Mustang GT roadtrip
 

My parents have decided to retire from retirement, and asked me and my 12 yo daughter to ferry one of their cars up from Charleston to DC.

Our ride was a 2017 Mustang GT convertible. There are so many packages with the Mustang that it’s taken me a few min of research to unpack its specs, but it looks like 435 hp from the 5.0 liter V8 in this tune, with a 6 speed manual. The Performance package adds 3.73 gears with a Torsen diff, stiffer shocks, bigger brakes, a variety of other stuff, and summer tires.

Forecast temp for the trip? 40 degrees and falling. At least it didn’t look like snow.

In the end, it was a smooth and uneventful drive, split into two days. Total travel time was around 8 hours, with a couple of fuel stops and a short detour into South of the Border, because my daughter was fascinated by the idea of such overly racist kitsch. That is a gross and dirty place, fwiw, and I do not recommend the coffee there.

The Mustang in this configuration isn’t really made for highway driving. With 3.73s, it struggles to get 21 mpg on the highway, and even in sixth at, um, more than 80 it’s pulling 2600 rpm, which is a lot for a big V8. The range is a little less than my Model 3, at just over 300 miles.

But the seats are comfortable (a first for a Mustang), and you don’t have any trouble passing when the need arises.

What this Mustang is good for is lurid tail slides. Especially when it’s cold. Even if you don’t mean to. The traction control gives you a long leash, and you can find yourself auditioning for Formula D on the way to Outback Steakhouse with little provocation. Maybe it’s just been too long since I’ve driven a powerful RWD car.

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I think that modern traction control is just way better than it was when we all got angry about it in the E46es.

TC is also really good in the E90 M3 if you tell it that you’re in Europe. BMWNA’s settings are barely better than the E46 was.

Ford rims?

They go very nice with the car color and roof color

And everyone needs to experience South of the Border once. . . going there twice is just wrong

Yeah, those are the stock wheels with the Performance Package — or at least they were.

Wow! Are they moving to the DC area?

Mustang GT roadtrip
 

Yep. They’re still pretty active but the stress of maintaining a fair percentage of their wealth in a house on one of the barrier islands has gotten a little old. It’ll be nice to have them local, though we are going to miss Charleston a whole lot.

Edit: light is a little better here

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Candy Apple red. Your parents made a wise choice. Climate change is going to overtake those islands.

You and my father would get along. He’s convinced it’s a matter of (not much) time.

Looks like a fun drive and a cool car. I look forward to the idea of road trips with my daughter once she's older. Charleston is a very cool city.