The Ghost
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2024
- Threads
- 22
- Messages
- 203
- Reaction score
- 241
- Location
- San Diego, CA
- Vehicle(s)
- 2024 Ford Mustang GT Premium Fastback
- Thread starter
- #1
This weekend marks one full year with the Ghost. I felt like it was a good time to share my thoughts and mark the occasion.
This is my second Mustang but my first GT, and the first manual I've ever owned. After my last Mustang, an S197 that I bought brand new (essentially as a kid) and drove for 18 years, I saved up and placed an order in April 2023 for the Mustang of my dreams. I always knew it had to be a GT, and I really wanted a manual. There were a few other specific wants I had built up in my mind over the years like red leather seats and red Brembos, so I made sure to include them. I ended up with a GT Premium with all the bells and whistles possible, knowing that it would be a car I'd keep for a long time. When the car finally arrived last October, I was over the moon. It was the first S650 in town as far as I know, and I didn't see another on the road for at least a couple of months. So, it got a lot of attention and made me very proud taking it to cars and coffee. It did take a bit of getting used to and was quite intimidating to me at first, but now it's very comfortable.
I would like to say that this was a perfect year with zero issues, but unfortunately that's not the case. The car has been in the shop for close to a month when I combine four separate visits. I was always lent a car by the dealership, which is fine, but I was always sad to be without my own car. The first issue was the passenger door contacting the front fender, which caused the paint to chip. It did not do this immediately but started about a month after driving the car. Because the dealer did not have an in-house paint shop, the whole process took two weeks. In February, I took it in again for what I considered to be excessive rattling and vibrating. Strangely, the dealer had a hard time replicating it, and when they did, they could not pinpoint where it was at. So, they sent me on my way and asked me to wait out something official from Ford, or for them to see it more regularly and know how to deal with it. Since then, I've dealt with this rattling in the back of the car that's noticeable driving over even minor unevenness in the road, and I guess it is what it is. There's also some off and on vibrating in the driver seat, the dash, and the passenger door paneling that comes and goes. I'll probably try taking the car in again at some point. (I also had them look at some spots of missing paint, and they set me up with a Motorcraft paint pen as they couldn't do it themselves.)
In April, the car experienced that weird issue where the engine would not start even though the computer was on. I almost had it towed but ultimately didn't when it randomly started up. Again, I took it to the dealer, and they had it for over a week so they could rework the ABS module. (I also had them look at the driver side exhaust, which seemed a bit louder and more aggressive at idle than the driver side, but they said nothing was wrong.) Then in June, I once again took it in for the recall on the manual transmission fluid line, and it passed. So, yeah, lots of issues on a brand new car.
During this first year, I added tint, swapped to the black Nite Pony badges, and had a local shop repaint my mirror caps and rear spoiler gloss black to match the front grill and hood vent. I think it looks far better, especially since some of that bright white is now broken up a bit. There's a bit more of an aggressive look to it. (I also added TCB decals to the side windows (IYKYK). I have not done any performance mods yet but am considering having an H-pipe welded in.
Things I love:
As far as the ventilated seats, they are amazing. The car also gets COLD inside really quickly when the AC is on, which I love. The giant dash screen was something I was worried about initially and didn't particularly love, but I've gotten used to it and even quite enjoy it. I also love the different drive modes- especially Sport Mode. And I love the active exhaust! My Color is a fun option and I'm often mixing the colors up. Perhaps more than anything it's just the driving of a big V8 that sounds amazing in a sexy car that I love the most.
Things I don't love:
The wheels are super hard to clean. It's especially challenging reaching the Brembos and rotors, even if I use special brushes. (I've even scratched the rotors a bit since the detail shop gave me ones that were too strong.) I don't like the rattles. I hope the dealer will take them more seriously next time and do something about them. I also dislike how there isn't a front sensor. It might not be essential, but it would certainly help. I'd also say automatic tilting and folding mirrors would be a huge plus. The paint also seems a bit flimsy at times as there have been more rock chips on this car than others I have owned for much longer periods of time.
Things I'd change with my order:
The one thing I semi-regret not getting is the Nite Pony Package since I ended up adding everything except for the roof and black headlights. I may add those eventually, but I'm pretty happy with how it looks currently.
Despite all the issues I experienced, most of which should not have been present on a brand new car, I must say I feel very happy to have the Ghost. It truly is the car I always dreamt of, and anytime I step inside of it, whether it's to go to work or drive back home, or go to the store or drive up to Disneyland, I am ALWAYS excited to drive. I look forward to it even though I live in an urban area with lots of traffic. I enjoy handwashing it and spending time with it even if it's just sitting in the driveway. At this point, I don't see myself ever owning anything other than a Mustang, and when the time comes (probably after a full decade of ownership), I will move on to another Mustang. But it will absolutely have to have a V8, and ideally, a manual transmission.
Here's to year 2.
This is my second Mustang but my first GT, and the first manual I've ever owned. After my last Mustang, an S197 that I bought brand new (essentially as a kid) and drove for 18 years, I saved up and placed an order in April 2023 for the Mustang of my dreams. I always knew it had to be a GT, and I really wanted a manual. There were a few other specific wants I had built up in my mind over the years like red leather seats and red Brembos, so I made sure to include them. I ended up with a GT Premium with all the bells and whistles possible, knowing that it would be a car I'd keep for a long time. When the car finally arrived last October, I was over the moon. It was the first S650 in town as far as I know, and I didn't see another on the road for at least a couple of months. So, it got a lot of attention and made me very proud taking it to cars and coffee. It did take a bit of getting used to and was quite intimidating to me at first, but now it's very comfortable.
I would like to say that this was a perfect year with zero issues, but unfortunately that's not the case. The car has been in the shop for close to a month when I combine four separate visits. I was always lent a car by the dealership, which is fine, but I was always sad to be without my own car. The first issue was the passenger door contacting the front fender, which caused the paint to chip. It did not do this immediately but started about a month after driving the car. Because the dealer did not have an in-house paint shop, the whole process took two weeks. In February, I took it in again for what I considered to be excessive rattling and vibrating. Strangely, the dealer had a hard time replicating it, and when they did, they could not pinpoint where it was at. So, they sent me on my way and asked me to wait out something official from Ford, or for them to see it more regularly and know how to deal with it. Since then, I've dealt with this rattling in the back of the car that's noticeable driving over even minor unevenness in the road, and I guess it is what it is. There's also some off and on vibrating in the driver seat, the dash, and the passenger door paneling that comes and goes. I'll probably try taking the car in again at some point. (I also had them look at some spots of missing paint, and they set me up with a Motorcraft paint pen as they couldn't do it themselves.)
In April, the car experienced that weird issue where the engine would not start even though the computer was on. I almost had it towed but ultimately didn't when it randomly started up. Again, I took it to the dealer, and they had it for over a week so they could rework the ABS module. (I also had them look at the driver side exhaust, which seemed a bit louder and more aggressive at idle than the driver side, but they said nothing was wrong.) Then in June, I once again took it in for the recall on the manual transmission fluid line, and it passed. So, yeah, lots of issues on a brand new car.
During this first year, I added tint, swapped to the black Nite Pony badges, and had a local shop repaint my mirror caps and rear spoiler gloss black to match the front grill and hood vent. I think it looks far better, especially since some of that bright white is now broken up a bit. There's a bit more of an aggressive look to it. (I also added TCB decals to the side windows (IYKYK). I have not done any performance mods yet but am considering having an H-pipe welded in.
Things I love:
As far as the ventilated seats, they are amazing. The car also gets COLD inside really quickly when the AC is on, which I love. The giant dash screen was something I was worried about initially and didn't particularly love, but I've gotten used to it and even quite enjoy it. I also love the different drive modes- especially Sport Mode. And I love the active exhaust! My Color is a fun option and I'm often mixing the colors up. Perhaps more than anything it's just the driving of a big V8 that sounds amazing in a sexy car that I love the most.
Things I don't love:
The wheels are super hard to clean. It's especially challenging reaching the Brembos and rotors, even if I use special brushes. (I've even scratched the rotors a bit since the detail shop gave me ones that were too strong.) I don't like the rattles. I hope the dealer will take them more seriously next time and do something about them. I also dislike how there isn't a front sensor. It might not be essential, but it would certainly help. I'd also say automatic tilting and folding mirrors would be a huge plus. The paint also seems a bit flimsy at times as there have been more rock chips on this car than others I have owned for much longer periods of time.
Things I'd change with my order:
The one thing I semi-regret not getting is the Nite Pony Package since I ended up adding everything except for the roof and black headlights. I may add those eventually, but I'm pretty happy with how it looks currently.
Despite all the issues I experienced, most of which should not have been present on a brand new car, I must say I feel very happy to have the Ghost. It truly is the car I always dreamt of, and anytime I step inside of it, whether it's to go to work or drive back home, or go to the store or drive up to Disneyland, I am ALWAYS excited to drive. I look forward to it even though I live in an urban area with lots of traffic. I enjoy handwashing it and spending time with it even if it's just sitting in the driveway. At this point, I don't see myself ever owning anything other than a Mustang, and when the time comes (probably after a full decade of ownership), I will move on to another Mustang. But it will absolutely have to have a V8, and ideally, a manual transmission.
Here's to year 2.
Sponsored
Last edited:
