S650 Delivery Road Trip Home

[N1T3MRE]

What a day, picked up the Dark Horse this morning from Auto Protective in Brisbane (Josh and the team did a superb job) and started the 1000km trip up the Bruce home....didn't quite make home tonight as I didn't get out of Brisbane till just before lunch, and not driving in the dark up here with the over sized grasshoppers ...but what have I learnt today:

1. The car is so much lower with transport stops out....make sure the dealer does this
2. Make sure the dealer fits the under body strakes (mine were in the wheel well, need to find someone with ramps when I get home)
3. The ppf on blue ember makes it strike even more
4. Track mode on start up is stupid loud (apologized for scaring the old couple in the van that pulled up beside for lunch at Childers)
5. Drove for 8hrs on the Bruce, am not tired, no cramped hands or arms, no sore back and legs.
6. Rough roads and potholes no issues so far
7. Where have ventilated seats been all my life
8. Yes there was some fiddling around at the start with the dash, but after 8 hrs, phone calls, music, changing modes and changing AC settings, it is not that bad
9. There is a black pony in the passenger side of windscreen...noticed it when I turned wipers on driving through a storm
10. Had some problems getting mirrors where I want them....took a couple stops to sort out.
11. Can't complain about fuel economy....10l/100km, including an hour driving round Brisbane
12. Flow brackets worked a treat and fit perfectly

Other things that I am interested in hearing from everyone else....thought the bonnet was not closed...it is, just lifts badly when trucks go past at 100, and central console got quite warm after continuous driving, but to be expected I guess

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[5.0ALM]

11. Can't complain about fuel economy....10l/100km, including an hour driving round Brisbane

Other things that I am interested in hearing from everyone else....thought the bonnet was not closed...it is, just lifts badly when trucks go past at 100...

Excellent stuff Rod!
Looks great.

I took my plates and Flow Designs brackets into my dealer today, and got the opportunity to give their GT auto demonstrator a test drive.

I averaged 10.4 l/100 on the 20 minute drive around, in both stop start traffic and a run on the Cunningham Hwy. Better than I was expecting!

Noticed that the hood bonnet appeared to lift slightly at 100kmh. I'd swear it was at the driver's end, and not up front. Maybe an optical illusion?

The steering was heavier than I was expecting. I recall many Youtubers (in Merica) were complaining about the steering being light. This was not the case at all.

I found the visibility out the rear window was better than I was expecting as well.

Enjoy the new toy.
I think you'll have quite a rare car in your neck of the woods.

 

[Sofa King]

...Other things that I am interested in hearing from everyone else....thought the bonnet was not closed...it is, just lifts badly when trucks go past at 100, ...

Just about every Mustang I have had (S197, S550, S650) needed the hood stops and or the hood latch adjusted to fix this.

Car looks awesome BTW.

 

[smurfslayer]

#OneLessprius

great looking car. I agree on the hood stops. I had to take TX 130 home from pickup, speed limit is 85mph so average travel speed is about 90-95mph. I noticed the hood lifting when I had to get in behind someone at speed. As soon as I hit unclean air, the hood looked a bit troubling, but did stay with us. I adjusted mine up a bit and it seems a bit more stable now.

 

[Frostee]

Great to hear you’re loving the car.

I have a GT and there’s no hood movement, so as mentioned above it will need adjustment

 

[Deano1978]

What a day, picked up the Dark Horse this morning from Auto Protective in Brisbane (Josh and the team did a superb job) and started the 1000km trip up the Bruce home....didn't quite make home tonight as I didn't get out of Brisbane till just before lunch, and not driving in the dark up here with the over sized grasshoppers ...but what have I learnt today:

1. The car is so much lower with transport stops out....make sure the dealer does this
2. Make sure the dealer fits the under body strakes (mine were in the wheel well, need to find someone with ramps when I get home)
3. The ppf on blue ember makes it strike even more
4. Track mode on start up is stupid loud (apologized for scaring the old couple in the van that pulled up beside for lunch at Childers)
5. Drove for 8hrs on the Bruce, am not tired, no cramped hands or arms, no sore back and legs.
6. Rough roads and potholes no issues so far
7. Where have ventilated seats been all my life
8. Yes there was some fiddling around at the start with the dash, but after 8 hrs, phone calls, music, changing modes and changing AC settings, it is not that bad
9. There is a black pony in the passenger side of windscreen...noticed it when I turned wipers on driving through a storm
10. Had some problems getting mirrors where I want them....took a couple stops to sort out.
11. Can't complain about fuel economy....10l/100km, including an hour driving round Brisbane
12. Flow brackets worked a treat and fit perfectly

Other things that I am interested in hearing from everyone else....thought the bonnet was not closed...it is, just lifts badly when trucks go past at 100, and central console got quite warm after continuous driving, but to be expected I guess

In the close up of the number plate are there little dimples either side of it on the bumper, or is it just the photo? They look symmetrical.

 

[N1T3MRE]

There are, must be marks for drilling front supplied plate holder which is huge.....the flow brackets so much better, and once number plate, you can't see them on front of car

 

[N1T3MRE]

Great to hear you’re loving the car.

I have a GT and there’s no hood movement, so as mentioned above it will need adjustment

Home now, ready for the next road trip....also found today that the drivers side air intake not lined up with filter...another thing worth checking on everyone else's cars...should be an easy fix by pulling out filter box and putting ducting in correct position.....even with screen protector....10hrs of driving and my sweaty fingers made one hell of a mess

 

[Alan Applegate]

I want to comment further on the mirrors. Personally, I find them a bit lacking. Certainly my Ranger's mirrors are larger (there's even enough room to use small convex mirrors dots). However, considering the Mustang is somewhat harder to see out of than most coupes (glad I don't own a Camaro!), I certainly would like to have the side mirrors be larger.

 

[Bossburton]

Congratulations on your acquisition. Nice choice of colour looks great.
I'm guessing you live around Mackay. I'm hearing from friends in Qld the Bruce Hwy is in poor shape and has been this way for decades. Wise move not to drive at night.
Thanks for the heads up regarding the underbody strakes. Something I'll check with my dealer when the car finally arrives.
Noticed on SBS last night the Maritime Workers on the east coast of America are on strike and my Blue Ember DH has been sitting at Baltimore Port for 3 weeks waiting for a ride to Oz. Looks like my ETA of 30 Nov is bound to be extended.

 

[347Stang]

#OneLessprius

great looking car. I agree on the hood stops. I had to take TX 130 home from pickup, speed limit is 85mph so average travel speed is about 90-95mph. I noticed the hood lifting when I had to get in behind someone at speed. As soon as I hit unclean air, the hood looked a bit troubling, but did stay with us. I adjusted mine up a bit and it seems a bit more stable now.

I've experenced this aswell at higher speeds, there appears to be a lot of movement (waving action) I would say. Makes me a little nervous, almost looks like the damn thing is gonna come unlatched.

I checked hood body lines they are good, and the hood doesnt stick up at the nose.
To much air getting under the hood I think.

 

[N1T3MRE]

I want to comment further on the mirrors. Personally, I find them a bit lacking. Certainly my Ranger's mirrors are larger (there's even enough room to use small convex mirrors dots). However, considering the Mustang is somewhat harder to see out of than most coupes (glad I don't own a Camaro!), I certainly would like to have the side mirrors be larger.

My other car is a Prado, and do a fair bit of towing so understand what you are saying about size of mirrors....the mirrors did get a bit to get used to, but as ALM5.0 said, the vision out of the cabin and rear mirror is remarkable, the only thing I would like is to move the mirrors maybe 50mm further towards the front of the vehicle just to get the right angle of seeing the rear quarter of the car...the blind spot monitor works a treat though...bigger mirrors would ruin the aesthetics of the new stang in my opinion

 

[N1T3MRE]

Congratulations on your acquisition. Nice choice of colour looks great.
I'm guessing you live around Mackay. I'm hearing from friends in Qld the Bruce Hwy is in poor shape and has been this way for decades. Wise move not to drive at night.
Thanks for the heads up regarding the underbody strakes. Something I'll check with my dealer when the car finally arrives.
Noticed on SBS last night the Maritime Workers on the east coast of America are on strike and my Blue Ember DH has been sitting at Baltimore Port for 3 weeks waiting for a ride to Oz. Looks like my ETA of 30 Nov is bound to be extended.

About 3hrs to the west ...roads are pretty rubbish north of Gympie...playing around today, I drove home normal steering, normal suspension and sports exhaust, was very comfortable and no engine droning......did have a dream run up the gogango range, no traffic in front so popped 4th and saw what it had to offer...didn't go over the 100kph speed limit, but didn't observe the recommended 50 and 60kph signs.....might need to have another go in track mode

Have fingers crossed that everyone gets a surprise Christmas present and boats arrive on time

 

[Bossburton]

I'm bit jealous reading your impressions of your new DH. Go and enjoy.
I received a screenshot from my dealer yesterday showing a new ETA of 15 Nov (previous 30 Nov) and Torino beside Transport Number. It looks like it has left but I not getting too excited waiting on an email confirming from Ford. Torino left Baltimore on 28 Sept a few days before the Maritime Workers strike began and when I checked yesterday it was off Brunswick, south of Baltimore.
By the way, I was born in Gympie and spent some time in Biloela (up your way) before being called up for National Service in 1968.

 

[muzzzza]

Hey Bossburton, my DH is on Torino also. I’ve been tracking its movements in light of the port worker strike which started 1-Oct.
At least it departed Baltimore before it started, not so good next stop Brunswick port closed. Was due to be in/out port 6-Oct. Good news strike has now been suspended & Brunswick re opening shortly & Torino scheduled for depart 9th now.
So 3 day delay not so bad, given what could have been.

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