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Looking into 2009 GT or...

3K views 29 replies 20 participants last post by  kirbster 
#1 ·
Wishful thinking but I'm hoping to get an 09 GT in the next 6-8 months. My two requirements would be engine/handling performance and a nav system. My question is: should I plan to go with a 2009 and mod or do I wait a year(or longer) for prices to go down, save more $, and look into a 2011/2012? I know the difference in horsepower between the 09 and 11 but how about handling? Anyone know if the 11 has a better nav system? FWIW this will be a daily driver and my first manual.
 
#4 ·
If you're wanting a manual, I'd personally go with the 2009. I'd never want to embark on that MT-82 plague.

However, the 5.0 has 100 more horses, and the price isn't that far apart.
 
#5 ·
I was going to save up and get a 11+GT, but I'm very impatient and in June 2015 got my 47k miles 05GT for $13.5K with nothing down except my $1000 trade... I love my car to death and love the styling, but I sure do want that extra 120HP, and to get that from a 4.6 you pretty much gotta boost it, which I also don't have the patience to save for... So I'd say If you can wait, then wait. But if you can't, well then, you will be ok and you'll still have a blast in the 4.6... Plus, 4.6 sounds waaay better than the 5.0.

Also keep in mind the troubles from the 11+ GT manual tranny problems.
 
#6 ·
Thanks for letting me know about the transmission issues in the 2011s, I hadn't heard about that. I'll have to look deeper and figure out what my options are, but maybe I won't have to save for as long as I think for a 2009. The more I think about it I gotta say I'm sure I'd be very happy with an 09 with a few engine mods. It's already leaps of power over my current 2.3L Mazda 6.
 
#7 ·
Jlee is correct about the transmissions in those cars. However the price difference between a 2009 and 2011 wont be that much and the extra 100hp might be something to look into. Why an 09 why not an older s197? Same body style and motor all the way back to 2005. An 05-06 will be loads cheaper and you'll have plenty left over to mod. I have an 09 and like it. I just uploaded a video of it doing two pulls and I'm happy with the power. 2nd pull around 20mph I got a better hit. Iv'e had an 11 5.0 once upon a time also. Freak cars


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hlcgUot0E4
 
#8 ·
A few reasons why I'm thinking 2009. Not sure where I read it but I saw that the stock 09 engine has less restrictive airflow than the 05-07, but I guess that wouldn't matter if I'm doing mods... I also read Ford eliminated a spark plug issue in the 08-09. And possibly no navigation systems in the 05-07? If the spark plug issue isn't a big deal and 05-07s come with a nav system, I'd definitely look into them more. Nice video by the way, that sound is just awwwesome.
 
#9 ·
My question is: should I plan to go with a 2009 and mod or do I wait a year(or longer) for prices to go down, save more $, and look into a 2011/2012? I know the difference in horsepower between the 09 and 11 but how about handling? Anyone know if the 11 has a better nav system? FWIW this will be a daily driver and my first manual.
The '09 GT has the more desirable retro-modern body style with a nicer tail, and will also have no TSBs 'cause all the bugs that came on earlier models were eliminated by then. So it has "only" 300bhp? Just add a cold air intake with tune and you'll have 325bhp with great throttle response. It's unlikely you'll crave for more power unless you like to hit the strip on a regular basis.
The '11 GT has the more desirable Coyote 5.0 engine with 412bhp but the goofy tail and trouble-prone MT82 6-speed manual gearbox would put me off right away. Both models share the same suspension so handling will be equal.
Weigh up the respective pros/cons and decide which is better for you.
 
#10 ·
A 09 is a great choice. But I would suggest you test drive both an 09 and an 11+. I think the differences in style and handling and power are subtle but real. The point is to pick the one you like best within your budget - or we all might have the new Ford GT instead of Mustangs... maybe... heck, if I had the coins I would have bought a Shelby truth be told. But back to it, get the ride that is the best expression of YOU and what you like. And then mod it to make it uniquely your own. "A thing of beauty is a joy forever..." John Keats
 
#11 ·
Thanks for all the help. After reading the comments and thinking about it, right now the pros of the 09 outweigh cons of the 11 for me. 300hp with mods is enough for me, especially for my first manual. Definitely need to test drive a 2009 and maybe won't need to test out a 2011.
 
#12 ·
After I sold my 05 GT, I wanted to replace it with a 2011 GT but clearly the additional options, new styling and additional power were not what I was really looking for on a mustang. I finally bought a 07 SGT and clearly I do not regret. A 05-09 GT with handling and power ugrade is really fun to drive. I upgrade it every month and really enjoy working on this car.
 
#14 ·
The thing that's now addictive to me is acceleration. Here's one source for comparison: Ford 0-60 Times & Ford Quarter Mile Times | Ford GT, Mustang, F-150, Focus, Escape, Thunderbird & more 0 to 60 stats! If I was in the market, that half second +/- for the 2011 wouldn't be worth the price of admission over a 2009.

And please indulge an old guy his biases, but is a nav a serious go/no go purchase factor now? My phone can talk to me and tell me where to go (as well you might). Plus, nearly all gas stations around here still sell paper maps if both my phone battery and the car charger cord poop out.

(On second thought disregard. I remember L.A. maps being phone book size.)
 
#15 ·
Nice link, yeah the 0.7 sec more than likely wouldn't make a difference to me coming from a not so powerful car in the first place. Man if I could hook up a non factory GPS (preferably not my phone) and make it look nice inside the car I'm ok without a factory nav system but here's the reason why I would prefer one: I used to have a GPS that I stuck on the windshield of my current car, and a factory GPS sitting in the console looks so much cleaner. I'm really bad with directions, tired of looking down at my phone in hand to see where I need to go, and I probably couldn't do that comfortably in a manual.
 
#19 ·
I really prefer the 05-09 body. Do you REALLY NEED more than 300- 325 HP? While the 05-09 may not have all the more "modern" stuff, and the plugs stick, and whatever, I really feel it's the best looking body, and you can upgrade basically everything to what you want, not what someone else decided you want.

Get an older one and if you want - mod away. I have done sequential lights. I have some grill inserts, a new antenna and new handles for my seat release coming. Nothing fancy or hard, but fun to do little things here and there when I can afford it. Not going to do a lot of performance mods as I am pretty happy with my 06 GT as is. My mods are more cosmetic. I am not mechanically inclined at all, but it's fun to do things to your car. Just doing the sequential lights made me feel pretty good.

You'll enjoy either. I love my Mustang!
 
#21 ·
You can easily upgrade the headunit for a navi one. Or you can do what I did and made a custom phone holder for my nexus 6. The phone is giant and all the holders I could find took up way to much space. So I decided a quick trip to Lowes and about $5 buck and voila. Doesnt interfere with view. Gps is easy to read and I can put calls on speakerphone and talk hands free. I know your not ready just yet but this baby is up for sale in the Charlotte area now.

https://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/5385923209.html
 

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#25 ·
#26 ·
Goofy tail? Man no love for the 10+ in here lol.

I say go drive both cars 3v and a 5.0 and see that you think after that. As far as nav goes you can go aftermarket. Lots of choices out there. One thing good about the 09 you don't have to buy an expensive dash piece like the 10-14s if you change out the stereo.
 
#28 ·
I installed a factory NAV to replace the Shaker 500. Was plug and play but the few things that don't work are:
1) Aux Input (needs to be programmed)
2) No PB lights when car lights are on and no day and night time dimming of the display -but I can do that manually. (needs to be programmed)
3) no BT Phone interface (required an extra module and programming)
4) no communication bus access to speed signal. This affects the GPS a bit - sometimes takes a bit to know where I am but the benefit is that I can enter destinations with the car moving (but of course I'd never do that! lol)
I could send it out to be re-programmed (4DTech) but being in Canada and our peso is crap and with high shipping costs, I'm happy enough with what it has and does.
What I do like about it is:
1) touch screen to change radio stations and other parameters and visual display of song rather than just the PB's and 1 line display that the Shaker has. Also the station call letters are displayed for selection rather than having to remember what the 1-6 stations are.
2) GPS works with the additional GPS antenna that I had to buy separately from Aliexpress (I had to buy a NAV DVD separately.)
3) Has a 6 CD changer that the Shaker didn't.
4) Doesn't have the power-off power draw issue that the Shaker could have which drains the battery.
5) Looks OEM because it sort of is. This pioneer 'brick' unit isn't the best as far NAVI's go but it looks better than the Shaker and has all the sound quality that I want out of it and it does work however a phone works just as well and is up to date.
If you do decide to get one of these (I got mine on E-bay for about $150 which was a steal) I believe 4Dtech can program it for a rear camera too. I tried taking it to a dealer to get programmed and they couldn't (or wouldn't). I also think Chicago radio (and other places) can program these boxes to fit your car. Maybe one day I will get it done.
 
#29 ·
I really like the '13/'14 GTs...I was looking at 5.0's recently online, just shopping around, found a REALLY nice '13 (I think?) that had the brembos and recaros...was almost exactly the car I would want except it was black. But it was $29K and it's painful to think about having a $400 monthly payment since I just got my car paid off last year.


I'd really love to have those Recaros out of the newer cars...might put that on my future-to-do list.
 
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