I am looking to buy a Mustang GT. I kinda prefer 18+ since they are later in the new generation but would still love to know thoughts on:
1. 15-17 or 18+?
2. Manual or Automatic?
Thanks a lot
18+ have MAJOR engine oil consumption problems. Ford started using plasma cylinder linings in 2018 and it was a huge mistake.
The manual Mustangs since 2011 have used the Chinese-made MT-82 transmission which is absolutely terrible. Ford was hit with a class action lawsuit over it. At this point, owners have just thrown their hands up and accepted there is nothing they can do. Scotty makes a mention of this here:
The 10-speed automatics were developed in a partnership with GM. To tell you how well that went, both companies have sworn to never work together on parts development again. If you want a 2015+ Mustang, you'll just have to roll the dice as they are all poorly made. They also have known A/C issues which run about $3000 to repair outside of the warranty period.
If you HAVE to have one, the 15 - 17 V6 with the auto would be the only one I'd own. But if you want a V8, go back a generation and get the 2011-2014 5.0L or, even better, a 2005 - 2010 4.6L V8.
Thanks a lot for the feedback. I have heard about the manual transmission issue and the lawsuit. But, I have also heard from people saying that they haven't had any serious problems with 15+ V8s at 70k 80k 100k. The 2019s have got pretty good reliability ratings online too(Well, don't know how reliable those ratings are though). Is there any data out there about what percentage of Mustangs have had the transmission issues.
Also, about the Automatic ones, do they also have a major specific flaw like the standard ones or are they just overall bad. How long do they generally last.
Thanks
There isn't a solid percentage as Ford will NEVER release that data. I've had an 18 GT, a 19 GT/CS, and an 18 F150. All three had engine problems and I wound up suing Ford for a year over the F150 before getting my money back. Erratic shifting and slippage are both common issues with the autos. The MT-82 is one of, if not the, worst transmissions ever made. All I can say is if you buy one, you're rolling the dice. We've had people on the forum sell their Mustangs due to issues just months after purchase. It's your money, and your gamble.
Damn that sucks. Wonder how they are still selling a ton of those.
What’s your opinion on Challengers/Chargers. Are they any reliable?
Nope.
Had a 2014 Challenger R/T with the 5.7L V8. They have cylinder deactivation and the system caused me to have lifter failure at 35k miles. I got it fixed under warranty and sold it.
I traded my 2019 Charger R/T Blacktop with the 5.7L in after 4 months for my 2020 Honda Accord Sport 2.0T because I was already having quality issues with it. There are no solid American muscle cars right now. The Camaro is it's own disaster, as is Corvette. They sell a bunch because most people buy what they want without researching. But they wind up regretting it down the line.
It really sucks. I knew that they weren’t the most reliable to begin with but didn’t know it was this bad until I started researching.
What would you suggest for some sporty cars in similar price range with decent reliability.
Honestly, there's not much. There's nothing with a V8 which sucks, I know. I'm a muscle car guy so I get 100% what you are looking for. Unfortunately there's nothing really out there, in a decent price range, that's reliable and offers a V8 soundtrack. I do love my Accord 2.0T Sport, it is fun to drive with the 10-Speed. Of course there is also the Civic Type R and Camry TRD if those are appealing to you. Lexus has the RC-F, but you are starting to creep up in price there. Wish I had an answer for you because it would probably be the same car that I would like to see as well.
All the muscle cars out there are a mess in one way or another. My '19 Camaro SS/1LE has been great and trouble free; might be one of the lucky ones. If I didn't have it, I'd probably would've gone with the Civic Type-R or Accord 2.0 Sport.
Its really frustrating. Only other cars that would interest me right now would be Lexus RC 350 or IS 350 but again, they are not the same experience or as much fun
I have a 2017 V6 auto that I bought brand new in 2018 as a leftover. It's my toy, I did some modifications and had it tuned to run with them. I had it set up to only run premium gas. It's pushing about 330 horsepower. The transmission is a dual clutch, so you can shift it manually. Mine was tuned to react more quickly to manual inputs. The only issue I've had is a check engine light for an EVAP problem that fixed itself after a week. You'll be more than happy with the 3.7L Cyclone Mustang. It has the power of the 4.6L V8s and gets better gas mileage. It's also better looking than the 18-21s in my opinion.
If Ford kept the V6 in the newer models, I might've gone that route
I agree with Mod_Man...For a 5.0 V8 go with 2011-2014. or later V6's. 300 HP is more than enough. I had a 2014 V6 manual for a little while, and had plenty of zip it was also cheaper to insure because it didn't have the V8 or the Eco-boost, but had to get rid of it because the previous owner was a smoker and although I got most of the smell out but not completely so traded it for a Camaro SS manual, love it, no problems at all.
All we can do is offer you our best advice, but you will have to determine for yourself how much risk you are willing to take at the end of the day. Worst case - do you have the funds for repair and/or replacement? I’ll be honest, I love the recently-departed Shelby GT350 in particular (one of my favorite pony cars of all time) and toyed numerous times with replacing my Corvette with it, but each time reached the conclusion a $15,000+ replacement engine plus all the labor was not worth it, in addition to the other potential headaches.
