Anyone else struggled deciding between EcoBoost and GT for daily driver?

[ListedGuru]

I was dead set on getting a 24 EB to use as a daily driver, so much so that I have one on order. The last few days a voice inside my head said I need to at least consider the GT. Wondering if anyone else here has gone through this same scenario and if so what was your decision along with some of the pros and cons you weighed?

Obviously the GT is more ($10K in my case) and I know the GT will cost more to insure, fuel and maintain. Those are all issues that are manageable but the big thing I'm fighting is the what if. I'm sure I would be happy with the EB but part of me is asking would a GT make things that much more enjoyable? I do plan to keep this car for 10+ years so I want it to be reliable but if something did come up in my life where I had to sell the car say 5 or 6 years down the road how would each fair for resale?

I see lots of talk online about the EB going EcoBoom but that seems to be more of an issue with owner's being careless with maintenance or doing other stupid things with mods, etc. TBH I haven't even driven an new GT yet and I hope to do so soon but the weather is crap here so I may have to wait a bit. Anyway any insight into their thought process on this very issue would be very beneficial to me so I appreciate any and all input.

To sum it up, I'm sure the EB would suit me just fine but I just hope a few years down down road I don't say to myself darn I should've got the GT, lol. But really do I need that much power that the GT provides (probably not) and is it worth the additional $10K price of admission? I'm a huge numbers guy so to me that's the million dollar question.

Feel free to chime in with anything that might be relevant to help me make this decison

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[DCS]

I've been retired for about 12 years and currently own a 2018 Subaru WRX (270 HP, 6-speed). It's a fun car and also practical. Problem is when we moved from Arizona to Florida 3 years ago, the closest Subaru dealer is pathetic and the next closest dealer is over 45 minutes away. At my age, I decided to buy another "fun" car. as a "daily driver" (not that I drive that much - about 5k miles per year). I decided to go "whole hog" and get a loaded GT. This will most likely be my last car.

 

[Lightningwings]

I've struggled with this question too. I think too many discount the Ecoboost for what it is. It's not any better or worse than the GT. It has its own list of Pros that some people may overlook. It is a different setup and may suit your needs better as a daily driver.
Ecoboost Pros:
-Lighter weight than the GT
-More torque in the lower RPMs
-Still RWD like the GT
-Same Interior Critter Comforts as GT
-Better MPG, insurance costs

You should not worry about Ecoboost engine failures as long as you don't do heavy modifications. My dad ordered a 22 Ecoboost 2 years ago and worried he made the wrong decision because of stories of engine failures and reliability issues, but the car has been fine with no issues. He didn't think the price of a GT justified the extra power it produced since he knew would not take advantage of it anyways. He just wanted a fun cruiser and has not regretted his decision.

 

[ListedGuru]

I've struggled with this question too. I think too many discount the Ecoboost for what it is. It's not any better or worse than the GT. It has its own list of Pros that some people may overlook. It is a different setup and may suit your needs better as a daily driver.
Ecoboost Pros:
-Lighter weight than the GT
-More torque in the lower RPMs
-Still RWD like the GT
-Same Interior Critter Comforts as GT
-Better MPG, insurance costs

You should not worry about Ecoboost engine failures as long as you don't do heavy modifications. My dad ordered a 22 Ecoboost 2 years ago and worried he made the wrong decision because of stories of engine failures and reliability issues, but the car has been fine with no issues. He didn't think the price of a GT justified the extra power it produced since he knew would not take advantage of it anyways. He just wanted a fun cruiser and has not regretted his decision.

Thanks for your input as it is very informative. I'm actually going to drive a GT this afternoon if for no other reason just to get it out of my system. Like your dad I too question if the extra $10K in my case is worth the price of admission. Not to mention when you throw in the better MPG and Insurance, etc the GT would really have to WOW me. But at my age (late 40's) I at least owe it to myself to take one for a drive

 

[Killshot58]

I didn't even consider buying the EB over the GT. I currently owned a 2008 GT (still have it) and loved it!

I had my mind set on a new car for a while. So, I went to the dealership hoping I could test drive a 2024 GT. There were none on the lot so I ordered one with no obligation to buy when it came in. They said about four months.

A week or so later they called to let me know a couple GTs arrived that I could test drive. One was an automatic and the other was a manual. (I ordered a manual.) After driving each one of them, I decided that I liked the automatic better. I didn't care for the way the manual shifted. The clutch was much different than the 2008. There wasn't much tension at all. I may have adjusted to it after a while, but I decided to go with the automatic. However, I did not want the black color. I preferred the Gray.

They called a few days later to let me know they found a Gray one. Initially, I thanked the salesman and declined. I was thinking the 5.0 V8 was a great engine, but I asked myself if I really needed something that powerful for a daily driver. Also, how often would I get a chance to really open it up to its full potential?

I couldn't stop thinking about it. So, I went to the dealership that afternoon and test drove it. Four hours later it was parked in my garage! I have no regrets. It's been a joy to drive every day!

I don't think I would have been happy with the EB. I'd always be wondering about the GT. Go for the GT! You won't regret it. Your biggest decision will be manual or automatic.

 

[SAL-E]

My last Mustang was a GT (2019). It was great, but for my usage it was overkill. This time I went with the EB, and I'm glad I did. If you are going to track it, get the GT. the EB falls off at higher speeds, but if you aren't doing that, I think the EB is a better deal. It's lighter, handles better stock, and gets 35mpg vs. The 25mpg (highway) I was getting with the GT. As a daily, that adds up. Not to mention other higher costs of the GT. For me, the only advantage of the GT was the sound. That's very important for some and rightly so, but not a big deal for me.

Enjoy your test drive and let us know what you think.

 

[horned-toad]

The EB is every bit the match of a GT short of drag racing, you just have to use more throttle. Unfortunately the 24 EB only comes with FOrd's ghastly A10. So if you want an EB you want a 22/23 manual instead.

I was luckly to see 26mpg with the EB on average. More like 24s was routine. the GT clocked in 20/21. So the fuel savings were hardly worth crowing about.

 

[ListedGuru]

I've struggled with this question too. I think too many discount the Ecoboost for what it is. It's not any better or worse than the GT. It has its own list of Pros that some people may overlook. It is a different setup and may suit your needs better as a daily driver.
Ecoboost Pros:
-Lighter weight than the GT
-More torque in the lower RPMs
-Still RWD like the GT
-Same Interior Critter Comforts as GT
-Better MPG, insurance costs

You should not worry about Ecoboost engine failures as long as you don't do heavy modifications. My dad ordered a 22 Ecoboost 2 years ago and worried he made the wrong decision because of stories of engine failures and reliability issues, but the car has been fine with no issues. He didn't think the price of a GT justified the extra power it produced since he knew would not take advantage of it anyways. He just wanted a fun cruiser and has not regretted his decision.

Just a few more thoughts after I previously responded to your post earlier. I noticed you have a 24 GT and I'm sure you've driven your dad's 22 EB. How would you compare the two for daily driver duty? Do you find the GT that much more engaging to drive in everyday traffic? I've test driven two different 24 EB's and I really did like them. I did just drive a '24 GT and was really impressed with it but unfortunately do to weather and less than ideal road conditions the drive was pretty short with only a few "spririted" bursts, lol.

 

[ListedGuru]

I didn't even consider buying the EB over the GT. I currently owned a 2008 GT (still have it) and loved it!

I had my mind set on a new car for a while. So, I went to the dealership hoping I could test drive a 2024 GT. There were none on the lot so I ordered one with no obligation to buy when it came in. They said about four months.

A week or so later they called to let me know a couple GTs arrived that I could test drive. One was an automatic and the other was a manual. (I ordered a manual.) After driving each one of them, I decided that I liked the automatic better. I didn't care for the way the manual shifted. The clutch was much different than the 2008. There wasn't much tension at all. I may have adjusted to it after a while, but I decided to go with the automatic. However, I did not want the black color. I preferred the Gray.

They called a few days later to let me know they found a Gray one. Initially, I thanked the salesman and declined. I was thinking the 5.0 V8 was a great engine, but I asked myself if I really needed something that powerful for a daily driver. Also, how often would I get a chance to really open it up to its full potential?

I couldn't stop thinking about it. So, I went to the dealership that afternoon and test drove it. Four hours later it was parked in my garage! I have no regrets. It's been a joy to drive every day!

I don't think I would have been happy with the EB. I'd always be wondering about the GT. Go for the GT! You won't regret it. Your biggest decision will be manual or automatic.

Your story is what I'm afraid is happening to me, lol. May I ask what kind of mpg's your seeing with the 24 GT and what your overall driving route is (city, highway, mix, etc). So you don't think the GT is too much car to be used as a DD?

 

[papaD]

Get in, roll down the windows, start up the car and drive.

Nothing sounds as nice a V8, especially the Coyote.

Just sayin...

 

[horned-toad]

So you don't think the GT is too much car to be used as a DD?

To DD a GT you barely use 10% of it's capability. whereas you can use 40% of the EB and not land your butt in jail. Do you drive with the motor lounging along at 1500 RPM? Or do you keep it on the boil above 3000?

 

[krisk]

Your story is what I'm afraid is happening to me, lol. May I ask what kind of mpg's your seeing with the 24 GT and what your overall driving route is (city, highway, mix, etc). So you don't think the GT is too much car to be used as a DD?

I waited until my kids were grown and moved out before I ever bought a vehicle I didn’t “need.” I still don’t need the GT for daily driving, but after driving vehicles for 30 years based on what is practical, I went for the GT. No regrets. I average around 18.5 mpg mixed driving. Only you can decide if you’ll be happy with the EB. If you are going to be happy with the EB, then it’s crazy to spend the extra for a GT. If the rumble of a muscle car is important to you, then you’ll never be satisfied with a turbocharged 4 cylinder.

 

[ListedGuru]

My last Mustang was a GT (2019). It was great, but for my usage it was overkill. This time I went with the EB, and I'm glad I did. If you are going to track it, get the GT. the EB falls off at higher speeds, but if you aren't doing that, I think the EB is a better deal. It's lighter, handles better stock, and gets 35mpg vs. The 25mpg (highway) I was getting with the GT. As a daily, that adds up. Not to mention other higher costs of the GT. For me, the only advantage of the GT was the sound. That's very important for some and rightly so, but not a big deal for me.

Enjoy your test drive and let us know what you think.

Thanks for the reply and I totally agree with you about the sound. Just got back from a quick 10 minute drive in a 24 GT 10A albeit at mostly low speeds. It's really cold where I am and the roads are still pretty wet and slushy in spots so I had to take it easy. Honestly I was super impressed with it but like I mentioned I probably only got to check out acceleration at maybe 1/3 throttle with a few quick bursts. I was worried the car would be too loud even though it only had the stock exhaust. Honestly it was anything but and the sounds just kind of fades into the background even with the radio off.

I do wonder what kind of mpg's GT (and EB owner's for that matter) are seeing in various different driving situations. I guess the thing that give me pause is the $10K upgrade and the additional cost of gas, insurance and maintenance, etc. But really I don't drive a ton so I don't think the gas situation wouldn't be a deal breaker for me. I guess I'm going to have to stew on these for a bit and run the numbers and see if that $10K upgrade is worth the price of admission!

 

[horned-toad]

I guess the thing that give me pause is the $10K upgrade and the additional cost of gas, insurance and maintenance, etc. But really I don't drive a ton so I don't think the gas situation wouldn't be a deal breake

do you want funnish transport, or do you want restrained enjoyment?

 

[SAL-E]

do you want funnish transport, or do you want restrained enjoyment?

Both cars fit that description. The difference is attitude...

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