Maybe it should have a stencil that reads "Objects In Mirror Will Soon Be Farther Away Than They Now Appear".

This car is FUN! Now that I have about 500 miles on it, becoming more comfortable with the finer points of shifting the manual, and it has some "break in" miles, I've been playing a bit more.

I had a Charger R/T with a Diablo Predator tune, CAI and it was certainly no slouch, but as I expected my GT has a lot more pull, much better handling, much better sound, and is nicely providing a better one-with-the-road experience. I very frequently found the urge to romp hard on the Charger. This Mustang is different - sure acceleration is fun and rather addicting, but it's okay to just cruise too! And when accelerating hard, it's over so quick.

Like the Charger though, I get some attitudes from other drivers of much "lesser" vehicles that clearly they're thinking "oh yeah, it's not that fast". Like the ever present mini-vans, a Jeep Liberty, and this morning's chevy midside, Impala or Malibu or whatever. The common freeway entrance starts as two lanes, and merges into one. I'm there at the stoplight first. So of course he whips around my back bumper at the last second when he arrives, and seeing his face in the mirror it's clear he's not a happy person. Of course I've been aware of his proximity for a couple of miles, and he was never "in a hurry".

Until the light turns green, and he figures he take his "now rightful place" in the front of the pack, since the lane he chose is the one that ends. So he's working that poor car to a fury like he hates it (and probably does). I just took off briskly but without any stress at all through first and second, and he's still just right along side me, now desperately trying to still find a way to cut me off. It's fun, long, curving freeway entrance with moderate traffic, and the actual merge lane is rather short, so it's best to be up to speed by then.

So I just hit it in third. That's when my rearview mirror indicated the horsepower of these latest 5.0's. I could tell he was still trying, by the now nearly horrifying way his car was leaning on the turn. It was merely academic, this was not about him at all anyway. I was just glad to not be stuck behind him. The Mustang absolutely stuck to the pavement, pulling some pleasant G's. Traffic was in a opportune notch to easily slide step by step to the left lane, and I was settled at speed and on my way. Last I saw of Captain Irritated was him cutting people off repeatedly as he forced his way to the left lane. It appeared he was still accelerating, or at least trying to. He was punished over and over by the other now irritated drivers around him, and I never saw him again.

I really like driving cars that are at the least "athletic", and beyond. I'm sure you folks understand! This Mustang is, I would say, is a good measure beyond. I've wanted a car with at least this kind of capability for a long long time

 

Your story is a common one. I drive at least once a week from Orlando to Tampa; about 70ish miles one way. Used to have to do this 3 to 4 times a week. I leave early in the morning to avoid the downtown Orlando traffic, plus the mornings allow for a more "open" lane of traffic.

I'll set the cruise at 80, and enjoy the Sirius stations. It's not long before I'll come up on a slower vehicle in the center lane. I turn the left signal on, and pass. Within 2 seconds of signalling my turn back to the center lane, Rufus T Bonehead with his "Choc-full-o-nuts" coffee can exhaust tip feels like he's gotta prove a point. Climbs up on my backside, paces me for about a minute, then moves to the left to pass. I allow Rufus to get even, then I have a bit of fun. Low and behold, Rufus hangs it up, and I never see him until the next rip into Tampa.

 

It takes a lot of self control for me not to stomp on the gas whenever some douche decides to tailgate me or instigate a race on public roads. I'm not the best driver. But I have taken the car to the drag strip so I know what I'm capable of with the car. (13.4 @ 108 in the 1/4 mile i know it sucks with my 2.3 60ft). But I have a general knowledge of everyday cars. So I know if some scion TC or Mitsu eclipse thinks they can take on a V8, thats just funny. I dont know what mods they have, if they have jet engine under that hood then good on them. But ppl need to know their place. I'm not gonna ride along a late model corvette or an AWD super car and try to instigate something.

 

99% of the douche tailgaters back off after I blast them with my Roush mufflers. most are taken by surprise and just back off.
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I love the ones, on ther Interstate, who are driving 65 in a 75 zone, until you come up to pass them. Just as you come abreast of them, they speed up to keep you from passing. My anaswer, go faster and they eventually back off and go back to 65. Another pain in the a$$ is the elderly couple in the Buick. Pops shouldn't have a license because he is blind, but out here, we have no public transporation, so the DMV doesn't seem to notice the guy came in with a white cane for his license renewal. They drive all over the road, cross the center line and fog lines and then shake their fist at you as you drive by, at the speed limit, while they are doing 45-50 mph. By the way I am 69 and my wife told me the only Buick we will be in is the hearse.

I believe anyone over 65 should be required to drive a stick. That would clean up the roads really quick.

 

How about when you are just cruising, minding your own business. I like to shift before 3k rpm. Sometimes 4k. The car just has that torque so i guess it looks like im showing off. Anyway, it doesnt matter what random car is driving beside me. Sometimes they like to accelerate and try to catch you even though theres traffic in their lane. So now they're tailgating someone. While im just cruising maintaining a good distance from cars ahead of me.

 

Yep Yep. Two days ago I rolled up to a red light, with a Cayenne S to my right, and a CTS-V on the left. I wasn't even surprised when nothing unusual happened, all three of us just drove "normally". But it seemed to be enough to incite an Equinox, who eventually, just panting away, barely missing the CTS's back end as he would have just missed my front, as he "trounced us". But I saw him coming in plenty of time, so just slowed as he made his move. Whatever.

Haha, maybe there's an Equinox forum somewhere where someone's bragging how they "smoked" us three.

 

Hah you should make the hearse a Lincoln then

 

Cremate (spelling?). I don't plan to waste any land when it's my time. Nor gas for the hearse. More for you guys to have fun with.

 

I'm 69 also, with a GT manual. Totally agree with you in that there are too many older folks on the roads that shouldn't be there. When passing someone who is holding up traffic, I usually take a look to see who's driving and yep, very often its a much older oblivious person in a turnpike cruiser unaware of almost everything around him. Sense of speed seems to decrease with age, as does reaction time, unfortunately.

 

I had a weird thing happen on the way to work this morning:

I'm cruising at my normal speed, and happened to pass a Nissan GT-R. I hadn't seen a GT-R in Italy before, so as I go past him (I was passing a line of slower cars) I smile and give the driver a thumbs-up. This guy was leading the slower cars, so I pull into the right lane a distance ahead of him and continue my drive. 20 seconds or so later he blows by me, accelerating hard.

Can't say what that was all about, but it still struck me as weird. Throw a guy a kudo and he feels the need to show off? How about a little class?

Happy to hear you're enjoying your ride Joe.

And excellent color choice, btw.

 

this is a common thread I've seen here, it's absolutely amazing isn't it? I'm in a smaller town and there are not many mustang's 2012 or 2013's around, it's pretty funny but I don't get as many people trying to challenge me (I've had a few, but not as many as you guys post), the most common thing I get is when I drop my 1st grader off at school, some of the kids ask my son if that car is a race car... it's all fun here in Southern Oregon...

 

If I give someone a thumbs up, I kind of want them to do that.