaust, but I will be adding CAI and an SCT tuner regardless of whether it is the 6 or the 8.

The actual question I guess is this:
Since I drive about 100 miles a day with ratio of 90/10 Hwy/City, what kind of real-world MPG can I get with the right tune on a GT?
I would obviously prefer using cheaper regular gas, but if it takes premium to get the efficiency, it may be a good tradeoff.

I am not averse to just modding a V6, since I am not going to actually race anyone. However, I do "drive it like I stole it" and need to be able to get around the rolling obstacles on my commute.

I know some of you folks have dealt with this and have experience that could help me make the decision.

 

I drive about 70 miles a day in mostly freeway driving. I drive in 20 miles of bumper to bumper traffic everyday. If I drive responsibly, I pull between 19-21 miles to a gallon. On the weekends, I drive the car for fun. I get about 15 miles to the gallon on weekends. I bought the gt because the sound alone is worth the loss of some mpg. You add the power for blasting around on a weekend and I think it's a winner. I would guess the v6 probably gets 5 mpg more under the same conditions. As far as mods, I think how you drive it has the biggest impact on mileage. I faced a similar decision, I bought the gt. I have not been disappointed.

 

Thanks Mr. V.! Exactly the kind of feedback I was hoping for.

 

While the brand new V6 is the car to buy if fuel economy is your primary concern, the 4.0L V6 from 05-10 was nothing special economy wise.

I average 17-18 mpg overall in my GT with the mods listed bellow in my signature and a fairly aggressive driving style, but have gotten as good as 22 average when my commute was 90% highway driving.

The V6 will get high 20s on an extended freeway drive, but so will the V8 on a long drive. Around town the V6 is maybe 1 or 2 mpg better... If it were my money I wouldn't sacrifice the power and the sound of a V8 mustang for such a small improvement.

 

I average 18(mixed) in my 06 gt stick, 23-24 highway, my wifes 07 pony/auto also gets 18(mixed), but 25 highway...

my 2 cents: get the gt, get a stickshift.
7 years old, this car is still the most fun Ive ever had behind the wheel, still fun as the day I picked it up...just something about rowing thru the gears to the tune of a growling V8, it just dont get any better

bone stock, ran 13.78 @103, best highway trip was 24 mpg

wife loves hers too, and I drive it on occasion, its a big V6 at 4.0 litre, but its not a powerhouse, exhaust sounds like a 6, and the automatic just takes the fun out of it for me...at the track best speed was 89 mph, for the life of me, dont recall if it was 15.6 or 16.5, best highway was 25... not the highest mpg 6 out there for sure, and bet the auto pulls mpg down 1~2 from parasitic drag...

have heard of 30mpg in tuned gts- fords tunes are kinda notoriously conservative/rich, especially in trucks- they might get 1/2 the mpg of the mustang untuned...

 

I still can't figure out why anyone would buy a V6 05-09 Mustang. Like Kevin said, they get maybe 1-2 MPG more than a GT and they're not nearly as fun to drive. The prices aren't even that much cheaper either. I see V6 Mustangs all the time and I ask myself everytime, why would anyone buy that?

 

My 06 GT is a blast to drive, but my teenage son's first car will likely be a 05-07 V6 manual 5-speed. He is a very responsible kid that makes good grades, but I don't want him tempted with 300hp. Insurance will be less, too. There's 2 good reasons, IMO.

That being said, I agree that for the OP, he should get a manual trans GT. FYI, I would focus on the premium trim cars. In 2005, I don't think ABS, traction control, or airbags were standard equipment, at least on the deluxe models. Good luck!

 

Yeah, you guys are definitely convincing me that the GT is the only real choice for me. I found this one online in Miami, and I swear to god I was pricing airfare down there last night.
It is pretty much EXACTLY what I am looking for and easily the prettiest one I have seen yet. Unfortunately, more than a grand in airfare and FL taxes make it not such a good deal.

Make no mistake though, if that car was within 200 miles of me, I would already own it and be posting pics of it now!

 

I would get the GT and the newest year possible first. Before I started doing mods I was getting 26 highway and around 21 22 mixed driving. With a tune I seemed to have to try harder or drive less aggressively to get to get the same mpg's. The alum drive shaft helped the most with mpg's by about 1mpg. Try to go with things that reduce rotating mass first to improve mpg's imo.

 

man there has to be one you will love close to home. What web sites are you looking at?
www.autotrader.com and ebay are two I always check.

 

Cars.com is something I also use. I drove 120 miles to pick up my car. Sometimes your local market prices are higher. It depends on local demand.

 

I have searches built on Cars.com, autotrader, carsforsale, edmunds, cargurus and craigslist. I have just recruited a local dealer to my cause and he is watching auctions and such for me.

Unfortunately, the only blue ones near me are Windveil and they are V6s. That may be a fine color for some, just not my cup of tea.

 

I'd rent a car, drop it off in Miami, cruise home in style...gas/rental/gas home could probably be 4-500 that one you posted looks great- extremely nice interior(one of the 'weaker' selling points of the pre-10 models...I dont dislike it at all, but the 10-up definitely looks nicer). all 3 of our Vista Blue mustangs are black interior, the 2 GTs are cloth, the wifes pony has leather- personally I like the cloth, but got the ISAP leather wheel/shifter ordered on my 06, wasnt available in 09, so bought the wheel/shifter separate for it(still boxed up in its trunk...)

if my car didnt come in while I was on vacation in florida, I woulda cancelled it, and drove one home- the wife wasnt thrilled about the suggestion of caravanning home, and alas my ordered car finally showed up a few days after we left for vacation...never wanted to get home from vacation so bad

in 05 getting a gt stick in Ohio was a PITA, yet Gary Yeoman's Ford in Daytona had 30 of them on the lot...think they are in the top couple mustang volume dealers in the US- on new ones anyway.

if keeping long term, hoping for residual value, 09 was the shortest production run ever, probably wont have any value bearing, but who knows... 08 and 09 had revised heads, dont have the break-off sparkplug issues, and the sticks got the heavier 'bullit' shifter after 08 too- i put one in my 06, huge improvement...

 

Years ago, my dad told meto get the car I want & not worry about the mileage; plan around it. My 2013 GT500 gets 24 mpg on the highway... No brainer!

 

Wow, you sure do like blue Fords, huh? The tractor too?
I am still trying to convince my wife that the big Zero-Turn Toro is just NOT big enough for all 2.5 acres of grass!

 

I have an 08 gt with cai, 87 octane hybrid tune. I can get 30 mpg highway at about 70mph. About 22 mix an 18 city. Go for the gt. Nothing beats the sound of a v8. I get better gas mileage than my friends 2010 v6 mustang. I'm thinking because being only 200 lbs lighter, its still more work an requires more energy to power that v6 than the v8. Get the gt an manual if possible. Its fun every time you drive it. But remember, its not miles per gallon but smiles per gallon

 

I feel like this needs a disclaimer ...

*Results not typical

I'm getting 16/23 city/highway and my drive train isn't much different than yours. I think my smiles per gallon probably has something to do with that . Even when I go slow the milage isn't there.

I'll say this about your quandry- torque is addictive and nothing dishes out torque like a V8.

 

Always been partial to blue, the 69 Acapulco blue is still my favorite shade, but like vista pretty well too... a 72" deck helps make quick work of it- our neighbor has a 72" zero turn- its way faster, but can't plow snow

 

Yeah definitely variable but surprised I get that. But like you say, how you drive your car is huge effect on gas mileage. Those values, especially highway is driving easy. When I fill my car up on gas, I start out driving easy. But that doesn't last long an I start driving hard. The v8 is just too amazing. Sound and power.

 

I totally know what you mean haha. Ever since I installed my X pipe I find myself holding onto the gears a little longer and letting her sing more often haha