stags

The pressing issue becomes what options are "worth it"? I am not huge for creature comforts- comfort package and/ or touch screen is something ill pay for if it comes in a car with the other options I decide I want.

The big question I have is simply is the track pack worth the money? Yes I may track the car in the future, but for now it will be my DD. I have no interest in FI at the moment. The Torsen diff and the brembos attract me, and better cooling might be nice... I dont mind paying more for premium fluids... summer rubber and lack of a spare tire is troublesome to me. Is there an actual difference in ride? I would definitely be more interested in a more "Sporty" ride from the factory- suspension mods are not in my immediate future if I get the TP. Would it be better to ditch that and look at Steeda springs and Konis (Assuming stock cooling, rear, and brakes are adequate for spirited driving)? Or is the Torsen diff, boss cooling, and brembo brakes a better deal? Convince me please.

I like the idea of Recaros- I always had to fight to stay in my seat in hard turns in my 09- but I am concerned about comfort during long road trips. Yes, I know the GT is a bit limited in range but the GF lives in Chicago and thats a ~6 hour drive- I want to be ready for action when I arrive and not nursing an aching back.

3.73s obviously required with the TP but if I get a non TP car would 3.55s be a better bet?'

Your wisdom is always much apprecciated

Lethaldosage423

I have a 2014 5.0 with the track package and Recaros
I didn't initially want the Recaros but the track pack was a MUST.

I love the reacro seats, wouldn't trade them for anything. they are so comfy, and hold you tight when cornering hard but they are just as easy to get in and out of the car as regular seats. Ive been in some aftermarket racing seats and its a climb to get in and out. Plus, the girlfriend LOVES the reacros too! they look great. the only thing i notice when getting into my brothers 13 V6 is how much more roomy it feels without the reacro seats. but it doesn't bother me. they are very comfortable but there is no lumbar support. i haven't been bothered by that but you can always bring a pillow?


Track pack, IMO, its a MUST. i don't plan on supercharging, racing or anything but you never know. the torsen diff is amazing! the way it opens and locks when cornering is way better than your traditional limited slip. The 3:73s pull so hard in any gear, its amazing.

Brembos are well worth it. you can't put an aftermarket kit as good as the brembos on your car for that money. you could spend thousands upgrading your brakes or just get them from the factory! they stop on a dime and it is noticeable under hard braking.

as far as the suspension stuff. don't really notice that much, I'm going to be putting coil overs and sway bars on in the future. stock is never as good as aftermarket when it comes to performance.

i don't have the tech pack so i don't have the screen in the cluster, kinda wish i had that but its not a big deal.


the whole, no spare tire caught me out tho. Driving home from taking the lady to the hospital. couldn't avoid a metal pipe in the road. It put a 10 inch gash in my front left tire. i had to get it towed and 350 for a new tire..sucked.


if your going to buy a new car, get exactly what you want. it works out cheeper to get the stuff from the factory (Gears, diff, seats etc..) than is to buy it after you own the car!

stags

^^ Great point. Especially with Ford offerring so many price reductions and 0% financing, its hard to say no.

berzerk_1980

I initially ordered without the track pack and then decided that was crazy and added it. But it does depend on what you want to do with the car, performance wise.

Specifically, and I'm talking about off-road use, if you are more attracted to the drag strip than the track, the track pack "might" not be the best idea. Something something Torsen hard launch premature wear. Otherwise, I think it's a good value (even if it's slightly overbuilt for daily driving)

Living in the desert, I found the radiator, oil cooler and 5w50 appealing as well. When comparing these options to aftermarket, remember that you get the factory warranty with the Track Pack.

I was worried about the ride, but it's extremely comfortable. What that tells me is it may not really be enough performance for track driving.

I was worried about the 3.73s, but they also are very streetable. After driving all three types of rear axles, I realized that they were close enough that I can't remember a difference. If you drive them back-to-back, you might. One nice thing about the track pack 3.73s is that they are painted (vs. rust).

The spare tire thing kind of sucks. If you never leave town it's no big deal, but I took a trip to Vegas and just didn't feel right without a spare. I ordered the 18" aluminum spare for the non-track pack GTs from eBay for $200. It only fits the rear, so if you get a front flat you need to install the spare on the rear and install the good rear tire onto the front.

There are some other miscellaneous items that are nice to have that aren't acknowledged by Ford. Check out

http://dirtyhipporacing.com/2013/02/...y-part-number/

for a list.

TLDR: The only reason not to get a track pack is because you are really close on the affordability, have an automatic, convertible, or you want to drag race. If you can afford it but it's not available with your configuration, get the Brembo pack instead.

HPittman

I can't speak for the Track Pack, but, I do have the Recaro's and we both really like them for our normal running around type of driving. They do get uncomfortable after a few hours of driving non stop like on a trip though. That 6 hour drive will have you squirming around looking for a sweet spot the last couple of hours.