i'm 55 and thinking of a new V8 Mustang w/ a manual for spirited weekend driving and road trips in spring/summer/fall. if i wanted this car to last 20 years w/ minimal issues, am i right in thinking i should go for the analog gauges and performance pack 1 (w/ the various larger coolers) and skip all the safety tech?
my daily driver is a 2020 RAV4 TRD off-road.
- steve in Canada
p.s. my wife also likes fast cars w/ a manual
Thanks for all the mentions and kind words guys. You all really help to make this forum as great as it is!
As has been mentioned, I have owned too many Mustangs to count. The 2018+ Mustangs have the double whammy of oil consumption problems and an MT-82 Chinese transmission. Neither are good for longevity. The EcoBoost motors have their own drawbacks as well, and the 10-speed autos are just now starting to show they have issues as well.
If you want a reliable Mustang, 2005 - 2010 would be your best bet. The new 5.0L Coyote has too many problems, and the MT-82 resulted in a class action lawsuit against Ford because they are so bad.
thanks for the info @Mod_Man. i just googled the MT-82 class action lawsuit and i'm back to considering a Miata 🙂
Good choice. Always a good idea to research like that before you spend the money. That's what this forum is for. Happy to help. 
Only time will tell. I don' believe it will in such good shape as some 50 years or older models are.
Well I do not know about their V8 reliability, but at least it's not the ecoboost engine. Manual transmission also helps.
It depends what the said performance pack 1 adds to the car. If it's the same engine, same transmission, it won't affect reliability that much. Whar does it add? Also safety tech is just your preference, won't change a thing on reliability.
PP1: same engine, same transmission, stiffer front end, wider tires (i think). biggest plus for me is a bigger radiator; i saw a youtube video about other beefier cooling components, but i haven't seen it mentioned elsewhere.
i figure a bigger radiator keeps the engine cooler which ultimately improves lifespan. bigger brakes and a stronger front end are safety improvements for me.
i don't mind driver aids but it's just another electronic thing to break in 10 years' time. i know i'm not going to get (say) toyota reliability, but am looking to minimize failures. can't fail if it's not there.
Indeed the simpler the technology you have, the less likely it is to break. As for the radioator, it won't keep the engine cooler, but it has more potential to cool under heavy usage. Your engine is made to run at an ideal temperature (which is ajusted by the thermostat). Sure it will cool better, but in normal use it will do just the same as the normal radiator (correct me if I'm wrong).
Don’t get the new Mustangs with the V8! Or if you do, you should be aware of the issues. But I wouldn’t get it. See below post from one of our esteemed members and big Mustang owner (he’s owned tons of Mustangs before) @Mod_Man:
https://carkiller.com/scottykilmer/qa/looking-for-used-mustang/
thanks for the link. what i read in there in the stuff i get concerned about: i don't know enough about these engines to definitively say the newer ones are better than older.
@zimv20ca I would follow Mod_Man’s advice. He is ASE certified mechanic, owns his own shop, has owned tons of Mustangs, just knows his stuff. He also owned 2 Mustangs with the Gen 3 Coyote engine and had issues. See post below. That’s the reason you are on this forum to get the best advice.
https://carkiller.com/scottykilmer/qa/2018-ford-mustang-5-0l-questions/
You probably mean @mod_man
For future reference does it matter if you use capitals in the tag? Would it affect the bump notification?