Enough with the V6 Reviews - I agree that the V6 engine is pretty crappy. Not enough engine for the noise, and not enough power for the gas mileage.

First, a little background on how my love affair happened--

I was wanting a convertible, and wasn't willing to give up ALL practicality by having no rear seat or a tiny trunk. The Ford mustang met that standard for me.

I drove a 2007 V6 first in 2007 actually. The salesman kept telling me to 'punch it', when I kept commenting that it was loud but under-powered. I was reluctant to do that, since it seemed it should have more power available, given the engine size, and 5 speeds. I did try driving it a bit more aggressively, but felt disappointed.

A bit later I tried the V8, or GT convertible, and saw the whole car differently. Not only was power there to compliment the noise of the exhaust (sound = fury) but the car felt quite unlike the V6 model overall. The GT has beefier brakes, more taut suspension, larger tires and responsiveness from the engine. Also a larger torsion bar to make the handling a bit sharper.

Keep this in mind when thinking about this car - Ford is proud of and intends to keep creating a classic American muscle car. I believe they succeeded admirably. The rumble of this car is impressive, matched by the way it will take off if pushed a bit. Being rear drive it handles like a muscle car should - no torque steer, and all horsepower available at the rear axle. Yes, it will break loose if pushed, especially when cornering. It's supposed to! It has a rather large V8!

Strap on your big boy shoes and try a GT version of this American classic pony car convertible.


Some may say "It's a bit loud"
Other may say "It rides a bit harshly"
Still others may say "Kind of expensive for an outdated design"

I say "Try any of the 2005 to 2008 GT convertible Mustangs, 5-speed auto or stick, modified exhaust or stock 3 inch stainless pipes, and hang on" The 4.6 liter engine has variable valve timing and serious attitude when pushed.

This IS your dad's Mustang, and that's the point! Ford is the only company to continuously produce a pony car since--- wait, Ford INVENTED the Pony Car didn't they?

I am not embarrassed to say I remember the first year's model because a friend had a new one, and it was superb for its time. I now have a 2006 GT convertible, in proper burgundy (reddish) with Tan leather and tan top, and it's a blast to drive.

Sure it's loud, It Is Supposed To Be, and it goes like a bat to prove it's not a pretender. My partner thought it was a bit loud at first, but she has adjusted to it quickly, and once on the road (out of the garage, where it’s loudest) does not notice it any more. At freeway speeds it is quieter than during around town acceleration, but still has an exhaust note you can hear. Hey, really, that’s part of the fun of this car.

Yeah it has a firm suspension, and that feels just right when taking a corner quickly, or cruising a freeway and changing lanes quickly. Same for stopping- the brakes are firm and effective. I find the turning radius to be tight, and it really reacts quickly to steering inputs. It is not twitchy or sloppy in any way.

OK, buy a new one loaded and it is expensive. But wait, try putting two people in a Mazda Miata convert, and some luggage in the trunk, and a dog in the back seat- wait, there is almost no trunk and not even a hint of a back seat. Spare tire? doesn’t have one! Same price by the way. Price a Chrysler convert and it is even more money. Let's see, anything else to compare it to- the Toyota Solara maybe? Please, only if you like old lady cars, and don't want much in the way of performance. Nice fit and finish of course with Toyota. Don’t even think about the Honda 2000 sports car- much more money, and again no back seat space and a tiny trunk. All I’m saying here is that this is a very practical car overall. More on that later.

For now, and even with the new Dodge Challenger rag top and Chevy Camaro convertible coming soon, this convert rules the road, with it's powerful V8, smooth tranny, strong brakes and roomy overall interior and trunk. It's the only V8 convert pony car on the road right now, still being sold new each year.

Try freshening up the air intake with something like a K&N cold air unit, and change out the standard exhaust for something from maybe Magnaflow. Then, a little tuner chip upgrade to mid grade or premium fuel. Total spent, about $800, Total received, over 350 horses and some serious bite in every gear! The auto trans has the ability to adjust to harder driving by firming up the shift points, and holding the revs longer. It also has switchable traction control and switchable overdrive for even more fun and excitement. Not that I would know about any of this first hand of course.

By the way, Ford will add a number of engine and suspension upgrades, including up to a supercharger, and still give you a new car factory warranty. Hmmm… sounds like the muscle car still lives. How about some hot different versions you ask?- try the Bullitt or the Shelby or the Cobra. Ford makes one with over 500 horses, factory made and warranted.
The standard exhaust is all stainless, 3” inside diameter piping, and made to last.

As I said at the start, forget the whining about the V6 and get a GT, then tell me what you think. Check out any annual Mustang car show, THEN tell me what you think! These Mustangs are legendary and greatly loved.

I have had mine for about a year now, and have the following to report:

It is rattle-free, trouble-free and I can’t wait to drive it! It’s just plain a fun automobile. I bought it with less than 10,000 miles on it, and the remainder of the warranty. I have had the oil changed, and keep the tires inflated properly, and that’s it so far. Those engine mods I mentioned earlier? forget I brought them up. Oh, I wash and wax it pretty regularly too. Bought a California Duster in fact to keep it spiffed up between waxings. Also did a clay bar treatment and it really sparkles. There is a little bit of candy flake in my burgundy paint, which gives it depth and sparkle.

I get 19 miles per gallon average around town, and on trips with the cruise on at 65 it returns a solid 25 MPG. The 16 gallon tank gives it plenty of cruising range, and the electronics in the dash include things like a trip meter, miles to empty, fuel economy, etc. Plenty of info. Other gauges in the dash give you stats on the battery, oil pressure, coolant temp and more. The whole gauge package is a bit retro, but fits the character of the car nicely. It also has a feature that allows you to adjust the color of the gauge lighting at night. It is pretty neat, and has a wide range of choices. Newer models can be purchased with that type of lighting in the foot wells and beverage holders.
The outlets for the heat/ac are being used in the new Lincoln MXK, and look good in both cars. A center console is roomy, but not lockable. It has a power point inside and there is another one in the front as well. Two beverage holders between the front seats hold a couple of good sized containers.

The GT radio has great sound, lots of adjustments including auto volume increase and adjustments for emphasizing sound in the front, rear, or both front and rear as general settings. A 6 disc player with MP3 capabilities rounds out the radio. I believe the standard GT radio is rated for 500 watts.

I like the power driver’s seat, and find it has plenty of adjustments, including good lumbar control. Good leg support and supportive holding for cornering are plusses I feel. The leather is good quality, with excellent finishing.
The back seats, while not having much leg room, are sharply angled backwards to maximize what leg room there is. Don’t put adults over 5 ft back there for long tho, or you may not have them as friends after 30 or more minutes of riding. Kids will love it I guarantee, and a car seat fits very easily and well.

The AC is good, especially with the top up (kidding), putting out plenty of cold air in pretty quick time. I had the windows tinted and added extra reflectivity for the South Carolina sun, which really helped the AC load. I have added to my collection of hats for driving ‘topless’.

The headlamps are interesting. Of course they have the usual high and low beams, which are quite strong by the way. It also has two large round lights set further inside the grill, and they only come on with a special pull of the headlight switch. They are sort of like fog lights, but bigger and mounted higher up. Very nice adjunct lighting I must say.
Another GT plus, like the big round chrome badge on the trunk lid. Very distinctive and sharp. The trunk itself, by the way, is quite roomy, and fairly deep.
The convertible top does not intrude into it at all when down. The trunk lid can only be opened with a key or with the remote key fob. No hidden switch inside the car for someone to find. I like the security of that.

The door locks activate at 5mpg, the driver and passenger windows have auto express up and down features, and the emergency brakes holds extremely well.

The top goes up or down in under 25 seconds, and is completely waterproof, and does not add any whistling or howling sounds when up. Preparing to open the top or close it is simple: fold the visors down, rotate the two handles on either side of the windshield, and push and hold the button in the center. The windows will automatically roll down, and the top will go up or down, depending on what you are doing. You can be rolling at up to 5 mph and still operate the top.

I have a cover for my top when down, and it really dresses up the car. I put the top down and try to keep it down as long as possible, which means it may sit in the garage if it is raining.

I have driven it during driving rains though, and it is solid and very controllable. I have also driven it in mountainous terrain under very heavy rain conditions, and again found it comfortable to drive.
Where it really excels though is during a sunny day or warm evening, top down, radio loud, arm on the window and cruising the boulevard. Pulling into a drive in, like Sonic is a real kick. I get more looks, and have had more comments from others (many people I don’t know) saying that it is a great looking car. Really fun to have a car like this, believe me.

I know this is not a traditional car review, but hope you like it, and give this excellent car a look if you are interested in this type of driving experience. Forget the V6, please. It may have it’s place, but the real Mustang convertible is the GT!!

Amount Paid (US$): 25000
Condition: Used
Model Year: 2006
Model and Options: GT Premium convertible