Feels like it. Sheesh. Shouldn't have revealed my age. I know most of the guys on here are older and have "more life experience", but it doesn't make my argumnts invalid. I'm just trying to have a discussion here.

I've driven a '10 GT. It would very much be more than enough car for me. But I wouldn't buy one right now, with the '11s right around the corner. I know the rebates are going to be on the '10 hoods. I know the aftermarket is there.

All I was saying that there was a time when any person with a steady job could walk into a Ford dealer and pick out whatever car they wanted with whatever options they wanted and comfortably afford it. I understand times have changed, regulations are more stringent, costs have risen etc. I just hope that Ford prices the 2011s reasonably and the options that the company KNOWS its enthusiasts are going to want, are also priced reasonably. I didn't say install more equipment for less; I meant the features that most Mustang GT buyers WANT, should be standard. Times are changing for sure. One day HIDs, navi and all those other "high end" features, will be standard on all cars. Even the Fiesta and Focus. And as technology gets better, the costs associated should eventually go down.

End of story, no need to attack people for their opinions. No need to read deeper into people's posts and start e-fights. I've been here for a few years, and lurked since the site was founded. This kind of crap is not what this site is all about.

 

I'd just wait a year or two and pick up a used '11 5.0 with <15K miles on it, with a $5-10K depreciation "discount" thrown in.

Either that or buy a used LS3 Vette

 

This has not been true at any point during your lifetime or mine. If you think vehicle prices are ridiculous, take a look at houses. At least we can say vehicles are built better today than they were in 1970. The reverse is true of houses, and yet we keep paying more.

 

No kidding. In 1993 a loaded Mustang GT was near $20k. I was making 10$ an hour out of school then which was a great wage back then for someone just getting on their feet. No way could I have purchased a new one. A four banger, maybe. Someone right out of college expecting to easily buy a 400HP brand new muscle car? LOL.

 

Obviously. Back in 1990 you too could have rolled around like Vanilla Ice if you had the $ (see pic show below for those that don't get it...). The MSRP on the Mustang GT top version was $18,863 (no options.) According to the inflation rate from then to now... it's 65.73% So with that that 18,863 then = 31,261 today. Sound familar? It should cuz the Premium is $30,985.

They've always been priced in accordance...

 

Depends on the Degree

 

He obviously doesn't have a JD or other advanced degree or would already have something better than a Mustang!

 

Enough with the snide comments, guys, that's not nice.

Back to topic now?

 

You guys are confused with the SVT package. Think of it as the GT500's Track Pack. It won't be available on the GT.

 

You do have a point that no one seems to be raising, in that if you walked into a Ford dealer in the 1960's and wanted to buy a Mustang, you were not limited by the idea of "option packages". What I mean is, you could add options (including several different types of engines) individually, rather than in a package. In most cases, the dealership wouldn't even need to special order YOUR car from the factory, but could actually take an existing car on their lot and drop in a new engine, add the cool wooden decor, add a radio, etc. themselves.

I mean, let's say you wanted a V8 engine, but you didn't necessarily need the Cobra Jet. In 1968, you had 3 other V8 engines to choose from. You could also choose what other options you wanted the Mustang to have. As a result, you could allocate your Mustang funds towards the options that you really wanted on the car, not the options that Ford thinks you should have. The problem is now, if you buy a GT Premium, it would be like going back in time and buying a 1960's Mustang with a 390cid engine and a "Ghia" interior. Sure, you could probably do it in the 1968-1970 time frame, but that's going to be a really expensive car, even for the 1960's.

My Dad once owned a barely used, yellow 1967 fastback GT with the 289cid V8 engine. He drove it for about 9 months in 1968, then was forced to sell it when he lost his job. This was back when you could actually earn a decent wage on only a high school diploma. The thought of it still makes me sick...especially when his next new car was a 1974 Chevy Vega (which he bought with my Mom). Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is that even then, Mustangs weren't all that cheap.

Secondly, cars back then weren't designed to last all that long. According to my folks, once a vehicle hit about 100,000 miles, it was done. Nowadays, it's not unheard of for a car to hit 300,000 or 400,000 miles on the original engine.

My advice to you is to be happy that you haven't bought a Mustang yet. If you regret not buying a 05-09 GT, there are still plenty out there at bargain basement prices. If you don't have any particular fondness for the 05-09's, then Mustangs are only going to get better, and I guarantee your purchasing power will rise faster than Ford can raise the price to compensate for any new upgrades. I'm sure that every year there will be some new feature (such as IRS, 6-speed transmission, new Mach-1, Boss package, etc) which might make you regret buying the year before. Just keep an eye on things and be prepared to jump if Ford does something really crazy, like turn the Mustang into a hybrid or reduce all engines to four-cylinders, or something like that.

 

I don't disagree with what you're saying, but it's clear that in the past 15-20 years, the fundamentals of building cars and options have changed, especially with the emergence of more efficent foreign automakers that took the assembly line and refined it. Ford was losing it's rear by offering tens of thousands of options with each vehicle (run the computation/permutation numbers if you don't believe me), and realized that Honda, Toyota, and other OEM's found better solutions and packaged things or offered minimal options to make the assembly easier.

Back in the 60's and 70's, mechanics could do in-house upgrades. Now, you're lucky if they do an auto-dimming rear view mirror. It's just a fundamental shift in the business model of car sales today.

 

JC nice response. And more understandable. I guess we will wait and see. Like I said, if I can get the options I want for around or under $35k I will be fine. If not I'll look at the deals on the '10s. If I don't find something I like, I'll find a mint 04 Cobra and throw the books at it. The end.

Carry on y'all

 

So yeah...back on topic ... before I start nuking posts

 

Well, it certainly reads like it's only for the GT500....

Still not much showing in the order computer. Only thing listed so far is Shelby Convertible. Still shows 5.4L SC 4V V8 so same engine (but could get the rumored alluminum block). They do show a SVT Performance package (option 67F). Inlcudes 19" wheels,RR Spoiler with GF (Gurney Flap I'm assuming), OTT Stripe delete and last but most importantly 3.73 Limited slip axle!

But then the GT500 already comes with 19" wheels and a spoiler with a Gurney Flap. Unless they are different 19" wheels and a different rear spoiler with Gurnery flap

 

Maybe it is an option for the GT500 Vert...doesn't it come with 18" wheels?

 

GT500 vert only comes with 18" wheels currently. They've said previously that the flap has an interchangeable portion as well. I would guess that we will see one of two things:

1 - seperate set of 19" wheels available for coupe/vert with the SVTP package. Different insert in Gurney flap, no stripes on coupe, and the option be available to both trims. Each car would use the current wheels as the 'base' wheel, but have the option to upgrade. Same mechanical upgrades, but slightly different appearance changes.

2 - Only available for the vert, no stripes, 19" coupe wheels, 3.73 rear end, etc. in the vert.

I still tend to think Opt. 1 is what's going to happen. They left the door open with the 2010's to only improve from there, and from the apparent success of the Track Pack on the GT, this is the next logical step for them from a performance standpoint. I didn't care for the fact that the vert had 18's on it, but if enough proper suspension tuning can be done to minimize body roll and use the 19's, go for it.

Then, lastly, there's the off-chance that there is more to this package than we currently know, which may include the rumored bigger Brembo brakes, different springs/struts/sways, or a recalibrated stability control, much like the TP for the GT.

 

Makes sense

 

I hope there is more to that SVT Performance Pack. Because right now the only performance improvement is a 3.73 rear.

 

I think there will be some other improvements that we don't know about yet. Just have to wait and see. Hopefully we get the full scoop on Dec. 2, instead of having to wait through the first of the year to Detroit for details.

 

Forgot to mention, I'm still anxious to hear about the rumored 'Track Pack lvl. 2' that has been brought up on several occasions. Might be a seriously worthwhile upgrade.