19th Jul 2010, 20:53

Well this is a Shelby GT500 thread, so V8's should be the only discussion. I am a V8 fan, but could care less about anyone who wants to buy a V6 Mustang, and have no opinion of them either way. Buy what you like as far as I'm concerned.

It just seems to me that the people who don't want the bigger engines always have some justification of it, like better mileage or lower insurance. To me, the Mustang is a third car meant for nice days and cruise nights, so you can get partial insurance, and when you drive it much less than your commuter car, gas isn't really an issue. I don't have to make excuses why I own a GT.

As far as the V8 dying?? Good luck. The 5.0 returning is just the start of another amazing run for the GT Mustang, and they are better than ever.

20th Jul 2010, 06:33

20:53 I agree. I drive Vettes, however one of my sons has been driving pre 95 GT Mustangs since he started driving. It has to be the greatest bang per buck used for a teen.

Being over 50, my Vettes do not cost much to own. I have Haggerty Insurance under $200 a year.

My older C3 is not an economy car with its single digit fuel economy, but it's driven 1000 miles a year.

My C5 insurance runs me $900 a year, and I do drive it 2000 miles a year to shows and cruises and nice days with the top down.

My son's insurance obviously is higher, but with his network of friends, they do all their own work. If you buy an older one, they are a bargain, and you own it vs payments. Parts are everywhere, and it's a very positive hobby. He is always on line selling his old take off parts and upgrading parts found on line also. He has owned 2 convertible GTs. Fixed one up and sold it, and has another.

I guess if you picked up a cheap 6 used as a daily work car, you could, but I would hate driving one.

20th Jul 2010, 12:35

"To me the Mustang is a third car meant for nice days and cruise nights so you can get partial insurance and when you drive it much less than your commuter car gas isn't really an issue. I don't have to make excuses why I own a GT."

That's why people buy V-6 Mustangs. They are excellent commuter cars. 99% of all Mustangs are used as commuter cars, and many are the owner's only source of transportation.

20th Jul 2010, 17:05

And that's why V6 Mustangs are forgettable daily drivers, and in 10-15 years you won't see any of the current 2010 V6's driven today, just like you don't really see anything but V8 Mustangs from the Fox days nowadays. People claim to see so many of the 4 cylinder and 6 cylinder Fox Mustangs still, but I really can't remember when I have last seen a regular 4 or 6 cylinder Fox Mustang on the road. I still see 5.0's on a regular basis though.

20th Jul 2010, 21:16

They are on this thread because someone last year kept bashing the 4.6 3V V8, claiming that it only gets 15 MPG highway. (My 2008 GT/CS consistently delivers over 23 MPG Highway). In his vain effort, he cited Motor Trend and Car and Driver in his findings. Auto Magazines do not do much highway driving with a car like a Mustang. They Simply do burnouts, 1/4 mile accelerations, and Slaloms, trying to see how much of a pounding the car can take.

He also stated the V8 would be gone soon, and that the Fusion 2.5 Liter motor is more powerful than the 1980's 5.0 V8. He also stated that his 4.0 V6 gets nearly twice the fuel mileage of the fuel injected 302 V8. I just came back to emphasize how wrong he was and yes "Oh my gosh, people DO actually buy a car based on what's under the hood."

That's all right though, now that the 2011 engines are here, both the new V6 and V8 are space age compared to the old 4.0 V6. The new 5.0 V8 delivers highway fuel economy nearly equal to the 4.0 V6. The new 3.7 Liter V6 is nearly as powerful as the outgoing 2010 GT motor, on top of delivering over 30 MPG highway, making the 4.0 V6 look like even more of an unrefined dinosaur.

The 4.0 V6 sounds terrible; even with exhaust upgrades it sounds like a bunch of goats and donkeys are fighting under the hood. The 4.0 V6 is another forgettable, forgotten boat anchor, underpowered, outdated, uneconomical and just plain undesirable. I can't wait to see the resale and trade in values on the Old V6 Mustangs drop like a rock even more. Might as well park them next to the Model A and Model T. Goodbye and Good riddance.

21st Jul 2010, 11:32

First of all, I was laughing out loud at the goats and donkeys comment!! I totally agree with you, and wonder what the obsession is with a truck powered Mustang.

These cars will surely lose a ton of value now that a really refined and powerful V6 resides under the hood of the base Mustang for roughly the same MSRP they paid for their dinosaurs. Can you imagine being the poor guy that bought a 2010 V6?? What a shame! They just lost about 40%!!

There is no animosity towards V6 owners from me. Really, buy and drive what you like. Heck, I'd even look at a 305 HP V6 now. Just don't try saying the experience of owning a V6 Mustang (pre 2011) is anything close to the full package of the GT. Yes, you get the looks, and it might even be fast enough, but you are missing the handling and smoothness of the GT package, plus the standard upgrades that are included in the base GT. It is a totally different drive really, and not comparable. Now that you can get 26 mpg out of 412 HP, the mileage argument is a moot point. Of course I was getting in the upper 20's on the highway way back in the 5.0 FI days.

21st Jul 2010, 12:28

"Might as well park them next to the Model A and Model T"

Obviously you haven't priced a Model A or Model T lately. They go for more than a Shelby 500. And if you do a little research, you will find that the original 1980 Mustang GT DID have less horsepower than the Fusion I-4 (157 versus 175).

21st Jul 2010, 19:51

An original Model T or Model A that is running and is in good shape would be worth a lot more than ANY Mustang...