When I woke up on New Years Day 2005, I did not expect to have a new car sitting in my driveway a few hours later. My 1988 Honda Accord sedan, derisively nicknamed "Grandma's Grocery Getter", was parked out front, legally undriveable due to a hit-and-run accident a week earlier. My parents graciously offered to lend me their 2000 Nissan Maxima until I got a new set of wheels, and while their car is nice, as a young unmarried male, I have no use for a sedan and wanted something with a little more zip and class. For months I had been scouring car advertisements on the Internet and from the local Washington Post, and my parameters were as follows (feel free to scroll past these for the review):
Engine - At least a 4 cylinder 2.5L or higher, but preferably a 6 or 8, with no less than 150HP and 175 ft/lb of torque, give or take. My Honda had a 2.0L 4 cylinder, and given the DC Metro driving area and its plethora of maniac motorists, I would not compromise on getting something that prevented me from accelerating onto the Beltway safely and without eating the shoulder.
Transmission - Automatic, no question. I have only driven a standard transmission once, and with the constant stop-and-go traffic around here, getting a car without automatic seems ridiculous unless it's a high end machine or a car with a stick is the only affordable option.
Interior - Cloth preferably, since my experience with leather led me to conclude that in winter the car would be frigid and in the summer the interior would be unbearably hot. As noted previously, I did not want a sedan, so a two-seater coupe looked the most pleasing.
Exterior - As a habit, I do not like flashy cars, so my ideal would be any color that does not stand out to fellow motorists or law enforcement, but one that won't show the signs of driving, such as road salt, various scratches, and most importantly, bird poop. My excluded colors were red, yellow, orange, lime green, white and black, and I preferred blue, green or silver. I do enjoy style, and since my late Honda was a boxy sedan, I wanted to avoid that look by getting a car with some curves.
Entertainment - A basic radio system with CD/MP3 compatibility, no in trunk changer and definitely not cheap speakers.
Price - Anything more than $17,500 out the door would be prohibitive with my current salary and means of living.
My shortlist came down to three cars, the Ford Mustang, the Scion tC and the Chevrolet Malibu, the first two being coupes and the latter a sedan that was the only one that met my basic parameters.
After many hours of negotiation at the local dealership, the car I drove home with on New Years Day was a 2004 Ford Mustang, specifications as follows (and I will go over each of these in further detail):
Engine - V6 3.8L with 193HP and 220 ft/lb of torque.
Transmission - Four speed automatic with overdrive.
Interior - "Parchment" (light tan or cream) leather seats.
Exterior - "Torch red".
Entertainment - In dash Mach 6 disc stereo system with numerous speakers.
Price - A steal.
As you can see, the Mustang didn't exactly meet what I was looking for, since mine has leather and red paint. I do not know what manufacturer offered trims are available with the 2005 Mustangs, but the 2004s came with numerous options. To the best of my knowledge, and please correct me if I'm wrong here, the 2004s were available in the following packages:
Base V6 - Cloth and manual transmission standard, with automatic option. MSRP $18,000, no convertible.
Deluxe V6 - Adds spoiler and and power driver's seat. MSRP $19,000 coupe, $24,000 convertible.
Premium V6 - Adds leather seats, upgraded stereo and traction control. MSRP $20,000 coupe, $27,000 convertible.
Deluxe GT - Manual transmission with 4.6L V8. MSRP $24,000 coupe, $28,000 convertible.
Premium GT - Adds leather and upgraded stereo system. MSRP $25,000 coupe, $29,000 convertible.
Mach 1 GT - Adds exterior options and a subwoofer and amplifier to the trunk. MSRP $29,000, no convertible.
Cobra - Top of the line, with a supercharged V8 4.6L and 6 speed manual transmission. MSRP $35,000 coupe, $39,000 convertible.
There are also numerous packages, including an upgraded interior package that added racing pedals and changed the look of the shifter; a 40th anniversary package that added folding mirrors and unique exterior and interior anniversary badges; a pony package with alloy wheels and a leather steering wheel; and a mystichrome package with special paint and chrome wheels.
My Mustang, as a result, is a Premium V6, and the sticker quoted an MSRP of $22,000 because of the added Pony Package.
I have divided my review into numerous categories based on my parameters:
Engine - Despite not being a GT, the 3.8L V6 delivers plenty of power and provides superb acceleration on area highways. Since this is a new car and I've put less than 1000 miles on it, I haven't floored it yet, but in the periods where I've needed to accelerate quickly, I've experienced the feeling of being pushed back in my seat without the jerkiness of other cars I've driven. The tachometer has a fairly low redline of 5500 RPMs, although the maximum I have pushed it to is less than 4000. At 74mph, the fastest I have driven, the tachometer hovers at 2100 RPMs in 4th gear, compared to nearly 3400 in my Honda or 2700 in my parents Maxima. With just shy of one month of ownership, I have begun to adore the quiet rumbling of this lovely engine.
Transmission - Perhaps my opinion has been clouded by the loud, jerky 4 speed that my Honda had, which required me to treat it like a manual on hills due to the car being unable to stay at a constant speed going downhill, or maintain speed going uphill. The Mustang's automatic is a godsend, with none of the negatives of my previous vehicle. It shifts smoothly and silently, and on some of the steepest hills in both the DC and Pittsburgh metro areas, the car was able to go downhill without the need to ride the brake. I was pleasantly surprised that on very steep grades it does not accelerate.
Interior (Leather) - Apparently my disdain for leather seats was wrong, since mine do not seem to turn ice cold in the January weather, nor go to the opposite extreme when sitting in the sun. I have not researched what climate control methods Ford might use to prevent the seats or the overall interior from adopting the outside temperature, but getting in the Mustang when it was eight degrees outside was anything but a hassle. My buttocks didn't freeze, and I was able to grip the leather steering wheel without flinching from the cold.
Interior (Comfort) - Being a hair shy of 5'9", I have the tendency to sit very close to the steering wheel because I desire frontal visibility over ergonomic comfort. With the driver's seat as far forward as possible, the disadvantage is my knees almost touch the steering wheel and that does not make it conducive to long drives. After adjusting to the visibility, I have since moved the seat back a little, although I still feel slightly uncomfortable since I feel my front passenger side visibility is a little restricted. During the weekend I made a visit to Pittsburgh, a roundtrip of 500 miles, and I did not feel any discomfort once I moved the seat back a little and gave my legs enough room to stretch out in cruise control. I have heard negative reviews about comfort for the manual transmission version of the Mustang because the clutch and shifter seem to be in awkward positions, but I've found that in my case the dashboard controls are perfectly placed and I do not need to to jerk forward to access anything. The center storage box/armrest is the only out of place object, which requires the driver to place their arm at an unnatural angle to open it and access the objects inside. Since this is a coupe, I would not want to be sitting in the rear seat because the leg room is equivalent to sitting in coach on an airplane. Sitting in front is definitely the way to go, although I should note that if the front seats are forward too far, getting in and out of the vehicle requires the occupants to contort themselves in unnatural positions.
Exterior - Called "torch red", the paint is exactly that, bright, reflective and flashy. In the wake of a few recent snowfalls, the car is in need of a good wash, but it still turns heads on the road and the salt by no means diminishes its beauty, although the paint isn't as piercing. As for other aesthetic features, the hood has the noticeable bulge in the middle although there is no supercharger underneath and the exhaust port has a faux supercharger cap. On the sides just in front of the rear wheels are faux air intake covers, and a slightly upturned rear spoiler completes the sporty look. An inch or so behind the front tires Ford placed silver 40th anniversary badges for all the 2004 Mustangs. The rear bumper extends nearly a foot from the trunk, and etched in capital letters is the word MUSTANG. For a sporty car, the rear windshield seems to be larger than most, and I find the visibility to be very good for this class of car. The spoiler by no means diminishes the visibility, although I have to take into account the depth of the bumper when backing into spaces to avoid hitting objects behind me.
Entertainment - For audiophiles looking for a good stereo system, this trim should be satisfactory. My model has two large rear speakers with good bass, one speaker inside each door, and one smaller speaker on each side opposite the side mirrors attached to the front bars. Ford has found an inventive place to put these speakers where on a nonpower mirrored car would be the adjustment levers. I do not know the exact specifications of the audio system, but on "four bars" according to the radio's digital display, the sound is loud enough to overcome the road noise, which I should say is minimal due to the foam dampeners in the vehicle. I was dismayed to find that the six disc system could not read Mp3 encoded discs, and the stock Ford Mp3 CD deck is not compatible with the wire harnesses for this Mustang. I understand the Mach 1 model is equipped with such a system. As for upgrading the deck, an aftermarket amplifier is required. I have found a way around this problem by purchasing a portable FM transmitter and attaching that to my portable CD player, both of which I keep in the center console storage bin. The deck itself reads regular discs pretty well, and skipping is minimal on bumpy roads. I did find heavily scratched discs to be unplayable. Switching discs requires only the touch of the numbered button underneath the insert door. The system allows for fast forwarding within the track, or navigation to other tracks. The buttons for these functions are combined with the seek and change functions for operating the radio. It might take some adjustment for new drivers to feel accustomed to working the audio system. Signal reception is good for both AM and FM. The antenna is a single piece on the right side in front of the windshield, and needs to be removed before going to an automatic car wash. This might not be a top-of-the-line stereo system, but it should please nearly all users.
Price - As noted before, the MSRP was $22,000. After lengthy negotiation, and because the dealership needed to move this car so a future buyer would not ignore their 2005 models, the out-the-door price was $15,255.95. At $3000 down and 6% financing for 72 months, my monthly payment is exactly $200, and the final cost after six years will be $17,500, the maximum I was willing to pay originally. Not bad for a brand new car that had 17.5 miles on it when I sat in it for the first time. I've been told that this price is literally "a hell of a deal", especially considering the dealership offers free oil changes and routine maintanance for the first two years or 24,000 miles. The basic bumper-to-bumper warranty of three years or 36,000 miles might seem skimpy compared to some of the offerings by Ford's competitors. The extended warranty, quoted for an additional $500, doubles the base warranty to six years or 72,000 miles.
Driving - Perhaps the most important category, and I wish I could write more about it except I've had the car less than a month. The handling takes a little adjustment because it's rear wheel drive. This is perhaps the car's biggest disadvantage for drivers unaccustomed to snow and ice driving. With traction control, the Mustang still had a little trouble gripping the road, and needed a running start to get up a hairpin turn driving into work. While I have so far not skidded on the road, going from a complete stop at an intersection found the wheels spinning although after letting off the accelerator I was able to get the car moving, albeit rather sluggishly. On clear roads and highways, the Mustang is a joy to drive, nimbly turning corners without tossing the occupants around like dice in a cup. Braking is good, although I caution drivers that the Mustang doesn't stop on a dime, and on quick stops a grinding sensation is transmitted from the brake pedal to the driver's foot. The cruise control is excellent, although it doesn't catch unless the accelerator is slightly depressed. Uphill and downhill in cruise control does not translate to the engine struggling to maintain speed or downshifting to prevent acceleration. In fact, I could barely discern a change on both the speedometer and tachometer. In terms of fuel economy, there is a large gap between city and highway driving. Until the car was broken in, I was getting roughly 12 miles city and 18 highway, both of which improved to 19/26 respectively, meaning 300 to 400 miles between fillups on the 15.7 gallon tank depending on driving conditions. This is by no means a fuel efficient vehicle, but for its class, it's still good. Allow a one mile improvement with the manual, and subtract a couple miles with the V8.
Assorted Trivia - The center console contains two cupholders with bumped bottoms that can hold a standard width 20 oz. bottle securely. I don't know about Big Gulp containers or insulated coffee cups. The dashboard interfaced climate control system contains two switches, one to set the degree of cold or hot, and one for the access vents. The options on the latter are AC, MAX AC, UPPER BODY, NONE, LOWER LEG & FEET, LOWER LEG & FEET/DEFROST, and DEFROST. These switches are above the stereo deck. So far the system works very well, although in very cold weather, one might have to switch every now and then between keeping the face warm or the tootsies. The car defrosts very quickly, and in below freezing weather needs less than five minutes to warm up the interior. Below the stereo deck are two buttons, the first for the rear defroster, the second for turning the traction control on or off. The rear defroster is the usual painted wire model, and also takes less than five minutes to completely eradicate any moisture from the rear windshield. By default, traction control is on when starting the car. The transmission shifter has the standard options, and is on the center console forward of the cupholders. The knob is easy to grip and has a button for turning the overdrive on and off. By default, the overdrive is on when starting the car. I have not experienced any situation where I needed to deactivate the overdrive. The steering wheel contains the cruise control functions. On the left side from top to bottom are the ON and OFF buttons. On the right side from top to bottom are the RESUME, SET ACCELERATION and COAST buttons. The RESUME function allows the driver to return to the previously set speed should they deactivate the cruise control. It also acts as a button to accelerate within cruise control. The COAST button allows the driver to decelerate within cruise control. Trunk space is minimal since the car is not a sedan. Underneath the trunk liner is a mini-spare tire or "donut", with the jack and wrench underneath. While the fuel economy isn't great, thankfully it takes 87 octane gasoline. So far I've refueled it at name-brand stations, and I've read the car might get cranky on generic fuels. The owner's manual explicitly states not to use any fuel additives or cleaners.
I don't want to write a book about this particular model, so feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions concerning anything I missed. I strongly believe that for the price, this car is well worth it, and despite it not being practical for families or drivers desiring fuel economy, it is safe, dependable and removes the feeling of driving being a chore.
If it's possible to love a machine, then I must say that I love my 2004 Ford Mustang.
Amount Paid (US$): 15,255.95
Condition: New
Model Year: 2004
Model and Options: V6 3.8L Automatic, Premium, Pony Package
