Opinions: Mustang's worst feature

jfrayzier · Aug 18, 2005

I have a few, though I love my car.

Every time I have to let my son into the back, the seat never returns to where I had it before I put it up.

I think that the passenger seat should have also had the same controls so that they could be adjusted identically if desired.

I think the message center should have been standard. Even though it isn't, at least the wiring should have been so that it could be added later. My harness is missing wiring.

Instrument cluster isn't aimed toward the center of the driver seat. If I put my head dead center in the headrest and look straight into the console, it's off a little bit.. I can't see the left side of the "0" on the speedometer. (nitpicky, I know)

Trunk release... or lack of.

Drop glass window on driver's side always catches on the moulding.

Clutch squeaks really badly.

Antenna is way too tall.

Andretti · Aug 18, 2005

As said prior, electronic throttle. 5 months and throttle lag is bugging me more every day.
...and of course the seat back memory (lack of)

exwifegotstang · Aug 19, 2005

No retainer for the 12v power point cap.

EIGHTEIGHT_GT · Aug 19, 2005

I dont like the shift nob. Im used to my 99 35th with a polished aluminum knob that is circular at the bottom. The 05 is too wide at the bottom but that can and will be replaced.

adnlyn · Aug 19, 2005

trunk release button, heat on floor doesnt work well, knee hits and seat doesnt go back to original position

biznazion · Aug 19, 2005

Tach is on the wrong side of the dash

wht-v6-vert · Aug 19, 2005

The seatback recliner totally sux. I can't beleive it's so halfass. No power on the passenger's side seat. (If your wife ain't happy, you ain't gonna be happy.)

rich8566 · Aug 19, 2005

iammilo said:
The bottom of the seats aren't cushy enough.
The seatbelt is too hard to reach.
Steering wheel is too big.
Leg-room in back stinks
No lights on the mirrors on the back of the visors
Doors don't lock when you close them
Seats don't return to same upright position when you bend them to let someone in the back

Minor complaints. I love my car.

I have a fix for you on the issue of reaching the seatbelt. On the lower side of each seat is a strap that can be unbuttoned. Then you wrap it around the lower portion of the seatbelt. This will then hold it out a bit at the bottom. Then you can reach DOWN with your hand an easily reach it to put it on. I assume that this would make it more difficult to access the rear seat, but then again, who uses the rear seats in the Stang!

Beleive it or not, this is NOT described in the manual for the car.

rich8566 · Aug 19, 2005

SoCalBill said:
Driving a 5-spd my biggest complaint is the cup holder what a PITA sifting with a cup in the way.

No seat belt height adjustment. My GF can't ride in the car with out the belt rubbing into her neck. Time to time it bugs me as well.

Getting gas can be a pain too. Since the nozzle never wants to stay put or I can't lock the handle while pumping with out it popping like the tank is full.

There is a TSB for the gas tank refilling problem. Ford with replace the tank with one that has inproved venting. Or, simply insert the gas nozzel UPSIDE DOWN. This defeats the shutting off issue except when the tank is atually full.

Big-Foot · Aug 20, 2005

New guy here with a Screamin'-Yellow 05-GT-5spd.

6k miles on it so far. No squeeks/rattles (knocking on head)

Peeves - a few;

1) No heated seats/mirrors option - what were they thinking?
2) Trip meter knob is almost inaccessible
3) I'm tall - 6'4" (on a good day) - The console hits my right leg and is a bit hard.
4) The TR3650 whines a bit in 2/3 gears.
5) Brake squeel

I enjoy the car though.

Fuel economy is actually pretty darned good.
We took it on a 350 mile trip running 70-80 mph with the AC on and it got 24.8mpg. A couple weeks around town and it is averaging a tad over 18mpg. This engine pulls so well in the lower RPM's that I find 1st gear is not needed unless you are starting from a dead stop. 2nd gear pulls strong from 3mph on up.
The throttle lag does not bother me (much) but the drive-by-wire clutch leaves me feeling like an amature when managing the gears (I've better than 35 years of driving experience).. Maybe I'll get used to it - I hope so...

Anyway - there you have my short critique of my new friend - I call him "Hammar"..

Regards - Randy

351CJ · Aug 21, 2005

Big-Foot said:
Fuel economy is actually pretty darned good.
We took it on a 350 mile trip running 70-80 mph with the AC on and it got 24.8mpg. A couple weeks around town and it is averaging a tad over 18mpg.

I disagree, my 2001 GT 5 speed gets 28 MPG on long highway trips running the same speed as you with the A/C on.

The worse I have ever seen around town on my 2001 is >20 mpg and I often run through the gears to >5K RPM

Loss of 2 - 3 MPG is a major step backwards in my book.

Anuarism · Aug 21, 2005

Have to agree with keys hitting knees
Knees on console
Car doesnt beep when you unlocked
Gas tank but already had that fixed

Big-Foot · Aug 21, 2005

351CJ said:
I disagree, my 2001 GT 5 speed gets 28 MPG on long highway trips running the same speed as you with the A/C on.

The worse I have ever seen around town on my 2001 is >20 mpg and I often run through the gears to >5K RPM

Loss of 2 - 3 MPG is a major step backwards in my book.

The last time I checked - The 2005 produced 300hp and the 2001 was 260hp. While a 40hp delta is not a monumental difference, it takes more fuel to build more HP.
My highway mileage seems to be on the low side of typical from what I have read. Maybe it will get better once it gets a few more miles on it.

Meanwhile - I'm enjoying my first new Ford in a very long time...

jfrayzier · Aug 22, 2005

Anuarism said:
Have to agree with keys hitting knees
Knees on console
Car doesnt beep when you unlocked
Gas tank but already had that fixed

I'm 5'10" and my knees hit all the time. Also, not just the beeps when unlocking, but half the time when I hit my remote and think it unlocked it actually didn't. I usually have to hit it a second time just to get driver's door unlocked.

And the majority of the time when I think I have unlocked the passenger door, I haven't.

Big-Foot · Aug 23, 2005

I just came up with another worst feature - well sort of...

Being that my car is Screaming Yellow, it appears as though it attracts bugs (bees in particular) more than any other color..

Anybody else seem to notice this???

351CJ · Aug 23, 2005

Big-Foot said:
The last time I checked - The 2005 produced 300hp and the 2001 was 260hp. While a 40hp delta is not a monumental difference, it takes more fuel to build more HP.
My highway mileage seems to be on the low side of typical from what I have read. Maybe it will get better once it gets a few more miles on it.

Meanwhile - I'm enjoying my first new Ford in a very long time...

How much time to you spend with your gas pedal on the floor and the engine RPM @ 5500 RPM? I'd guess less than 1% of the time.

If you are cruising down the highway at 70 MPH constant speed, you're only using about 45 HP. So it looks like the old GT engine is more efficient making 45 HP than an 05 is.

Big-Foot · Aug 23, 2005

It's a good thing I don't have a case of 01-Envy...

Let's just go ahead and say that the 2005 is a PIG when it comes to fuel economy.

I'm all about bacon my friend....

Berserker · Aug 24, 2005

Dyoct said:
My Taurus had more power out a 3.0L and would hang with and kill many Stang GTs.

351CJ · Aug 24, 2005

Big-Foot said:
It's a good thing I don't have a case of 01-Envy...

Let's just go ahead and say that the 2005 is a PIG when it comes to fuel economy.

I'm all about bacon my friend....

Hey, you don't have to sell me, my 01 GT is an out dated piece of crap compared to the 05. But with the mods on it, my obsolete 01 is probably pushing 285 HP not the stock 260 HP.

But, overall the gas mileage of all Ford vehicles is pitiful. Ford is really out to lunch when it comes to gas mileage, Ford has the worst average and overall fleet mileage of all vehicle manufacturers. The 05 Mustang, both V6 and GT are just 2 examples of Ford's gas mileage problem.

Adrenal · Aug 25, 2005

RetiredGeneral said:
only 3 complaints
1) Drive by wire throttle lag
2) Keys hit my right knee
and
3) its only got 4.6 liters... it needs at least one more liter! (but I still love it!)

You hit the nail on the head there General. Number 4 would have to be
the low seating position on the passenger side!

Opinions: Mustang's worst feature

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