comment from alt.autos.corvette

As a former Forder amd Mustanger I occasionally check on my former favorite car. Is what I read true. The new Mustang does not have an independanr rear suspension? What is that about? Isn't this the 20th century?

Reply to
TheKid!
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The report is that Mustang owners PREFER the feel of the live axle, and perhaps the feeling of security that the axle can withstand high torque. My wife has a 2000 4.6 GT Mustang 5 speed, and frankly, it's a lot of fun to drive thanks to that short wheel base and live solid rear axle.

On the other hand, the Cobra, and other upmarket Mustangs reportedly have independent rear suspension.

What the heck, as long as it's fun.

Larry (yup we've got a Mustang, and a 96 Dodge Viper) former C5 owner (and delighted with that car as well)

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REInvestments

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Sharon K.Cooke

Tom M.

Reply to
Tom M.

Excuses excuses. How can anyone defend Ford on this one. That is there flag-ship performance vehicle. They are a company of compromises. They did this to make money. Perhaps they'll have a "enhanced performance model" for 5 grand more... This is exactly why I switched, to many compromises..

Reply to
TheKid!

Well.... even if you don't like the answers, you have to admit that the Mustang, with its live axle, outlasted the production run of its GMC rival Camaro. They must have been doing something right.

Larry

96 Dodge Viper RT/10 (also wife's Mustang GT, and my very good former C5 Vette )

I can't help it, I love them all!!

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REInvestments

Reply to
Bob I

tobias snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com (TheKid!) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com:

It is pretty simple really. the solid axle handles straight line accel better. the independent rears are better for road course work, what the cobra and others are more geared for. KB

Reply to
Kevin Bottorff

It depends on what "special" means to you.

My wife would rather drive her 2000 Mustang 4.6 liter GT 5 speed Convertible than either of my "special" cars.

The exhaust on her Mustang is tuned to sound great. The short wheelbase and live rear axle makes the V-8 a truly fun experience. The top goes up and down by motor, good for both sudden sunshine and sudden rain. The car cost little enough that she owns it free and clear, no payments makes for some nice grins. Maintenance and parts aren't horribly expensive, and at least so far, it's been pretty reliable. With the rear seats, she can get at least two, and maybe three people in the car for short distances, if she needs to. And there's enough space in the trunk and rear seats to do a major food shopping for teenagers, on a regular basis. Fun, affordable, wind in your hair, stereo on, top down, V-8 stick shift motoring for a very reasonable price.

That seems pretty "special" to me. And I've owned C5 Vettes, Porsches, and so on. If I needed to save some money, I could certainly be happy driving the Mustang GT Convertible.

Larry

96 Dodge Viper 99 Mercedes S420
Reply to
REInvestments

The obvious is still not stated, IRS is better. How often does anyone drive in a straight line exclusively? Ford offers nothing exciting to the average American enthusiasts. (Focus)? Now the Auzzies get rear wheel drive v8 Fords with IRS. I guess they have too because of the competition. BTW, Chrysler and GM have other performance alternatives and I would never compare a Camaro or Firebird to a mustang. I have allways preferd the Ford. Now that the others are gone Ford has even less reason to make a descent Mustang GT. I drive a Vette now. You will never here about the General threatening to make their flagship performer a front wheel drive wheeze box! (remember the Probe?)

Reply to
TheKid!

Reply to
Bob I

Unless you are world class driver, or spending a lot of time on the track, you'll never notice the difference. My experience on the curves, both with motorcycles and cars, is that it is primarily about the skill level of the driver.

I can get around corners marginally better in my Viper than I did in my C5 Vette, which is marginally faster than I can do in the live axle Mustang. And depending on conditions, wet or dry, my former Porsche 911s could get around corners faster than any of the others, except maybe the Viper, if you have the guts to hang the rear out. But the differences are negligible.

On motorcycles my speed changed dramatically based on the number of track classes I took. I believe this to be true in cars as well. The differences in rear suspensions will be more than offset by decent driving skills. A good driver in a Mustang GT can still outrun me in a car that should leave it for dead. And at about 1/3 the entry price. But if you DO want a Mustange with IRS, you can buy one, for what is still a very reasonable entry price. And next year, the combination of styling and upcoming IRS at the Cobra level should make for a very entertaining vehicle at a very reasonable price.

The C6 Vette, which also looks more than terrific, will still be $15,000 more than a Mustang Cobra, so if you are buying with price in mind, that's a lot of money for marginal increase in results.

If you are not worried about money, why not just get a Ferrari 360 Modena, or Porsche GT3, and blow everyone away? Well, maybe not a WELL DRIVEN Viper, but that's hard to do.

Larry

Current family car 2000 Ford Mustang 4.6 GT 5 Speed Convertible (wife's car)

1996 Dodge Viper 1999 Mercedes S 420 Former 1999 C5 Corvette And so on...
Reply to
REInvestments

Yes, that was truly an embarrassment for Mustang. But those were the "embargo" years, and the entire car industry suffered. Remember the Ford Granada, and so on. Awful time in Ford's history. That was clearly an era that if you could afford a Corvette, you were WAY ahead. I drove Porsche 911s back then, and was glad for it. Great fuel economy, tight build, good handling to the limit, and then "bye-bye back end". Fun cars.

Larry

96 Dodge Viper (currently)
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REInvestments

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