Order a 26?

[slater]

@slater : So I have a question: If you came out of a Taco, why not a 2-door F-150, or even a Bronco? Various models, or even a Ranger variant? Why a Mustang?

Theres 2 parts to that...
When I retired in early 23..
I killed myself for 32 years, I wanted a toy...
I was engine tech for Ford, I only saw the bad, I needed to sleep at night, you know where im going with this..
I bought the 4 door Tacoma, end of 24, has 10k on it.
Also in January I bought a 4 door 5.0 F150, mostly for my other 1/2 but she still has her 2010 Lexus RX 350 which I hate.....

So dont need 2 trucks....

Just the service dept at Toyota has disgusted me & this was a simple scenario!!!
Im on various forums & I always here how all the cry babies that dont even know what end of the wrench to hold always bash dealers, especially toyota.
These guys know better, & just bitch & bitch...
I defend dealers, techs, etc, regardless of the make, its a hard job...
I was top tier, I killed myself day in & day out!!!

Took the toyota in for a trans shift issue, they verified the issue & replaced the trans.
I pick it up & grease everywhere.
I drive it home & crawl under it & new trans is leaking at the rear extension housing.
I email the owner & service manager, they promise me an extensive detail to make up for the grease.
I take it back to get the leak fixed.
Discussing the scenario with the shop foreman, he initially said they were going to replace the trans again even though the reseal of the extension housing would be a simple repair.
He changed his mind & they reseal it, which is fine by me,
I pick it up & they totally dropped the ball on the detail, it was never washed, detailed, nothing.
Drive it home, trans is still leaking in the same spot.

Think the bottom retaining bolt for the extension housing was mis machined & drilled all the way through into the main case so that bolt is swimming in trans fluid & fluid is leaking out of the threads.

Just the simplest job has turned into a total shit show.
Apparently the left hand doesnt know what the right hand is doing, manager not communicating with service writers, etc....

Yes, im next level since I was in the industry as long as I was, they know that...
More of a reason for then to go above & beyond & not f@k up on this one.

Had a brake line replacement recall done last year.
Took it home & writer calls me, the tech would like you to bring the truck back, he left a flash light under the truck.
I hear the tech in the background coaching the writer.

I insist to talk to the tech.
Where's this flashlight, ill grab it so we dont lose it.....

He left VICE GRIPS clamped onto the rear rubber brake lines, crimped the lines.
First of all you dont need to do that, youre not going to lose much fluid.
Its bad for the lines, etc...
Sent me on my way!!!!

The paint is potato chip thin, its just absolute garbage when it comes to the paint.
I knew the paint was questionable but didnt expect it to be so soft, thin, & brittle all at the same time.

So to answer your question.
A bronco would be cool but since we have the f series, nah.
Theyre noisy, not a fan of the interior layout, the front overall interior is narrow for what they are.

Im getting older 54, my driving ability for whatever reason is getting sucky, im super cautious, paranoid about all the idiot drivers around me.
Further more I cant stand any body roll, I freak out!!!
No idea what has changed in the brain, but it is what it is & cant fix it.

End of the day, since I have the f series, think the mustang would be perfect, hopefully.
Always had one when I was younger...

Im def not a fan of the ranger, think the maverick looks better.
Hands down the new 24-26 tacoma looks sharp compared to the ranger!

Furthermore ford techs specialize & theyre not bumper to bumper.
In my mind that makes the quality of the difficult jobs questionable.
I was a line tech, all aspects of engine work, cooling system issues, exhaust issues, manual trans issue, broken bolts, didnt matter who broke them,
You wouldnt want me to overhaul your auto trans.
theres techs that truly have a skill level only good enough to be a lube tech, do you want him to replace your short block in your Toyota Tundra?
Specializing & just focusing on your skill set is what makes you good at what you do....
I can diagnose any engine or non engine related noises as the vehicle is just driving by....

Sorry for the long rant.

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[slater]

Yeah, my seats are not power, normal tracks, recline lever and height lever (300a)

what year is yours?
I wouldnt have expected that from ford on the mustang, but I dont know everything!
Thats why im here asking so many dumb questions.

 

[slater]

I test drove 3.15 and 3.55 gears because I really didnt want lazy "fun" gears. It took a month of searching but I made sure to get the 3.55s. It's not dramatic but it definitely kicks harder even at lower RPMs which is more fun for me.

Auto or stick?
Is yours a daily driver or a weekend toy?

 

[Q6543]

Auto, 2024, weekend, garage toy, just broke 10k miles, got it in September 2023,
Just like you want yours, with springs etc

 

[BimmerDriver]

I've owned 3 Mustangs, GT coupe, GT premium 'vert, and dark horse. All manuals.

IMHO you should skip the packages, Premium, etc. It's just not worth the money, especially in your case where you are going to modify the sound system and suspension anyway.

And power seats... how often do you move the seat once you've got it where you want it? Me, never. If you plan to share the car with the wife, then perhaps electric memory seats might be worth it.

 

[gyver65]

Ah, a fully loaded example.

You are going to be quite satisfied with this build. The performance package stiffens the car up quite a bit even without Magneride, but with it, it'll feel even stiffer in the sportier modes, and very plush in the softer modes. Active Exhaust is another option I missed on my GT, and while I still love the sound of mine, having AE is gonna be a game changer.

If you're getting the performance package, you're not going to get a spare tire. You'll get an inflater/sealant kit instead.

Just remember to budget an extra wad of cash for winter tires, if you're in a colder area. The Pirellis are undrivable in the cold, as many of us will tell you from experience.

Outside of that, if you can't get in for a '27, just wait for the next generation.

Thank you for your input! That is some very good info!

 

[mabcim]

Don’t guess on the gears, go test drive both.
Don’t guess on PP, go test drive.

You need to decide if you want the separate screens or the integrated one (a panel that covers both). That will narrow down the packages for you.
Cloth vs leather also narrows down the packages.

Back when I was looking into ordering a ‘25, I drove all combinations; even a stick. As far as the gears go, do you want it to really launch when you take off, or do you want the better gas mileage? For me, I wanted the most fun, so didn’t care about gas mileage.
Kind of the same for the PP, do you want the best stopping power?
Of course each of these choices adds other things, but those are ‘simple’ decisions to make to help you pick.

For me, it was going to be a Premium GT with PP with auto. I want leather and all the power goodies. As much as I don’t like the tablet instrument cluster, the dual version was a worst look to me. I don’t bother upgrading factory stereos, so want the best they offer.

When I finally decided what I wanted, it was the day the order banks closed. Didn’t like the changes to the ‘26, so didn’t order. Went a different route (see my avatar).

In the end, only you can determine what you want. Test driving is what will help.

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