Mustang Panel Alignment Problems

[S650 GT]

I had a 15 GT and have a 21 GT right now. The 15 had panel gaps all misaligned because it was built a month into the run of S550s. It also had massive problems with the interior rattling around the dashboard and glovebox. My 21 has neither of those problems. Out of them guess which one I cared about? The rattles.

You don't see the panel gaps when you drive. But you will hear that rattling shit. If I were OP that would be the hill I'm more worried about with first year of a new generation. Getting uppity about Panel gaps on an American car? Maybe time to buy European...

Well, I am European and this will be my first American car.

Ofcourse I would be more worries about rattles than panel gaps. There are so many other things that are worse than panel gaps.

But I'm not going to cover all problems that could come with buying a car.

Like everybody else, we like how the Mustang looks.

Is it that hard to get the panels right?

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[S650 GT]

And here we have it again. Ughh!!

 

[Skye]

And here we have it again. Ughh!!

I wish you well, but it doesn't seem like a Mustang is your car.

You should look into a EUR model, maybe a BMW M, possibly a JP performance unit from Lexus or Infiniti.

 

[S650 GT]

I wish you well, but it doesn't seem like a Mustang is your car.

You should look into a EUR model, maybe a BMW M, possibly a JP performance unit from Lexus or Infiniti.

Just like I said. I will buy a Mustang when there are many to choose from at the dealer. They are not all the same. Some of them have good fitment.

 

[Tommy Nokes]

I wish you well, but it doesn't seem like a Mustang is your car.

Well said. I just read this entire string of someone trying to be nice and someone whining.

We are grown ups here and Mustang enthusiasts.

 

[S650 GT]

Well said. I just read this entire string of someone trying to be nice and someone whining.

We are grown ups here and Mustang enthusiasts.

I really don't understand your logic.

Adressing issues about what is annoying on a Mustang means that you are not a Mustang enthousiast?

Look at it the other way. Because we are Mustang enthousiast we care more about our cars and we fight for the car to become a better version than it is right now.

Just like I said in the begin post. People take these mistakes for granted.

 

[Evo1986]

To be fair, when I got my S550 55 years edition back in 2020, I also had those weird alignments, either on the trunk or hood. I was kind of expecting it, because it was an infamous case.

Luckily my alignments were still bearable and only noticable when you look closer. You can always go to your dealer afer that and they try to heave as good as possible.

 

[S650 GT]

To be fair, when I got my S550 55 years edition back in 2020, I also had those weird alignments, either on the trunk or hood. I was kind of expecting it, because it was an infamous case.

Luckily my alignments were still bearable and only noticable when you look closer. You can always go to your dealer afer that and they try to heave as good as possible.

Yeah that's the best thing you can do. Go to the dealer and let them know it annoys you.

For me it annoys me the same as damages. Nobody likes damages right?
Once you know it is there, then that's the only thing you look at all the time.

I want to look at my Mustang and be proud of how it looks.

 

[Evo1986]

Yeah that's the best thing you can do. Go to the dealer and let them know it annoys you.

For me it annoys me the same as damages. Nobody likes damages right?
Once you know it is there, then that's the only thing you look at all the time.

I want to look at my Mustang and be proud of how it looks.

And you will. Trust me. Those alignments unfortunately are known issues and other manufacturers face the same (maybe not to that extent) issue. I am pretty sure you'll love your Stang and the alignment may not be completely fixed, but at least improved in looks.

 

[Mike Pfeifer]

I assure you, BMW has the same fitment issues on a new car. I have seen more than a few. BUT, keep this in mind: none of the parts on the car that don’t fit right are any different than the ones that do fit right on any other car. That means the only difference is the adjustment, and that can be changed.

 

[dusman59]

There are plenty of complaints on the Corvette forums involving miss alignment issues. Many on cars costing 100k plus.

 

[IPOGT]

We do not necessarily take it for granted but we are understanding that our cars are far from perfect. Of course it shouldn’t be that way but it is what it is. Honestly I forget about my car’s imperfections the second I start the Coyote.

They should strive to have at least as good QC on build quality as the average Toyota Corolla. I think that’s a very reasonable metric. Embarrassingly so, but sadly much better than the one (if there is one) in place.

 

[Bikeman315]

They should strive to have at least as good QC on build quality as the average Toyota Corolla. I think that’s a very reasonable metric. Embarrassingly so, but sadly much better than the one (if there is one) in place.

Nine years of striving have produced some minor improvements but not nearly enough. Flat Rock management “should” be ashamed but we all know better.

 

[IPOGT]

Nine years of striving have produced some minor improvements but not nearly enough. Flat Rock management “should” be ashamed but we all know better.

Quality control seems to be something like this… “Here’s the hole, here’s the screw. It can only go here because it doesn’t fit anywhere else so they’ll be guaranteed to all be the same…..or close. roll ‘em.
It’s the “or close” ones you have to concern yourself with. I think the people on the end of the line are just making sure nothing is falling off or sticking out.

 

[f00man]

The very first thing I did when picking up my S550s was to check the panel alignment. It's a common issue in all generations to be fair. I think Ford knows a lot of Mustangs buyers end up modifying the exterior of the cars, so they just let them go thru. I thinks it's less likely in the higher trims, but than again GT350s were known to have this panel alignment issue.

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