Houston, Texas, September 2007

The Time Machine: 2008 Ford Mustang V-6 Deluxe Coupe Review

Upscale convertibles and performance pony cars are not the subject of this review: this article is for value conscious buyers who want a stylish car without the premium price. For that group, Ford's V6 powered entry-level 2008 Mustang Deluxe Coupe is a strong candidate.

**2008 Mustang Deluxe Coupe**

My oldest son and I were enjoying some quality time on a Thursday afternoon. He likes luxury cars and his Infiniti M45 is about ready to go off lease.

So we visited Houston dealers, looking at cars stickered in the $29-43K range. After test driving Toyota Avalon and Saturn Aura, we stopped at Champion Ford Katy to sample F-150 pickups. As we wandered through the Mustangs, a Monroney sticker caught my eye.

At first I thought it was a typo. A brand new 2008 Ford Mustang with MSRP under $20K? There was only one, but it was a beautiful most-popular-Mustang-color black, reasonably well equipped, and the only thing that looked different from the adjacent car was the price.

Sure, plenty of cars are supposedly starting at $20K, but very few are consistently delivered with that sticker. Consider GM's Pontiac Solstice, promoted as a twenty-K sports car, but delivered $10,000 higher.

Now Ford dealers are going broke everywhere in Texas, especially the small town guys. But that means there is little of the arrogance which has begun to characterize leading import brand dealers.

We asked for a test drive, of the specific car, which had six miles on the odometer. Champion Ford Katy gave us the keys and our freedom with a smile. With some dealers refusing test drives, this was a pleasure. The salesman did not accompany us.

When we returned, they were ready to deal.

So is the 2008 entry level Mustang a good alternative to boxy economy cars, fading minivans, overpriced crossovers, and high dollar sporty cars?

I think so.

Mustang Sally: Classic Good Looks

Ford has used the phrase "Deluxe Coupe" at least since the 1940 Ford Deluxe Coupe my father bought when he came home from the big war in 1945.

Mustang's trademark bold styling has been a hit for decades. In the years when Ford neglected the Mustangs (Mustang II), a cottage industry grew up, offering everything from parts to fully restored classic pony cars.

My 1993 Fox bodied car still looks great, and runs well after 167K miles.

The 2005 model year restyling of the pony car appealed to baby boomers who remember the car's heritage, and to young people who dug the coupe's styling.

Surprisingly, only 21% of the car's buyers are boomers aged 56-plus. Despite the Mustang Sally stereotype, Mustang buyers are overwhelmingly (71%) male.

Ford built this car from the ground up as a Mustang. No platform sharing with sedans or econobox power train would ruin the new pony.

No one will mistake the "retro-futuristic" Ford coupe for a Hyundai.

The 2008's styling is unchanged from 2007, and little changed since 2005.

The retro exterior features Lee Iacocca's signature long hood and short rear deck, plus other styling cues that have denoted Mustangs since the 1960s.

The "new" Mustang has been a winner for Ford, which is not winning often now days.

It made Car and Driver's Ten Best list in 2005 and 2006, and was Canadian Car of the Year for 2005.

Edmunds.com users voted Mustang "Most Significant Vehicle of the Year for 2005."

Ford sold 160,975 Mustangs in 2005, and 166,530 in 2006: good sales numbers.

In 2006 Mustang sold out, with 14K retail back orders at one point.

Pony Car Competitors?

Competition for the Mustang could intensify if Chrysler, now undergoing vigorous product pruning, brings back the Challenger muscle car in 2008 as threatened. Chevrolet has dangled a new Camaro prototype before the public, evasively referring to early 2009 as the roll-out date.

If Camaro and Challenger do return, I expect entry level stickers near $30K.

Not Fade Away

Vehicles with sportier body styles, fad vehicles, have shorter product life cycles than conservatively styled cars.

2007 is Ford's third full year with the current Mustang body style and sales momentum is slacking.

Mustang sales dropped by 19 percent in January and February of 2007, compared with the same months in 2006. As the mortgage default rate climbs, other sporty cars are down even more.

This is the time to buy a fad model, after the new wears off.

To bolster sales, Ford responded with expensive halo hot rods; Ford Mustang Bullitt, Shelby GT500KR, Roush 428R.

For 2008 Ford's Mustang core lineup carries over with few changes.

Ford is saving their limited engineering budget for the redesigned 2009 (2010-2011?) Mustang.

V-6 Deluxe is the base trim.

Ford's dealer mix recommendations are 35% for the base model, but we drove the only one on on the lot. At under $20K, I think the plainer pony coupe sticks out as a bargain, and is selling faster than the other trims.

Standard features, which would have made for a "loaded" Mustang not long ago, include

Auxiliary audio input jack;

One-touch up-down power windows;

Power mirrors and door locks;

Keyless entry;

air conditioning;

AM/FM audio system with single CD;

Tilt steering wheel;

Speed control;

Rear window defroster;

Stainless steel exhaust;

16-inch wheels;

Four-wheel power disc brakes;

Cloth bucket seats with 50/50 split-fold rear;

Seat-mounted side air bags;

LATCH ( Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children );

Personal Safety System;

SecuriLock;

and Tire Pressure Monitoring System.

Ford has wisely avoided adding price inflating trinkets available on the Premium trim as options on the Deluxe (base) trim. These include the seven-color interior lighting system, MyColor.

There must be a few buyers who do not consider the lighting toy an insult to their intelligence.

But, Dude, I heard you dug psychedelic lights back in '68.

That's true, but I wasn't driving a car at the same time.

Ford did add seat-mounted side impact air bags as a standard entry-level feature.

Thanks Ford, I wouldn't buy a new car without this critical safety improvement.

Quality and Reliability at Ford

Ford designed Mustangs for tight price targets which necessitated compromises. The live rear axle, as opposed to modern sports car independent rear suspension, shaved at least $5,000 from the sticker price.

But while small omissions like the lack of an interior button to pop the trunk open draw owner's ire, there are real quality issues that stand out.

Mustangs are built in Flat Rock, Mich., but the V6 engine is assembled in Cologne, Germany.

JD Power granted the 2008 coupe just three stars for "Overall Quality - Mechanical," though Mustang earned five stars for "Overall Quality - Design."

Consumer Reports says Mustang reliability is below average.

Mustang won the 2006 sports category Polk Automotive Loyalty Award for superior performance in customer retention.

The retention level, customers returning to purchase another Mustang, in the Polk study was only 17%, but that is high for a sports car.

Few buyers anticipate the high ownership costs of true sports cars. Turnover is extremely high as families grow and costs mount.

As is the case with every car regardless of price, a percentage of owners will have chronic quality problems with Mustangs.

Here is where the dealer is real important. Ford dealers run the gamut from already bankrupt to Ward's 500 top ten.

Mustang Fuel Economy

EPA ratings, revised down for 2008, are 17 City/26 Highway with the manual transmission, and 16 City/24 Highway with the automatic.

Owners of V6 ponies report lows of 15-16 mpg for urban stop-n-go to 28 mpg for relaxed highway commuters. 22 mpg overall is typical.

2008 V6 Mustangs use unleaded regular gas. Fuel capacity, at 16 gallons, allows an average range of 352 miles.

This poor fuel economy is the spiffy car's real weakness. Lifting the drive-shaft, rear axle, and differential gears over every bump uses energy. A more sophisticated engine and better aerodynamics would only raise mileage a little.

Safety: 2008 Deluxe Coupe

Again, in-my-lowly-and-humble-opinion, the most significant change to the Mustangs for 2008 is the addition of standard seat mounted side impact air bags. Most drivers have never seen a car full of bodies tumbling end-over-end off a high embankment as I have several times in my million mile driving career. Too many car makers are keeping the side impact air bag optional on lower priced cars intended for sale to young people.

Side impact crash test videos are becoming common on the web. Anyone who thinks colored ambient interior lighting is the coolest new feature on the new Mustang is begged, beseeched, and urged to check out this NHTSA side impact crash video.

In real life, it gets much more graphic.

NHTSA Mustang Side Impact Video requires Windows Media Player, opens a new window.

In NHTSA crash tests, the 2008 coupe received five stars in all but the rear seat side impact category, where four stars were awarded.

Carried-over safety features include crash severity sensing dual-stage driver and front passenger air bags, safety belt pre-tensioners, and seat weight sensing system controlling the passenger airbag.

Blind spots when looking back are an historical weakness of fastback Mustangs. My '93, equipped with convex spot mirrors, is still so visually obstructed my wife refuses to drive it.

Side viewing is nearly impossible with small quarter panel windows and the upward raked body style.

Backing and parallel parking are difficult.

The only good thing I can say on visibility is Nissan 350z coupe is worse.

V6 Power Train

Mustangs unique body sits on a 107 inch wheelbase with an old fashioned live rear axle.

Engines and transmissions are all carried over from the 2007 pony. Deluxe coupe's standard engine is a 4.0-liter (245 cu. in.), single-overhead-cam, 60-degree cast iron block.

Cast Aluminum cylinder heads with two valves per hole yield 210 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque.

Redline is a conservative 6,100 rpm.

Mustangs' base V6 engine is shared with Ford Ranger and Ford Explorer.

The T-5 5-speed manual transmission is standard an available 5-speed automatic adds $995 to the price.

Although our test car's clutch was no struggle to operate, the awkward shifter's long throws and stiff channeling were neither sporty nor user friendly for the manual shifting challenged. I have done lots of gear changing, but I joined my son in preferring an automatic over the T-5 manual transmission.

In addition, there have been quality issues with the gearbox in previous years. "Gear rollover noise" in 4th gear is a frequent Mustang forum complaint.

This falls into the picky-customer category, and most dealers will not attempt to fix a noisy but otherwise sound transmission. T-5's have always been noisy, owners have found inadequate sound insulation between the gearbox and floorboard transmission hump. Some report success with self stick foam insulation installed on the underside above the transmission.

While our test ride was really too short to evaluate long trip seat comfort and interior ambient sound levels, no transmission noise was noticed in the test car.

Front suspension is coil-over MacPherson strut with reverse �L� lower control arms. V6 editions lack the GT's stabilizer bar.

Power rack-and-pinion steering is run from a conventional hydraulic belt driven pump, rather than a fuel saving electric system.

In the rear, three-link, solid-axle rear suspension fits outboard-mounted shocks.

Our tester's ride was firm, but not so tight as to transmit surface irregularities.

Brakes

Mustangs front corners are anchored by 293 mm (11.5 in) by 30 mm vented disc brakes with twin-piston 43-mm floating aluminum calipers. In back, 300 (11.8 in) x 19 mm vented disc employ single piston 43 mm floating iron calipers.

Anti-lock brake system (ABS) with traction control is optional on V-6 Deluxe trim.

Consumer Reports lists Mustang's 60-0 braking distance at an unsportsmanlike 131 feet.

P215/65R16 all-season radial tires and a mini-spare (no run flat tires) are standard.

Mustang Deluxe Coupe Performance

With a power-to-weight ratio of 19.4 lbs. per hp, 210 horsepower V6 Mustangs may not qualify as muscle cars, but they are powerful enough to merge onto the freeway quickly.

Deluxe V6 does zero to 60 mph from a standing start in 6.6 seconds with manual gearbox, and 6.9 seconds with an automatic. Quarter mile times are around 15.0 sec @ 92.1 mph with the manual trans. This is faster than, or similar to, the majority of the older V8 Mustangs its styling invokes.

With a gross weight of 3,373 pounds and a 55/45 front/rear weight distribution, and lacking the extra sway bars found on GT trims, the Deluxe V6 Mustang is not a flickable roadster or sport sedan.

For value minded buyers, like myself, who avoid treating a car roughly, this is plenty of performance.

A 33.4 foot curb-to-curb turning circle makes the Mustang easy to u-turn and park.

Rear wheel drive trains can get squirrelly on slick pavement. Those accustomed to front-wheel drive in snow belt conditions will need to proceed cautiously until the limitations of rear drive and front weight bias are learned.

A hundred pounds of brick or sand in the trunk will help in snow.

Fit, Finish, and Interior

Ford has worked hard to improve quality. Paint and outside panel gaps are generally above Chrysler.

Mustang's interior is a throwback rather than just retro-styled. Instruments look like they were sourced from a left over parts bin of the originals, circa 1971. Knobs on the A/C are identical to my 1993 Mustang's.

Poor interior materials and low-grade finish are the Deluxe model weakness. I like flashy interiors, like the cockpit in the Bob Lutz 2008 Chevy Malibu, but am very sensitive to Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOC). These emissions are also known as that "New Car Smell."

The Mustang we tested had the most noticeable plastic smell of any of the 30-plus new cars I have driven recently.

Short people cannot see over the top of the door and the dashboard is too high for them. But the rear seat is perfect for midgets around 4 foot 9. This is not a family sedan, the rear seat is often referred to as a storage shelf.

Owners say seats are not real comfortable on long trips.

Interior storage room is limited, there are few convenient spots for cell phones or sunglasses.

Cup holders are right behind the stick shift and large cups can interfere with shift lever travel.

Road noise complaints are common, adding to the sound insulation issue discussed above.

There is no interior trunk release. One guy locked the keys in the trunk of an airport rental Mustang. He paid for locksmiths and a tow truck, and he missed his flight. I guess he won't be a buyer. I remember just a few years ago when this feature was only found on luxury cars.

There is no optional audio gear for the base model Mustangs, but an auxiliary audio input for mp3 players has been added.

Coupe trunk volume is 13.1 cubic feet, just adequate.

True Cost to Own

An affordable sticker price doesn't always tell the whole story.

The 2006 Mustang gets a 5 star depreciation rating at Automotive Lease Guide (ALG).

Edmund's five year True Cost to Own is $.54 per mile. This is based on a residual of approximately 43%. Fifty-four cents per mile is a reasonable figure; economy cars score in the $.40-.44 area, Toyota Prius Hybrid wants $.48, Honda Accord Coupe is $.50, Toyota Camry Hybrid $.55, minivans are around $.57, and Corvettes are around $.98 per mile.

By this estimate, the V6 Mustang is less expensive to own than most sportys;

Honda S2000 - $.67,

Nissan 350Z Coupe - $.67,

Mazda RX-8 - $.66,

Saturn Sky - $.60,

Dodge Charger V6 - $.56.

Hyundai Tiburon Coupe and Mazda MX-5 Miata come in marginally lower at $.50 and $.52/mile.

So the baseline Mustang's true long-term cost is more expensive than an economy car, in line with many family sedans and minivans, and cheaper than most sports cars.

For consumers seeking sleek looks and traditional rear-wheel-drive, it's a bargain.

Warranty is a brief 36 months or 36,000 miles.

Conclusions

Super-smooth power plants, razor-sharp handling packages, and slick shifting transmissions are found in cars starting at double what the entry-level V6 Mustang costs.

Older technology and inexpensive build are the secrets to the low price.

Buyers who expect refinement in build and driving quality, or who put on lots of annual miles where 25 mpg on the highway would run up a fuel bill, may need to keep looking.

Mustang is still among the most widely recognized and desirable cars in the 100 year history of the automobile.

With Toyota Yaris and Corolla crowding the $20K barrier and Honda Civics sporting $1,500 additional dealer markup stickers, the baseline 2008 Ford Mustang V6 Deluxe Coupe deserves consideration.

Cars with the equivalent look, feel, and appeal cost many thousands more.

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