E9x M3 ---> S550 ???

[Pootie_Stang]

FISH22 did you use to have an laguna blue s2000? that display name sounds familiar

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[FISH22]

FISH22 did you use to have an laguna blue s2000? that display name sounds familiar

I did! The S2000 is my first true love. Owned 4 of them over the course of 9 years. Amazing car.

 

[dB Stang]

I traded my 2008 M3 for a 2012 Mustang GT, and I've since traded that for a 2015 GT PP. The M3 definitely had more panache, if you care about that. And the interior materials were higher quality.

Other than that, I've enjoyed actually driving both Mustangs much better than the M3. The Mustang's power is much more usable as a daily driver. With the M3, you had to keep the revs high to get into its torque range. The torque curve of the Coyote engine is better for the street. (The track might be a different story, but I don't take my vehicles to the track.)

With the M3, I felt like I had to work a bit to make it fun to drive. The Mustang is easy fun anywhere, anytime.

The lower cost of the Mustang - purchase, insurance, maintenance, reliability in my experience - is almost just a bonus.

 

[BluByeU]

Never owned an E92 M3 but was close to getting a used one w/the 6MT. Had the color, options all picked-out until I saw the 2015 Mustang at the DUB Show in LA this past Jan. I'm an American muscle-car guy at heart, but man that M3 is the $hit! If I were you I would keep the M3, those things are sweet IMO esp the Comp or the Lime Rock editions. There's one Mustang I would trade an M3 for and that's the GT350.
Tough decision man...

 

[Brent Dalton]

I came from a 2011 M3 with pretty much every option.



I had a pocket of time in my mid to late 20's where work allowed me to hit the road course a lot. I had/have a dedicated track car that I would trailer to the track at least a couple times a month back then. Keep a race car prepped and competitive takes a lot of time and effort. Work picked back up and I found myself wanting something that I could drive comfortably to work and back on occasion and enjoy, as well as throw some track wheel/tires and brake pads on and drive it to the track and back. It did exactly that. Here is me at COTA on some worn out RS3's having some fun:
[ame]

I like the high revving V8(I don't like the lack of torque but that goes with the territory just like the GT350 I think), the DCT, and the control-ability of the car. I could hang the car out on track very easily. Not the fastest way around the track, but it's nice to have the confidence/predictability in the car, that if you exceed the limit of grip, you can generally reel it back in without too much fuss.

I disliked the suspension design (which the mustang has a similar design). The M3 is also a jack of all trades, master of none. It does every thing good, but nothing great. I ultimately sold the car as we were moving from TX to KS as it was one less thing to deal with. I was ready for something different as well.

I thought about a GT350, but after halfheartedly looking for an allocation and only coming up with majorly inflated price tags, I moved on. I looked at some other cars, but ultimately decided on a 2016 Mustang base GT w/ PP.


I think they are a lot of car for the money. I intentionally got a base GT with only the performance package option as this isn't a daily driver and I think it detracts from the experience (again, just my opinion). I also got a killer deal on it I feel like. The mustang feels a lot like the M3 to me. I think the PP GT suspension actually feels better on track. My 16 GT PP also doesn't feel bouncy on the road as other 15 GT PP have stated. They may have made some tweaks to the 16's though.

I like the price on the mustang, the coyote engine that revs to 7000 stock (not bad for american muscle), and the 3.73 rear end and 6 speed transmission. What I like the most about the car is aftermarket support is readily available, competitive, and affordable. Look at the BMW performance wheel that cost like $800 compared to the GT350 steering wheel at $160. BMW performance exhaust(that provided no gains) for around $4-5k... compared to the ford performance at $1300.

I'm not crazy about the suspension design (seriously, Mazda had cast aluminum double a arm suspension in the early 90's!) on the mustang, but I'll survive with some camber/caster plates. Jury is still out on the transmission. No issue thus far, but it seems a little noisy. I'll try switching out the fluid.

I did take it to Raceway Park of the Midlands last weekend to start to learn the car. It was a new car and a new track (just moved to Kansas City) so I put the car in 4th and just focused on learning the track and the car. I did put the car in 5th on the front straight just to knock the rust off rev matching after having the DCT

Nothing exciting and the video is shaky as I haven't built a mount yet, but here is a couple of minutes:
[ame]

Hope that helps. I'm not disappointed in my purchase.

 

[ForTehNguyen]

performance of the E9X M cars and S197 5.0s were pretty close to each other even back then. S550 GTs are close in perfomance again with the F8X M cars.

Change the shifter to an MGW/Barton, synthetic transmission fluid, and remove the clutch spring to dramatically improve the whole experience. Look into the anti wheel hop mods too, they are inexpensive as well. Upgrading the shifter and anti wheel hop mods will fix the main weaknesses of this car for well under $1k. MGW was the best mod to the car so far.

[ame]

 

[panic]

Change the shifter to an MGW/Barton, synthetic transmission fluid, and remove the clutch spring to dramatically improve the whole experience. Look into the anti wheel hop mods too, they are inexpensive as well. Upgrading the shifter and anti wheel hop mods will fix the main weaknesses of this car for well under $1k. MGW was the best mod to the car so far.

What's the best trans fluid on your opinion and what's the clutch spring that should be removed and why?

I also think the trans and its clutch are a weak points to the 15'Mustang and I'm trying to work them out as well.

THanks.

 

[ForTehNguyen]

using royal purple synchromax and it got rid of some of the notchiness. In short the clutch spring removal makes the clutch feel a LOT more consistent and accurate and it takes about 15 seconds to do.

http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13497

http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17392

 

[dB Stang]

\Look into the anti wheel hop mods too, they are inexpensive as well.

What wheel hop mods have worked best for you? Thanks!

 

[Pootie_Stang]

I did! The S2000 is my first true love. Owned 4 of them over the course of 9 years. Amazing car.

haha i knew it! I remember it from s2ki. I had a rio yellow ap2 on vs-xx

 

[valentinoamoro]

I owned an M6 (V10) and have driven the M3 (E92) a lot in auto-x, daily driving and on twisties. Short take: If you care about maintenance costs, want more torque/shove and want to really dial in the handling (or get much more power), get the Mustang. If you want something dialed in well for street and mild track from the factory (slightly sharper/nimbler stock Vs the S550 if you push it in tight roads) but limited ability to improve, get the M3 (but def get an extended warranty). Both cars are good and very similar, much more similar than the E92 M3 and the new M4! My thoughts are here (lots of details):


http://mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8439

http://mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33371

http://mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34435

 

[bahasad]

Ahh this is such a hard choice. If it was the older S197s, no doubt I'd go for the E9x. But the new S550 is a much better car that I'd have a hard time choosing. I think the performance of the S550 is better than the E92, but the E92 is lighter and nimbler feeling. I am the biggest fan of the E92 M3s, it was my dream car during college. I think it will be one of the last great BMWs made. But damn it, I don't know if I would get one over an S550.

How about keep the E90 M3 as a daily and an S550 GT as a weekend car?

 

[redline727]

I like the E90 over the E92 and E93 M3. That car just looks tougher in 4door form IMO. White manual E90 > E92 but < s550 except for body panel alignment haha. F80 and F82 is a toss up for me. I like whatever one is in front of me, if both in front me then whatever one is white with carbon roof. No love for the F83 at all.

 

[AR4CE]

I traded my e92 m3 for my s550.. and didn't look back. I've had a few M3s and loved them all.. but after a $1,300 brake job on the E92 I longed for Ford parts prices. Plus, the mustang is just a great seat-of-the-pants fun car to drive.

 

[ForTehNguyen]

What wheel hop mods have worked best for you? Thanks!

Havent installed them yet, waiting on exhaust to do an installation bonanza. But I have purchased the Steeda diff inserts (planning to use red), BMR CB005 cradle lockout kit, and BMR vertical links. Can easily get all of these for under $500

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