Adamo0926

Ok....maybe because Summer is coming....but I have been tossing around the idea of trading in my 2005 TL for a 2007 Mustang GT convertible. Have I lost my mind ??? lol

I'd go for a Porsche but I am not laying out that kind of money for a whim...lol.

I really like the TL but have always wanted a convertible. I love driving this car but have never really owned a "sports car". In the 2½ years I have owned the TL the only bad thing I can say about it is that, like many have mentioned, it does have more buzzes and rattles than a car of it's pedigree should have. Plus I have a 6 year 100,000 mile extended warranty on the car...which will give me worry free driving for the next 3½ years or so.

I'm thinking this is only a whim and that I will come to my senses.....lol.

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

If you dont like rattles and squeeks....dont buy a convertible. Cause thats what you are going to hear all the time there!

BUT.....on the other hand.....way better power potential WAY CHEAPER is always nice too!

datmrman

1 vote for lost your mind.

Rather than wasting the money on the trade, use it to add to your mod list. A Comptech/Progress RSB or a suspension upgrade will help.

Adamo0926

Hey Benz.....I know that stuff can happen with convertibles. But from reviews I have read the latest generation Mustangs have far more body rigidity than most other convertibles....even ones costing much much more.

And actually it's hardly inexpensive....a very nicely loaded 2007 Mustang GT Premium Convertible will run about 35,000.00 or so. More than my TL cost me, which was about 33,700.00 I believe.

It does have 300hp with 320 lb ft of torque however

When I first test drove about 10 cars and decided on the TL....the Mustang was my 2nd choice.

I wish I could afford to own both. Which I could actually do if I paid off my TL and leased the Mustang....but then there is the extra insurance, extra property tax, etc, ad nauseum.

VelfarreClubber

Not true, my parents 06' CLK 500 cabriolet is very solid, but i just find the car pretty high above the ground and pretty soft on the suspension and you'll be paying silver star bucks.

I had an 02/03 mustang v6 convertible rental for a week and the center console area did rattle and stuff but you should be fine to get that fixed at the dealer. Convertibles are fun, but damn it gets hot easy espcially if you have a black top, its just refreshing to get back in my TL after driving the CLK

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

Oh...I was talking about mod expenses.....I have like just under $55,000 in my car including purchase. You know what I could have done with that same money in a domestic? I prob could have built a 400 - 500 HP beast with that same money I blew on this car! But then it wouldnt have been an Acura....so there are tradeoffs with anything. Depends on what is the main goal and what is important to you. Frankly...didnt know I was going to get the bug when I first bought this car - then I came here to AZ and it hit me like a crack whore! lol.

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

Dude...come on....HUGE PRICE DIFFERENCE THERE! Not even comparable IMHO. We are talking American convertibles here too....made by Ford.

Cant even believe you would think about comparing the Benz with an American car....different class altogether! We wont even get into assembly issues here and the unions.

sandiegodrive

Funny you should meantion this! I was GOING to buy the Mustang also before I discovered the TL from Acura, but I couldn't get over the CRAPPY handling and the plain & cheap interior.

+1 For you LOST YOUR MIND!!!!!!

COME ON BRO!!!! Your going to kick yourself over and over again if you were to go through with this "whim".

Just my

Adamo0926

Benz....that's a lot of extras in your car.....but your car certainly looks it and is definitely unique and a head turner.

My TL is actually the first car I have had in a long time that has "normal" mileage. My other cars I was putting 25,000 miles/year on them or more, so after 2½ years on those cars, the trade in value was hideous.

Right now my TL has about 38,500 miles on it so the trade in value is pretty high....so I was thinking, maybe I should take advantage of that.

I can tell you one thing.....there is NO WAY I am getting out of the TL and into a Mustang GT convertible unless the deal is PERFECT. Meaning that I will actually lower my payments and will not have to put more than 3000.00 - 4000.00 down on the car. I only have about 6500.00 left to pay on my TL.

I'm still thinking this is just a pipe dream because everytime I get behind the wheel of my TL I say to myself, do you really want to dump this car ??? lol

VelfarreClubber

I just processed "dont buy a convertible" hahaha.. I have the tendencies to prove people wrong.

Adamo0926

sandie.....there are pros and cons....there always are. No car is perfect. TL has the MUCH nicer interior for sure, but the Mustang went for a retro look with modern appointments. It's like comparing apples to oranges. The TL is a luxury sports sedan and the Mustang GT convertible is a sports car, plain and simple. They say it's a 4 passenger car but that's a joke, even the munchkins from the Wizard of OZ could not fit in it's back seat.

There is no question the Mustang GT is more powerful....I test drove one when I was looking for cars when I bought my TL. And it does handle better than the TL because of rear wheel drive, although Winter would be an adventure. As with all powerful front wheel drive cars, the TL suffers from torque steer.

There is no doubt that the TL is a better overall car then the Mustang GT. But that doesn't mean the Mustang GT is chopped liver either !

sandiegodrive

If your looking for sheer power on the str8s then that fine, but in my humble opinion I still feel it drives slugish for a sports car.

Just becuase a car is rear wheel drive doesn't mean it's going to handle better.

True in many cases though.

In the end its your money and your desire.

I was set on buying a Mustang, but the "apple" won me over. I look forward to driving my $31,780 Acura TL everyday like you said, but I couldn't say the same after 1 whole day with the mustang.

asianspec

iTrader: (1)

+1 on Mid-Life Crisis

+1 on beating yourself until your senses are back to being a loyal acura member. lol

sandiegodrive

blazinginder

If you have a family and the TL is your nice "family car" then keep it...if you dont have kids then go for it...for 35k wait until the next gen M3 is out and get a used this gen M3 conv

Honestly IMO conv/roadsters are not worth it haha (I'd attach a pic of mine, but dont know how to )

kennyc

look for a used C5 vette - they are around high 20's and plenty of mods. They also out handle and out accelerate mustangs.

Adamo0926

Kenny....the big problem with a Vette is that they cost a king's ransom to insure.

jd34

i came from an 03 mustang gt to an 06 tl, i can say the tl is a far better vehicle. yes i do miss rear wheel drive, but its not worth it. and i noticed that you're from CT. the mustang cant get out of its own way in a dusting of snow, so i hope you have a winter car in mind.

sparky57

Well, there is definitely something to be said for open motoring. The wife and I have what I consider an ideal arrangement: we alternate driving a TL and an S2000. I'm also a motorcycle rider and do enjoy the wind in my face.

While the TL (with A-spec suspension/wheels) corners quite nicely, it is not as tossable as the S2000. After I drive the Honda for a while and return to the TL, it seems so much larger.

rw

XS2K

If you are going to switch, why not keep it in the family and get a Honda S2000, a much better car than the Stang and certainly more exclusive. Yes, it is a 2 seater, but so is the Stang for all practical purposes. And it is actually made in Japan. Gawd, I really miss my S2K

kennyc

I know.. I checked it before i bought the TL.

the OP is 49 years old.. his insurance will not go up as much as we do.

edit: ok... as much as I do. :P

Adamo0926

XS.....I'm not just thinking about a convertible for the sake of a convertible. The appeal of the Mustang for me is in it's retro look, the "muscle car" look so to speak. Plus it's got way more HP and torque than the s2000. And yes, for all intents and purposes, the Mustang GT is a 2 seater.....but at least I can fit some stuff behind the front seats...lol.

Hell I might take one out for another test drive like I did 2½ years ago only this time I might say, "damn this thing is not as good as I thought".

As I said in an earlier post, I really wish I could afford both cars and only drive the Mustang vert in late Spring and throughout the Summer. But unfortunately I am not a CEO.

rt4563

Open yer windows and sunroof and fantasize. Lots cheaper.

Adamo0926

rt.....LOL. Yeah, I could do that....but like I said I am itching for the "sports car"/"muscle car" appeal. This is still just a whim and may blow over.

geekybiker

Really? Vette are incredibly cheap to insure. My insurance went UP when I sold my vette to buy a TL. I suggest you actually get quotes before you assume a vette will be too much to insure.

geekybiker

Oh and I'd probably get a pontiac soltice supercharged model if I really wanted a convertible right now.

jcondon

The GT has a solid rear axle. My brother had a Mach 1 with a solid rear axle and in many tight turns thought my TL was more firmly planted. Really depended on the road. It was very easy to get the rear end to break loose and you had to be VERY careful in the rain.

Now step up to the Cobra which has independant rear suspension and that car should easily out handle the TL.

Funny thing was my brother really liked my car and I liked his. But, they really are totally different cars with totally different markets. Sure there is SOME cross over but, really totally different cars.

Adamo0926

jcondon.....for sure the Shelby Cobra would handles a lot better with the independent rear suspension. However the car lists at 41,000.00 or so and they have been selling at 15,000.00 to 20,000.00 over the sticker. As much as I am looking for the appeal of the looks of a muscle car, if I were going to lay out 60,000.00+ for a car I would start to look at a Porsche.

HiTEC

I personally would never drive a Mustang. There is a certain stigma associated with a Mustang owner/driver. Same stigma goes with a Camaro owner. Sorry to offend anybody, just my feelings.

I don't think there is anything wrong with wanting to own a convertible. I took my try at it and bought a Audi TT Roadster 225. I was glad I tried it, but found that convertible are not my liking. I don't really like the heat, and found myself roasting at every stop light, and was only dropping the top when it was in the 70's.

Go for it!

Adamo0926

HiTech.....lol......would you please indicate what the "stigma" is with Mustang owners. I'm trying to figure that one out. Would that be like saying that everyone that drives a Lexus RX-330 must be an uptight, stuck up stuffed shirt ? (Of course that is not true as any sane person knows). But I am curious as to what you think the Mustang "stigma" is.....

stepp

My question exactly. Around here the same could be said for a "stigma" surrounding a guy that drives an Audi TT.

It's personal preference. If it fits your needs, roll with it!

CleanCL

iTrader: (4)

i just read the first post and saw mustang convertible gt... yea you lost your mind. end of story.

lembowski

iTrader: (1)

Its hard to describe the "stigma" of a mustang driver, but I know exactly what hi-tech means. I have a natural disposition against mustangs for some reason. Really just because the different models of the vehicle. How anyone with a mustang thinks its fast, even if it a small v6 model. I dunno maybe its just me

Will Y.

+2 :wink:
I got the TL because of my midlife crisis...otherwise I could be in a Mustang or an RX-8.
I test drove a 2005 Mustang GT 5M before the TL-- my kids complained (from the dinky little back seat) that the exhaust on the GT was too loud. I also thought it was too intrusive and would be annoying on longer trips. And I like the exterior, but the Mustang doesn't even have a remote gas lid cover-- too old school for me!
FYI, squeaking noises from a convertible are not necessarily from the chassis, but the top mechanism parts squirreling around and making noise if you just drop the top and leave the top stack loose without securing it.
As rt4563 says, open the friggin' windows and sunroof-- it'll be easier on your nerves and likely save a bunch of gas and snow tire money in the long run.
Adamo0926, let us know if you come to your senses!

kennyc

when I was in the market - I looked at the following cars.

300c - little more than the A4.
mustang gt - half of the A4.
vette - twice the A4.
TL - little more than the A4.

it's great you have pretty reasonable insurance rate for the vette. But I believe for most people vette is expensive to insure.

HiTEC

I know it's a huge generalization, and I hope I didn't offend anyone. If I say anything more I'll just dig myself deeper into a hole.

rt4563

A certain, shall we say, My Name is Earl kind of stigma?

What comic says it, can't remember ... "You'll never see a virgin driving a Camaro Z-28"?

again. I got the convertible thing out of my system when I was in my 20's. (Oh, so long ago ... ) I had a Porsche 914 (Yeah, I know that was essentially a VW bug but I loved that car). It was so much fun to pop the fiberglass top off, which fit in the trunk perfectly, and roar around with that 1.7L four-banger. But it got so damn hot sitting in the sun that even when I was young and stupid I'd only take the top off (the car, the car) when it was perfect weather.

So it's 4+1 convertible for me these days.

Adamo0926

Will.....my kids would not complain about the back seat because I don't have any....lol.

What I don't understand is why some people insist on bashing a Mustang GT just because it's not an Acura. I read plenty of reviews about the new generation Mustang and they were all very, very good reviews. And I am talking about reviews from legitimate sources like Car&Driver, Road and Track, etc. I also test drove a 2005 Mustang GT and found it to be very quick, quicker than my TL....but 300hp and 320 lb ft of torque will do that. That's why it came in a close 2nd to the TL when I did my test drives of 10 cars 2½ years ago.

I love my Acura TL but it's not perfect.....no car ever is. I think both the Mustang GT and Acura TL are exceptional cars....in their own way. Both have strengths and faults. I love the sleek modern look of the TL but I also love the retro "muscle car" look of the new generation of Mustangs. The TL is much roomier but the Mustang is much sportier.

If I owned 2 cars right now these would be the two. (Unless I had unlimited finances).

I'm not saying one car is better than the other....just different.

Desert_TL

I know it's been said before but I'll go ahead and say it again. Domestic cars blow... I can't stand em!!! A year ago when I picked the TL, I test drove about 10 european or japanese cars and no American cars, because their interiors make me want to vomit and the long-term reliability historically has been very poor (time will tell if GM's new 100,000 mile warranty was a smart move or not). The last car I would EVER buy would be a Ford. UUUGGGGH GOD!!!!

On a more useful, practical note, I very seriously considered the BMW Z4 for my new car. However, I knew that I would be selling my existing car and that whatever car I bought would be my only vehicle. I eventually decided that having a convertible as my only vehicle would suck. There are too many situations in which you wouldn't be able to take advantage of the convertible (too sunny, too hot, raining, snowing, highway driving, etc) and you're going to be DYING for a nice sedan like the TL. Not to mention the reduced body rigidity, more rattles, more wind noise, etc etc.

If you were definitely going to have another "regular" car around like the TL, i'd say consider the convertible (although not a ford convertible). However if the convertible is going to be your only car... hellllls no.

Adamo0926

Desert.....no offense intended but you just have not done your homework. Your bashing of all domestic automobiles sounds like a person that insists that French wine is better than domestic wine (As a matter of fact it's not....the best wines on the planet come from the California Napa and Sonoma valleys). The reviews of the Mustang by legitimate publications like Road and Track, Car and Driver, etc have all been very good.

I haven't owned a domestic car for a long time....but I owned several VWs and bought into that "German engineering" line I was fed. One of my VWs was exceptional, one was about average, and the other was a near disaster. I also put a LOT of miles on my VWs, I have put far less mileage on my TL. I believe if you take any car and drive it 25,000 miles/year like I did with my V-Dubs.....there are going to be problems that pop up. No car is perfect. You can get a lemon even if you buy a BMW, a Jaguar or a Rolls Royce.

What is your knock against Ford ? Can you cite some actual data that backs up your claim ? Or are you just generalizing ? Maybe a Ford ran over your foot when you were a child.....lol.