Dude, you are not crazy, Acura does a good job of engineering their cars. Call it sushi or what have you but these the Japanese can build cars like Bushido blades if they want. The GT does ride soft. It has great handling characteristics but glued isn't the word I would used to describe them. Point and shoot, yes, glued, not really. Also, since you opted out of the 19" wheels, you don't have a strut brace under the hood. Get one and then try. I still say it's squishy but firm, like if Buick had a sport suspension (Can't wait for the feed back there). Now, try with Brembo package and I think it's more along the lines of what you are looking for. Once or if you lower your car with the proper springs, dampers, bracing, you will experience a very new feeling in your Mustang. A very glued one.

 

How does this topic have 20+ reply's?

Who cares.

an 11 GT was never meant to compete against an 07 Type S.
Different cars.

 

Great job. Now you chased everyone away.


What's with the thought police guys trying to kill every thread?

 

I always drove FWD cars growing up. acura integra gsr, honda prelude Si, cadillac ETC. The "glue" you are refering to is not glue, but actually predictability. FWD produces understeer and understeer is usually easier to modulate and predict than oversteer. That being said, I love RWD and the fun you can have. I can guarentee you that if you took these cars to place where you could use the full potential without fear you would change your perspective on this. Time to relearn the LIMITS.

 

At least my comments were on topic!

 

Well, my "other" car is a 2001 CRV.(rollover prone) Best all around auto I have ever owned. Driving 80, on an easy curve, on a country road, I feel comfortable if the road is dry.
Taking the same curve in my 5.0,at 80, again, not worried. However, I feel a floating sensation, which I'm not crazy about. (non-brembo) I'm headed to Steeda in Pompano soon for a spring job and tune

Most fun to drive....5.0 !!!
Best bang for the buck...5.0 !!!

 

Oddly enough, I actually own both a 2011 GT Vert (manual trans of course) and a 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD (manual trans, of course).

They are like comparing a cat and a dog and asking which one is better... ...but without asking FOR WHAT?

In the snow, my TL actually is more sure-footed than my 2010 Toyota Tundra 4X4 in 4-wheel mode. It's also quite quick off the line because of the AWD, but I don't race with it. It's a luxury sports sedan. So, it's really my daily beater.

I wouldn't trade my TL for a Mustang and I also wouldn't trade my Mustang for a TL... (which is why I own both). They're different animals and they please me in different ways.

It's kind of like having chocolate ice cream on Monday and then going for the vanilla ice cream on Wednesday. Can you quantify exactly why you wanted either on the other day?

 

Yeah we should be comparing Mustangs vs. Mini's

 

Yeah that "tightness" in steering in the Acura is the torque trying to yank the steering wheel out of your hands...

Also, I believe that was the last of the hydraulic steering pump TLs, before they went to EPAS like the 2011 GT. That may add to the naturalness you're experiencing. The TL was geared towards a more sporty feeling, especially in Type-S guise. The base GT suspension is geared towards drag racing. Don't believe me? Go watch YouTube vids of bone stock GTs with slicks and see how much they squat. They almost lift the front wheels. Off the showroom floor.

Want it to be tighter? Install the FRPP Handling Pack that is coming soon. Or Steeda, Roush, MM, etc etc.

 

Excellent post!

 

Jokerstars, on 5/12, we tried to talk you into Brembos. However, you can still put spings, and lower your GT. Ronn

 

TOTAL POWNAGE

 

Oddly enough, I actually own both a 2001 CR-V and a 2011 GT. The CR-V is a great vehicle for what it does. For hauling the dogs to the vet, or picking up plants for the garden, I'd much prefer it to the GT.

But that's not why most of us he-man, hairy-chested (apologies ladies), car-LOVING types prefer a car like the GT over the TL-S or CR-V. To us, True Driving is MUCH more than being competently coddled from Point Alpha to Point Bravo.

What the Mustang GT does best is what we love to do the most: Drive With Alacrity!!

The TL-S is a great car that feels good over 90% of road conditions. The thing is, 90% of on-road situations utilize maybe 1/3 of the GT's capability. So those of us who LOVE the Mustang GT get a lot of our thrill just KNOWING it's capable of that extra road-ripping, even if we don't actually get to use it much.

 

Agreed. While it does many things well, Acuras and Hondas are (to me) just more...sterile. Great cars, very reliable for the most part. But...they're just...THERE. lol

 

the Tl rocks very nice well built car

 

I came from an 08 VW R32 with KW V1 coils and all wheel drive. It handled like it was on rails. I've gotta say the mustang is no slouch in the handling department. Mine is brembo packaged and I don't know if it's the sticky tires but I've thrown it through some apexes and it remains planted and surefooted. Which is surprising because of the solid axle rear. All in all I'm pleasantly impressed with this car's handling.

 

Actually, these are usually my favorite types of posts. I'm glad to see that the Mustang (at least in my perception) is a car that no longer merely goes fast in a straight line. The camaro (if that's all you think it was built to compete with) is only one of many cars that people are comparing when they choose to buy a 2011 mustang. There are numerous threads in these forums - mustang buyers are cross-shopping BMW 3-series, the 370z, G 37s, Hyundai genesis coupes, Evos, and many other cars that are a bit surprising. They're looking for handling, performance, quality, value, and a lot of other features that mustangs quite frankly haven't had a very good reputation for, whether that reputation is deserved or not.

Personally, I never would have bought a mustang a few years ago. Now, I am. The fact that they're producing a car that competes with non-traditional rivals is good for Ford, and good for all of us.

 

I traded in a 2006 Lexus is-350 with all the bells and whistles to get my mustang gt. It paid for my 2010 mustang in full ..I paid 40k for that Lexus brand new, and it wasn't the car it was cracked up to be. It had issues from day one.. from dusty brakes, to engine clacking at start up..There have been 4 recalls for the Lexus is 350, in fact i got a notice a month ago to bring the Lexus in for valve guide issues that cause the car to stall unexpectedly. I have had my 2010 Mustang gt for a year and 2 months not 1 recall not 1 problem and it only cost me 27k. In my opinion American cars are better then jap cars, its been a long road to get there but we are finally here. I have made up my mind, no more jap cars for me, from now on its american made cars....Thats the way it is, and thats the way its meant to be.

 

I'm not saying it's only rival is that of a Camaro, and I'm more than aware of the presence of 335i, g37s, 370z, etc... all reasonable comparisons because they're in the same 'class'.

But a 2007 Acura TL Type-S and a 2011 Mustang GT aren't even in the same ballpark, hell it's not even the same sport. Two TOTALLY different cars. Why don't we just start comparing the 'stang to a 2010 Buick Lacrosse? Maybe a 2009 Nissan Maxima? How about a 2007 VW Passat? You wouldn't. Same concept.


That's all I'm getting at.

 

I'm looking at the fun factor. The Acura is more fun to steer, at least in my opinion.

As for literally everything else, I like the Mustang. The sync, engine sound and power, glass roof, looks, are all far superior.


But I had more fun throwing the Acura around a corner, tis all. Someone brought up hydraulic steering vs EPAS. Maybe that's why I liked it more? No need to be grouchy.