Mustang Newbie w/ Question

The turning is most definately not supposed to be effortless in a Mustang. This is a performance-oriented car, and it's impossible to feel the road when the power assist is such that it takes all of the effort out of turning the wheel. Feedback through the steering wheel helps the driver to determine the car's limits as well. What were your previous vehicles?

Define somewhat uneven. Potholes? Ruts? Slope? This could be a braking issue, alignment, or even the wheel and tire combo. Then again, it could be just something normal that you did not notice happening in your other cars with the looser steering.

Run synthetic engine oil... Mobil 1 Synthetic or the good Amsoil (not the

5,000 mile stuff, it's not real synthetic). Beyond that, I don't recommend any additives. It's usually just a sales pitch to get you to buy into it. The placebo effect keeps people coming back. Stay away from anything with hyped up marketing... they are generally making a ton of money for little product. This includes the ever-so-popular Splitfire plugs. Also, using a Fram oil filter is one of the worst things you can do to your car... unless you buy the top-end models that cost an arm and a leg, they don't have the anti-drainback valve in them, causing all of the oil to drain into the pan every time the engine stops. This causes much harder cold-starting than necessary. Stick with the Motorcraft filter. Approximately the same price and much more protection for your engine.

Also note that your car does not require premium fuel and that using it will not help your performance any. If anything, it will only hinder you. Run regular gas (87 octane in most places on the East coast).

People would save so much money if they would all understand that. I can't say how many times I'd see someone pull into the gas station in their family wagon, and they'd grab for the Ultra 94. I always figured it was good job security for me anyway to see everyone throw away money like that, but the place went out of business, so maybe not. lol At any rate tho, don't spend more than you already have to. You get the same additives and detergents no matter what grade of gas you purchase. Higher octane does not = better gas.

Jason

Unfortunately, I have three vehicles running right now, and all three of them require 91 or better. Here in PA, that means 93.

They are.... '89 Probe GT (4-cylinder turbo) '97 Mustang Cobra '01 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6

At least the bike gets gas mileage good enough to justify the cost of 93 octane. My next car might be a gas sipper just used to go back and forth to work.

JS

Gas is officially 2.00 a gallon in san Diego now....

91 octane (highest available) is 2.24 and up....

Pray for us

Gumby619

"Drive it like you can afford the gas"

On Friday, 93 octane was $1.76 at my favorite station at 7:30PM, and by 11PM it was $1.85. Thankfully, it's held steady. This is also an area where my three bedroom house with a detached two car garage and a pool is worth about $70k. Same house in the NE corner of the state would sell for probably double.

JS

3 bdrm with 2 car detached and pool....minimum 400K in San Diego

Gumby619

"Drive it like a rental"

My previous vehicle was a 95 Olds Cutless Supreme, same body as the sunfires of the time, only more suped up insides. But the car handles excently in the snow and rain, but I don't know if it is the tires or what. But the weight difference between the two cars is only about

200 lbs.

Yes all of the above, living here in PA, even close to Philly the roads are probably worse than what you have heard. If you hit a pothole every mile in PA that means that you are driving on a quality road. :)

I don't have the facilities to change my own oil but I will remember that when I go to get it changed.

Thanks for all the help everybody.

Congrats on the car.

This is normal, the steering is not supposed to be light. You need to have feedback for the road.

This is normal too. What size tires do you have ? If the braking is normal on flat road then there is nothing wrong. The bigger tires tend to do this. Just be aware of it and hold the wheel a little more tight. It feels weird, but the wider tires just do this. I've heard people get around this by changing the camber on their alignment but that would also increase un-even wear on the front tires. Keep an eye on the tire-wear of the front wheels to see if the alignment is good. it should wear evenly (make sure tire pressure is good also to prevent un-even wear)

NO, stay away form all the prolong, etc.. This does NOTHING. With normal maintenance these engines will run forever. Some people suggest synthetics which would probably make these engines last longer than any other piece of the car.

Sounds like an awesome deal. Let someone else take the depreciation and you an almost new car for way less $$$.

Like someone else mentioned on here, use good oil filters. The motorcraft filters are dirt cheap at pep-boys or walmart. Do 3000 mile oil changes (or longer with synthethic) and it will keep running like new.

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What interval is recommended with synthetics?

This I know - I live in SW PA and my mom lives north of Philly. Seen most of the state (driven across it on the Turnpike and I-80 quite a few times, up and down the East and West sides of it. I've dealt with the roads. I've hit some potholes here in Pittsburgh that I thought were going to swallow the car. They would have easily broke the rims of my Cobra with its low profile tires. Probezilla is a trooper though. Actually purchased that car in Allentown.

Sure thing. Just hate to see people waste money on things that don't help at best and cause more headaches at worst.

JS

Well, that's a good question. You'll get lots of different responses to that one. I personally would do 5K to 6K , but I am in a so called severe environment. (heat, dust) Other places you could probably go much longer. Also depends on type of driving. Long freeway drives at constant speeds will be less stress than lots of stop and go and short trips.

I think amsoil has some very high number for changes. Too high if you ask me. Then again, BMW now has 15000 mile intervals on their oil changes (synthetic) I wouldn't go over 10K if I lived in less severe environments. And use good filters (motorcraft)

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Wow... 15000 mile intervals with BMW! I had never heard of that long of an interval before.

I was thinking 4500 miles or so!

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I was gonna say.... at 15K intervals I would only use the factory filters. But then again, with the mustang and the mav I do that anyway... If I ever bought a BMW I'd probably just have to go to the dealer to get filters. That is if I ever found a BMW I fit comfortably in and liked.

Try the 3 series. The drivers space is bigger than in a mustang I Can tell you that. Handling is super. Actually, the first 50K miles you get free maintenance. Every 15K you take it in and they do an oil/filter change (synthetic oil) and fix anything that's wrong. They wash it too. Great service. If you think of it, it's not a bad deal at all to buy one. Residual value is very high, free maintenance...

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