veganmom

I can't find anyone at a dealer who knows enough, and every time I Google, I end up at this site. You people know everything.
I am going to get a 2011 GT convertible. It will be red. It will have a 5.0L V8 and so it will have a manual transmission, because an automatic is blasphemous.
It has to be a GT because I don't want leather.
There seem to be very limited options on the GT, but there are probably things I can add on. And I know you know more than I do.

-- NOT getting the Brembo package. Not racing, and need a spare tire
-- Getting the middle rear axle ratio -- I will be doing some long trips, and there is a good sized difference in RPMs at cruising speed.
-- Getting the regular spoiler, not the elevated spoiler
-- Did I mention "red"?

QUESTIONS:
-- Is there any way to get a cloth roof?
-- Is the windshield frame a rollbar? OK, that's just hope talking. It's not. Anyone know anything about rollbars, or am I just being a nervous Nelly?
-- Are there other options I should consider?
-- I will have 4 gauges instead of 6 -- is that a big deal? I know one of the gauges is oil temp -- I'm not that worried about that. Any chance of that being an option, though, on the GT?
-- Any experience with the stereo options?
-- 18" or 19" wheels? I will be exercising the 5.0, obviously, but not racing.
-- Any seat options? I think (not sure) that the GT is only 4-way adjustable. Also, can I get an electrically adjustable passenger seat?
-- Any way of getting the "comfort package" on a GT? Heated seats....mmmmm....

ALL other advice welcome. I'm lusting madly and so will probably start making some moves in a few days, so act now!
I am VERY grateful for any assistance.

floridafordguy

All the options you mentioned are only available with the GT Premium. This is the link to the Ford Mustang Build & Price Site. Hope it helps. Good luck.

http://bp2.forddirect.fordvehicles.c...g#page=/Style/

veganmom

I will definitely check the link out. I was hoping to get some expert guidance on "yeah, they CAN be flexible on that" kinds of things.
I know some things like stereo options should be available in the GT. And I'm hoping that there are some options that CAN be exercised on the GT.
I do think I can only get 18" wheels, as the 19" are on the Brembo brake pkg only.

floridafordguy

They're not flexible on anything. They're Ford: Rigidity is job one. BTW, the oil guage in the 6 guage cluster is pressure, not temp. I've NEVER lost oil pressure in 40 years of driving, so not to worry.

veganmom

Yeah, I was kinda surprised I can pay that much and not get what I want! Also wondering if there's things I can do aftermarket, like switch out vinyl roof for cloth (maybe in a few years) or things like that.

Thanks. I think that 2011 convertible red v8 manual is 95% the right car. And if I want to stay away from European (expensive to fix) cars ,and want a convertible, I'm definitely in a Mustang. I know the Camaro convertible's coming out in 7-10 months, but ..... I really appreciate the fact that Ford didn't take bailout money, and I'm miffed that my GM stock is worth zippo.

floridafordguy

You'll love the Mustang. Take it from a reformed Chevy man who's had 2 Z28s and a Vette; the new Camaro isn't close to the Mustang in comfort, performance, or style imho. BTW, I'm a Penn State kid; where in PA are you?

ShaneM

As far as i know the only top option on the 11 is cloth, I don't think you can get vinyl. Also if i read right you don;t want leather, which rules out the premiums because they all come with leather. I think having to get the GT deluxe to skip leather limits your options.

If you don;t want leather because you are used to cars with seats that get hot, the upgrade leather in the premium GTs is 100x higher quality than the base premium leather and the leather in the 09 down. I had a 11 gt 5.0 for a week with the premium base leather and it felt plasticy and got hotter compared to my 10 with the premium upgrade leather. Surprisingly the leather doesn't get hot like it did in my 05 vert I traded in. My car has the black with grabber blue stripe premium leather and i live in Texas where it was 115 today with the heat index. If the leather doesn't get hot here, in black, it wont get hot anywhere.

the windshield is a roll bar, there is no roll bar for the rear though. You can get after market style bars, which are not roll bars for the rear. if you want a real roll bar you have to have one wlded in or buy a bolt in one for the rear and they don't look good IMHO. As for the wheels, either works, tires are about the same price so that boils down to what you like. I notice no difference in ride quality between the 19" wheels my premium came with and the 18" aftermarket wheels I put on.

As for an adjustable seat, if you get the comfort package it comes with driver and passenger power seats plus heated seats, but again I believe that is limited to the premium cars only. As for stereo options.

My 05 vert had the shaker 1000 with the trunk subwoofer to add bass and I really liked it. My 10 has the shaker 500, which is the same system minus the subwoofer. I missed the bass and had a JL audio stealth box added last week and it sounds 1000x better than the shaker 1000 did. All really depend son what you want.

the only stereo options are the shaker 500, stock on the premiums, the shaker 1000, or the nav package. If you buy nav package i think you can;t get the shaker 1000. fords nav system rocks FWIW. Also Sync only comes on the premium cars and it is fantastic fro a bluetooth handsfree system.

IMHO the best option for you (assuming you can live with leather) is a premium GT vert with comfort package and then pick the stereo option you like best. Or just get the shaker 500 and if you don't like it go aftermarket. The aftermarket for parts on mustangs is absolutely huge, you can get and do just about anything you want with these cars.

FWIW, the brembo package also gets you the best looking wheels that come on the 11 IMHO. the brakes also have uses other than racing, they have better pedal feel and you don't have to push as hard to get the same braking force.

veganmom

GREAT INFO THANK YOU.
No leather is a vegan thing. Think of it as a near-religious objection.
APparently on the GT non-premium, there's no stereo system options at all, and you get ONE CD slot. I'll have to see if there's an accessories/stereo place that can put a different CD changer in there. Sheesh! I know, it's a little thing compared to a 5.0, but....

Brembo has no spare tire. That's the main thing putting me off of that. I know the goop fixes everything but a sidewall blowout, but still...I want a spare tire, even if it's a mini.

Gear ratios: The brochure the dealer gave me said the gt manual could have a 3.55:1, but they're not seeing it as an available option in the order system. Any insight on the gear ratios that I can REALLY get?

Thanks!

floridafordguy

Per the Mustang brochure, you can get them all: 3:31 standard, or optional 3:55 or 3:73 @ $395.00, but Build & Price doesn't show them. Apparently I was wrong about rigidity; confusion is job one.

Nuke

Welcome to the site and an early "congrats" for when you pull the trigger (from an ex-PA guy). I'm not up to speed on the '11 and available options so I hope the previous and subsequent posts are helpful. My only input is to consider 18" wheels since there is a larger selection of tires in 18" as opposed to 19".

And I, too, wish I was able to get cloth seats. The seats in my '07 are vinyl with leather trim and are miserable when the ambient temps get above 70. In over 37 years driving, every car that I've owned for the past 30 years, up until the Stang, had/have cloth seats.