What Should Come Standard Across All Mustangs Going Forward?

[whoa there]

Dodge gets it with their Challenger jailbreak. With all the parts shortages, like everyone says, make options a-la-cart, but still group popular options into packages at a discount. Some people want heated seats without the pricy digital dash. Way back when I ordered a 79 T-bird, they had a Landau trim level that had popular options, but it had a silver trim piece that went over the roof that I didn't want. I ordered a regular car with options I wanted like T-tops, cornering lamps, seat back releases, wheels, axle ratio, you name it. When it came in there were so many options that it had 2 window stickers because they couldn't fit all of them on 1. That was back when they made about 3-400,000 cars a year, and now they build around 60-100,000 and can't do this? I get why to get production costs down. It still may come out a little cheaper for someone who doesn't want bells but wants whistles. Sorry for the rant, I feel better now.

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[jgilkey]

Dodge gets it with their Challenger jailbreak. With all the parts shortages, like everyone says, make options a-la-cart, but still group popular options into packages at a discount. Some people want heated seats without the pricy digital dash. Way back when I ordered a 79 T-bird, they had a Landau trim level that had popular options, but it had a silver trim piece that went over the roof that I didn't want. I ordered a regular car with options I wanted like T-tops, cornering lamps, seat back releases, wheels, axle ratio, you name it. When it came in there were so many options that it had 2 window stickers because they couldn't fit all of them on 1. That was back when they made about 3-400,000 cars a year, and now they build around 60-100,000 and can't do this? I get why to get production costs down. It still may come out a little cheaper for someone who doesn't want bells but wants whistles. Sorry for the rant, I feel better now.

This would make a lot of sense if they allowed customers to configure what they want online. Pick a base package, then allow customers to add/remove individual options. If they did it right, it would reduce the stock a dealer needs to keep sitting on the lot, and they would get more accurate data of what customers want for future planning.

 

[Bikeman315]

This would make a lot of sense if they allowed customers to configure what they want online. Pick a base package, then allow customers to add/remove individual options. If they did it right, it would reduce the stock a dealer needs to keep sitting on the lot, and they would get more accurate data of what customers want for future planning.

Unfortunately in the day of just in time/supply chain manufacturing this no longer make fiscal sense for a mass produced vehicle. Besides Ford already knows what customers want. That’s why we have the packages we do. Just keep in mind we forum folks make up a very small, albeit vocal, part of Mustang community.

 

[IceGamer]

This would make a lot of sense if they allowed customers to configure what they want online. Pick a base package, then allow customers to add/remove individual options. If they did it right, it would reduce the stock a dealer needs to keep sitting on the lot, and they would get more accurate data of what customers want for future planning.

Our German brands do that all the time with dire consequences: your basic trim has nothing on it accept wheels and an engine and they charge you for literally every option.
An example: a base m440i sets you back ~57000$. However, if you check some boxes one can easily get well into +$73000. That’s 15000$ in options… It's even worse in Europe.

Sure, one has the option to spec a car as one likes it but on the other hand prices get outrageously high…. I always liked the fact that Americans had basically two or three options: “base” without any extra charge, one level above base which would cost ~1000-2000$ and a “premium” trim level where one could get a fully loaded car for ~5000-6000$.

More individual options will always result in higher consumer prices.

 

[shogun32]

What Should Come Standard Across All Mustangs Going Forward that you are will to pay for?

x01A trim with drive modes and 8" screen (no nav), and paddle shifters (10AT)
4-pot brakes
FP Trackpack bars and dampers, springs would be separate/optional
FP rear tow link and corresponding bearing

All of the above would cost Ford MAYBE $1000. They slapped the lane-keeping and other "safety" crap on every car in 2021 for a cool grand even though it doesn't even a third of that.

Anything less is an affront to the name and concept of 'Mustang'. The current one is a cheap-shit Camry/Kia sedan (arguably the KIA is much better engineered) with nifty bodywork. Ford needs to fix the IRS mounting points too while they're at it and the egregious mistake in bolt size (or hole) for the rear diff.

 

[Jaymar]

PP1 should be the standard car. Even when it isn't, it shouldn't cost $6K. It was only $1K-$2K back in 2017.

It's 2022, the panels should fit and I don't want to hear the tired old excuse that the car is affordable. Far cheaper cars fit better.

Why does the upgraded Recaro seat take away heating/cooling? Chevrolet doesn't do that.

FFS, move the stupid trunk release button away from the sunglass holder. I don't even need a trunk release button from the driver's seat, when would I need to open the trunk when I wasn't standing at the back of the car? I can tell you I definitely don't need to get out and shut the trunk just because I went reaching for my sunglasses.

Keep driver aids optional. Don't even make it part of a package, just make them a separate option package of their own that can be optioned by those that need to be told when they are in their lane.

 

[whoa there]

Unfortunately in the day of just in time/supply chain manufacturing this no longer make fiscal sense for a mass produced vehicle. Besides Ford already knows what customers want. That’s why we have the packages we do. Just keep in mind we forum folks make up a very small, albeit vocal, part of Mustang community.

This makes since and is probably what Fords business model runs on. I don't understand if a $400 part that a customer doesn't care to have but wanted something else in the the package is what's holding up a package/car, then it is costing whatever profit that car would bring. I don't see the just in time supply chain improving any time soon. Nobody wants to work anymore. In about any industry, you can't get certain part to do a job because they are backordered. This may be part of the reason why Dodge is changing and decided to go with the Challenger and Charger jailbreak to get away from being tied down to packages. Wonder how many HP or 700A Mach 1's were cancelled ($$$) because of 1 part in that package that could have been built otherwise. Of course, I'm just speculating what may be happening, Ford seems to be doing all right anyway.

 

[GT Premi]

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What would be nice to have, but can't see coming as standard
Ambient color
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Is MyColor no longer in Mustangs? I don't have it in my R, but I figured all the other Mustangs still had it.

I had a 79 thunderbird that when you opened the door, the seat backs would automatically release. I still to this day cuss when I have a hand/arm full of stuff and have to set it down to release the seat backs. It was so much easier to to take your elbow and flip the seat back forward. If I remember right, it was about a $50 option back then, worth every penny.

Are you sure that wasn't just a faulty latch that didn't work right from the beginning? After all, you're talking about a 1979 Ford product.
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I'd like to see better quality materials inside and out. I'd also like to see tighter and better aligned panel gaps inside and out. A performance suspension setup should also be standard. If you want a cushy cruiser, go buy a Camry. When people see/hear "Mustang", they think performance, not "rolling lounge." I'd also like to see bolder interior and exterior color combos; bright white, oranges, blues, reds, lighter greens, browns, etc. I mean, how can a car called Mustang not come with a saddle brown interior??

 

[Jaymar]

As much as I would love an ala carte car the packages are necessary to cut costs on a vehicle that has over a thousand copies made in a day. The actual components for options make up only a small part of the cost. The differentiation on the production line also costs money. Every time the production line reaches a decision point where it is A or B there is a cost of labor, equipment, logistics and time so it is cheaper to throw together options that some may or may not want together than it is to give you carte blanche with the option list. For example AC used to be a big option until the hardware became cheaper than the costs of supporting the decision point on the production line. This decision point was more expensive than most because it involved hardware on the powerplant which comes remotely assembled to the production line. To differentiate, you either have to rework an assembled unit or maintain two separate supply lines. Now, AC is standard across the board and that point on the production line isn't a stop.

 

[Bikeman315]

Is MyColor no longer in Mustangs? I don't have it in my R, but I figured all the other Mustangs still had it.

Premium cars only, not base models.

 

[Mike Pfeifer]

Premium cars only, not base models.

Base gets it with the 301A package

 

[IceGamer]

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When people see/hear "Mustang", they think performance, not "rolling lounge."

That’s not the case in Europe and probably not in other parts of the world where the Mustang isn’t an affordable car. Base price in Europe starts around 50k€ ~ $60k so most people that can afford a Mustang are naturally slightly older. In addition, those customers aren’t interested in pure performance otherwise they would get a European car. Even a G20 BMW M340i is faster than a GT. Sry but that’s the way it is… They’re interested in that lovely sounding NA V8. They are interested in an experience – cruising around with that lovely engine; people turning heads…
No one here is watching ¼ mile drag races or drag races in general. It’s a fantasy world with prepped surfaces and such… If you have a performance car go and race the Nürburgring.

However, that’s not necessarily my opinion and I do agree with you on most other statements. I just wanted to point out that not everyone thinks “performance” when they hear “Mustang” ;)

 

[williamachamberlain@gmail]

Active exhaust via a toggle switch like the GT500……no need for steering wheels controls

heated steering wheel

 

[shogun32]

9.5" wide wheels

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