Is the door inside plastic still the same as 2010? (I´m afraid yes). Looks to me cheap, when i saw it in real i was astonished, bad for such nice car. Hopefully Ford chaches that when reading this thread (Best with Job 1 :-) Even a Focus looks more quality:-)

(2010 http://dealerrevs.com/gallery/15536127.html)

 

Yea Ford is going to make new door panels just because we say it looks cheap. Look at all the bashing on the rear and its still the same. New drivetrains > Door panels

 

At least now there is a real armrest pad !!

The SN-95's had nice padded door panels (maybe an 1/8" thick), but the armrest was just molded into it and this 1/8" was all the padding to it !!

I think '05-09 had a real armrest too, but the 2010 redesign is much better. Yes the basic panel is hard plastic, but so is the competition.

Doug

 

If you don't like it, get an aftermarket piece.

 

I thougth for a car upholsterer maybe its a easy job; but if anyone knows of beautiful aftermark piece input welcome. greets max

 

I can picture it. At Ford headquarters a product planner comes running into his boss's office and announces breathlessly "Chief, I just read on a Mustang forum that a few people are dissatisfied with the 2010 door panels!" And the boss says "Good grief, Johnson! We've got to do something! Good thing you found out about it in time. There are still 37 days before assembly starts on the 2011's, which is just enough time to create a new door panel, test the hell out of it, get bids on producing it, and have them ready by March 15." Johnson, blushing, says "Aw, shucks, don't thank me, Chief. Thank those guys on that Mustang forum." The boss growls "I didn't thank you, Johnson. And I was being sarcastic."

 

That's probably the same conversation they had about the rear end, too. You see where that's gotten them. ha ha

 

Ok, what isn't cheap? What would have made the door panel not cheap? Exactly. I want details.

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It seems like if any car dares use bare plastic in it, it's cheap. Which is a sort of a duh item, as that's why it's plastic, but still.

The original 1965 through 69 Mustang didn't use plastic... they didn't even use a full door panel. The entire door was the shell with an access panel. The shell was textured to look like leather or vinyl, which amazingly enough is what we have today on the current S197s, only in plastic.

The shells were painted in the interior color. *Painted*. And not glossy paint, but satin/flat. The plastic is not painted, it's embedded with color. This has an actual benefit, as if scratched, the paint doesn't come off and show some other color... it's still the color. Another benefit is temperature... the plastic will not be nearly as cold/hot as the metal when you put your arm on it.

I've been in other cars, other makes... and they're full of plastic panels as well. Even the 'wood' panels aren't fully wood... they're wood veneer over a plastic or metal backing. It's just that they've got that wood (or 'wood') on them, so they're not cheap.

Which is another duh item, because, hello, it's more expensive to make it that way.

Now... Given the awesomeness that is the current Mustangs... I'm not willing to spend $10000 more on gegaws such as wood, carbon fiber, vinyl coverings or whatever else that would not matter to a hill of beans. I might spend a couple of thousand to do it myself (and I am, slowly... and in the case of the '66 Mustang, I did), but seriously... it's plastic for some very good reasons.

Why does that equate to cheap every time? It's *supposed* to be inexpensive... it's a lower priced car with a lot of performance for the money. Go spend $50000 or more somewhere else if you don't like the inside.

Sheesh.

/yeah, the word itself gets me riled up. Sorry.
//not attacking anyone personal, by the way... it's more of a press thing, as they say the exact same thing, and compare a $30000 car with a $60000 car and use the plastic to promote how not-awesome the car is. Idiots.

 

YES WE CAN

 

I don't find the quality of the interior, or the door panels specifically to look cheap at all. i think the whole interior is head and shoulders above what my '05 Mustang GT Premium was sporting

 

The base '08 VW Rabbit has padded door panels, covered in cloth, just like the A,B, and C pillars, and everywhere else but the dask/console, where it has a leather pad for your armrest. $16,000 dollar car. C'mon ford.

 

I agree with the OP...in fact I commented on it in the past only to be chastised wether or not I even sat in a 2010 Stang. The fact is only the current model Focus and Mustang use this cheap plastic for the door cover. Every other car that Ford has right now has a soft feel material adorning the door cover. When I do get a Stang it will see an upholsterer to have this done as it makes the car feel cheap.

While I do love the interior of the 2010+ Stang that hard as nails plastic has got to go. I mean really, how much more could it have cost Ford to cover it with a soft feel synthetic material..at least offer it as an option.

There is only a couple of years left for the S197 Mustang...why wait until a redesign to do this?

Dave

 

I have a feeling it comes down to having multiple colors. Notice how the top dash is now just black, and it is of much better quality.

Once Ford realizes we can all live with black door panels (though, still with different color inserts), it might mean they can use higher quality materials and make of the difference by volume and having fewer SKUs.

 

 

agree 100% i dont think the interior plastic on the door panel feels cheap

 

So... you're gettin' a Rabbit because of this, yes?

If this plastic issue alone is the worst part of a Mustang interior, and the best part of a Rabbit... well, enjoy the Rabbit. That oughtta get the chicks.

 

Dahahahaha, yeah, that's great!

 

You could take any car over $20,000 and find some aspect of it that is inferior to some car that is less expensive. Look at the features that the Mustang has that more expensive cars lack. Even Aston Martins and Rolls-Royces lack Sync, or a similar system. How many cars have a steering wheel nicer than that in the Mustang Premium? Or a system like MyColor or Ford's Ambient Lighting system? At least the Mustang Premium has a leather insert in the door panel, my Corvette's door panel is all plastic. Even with the door panels as they are, I'd rather have a Mustang V6 Premium than two Rabbits.

 

The only Rabbit I know of that gets chicks makes a lot of buzzing noises and is not a car

 

Walking around with cute mini lops seems to do the trick too...