This Just Got Real!

[xrs]

I'm at 950km now. Hopefully I notice the same change soon.
Mine has it's three month inspection booked on Wednesday.

bfets you will notice it especially seeing you have the Dark Horse with the extra horsepower. At 4400kms now, I didn't notice it that much as I always drive in sports mode where everything is more responsive, normal mode is let say I can't do it I need the pep in its step its like a drug. The pops and bangs are just simply gorgeous. Filling up on Saturday I had white S650 pulls up on the bowser to the right of me, we got immediately to discussing how great our cars are lol just a random dude didn't know him.

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[DFB5.0]

Mustang washed and ready to swap places with old blue..................................

 

[DFB5.0]

I recently put the Mustang’s Performance Pack wheels up for sale. These wheels have been sitting in storage gathering dust since they were removed from the vehicle in October last year. At one point I was going to ceramic coat them, but considering I had no intention of refitting them to the car, I just couldn’t see the point. I’m also considering a wheel change at some point, so they had to go.

I will admit, they can look fantastic, but its only a brief moment.

Selling S550 and S650 Performance Pack wheels is difficult, just check out the usual selling platforms to see what I mean. Most people remove them from their Mustang for the same reasons I have, as in they are too fussy looking and a pain to clean. Thankfully, earlier this week I had lady willing to come look at them. To maximise my chance of selling the wheels, I thought I’d better make sure the potential buyer had every reason to buy them, make them stand out from the crowd.

Despite being cleaned before storage, the wheels and tyres were dusty from sitting for so long. All they needed was a quick hose off, but that’s not me. For the tyres, I actually cleaned not only the sidewall, but the tread as well, you can see why in the image below. The wheels were then given a quick once over with a brush. Both wheel and tyre were cleaned with foamed Brake Buster.

Clean, I then went ahead and applied Hydr02, then blew dry with the EGO. The sidewalls had some sort of white residue, so I needed to break out the Tarminator.

From here, I finished off the drying with a wipe down using ADS Amplify. For the tyres, I applied a light layer of OG Tire Dressing, then buffed flat using a towel.

This morning, the buyer arrived with her husband to look at the wheels, both being true Ford guys. I think they were a little shell shocked by the garage and the metal parked in there, the XR8 in particular. They came in separate cars, a clear sign they were buying today. The lady arrived in an S550 EcoBoost Hardtop in Magnetic grey. These came from the factory with a square 9-inch wide wheel with 255/40/R19 tyres. Fitting GT Performance Pack wheels to an EcoBoost takes the rears to 9.5-inch wide and 275/40/R19 tyres, the front’s remain the same. After a quick look over, I got what I was asking for wheels and they were loaded into the husbands V8 Patrol. They had an appointment to have them fitted at the local Bob Jane.

I mention all that because THIS is how you buy something. None of the pointless messages asking “is this still available”, I swear the next person who asks that is going to be hunted down and brutally murdered! Or messages asking about the item, then discovered where it’s located AFTER wasting my time, followed by “oh, I might come on the weekend”………………..no, “might” doesn’t work for me, you either want it not. I had one potential buyer wanting me to just sell him the wheels, um…………….no, I’m not paying to have the tyres removed so that you can get a discount, they are sold AS IS!

In this case, the buyer wasn’t lazy, as in didn’t hit the auto-generated “is this still available” bullsh.t. Instead, a simple “I’m interested in having a look at these wheels”. We then agreed on a time and day, everything was respectful and pleasant. Maybe the price I was asking weeded out the riff raff? In any case, because of the respect, I sent her more photos of them being detailed, then made sure they were presented properly when they arrived. I even threw in a couple of un-used detailing products. I have my money, and they have a virtually brand-new set of wheels and tyres for their Mustang. I also got to talk to two enthusiasts.

Now? What will I spend the money on?

 

[Frogdog1]

I can't deny it, watching fellow members get their new S650 Mustang's over the last couple of months has had me green with envy.

My day actually started with me feeling sore and sorry for myself, I didn't sleep very well, and neck pain is giving me grief again. After breakfast and a strong coffee, I got in the car for a trip to the bank, the Stihl dealer and then off to the Ford dealer to leave my number plates and touch base again, in that order.

In actual fact, I had only ever spoken in person with my salesman twice, first was on the 21st of September 2022 when I put down a deposit for a new Mustang. I then sat with him on the 30th of October 2023 when Ford released pricing for the new Mustang. All other correspondence has been by phone, text message or email, which suits me just fine.

Standing in the bank to be served was an exercise in frustration, always is. On my way out of the bank and the Stihl dealer next on the agenda, I took a glance at my phone and spotted something that took my breath away!

That picture was taken seconds after delivery. If I had gone to the dealer first instead of the bank, I would have seen the car being driven off the truck! Safe to say, I didn't go to the Stihl dealer next! I messaged back and said I would be arriving in a few minutes!

As I walked into the showroom, I spotted the car sitting in the delivery bay, the salesman collecting all of the build sheets and window sticker. As he walked towards me, I started to choke up and was nearly brought to tears................................after 765 days, or 2 years and 25 days, my new car landed at my local Ford dealer!

The car is dirty, as expected, but oh so sweet in person. As others have noted, pictures don't do the S650 justice. Compared to the S550, this new Mustang is sharper and tauter looking. Those blacked out headlights are soooo good, especially comparing to the non-black pack Mustang that was also delivered today. I still hate the wheels, they block the view to the red Brembo calipers that come standard with Magneride.

I also got the opportunity to fire up the engine for the first time, and a few cheeky blips of the throttle with the exhaust in track mode. Compared to my S550, its a little tame, so I may end up swapping out the suitcase resonator for an X-Pipe, I actually love the standard angled exhaust tips.

After an extended chat and walk around the car, I also got to meet the detailer in person to go over what I wanted and to show him over the Flow number plate brackets. They will wash the car as normal, I want it presentable and any issues noticed/sorted before delivery. I know a lot of guys say "DONT TOUCH IT", but I would rather anything wrong noticed before I hand over the cheque. There will be no polishing either, which he understood after I explained my background. I feel like I'm in safe hands.

Being mid-week and the detailer away on Friday, I was happy to have the car delivered next Tuesday, I want it done right. There is probably more to say but I'm so wired at the moment!

I can't believe this is actually happening!

I'm happy for you especially since you got the correct color and the "Nite Pony" option.

Question for the OP: I was over a company in Brisbane as well as one here in "the states". I traveled to Brisbane and worked there a lot. It seemed that people were VERY CAUTIOUS about exceeding speed limits in Australia. Fines must be very high I guess.

IF that's true, where to you "open up" your car there? Perhaps by going west towards the less populated areas? Just wondering. People here don't necessarily pay as much attention to speed limits at all.

 

[DFB5.0]

I'm happy for you especially since you got the correct color and the "Nite Pony" option.

Question for the OP: I was over a company in Brisbane as well as one here in "the states". I traveled to Brisbane and worked there a lot. It seemed that people were VERY CAUTIOUS about exceeding speed limits in Australia. Fines must be very high I guess.

IF that's true, where to you "open up" your car there? Perhaps by going west towards the less populated areas? Just wondering. People here don't necessarily pay as much attention to speed limits at all.

Depending on the state, fines are indeed heavy. In Victoria where I live, tolerance is low and penalties high. Without getting too political, its more about generating income for the state than it is for road safety. Receiving a fine in the mail a month after the offence does absolutely nothing.

Having said that, the speed limits are there for a reason.....................I just wish the police would do their jobs on Friday and Saturday night, typically between 10pm and 2am. The level of hooning is astronomical, my main gripe being the noise. I'm all for a nice sounding engine and exhaust note............................but not at 1am when I'm trying to sleep.

As for how and where someone would use the potential of their performance car, you just need to be respectful. In that I mean don't draw attention to yourself by running your straight piped V8 at full noise down main street, do that a few times in a small town and the cops will know who and where you are.....................don't be that guy. Living in rural town, there are plenty of quiet country roads that are out of harm's way. While still outside of the rules, on a quiet road the odd squirt here and there is not hurting anyone. A time and place for everything.

 

[Frogdog1]

Depending on the state, fines are indeed heavy. In Victoria where I live, tolerance is low and penalties high. Without getting too political, its more about generating income for the state than it is for road safety. Receiving a fine in the mail a month after the offence does absolutely nothing.

Having said that, the speed limits are there for a reason.....................I just wish the police would do their jobs on Friday and Saturday night, typically between 10pm and 2am. The level of hooning is astronomical, my main gripe being the noise. I'm all for a nice sounding engine and exhaust note............................but not at 1am when I'm trying to sleep.

As for how and where someone would use the potential of their performance car, you just need to be respectful. In that I mean don't draw attention to yourself by running your straight piped V8 at full noise down main street, do that a few times in a small town and the cops will know who and where you are.....................don't be that guy. Living in rural town, there are plenty of quiet country roads that are out of harm's way. While still outside of the rules, on a quiet road the odd squirt here and there is not hurting anyone. A time and place for everything.

Good reply. The "money raising" goes on here too, as it is right now in a certain part of town. Small towns, especially, set up speed traps knowing they can fund their entire budget from speeding tickets. As for noisy exhausts, I too enjoy a little bit of respect and common sense, and yes, a good exhaust note at the right place and time is cool. G'day, Mate......FD

 

[DFB5.0]

I happened to be reading the above post while watching the following video, which shows two things...........................



Firstly, the level of aggression and speed shown within a city area is reckless. Then there is the exhaust, which to my ears is completely obnoxious and not at all nice sounding. Loud? Absolutely. Sounds good? No, not at all.

Combine the two and you have what I don't like about car culture. This behavior might make for a good video, but it taints the hobby for EVERYONE. That's why we end up with heavy policing and fines and red-light cameras and............................................

Yes, I have a few videos that show heavy use of the throttle, but they are not in a built up area.

 

[DFB5.0]

One cleaned and put away..............................................

One uncovered and ready to make some noise!

 

[DFB5.0]

I noticed late last week that my original CTEK MXS 3.6 wasn't actually charging the battery it was connected to, the Mustang. I have two chargers, this and a newer MXS 5.0. I connected the new one to the Mustang and it began charging, then pulse cycling as they are designed to do rather than a continuous trickle. The old one wasn't doing this, so I guess it was time for replacement. Looking at my records, I bought this charger in November 2011, so I've had a decent run out of it.

I briefly entertained a switch to a different brand but quickly ruled that out as I already have whip lines fitted to each battery. These quick connect lines eliminate the need for the standard alligator clips, which I'm not a fan of as in some cases it doesn't provide a properly secure grip. The fittings also mean a single connection to the battery, not two separate attachments.

Standard alligator clips..................

At the moment, Amazon has the cheapest price for the MXS 5.0 by a considerable margin, free shipping as well. You can also get them from eBay, but Amazon have a much easier process to follow should a return be needed. Quite often, CTEK will be on sale at the likes of Repco and Autobarn, but I'm impatient and wanted one NOW. Ordered on Sunday night, here Tuesday morning. I paid less for this newer/better version than I did for the original one in 2011.

CTEK MXS 5.0, Battery Charger 12V with Built in Temperature Compensation, Motorcycle and Car Charger, Smart Battery Charger, Battery Maintainer with Reconditioning Mode and Dedicated AGM Mode : Amazon.com.au: Automotive

CTEK MXS 5.0T Battery Charger 8 Stage Charge Profile 5A 12V Max - 56-987 | CTEK | Shop our Full Range by Brand at Autobarn | Autobarn Category | Autobarn

CTEK Battery Charger 12v 5 Amp 8 Stage - MXS5.0 - CTEK | Repco Australia

To be truthful, the old MXS 3.6 had been playing up for a while. After hooking it up, I had to "massage" the mode button to get it to select the correct setting, sometimes it would work instantly, other times it needed quite a number of attempts. The newer MXS 5.0 will automatically select the correct mode setting.

CTEK are probably overpriced for what they are, but I've stuck with the brand as it simplifies a process that I don't like dealing with, for some reason I get anxious working with batteries.

 

[xrs]

I finally got the wing on, battled with the cold and rain lol.

 

[DFB5.0]

I finally got the wing on, battled with the cold and rain lol.

Looks like it was always meant to be there! Well done.

 

[Saphire]

I can't deny it, watching fellow members get their new S650 Mustang's over the last couple of months has had me green with envy.

My day actually started with me feeling sore and sorry for myself, I didn't sleep very well, and neck pain is giving me grief again. After breakfast and a strong coffee, I got in the car for a trip to the bank, the Stihl dealer and then off to the Ford dealer to leave my number plates and touch base again, in that order.

In actual fact, I had only ever spoken in person with my salesman twice, first was on the 21st of September 2022 when I put down a deposit for a new Mustang. I then sat with him on the 30th of October 2023 when Ford released pricing for the new Mustang. All other correspondence has been by phone, text message or email, which suits me just fine.

Standing in the bank to be served was an exercise in frustration, always is. On my way out of the bank and the Stihl dealer next on the agenda, I took a glance at my phone and spotted something that took my breath away!

That picture was taken seconds after delivery. If I had gone to the dealer first instead of the bank, I would have seen the car being driven off the truck! Safe to say, I didn't go to the Stihl dealer next! I messaged back and said I would be arriving in a few minutes!

As I walked into the showroom, I spotted the car sitting in the delivery bay, the salesman collecting all of the build sheets and window sticker. As he walked towards me, I started to choke up and was nearly brought to tears................................after 765 days, or 2 years and 25 days, my new car landed at my local Ford dealer!

The car is dirty, as expected, but oh so sweet in person. As others have noted, pictures don't do the S650 justice. Compared to the S550, this new Mustang is sharper and tauter looking. Those blacked out headlights are soooo good, especially comparing to the non-black pack Mustang that was also delivered today. I still hate the wheels, they block the view to the red Brembo calipers that come standard with Magneride.

I also got the opportunity to fire up the engine for the first time, and a few cheeky blips of the throttle with the exhaust in track mode. Compared to my S550, its a little tame, so I may end up swapping out the suitcase resonator for an X-Pipe, I actually love the standard angled exhaust tips.

After an extended chat and walk around the car, I also got to meet the detailer in person to go over what I wanted and to show him over the Flow number plate brackets. They will wash the car as normal, I want it presentable and any issues noticed/sorted before delivery. I know a lot of guys say "DONT TOUCH IT", but I would rather anything wrong noticed before I hand over the cheque. There will be no polishing either, which he understood after I explained my background. I feel like I'm in safe hands.

Being mid-week and the detailer away on Friday, I was happy to have the car delivered next Tuesday, I want it done right. There is probably more to say but I'm so wired at the moment!

I can't believe this is actually happening!

Want a great resonator delete, Borla Switchfire. Will make your car scream.

 

[DFB5.0]

It's been a while..........................

I've been experimenting with Drag Mode, specifically how it affects manual shift speed. The actual speed at which the shift is completed is extremely impressive. But I just wish there wasn't such a lag time between flipping the paddle and the gearbox responding. At least when in Drag mode, the shift is quicker, which tends to give the impression of a faster response.

 

[xrs]

So I officially hate dealers, there I said it, it's off my chest now, they had my car for four days, in that time all they could do was replace my rear windscreen to fix the demister, do half of the software upgrade and replace the leather on the back rest of the driver's seat, they then proceeded to damage the rear dash cam cable, so they have to order a new cable sigh, didn't have time to check the battery which on the dealers screen will only load to 43% and it still require more software upgrade, ffs. I don't want to take it back to get the battery replaced with these idiots it will most likely take them three months to get a new dash cam cable, it took them a year to get the rear windscreen, can I take the car to a battery place and get them to load test it and replace it so I can stop getting these messages that my car is in battery saver mode?

 

[N1T3MRE]

So I officially hate dealers, there I said it, it's off my chest now, they had my car for four days, in that time all they could do was replace my rear windscreen to fix the demister, do half of the software upgrade and replace the leather on the back rest of the driver's seat, they then proceeded to damage the rear dash cam cable, so they have to order a new cable sigh, didn't have time to check the battery which on the dealers screen will only load to 43% and it still require more software upgrade, ffs. I don't want to take it back to get the battery replaced with these idiots it will most likely take them three months to get a new dash cam cable, it took them a year to get the rear windscreen, can I take the car to a battery place and get them to load test it and replace it so I can stop getting these messages that my car is in battery saver mode?

Have found mycar service centre helpful near me, they did my Santa Fe battery hassle free, it is a franchise, so hoping same service everywhere.

Still trying to decide where to get 12 month service done on the Gold coast so I don't have a service situation tale to tell

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