What to do?

[darkside]

So right now, I am stang-less..

I have plans for a fox body build later on, but right now, I'm in the market for a good daily driver Mustang. I've always wanted a 03-04 Cobra, but at the same time, I'm really kind of sick of the 99-04 Body/Interior as it seems everyone and their mother has one around here.

I really like the 05-09, the interior looks awesome, They sound great with exhausts, but, I know nothing about them, power wise, how they respond to mod's, what kind of 1/8 times can be had out of them etc. I know there are a few 05+ owners here, so what do you think about your Stang? What mods are done to it, and what 1/8 times have you seen?

I don't plan to buy a 05 just to tear up on the track, but a few passes will be made every now and then, and I don't want to be out there in a slow stock GT. So what do you guys think?

[asilver2001gt]

I've had a 97 V6, 89 LX Coupe, 92 GT Hatch, 01 GT, and an 07 GT. Love my 07! Best Mustang I've ever owned. Granted I've never had an 03-04 Cobra to compare to but my 07 rides better than any of the above. I've driven enough cars to know that this has the most potential N/A. The 03-04 Cobra does not count. Anytime you have a blower on a car there are simple things you can do like a pulley change to make more power. I bought the car used and was bone stock down to the paper filter. When I hammer on the car I can feel the car has tons of potential. It has more in it than I'm giving it. It needs a tune, gears, cold air kit, and a converter. There are plenty of guys running high 12's with very few bolt ons. I know that there are a few guys on the s197 forums chasing the 11 sec N/A goal without going into the motor (i.e. cams, stroker kit, heads, etc).

3V FTMFW!!!!!!!!!

[TheJeanyus]

Having driven both an '03 Cobra and an '08 GT, there are things I like about each more than the other.

'03/4 Cobra: Great power stock and with a few cheap mods they make more power than you really need in a daily driver...but you can still daily drive 'em. Unless you feel like replacing tires every 10k miles or less, you'll have street tires on it...which means NO traction if you mod it a little. The balance between handling and ride quality is good IMO, even with aftermarket springs. The seats and interior leave a lot to be desired.

S197: Felt sluggish to me (stock), but with a few mods they really wake up I hear. Again a good balance of handling and ride quality. The seats and interior are much nicer than the older cars, but the "driving experience" feels a bit numb to me. I just wasn't "excited" by it.

For a daily driver, the S197 is probably a better car. It's way more comfortable and still makes enough power to have fun with.

[darkside]

Great responses guys, I was expecting " Cobra FTW" lol

I saw a 05+ GT at the strip a while back, it was N/A and was running 7.90's, I never got a chance to talk to the owner, but couldn't hear a turbo/charger, so it was either N/A or spray.But I hear the 05+ are more sturdy cars, than any previous Mustang which makes me lean towards it.

Silver01, How do you think your car would be if it were manual? Because, I've owned a Automatic mustang once,and I do not care to own another Automatic.

Doesn't the 05 with 3V supposed to make 310 hp? That's flywheel I assume? That right there says it has tons of potential, to be a quick,fun,enjoyable DD.

[rtusnake]

My buddys 08 gt went a best of 12.74@108 with exhaust, intake and canned tune so far. They have good power for stock. I believe it was around 8.0-8.1 something in the 1/8th

[asilver2001gt]

Great responses guys, I was expecting " Cobra FTW" lol

I saw a 05+ GT at the strip a while back, it was N/A and was running 7.90's, I never got a chance to talk to the owner, but couldn't hear a turbo/charger, so it was either N/A or spray.But I hear the 05+ are more sturdy cars, than any previous Mustang which makes me lean towards it.

Silver01, How do you think your car would be if it were manual? Because, I've owned a Automatic mustang once,and I do not care to own another Automatic.

Doesn't the 05 with 3V supposed to make 310 hp? That's flywheel I assume? That right there says it has tons of potential, to be a quick,fun,enjoyable DD.

Dude I'm telling you the autos in these cars are stout. I hesitated about buying an auto but the deal I got on this car was too good to pass up. The autos in these cars are nothing like the previous years.The 5R55S is no way in comparison to the 4R70W. Read on s197forum.com a lot of guys sing the praises of the autos and a few have switched from manuals to auto. Maybe lee will chime in about his 08 GT 5 speed.

[darkside]

Yeah I just really don't want another automatic. Just doesn't feel right at all.

[QWKSNKE]

I've had a 97 V6, 89 LX Coupe, 92 GT Hatch, 01 GT, and an 07 GT. Love my 07! Best Mustang I've ever owned. Granted I've never had an 03-04 Cobra to compare to but my 07 rides better than any of the above. I've driven enough cars to know that this has the most potential N/A. The 03-04 Cobra does not count. Anytime you have a blower on a car there are simple things you can do like a pulley change to make more power. I bought the car used and was bone stock down to the paper filter. When I hammer on the car I can feel the car has tons of potential. It has more in it than I'm giving it. It needs a tune, gears, cold air kit, and a converter. There are plenty of guys running high 12's with very few bolt ons. I know that there are a few guys on the s197 forums chasing the 11 sec N/A goal without going into the motor (i.e. cams, stroker kit, heads, etc).

3V FTMFW!!!!!!!!!

Dude I'm telling you the autos in these cars are stout. I hesitated about buying an auto but the deal I got on this car was too good to pass up. The autos in these cars are nothing like the previous years.The 5R55S is no way in comparison to the 4R70W. Read on s197forum.com a lot of guys sing the praises of the autos and a few have switched from manuals to auto. Maybe lee will chime in about his 08 GT 5 speed.

I agree with Rob. I have owned each of the body styles from 83 up. There are a lot of good things in the S197. Tune + gears + a handling pack make for a nice car.
Autos do not rob near as much power in the s197 body style as the earlier models. Based off the power that GIJoe put his 5r55 through, I would say they can handle around 600rwhp well

[darkside]

QWK, is yours automatic too?

[QWKSNKE]

mine is a 5 speed manual.

[darkside]

How do you like it? shift smooth and all that? Those are Hydraulic clutches too aren't they?

[QWKSNKE]

I love and hate the hydraulic clutch. I love it in daily drving commute but do not like how it acts during spirited driving. Can't describe it

[darkside]

Yeah.

So is there any bad areas of the 05-09 to look at when buying one?

[QWKSNKE]

not that I am aware of..

[darkside]

That's good.

From what everyone has said, on and off this board, it looks like going with a 05-09 GT and slightly modding it is gonna be the way to go. It will be a nice fun quick rice killing DD, and very sturdy/solid compared to other Mustangs.

[QWKSNKE]

.... The seats and interior are much nicer than the older cars, but the "driving experience" feels a bit numb to me. I just wasn't "excited" by it.

.

Eventually I will have some money to improve that LOL....

[SlowJoe]

Something about the strut brace on the 05-07s. Waypastcrazy knows more about it

[asilver2001gt]

here's my plans for the car:

charge motion deletes
cai
full exhaust
gears
converter
lower control arms/relocation brackets
bmr lowering springs
electric water pump
underdrive pulleys
frpp hot rod cams

equals 12.xx all day long...best part is, DRIVE it there and DRIVE it home...no freaking trailers

[QWKSNKE]

Rob, what is the benefit of doing the relocation brackets. I know Dave did it on his car (he had asked us to do it when I installed the gears) but I don't recall if he ever said why

[coupe]

I drove one of the first procharged '05 mustang GT's.. back in 2005. It made 500 and change to the tires and you would never have known it. They really are a refined car and the aftermarket is huge. You can't go wrong but don't sell the automatic short! They're finally starting to tap into it and get good results.

[asilver2001gt]

Rob, what is the benefit of doing the relocation brackets. I know Dave did it on his car (he had asked us to do it when I installed the gears) but I don't recall if he ever said why


prevents wheel hop on a lowered vehicle

[darkside]

Whats so damn hard about it is that I'm finding 03/4 Cobra's and really nice 05-9 GT's for about the same price.. So it's like " Do I want the most solid/sturdy mustang ever made, OR I do I want the most bad-ass affordable Cobra in which I can make a stock appearing rocket ship out of"