So let's say that I wanted a Mustang GT with a V8 and a stick from about 2016 - 2020. Is there a hot ticket for FS? A package or trim to look for? All I know is that they look great and make nice vroom vroom noise compared to the FiST. And they do that powerslide thing.
I'm interested in this as well.
I had a 2019 Bare Bones GT 6 speed. I thought it handled like a school bus (ok maybe not that bad but still). You definitely want the performance pack. You get better wheels and rubber and nicer suspension bits. Along with it comes some interior accoutrements as well. One thing everyone that rode in it liked were the seats. They were very comfortable. It would have been a better car with better suspension. I sold it for what I paid for it last fall. If you don't like it, someone else will.
18 bought about changes in the cam chain system along with better heads. I'd shop for a performance pack model has it includes other items that are beneficial to longetivity imo.
18+ also gets you the dual fuel and gen 3 Coyote. Definitely look for a performance package its worth it for the upgrades you get over the base model.
I'd think the PP2 is what you'd want. I'm not sure exactly which year they killed it off but that's what I'd be looking for.
Well, there's this concern: Mustang manual transmission class action lawsuit
In reply to ddavidv :
Lon Zeigler just had to replace his transmission 
The remote body mounted shifter is a big pofs too.
My friend did very well with a '17 GT but always griped that the Performance Pack came with shorter rear gears, which meant that on pretty much any autocross course he was hoping back and forth between 2nd and 3rd, made even worse by the fact that the good 200tw tires were only available in an even shorter diameter than stock. Also, that thing beat the living hell out of tires. It was camber-limited and ate the front shoulders off at a pretty rapid rate. He would go through 2-3 sets of tires on the front in a season.
Assuming you're not realistically shooting for trophies, I'd just get what you want and run it in CAM instead of worrying about FS. One of the biggest perks of a Mustang is the size of the aftermarket and the ability to customize it and make it what you want.
NickD said:My friend did very well with a '17 GT but always griped that the Performance Pack came with shorter rear gears, which meant that on pretty much any autocross course he was hoping back and forth between 2nd and 3rd, made even worse by the fact that the good 200tw tires were only available in an even shorter diameter than stock. Also, that thing beat the living hell out of tires. It was camber-limited and ate the front shoulders off at a pretty rapid rate. He would go through 2-3 sets of tires on the front in a season.
I had a '13 Performance Pack GT.....the gears are super short. It would bark 4th gear up an onramp. Probably great for track work though.
z31maniac said:NickD said:My friend did very well with a '17 GT but always griped that the Performance Pack came with shorter rear gears, which meant that on pretty much any autocross course he was hoping back and forth between 2nd and 3rd, made even worse by the fact that the good 200tw tires were only available in an even shorter diameter than stock. Also, that thing beat the living hell out of tires. It was camber-limited and ate the front shoulders off at a pretty rapid rate. He would go through 2-3 sets of tires on the front in a season.
I had a '13 Performance Pack GT.....the gears are super short. It would bark 4th gear up an onramp. Probably great for track work though.
That was my biggest gripe with a 15 GT performance pack and daily driving, super short gearing. That being said I'd still pick it over the base model for the other options. Get the newest one in budget due to some of the other upgrades.
Andy Neuman said:z31maniac said:NickD said:My friend did very well with a '17 GT but always griped that the Performance Pack came with shorter rear gears, which meant that on pretty much any autocross course he was hoping back and forth between 2nd and 3rd, made even worse by the fact that the good 200tw tires were only available in an even shorter diameter than stock. Also, that thing beat the living hell out of tires. It was camber-limited and ate the front shoulders off at a pretty rapid rate. He would go through 2-3 sets of tires on the front in a season.
I had a '13 Performance Pack GT.....the gears are super short. It would bark 4th gear up an onramp. Probably great for track work though.
That was my biggest gripe with a 15 GT performance pack and daily driving, super short gearing. That being said I'd still pick it over the base model for the other options. Get the newest one in budget due to some of the other upgrades.
Yeah, on the street I'd typically just 1, 3, 4, 5......or just 1, 3, 5
Short? It'll rev to 7500... 
Ranger50 said:Short? It'll rev to 7500...
That gen Coyote was only 6800 and IIRC it wouldn't hit 60 in 2nd gear.
In reply to z31maniac :
It'll go higher. Performance pack tune was 7800.
Ranger50 said:In reply to z31maniac :
It'll go higher. Performance pack tune was 7800.
Well, in 2013 it was called the Track Pack. So maybe your confusing it with the later cars/packages, it's only the 2018 and up that have a stock redline of 7500.
The 2013 Track Pack was geared so short you were in 4th around 89 mph. I owned one, or you can look it up for yourself.
In reply to z31maniac :
No. The performance control pack is a complete "stand alone", it isn't anything related to a stock tune.
Not to try to be all "reasonable" and stuff. And, not to try to dissuade the awesomeness of the V8, but...
In the past, when considering a Mustang as an All-Arounder with one of those 'rounders being commuting, I was quite intrigued with the 3.7L V6 with its 300hp and 30 mpg hyw rating. There was also a performance-pack offered for these years of V6.
https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2014-ford-mustang-premium-v6-performance-package-first-test/
https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a31666/end-of-the-mayhem/
In reply to John Welsh :
It would be cool if for the next gen Mustang they could pull a Camaro and get some weight out of it.
One of my friends has a '15 GT (manual) with the premium trim package, which he's upgraded over time to PP1 specs (minus the rear diff). It has I believe 3.55s compared to the 3.73s in the PP. it was a lot of work (springs/shocks/struts/sway bars, wheels/tires, bracing, little aero bits, different master cylinder, different brakes, etc), but he's thrilled with the overall package. If you want to skip the work, the PP2 is the way to go.
The 3.7 also sounds nice with an exhaust, at least to me, and that's a nice change from most American V6's of the past. The 3.7 out of a Mustang seems like a fun swap candidate in certain instances. A V6 convertible with a few choice parts swaps would probably be the Mustang I'd go for, myself.
I agree with the above about the 3.7L Mustangs, however that was only available with the performance pack in the S197 chassis. However, the S550 chassis being asked about relegated the V6 exclusively to a stripped down base trim only, as a means of forcing greater EcoFart sales and acceptance.
I got a 2013 S197 earlier this year so a little different. The MT-82 may be a six speed box, but it's 5 + 1 OD. That means 5th is your 1:1 Explains why with a shorter rear gears it takes 3rd to hit 60. I purposely got a 3.31 car to make it slightly more relaxed, but you're still in 5th gear at 50MPH in traffic.
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