What's it like to live with a Mustang as a full time daily driver?

KCJeep

KCJeep

Joined
Jun 30, 2011
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I'm looking at a 23 Ecoboost Mustang for a new full time daily driver. Not interested in burn outs or aggressive driving, but I DO want to drive this car as my only, which means for my daily highway commutes, running errands and driving the wife to church. I find myself at a stage of life where I now could daily drive a car like this, but I'm wondering if I actually want to. I've always had more functional vehicles, sedans or four door Jeeps.

I have some concerns about winter, but it sounds like it will be okay with proper winter tires and decent winter driving skills (I was raised in SD).

For those of you who have done it, what's it like to live with a car like this full time? Give me the good, the bad and the ugly!

Thanks!
 
I did this a long time ago and had a 1971 SS 396 Carmaro with a 4 speed and factory air. It was black with a black vinyl top. The car was not new but about 3 years old with 35,000 miles. It worked out great to use as a daily. I would wash it frequently and spray a light oil from a spray can on the Cragar SS chrome wheels. I wouldn't hesitate to drive a such as a Mustang on a daily basis. You are better off enjoying the car instead of letting it sit as a garage queen. It looks like you have other vehicles too that could be driven if the weather is bad.
 
As you can see in my signature, I have an older one.
I bought it new. I liked the body style.
Still do, even more than the newer ones.
It is strictly a fun car.
I never had it as a daily driver, as you can see by the actual miles listed.
The whole time that I have had it, I had a Taurus, then the Accord as my daily driver.
Frankly, I could never tolerate it as a daily driver.
I'm 61. The older I get, the worse it is to get in and out of it.
However, I'll never get rid of it.
Looking at it puts a smile on my face.
Driving it, puts a bigger smile on my face.
Doing it every day? Ain't gonna happen.
 
Sounds like your mind is all but made up.

You mentioned Winter driving.
That means ground clearance issues to me as you said you know how to Winter drive.
Could there be snowy days you couldn't use the Mustang?
Carrying capacity a concern?
Are Mustangs inherently more expensive to operate than regular vehicles?

Most 'fun factors' wear off but we all know car love can transcend all.

Do the local police target sporty cars?...ha-ha

Ford erred in outfitting a pal's Mustang.
The "aggressive piped-in engine sound system" was loaded with the car noise from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
 
Not firsthand knowledge, but there's a younger, single guy that lives up the street from me who DD's a Mustang. We don't get a ton of snow, but we do get some. He's had the car for several years now and weather doesn't seem to stop him from having it as his only car.
 
My son had a 2018 'gimme a ticket red' 5.0 Mustang GT. He almost never drove it so I tried it as a DD. I found driving it half exhilarating and half drudgery. With me at the wheel it was the slowest Coyote powered Mustang in NC. Like a poster above, getting in and out is work for an older guy. It can't carry much. It sure was pretty to look at but in a way like an attractive woman that can't cook or keep house. I gave it back to my son. He traded it in for a new Explorer.

My judgment on the Mustang is it makes a wildly mediocre daily driver.

Looked just like this.
mustang.jpg

courtesy Mustang Attitude
 
I think ingress/egress and ground clearance are the biggest problem. Getting in and out day after day can be very hard on the outboard lateral bolsters on the seats. Due to reduced driveway space one morning, I had to back out with my right side tires on the edge of the pavement, and the curb slopes back up at the extreme edges of the driveway, so when the tire dropped off the small curb, the little deflector in front of the rear wheel got snapped off. My sister-in-law snapped hers off in the same fashion. Things like that, and the general road conditions in Dallas are a disadvantage for cars that sit this low. Get used to not being able to see around the traffic ahead, as you can't see anything sitting this low. I would imagine deep snow would be a big problem too, regardless of the tires you're using. I have no other issues living with the car every day, since I have a truck at my disposal.
 
With an AWD Edge as your other vehicle, I think you'll be fine. I see the low ride height and difficulty getting in and out as free exercise, and a reason to keep reasonably fit. It's not like your a UPS driver and jumping in and out of it 50 times a day, everyday... My FIL is in his 90's and gets in and out of his fairly low Subaru Legacy without too much difficulty, if you don't use it you lose it....
I'd get the smallest rims that fit and the skinniest highest profile winter tires with a bit of diameter increase, and it will probably do quite well with near 50/50 weight distribution.
 
skyactiv said:
"In contrast, the 2.3-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost has a boomy, coarse hum, making it sound like a cheap rental car."
Click to expand...
The article was probably written by a college intern student majoring in journalism, working at McDonalds to pay for tuition and has a bicycle as his major ride.
Seriously, if the OP wants to live with the drone, let him.
 
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